I keep on seeing such word in half of everyones sigs, It seems to be related to phones because theres always a phone model near the word. So what is a "ROM"?
It's essentially the operating system that your phone is currently running. It's like windows XP or windows 7 on your laptop. Windows itself is the operating system, as is any rom on a phone.
The key things about ROMS are how they can be customized (especially with android) to your hearts content. Let me explain;
A stock ROM is the rom you get from the manufacturer/network. Say you buy a phone, you turn it on, the interface you look at, the settings you change, EVERYTHING is the rom, and seeing as you havent changed it, it's the 'stock' ROM, it's the one made by the manufacturer.
But with a custom rom, you can take a phone you buy from outside and remove any limitations imposed by the manufacturer/network you got the phone from by installing a custom rom someone else made. It can have any number of changes from the stock rom, from just looking a bit different and being a bit smoother to completely overhauling your phone and making it feel like a brand new machine.
To install a custom rom requires a few things, read around more and when you've found one you want for your phone look for the specific instructions for that rom but it usually boils down to
-root your phone (actually you only usually end up having to do this the first time, if you flash a rom which has root, which most do. Read on, i explain what that means)
-install rom
-done
There may be extra steps involved but they just expand on that
if you root, it's is essentially a process to gain complete control over your phone, even to the most basic 'root' level) your phone and install a custom ROM, you have FAR more control over your phone, which is fair, it's YOUR phone.
Say you got a HTC phone because you liked the specifications, but didn't like the interface you get with a HTC phone (called Sense UI on a htc btw) and you like the look of basic android instead, install a custom rom which is based on plain android.
(using a launcher can change the interface and you needn't be rooted and have a custom rom installed to install a launcher from the market) (a launcher is something that completely changes the homescreen interface for you, and there a TON out there, that's a whole other topic i wont go into, but google it and search xda for more info. Infact there's a list on xda of nearly ALL homescreen launchers)
Say you wanted better battery life, a faster phone, or countless other tweaks applied to your phone to improve it; a custom rom is specifically designed for improving the phone compared to the stock ROM.
Individual tweaks can also improve your phone experience, but they are applied on top of your current rom (any they must be compatible with your device and then the rom your running, but when you read around you'll understand whether something is compatible)
Hope that helped, lemme know if it didn't
Have fun, and read around... always the best way to get more knowledge
yup, just to expand on that and offer a more technical side to the ROM and a bit about its history...
ROM is Read Only Memory
back in the day devices had ROM and RAM (random access memory)
The ROM was where the OS lived, if you hard reset or took the battery out it would always revert to the state in the ROM. In the old days any customisation was kept in RAM, this was not persistent and would mean you could lose everything if you pulled the battery out and didn't have it saved to an SD card, you could divide up the RAM in to storage and program memory, some devices had two batteries, one external the other internal which whilst not powerful enough to run the phone it did give it enough power to keep the memory active and thus stop you losing your data!
So anyhow, at this point in time around WM-2002 HTC had pumped out several devices, the mobile carrier O2 had them rebranded and sold as XDAs (that's partly where XDA-dev comes from) and came to the attention us, and XDA-developers was born!
So development began (consolidated)and because you were developing the OS to be flashed to the ROM, they become known as ROMs
even to this day its fairly accurate, the only difference is that from WM5 it was compulsory to have persistent storage, which is where NAND came in to the picture.
So there you have it, ROM RAM and NAND (Storage) all under one Roof!
Yes im sure that was riveting but its history and its always good to learn that there was life before iphones and Android
OptimusLove said:
I keep on seeing such word in half of everyones sigs, It seems to be related to phones because theres always a phone model near the word. So what is a "ROM"?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer: A ROM is everything what runs the phone
Thatgrass said:
Short answer: A ROM is everything what runs the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
short yes, but if I were to be pedantic, inaccurate
ok then, very pedantic!
