Database Info

[FAQ][REF] Korean Motoroi XT720 Updating, Root, OC etc..

well, not exactly a FAQ...
I write this as a user of a Korean Motoroi XT720, in Korea. I do not know or care much about using this phone elsewhere, but some things here may still be useful for people in that situation.
First the Korean version Motoroi XT720 is not exactly identical to the international Milestone XT720 and certainly not identical to the original Milestone A853 (Thanks to Mioze7Ae for pointing out about the original.. also see his comments in next post about more detail on the subject.)
For one it has DMB, the internal storage apparently varies on other versions (I think), radio frequencies and APN settings are not compatible if using ROMS from the wrong device.
It may be possible to make a ROM from another version work, but that's not my thing.
Roms from for the non-Korean versions probably will not work without some changes
And therefore, custom ROMs from English sites probably don't work. There are android developers in Korea, but I don't know if any develop for this phone.
Updating
repeating:
Roms from for the non-Korean Milestone XT720 probably will not work without some changes
And therefore, custom ROMs from English sites probably don't work. There are developers in Korea, but I don't know about this phone.
Froyo (android 2.2) gives you apps 2 sd.. which you need if you have many apps.
Froyo update linked from first post of this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=881801
Don't worry about the bugs reported there if you are using the Korean model. The bugs (except for maybe the mediaserver issue, more later) are related to the fact that people are using the rom on non-Korean phones.
The rom there is the same rom as available officially on the Korean update site. It's just much easier to get it from the above link.
To flash it,
1)get any version of RSD-lite (I used 4.9 and it worked). I used windows xp to run it. Mileage may vary with windows 7.
2) Run it. Load the sbf file.
3) Check that the file stats get filled in (otherwise you got a bad download which happened to me once).
4) Put your device in download mode (keep reading for instructions).
5) Connect the USB.. use a good heavy gauge cable like the stock cable, and plug into a rear connection on the computer. This really can matter.
6) Hit start, and wait a long time, this phone's flash process is REALLY slow. (compared to Samsung)
Within a couple of minutes though it should be clear that something is flashing and progress indicators should be incrementing. Don't wait hours.
There's a good youtube video somewhere for the milestone.
**Official Update
Unlike the manual suggests, OTA does nothing.
The latest official ROM version seems to be reported here:
http://www.mymotorola.co.kr/product/PrdRsdPhoneList.aspx
So in the unlikely(?) event there's another significant update, we should see it there.
Official updates are flashed by a web app from here:
http://www.mymotorola.co.kr/product/PrdRsdMain.aspx
A thread discussion roughly how to traverse that complicated Korean web page process to do the update is here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=908314
Notice the non-Koreans failed, but that's because they had the wrong phone. Your phone should be connected by USB when you start the web process. It took me two tries and a computer reboot to get it to work, but it worked. It probably helped that I can read most computer terms in Korean writing.
**Download and Recover Modes
Download mode allows ROM flashing. Recovery allows wiping data cache, and applying update.zip files (which can modify your rom).
Download and recovery modes keys
Recovery (mostly quoted from someone else):
Turn off phone
Press Power key + Camera Mode Key to power on the phone and bring up the recovery screen
(Trianlge with exclamation mark shows after motorola logo)
Press Volume Up + Camera Key to show the recovery menu.
Use Volume Up/Down Key to highlight and Camera Mode Key to select
Be careful.. selecting wipe data, will obviously delete most of your apps.
Download Mode:
Turn off phone
Press Power key + Volume Down + Camera key
Camera mode key is the little one next to the cammera key.
Volume up means the one toward the top of the phone.
If the battery is out of the phone and if it turns on when you put it in... then replace "power button" above with "insert battery". You don't have to contort to do both as some people say. Either way, the power key or battery should be the last part of the combination.
**Rooting
Super one click is said to work, and certainly it should. I used the rageagainstthecage exploit with adb (the same exploit as super one click). There's a similar hack described elsewhere here. I can try to improve this section if needed later.
**Market Games etc
Many applications are blocked to Koreans in the market. This includes all games. Use the Market Enabler app from the market to fix this. I use it to set my provider to [us]T-mobile. If you get the pro version it can be made permanent on boot up. The free version isn't.
**Some Tweaks and tips
Launcher
The stock launcher is a little jerky on this thing, or was in eclair, (update.. I think froyo and/or the mediaserver fix solved this)
Anyway.. you can try ADW launcher or launcher pro or something else if you have problems. These sometimes pause to reload though when you hit the home key.
mediaserver bugginess
A few people using the Korean froyo on the Milestone report that there is a mediaserver issue where mediaserver consumes battery and slows the phone. I may have detected this on the Korean phone too, but not sure yet (not pateint enough). The solution offered around here is to replace the media server binary. Here's the link I found for a new one:
http://dateno1.egloos.com/28452
It is a Korean page, so it probably is an issue for the korean phone. I installed the mediaserver_d file, and the phone still works and yes, maybe better, but if you do the fix incorrectly, you can boot loop your phone and need a reflash. I don't know the difference between the two files offered there.
so the way to do this (assumes basic knowledge of adb use)
1)root the phone
2) cd to the directory with the mediasver_d file
4) do all this...(this has not been cut and paste tested, but it's what I did by hand, check for typos).
Code:
adb pull /system/bin/mediaserver mediaserver.original
adb push mediaserver_d /data/local/tmp/mediaserver
adb shell
$ su
# mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/yomama /system
# mount -o remount,rw -t roots / /
(the mount type and device name actually don't matter for a remount command)
# rm /system/bin/mediaserver
# cat /data/local/tmp/mediaserver > /system/bin/mediaserver
# chmod 755 /system/bin/mediaserver
# reboot
Keyboards:
If you want Korean and English entry, and want spell checking in English and an overall much better keyboard, I highly recommend Smart keyboard Pro, and download the English and Korean language packs for it. I've tried many keyboards. Keep in mind though, I don't like swipe. Don't forget to configure the spell checking stuff. You must enable it in settings and you must select it as your input method... long press on an input box.
Lockscreen
If you don't use pattern lock, skip this. If you use pattern locks you probably see no need to 1) press power 2) do a slide lock 3) do a pattern lock. On many phones the pattern lock disables the slide lock. On some, including this one, it sadly doesn't. The only unlocker toggle I found that fixes this is Anti Lock from the market. It uses a little battery and it flashes between screens real fast in an un-appealing way for half a second when you press power, but it gets it done. I like having it better than not having it.
Tethering
There's a 3G hotspot app included for this.
**Overclocking:
This device is potentially very overclockable/underspecced. (but don't take my word for it, I only know rumors and such.. do this AT YOUR OWN RISK This may damage your phone (if you overdo it) and you may be denied warranty repair.. real examples of this exist I think(questionable source)
First root the phone.
Get Milestone Over-clock. You must find version 1.4.2. On the web site you must click show all versions or something like that on the download page. Newer versions don't work on the Korean device.
Run it. Slide the slider all the way to the right to get custom mode (you really should use custom mode) Hit menu key. GO to settings. Do *NOT* check apply on reboot until you've tested your setting. There's a thread around here, I'll link too soon, with people's experiences. On my particular device I cannot get as a high a speed with as low a "vsel" (chip voltage I think). I run about 4 vsel higher or more to stay stable for long times during angry birds.
I found that 1 Ghz, at 60 vsel (most people run 1Ghz at 56 I think) rebooted my phone after half an hour of heavy use, and became pretty warm. I backed off to 900 Mhz at 58. I think this is ok for me. I may just be unlucky.. chip variation does exist, or maybe the Korean models are a little different (see Mioze7Ae useful comments in next post).
**A little about ROM file manipulation
This is just here to point the curious in the right directions. I have not explored this stuff much yet and some info may even be wrong.
Anyway, this is just a FAQ not a development thread.
Again custom ROMs from English sites made for Milestone devices won't work without some changes.
Kernels are locked by the boot loader (at least that's true for the Milestone), so no custom kernels exist (well not in a very practical sense).
Official Rom files are SBF files. SBF files are packed together smg files.
SMG files are apparently yaffs2 image files and can be mounted with loop mounts on a linux system or the phone.
update:
So actually you need yaffs2 support and you need to create a nandsim device on a ramdisk, so that's a bit involved:
http://www.aleph1.co.uk/pipermail/yaffs/2005q3/001356.html
and it seems you can probably dd the image file onto the ramdisk then, or unyaffs it.
but in the end that should allow actually editing the image, and possibly even producing modified flashable images.
but unyaffs works to extract the contents of CG39 (/system) and CG33 (/cdrom.. whatever that's for).:
http://code.google.com/p/unyaffs/downloads/list
You can google a windows version too.
MotoAndroidDepacker or sbf-recalc are two tools that can unpack sbf files to smg files and repack them again (possibly even making modified flashable ROMs). sbf recalc has a linux version but I only found a binary which dynamically links to the wrong versions of libstdc++ for my system.
It seems more popular around here to create "nandroid" images (which I think are also just filesystem images, but I haven't really played with it).
Open-recovery seems to be the tool of choice for making and flashing nandroid backups, but I haven't looked into this at all yet.

Nice!
About overclocking--be aware that according to paper specs Motoroi XT720 and Milestone XT720 have different CPUs. Supposedly, the chip in Milestone XT720 is rated for higher clock rates (800 vs 550 according to TI iirc, but Motorola put it to 720 to be cute, I guess). It has been claimed that it's actually the same die and manufacturing process but TI sold the chip slower initially. Motoroi has the same CPU as A853, iirc.
There are some korean ROMs. We don't know a lot about them here unfortunately due to language barriers. Another phone very similar to the XT720s is the XT701 sold in China. It has an exploitable bootloader.
From what we've been able to figure out the biggest differences are the TV tuner and the sensors. Things got really confused over here (XDA) because the froyo ROM we had was based mostly on A853's froyo (Dexter's ROM). Lately were working on a ROM that's mostly based on the Korean froyo. The file differences between the two are much fewer.
For now, the most important part seems to be running the right kernel because sensors don't work correctly when you're running the wrong one. The partition tables are baked into the kernel, so the Motoroi has a partition table better suited to froyo. The total internal memory is the same, but the Motoroi sbf has a larger /data and smaller /cache and /system.
Sent from my XT720 using XDA Premium App

Good info. I don't know these days, but years ago chips with different speed was largely the result of random variation and QC checks. If they sold it slower originally, then slower chips may have gotten through QC. I don't know if that logic still applies much anymore. I heard that many many years ago.

oops this post was in wrong thread somehow..

Korean XT720 does not function properly after rooting
appagom said:
well, not exactly a FAQ...
I write this as a user of a Korean Motoroi XT720, in Korea. I do not know or care much about using this phone elsewhere, but some things here may still be useful for people in that situation.
First the Korean version Motoroi XT720 is not exactly identical to the international Milestone XT720 and certainly not identical to the original Milestone A853 (Thanks to Mioze7Ae for pointing out about the original.. also see his comments in next post about more detail on the subject.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Korean Motorola Milestone phone. I unlocked it in Korea & brought it to Europe to use. I did 'factory reset' and it worked fine. I had to 'root it' to install some special fonts. The rooting was successful and I was installing the font during that time the phone reboot itself and stuck at the first 'T' screen (Korean vendor). I tried to re install it to factory default but of no use. The problem persists.
At system recovery level I get four options:
1. reboot system now (tried & failed as the system is corrupt anyway)
2. apply sdcard:update.zip (I can't do as I don't have an update.zip)
3. wipe data/factory reset (yes I did this but still no recovery as the
default system is presumably corrupt)
4. wipe cache partition (yes, I did of no additional use)
with this background I wonder whether there is a way to recover my phone using SD card?
[ps. on two occasions the phone suddenly worked but I could never connect it to wireless network as the Input Keyboard did not work. Hence I could not connect it to Android application market (btw. the basic applications are still intact). Thus the possible way out is to recover it externally using my PC (if my phone allows me to connect it via USB or through micro SD card with system recovery console]
Any help?
Kannan [Germany]

nkannan said:
I have a Korean Motorola Milestone phone. I unlocked it in Korea & brought it to Europe to use. I did 'factory reset' and it worked fine. I had to 'root it' to install some special fonts. The rooting was successful and I was installing the font during that time the phone reboot itself and stuck at the first 'T' screen (Korean vendor). I tried to re install it to factory default but of no use. The problem persists.
At system recovery level I get four options:
1. reboot system now (tried & failed as the system is corrupt anyway)
2. apply sdcard:update.zip (I can't do as I don't have an update.zip)
3. wipe data/factory reset (yes I did this but still no recovery as the
default system is presumably corrupt)
4. wipe cache partition (yes, I did of no additional use)
with this background I wonder whether there is a way to recover my phone using SD card?
[ps. on two occasions the phone suddenly worked but I could never connect it to wireless network as the Input Keyboard did not work. Hence I could not connect it to Android application market (btw. the basic applications are still intact). Thus the possible way out is to recover it externally using my PC (if my phone allows me to connect it via USB or through micro SD card with system recovery console]
Any help?
Kannan [Germany]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flash a fresh SBF using RSD Lite.

[GUIDE][VZW Edition]How to root your Galaxy SIII & More!(ROMs/CWM/Stock)

Here is a guide I have put together for the VZW Samsung SCH-I535 Galaxy S3
------------------
This guide contains 7 sections:
Section 1: How to Root/Unlock bootloader/Flash CWM recovery coming from stock 4.0.4 ICS
Section 2: How to flash a Custom Touchwiz 4.0/4.1 rom
Section 3: How to flash a CM10/AOSP/AOKP JellyBean rom
Section 4: How to flash a Custom Kernel
Section 5: How to Odin back to Stock from any rom/recover from a soft brick/flash a stock radio
Section 6: Directory
Section 7: Glossary
-----------------
This Guide Is For The D2VZW SCH-I535 ONLY!! DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FLASH ANYTHING FROM THE I9300 International GS3 Or You Will Hard Brick The Device!!
-----------------
*I am not liable for what you do to your DEVICE!!
*I take no credit for links posted in this thread... This is just a guide or more so a collaboration of different guides all put into one thread!!
*This Guide will not trip your flash counter!! Flashing any custom software via odin will infact trip the flash counter!! Thats why I use these methods and the only thing I use odin is for flashing STOCK firmware Only!!!
-----------------
*** Before going any further I strongly suggest reading and performing this action before flashing any custom roms!!! ***
[HOWTO]Comprehensive IMEI/EFS Backup- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1852255
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 1: ( For Windows OS)How to Root/Unlock bootloader/Flash CWM recovery coming from Stock 4.0.4 ICS
*This works with all current Stock 4.0.4 ICS builds...VRALF2, VRALG1, VRALG7, VRALHD, and VRALHE.
*However RootdebugFS does not work for 4.1.1 JellyBean. If you want Stock rooted Jellybean then there are 2 options! .
*Option 1 is to proceed to section 5 and use odin to flash a Stock pre-rooted Jellybean rom. Then follow steps 8-12 from this section for unlocking and flashing a custom recovery.
*Option 2 is to complete this section 1, then proceed to section 2 and flash a Jellybean rom via CWM or TWRP recovery.
Step 1: Download these files to your pc:
Samsung Driver- http://tinyw.in/Fdoz
RootDebugFS- http://goo.im/devs/invisiblek/i535/Root%20Debug%20FS.7z
Step 2: Install samsung drivers to the pc and unzip the RootDebugFS tool to desktop.
Step 3: Connect the device with the oem usb cable to pc.
Step 4: On your device, Make sure USB Debugging(settings/developer options/usb debugging) and Install of Unknown Sources(settings/security/unknown source) is checked.(Also, make sure there are no other android devices, emulators, or any tethering programs running!!).
Step 5: From the PC, Open the Root Tool folder you downloaded in step 1 and Double click "RootDebugFS". press 1 then hit enter.
Step 6: Agree to all of the disclaimers by pressing Y after each one pops up.
Step 7: Once the root process starts DO NOT UNPLUG YOUR DEVICE until it completes!
*Congrats you should now be rooted! Continue following instructions for unlocking bootloader and flashing a custom recovery*
*TAKE NOTE THAT IF YOU EVER OTA UPDATE YOUR BOOTLOADER WILL BE LOCKED*
Step 8: Open up the SuperUser application from your app drawer and make sure the binaries are up to date! You can do this by sliding over to the info screen and selecting update binary.
Step 9: Download the EZ-Unlock app to your device from HERE.(Only use version 1.1 or 1.2 for now as the latest versions have issues!)
Step 10: Open the app and select unlock! Now your unlocked...yup its that easy!
Step 11: Download the EZ-recovery app to your device from HERE.
Step 12: Open app, select CWM recovery, tap the pulldown menu, choose CWM 6.0.1, select flash, then reboot recovery.
Step 13: Congrats you are now rooted, unlocked, and have a custom recovery installed!! If you want to flash a custom rom proceed to section 3 or 4.
*Credit goes to Adam Outler, Noxious Ninja, mmmeff, and all others involved!!!
*(Mac/Linux) users read HERE for Rooting!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 2: How to flash a Custom TouchWiz 4.0/4.1 rom from CWM recovery
**YOU MUST BE ROOTED AND HAVE BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED!**
Step 1: Download one of the roms below to the root of your internal sd card(/mnt/sdcard):
ICS 4.0.4
Bean's Custom Stock-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1768209
Rooted Stock VRALHD- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1911118
TW JellyBean 4.x
Incubus JellyWiz- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1853337
Eschelon's Synergy- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792499
Scrosler's CleanRom- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1832070
Puremotives Galaxy Mod- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1953008
Beans JellyBeans- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1973982
Stock rooted VRBLK3 4.1.1- http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=9390214368362234071
Stock rooted VRBMB1 4.1.2- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2178482
Step 2: Download and install the EZ recovery App from HERE (If your coming from section 1 and already have a custom recovery, reboot recovery and skip to step 4).
Step 3: Open app, select CWM recovery, tap the pulldown menu, choose CWM 6.0.1, select flash, then reboot recovery.
Step 4: Perform a Nadroid Backup from the "back up/restore" menu(optional but recomended)!
Step 5: Wipe Data/Factory reset, then under the "mounts & storage" menu Format System.
Step 6: Navigate to "install zip from sdcard", then from there "choose zip from sdcard", and finally install the rom you downloaded in step 1.
Step 7: Reboot.
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Section 3: How to flash a CM10/AOSP/AOKP Jelly Bean rom
**YOU MUST BE ROOTED AND HAVE BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED!**
Step 1: Choose and download one of the roms in part A and the file in part B to the root of internal sd card(/mnt/sdcard):
A.
CM11- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2558946
CM10.2- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2405425
Pac-Man http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2028443
Eclipse- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1934572
B.
Kit Kat Gapps https://plus.google.com/107979589566958860409/posts/FYkuneXi3J7
JB Gapps- http://goo.im/gapps
Inverted JellyBean Gapps- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1797292
Step 2: Download and open the EZ recovery app from HERE (If your coming from section 1 and already have a custom recovery, reboot recovery and skip to step 4).
Step 3: Open app, select CWM recovery, then tap the pulldown menu, choose CWM 6.0.1, select flash, then reboot recovery.
Step 4: From CWM recovery, Perform a nandroid backup from the "backup/restore" menu(Optional but recomended).
Step 5: Wipe data/factory reset, then under the "mounts & storage menu" Format System.
Step 6: Navigate to "install zip from sdcard", from there "choose zip from sdcard", and finally install the rom you downloaded in step 1 part A.
Step 7: Again, Navigate to "install zip from sdcard", from there "choose zip from sdcard", and finally install the gapps package you downloaded in step 1 part B.
Step 8: Reboot.
*This same method can be of use to revert back to Touchwiz ICS or JellyBean aswell...no extra steps are needed. Simply wipe data in cwm recovery and flash rom or restore nandroid.
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Section 4: How to flash a Custom Kernel
**YOU MUST BE ROOTED AND HAVE BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED!**
Step 1: Download one of these kernels to the root of your Internal SD Card(/mnt/sdcard):
-------------
TouchWiz ICS 4.0.4 Kernels
Imoseyon LeanKernel- http://rootzwiki.com/topic/31329-imoseyon-test-leankernel-tw-729-v111-kexec/
Scrosler's CleanKernel- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1850495&page=2 (DOES NOT work on BEANS)
Morfic's Trinity GST- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1874720 (Works on CM9 or TouchWiz)
--------------
ICS & JellyBean Kernels(CM9/CM10/AOKP/AOSP)
Imoseyon LeanKernel- http://rootzwiki.com/topic/32286-kernel-aosp-jb-leankernel-minimalistic-kernel-v02-beta-81312/
Ktoonsez KT747- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1853816
Faux (CM9/CM10/AOKP/AOSP)- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1905141
---------------
Step 2: Download the EZ Recovery app from- HERE (If your coming from section 1 and already have a custom recovery, reboot recovery and skip to step 4).
Step 3: Open app, select CWM recovery, tap the pulldown menu, choose CWM 6.0.1, select flash, then reboot recovery.
Step 4: From CWM recovery, wipe cache, then navigate to the "advanced" menu and wipe dalvik cache.
Step 5: Navigate to "install zip from sdcard" and then from there "choose internal sdcard".
Step 6: Install the kernel.zip that you downloaded in step 1.
Step 7: Reboot.
*Credit goes to Imoseyon, BMc08GT, Invisiblek and all other devs involved.
*These steps work for any .zip file such as themes, custom boot animations, and what not...just replace the .zip file in step 1 with the one your trying to flash!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 5: How to Odin back to Stock from any rom/recover from a soft brick/flash a stock radio
* If your device is currently running a 4.0-4.2 base and you forgot to unlock your bootloader before flashing a custom rom, you probably were greeted with the yellow triangle....Dont Panic! Simply power off the device and follow directions below. Odin will recover your device!! Make sure to only use a 4.0-4.2 Odin file to restore back to stock.
***NOTE*** If you did not take the 4.3 OTA then do not use the 4.3 files in link below. These will permanently lock your bootloader and you will be limited to using safestrap from here on out.
Step 1: Download and install these files to your pc:
Odin- http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1165122&d=1340993443
Samsung Driver- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2038555
Step 2: Download one of the Factory Stock roms below to your PC:
*These are Official full wipe versions that will format the internal sd and lock bootloader!!
All Official Stock Builds- http://samsung-updates.com/device/?id=SCH-I535(Only use these files if you have a locked 4.3 bootloader.)
VRALG1 4.0 ICS-http://www.mediafire.com/download/kkhq5wtj4r3fpwf/COMBINATION_I535VRALG1_I535VZWALG1_743127_REV09_user_low_ship.tar.zip(Do Not use this if your device took the 4.3 OTA)
*In the link below are PRE-ROOTED full wipe versions that will lock the bootloader(Thanks Mr. Robinson!!) See section 1. steps(8-12) for unlocking and flashing a custom recovery.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1984436
Please Remember to back everything up to a pc or external sd before flashing!!
Step 3: Power device off, hold the volume down/home/power keys until you see a yellow triangle, then press the volume up key to access "odin or download mode".
Step 4: Open odin and connect the oem usb cable from pc to device. There should be a "comport number" in upper left hand corner of odin indicating communication between the pc & device.
Step 5: Click on the PDA function of odin. Select the stock rom you downloaded in step 2, then select start. This operation should take less than 8 minutes before odin will say pass/reset and your device will reboot.
------------------
*Flashing a Stock Radio with Odin or a Custom Recovery
Download's:
Stock Radios- http://rootzwiki.com/topic/34053-officialmodems-vrlhd-verizon-sgs3-sch-i535-odin-or-recovery-flashable/
Odin Method:
Step 1: Download one of the files above to your pc.
Step 2: Power device off, then hold the volume down/home/power keys until you see a yellow triangle, then press the volume up key to access "download mode".
Step 3: Open Odin and connect the oem usb cable to pc & device, you should see a "comport #" in upper left hand corner of odin.
Step 4: Make sure auto reboot is checked.
Step 5: Click on the PDA function of odin and select the file you downloaded in step 1, select start, should take roughly 1min, then odin will say pass/reset.
Step 6: Your device should Reboot.
CWM or TWRP Recovery method:
Step 1: Download files A and B(optional) to the internal sd.
A) Choose a Recovery flashable radio- http://rootzwiki.com/topic/34053-officialmodems-vrli5-verizon-sgs3-sch-i535-odin-or-recovery-flashable/
B) RPM.zip(Optional)-
* A great explanation about RPM cand be found HERE
VRABLI5- https://app.dumptruck.goldenfrog.com/#p/_DeLB5rDRb
VRABLJ1- http://myandroidfiles.com/beanstown106/VRALJ1.rpm.zip
VRABLK1- http://myandroidfiles.com/beanstown106/VRBLK1.rpm.zip
VRABLK3- http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=9390214368362234078
Step 2: Reboot recovery via the power menu or power off and use the three finger method.
Step 3: Select install zip from sd and flash the radio.zip you downloaded in step 1A.
Step 4: Slect install zip from sd and flash the rpm.zip you downloaded in step 1B.
Step 5: Reboot.