In this forum the above definition of ROM is correct. In the computer world however, it differs greatly..where it refers to Read Only Memory, which would be counter-intuitive in the context of XDA.
vader860 said:
In this forum the above definition of ROM is correct. In the computer world however, it differs greatly..where it refers to Read Only Memory, which would be counter-intuitive in the context of XDA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not counter intuitive, the historical context of the term "ROM" helps define what one is. And that is a file that contains an Image of an Operating system designed to be flashed in to ROM on a given device
There you go, I think that's a short accurate definition of the term ROM.
its still good to know your history though
GIYF
Google
Is
Your
Friend
Sent from my U8150 using XDA
read-only memory
ROM = Read Only Memory
Android comes with stock rom(company rom) which can be replaced by flashing a custom rom(third-party rom) if you are rooted.
PRESS THE THANK BUTTON IF YOU THINK I HELPED
Related
Hey I'm a noob, and I bought an LG Optimus 2x on Wind Mobile. I quite like the phone, but I am thinking about rooting and installing custom ROMs because it does have a few problems. I have a bunch of questions, and an answer to any of these questions would be great.
1. I have an LG Optimus 2X on Wind, and I keep reading that I have to install P999 ROMs (T-Mobile G2X ROMs) on my phone as opposed to O2X ROMs. Is this true?
2. If I root my phone and install a custom ROM, can the ENTIRE process be undone, to the point where my phone is back to how I got it out of the box?
3. What ROM should I use? MIUI, CM7 or something else? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each ROM?
4. How does Nandroid backup (or whatever the backup thingy is)work? Will my phone be exactly the same? Like exactly? Will my angry birds save files and my apps and tasks and contacts and call logs and everything transfer over to the new ROM? Will I be able to unroot/restore my phone to the point where everything (down to angry birds save files) is exactly the same?
5. What do I do if I brick my phone?
6. What's a kernel?
7. Where can I find a step by step process to installing a custom ROM, rooting my phone, etc.?
8. How do I overclock?
Thanks in advance guys, A reply would be much appreciated.
J-Boxer said:
Hey I'm a noob, and I bought an LG Optimus 2x on Wind Mobile. I quite like the phone, but I am thinking about rooting and installing custom ROMs because it does have a few problems. I have a bunch of questions, and an answer to any of these questions would be great.
1. I have an LG Optimus 2X on Wind, and I keep reading that I have to install P999 ROMs (T-Mobile G2X ROMs) on my phone as opposed to O2X ROMs. Is this true?
2. If I root my phone and install a custom ROM, can the ENTIRE process be undone, to the point where my phone is back to how I got it out of the box?
3. What ROM should I use? MIUI, CM7 or something else? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each ROM?
4. How does Nandroid backup (or whatever the backup thingy is)work? Will my phone be exactly the same? Like exactly? Will my angry birds save files and my apps and tasks and contacts and call logs and everything transfer over to the new ROM? Will I be able to unroot/restore my phone to the point where everything (down to angry birds save files) is exactly the same?
5. What do I do if I brick my phone?
6. What's a kernel?
7. Where can I find a step by step process to installing a custom ROM, rooting my phone, etc.?
Thanks in advance guys, A reply would be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
welcome first of all. you should have chosen another usrname, but whatever
you could have found everything, but i'll take 5mins to give you the basic answers
1. yeah, don't use O2x stuff, usually won't work. two different hardware sets
2. sort of, yes. but won't do it.
3. you should install cm7, miui, weapon and see the differences. they are the main ones
4. nandroid is a back-up of your system (i think of it as a your own custom rom, which is the way you left your system). when flashing from rom to rom, contacts, numbers are automatically saved, but you save them to your SIM card just in case. Angry birds scores are not kept. you can use titanium backup, which keeps the files for you.
5. if you brick it, you unbrick it. never happens if you follow instructions, though
6. kernel is the basis of the operating system. it sits on top of the hardware, and it lets your applications talk to your hardware. some are faster than others because they are more efficiently written - it has to do with code complexity and stuff you don't usually need to understand.
7. for my first time, i used theunlockr.com
Thanks a ton Aplsux. People like you who take the time to answer to questions as stupid as mine make the world a better place. Can you (or someone else) elaborate a little more on the whole undoing process (#2). Where can I find out more about titanium backup?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each ROM? I am into themes, and battery life and stability matter a lot to me.