Section 6: Directory
[APP][MOD] MOBILE ODIN- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1347899
[APP][MOD] SIII AOSP Camera- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1746611
[APP][MOD] AC!D Audio Technology | v4.0 (22.10.12)- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1883262
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[GUIDE] Unsure about your ROM choice- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1950824
[GUIDE] Verizon Galaxy SIII Downloads List- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1850506
[GUIDE] Set up Verizon Galaxy S3 as World GSM Phone (confirmed working)- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1809314
[GUIDE] Enable UMS Mode for External SD Card- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1785243
[GUIDE]Google Wallet - Everything you need to know before you flash or root- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1764428
[GUIDE] for dual booting CM9- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1774795
[GUIDE][HOW TO] Edit Earphones Connected-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1782155
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[HACK] for removing wifi reminder-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1770622
[HOW-TO] Unbrick your soft bricked Galaxy S III- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1840030
[How To] Backup and restore your IMEI / MEID / EFS Data- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1791291
[How To] invoke self hardware test-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1767247
[HOWTO]Comprehensive IMEI/EFS Backup- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1852255
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[MOD][VRBLK3] PDroid Privacy Protection- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2043699
[MOD]AOSP Lock Screen with Toggle- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2002620
[MOD]Super Simple 5 minutes Wireless Charging Mod for Samsung SG3- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1877191
[MOD]Enable wifi in notfication bar- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1775235
[MOD]App2ExtSD2 [Works for all U.S. Galaxy S3!]- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1849860
[MOD] Latest Google Wallet (10/23/12)- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1810040
[MOD]AGPS Patch Galaxy S III 3.1 & 2.2 | NEW SIII SPECIFIC BUILD | Tentative Support - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1880411
[MOD] OTA updates - keep root, custom recovery, unlocked bootloader and Google Wallet- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1964502
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[OFFICIAL] Tips and Tricks thread-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1732018
[OFFICIAL][MODEMS] Verizon SGS3 (SCH-I535)- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1788313
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[ROOT][TOOL] Root the Verizon GSIII without flashing-http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792342
[ROOT][TOOL][2012-09-12] SuperSU-Version_Debugfs: Root VZW SGS3 w/out Flashing ROM- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1883984
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Section 7: Android Glossary
Download Mode - This is a setting in which you will put your phone when using Odin. There are other ways, but most noobs will reach download mode by powering down, removing the battery, and holding volume down while plugging the factory usb cord into the computer and phone. Odin can only communicate properly with your phone if the phone is in download mode.
F. Reset Time - This is a check box in Odin. It's not clear that anyone knows the exact details of what it actually does, nor is it clear what will happen if you leave it unchecked vs checked. It seems to reset some arbitrary counter in your phone. As a general rule, you can either follow the instructions of whatever guide you're using or just leave the checkbox how you found it.
Fast Charge - This is a feature on some ICS ROMs that can be turned on or off. When enabled, it allows your phone to draw as much charge as possible regardless of the charging source. Without fast charge, your phone will place artificial speed limits on charging when plugged, for example, into the USB slot on your computer. Fast charge bypasses these limits, letting your phone believe it is always plugged into a wall charger. It is worth noting that your phone will not be recognized by your computer as a USB device when fast charge is enabled. It will only charge.
FC - Force Close - This is when an app stops working unexpectedly. This can happen to both rooted and unrooted phones. It doesn't cause any damage to the phone. In most cases, the app can just be opened right back up. It seems to depend on a lot of factors, including the quality of the app itself. ROMs and kernels that experience very few FCs are said to be "stable."
Flash - This is a term used to describe the installation of software onto your phone. It refers to fundamental changes in your phone's operating system. It is different from just installing an app from the Marketplace (Google Play). Commonly, people will flash ROMs, kernels, patches, and radios. There are basically two ways to flash new software onto your phone:
1. Odin
2. CWM Recovery (or a comparable recovery program)
Freeze - There are two meanings in general use. One might use this term to refer to his or her phone becoming unresponsive. More commonly, though, it refers to a special ability of a program called Titanium Backup. This program can be downloaded from the Android Marketplace (Google Play), but it requires a rooted phone to work. When Titanium Backup is used to freeze an app or process, that app or process is essentially gone from the phone. It won't show up in the app drawer, and it won't be running in the background. The difference between freezing and uninstalling, though, is that anything frozen can be quickly "thawed," also with Titanium Backup. With the touch of a button, the missing app or process is right back where it used to be. This is a convenient way for newly rooted users to test the waters of debloating.
Gapps - Google Apps - When flashing custom ROMs, the apps on the phone are usually deleted. As an alternative to going to the Marketplace (Google Play) and re-installing all the favorites (Google Maps, Google Talk, Google Voice, etc.), many devs have packaged these into a tidy zip file that can be flashed via CWM. Why don't they just put the Google Apps in the ROM, you ask? Custom ROMs and Google Apps get software updates at different rates, so keeping the two separate allows users to always have the most up-to-date version of each. On MTD ROMs such as CM7 or anything ICS, you generally must flash the gapps package to get the Android Marketplace (Google Play).
GB - Gingerbread - Android 2.3. Google likes to name its Android releases after sweet foods. Most of our stock phones are running on this release of Android. There are numerous ROMS and kernels compatible with Gingerbread. These are a good starting point for newly rooted users, as they will feel quite familiar.
Github - This is a web-based service where developers can post their code. Depending on the situation, their code can be accessed by other users, modified, or just shared with the world. The site encourages the kind of open source development for which Android is famous.
Governor - This refers to the type of logic your phone uses to control how fast its processor ramps up when needed or slows down when not. The choice of governor can influence overall performance and battery life. The governor can be selected using an OC/UV program such as Voltage Control or NS Tools. No one governor is right for everyone. The fun is in experimenting. Here are some examples and brief descriptions:
performance: Keeps the processor always ramped up to to maximum; useful for benchmarking
ondemand: Rapidly ramps up the processor when needed; gradually slows it down when not needed
conservative: Similar to ondemand, but ramps up more slowly
userspace: The user can define the parameters (for advanced users only).
lazy: This was developed specifically for Android by xda dev Ezekeel. He states it is an enhanced version of ondemand, tuned to our phones' capabilities. Don't be fooled by the name. He tested it with numerous processor-intensive applications.
interactive: Uses a logic to try to predict how quickly it needs to ramp up processor speed, attempting to balance battery life and performance
interactiveX: A tweak on interactive (by dev imoseyon), which locks the processor at the minimum speed when the screen is off
smartass & smartassV2: Modified interactive governors by dev erasmux, they use logic to determine how quickly to ramp up or slow down; designed to optimize battery life without sacrificing performance.
powersave: This keeps the processor always set at the minimum frequency. The name may be a bit misleading, as certain processes will just take longer, using up more battery.
Heimdall - This program is similar to Odin. It was created by an Australian software company called Glass Echidna. It can be used to flash files onto your phone. Some users prefer this program over Odin. Heimdall can be used with Mac computers, whereas Odin can not. Many high level users regularly use both Heimdall and Odin.
ICS - Ice Cream Sandwich - Android 4.0. Google likes to name its Android releases after sweet foods. It comes pre-installed on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus from Verizon. Several developers have created ways to install ICS on the Samsung Fascinate.
init.d - This is a type of script used by developers when they modify Android code. You hear the term a lot because modifications using this type of script have far-reaching effects in the overall performance of the phone. High level users (who aren't quite devs) can even insert bits and pieces of init.d scripts to make minor tweaks to their phones.
Inverted - By default, most Google apps consist of a white screen with dark lettering. Inverting changes this to a dark screen with light letters. There are several advantages to this. Beyond the aesthetic advantages, it tends to be easier on the eyes in low light situations and reduce battery consumption. Inversion is done by talented individuals called themers.
I/O Scheduler - This refers to the type of logic your phone uses to order and process read and write requests to your phone's hard drive. There are several types, which are listed below, but there is no magic bullet. The joy is in finding the one that works for you in terms of performance and battery life. It is worth noting, though, that certain schedulers were designed to be used with mechanical rotating hard drives, taking the drive's rotational position into account. This does not apply to our phones, which use solid state drive technology. A scheduler can be selected by using an OC/UV control program such as Voltage Control or NS Tools. Specific descriptions are beyond the scope of this glossary, but simple Internet searches can expand on any of schedulers listed.
Examples: noop, deadline, cfq, bfq, sio, vr, bfs
* In the absence of a dev's recommendation, if you don't feel like reading up on the subject, you can leave the scheduler at the default or choose noop or sio.
JB - Jelly Bean - Android 4.1. Google likes to name its Android releases after sweet foods. This is the latest version of Android to hit the streets, and devs are flocking to it , making all JB development new and exciting.
Jig - This is a tiny Frankensteinian device made of a small chip, a transistor, and the tip of the little micro-USB connector that you plug into your phone to charge it or attach it to your computer. When your phone will not go into download mode through normal means, putting a jig into the phone when the battery is in will make your phone go into download mode. You can make one yourself or buy one online for less than $10.
Kang - Generally used as a verb, this means to take bits and pieces of someone else's coding and to then integrate it into your own. Granted, noobs won't be doing this, but devs do it all the time. For the most part, this is considered a welcome practice among friendly devs, provided it is done correctly and politely. Kanging often serves to better the community as a whole. The key for devs is to give credit to the other devs from whom they have kanged.
Kernel - This is one of the two main components (ROM being the other) of the software running on an Android phone. It is the piece of software that connects the hardware (screen, softkeys, vibration, speakers, etc.) to the other software components. An unrooted phone comes with a stock kernel. It is stable but somewhat slow. Practically speaking, installing (flashing) a custom kernel will make your phone feel much faster and smoother as it moves through screens and opens apps. Generally speaking, installing a new kernel will not change the basic appearance of your phone or erase any of your phone's information. Custom kernels can also unlock several abilities of rooted phones. Examples include:
-wireless tethering (ignoring that pesky $30/month charge from Verizon)
-control over how and when the softkeys at the bottom of the screen light up
-overclocking/undervolting
-voodoo lagfix (This only applies to phones with BML-based ROMs. MTD ROMs don't need lagfix.)
-custom boot animations
Lean Kernel - Created by imoseyon, He intentionally leaves out a lot of the "bells and whistles" to keep the experience simple, smooth, and fast. Imoseyon works with several phones, so it is imperative that you have the correct version of Lean Kernel, the one appropriate for your phone.
Linaro - This is a team of software engineers developing open source software for numerous platforms, particularly as it relates to getting maximum bang for the buck from systems with memory and hardware limitations. For our purposes, many Linaro modifications are making their way into our custom ROMs, promising increased speed and responsiveness.
Logcat - This is a log of all of the processing activity your phone did over a certain period of time. This is useful for bug reporting, as devs can examine logcats and attempt to determine the source of the error(s). Many threads in the development forum request logcats to go alongside any bug reports. A logcat can be generated through adb, and there are also some apps that will do it for you. Random complaints aren't terribly useful for devs, but logcats generally are. This classic cartoon illustrates how many devs feel about disorderly complaints about their work, even though most are far too polite to say anything.
Milestone - Devs are always trying to incorporate the latest and greatest features into their ROMs. The add-ons are incorporated as parts of new releases, or "builds." This is what makes development exciting, but it also leads to bugs. Milestone builds occur when the devs sit back, roll up their sleeves, and work the bugs out of all the awesome features they've crammed into their work. The milestones are considered the relatively safe and stable builds. When installed correctly, they rarely experience major bugs.
MIUI - This term is a transliteration of a Chinese name for a special customization of Android actually developed in China. MIUI ROMs can be installed on the Fascinate. They change the look and feel of the Android system, moving it closer to something resembling iOS, the iPhone's operating system. A lot of custom development has been done with the software code from the MIUI system. Many devs will integrate bits and pieces of MIUI into their own ROMs. For example, the TSM Resurrection ROM allows you to use the MIUI battery indicator, which looks completely different from the standard battery indicator.
MTD - This is a technical term used by devs to describe the software organization in your phone, as it relates to things called partitions. The bottom line is that the stock organizational system, called BML, is somewhat fixed and limited, whereas MTD offers devs a great deal of flexibility. Heavily customized ROMs like those from CyanogenMod or anything MIUI rely on MTD file organization. All of our ICS ROMs use MTD. MTD ROMs, generally speaking, experience very little lag, as compared to BML ROMs. When returning to a normal BML ROM from an MTD ROM, special precautions need to be taken.
Nandroid - This is a backup of your entire phone as it stands at that moment in time (ROM, kernel, text messages, your Angry Birds progress, etc.). It is stored on your sd card, which is somewhat immune to your tinkering. A Nandroid backup is a good failsafe for the times when you might want to try out that new experimental kernel your favorite dev has been working on. The files can also be saved on a home computer/flash drive/etc. for safe keeping. Nandroid backups are created using a recovery program like Clockworkmod Recovery. CWM can also use old Nandroids to restore a phone to its previous condition.
Nightly - Nightlies - Some rooted users like the idea of having the most stable, tested, and reliable ROMs available. Others prefer the excitement of being on the cutting edge. Nightlies are the untested regular releases of whatever a certain dev happens to be working on at the time. They package them up, post them online, and let the discussions ensue. These are not for the faint of heart. They are for people who are comfortable addressing freezes, boot loops, and force closes.
Noob - If you have to ask what this means, this is what you are. It's a derivation of "newbie" or "newb," someone who's new to the activity at hand. In many ways, the noob is defined by his actions rather than by the amount of time he's spent rooting phones or posting on xda. Here are a few standard behaviors that will immediately brand someone as a noob:
-Posting new threads to ask questions that have been answered dozens of times. (Hint: It's best to search before posting)
-Posting ROM complaints (without logcat), beginner questions, and other non-development topics in the development forums (It has been theorized that this will ultimately be the end of xda)
-Diving in and flashing away without reading and then posting about your problems (Everyone needs to read the Guide.)
NSTools - This is an app that requires superuser permissions. It can be used to control a variety of the phone's features that are unlocked when running a custom kernel. It can enable fast charge, BLN, overclocking, and undervolting. It often comes pre-installed with ICS ROMs.
OC - Overclocking - Computer processors operate at a variety of speeds. When a manufacturer sells a product (like a phone) to the general public, they strictly limit the speed at which the built in processor can operate, even though the processor may be capable of more. This is to promote stability and reliability. Rooted users can overclock their phone's processor, raising the maximum speed at which it can operate. This can be done through various apps, including Voltage Control and NS Tools. Some ROMs even have the controls built into their settings. There are limits, though. Running a processor at too high a speed can cause overheating and/or glitches.
Odin - This is a program of seemingly mysterious origins that allows your home computer to communicate with your phone. You download it to your home computer. Good communication with your phone requires the installation of Samsung drivers on your computer as well as the use of the USB cable that came with your phone. Among other things, Odin can be used to root your phone, install CWM Recovery, install custom ROMs and kernels, and return your phone to stock after you've screwed it up.
*NEVER touch the "Phone" button on Odin. It should be labeled "Destroy your Phone"
OP - Original Post - This refers to the first post in any given thread, the one that started the thread in a discussion forum. A common noob mistake is to hop into a thread on page 27, read for 30 seconds, and then chime in with a question. He is often directed to the OP, which contains the answer to his question.
OTA - Over the Air - These are the official firmware upgrades that Verizon has released over the life of this phone. They were either pushed out to our phones in the middle of the night or offered up for us to download at our convenience. The latest one, EH03, came in December of 2011. Generally speaking, rooted users do not receive OTA updates. Also generally speaking, this doesn't really matter. The updates can be found on xda, and it is unlikely that the Fascinate will ever receive another OTA update.
Patch - This generally refers to a zip file that can be flashed using CWM. The file usually contains updates or small modifications to an existing ROM or kernel. A great example is the patch that reprograms the phone dialer's voicemail button to open Google Voice instead of the standard voicemail or Visual Voice Mail.
PDA Button - This is the button you will want to use when using the Odin program. You should always avoid the "Phone" button.
Pit file - This is a type of file used with Odin when returning your phone to stock. There is a "Pit" button on Odin you can push to enter the pit file you wish to use. An example of a pit file that you will probably use is Atlas_v2.2.pit. To return to stock, you would use a pit file along with a stock ROM, putting both into Odin at the same time. Droidstyle's guide provides detailed instructions.
Project Butter - This is a Google initiative, launched with Jelly Bean, aimed at reducing phone lag, both real and perceived. It involves research into human visual perception, the pairing of GPU and CPU, graphics buffering, and so on. It's purpose is to make your Android phone run "like buttah."
Radio - a.k.a. Modem - This generally refers to the software that manages the phone's connection to the outside world, not the physical device itself. Verizon would release new versions of this software from time to time in their OTA updates. The two most popular ones are currently EH03 (the latest) and EC09. Both of these work with Android 2.3 and the various Android 4.0 ROMs. The choice of radio can determine your 3g download speeds. It's difficult to say that one is better than another. Different users find good results with each one. Both radios are available as zip files that can be flashed in CWM.
Recovery - Your phone comes with a recovery program. You have to choose to boot it up as an alternative to booting up your phone's normal touchscreen interface. An ordinary phone user would probably never even see this program. It's not pretty. It's just functional. It is basically a list of commands and technical terms that you can navigate using the phone's softkeys, volume up & down buttons, and the power button (to select). Essential to rooting are the special recovery programs such as CWM Recovery. A special recovery program, which is flashed via Odin, will replace the stock recovery program for a rooted user.
Re-Partition - This is one of the check boxes in Odin. This box should be checked only when returning your phone to stock. Of Odin's various check boxes, this is the only one for which widespread agreement of its use exists.
ROM - This is one of the two main components (kernel being the other) of the software running on an android phone. It generally determines the overall appearance of your phone, including which apps are installed by default. The ROM that comes installed on your phone right out of the box is known as the stock ROM. Created by devs, there are numerous custom ROMs available for the Fascinate. Popular ROMs a newly rooted user might try are Superclean3, PWGB, and GeeWiz. The process of flashing a custom ROM to your phone will, generally speaking, erase everything on your phone. The most popular ROM for the Fascinate right now is probably the AOKP version of ICS.
Root - When you buy your phone from Verizon, Verizon still controls it. You are simply a user who is allowed to perform various Verizon-approved activities on it. Gaining root access to your phone grants you the control that Verizon had previously held. Rooting quite literally makes you the "Superuser," opening numerous possibilities for improvement, customization, and ruin. Root access is essential to having a fast, fully customized phone.
Root Explorer - This is an app downloadable from the Android Marketplace (Google Play). As it requires Superuser permissions, it is only functional for rooted users. Its abilities far exceed those of standard file management apps. For example, Root Explorer can copy .apk files directly into the system/apps folder in Android. It's a great way to get that obscure Samsung widget reinstalled on your phone after your favorite developer's ROM washed it away and called it bloat.
Samsung Drivers - This is a small piece of downloadable software that will need to be installed on your home computer before it will be able to communicate with your phone (via Odin or adb).
Skin - This is a program that a phone manufacturer creates with the goal of making its phones more user friendly. It is basically an interface that sits on top of the pure Android guts underneath, hence the term "skin." The skin that comes with Samsung phones is called TouchWiz. This is why our phones don't look quite the same as our friends' HTC or Motorola phones, even though they are all using Android. Some people love TouchWiz. Some people hate it. Some custom ROMs are designed to be used with TouchWiz. Others are designed to be rid of it.
SOD - Sleep of Death - This is when your phone goes into standby mode but then goes into a catatonic state somewhere between being asleep and completely powered down. Users report various degrees of SOD. Some ROMs and kernels have been associated with it, as have certain apps, certain radios, and certain SD cards. Experimenting with fringe OC/UV and didle settings are often responsible these days. Generally, a battery pull (or better, Volume Up + Power) will revive the phone. Once a phone experiences a SOD, it seems likely that it will happen again, so a fix will need to be instituted. A modification of OC/UV settings or a return to stock and clean installation of your ROM, kernel, and apps are recommended.
Superuser - A rooted phone will have a new icon in the list of apps called Superuser. This is what distinguishes a rooted phone from a non-rooted phone. There are numerous apps available on the web and Android Marketplace (Google Play) that require "Superuser permission" to do what they do. Common examples of these apps include NS Tools, Titanium Backup, Root Explorer, Voodoo Sound, NS Tools, and Voltage Control. When a rooted user first runs one of these special apps, the app will ask for Superuser permission. Since you are now the Superuser, you get to press the button that says allow or one that says deny.
S Voice - Korean Siri, courtesy of Samsung.
Swype Beta - One of the early perks of rooting, the latest version of Swype is not available to unrooted users because the Fascinate comes with a special pre-installed (and perhaps outdated) version of Swype. Upgrading gives a slicker version of Swype with a more advanced word selection logic. You must follow a few steps to do it correctly:
1. Change the input method to the Android keyboard (settings->language & keyboard).
2. Uninstall Swype using Titanium Backup.
3. Go to the Swype website, give them your email address, and then follow their lead.
*ICS ROMs don't contain any traces of Swype, so steps 1 and 2 can be skipped for them
.tar - This is the file extension for the files that get flashed via Odin. The file to install CWM, for example, is a .tar file. Another example is the file that returns your phone back to stock.
TB - TiBu - Titanium Backup - This is an app available on the Android Marketplace (Google Play). It is for rooted users only, and it requires Superuser permissions to operate normally. Its two main functions are:
1. Creating backups of your phone (or parts of it) in case you screw it up
2. Freezing or uninstalling apps and other stuff you don't want (i.e. debloating)
Thanks button - Once you have created an established account at xda and made a post or two, you will begin to see a button with a little thumbs up sign next to the word "Thanks." This can be found on the lower right corner of someone's post. Pushing this button lets the person who posted know that their work is appreciated. It is considered polite to thank anyone who has helped you, whether or not it was in direct response to your own question. It is always polite to thank the devs whose software you are using. Xda tallies these thanks and gives experienced users a quantifiable measure of their contributions to the community. You will see a thanks meter under other users' names. Helpful people and prolific devs can have hundreds or thousands of thanks.
Troll - This describes a person who attempts to transform a civil forum discussion into a battle of harsh words. They generally lure people into a massive argument by posting inflammatory remarks that are just slightly off topic. They then sit back and laugh to themselves as the argument develops into the nerd equivalent of a bar fight. To feed a troll and make him stronger, just respond to him. To weaken him, report his posts to moderators.
TW - TouchWiz - see "Skin"
TWRP - TeamWin Recovery Project - This is an alternative to the traditional recovery program. Rather than using the volume rocker, softkeys, and power button to interact with it, a touchscreen interface is used. While it offers some interesting potential, it is still under development in terms of compatibility with the Fascinate and our popular ROM/kernel setups.
UV - Undervolting - This is a means of attempting to reduce battery consumption when using custom kernels. Rooted users can accomplish this through one of several apps, with Voltage Control and NS Tools being common examples. The point of whether UV reduces battery consumption is highly contentious, but there does seem to be a theoretical basis for its validity, as well as a preponderance of anecdotal evidence.
Voltage Control - This is an app available on the Android Marketplace (Google Play). It requires root access (i.e. Superuser permissions). When used with compatible kernels, it allows you to overclock and undervolt your phone.
Voodoo - Project Voodoo is a collaborative software development effort started by dev supercurio back when Galaxy S phones first hit the market. Its goal was to optimize the Galaxy S, bringing it up to its full potential. Voodoo innovations have been used by countless rooted users. Voodoo features can only be used on compatible custom kernels. The project consists of three main branches:
1. Voodoo Color - optimizes screen images/video *Not really available in most modern Fascinate setups, but people still talk about how they miss it.
2. Voodoo Sound - optimizes sound quality for audiophiles *The Voodoo Sound app is available from the Marketplace (Google Play) to control settings.
Wipe x3 - This term refers to the act of wiping the slate clean on your phone. It removes all apps you have installed and any data associated with those apps. It will not erase Android, your ROM, your kernel, or anything on your sd card (your photos and videos are on your sd card by default). The Wipe x3 is often done before making major changes to your phone's system. The process is accomplished through a recovery program such as CWM. Here are the 3 commands (hence the "x3"):
1. wipe data/factory reset
2. wipe cache partition
3. wipe dalvik cache
*Note, performing a wipe data/factory reset will reportedly wipe the cache partition and the dalvik cache, so steps 2 & 3 may be redundant.
zip - For our purposes, this refers to the file type for files that can be flashed with CWM or other recovery programs.
*Credit goes to Jawman27 for a great glossary! I just edited a bit for the gs3!

did this man just collect the $1000 bounty?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

lol I wish I was that intelligent. This is merely just a guide of whats already posted in the dev section, just consolidated into one thread. I made a guide like this for the SCH-I500 Fascinate and was very popular because all the files and steps needed are in the op... No need to search for anything!!! Its pretty basic now, but once development takes off it should be benificial to new android users...should also help keep the bricks to a minimum.

This will definitely be useful to us first time Samsung peeps who haven't used Odin before. Thank you for taking the time to put this together!
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

Marcismo55 said:
This will definitely be useful to us first time Samsung peeps who haven't used Odin before. Thank you for taking the time to put this together!
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad you like! Now all we need is for development to get rollin and more will be added. All in due time...guess Im a little anxious, since this is the first device that I purchased before actual release date :highfive:

Nice man! I have years of HTC experience behind me, but coming to Sammy is totally new with odin. Definitely using this guide on Thursday
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda premium

Do you think you could add the dialer programming codes? I'm coming from a Thunderbolt and was curious if *#*#4636#*#* worked or were there other codes I haven't come across yet?

Thanks for this my first time to a Samsung device coming from HTC gonna wait on rooting till the bootloader issue is resolved but nonetheless added this thread to my favorites list
Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt using xda premium

I have always been hesitant about rooting devices before the 1year Verizon warranty has expired, but I don't think I'll be able to make it that long with this phone. As such, I have two questions for y'all...
1.) Will following the return-to-stock instructions leave me with a device that is indistinguishable from one that had never been rooted at all? Will there be any way to tell that it had been rooted?
2.) While I understand that if you follow directions it's unlikely that you'll brick your device, it is still something that concerns me a little... I have heard that an unlocked bootloader is something that is required for moth methods of recovering from a soft brick. Is this true? If so, I assume that Verizon's bootloader would pose a problem in this regard?
I just want to understand the risks before I jump in. Thanks in advance.

Seems from experience with my phone, enabling root will not force custom screen at boot, installing custom recovery will. Idk if it ups the flash counter though. If you only root and one day revert back, I'd imagine it will be indistinguishable.
Sent from my rooted SCH-I535 using xda premium

Will this trip the counter? Also, is CWM in the first root?

Solar257 said:
Do you think you could add the dialer programming codes? I'm coming from a Thunderbolt and was curious if *#*#4636#*#* worked or were there other codes I haven't come across yet?
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Click to collapse
Ill look into it thx!

No this root method does not trip the counter....yes going back to stock erases all traces of being rooted. Thx to odin this device is damn near unbrickable.

droidstyle said:
No this root method does not trip the counter....yes going back to stock erases all traces of being rooted. Thx to odin this device is damn near unbrickable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the detailed Guide I am sure this will help a lot of people out.

Section 1 updated with new root.img

Updated!! Consolidated the three sections into one and added section 2 for Recoveries.

Sorry if this is a total nub question:
Will flashing this cause my current data to be wiped?
I just got the phone how I like it, not complaining cause root>most things I can stock but I wanna plan for it just in case my apps/settings/contacts/etc. go bye bye.

voted to counter the trolls who think its funny to 1 star threads.

[INFO] ROM 101 + CWM Errors Solutions

Hi guys .You all know me.
I have created this thread for the sole purpose educating every newbie and noob about ROM and it's components...
Here goes
Parts of a ROM
i. The kernel.
Android (like many other Smartphone operating systems) runs on the Linux kernel. The Linux kernel was created in the early 1990’s by a gentleman named Linus Torvalds in Helsinki, Finland. It’s incredibly stable, incredibly friendly, and incredibly difficult for the layman to understand and modify. Thankfully it’s also very popular so it has been ported on to a multitude of hardware, including our Android devices.
Think of the kernel as an interface layer between the hardware and software on your device. The kernel decides when things happen, such as the LED indicator gets lit or when the soft button's LED gets lit. An application sends a request to the operating system to blink the LED. The operating system then sends the request to the kernel, which makes the light flash for the amount of time requested by the OS.
What sounds like a round-about way to get things done is also what makes the system so scalable and robust. Application developers only have to code in a way the operating system understands and the kernel makes it work on the hardware. This also keeps the application running in it’s own user-space and separate from the kernel. That means when you run the latest uber-cool app that wasn’t designed for your particular OS version, or is still very beta and it crashes, the kernel gives you the option to Force Close the application and the kernel can run untouched.
In a standard Android ROM (we will leave developer images and the like for another discussion) the kernel is bundled along with a set of instructions that tell the device how to load the kernel and the OS during boot. This is the boot.img that you see inside a zipped ROM that your not able to easily open. The device knows to extract this image to internal memory (the ramdisk) and follow a series of scripts (init scripts) to load the kernel and then the other portions of the OS. That’s what’s happening while you’re watching the boot animation. Interestingly enough this is done the same way for a PC, your smartphone, an Android tablet, or even a smart Linux powered toaster. If you’re feeling exceptionally geeky, plug your Android phone into the USB port on your PC and let the PC boot from the USB device. No, it doesn’t actually load, but you can watch the animation while it tries to match up the hardware support with what’s inside your PC. As I said, Linux is amazingly scalable and as a result so is Android.
What is a kernel? If you spend any time reading Android forums, blogs, how-to posts or online discussion you'll soon hear people talking about the kernel. A kernel isn't something unique to Android -- iOS and MacOS have one, Windows has one, BlackBerry's QNX has one, in fact all high level operating systems have one. The one we're interested in is Linux, as it's the one Android uses. Let's try to break down what it is and what it does.
Android devices use the Linux kernel, but it's not the exact same kernel other Linux-based operating systems use. There's a lot of Android specific code built in, and Google's Android kernel maintainers have their work cut out for them. OEMs have to contribute as well, because they need to develop hardware drivers for the parts they're using for the kernel version they're using. This is why it takes a while for independent Android developers and hackers to port new versions to older devices and get everything working. Drivers written to work with the Gingerbread kernel on a phone won't necessarily work with the Ice Cream Sandwich kernel. And that's important, because one of the kernel's main functions is to control the hardware. It's a whole lot of source code, with more options while building it than you can imagine, but in the end it's just the intermediary between the hardware and the software.
When software needs the hardware to do anything, it sends a request to the kernel. And when we say anything, we mean anything. From the brightness of the screen, to the volume level, to initiating a call through the radio, even what's drawn on the display is ultimately controlled by the kernel. For example -- when you tap the search button on your phone, you tell the software to open the search application. What happens is that you touched a certain point on the digitizer, which tells the software that you've touched the screen at those coordinates. The software knows that when that particular spot is touched, the search dialog is supposed to open. The kernel is what tells the digitizer to look (or listen, events are "listened" for) for touches, helps figure out where you touched, and tells the system you touched it. In turn, when the system receives a touch event at a specific point from the kernel (through the driver) it knows what to draw on your screen. Both the hardware and the software communicate both ways with the kernel, and that's how your phone knows when to do something. Input from one side is sent as output to the other, whether it's you playing Angry Birds, or connecting to your car's Bluetooth.
It sounds complicated, and it is. But it's also pretty standard computer logic -- there's an action of some sort generated for every event. Without the kernel to accept and send information, developers would have to write code for every single event for every single piece of hardware in your device. With the kernel, all they have to do is communicate with it through the Android system API's, and hardware developers only have to make the device hardware communicate with the kernel. The good thing is that you don't need to know exactly how or why the kernel does what it does, just understanding that it's the go-between from software to hardware gives you a pretty good grasp of what's happening under the glass. Sort of gives a whole new outlook towards those fellows who stay up all night to work on kernels for your phone, doesn't it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ii. The operating system.
Once the kernel is loaded, the init scripts tell the Operating System to load. Android is the user interface for a custom built Java virtual machine called Dalvik. Dalvik was written by Dan Bornstein, who named it after the fishing village of Dalvik in Iceland, where his family originated from. The debate of which Java VM is superior is best left for another discussion, so I’ll simply say that DalvikVM is a register-based machine versus true JavaVMs which are stack based.
The Dalvik machine creates executable files (.dex files) which can be interpreted by the OS and run by the end user. These .dex files are OS version dependant. That simply means that applications and core functions built to work with one version of Android may or may not work well with other versions. Google provides the tools through it’s Software Development Kit (SDK) for applications to communicate with the OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iii. Core functions.
No smartphone would be complete without a set of functions that allow the device to be used as intended. Things like the phone and dialer interface, the calendar, the messaging system are core functions of the Operating System. In Android, these are run on top of the kernel as separate applications. The merits (or lack of) of providing these needed functions as separate applications is once again best left for another discussion, but this is what allows developers like HTC or Motorola to replace the standard functions with alternatives that provide a different look and feel from stock. HTC’s onscreen keyboard or Motorola’s MotoBlur contact list are great examples of this. The “little guy” isn’t left out of the mix either. Handcent SMS or Chomp SMS can integrate into the OS very well, as most of us already know.
An additional set of Core Functions are provided by Google. Popularly called GoogleBits, things like Gmail, sync, Gtalk and the Android Market are applications written by Google that give an extra set of useful functions to the OS. You’ll find these on all smartphones, as well as many other Android devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
iv. Optional applications.
These are applications provided by the manufacturer to give the device even more usability. Things like the Amazon MP3 store, PDF readers, Corporate Calendar etc. allow you to do even more with your device. Remember - Droid Does
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Click to collapse
B. How is a ROM packaged?
In most cases a ROM will come packaged in a .zip file. The recovery image’s kernel (yes, it has one too!) has the ability to unzip and copy the contents into the correct place. Inside this zip file is a folder (META-INF\com\google\android\) that contains a script prepared by the ROM “cooker” (another of those techie terms - it means the person(s) who developed the ROM) that tells the system what to format, what to copy and where, and any file operations that need to be done. Each device does things a bit differently, but this script is where it all gets done. More on this folder later.
You’ll also see a /system folder. This is the meat of the ROM. It has the necessary OS files, the Core functions, and any optional applications the cooker decided to include. The folder is structured the same way it is on your device - /system/app, /system/framework, etc. The whole tree is usually copied over and the existing /system folder is overwritten. The cooker uses the script to tell the kernel to erase the existing system folder, copy the new folder over, and set the file permissions.
Sometimes you will also see a data folder. This usually is space set up for optional applications, including optional system tools like busybox or SuperUser white list. These applications could be placed in the /system folder, but placing them in the data folder makes it easier for the end user (you and I) to remove or update them as needed.
You’ll also notice a META-INF folder. This contains the update script we talked about earlier, as well as secure keys that need to be provided so the device knows the update can be trusted. A special note needs made here. Trusted means that the update is trusted to be in the correct form to load the device. It in no way means the ROM is safe from malicious code. Anyone is able to use a set of test keys and create a ROM that will flash and run your device - even those people with bad intentions. Flashing and running a custom 3rd party ROM is putting faith in the cooker that he or she not only knows what they are doing, but are honest as well. Also, some Motorola custom ROMs will have a small update.zip stored inside this folder to be run on first boot of the device.
Finally we are left with the boot.img file. This is the kernel and ramdisk image we discussed earlier. Your phone copies this over to be decompressed and run when the device boots.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2. How do I install a ROM?
In this section we’re discussing how to install a custom 3rd party ROM. ROMs from the manufacturer usually have a utility that runs on your PC to flash and load the new image.
A. Got Root???
Yes ?:good:!!!
Custom ROM’s simply will not load on devices that aren’t rooted. In theory, it may be possible to sign a 3rd party ROM with the keys that the stock recovery image will flash, but for the most part you need to have flashed a custom recovery image before you can change your device’s ROM. Instructions and tutorials on how to root your device are all over the internet. Some are good, some are bad. The hacking forum is a great place to go and learn more about rooting and how to successfully get it done on your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
B. Recovery
Most Android devices have had a custom recovery image written for them. This will overwrite the stock recovery image, allowing you to flash 3rd party ROMs as well as giving extra functionality. Help with finding and flashing the custom recovery image for your device can also be found in the hacking forum. The installation of a custom recovery image also allows for a very important function. Backup and restore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.C. Nandroid
Nandroid is a set of bash scripts and code written by that copies the state of your system and stores it in a folder on your SD card. You can then use the restore function of Nandroid to restore to this point at any time. This is a priceless feature and reason enough to root your phone. It’s included by default in most custom recovery images, and the code is freely available to use if you’re inclined to write your own recovery image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In most situations, using Nandroid to back everything up is easy:
1. Verify you have a memory card with enough free space (~300MB to backup, ~500MB to restore).
2. Reboot your device into recovery. It’s slightly different for each device, once again hacking forum FTW!
3. Navigate through the menu and select the Nandroid Backup function.
4. Apply your choice and wait for the device to tell you it’s finished.
It’s always good practice to copy the entire nandroid folder from your SD card to a safe place. You can then copy it back to the SD card if the card is ever damaged, lost or erased.
D. Copy and Flash
You’re rooted, have downloaded a custom ROM, have your system backed up and are now ready to flash your device. This is not nearly as scary as it sounds.
1. Mount your SD card to your PC, and copy the .zip file to the root folder of the card. Don’t unzip the file, and don’t look for a folder called root. The root folder in this case means the base folder, what you will see when you mount your card to a PC or the device.
2. Reboot your phone into recovery.
3. Navigate through the recovery menu and select the flash update option. Depending on your recovery image, the file may need to be named update.zip, or you may be able to select any zip file on your card as long as it’s the correct format. The cooker knows this as well and if the ROM needs to be named update.zip it will be.
4. Apply your choice and wait for your device to tell you it’s finished.
5. Reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It’s worth noting that many times a new ROM will require that you wipe and factory reset your devices data. While inconvenient, it’s often necessary to get rid of the old data as it may be incompatible. As long as you’re using the cloud for calendar and contacts, they will be re- downloaded and stored back on your device automatically.
Credits
The internet
And other sites related to android development
And of course me
My Galaxy R forum friends !!

ERRORS encountered in CWM Recovery
.
What is CWM Recovery ?
ClockworkMod Recovery is a custom recovery for many Android devices. It is considered to be the most popular recovery for Android due to its easily-ported nature, and integration with ClockworkMod ROM Manager by Koush(Koushik Dutta). The easiest way to recognize it is by the printed name when it first starts, and the background logo of a gear and hat.
Click to expand...
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ERROR STATUS 6
This is usually caused by CR/LF EOL(Windows style End Of Line) in updater-script. Change it to LF EOL(Unix Style EOL) using Linux command: dos2unix updater-script, then re-signing the ZIP, will usually fix this error.
Click to expand...
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ERROR STATUS 7
This is usually caused by a corrupt download, or bad file signature. Re-downloading (or re-signing) the ZIP will usually fix this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We have been consistently seen and heard people facing error “Status 7″ error while trying to flash or install
custom ROMs or firmware packages on their Android smart phones or tablets with ClockworkMod Recovery. Many
of the users are nowadays facing this problem with CWM Recovery while flashing .zip files of modded or custom
Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) or Jelly Bean (JB) ROMs on their devices. So, you have also downloaded a custom ROM,
placed its .zip file in your phone’s or tablet’s SD card, booted into ClockworkMod Recovery, selected – “install zip
from sdcard” and then chosen the .zip file of the ROM to get it installed on your device. But instead of getting
flashed successfully, if you are facing the issue mentioned below, then just keep reading this article to find out
what’s wrong and fix up the problem :
Finding update package…
Opening update package…
Installing update…
Error in /sdcard/custom-jelly-bean-rom.zip (Status 7)
Installation aborted
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Click to collapse
or the following error right after CWM recovery shows –
Installing update…
assert failed: getprop(“ro.product.device”) == “I9103″ || getprop(“ro.build.product”) == “I9103″ || getprop
(“ro.product.board”) == “I9103″
Error in /sdcard/android-4-1-1-ics-rom-latest.zip (status 7)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, if you are facing any of these errors while trying to install the desired custom ROM package on your Android
phone or tab, then you may try a various things or steps which may turn out to be the workaround of this
problem. Here are a few tips to get this “Status 7” error fixed in ClockworkMod Recovery and flash the ROM
successfully on your device :
(1) First of all, make sure your device’s bootloader is unlocked. If it is already unlocked but you are still
not able to flash the ROM, then just extract the .zip file of the ROM into a new folder, find the boot.img file from
that directory and flash it up on your phone or tablet via fastboot on your PC.
(2) Make sure that you are having the appropriate Radio or Baseband version installed on your device which is
supported by the custom ROM you are trying to flash. Most of the ROMs requires the latest version of Baseband, so
just update or upgrade your device to the latest Baseband version and then try to install the ROM once again.
(3) Update your device to the supported / latest build of official firmware before trying to install the ROM. You can
do it from – Settings > About Phone / Device > Software Update.
(4) Make sure you are having the supported or required kernel installed on your phone or tab. If it’s not, then flash
a new kernel right away and try to install your custom ROM once again.
(5) Is the ROM which you are trying to flash really works ? Find out whether it is working for other users or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NOW
ERROR STATUS 0
This is usually caused by an incompatible update-binary in edify ZIPs. Replacing it with a compatible one, then re-signing the ZIP, will usually fix this error.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Now it's time for the partitions :good:
Let’s start with a list of standard internal memory partitions on Android phones and tablets. These are:
/boot
/system
/recovery
/data
/cache
/misc
In addition, there are the SD card partitions.
/sdcard
/sd-ext
Note that only /sdcard is found in all Android devices and the rest are present only in select devices. Let’s now take a look at the purpose and contents of each of these partitions.
/boot
This is the partition that enables the phone to boot, as the name suggests. It includes the kernel and the ramdisk. Without this partition, the device will simply not be able to boot. Wiping this partition from recovery should only be done if absolutely required and once done, the device must NOT be rebooted before installing a new one, which can be done by installing a ROM that includes a /boot partition.
/system
This partition basically contains the entire operating system, other than the kernel and the ramdisk. This includes the Android user interface as well as all the system applications that come pre-installed on the device. Wiping this partition will remove Android from the device without rendering it unbootable, and you will still be able to put the phone into recovery or bootloader mode to install a new ROM.
/recovery
The recovery partition can be considered as an alternative boot partition that lets you boot the device into a recovery console for performing advanced recovery and maintenance operations on it. To learn more about this partition and its contents, see the ‘About Android Recovery’ section of our guide to ClockworkMod recovery.
/data
Also called userdata, the data partition contains the user’s data – this is where your contacts, messages, settings and apps that you have installed go. Wiping this partition essentially performs a factory reset on your device, restoring it to the way it was when you first booted it, or the way it was after the last official or custom ROM installation. When you perform a wipe data/factory reset from recovery, it is this partition that you are wiping.
/cache
This is the partition where Android stores frequently accessed data and app components. Wiping the cache doesn’t effect your personal data but simply gets rid of the existing data there, which gets automatically rebuilt as you continue using the device.
/misc
This partition contains miscellaneous system settings in form of on/off switches. These settings may include CID (Carrier or Region ID), USB configuration and certain hardware settings etc. This is an important partition and if it is corrupt or missing, several of the device’s features will will not function normally.
/sdcard
This is not a partition on the internal memory of the device but rather the SD card. In terms of usage, this is your storage space to use as you see fit, to store your media, documents, ROMs etc. on it. Wiping it is perfectly safe as long as you backup all the data you require from it, to your computer first. Though several user-installed apps save their data and settings on the SD card and wiping this partition will make you lose all that data.
On devices with both an internal and an external SD card – devices like the Samsung Galaxy S and several tablets – the /sdcard partition is always used to refer to the internal SD card. For the external SD card – if present – an alternative partition is used, which differs from device to device. In case of Samsung Galaxy S series devices, it is /sdcard/sd while in many other devices, it is /sdcard2. Unlike /sdcard, no system or app data whatsoever is stored automatically on this external SD card and everything present on it has been added there by the user. You can safely wipe it after backing up any data from it that you need to save.
/sd-ext
This is not a standard Android partition, but has become popular in the custom ROM scene. It is basically an additional partition on your SD card that acts as the /data partition when used with certain ROMs that have special features called APP2SD+ or data2ext enabled. It is especially useful on devices with little internal memory allotted to the /data partition. Thus, users who want to install more programs than the internal memory allows can make this partition and use it with a custom ROM that supports this feature, to get additional storage for installing their apps. Wiping this partition is essentially the same as wiping the /data partition – you lose your contacts, SMS, market apps and settings.
With this, we conclude our tour of Android partitions. Now whenever you install a ROM or mod that requires you to wipe certain partitions before the installation, you should be in a better position to know what you’re losing and what not and thus, you’ll know what to backup and what not.