Can you tell me anything about overclocking and undervolting?
Why have you copied my user name? I have been on XDA many years. I find this seriously annoying!!! I would appreciate it if you stop using this user name and pick another one.
hey J-Boxer, i can verify jboxer is one of the most distinguished members here, he posted his new rom recently and helps out a lot, it would be really nice before you get your post count or whatever to choose something else. not a rule, but just a nice thing to do. after all, forums like these make android the best supported system in terms of technical support and customization. people like him, with their contributions, make the world better, not lazyass people like me who give you half answers
i cannot elaborate on unbricking, because in my extensive roming, i have never ever bricked it. i've also never had to help anyone to unbrick it. all i remember, there was one thread in the q&a section, which told you how to unbrick it. chances are, you don't have to worry about it. the worse thing i've seen is fixable with a battery pull.
i cannot also comment on titanium back - i dont have games. but you know, folders and files in them, are not touched by the rom flashing.
roms are different, and you should really use them because it depends on the person. what i can say is that i've gotten the most battery out of MIUI and wepon3. most stability from weapon and cm7. miui has a few force closes, for me - also, parts of miui remind me of iOS.
i've stayed out of overclocking and underclocking, just my choice. in practice, chips are manufactured in a way to work at 1.0GHz lets say. But due to random process variables connected to transistor layouts, parasitic capacitances, resistor mismatches, all 1.0GHz chips actually can work at 0.8GHz and some at 1.2GHz. the manufacturer downclocks them, so that all can be sold as 0.8GHz, so no instability occurs. (or at least that's what we're told at school) SOOOO, to make a long story short, overclocking voids that limit set by the manufacturer of the chip. your stuff operates faster, but since the rest of the software and electronics are made for the manufacturer's frequency, a little more battery is used, and software sometimes it becomes unstable.
the g2x, everything is blazing fast, no need to overclock. but custom roms definitely give you more battery than whatever came from WIND. and it's more than 2.2.x - for instance, they made a wireless network at school, where the mobile device logs itself automatically, but you need at least 2.3.x.
i suggest you install clockwork, put a few different roms, and try them out. it's fun learning a new interface
miui is very easy to theme it yourself - just edit the mtz files. i know cm7 has a theme changer, but i dnot know how easy it is to change the themes there - but you can defiantely donwload lots. but for both, there are lots of themes you can donwload - this is what i love the most about linux.
these are the ones i've used, and found decent:
miui http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1158037
cm7 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1108201
eb http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1124522
weapon http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1207125
Thanks aplsux, and sorry about that jboxer, I wouldn't have done so if I knew. I have always used this name for all if my accounts, but have no problem changing it. I really don't want you to think I copied your name as it was not on purpose.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
J-Boxer said:
Thanks aplsux, and sorry about that jboxer, I wouldn't have done so if I knew. I have always used this name for all if my accounts, but have no problem changing it. I really don't want you to think I copied your name as it was not on purpose.
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People might get us confused. I post here frequently and, no offense to you, I would not want people getting confused that your posts are from me. I understand you didn't copy it on purpose, but I think maybe it is better if you can change it. I don't think you can edit your user name, but maybe a moderator can do it for you? I think the only way would be to create a new account and that would require a different email address also. Up to you.
Just want to root
Sorry to cut into this thread, but my problem is basically directly related. but I have just purchased the same phone (LG Optimus 2x, Wind Mobile). The OS is 2.2.2
Now I am basically a noob. I don't want any custom ROMs. I just want to have root access to my phone, and to be easily able to unroot if need be.
I looked online and found a video tutorial for Super One Click. I followed all the instructions. Installed drivers first, then super one click. Enabled USB debugging mode and did NOT load the SD card. When I run Super One Click and click Driver Check, it says everything is good. But then when I click Root, it freezes on the "waiting for device..." step.
Anything I might be doing wrong? The only thing I can think of is that I have not installed a SIM card or a SD card in my phone yet. Does that make a difference?
Is there any other way I can do this with a different program? Any help would be great, Thanks.