Nice thread, maybe add error status 0 for CWM
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

krabappel2548 said:
Nice thread, maybe add error status 0 for CWM
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done !!!!

Great thread, You are seriously doing well.:good:

MY thanks just ended
will use the mob app to thank u bro !!
After all you inspired me for this thread not

Moved to android general as per OP request.

[GUIDE] [NOOB] [ANDROID] Everything that You Want to Know ! !

This post is going to help you if you have done a fresh entry in the unending world of Android. Android being an open source operating system for mobile phones, offers limitless possibilities of optimization and customization as per your requirements. Brand new android device comes with stock ROM and locked bootloader but half the charm of an Android phone lies in the root-based apps, beautiful mods and patches, and custom ROMs. Let me first explain these terms:
BOOTLOADER:
Every Android phone has a bootloader that instructs the operating system kernel to boot normally. But you need to understand one thing here that as Android OS is an open source OS and is available on a variety of different hardware, every manufacturer has their own version of bootloader specific for the hardware present in it’s environment. In literal terms, bootloader is code that is executed before any Operating System starts to run. The concept of bootloaders is universal to virtually all Operating systems that inculcates operating systems on your PC, laptop, smartphones, and other such devices.
Why is Bootloader Locked??
A bootloader is usually locked on an Android device because although it’s an open source OS, still the manufacturers want you to stick to their Android OS version specifically designed for the device. In order to apply this concept, manufacturers lock the bootloader. With a locked bootloader on Android devices, it is virtually impossible to flash a Custom ROM and forced attempts void warranty as well as usually end up in bricks. Therefore, the first step is to always unlock the bootloader. A lot has been said about bootloaders being “locked” and even the developer-friendly Nexus devices shipped with a locked bootloader (Nexus devices and a couple tablets are easily unlocked with a single command).In fact, a lot bootloaders are locked and encrypted, meaning simple commands like “fastboot oem unlock”, won’t do a thing.
Why To Unlock Bootloader On Android Devices??
The explanation to this question is really simple. If you want root, you’d be wanting to flash Custom ROM post-root, and if you want to install a Custom ROM, you’d need to have your stock bootloader unlocked. In simple terms Unlocking the bootloader allows you to install custom Firmware on your Android phone.
Warning: Unlocking your phone’s bootloader voids its warranty. It also completely wipes (formats) your Android phone’s internal memory including applications, contacts, SMS and MMS messages etc.
ROOTING:
Half the charm of an Android phone lies in the root-based apps, beautiful mods and patches, and custom ROMs. If you have not rooted your phone yet, believe me you are not getting the most out of it. Rooting offers many advantages indeed but, at the same time it is also a little risky as it breaks into the wall of security build by the operating system.
According to a survey, 80% of Android phone users live happy with an unrooted device and the reasons for this are various- some people think of it as a sort of criminal activity, some are afraid of losing warranty, some are afraid of bricking their phone, while most people do not even know about the existence of a term like “rooting”.
ROOTING is one of the most loved and equally disdained terms in the world of Android. Android phone users can generally be divided into three sects on the basis of their opinion towards rooting stuff. First of all, there are those who are willing to unlock and root their phones as soon as they get it or update it with a stock firmware. Then there are larger class that are happy with keeping their phones in a state they bought it and keep miles away from rooting. Finally, there is a moderate group that keeps wondering- “To root or not to root!”
What is Rooting??
The term “root” comes from the Unix/Linux world and is used to describe a user who has “superuser” rights or permissions to all the files and programs in the software OS. Thus rooting is a kind of hacking procedure where you seek to obtain access to the hidden system files. It’s like seeing a tree with its roots that remain immersed in the earth. By rooting your Android phone, you can have capability to modify and change the internal files of your device which otherwise remain locked and hidden.
Why Not to Root Your Phone??
Rooting Voids the Warranty:
It may be that you skip all other harms associated with rooting, but one thing you cannot escape is that it will surely void the warranty of your phone as soon as you root it. Suppose you have rooted your device which is still under warranty period. One day it stops working suddenly or shows signs that demand repairing. In that case you will not be entitled to claim the warranty because it is void due to installing a modified kernel. However, there are methods that can uproot your device and you can reclaim the warranty.
Rooting Can Brick your Device:
Another solid reason for not attempting to root your device is the potential risk of “bricking” it. There are thousand of tech blog over the web that are full of rooting tutorial for almost every Android phone and tablet. I have known some people who, searching for a rooting tutorial for their device, stumbled upon a tutorial written by some raw-hand person and bricked or almost made it unusable. Moreover, in most cases it is the fault of the device owners, who being a raw-hand themselves, do not follow the procedure to the letter or carefully and turn their phone into a costly paper-weight.
Rooting Does not Let You Get Official Updates:
As soon as you root your Android phone, you will not be able to receive the Over-the-Air updates released by the manufacturer. It is another thing that you install the updates manually if you find the OTA update zip file.
Rooting might Threaten the Security:
Most of us store vital and private data such as passwords and credit card details on our smartphones and this has necessitated a greater need for security than ever before. According to a recent survey, one-third of Android apps contain a certain level of malware as they require our personal data to run. There are so many keyboard app apps, for instance, that store a database of everything you type on your Android phone- whether it be a common word or a password and login details. You are open to such risks even without rooting your Android device. The open nature of the Android OS is the reason why android users are more prone to these attacks.
Here are a few simple tips that might help you make your phone’s data more secure:
Install a Mobile Security/Antivirus App- The best ways to get started is to download and install a complete android Mobile Security App to protect your android smartphone or tablet. These security apps are specifically designed for mobile platform and offer browser protection and safety against potentially dangerous sites.
Granting Permissions to Apps Carefully- You should be a bit more aware when you are installing all those cool new apps and do read and grant permission to data that you are only comfortable sharing. If you are not happy with any of the “requests for permission”and feel it is information you rather not share, then discontinue using the app.
Avoid Installing Apps from Unknown Sources- While we do not say that you take a complete blanket approach towards apps from unknown sources and disallow them completely, if you want to install one, be absolutely sure that they are completely safe. Remember that no system or set of guidelines are ‘absolutely safe’, but reducing risks helps a great deal.
Advantages of Rooting:
Most Android enthusiasts or advanced users believe that it is impossible to make the most of and Android smartphone without rooting and installing a custom recovery on it. While keeping you Android device gives you a feeling of safety and insurance, rooting denotes to a state of freedom, adventure and wilderness. No doubt it involves risk, but it has big rewards too. Let’s consider them too. I see many people asking,”I have rooted my phone, now what?” Here are a few reasons why one should root one’s Android phone/tablet.
1. Truly own your device
2. Unlock hidden features and install incompatible apps
3. Boosts your phone speed and battery life
4. Uninstall pre-installed apps
5. Block ads in any app
6. Flash a custom Rom/Kernel
7. Enter into dark word of Android
8. Move all apps to SD card
9. Link SD card with internal memory
10. Choose Startup and background apps
11. Quick optimization and clean up
12. Get root explorer and terminal emulator
13. Fully customize your OS in your own way
14. Directly install apps to SD
15. Be able to use roundr, GMD, ROM toolbox
16. Get font installer and boot animations for better fonts
17. More internal storage
Rooting Opens a World of Possibilities:
There are many people who opt to root their device only to be able to install certain apps that need root privileges. Among these apps, there include some life-savers like Titanium Backup, Apps2SD, Root Explorer, Triangle Away, Juice Defender, ROM Manager, and so on. Thus on you rooted Android phone or tablet, you can backup your Apps and Games, move the apps to the external SD card, extend battery backup, unlock your SIM-locked phone and what not.
Ability to Install Custom ROM and Mods:
Another major, or probably the greatest, advantage of rooting your Android device is that it open the world of customization for you. Having in full control of your phone by rooting it, you can do what those with non-rooted device can only dream of. You may have heard of people installing custom ROMs on their devices. There are many great custom ROM’s available that can make your Android device look and perform drastically different.
Why a custom ROM is so important for many people has many reasons. You rooted phone with a good custom ROM installed on it can perform better, faster and smoother. There are many custom kernels that give you great battery-life. The stock Android ROM does not support theming, but there are great custom ROMs like the CyanogenMod and MIUI ROM that have great theming capabilities that add to the freshness of your phone.
The option of changing ROM does not let you get bored of the same look and feel of your Android device. Most Android phones see a single firmware upgrade from the manufacturer. If you buy an Android device with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, it will only see an upgrade to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Thanks to our ROM developers who bring the highest version of Android OS to the lowest-priced phones. It is only the magic of custom ROMs that we see a Galaxy Ace or Optimus One user enjoying Jelly Bean.
Best Apps For Rooted Users:
I have been using mobile phone’s since the days when it used be bulky like a walkie and had an antenna on the top. Just go back a few years ago and compare the phones of the day to the smartphones that we own today, and you’ll realize that their evolution has been fantastic. I have also been lucky enough to experience all major platforms, from java-based devices down to Symbian, Android and the newer Windows Phone too. I first, first came to know about Android during the days when the smartphone world was ruled by Nokia-made Symbian devices. For many, Android was just a thing of curiosity then.
Having got bored of Symbian, it was much later that I decided to switch to Android and bought my first device the Galaxy S. the new OS was attractive but after a few months, I was still unable to figure out why it was so popular. The difference between my old and new OS’s seemed marginal. Having spent about 4 months with my first Android phone in its virgin state, I came to know about a new thing called “rooting” that sounded to me synonymous to “bricking” my phone.
Anyway, I finally took that bold step with bouncing heart and only after after that adventure, I was able to get a deeper peep into Android. I believe that anyone reading these lines would not deny that it is impossible to enjoy Android to its full without rooting it. Voiding one’s phone’s warranty might sound a good idea to all, but rooting pays for it pretty well. Now, I own Moto E and within a month of its purchase, I rooted it ! If you wish to enrich your experience with your phone or tablet, rooting is the only way to achieve the ultimate performance and customization whether it be getting speedy response, better battery, enhanced features, tweak system or make visual changes.
Today, we’ll see some really good, and also popular, apps that can help you get most out of your Android device. As the very title of the present article makes it evident, all these apps require root access to function. And therefore, you must have a rooted device before you can use them.
So, here begins our list of some of the best apps for rooted Android phones and tablet devices:
JuiceDefender Ultimate:
The bigger the screen, the better the fun, isn’t it? We all like a smartphone or tablet with a big screen that show everything with minutest detail and vivid colors. In most cases, OEM’s use battery according to the screen size of a device. Then why it is that the bigger the screen, the least the battery runs? You’ll hardly find a guy who is happy with the battery performance. In a situation where we cannot extend the capacity of the battery of our device, it’s wise to manage the battery power to get better performance out of it. Battery drain is the biggest concern of any smartphone user but if you have root, you can enjoy better performance using a 3rd-party power-save app. While you can find hundreds of battery-saver apps at the Play Store, there are just a few that really possess the magic wand. And among such apps, JuiceDefender Ultimate is probably the king of all. It is a mighty power manager app packed with advanced functions that controls, checks and manages all features and resources that devour the battery juice of your device. The app employs a bunch of effective measures to give you the best possible battery backup, and it does so by intelligently managing the channels that suck the battery most. It features highly customizable options to curb battery drain and get it up to your expectations.
Xposed Framework:
Root access on an Android device gives you the license to do almost anything and when it comes to personalization of your device, modifying the available features and adding new things to it, Xposed Framework is an ultimate tool. It is a custom framework that replaces the default framework of your devices and adds the ability to be modified via compatible modules. The presence on Xposed framework and its modules ensure that you get the power to control the visual elements on your device in your hands. You can customize things like the statusbar items, notification panels, extend reboot menu options, enable call recording, manage connectivity features, install third-party icon packs on stock launcher and thousands of such tasks very easily without having the knowledge of editing system apps and XML codes.
Tasker:
Extending our list of best apps for rooted devices, I’m now going to talk about an app that hardly requires any introduction if you not a novice with Android. Tasker for Android is a must have app if you are an advanced or power user, but it offers much even if you are new to it. It is a kind of personal genie that is capable of granting your daily mobile wishes. Tasker is a task control and automation tool that, if used wisely, can multiply your mobile experience many times. The app has lots of advanced features that let you
program your devices by adding tasks to make your device do things according to the rules defined by you. It lets you determine the behavior of apps and features as you might wish them to behave, whether it be to assign a task based on sensors, schedule app automation, control data and network connectivity and so on. It can do almost anything you can imagine. If you are a hardcore Android user, Tasker might prove a
dream app for you.
ROM ToolBox Pro:
ROM ToolBox Pro is a perfect example that shows the immense possibilities offered by root access on Android. As its very name proclaims, it is not just a tool for rooted Android devices, but a collection of various advanced useful tools with plethora of options for customizing the performance and user interface of your phone or tablet. Here is a list of the major tools that Root ToolBox Pro combines:
App manager
ROM management
DNS changer
Terminal Emulator
Task manager
Scripter
Root file browser
SD Booster
build.prop editor
CPU control
Kernel tweaks
Font installer
Theme manager
Theme chooser
Boot animation changer
Icon changer
Reboot manager, and lots more ! !
On expanding each of the listed tools, you’ll get more options related to specific tools.
Any app that has so much to give you at the price of one is definitely good !
Greenify:
While apps like JuiceDefender Ultimate and ROM ToolBox Pro aim at giving you better battery life and enhanced performance on your Android device respectively, Greenify targets both ends at the same time. Greenify lets you select apps that remain active and run as background processes even when they are not actively running. Now, such apps not only eat your phone’s ROM, making it slow and laggy, but also keep draining the precious battery juice continuously. If you are one who is fond of installing a lot of apps, Greenify can save you from being worried about performance and battery life. It lets you identify rogue apps and allows you put them in hibernation mode so that they do not keep eating CPU and RAM resources and leeching battery power. The app is pretty easy to use. Simply add the applications you want to hibernate when they move to the background, and let Greenify do its spell.
Titanium Backup:
Good battery life, awesome performance and cool customization— we have seen one or more apps for these things. Now let’s see another must have and one of the most rated apps for rooted Android devices. If you got root privileges on your device, Titanium Backup is a highly recommended app for you. You might find a number of backup apps at the Google Play Store, but none of them does the job so perfectly and nicely. The only negative thing about the app is it user interface that feels outdated, but when it comes to functionality, Titanium Backup surpasses them all.This best in class app can backup all apps (including system apps) and games on your apps with all app settings and data. You can backup apps individually, in groups or all at once. Also, before backing up or restoring the apps, you can choose whether to do the operation just with the apps, settings and data or a combination of all three. Besides, it also lets you schedule your backups. If you purchase the Pro key, you will also be able to use some premium features like—