Fixed it
Never mind, I just figured it out. The problem was my phone drivers were being corrupted by my aggressive antivirus, thus the adb was not installed properly. If you disable antivirus before installing the phone drivers and the Super One Click program, and only reenable it after you complete the root, you should be golden! I have now rooted my phone and I'm ecstatic!
What antivirus were you using?
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
BriskT said:
Never mind, I just figured it out. The problem was my phone drivers were being corrupted by my aggressive antivirus, thus the adb was not installed properly. If you disable antivirus before installing the phone drivers and the Super One Click program, and only reenable it after you complete the root, you should be golden! I have now rooted my phone and I'm ecstatic!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before doing any kind of flashing you should always disable any antivirus programs and turn off your firewall on your computer. Not doing so can result in bricked devices. You are lucky you got off easy; but the 2X/G2x devices are very difficult to hard brick.
Hi guys sorry for the several topics in my subject line but there are several questions that I have.
So I just signed up because I'm a bit confused and I'm quite new to the scene. I actually posted this on another forum which I'm already a member of, but I felt it would be better posting here since this is obviously more specialised.
After reading the rules, I've realised that it's quite hard to do a search for existing topics with my questions. I've already tried to do individual searches on each topic though, with varying success.
I've just rooted my Nexus S (i9023, AUS version) for the first time simply because I wanted to be able to use DroidWall (to only allow certain apps to use data).
1) If I manually update to ICS, will I lose root?
2) Does installing a custom ROM cause you to lose all your data? - I've done some searching on this and it seems to depend. Some do and some don't. I don't quite get it though.
3) Kernels - seem to control battery life and how the operating system runs. This slightly confuses me because it makes me think, what affects battery life more: the kernel or the ROM?
4) Most people like to overclock their phones in the interest of power. Would it be reasonable to underclock it in the interest of battery life? Sometimes I don't think I really need 1GHz.
5) It seems like the OTA for ICS for i9023 has not been released yet but has been for i9020?
I'm trying to find the best 2.3.6 Custom ROM from here but none of these are 2.3.6 based! All of them are 2.3.4 or older. I'm hesitant upgrading to ICS for three reasons:
1) Hasn't been released OTA officially
2) Worried of app compatibility
3) Worried of shorter battery life
For these reasons, I'm looking for a 2.3.6 based custom ROM otherwise I'd be happy to look at ICS custom ROMs.
None of the ICS ROMs seem to have any distinctive features about them, especially after watching the video reviews. It's all pretty much "it's a great ROM that doesn't lag when browsing the web and it's fast". Nothing really distinguishes one from another.
Sorry for the mildly long post, but I'd rather ask as many questions as I can at a time rather than making a couple of threads for each. Hope I can get some help =)
Thanks in advance!
I bought 9023 in hk. Upgraded to ics by ota.
If you want, you may do it manually. Flash the rom by yourself. Ota is no longer available. Check it out at nexusshack.com
I don't have battery problem. But don't know why.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
xdaillum said:
Hi guys sorry for the several topics in my subject line but there are several questions that I have.
So I just signed up because I'm a bit confused and I'm quite new to the scene. I actually posted this on another forum which I'm already a member of, but I felt it would be better posting here since this is obviously more specialised.
After reading the rules, I've realised that it's quite hard to do a search for existing topics with my questions. I've already tried to do individual searches on each topic though, with varying success.
I've just rooted my Nexus S (i9023, AUS version) for the first time simply because I wanted to be able to use DroidWall (to only allow certain apps to use data).
1) If I manually update to ICS, will I lose root?
If it is the update you probably will (not 100% sure), if it is the full OTA you certainly will. But it is not a major issue either way, and i would actually recommend backing up with TB (AND a Nandroid), wiping everything and then installing the Full OTA ROM and just root again, then restore your backup.
2) Does installing a custom ROM cause you to lose all your data? - I've done some searching on this and it seems to depend. Some do and some don't. I don't quite get it though.
They will generally lose any system data, apps, modifications, etc. Titanium Backup will copy over most of it anyway, particularly apps and their settings/data. Keep in mind that you should always have a CWM backup (Nandroid) ready in case something goes wrong.
3) Kernels - seem to control battery life and how the operating system runs. This slightly confuses me because it makes me think, what affects battery life more: the kernel or the ROM?
Both. ROMs can do more or different functions which can cause battery drain. Kernels allow you to change your own settings (most of the time) to actually balance performance and drain. I would say at the moment with ICS, the kernel and the settings you give it is the biggest contributor.
4) Most people like to overclock their phones in the interest of power. Would it be reasonable to underclock it in the interest of battery life? Sometimes I don't think I really need 1GHz.
That is correct. Many people can get the same speed with a lower voltage, lowering battery drain. Others also use something called "LiveOC" and increase the clocks by 10% (or more), changing the bus speed and giving similar speeds to 1000mhz at only 880mhz, again saving power. Just remember every CPU batch has different variations - some can undervolt and overclock like crazy, whereas some struggle with a 5% increase.
5) It seems like the OTA for ICS for i9023 has not been released yet but has been for i9020?
The i9023 and i9020T has been released. The i9020A has not, and the same with the Nexus S 4G (D720 i believe). It sometimes doesnt show up though. Either try a manual command which i can't remember in the dialpad or just update manually (manually is best ).
I'm trying to find the best 2.3.6 Custom ROM from here but none of these are 2.3.6 based! All of them are 2.3.4 or older. I'm hesitant upgrading to ICS for three reasons:
1) Hasn't been released OTA officially
2) Worried of app compatibility
3) Worried of shorter battery life
For these reasons, I'm looking for a 2.3.6 based custom ROM otherwise I'd be happy to look at ICS custom ROMs.
None of the ICS ROMs seem to have any distinctive features about them, especially after watching the video reviews. It's all pretty much "it's a great ROM that doesn't lag when browsing the web and it's fast". Nothing really distinguishes one from another.
Sorry for the mildly long post, but I'd rather ask as many questions as I can at a time rather than making a couple of threads for each. Hope I can get some help =)
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lots of words, i'm getting a little confused up there. Anyway, if you are rooted (and i assume your bootloader is unlocked), there is nothing to worry about as long as you backup. I personally love ICS and have no issue with it, as do many others. A minority of people however tend to have some problems, whether its battery or force closes. My experience so far has been that a proper wipe fixes most of these anyway.
ICS is still new. Once Cyanogenmod 9 is officially released i'm sure we'll see much more variety than the same look and feel, as alot is based off their code. And also, practically no phones have ICS yet. I've not found app compatibility a problem though, i think the main gripe is viber (which should work soon).
I hope this can help you, just let us know if there is anything else you're after. Also, there is a TON of information around the site (and Nexus S forums in particular). A good amount of reading and going through a couple of pages of some of these threads can go a long way. That is why you came here after all, isn't it?
I got the OTA for ICS back around 20th Dec 2011, but I chose not to update it because I was going to be away from a computer for a few days and had no backup phone. When I wanted to update it a few days later, the update had disappeared from my phone so I looked it up online. Apparently the OTA disappeared for Nexus S's due to some bugs or incompatibility issues. I've never seen the update come up on my phone since. Even when I go to Settings->About phone->System update, it says "your system is up to date". So I've always been under the impression that ICS for Nexus S (at least for my variant, i9023) has never been re-released to us OTA.
Harbb, thanks for your answers. The only one I'm not so sure about is the underclocking one. It seems a little beyond me in terms of technicality. I am definitely interested in doing it though. Would you be able to tell me if adjusting clock speed requires an app?
I am rooted and bootloader is unlocked (I thought you could only root if bootloader was unlocked?).
So does that mean all these custom ROMs around at the moment are mostly based around Cyanogenmod, which is why they're very similar? As I was saying, I was looking at getting a custom ROM installed and noticed most of them are ICS custom ROMs, and the video reviews all say "this ROM is fast and does not lag when web browsing. It's a great ROM and it's fast and smooth."
The custom ROMs just don't seem to be "promoted" too well because I can't see what makes one better than the other, or what features of one custom ROM are intended to be the standout ones.