Data migration (important for those who are fond of switching ROMs)
Dropbox sync and restore
Multiple backups per app support
Zero-tap batch restore
App freezer for keeping an app unchanged
Backup apps without closing any app
And more.
NoBloat:
As the name suggests, No Bloat allows you to remove all the bloat from your Android device. For rooted users, the app should come in handy to remove all the useless apps and bloat that carriers or OEMs ship in their phone right out of the box, and free up some resources that should improve performance and battery life,
No Bloat is pretty simple to use, and even has an handy option to backup the APKs before deleting them, in case things go wrong.
RoundR:
The only purpose of RoundR is to make the edges of your screen rounded, instead of flat, like in iOS. While this may seem like a very minor change, it somehow ends up making a very noticeable difference in day-to-day usage.
It is very tough to explain how rounded corners can affect the UI so much, but in the end it does. RoundR is one of those apps that you must try to know the difference. The app can be downloaded for free from the Play Store.
GMD Gesture Control:
GMD Gesture Control is particularly useful for Android tablet owners. Using this app, users can assign certain gestures to perform certain tasks. For example, you can setup a four finger swipe across the screen to automatically take you to the previous app you were using as in the iPad. You can easily emulate all the gestures that the iPad has using GMD Gesture Control.
Even Note and other Phablet owners can use GMD Gesture Control for navigation purposes. Instead of hitting the back button, they can assign a gesture which they can draw on the screen to imitate the back button.
Rom Manager:
Rom manager is one great app for all you enthusiasts who want to flash new ROMs and taste new versions of android in your smartphones.This app gives you a list of all the famous ROMs available for your device.You can also download them through this app and this also saves you a lot of time searching for it on the net.The pro version of this app is worth a try.
SoftKeyZ:
Bored out of the normal looks of your navigation buttons? Wanna add some colours to your screen? Go try this app.This app can personalize your navigation buttons(soft keys) into a lot many styles.It has 150+ themes to choose from.This is an awesome app for those who want your smartphone to be just like you want it to be...
Solid Explorer:
This is the best file manager out there.The basic idea of this explorer is just awesome.This app provides you two panels when positioned in the landscape view.You can simply copy-paste any file or move any file from one panel to the other without the fuzz of remembering the path of the locations separately.It also has additional features like FTP connection,etc... This is a must have app for all the android users.
NOTE:You also need to install solid explorer unlocker to use the complete features.
At the moment it has some glitches working in android kitkat.
Font Installer:
This app comes with hundreds of custom fonts ready for you to install. Use any custom fonts just by saving it into your device and install it from your device storage.
Link2SD:
It is one of the best app you should have after rooting your phone. This app links all the files and folders to your external SD card, hence virtually increasing internal memory.
RECOVERY:
Android devices come with Google’s recovery environment, which is often referred to as the “stock recovery.” You can boot to the recovery system by pressing device-specific buttons as your phone or tablet boots or by issuing an adb command that boots your device to recovery mode. The recovery menu provides options to help recover your device — for example, you can reset your device to its factory default state from here. The recovery mode can also be used to flash OTA update files. if you want to flash a new ROM to your device — or re-flash the factory default ROM file — you’ll need to boot to recovery mode first.
The stock recovery is a minimal, limited system. It’s designed to be ignored, and it can generally only flash OTA updates and ROMs provided by the device’s manufacturer, not third-party ROMs.
A custom recovery is a third-party recovery environment. Flashing this recovery environment onto your device replaces the default, stock recovery environment with a third-party, customized recovery environment. This is a bit like flashing a custom ROM like CyanogenMod — but, instead of replacing your device’s Android operating system, it replaces the recovery environment.
A custom recovery environment will do the same things as the stock Android recovery. However, it will also have additional features. Custom recoveries often have the ability to create and restore device backups. Custom recoveries allow you to install custom ROMs. ClockworkMod even offers a “ROM Manager” app that allows you to access many of these features from a running Android system — this app requires a custom recovery installed to function.
Popular Custom Recovery:
The Android Recovery which comes installed on any device has several issues, so that’s exactly why we finally consider that a custom recovery could be a much better choice as long as it find a way to reset your device when it may be impossible to boot into it.
Clockworkmod is available for quite a while and it has managed to win the title of the most popular stock recovery replacement thanks to all its features. But another player had also entered the game being known as TeamWin Recovery Project (or simply TWRP) and we bet that you are curious about it as well ! !
This fully touch-based custom recovery was initially dedicated exclusively to Nexus devices, but things have changed and now it is available for a variety of other smartphone and tablet models too, in form of official or thirdparty builds.
But which of these apps should you choose? CWM Recovery wins over TWRP Recovery or not? Here we have a detailed analysis of the most important aspects of these two custom recoveries which will help you taking the best decision:
The Graphic User Interface:
ClockworkMod’s interface is completely different if we compare it to the interface of
TWRP. This one comes with larger buttons that make it even easier than before to spot the feature that you are looking for and select it with a simple tap. And don’t forget about the soft buttons for Home and Back here, or about the option to turn the display off after a certain amount of time. But this doesn’t necessary have to mean that the interface of TWRP is necessarily much better, but simply with some differences that can offer us a more comfortable and faster experience.
Installing ZIPs:
This is one of the most used features in a recovery, but we must admit that we cannot actually compare CWM Recovery with TWRP Recovery at this chapter. They both work flawless when it comes to installing zip files, but some of you might consider that is easier to locate the zip file you want to install it in TWRP Recovery; and the built file manager is the one that makes the difference.
Backing Up option:
If you select the backup option in ClockworkMod, the backing up procedure starts immediately for all the partitions, while TWRP proves to be ideal as long as it allows you to backup only one partition. To be more specific, it presents you several options that you can choose from, giving you the possibility to control exactly which partition you want to backup or in which storage you want this backup to take place. So here, we can definitely say that TeamWin Recovery Project can successfully replace ClockworkMod.
Restoring Backups:
This time, when it comes to restoring backups, ClockworkMod recovery comes with an advanced restore option which lets you restore just one partition, while TWRP recovery gives you the possibility to select as many partitions as you might want. Even more, partitioning the SD card in ClockworkMod is by default set to ext3 file system and you have no chance to change it. TWRP instead lets you change it to ext4. So, TWRP seems once again to have won the battle, but we must tell you that besides the interface or the backing up and restoring backups options, it actually provides the same features as ClockworkMod. But ClockworkMod comes with one click installation (via Clockworkmod’s own ROM Manager app), while TWRP can be installed with some adb commands, so this aspect comes in favor of ClockworkMod recovery.
Check the next thread for more info
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Customize your Android
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TWRP Recovery – Explored and Explained !
Most of us here are very well aware of what TWRP is, especially people who flash ROMs every
now and then. Today, I’m here to explore this simple yet very unique recovery and explain in
detail the functionality of all of its features. I will also help you on how to flash a Custom
ROM/Kernel/Mod using TWRP. To get on with that, I need to let you know, what TWRP is ! !
What is TWRP?
TeamWin Recovery Project or in short; TWRP, initiated in 2011, is an Android Custom Recovery
with full touch UI. This Recovery brought in and created a new trend of Touch-based
recoveries. It adds customization support and enormous other amazing features to the AOSP
recovery code which makes it one of the best Android Custom Recoveries available till date.
The GUI is fully XML based, so you can modify each and every aspect of this
recovery according to your desires, provided that you have appropriate knowledge of XML and
Android.
Why choose TWRP over others?
TWRP was the first to bring in the concept of touch-based UI on recoveries,
which in turn defines its uniqueness. Since the early days, this recovery has evolved more than
any other recoveries available, bringing in huge changes in the code and UI. If you choose
TWRP, you’re assured to be updated regularly with more and more features accompanied by
stability.
Exploring the Main Menu:
As soon as you boot your Android into the latest build of TWRP, the following menu will serve
you, known as the main menu. The main menu consists of 8 tabs (Install, Wipe, Backup, Restore, Mount, Settings, Advanced &
Reboot), each having its own sub-tabs and functions. Let us now begin with the first tab on the
screen.
Install:
The Install tab is simple and make its role in flashing files (ROMs/Kernels/Mods). Another thing
that is unique here, is that you can add a queue of files and the same will be flashed in the
respective order.
Now, lets get to know how simply this works.
1. Press on the “Install” tab.
2. Browse and choose the file that you desire to flash.
3. Press on Add more zips if you desire to flash another zip(s).
4. Swipe the round button present on the bottom of the screen to initiate the flashing
process.
Wipe:
This tab serves the function of wiping the partitions on your device. Wipe-able partitions
include System, Data, Cache, Dalvik Cache, Internal Storage and USB-OTG (if any). Wiping the
partitions is necessary as a pre-flashing process and is different for Installing
ROMs/Kernels/Mods and updating them. So, before you set yourself for opening this menu,
make sure to know what you’re doing.
Here, I’m gonna mention some basic wiping steps for Installing ROMs/Kernels. Note that these
are universal for every ROM and Kernel, until and unless the developer himself states some
specific steps.
Wiping before Installing a Custom ROM:
1. Press on “Wipe” tab.
2. Press on “Advanced Wipe”.
3. Select the partitions: Dalvik Cache, System, Data & Cache.
4. Swipe the round button present on the bottom of the screen to initiate the wiping process.
Wiping before Installing a Custom Kernel:
1. Press on “Wipe” tab.
2. Press on “Advanced Wipe”.
3. Select the partitions: Dalvik Cache & Cache.
4. Swipe the round button present on the bottom of the screen to initiate the wiping process.
Backup:
The Backup tab holds a very important and useful function. Situations might arise when you
accidentally Install a wrong (corrupted/damaged) or may be un-desirable ROM/Kernel/Mod.
Post these situations, we find ourselves stuck. So, the Backup option gives us an helping hand to come out. This option is also well known as Nandroid Backup, but is now certainly referred
to as a common term; Backup.
TWRP offers some unique privileges in the Backup option too. A user can simply select the
partitions that he/she might want to backup viz Boot (Kernel & Ram-disk), Recovery (Present
Recovery), System (Firmware files), Data (User Apps and Information) & Cache (Dalvik Cache
and Cache).
To Backup your current ROM, simply follow these steps:
1. Press on “Backup” tab.
2. Select the partitions you want to backup (Usually, ROM backup includes System, Data,
Cache & Boot).
3. Swipe the round button present on the bottom of the screen to initiate the backup
process.
Apart from backing up, you can also Set Backup Name (set a specific name for your backup),
Enable compression and Skip md5 generation during backup.
Restore:
The Restore option in simple words, restores the Backup. A backup made with the Backup tab
is to be restored from this tab. This option also allows you to delete a previous backup and
even enable md5 verification. Restoring a backup is quite easy:
1. Press on “Restore” tab.
2. Press on the backup you want to restore.
3. Swipe the round button present on the bottom of the screen to initiate the restore process.
Mount:
It certainly is essential to mount partitions while flashing some specific files. Mount-able
partitions includes: System, Data, Cache, Internal Memory, SD-card and USB-OTG (if any). To mount a partition:
1. Press on “Mount” tab.
2. Select the partitions to mount.
Settings:
This tab holds all the settings related to the recovery subsystem. The following come under this tab:
1. zip file signature verification (Enable flashing only if the zip file is signed properly).
2. Use rm -rf instead of formatting (Option enables manual rm -rf command to wipe instead
of automatic formatting)
3. Skip md5 generation during backup (disables the generation of md5 sum during backup
process)
4. Enable md5 verification of backup files (enables restore of backup, only if md5 sum verifies)
5. Use military time (Use the time format followed by Military/Army)
6. Simulate actions for theme testing (enables modification of actions during theme testing)
7. Time Zone (Set time zone according to your country)
8. Screen (Enable/disable/set screen timeout)
9. Restore defaults (Restores all the settings to their default value)
Advanced:
It provides all the advance functions of the TWRP recovery. Advanced functions include:
1. Copy Log to SD (Transfers the error log generated to the SD card)
2. Fix permissions (Fixes the permissions of the System files to fix errors)
3. File Manager (In-built recovery file manager to manage files on Internal and External
memory)
4. Terminal Command (In-built terminal emulator to execute commands)
5. Reload Theme (Reloads the theme from TWRP/theme, necessary when applying a new
theme)
6. ADB sideload (Initiates sideload over ADB to flash zips)
Reboot:
This menu lists ways to reboot the device to various locations. You can reboot your device into
the following modes just with a simple gesture. You can perform the following actions within
the Reboot menu:
System (Boot your device normally into the OS)
Power Off (Powers down your device completely)
Recovery (Reboots into the recovery mode)
Bootloader (Reboots the device into bootloader/fastboot mode)
To reboot:
1. Press on “Reboot” tab.
2. Press on the desire button where you’re willing to boot.
3. Swipe the round button present on the bottom of the screen to initiate the rebooting
process.
That’s all about TWRP, that every user needs to know and understand.
Things to Do Before and After Installing a Custom ROM:
Become familiar with Recovery and its working
Ensure a decent battery level
Backup your current ROM using recovery(It will help you if in case you are stuck in bootloop in future or if you want to go back to Stock
Go to settings and do factory reset
Reboot to recovery and flash ROM zip and Gapps
Clear cache and dalvik/ART cache
Reboot
ROM: Although ROM in computers mean Read Only Memory (memory storage which once written, can’t be edited or deleted) but When it comes to smartphones and tablets, the term ROM is used to refer to the firmware stored in the internal memory of the device, rather than the internal memory itself. It can also refer to a file prepared for the purpose of replacing this firmware with another version of using a special method.
Thus, when you are told by someone to download a ROM, they are referring to the file that contains the firmware in a format ready to be installed to your phone to replace it’s existing firmware. Similarly, when asked what ROM is your phone running or when told by someone their phone is running a particular ROM, they are again talking about the particular variant of the firmware.
ROM Distinction:
Truly Stock ROMs / firmware:
This is the operating system in its default form, without any modifications made to it except for any device-specific support required to run it on the particular device. Truly stock firmware provides the standard user experience of the operating system without any cosmetic or functional changes made. These days, truly stock firmware is primarily found in cases where both the device and the operating system is built by the same company. Amongst modern mobile devices, examples of truly stock firmware can be found on Nexus and (new) Moto devices.
Manufacturer or Carrier branded Stock ROM / Firmware:
This type of firmware has had enhancements added over the default operating system by the device manufacturer or the mobile service carrier. This often includes interface enhancements, proprietary applications and in most cases, restrictions intended to limit the use of the device with a specific carrier or region. There are often further restrictions preventing installation of firmware not released by the carrier or manufacturer.
Custom ROM / firmware:
Almost all devices ship with either of the above two categories of firmware, though things don’t end there. Independent developers who like to customize their devices beyond the standard options provided often tend to release the fruits of their labor for the rest to enjoy, in form of custom ROMs. The more open the platform, the more independent development it attracts, a good example of which is the independent custom ROM development for Android.
Stock v/s Custom ROMs:
Stock firmware is the result of a lot of research and testing done by the operating system vendor, the device manufacturer and/or the mobile service carrier. Therefore, it carries several advantages:
It is usually quite stable upon release.