I notice you (Harbb) are using Stock ICS 4.0.3 (according to your sig) - so you are not using a custom ROM? Am I able to install a custom ICS ROM without first installing ICS? I am still running 2.3.6 at this point.
Viber does not work at the moment? That's not too bad. I can live with that.
I've done quite a bit of reading so far. It has certainly helped, but still a long way to go, but thanks for giving me a great start!
I will start backing up my apps using TB and CWM (Nandroid)!
xdaillum said:
I will start backing up my apps using TB and CWM (Nandroid)!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Best line i've read in days
I have tried several custom ROMs once they started surfacing but i didn't feel like they gave me anything special enough to switch to right now and Stock is setup and running very nicely. Stock ICS colours are fine and other apps now can provide Notifications Widgets. I havn't noticed any particular differences in speed either.
Brainmasters ICS tweaks, custom kernel and Flavours of ICS runs beautifully. The OTA varies with where it shows up. To force a check, type this in dialer: *#*#checkin#*#* [AKA, *#*#2432546#*#* ]
If you are rooted it won't work anyway. Just update manually. There is no need to currently on ICS to flash custom ICS ROMs. I would advise that when going from GB to ICS though (and often between some custom ROMs) that you go into CWM and do a factory/data wipe and format /system. After backing up of course.
At the moment most are not based on CM9, however several do use bits and pieces of code (ie. notification power widgets) from it. Not sure why most ROM descriptions are the same
First thing i'd consider is getting a custom kernel, and then the NSTools app (market). Lots of stuff to mess around with and full control of the CPU (governors, IO, overclocking, undervolting, etc).
Harbb said:
Best line i've read in days
I have tried several custom ROMs once they started surfacing but i didn't feel like they gave me anything special enough to switch to right now and Stock is setup and running very nicely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree with u. for 4.0.3, stock is my favorite, sad to say that.
for 4.0.4, while stock for NS not available, IMM26 ROM ported from NS4G seems good, if you like the stock rom feel.
Hmm I bricked my phone.
I've done the Nandroid and Titanium Backup and have it sitting on my computer ready once I recover this damn thing. Following the backups, I attempted to manually update to ICS with the zip file on this page: http://www.androidcentral.com/how-manually-update-your-gsm-nexus-s-ice-cream-sandwich
Now I'm following these two threads to try and recover the phone:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1397393
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1396056
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20382688&postcount=16
Hopefully I will get this back up and working. I'm still confused as to why it got bricked though. Updated via clockworkmod "update from sdcard" and then rebooted system. After that, it just bricked. Can't get any lights to come up on the device whatsoever. Plugging it in to computer, wall charger, pressing all the buttons, taking the battery out and putting it back in.
Odd. Best of luck getting it working, i'm sure the resurrector will work for you so don't stress too much. That's the right file so i'll probably just put the issue on a bad flash or bad download (wise to hash check before flashing). At this point i'd say it's wise when you get it working again, just flash the Full OTA file, and do a wipe of /data, /cache, /system and /boot beforehand.
Sad to hear about your troubles buddy.
So it looks like everything worked out for me. I managed to restore my phone with the help of the threads above. I have to admit though, the guides given on this forum aren't too "complete" - there's always a step or two missing from the guide that the reader has to figure out themselves. And not all the files are provided in the topics either! I'm also kind of concerned why it seems so many people ended up bricking their phone like that. Quite concerning.
In the end, I managed to reflash the stock ICS ROM for i9023 Nexus S which I found in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1445635
So I scrapped the one that I downloaded initially from Android Central. The difference in size was surprisingly roughly 30MB (160MB instead of the 130MB Android Central one).
I'm just using stock ICS, but rooted. Downloaded a few apps which require root, but haven't tried adding any mods or kernels. I might look into that later. But it seems like with 4.0.4 coming out, there might be some interesting new additions!
Thanks for all your help!!
Did you flash this ics from stock recovery?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Congratulations on resurrecting it! Are you guys saying that there is a risk of bricking a phone, while installing official update? I did a manual update, 3 weeks ago, unrooted, and ICS has been nothing but amazing for me.