Almost all bugs are patched during the extensive beta testing before release.
It carries the official support by the firmware vendor, device manufacturer and the mobile service carrier.
Updates are pushed automatically to the device by the carrier.
Along with its advantages, stock firmware also carries its disadvantages and these include:
Updates aren’t frequent, as development is done mostly by corporations who have to follow a scheduled release cycle.
Updates are often released first in the United States, leaving the rest of the world waiting. (A world does happen to exist beyond the United States, we’ve confirmed it ourselves!)
Worse still, when manufacturers choose to no longer release official updates for their older devices in favor of newer ones, their users are essentially stuck with old versions of the operating system. This case is evident with many Android devices barely a year and a half old.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Custom ROMs
Custom ROMs are as good or as bad as the effort put into them by their developers. Key advantages of custom ROMs are:
First and foremost, choice! There are thousands of custom ROMs out there for a range of devices, each offering a diverse set of features not found in the stock ROM.
Update frequency – custom ROMs are often under active development and newer releases of the core operating system are incorporated in them way before updated official ROMs are released. This is particularly true in case of Android devices, where developers start porting newer versions of Android to several devices as soon as they are released.
Custom ROMs usually have all the extra restrictions removed, enabling users to sideload apps, tether their mobile data connection to their computer without paying extra for it, gain root access, use their device in any region etc. without any need for circumventing the protection themselves.
Performance enhancements and optimizations found in many custom ROMs can make them much faster than stock ROMs, enabling users to get the most out of their devices.
Overclocking options are built into some custom ROMs, further speeding up the devices.
Undervolting options found in some ROMs on the other hand result in improved battery life.
Old phones with little internal memory can benefit most from custom ROMs that allow them to use the external SD card memory for the apps exactly the way they would use the internal memory.
So with all these advantages, there should be no reason to stick with the stock ROM, right? Not necessarily! Like all things in life, custom ROMs come with their disadvantages as well:
Due to the lack of extensive testing prior to release, many custom ROMs can be buggy in the beginning and installing a ROM with missing or corrupt critical files can even brick your phone.
Several custom ROMs that are ports of ROMs from other phones can have missing functionality that hasn’t been made to work on your phone with the ROM yet.
Installing a custom ROM usually involves wiping your phone to factory settings, so you lose your data and start from scratch. Fortunately, Android’s built-in contact syncing along with apps offering message, call log and app backup/restore make this process easier, letting you retain your data.
The installation process itself can be cumbersome and may require you to root your phone and often circumvent its security features to allow for custom ROM installation in the first place.
Installing a custom ROM will in most cases void your phone’s warranty, though often the process is reversible, meaning you can turn your phone back to stock as long as it isn’t bricked.
Installing a ROM to your phone requires you to root it first in most cases. While rooting most phones is easy, some phones require a complicated procedure to be followed before you can install a ROM to it and often, such procedures involve a risk of bricking your device if things go wrong.
Making the Choice
Choosing between a stock ROM and a question ROM is really a matter of your requirements. If the stock ROM on your phone lets you do all that you ever want to do with your phone and doesn’t feel slow, there isn’t any need to go through the trouble of circumventing your phone’s security and installing a custom ROM to it.
However, if you want to take your phone beyond what it currently offers, don’t care much about the warranty and are ready to take the risk of whatever may happen if things go wrong to be able to customize it the way you want, a custom ROM is at times the only solution. Choose wisely!
Review the Risks ! !
Customize your Android
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BootLoop:
“Bootloop” is a very familiar term for smartphone users whatever OS they use, but it is definitely more familiar to Android phone users. Android being an Open Source operating system, is open to third party modifications. If you have a basic or advanced knowledge of Linux coding, you can develop a custom ROM or a modify a system file of your Android phone. Such openness has opened vistas for our great developers to cook ROMs, mods and hacks. It has enriched our experience with our phones at one hand, and posed a few problems like bootloop or a bricked phone in rare cases.
Most of phone- freaks like me spend their days doing nothing but trying almost all custom ROMs and mods available out there to tell other what is good for them. In doing so we often face a bootloop but that is not to say that only the third- party ROMs and mods are responsible for the problem. In most cases, however, it is some incompatible file imposed from outside that hinders the system files to work normally, resulting in a bootloop.
Thus, bootloop is a situation where the Android smartphones refuses to boot normally. There’s something wrong with the Android device, which is preventing it from completing the boot cycle and is stuck between the boot animation and the unlock screen. Bootloop is mainly caused when system files interfere with each other, causing instability, and crashes at the boot sequence.
While getting a bootloop on an Android phone is not a serious concern for an advanced user, it is surely enough to make a newbie or a noob tremble a little. Very often an average user begin to wonder if his phone is bricked or dead. In the present article I shall try to share with you some solutions that might help you recover your Android device from a bootloop.
Precautions to Avoid and Prevent Data Loss:
Bootloop is definitely one of the most undesirable situations a smartphone user can get into. It is shocking enough to make a new or basic user believe that he/she has bricked the device. It is true that in most cases you can recover your device to normal state but if you take precautionary steps, you could avoid it. Prevention is always better than the cure!
However, precautions cannot guarantee that you device is bootloop- proof. Therefore, it is also necessary that you always keep your phone’s data backed up. Remember, if your device gets into a bootloop, there are 90% chances that you will loose all your data, apps, settings and files stored on the internal SD of your device.
Things to be taken care of:
Before installing any stock or custom ROM, do not forget to confirm that it is made for your device and, more important, the same model number.
Before installing any custom Kernel, mod, patch or ROM, do not forget to backup your ROM. Also backup your phone’s apps, games, contacts, messages or any important data to an external storage-memory card, USB storage or your computer.
Avoid installing apps from outside Play Store and only those that are compatible with your device.
If your device is not rooted, you can use the official PC Suite from your device manufacturer.
Possible Reasons of a Bootloop on Android Device:
The reasons for getting a bootloop on your Android device might be anything. If you wish to know the reason why your Android phone is stuck on the bootloop, you need not type your problem on the Google search box. Just calm yourself for a while and think what you did just before. It could be anything! Here are some major reasons why your Android device is caught in a bootloop.
After installing an official or custom ROM
Flashing a wrong ROM or Kernel
Running an incompatible app or game
Wrong Permissions fix for an app or file
Installing a custom mod or theme
Most often we face a bootloop just after flashing a stock or custom ROM over an old one. This might be a major factor behind the bootloop issue on your device. Suppose you have flashed a new version of firmware over the old version. Your old data still remains on the device and the new firmware will use the Dalvik Cache from the old ROM that might not be compatible with the new system files and it will result in a bootloop. It mostly happen just when your device tries to reboot after you have flashed a stock or custom ROM. If this is the case, here is the solution.
If your device is on stock firmware, that also means it does not have a custom recovery like TWRP/CWM installed in it. Then do these steps:
1. Pull out the the battery of your phone, wait for about 30 seconds and reinsert it to its place.
2. Boot your device into ASR(Android System Recovery) mode. The method involves a hardware key combination and varies from one phone to another. For Samsung phones, for example, the key combination is Volume Up+Home + Power keys. The tablets which generally have no Home button, you can enter the Recovery mode bypressing and holding the Volume Up + Power keys simultaneously.
3. In the Android System Recovery, scroll down to “wipe cache partition” option using the volume rockers and select it using the power key.
4. When you have wiped the data/factory, go back to the main menu and reboot the device by “reboot system now” option.
5. If the device is still stuck on Boot animation pull out the battery again and repeat the above steps. This time also “wipe data/factory reset ” and then reboot device.
The bootloop problem should be fixed now.
If you have a rooted device with CWM recovery installed in it,and your phone is caught into a bootloop after flashing a custom ROM or mod, do as follows:
1. Pull out the battery, reinsert it after 30 seconds and boot the device into CWM Recovery: Volume Up+ Home + Power keys simultaneously.
2. Go to “Advanced”
3. Choose “Wipe dalvik-cache”
4. Now go to “Mounts & Storage”
5. Choose “Wipe/cache”
6. Reboot your phone
The bootloop should be gone now. If it still persists, do this.
1. Boot the phone again into CWM Recovery
2. Now go to “Mounts & Storage”
3. Choose “Wipe/data”
4. Choose “Wipe/cache”
5. Then reboot your phone.
Now the phone should reboot normally. Next time when you install a ROM, follow the instructions prescribed by the developer. Be more attentive to the warnings before experimenting with any third party ROM or mod. Always ensure what you are about to install is meant for your device.
If the Above Methods Do Not Work!
In case you are not able to get your device come out of bootloop, your final option should be to install or restore a previously backed up ROM by putting the device in recovery mode, or to install the official firmware/factory image to your phone your tablet.
Xposed Framework and Modules
Customization and flexibility lie at the core of Android and it is this potential that draws more and more people to it, making it the most loved platforms for mobile devices. I see Android as an assertion of freedom against some other major operating systems like iOS and Windows Phone. At the same time, it must be admitted that this liberty comes tagged with a check and can be experienced by only those who are adventurous in nature. An Android device in its maiden state is just a little better than devices from its opponents, but once rooted, its leaves all others far behind.
I do not mean that customization is not possible altogether on an unrooted phone or tablet. You can install 3rd party launchers and icon packs and decorate your home screens with a variety of widgets. However, the range of such type of personalization is limited to a certain level. By rooting your Android device, you get the key to unlock the whole next level of customization. If you have root access on your device, you can flash custom ROMs and mods to achieve not only true customization, but also improve its performance significantly not possible otherwise.
What is a Custom Framework?
In case you have a rooted device but you do not wish to install custom ROMs or mods, or a custom recovery is not available for it, there is yet another way of tasting the custom flavors of Android. And this can be done by installing a custom framework on your phone or tablet. All such frameworks modify the system.bin file replacing the original codes with those of the custom framework. The hacked system core then starts allowing changes imposed via custom modules. The best part of this whole business is that you can customize your device with stock firmware.
If you are not new to Android, you must have heard about some custom frameworks for Android like JKay, Xposed, 3Minit, etc. Developed by XDA member rovo89 is most popular of all its peers because of its potential and compatibility with almost all Android devices with Android 4.0 or above that house an ARM processor within them and are rooted.
How to Install Xposed Framework:
Download the latest Xposed Installer app. “Installing a custom framework” might sound a little geeky and complicated task to most new users. On the contrary, Xposed Framework can be installed very easily like a simple APK. All you have to do is to download the Xposed Installer app and install it on your device. Then open the app, select FRAMEWORK and tap on the “Install/Update” button. The app will ask you to grant
root permission, do it and wait for a while till you get an on-screen confirmation that the framework has been installed on your phone.
Now you have a custom base framework that can change the way you use your device with the help of compatible modules. Xposed Framework will not add any functionality to your device that can be used individually. Just search for Xposed modules and then you will be able to customize your device in various ways. The module files for the framework come as simple APK files and can be installed normally.
How to Install Xposed Framework Modules:
As I already mentioned above, it is the modules that let you customize your device and therefore, you will have to find and download the desired modules and install them separately on your device. Fortunately, the developer has now added the option to download modules right from the app’s interface. Open Xposed Installer and tap on “Download” option. You will now see a long list of available Xposed modules that can be downloaded. Just select the module you like and hit the Download button.
Besides the modules available in the app, you can find more at forums like XDA and others. After installing the modules, do not forget to select them in Xposed Installer. Launch the app, tap on “Modules” and check the newly installed module.
MultiROM:
MultiROM is one-of-a-kind multi-boot mod for Nexus 7. It can boot any Android ROM as well as other systems like Ubuntu Touch, Plasma Active, Bohdi Linux or WebOS port.Besides booting from device's internal memory, MultiROM can boot from USB drive connected to the device via OTG cable. The main part of MultiROM is a boot manager, which appears every time your device starts and lets you choose ROM to boot. You can see how it looks on the left image below and in gallery. ROMs are installed and managed via modified TWRP recovery. You can use standard ZIP files to install secondary Android ROMs, daily prebuilt image files to install Ubuntu Touch and MultiROM even has its own installer system, which can be used to ship other Linux-based systems.
Features:
* Multiboot any number of Android ROMs
* Restore nandroid backup as secondary ROM
* Use for example Ubuntu Touch (will be there in future) or Desktop alongside with Android, without the need of device formatting.
Currently, it has been ported to many Android devices !
Brick:
The term "brick" usually refers to the stone, which means: "device can only be used as paper-weight". Taken literally, there's no way to "unbrick".
However, you also find terms like "hard-brick" and "soft-brick" used, which makes the term "brick" less absolute: A soft-brick is something you easily can recover from (count it as a "temporary paper-weight"), mostly by software-based solutions (e.g. re-flash your phone) -- while a "hard-brick" is rather meant in the way the original term points to.
Still, technically spoken, even a "hard-bricked" device could be "unbricked" -- but mostly this is more expensive then getting a new device.
As for the warranty declaration you quoted: For a normal user, it's almost impossible to (hard-) brick his device. Even when flashing a custom ROM, this can rarely happen, as there are many security-layers involved. Almost always you can boot your device into some fall-back mode where it is at least recognized by some "flashing software", so you could simply flash another/the original firmware back. Which means, the risk you are taking is to "soft-brick" your device. A "hard-brick" is quite unlikely with "normal operations" like rooting or flashing custom ROMs.
Brick is a much-hyped word that gets bandied about with-out understanding what it is.
There's two types of brick, hard and soft. Lets go through this to make the distinction clearer.
Hard this is where the handset will absolutely refuse to boot at the press of the power button. Diagnostics: Dead screen, no power. That is the symptom of a hard brick. Reason: This can happen by inadvertently pulling the cable when flashing a ROM or even an update via the handset's supporting software such as Samsung Kies, Sony's PC Companion Suite etc. That is the worst case, that is why in this scenario, always, make, sure that no cable gets pulled unless told so by the supporting software in question. The other way is this, flashing in that manner when the battery power is low. Hence for that reason, it is recommended to have at least 75% of battery power in place prior to doing the update in that fashion. Its known as hard-brick, and requires specialist cables and stripping the device down to the circuitary board to revive it via JTAG cables.
Soft - this can happen through a bad flashing of the ROM in which yields the following. Diagnostics: it has power when the power button is pressed, and/or, the screen comes on. Reason: It can be a user error on this part. For example, failing to clear/wipe the data/cache, can cause Android to go into a boot-loop because of the mis-matches with the Android's virtual machine and the apps installed, or more than likely, a corrupted dalvik cache. The other, is flashing a ROM that is not designated for the handset which can cause the kernel to go into a boot-loop. This is generally easier to fix, but hangs, that is known as a soft-brick.
Review the risks ! !
Customize your Android
Hit thanks, if helped :good:

prince.d.emperor said:
Review the Risks ! !
Customize your Android
Hit thanks, if helped :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks
Android's been here for quite a while noobs are champs now. But still a nice guide ..
I hope people using various kinds of vendor devices HTC,samsung , xperia , motorola will find this useful.
I also know this thread will be visible to few and not when needed .

kapil.git said:
Thanks
Android's been here for quite a while noobs are champs now. But still a nice guide ..
I hope people using various kinds of vendor devices HTC,samsung , xperia , motorola will find this useful.
I also know this thread will be visible to few and not when needed .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then what is needed to be done??

Thnx

ultimate rooting flashing ..............etc

Android and iOS are the most popular mobile operating systems on the market. Both offer a variety of apps and settings but, eventually reach their limits at a certain point. Rooting or Jailbreaking your phone (or tablet) will offer you thousands of tweaks, skins and new apps that you should not miss out on. It will also help you to remove bloatware.:laugh:
Android Launchers and lock screen widgets are great tools to customize your Android experience without rooting your device. You are also able to root your device and customize it with a launcher and widgets afterwards. If your Android device is rooted but you don’t want flash a custom ROM, Xposed Framework might be the perfect solution for you. You are, however, also able to add new features to your custom ROM with Xposed. With the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop Google replaced the former Dalvik cache with ART. Luckily, Xposed was adapted to Android 6.0 Marshmallow
This guide is based on Google Nexus devices, but most of the things also apply to other Android devices. Some might require more work while others can be rooted quite easily, but in the end it’s no rocket science. Rooting and customisation is especially easy on Nexus devices as factory images are freely available on the Google website. However, many other popular devices like the can easily be restored using different tools available on XDA developers. I would suggest to have a quick look at the forums and I’m pretty sure that you’ll find help for your device.
Android Rooting Terms You Should Know
Before we get started, I would like to explain a few terms because the terminology can get complicated and confusing. This will help you to understand other device specific guides. I’ll try to keep it short and not go into (technical) details. Please share any questions regarding this in the comments below – I’ll do my best to answer them.
ART
ART stands for Android Runtime and replaces the formerly used Dalvik cache. It was introduced in Android 4.4 and has completely taken over in Android 5.0. I don’t want to go too deep into technical differences, but ART is said to improve battery life and app performance, amongst others.
Bootloader
The Bootloader is your phone’s software foundation. It’s basically what runs before your operating system starts (like a PC’s BIOS). As many manufactures don’t want you to modify your phone’s OS, it needs to be unlocked before you are able to root your phone or install custom ROMs (explained later).
Brick
This is something you don’t want to happen to your Android device. Like the name already implies, a bricked phone (or tablet) can only be used as a paperweight or nice decoration for your apartment. Bricked devices are irreversibly damaged and won’t work anymore. This can, for instance, happen if damaged ROMs are installed or wrong firmwares are flashed. Always make sure to read instructions and verify checksums (a set of numbers that identify the file) to make sure nothing goes wrong. If you’re lucky and your device is only soft-bricked, meaning that it does not boot but still turns on, you might be able to get it back to life.
BusyBox
Android, being based on Linux/Unix, offers a limited amount of UNIX commands (which most users won’t need anyways). BusyBox will implement more commands that are necessary for some root apps to work properly.
Custom ROM
A custom ROM is a modified version of the Android operating system. Tweaks, additional features, different themes or an enhanced performance are usually included. Custom ROMs also offer the possibility to use a newer, unreleased, version of Android on your phone that might usually not be available for your device because of restrictions from manufacturer or providers.
Dalvik
Dalvik is a virtual machine that processes Android app code. Consequently, it is responsible for translating app code into actions on your Android device.
Fastboot
Fastboot is a diagnostic- and engineering tool which offers you several features such as launching in recovery mode or flashing image files.
Kernel
The kernel is the brain of your phone that controls how the system and hardware interact. It’s basically the lowest level of your operating system that manages memory and hardware.
NAND partition
NAND stands for “Negated AND” or “NOT AND” and describes the hard drive partition that stores all system relevant information like the bootloader, recovery mode or the kernel.
NANDroid backup
A NANDroid backup is a complete system backup of your Android device. This backup can be restored later and might save your phone after flashing a faulty ROM or theme.
Radio
The radio is responsible for sending and receiving voice and data. Using an optimized radio can improve your phone’s reception or increase battery life.
Recovery Mode
Recovery mode offers you the possibility to perform system-level tasks (like formatting, defragmenting, etc.), backing-up your devices or install custom ROMs. Android offers a limited stock recovery function. More sophisticated recoveries like ClockworkMod Recovery and TWRP Recovery offer additional features and are easier to use.
Root
Rooting will give you full administrator access of your device. It might also void your warranty (depending on the device and your place of residence), so make sure to handle your device with care after rooting it. You are always able to revert this process by simply flashing a stock-ROM (the original ROM installed by your phone’s manufacturer). Doing this will also “restore” your warranty.
S-OFF
S-OFF means that the NAND partition of your Android device is unlocked. This mostly applies to HTC phones.
Superuser
Rooting your phone will create a new “account” with complete administrative permissions. This superuser account is used by some apps and functions.
Xposed Framework
Xposed Framework is an app that can be installed on a rooted Android device which offers custom ROM like features on stock Android. It has been updated and is now fully compatible to Android 5.0 and Android 6.0.
5 Reasons to root
With Android becoming better and better, many people ask themselves if it’s still worth rooting. For example, you’re not able to use Android Pay if your Android phone is rooted. The same applies in other cases, where App developers decide to not support rooted devices for security reasons.
In addition to that, Android M will come with many features like “Doze” which basically replace root apps such as Greenify. So what exactly are reasons to root in 2016?
You have an old(er) Android device. With root access, you’re able to flash a custom ROM with the latest version of Android. Because of this, you don’t rely so much on your device manufacturer to keep you up to date.
AdAway. While I’m all-in for supporting developers, some apps don’t offer an ad-free paid version. With AdAway you’re able to get rid of all unwanted ads which is simply not possible without root.
Titanium Backup. Android M will bring Auto Backup for Apps, but unfortunately it’s still up to the developer if he/she wants to implement it or not. Titanium Backup is a simply but powerful tool that backups simply everything.
Change DPI. With many devices coming with high-res displays nowadays, some people prefer to have more screenspace than big app icons. While changing DPI can also be done without root, it often breaks different apps.
Remove bloatware. This one is easy. Remove all the crap your mobile carrier put on your device. Who doesn’t want to do this?
How to Fully Backup Your Device Without Root
If your Android device is not rooted yet, you won’t be able to perform NANDroid backups. I wouldn’t suggest to root your tablet or phone without having a proper backup, because there is always a chance of error and you don’t want to brick your device.
Simple ADB Backup let’s you create a full backup of your device without root access and is the perfect solution for users without root access. The free program also offers a restore function and runs on Windows and Linux.
If you’re already rooted, make sure to check out our guide on performing a NANDroid backup.
How to Root Your Android Device
The rooting process differs from device to device which makes it impossible to give general instructions on rooting here. I’ve linked guides for some of the most popular devices below. Using the terms described earlier should make the rooting process easier for you. If your phone or tablet is not on the list, you most certainly can find a guide on the XDA-Developers forums.
Google Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10
Google Nexus 6P
Google Nexus 5X
Oppo OnePlus 2
Samsung Galaxy S6
LG G4
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Always make sure to perform NANDroid backups of your devices to be able to restore your phone or tablet to a working state. I would also recommend to validate checksums and carefully read through the instructions to avoid bricking your device.
Most Important Fastboot Commands
When confronted with Android rooting, you often have to work with fastboot. Fastboot is part of Google’s Android SDK and is mostly used to re-flash partitions on your Android device, similar to (custom) recovery mode. You usually use fastboot in the following manner:
fastboot [ <option> ] <command>
Here’s a list of all options and commands:
Options
-w erase userdata and cache
-s <serial number> specify device serial number
-p <product> specify product name
-c <cmdline> override kernel commandline
-i <vendor id> specify a custom USB vendor id
-b <base_addr> specify a custom kernel base address
-n <page size> specify the nand page size. default: 2048
Commands
update <filename> reflash device from update.zip
flashall flash boot + recovery + system
flash <partition> [ <filename> ] write a file to a flash partition
erase <partition> erase a flash partition
getvar <variable> display a bootloader variable
boot <kernel> [ <ramdisk> ] download and boot kernel
flash:raw boot <kernel> [ <ramdisk> ] create bootimage and flash it
devices list all connected devices
reboot reboot device normally
reboot-bootloader reboot device into bootloader
Now that we’ve covered all existing fastboot commands and options, let’s have a closer look at the most important ones and what they do / mean:
fastboot oem unlock
This is a special command and not part of the initial list. Using this command, you can unlock the bootloader for Google Nexus devices.
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
This command will flash a custom recovery to your Android device. Depending on the file name, you need to change the bold part of the command. Please not that this only works with *.img files
fastboot -w
Caution: This command will completely wipe your device
fastboot update filename.zip
This command will update your ROM based on the provided *.zip file
Custom Recovery Mode
The standard Android recovery mode is very limited and does not offer many features. That’s where replacement recoveries like Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) and ClockworkMod Recovery (CWRM) come in place. They offer the possibility to flash custom ROMs which is not possible with the stock recovery mode. Other features include a file browser for update.zips, adb shell and NANDroid backups. Without a custom recovery you won’t be able to flash a custom ROM.
It does not really matter which replacement recovery you install, just go with the one that suits you most. In some rare cases the root script or custom ROM installation only works with either TWRP or CWM. Nowadays, TWRP is the king of custom recoveries and would be my suggestion for you to use.
TWRP – Team Win Recovery Project
Team Win Recovery Project‘s custom recovery offers an easy and touch driven user interface. It includes all typical recovery features needed to install custom ROMs, kernels, other tweaks and many more. You are also able to backup and restore your device using TWRP.
ClockworkMod Recovery used to be one of the most popular custom recovery modes. However, in the last 2 years TWRP took over the throne and became the most popular recovery. It also includes all advanced recovery features like installing custom ROMs and other files, as well as a backup and restore function. You can control the CWM UI via touch or key-input.
Understanding Custom ROM Versions
As Custom ROMs are constantly improved, they usually come in four different categories: Nightly, Milestone, Release Candidate and Stable. This is what you can expect in every stage:
Nightly
Nightly versions are usually generated every 24 hours and can be highly experimental and unstable. Especially early versions of a new custom ROM can have many bugs and missing features. If you want to have the latest features while risking instability – go for nightlies!
Milestone Snapshot
Milestone Snapshots are basically nightly versions that have reached a certain milestone. They can be regarded as being quite stable, but may include certain bugs and issues. Since they are only created every few weeks (or months), they won’t have the latest features that might be included in the nightly versions. If you are looking for the latest features while having a rather stable system, check out milestone snapshots.
Release Candidate
Release candidates, as the name already implies, are one of the last builds before the stable version of a custom ROM is released. RCs are mostly stable but might have a few minor issues. If you’re looking for something stable and ready for daily use, I would recommend to go with release candidates!
Stable
Stable versions are (obviously) the most stable versions around, with all or nearly all problems fixed. Some stable ROMs may still include some smaller issues or certain things not working. Stable versions are definitely the safest way to go, but it might take months before a new stable with new features or fixes is released.
Official, Unofficial & Combined Releases
It is also important to say that custom ROMs are often available as official and unofficial releases. Later use the source code of the official release (if publicly available) and adapt it to devices not supported by the main developers. Unfortunately, this often leads to a delay. In addition to that, many developers combine features of different custom ROMs.
Custom ROMs
Custom Roms offer you a variety of new features, tweaks and visual enhancements. The best source to find a working one for your device is the XDA-Developers forum. Many custom ROMs are based on the two big releases: CyanogenMod and Paranoid Android. The easiest way to find the best custom ROM for you is to compare their features or simply test them for a few days. To make your start easier, I’ve written a few words about the major custom ROMs below.
I’m only able to give you a limited overview in here. If you really want to dive in I would recommend checking out your device specific sub forums on XDA developers. With Android modding becoming more and more popular, you’re often able to find many different custom ROMS for your device, especially if it’s one of the more popular phones or tablet.
CyanogenMod
CyanogenMod looks very similar to stock Android, but offers several enhancements and tweaks. Besides increased system performance and reliability, it includes many interface enhancements and integrated features. CM is one of the most popular custom ROM solutions as it brings a stock Android experience to many devices that come with a heavily-skinned Android version such as LG or Samsung Galaxy devices.
CyanogenMod Features
OpenVPN integration
Lockscreen gestures
Expanded quick settings
DSP equalizer
Complete Theme engine including own theme store
Wi-Fi, bluetooth, and USB tethering
CPU over- & underclocking
Based on Stock Android
Latest CyanogenMod Version
CyanogenMod is usually up-to-date and uses the latest Android version. The latest version available is:
CM 13.0 – based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
A quite unique feature of CyanogenMod is it’s installer which makes installing the custom ROM quite easy. Besides flashing the ROM it will also root your Android device and will guide you through the whole process. Unfortunately, the installer is currently only available for Windows.
CyanogenMod is available for the majority of popular Android devices. You can find a list of supported devices on the CyanogenMod website.
BlissRom
BlissRom is a new kid on the block. They basically take CyanogenMod as a source and add some magic to its. While updates are not as frequent as with CyanogenMod, the team covers the most important stuff and usually releases up-to-date stuff.
BlissRom Features
Based on CyanogenMod (= all of its features)
Audio Improvements
Endless list of visual improvements
Global gestures
Modified power menu
Latest BlissRom Version
The latest BlissRom version is based on CM 12.1 and is called BlissPop and still running Android 5.1.1.
BlissRom is available on a range of devices. You can find a list here.
ParanoidAndroid
ParanoidAndroid is completely different to CyanogenMod and one of the “newer” custom ROMs out there. It’s currently my favorite custom ROM as it’s fairly close to stock Android while adding cool features like Peek and Hover. Next to CyanogenMod it seems like PA is king in the custom ROM scene. Unfortunately, the team only supports a small range of devices (Google Nexus & Oppo, OnePlusOne). There are, however, so-called Legacy versions available which support other devices.
ParanoidAndroid Features
Floating notifications & multitasking
Hidden Navigation PIE mode
UI customization
Gesture controls
CyanogenMod themes support
I was running PA on my Nexus devices and really loved it. It’s stable, fast and battery life is great. I can highly recommend this ROM.
Latest ParanoidAndroid Version
The latest PA version is based on Android 5.0 Lollipop. PA usually works with nightly version that are quite stable and frequently updated. Unfortunately it has not been updated to Marshmallow yet. It also seems like the official version for Oppo devices is maintained more frequently than the legacy versions.
ParanoidAndroid Availability
An overview of officially supported Google Nexus, OnePlusOne and Oppo devices can be found here. Legacy devices are listed here.
Device-specific custom ROMs
The custom ROM scene developed itself into a certain direction in the last year, especially with stock ROMs including more and more features. As device manufacturers often don’t publish official drivers, custom ROMs like CyanogenMod are not able to support all features. Because of this, custom ROMs are often developing in a direction of adapting ads to devices. Because of this, I cannot give you great recommendation for all devices. I would personally suggest to either go with the big players like CyanogenMod or look for a popular specific ROM for your device. The XDA Developers forums should do the trick for that.
Flashing Custom Kernels
Kernels are the brain of your Android device and communicate between software and hardware. Therefore, they are responsible for managing things like CPU / GPU clocking speed, screen sensitivity / colors or voltage. By using a custom kernel you can not only improve battery life, but also increase system performance.
Many custom ROMs already come with their own kernels. This is done to implement software communication of the custom ROM with the hardware of the device and also to ensure a better performance. Nevertheless, you are often also able to flash custom kernels to custom ROMs. If you decided to stick to a rooted version of stock Android, flashing a new kernel can offer you additional performance with the convenience of a stock OS. Unfortunately, there are no “big” kernel releases that work for multiple devices and it’s hard for me to give any suggestions here. I would suggest to check the dedicated XDA-Developers forum for your device
After downloading the custom kernel, you usually have to reboot to recovery and flash it from there. That’s it! Always make sure to check compatibility of the kernel with your ROM and device, because flashing a wrong kernel can brick your phone!
Apps
Rooting your Android device will offer you many benefits. Besides the features mentioned above, you can also install great apps that require to go deep into the system. Using them with an un-rooted device is not possible. Below I’ve listed a few apps that I like and use on an everyday basis. Feel free to share other apps in the comments section below!
Titanium Backup
Titanium Backup is a great backup tool for Android devices that offers tons of features. It provides the possibility to backup your data, settings and apps. Scheduled backups are also available. The paid pro version offers lots of great features like syncing backups with cloud-based storage providers such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Box. In my opinion this is one of the best root apps and a must-get. Especially if you’re a flash-a-holic, performing and restoring quick backups of all your apps (incl. settings and save games) is really easy and convenient with Titanium Backup.
ROM Manager
When you constantly switch between custom ROMs, ClockworkMod’s ROM Manager is one of the essential apps to get. Besides flashing ClockworkMod recovery, it will help you to organise and install your custom ROMs and backing-up your Android device. The paid premium version includes additional features like automatic backups, web connect and incremental ROM downloads.
AdAway
I struggled a little bit when deciding to either include AdAway or not, because it’s great for users but bad for app publishers and marketers. Google removed it from Google Play but you can still get it on the AdAway website. Like AdBlock Plus on your computer, the app modifies your Android devices hosts file to prevent apps and browsers to display advertisements. This will not only improve your app usage experience, but also increase battery life and decrease mobile traffic. Be fair and purchase paid versions of apps or donate a small amount to developers to make sure they will keep on programming great apps!
Google has recently begun to remove certain apps that violate their distribution agreements from Google Play. If you’re still interested in installing AdAway, please refer to the AdAway website.
Xposed Framework
Xposed Framework is a great app that offers the possibility to add features to your Android devices without flashing a custom ROM (or in addition to it). You’re able to install modules which offer visual customisation or battery improvements, amongst others.
Greenify
Greenify is a great app to improve battery life and system performance because it puts selected apps in hibernation mode. Not having tons of apps stored in RAM or running as system processes will make your Android device faster and increase your user experience. Please refer to full review for more information.
Frequently Asked Rooting Questions
1. How can I restore stock Android?
To get back stock Android, simply flash a stock ROM suitable for your device. This way you’ll get an unrooted, stock Android version with restored warranty.
2. What happens to my settings, contacts and apps when I install a custom ROM?
It’s always recommended to wipe your device before installing a custom ROM for the first time. If your Google account is linked to your phone, contacts, emails and apps will automatically be downloaded after launching the custom ROM and logging in to your Google account. You can backup your settings with apps like XYZ.
3. How can I upgrade a custom ROM?
Most custom ROMs offer a update function, some directly integrated to the OS, others using a specific app. You can also use ROM Manager to update certain custom ROMs.
4. Is it possible to just root a phone and not install a custom ROM?
Yes, simply use a stock ROM and root it. If you update it, your root-access will be gone, though.
5. Do I need to go step-by-step to upgrade my Android device or can I directly go to the latest version available?
You can usually simply flash the latest ROM and are good to go. Custom ROM updates usually come in a full package, meaning that you have to download the complete ROM to update it. The downloads are usually about 100-200 MB.
6. Is there a special order to flash a ROM or kernel?
I would suggest flashing the ROM first as they often include their own custom kernels. Afterwards, boot your phone with the custom ROM, go back to the recovery mode and flash the kernel. Also make sure to check whether your custom kernel is supported by the ROM.
7. Can I update or change certain parts of Android without flashing a ROM?
Not in terms of getting a newer Android version. However, you should have a look at Xposed Framework as it brings many custom ROM features to your Android installation.
8. Do I have to downgrade my phone to flash ROM XYZ?
No – as long as your bootloader is unlocked and you have a custom recovery installed. With some devices, you need to downgrade to be able to do that. Custom ROMs usually don’t require a certain Android version because everything OS-wise is overwritten anyways.
9. Is there a custom ROM for my phone / tablet?
I would recommend to head over to the XDA developers forums and perform a search query there. If you’re using one of the popular devices there are usually many custom ROMs available. You can always check out Xposed Framework to add some more features to your Android device if no custom ROM is available.
Final Words
Do you have any questions about the rooting process, custom ROMs, tweaks or apps? Do you maybe want to share other great apps that I might have forgotten? Feel free to do so in the comments below!

I am interested in rooting my android but do not know how to begin and how to identify my LG

how to know whether the recovery image in working or not without flashing on android
how can i create a virtual android environment that mimics my android kernel and os .So that i can flash recovery on virtual android without damaging my physical device........plesae help me .i am new to this :crying::crying:

sai2698 said:
how can i create a virtual android environment that mimics my android kernel and os .So that i can flash recovery on virtual android without damaging my physical device........plesae help me .i am new to this :crying::crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can use virtual box on PC
just get a tutorial on internet

monterlarge said:
I am interested in rooting my android but do not know how to begin and how to identify my LG
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
just google your device and search for the compatible ROM
EASY PEASY

sai2698 said:
how can i create a virtual android environment that mimics my android kernel and os .So that i can flash recovery on virtual android without damaging my physical device........plesae help me .i am new to this :crying::crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use virtual box