I have a question. In case, I ever brick my I9023 (hope not).
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=20382688&postcount=16
This post states that I must be running Ubuntu on my PC. Does that mean I can't use Windows? And if I must use Linux, can I just do it with Wubi, or with Online Server?
I've been using the site for sometime and just wanted to put an idea if someone smarter than myself wanted to come up with technical details to make this work or it may already be in development but I'm not aware of it.
Getting the latest android update on phone with hardware capable of using it keeps coming up in a lot of articles that I read and it feels that the masses will probably never come to xda forums to get the updates they may want or need due to their lack of understanding of how to go abouts updating a rom.
The roms for most phones are being done by the community quicker and more reliable than the manufacturer in some cases. Here is what I think would work for masses to get the updates without the knowhow:
Create a process to get these custom roms quickly and easily loaded on to anyone's phone without them thinking about how to reboot in recovery mode. Similar to the Samsung devices getting updates from heimdall app found on this site. However it needs to be dumbed down and should be automatic when the user plugs in the phone.
This could be done by having a windows/mac application which when your phone is plugged in or connected wireless to your local network it would recognise what device you have and any additional information such as boot loader information it needs to search for official roms automatically from the manufacturer. If there is no updates then give the user the option to search for a market like store for unofficial roms which come with a warning to run at your own risk. These would be from the xda forums however they will need to meet a certain requirement as flashing from pc/mac may require a unique process from adb which is the key part to this idea working and I'm not too familiar with it to know if it's possible for some phones or all android phones. This store will contain different roms with user ratings of which is the most reliable rom. Essentially creating a market for roms. The user then clicks install and first thing the software does is to backup everything to save the state on the users hard drive in case you need to revert back to original.
This market should be controlled like the app store by the creators incase people abuse it. This means the requirement for any roms listed would be to include the default google experience and maybe a section for non pure google experiences as an option. It would be better if google created this app/process but let the roms be user/manufacturer driven.
Then through word of mouth/twitter/blogs this windows/mac app and within short time many people will be on ICS without much effort on google.
The android market is crying out from something like this to funnel all custom roms into a place accessible for the masses(knowing the risks of doing so). This separates the hardware binding to one specific software made for it, the user should be able to choose from selection off software which suits best for the hardware he/she purchased.
Obviously this is just an idea but hoping you clever people can come up with something similar. XDA Android Updater maybe
Isn't this exactly what ROM Manager does?
TeeRom said:
Isn't this exactly what ROM Manager does?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah he wants a better implementation that's dumbed down and on windows etc...
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA
Do you mean that custom ROM's are more reliable than stock ROM? Are you kidding, there are tons of issues with most custom ROM's, just read around here at XDA. But often those issues are not a big problem for a XDA enthusiast, since he chooses a ROM that suits him and also know how to work around those issues. But custom ROM is not something I would recommend my sister or my parents or any non-techie friend.
There are many roms which have become very mature and to a stage with minimal issues. I installed a ICS for my brothers desire, there may be some issues out there but many he won't come across such as migration apps from titanium backup. However he still gets to experience e latest functionality that the OS brings and he seems much happier with as the experience has become more smoother and quicker. I agree that there will be some which will be very much beta most of its lifetime and the market should reflect the known issues such as we have on the forums here.
Hello,
i´ve researched on this topic for a while now, but the result is confusing.
Everyone tell a different way to root the LG. Half of the threads are too old with expired download link or not working methods.
And there seems to be a problem with the new baseband when the phone is updated to the "new" 2.3.3. stock rom.
I would like to try the "CyanogenMod" first.
http://download.cyanogenmod.org/?device=p500&type=stable
As I am unsure which ROM to choose from the endless variety of custom ROMs and the CyanogenMod seems to be the most reliable solution.
Important is a smooth and fast OS with the possibility to install (every) App to the SD Card.
thx for any help in advance
Any Ideas?
georg2010 said:
Hello,
i´ve researched on this topic for a while now, but the result is confusing.
Everyone tell a different way to root the LG. Half of the threads are too old with expired download link or not working methods.
And there seems to be a problem with the new baseband when the phone is updated to the "new" 2.3.3. stock rom.
I would like to try the "CyanogenMod" first.
http://download.cyanogenmod.org/?device=p500&type=stable
As I am unsure which ROM to choose from the endless variety of custom ROMs and the CyanogenMod seems to be the most reliable solution.
Important is a smooth and fast OS with the possibility to install (every) App to the SD Card.
thx for any help in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello georg2010 welcome to Xda! now first off we can start with trying to root your phone, older phones on xda start to loose their links as the days go by but hopefully there are a few still up. for now, i want you to use this method to root it:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803682
From there you are going to go to the play market and download an app called "ClockworkMod ROM Manager", open it as soon as its done and choose to install Clockworkmod recovery,should be the first option, you need to be sure that you select your model only, in this case you told us a LG optimus one p500. once its done it might restart but to make sure it worked try this button combo when your device is turned off: Volume Down + Power + Home
post back when your ready to move on ahead.
Trozzul said:
Hello georg2010 welcome to Xda! now first off we can start with trying to root your phone, older phones on xda start to loose their links as the days go by but hopefully there are a few still up. for now, i want you to use this method to root it:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=803682
From there you are going to go to the play market and download an app called "ClockworkMod ROM Manager", open it as soon as its done and choose to install Clockworkmod recovery,should be the first option, you need to be sure that you select your model only, in this case you told us a LG optimus one p500. once its done it might restart but to make sure it worked try this button combo when your device is turned off: Volume Down + Power + Home
post back when your ready to move on ahead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello,
Yes I remember this software, because I was actually trying to root my phone some months ago already but it never went beyond this point
I think it was this part
When it says: Starting ADB Server...
Turn USB Debugging OFF
Turn USB Debugging ON
Turn USB Debugging OFF
All BEFORE it says "Waiting for device..." again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
where it stuck at "Waiting for device..."
BTW: Is this software clean? I mean some people reportet a virus in "SuperOneClick"
georg2010 said:
Hello,
Yes I remember this software, because I was actually trying to root my phone some months ago already but it never went beyond this point
I think it was this part
where it stuck at "Waiting for device..."
BTW: Is this software clean? I mean some people reportet a virus in "SuperOneClick"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the software is clean, most of the time stuff like this people get virus pickups, thousands of people view these forums a day, you would think if it was a real virus it would be Taken down Asap. as for your problem with that program, did you install LG drivers? if not and we still have problems with it, try this instead http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1044765 download the APK towards the bottom, should be GingerBreak-v1.20.apk put it on your phone, use a file browser like androzip (personally my favorite its on the google play store) find it and install it. open it and follow the directions, make sure to enable usb debugging in settings first, im sure this one will root your device, it normally roots android 2.1-2.3 easily rooted my LG optimus V (same exact phone as yours different carrier)
Edit: my bad did a little research and it looks like Gingerbreak only works on the 2.2 update, which you have the 2.3.3 update. i would try this also
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1832485 otherwise try superonelick again.
Trozzul said:
Yes, the software is clean, most of the time stuff like this people get virus pickups, thousands of people view these forums a day, you would think if it was a real virus it would be Taken down Asap. as for your problem with that program, did you install LG drivers? if not and we still have problems with it, try this instead http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1044765 download the APK towards the bottom, should be GingerBreak-v1.20.apk put it on your phone, use a file browser like androzip (personally my favorite its on the google play store) find it and install it. open it and follow the directions, make sure to enable usb debugging in settings first, im sure this one will root your device, it normally roots android 2.1-2.3 easily rooted my LG optimus V (same exact phone as yours different carrier)
Edit: my bad did a little research and it looks like Gingerbreak only works on the 2.2 update, which you have the 2.3.3 update. i would try this also
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1832485 otherwise try superonelick again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SuperOneClick 2.3.3. worked at first try.
Installing ClockworkMod now.
Well I wanted to install the recovery, it detected my phone but it says only for old BB, which is the baseband driver I guess.
As it is Android 2.3.3. I guess its the new baseband?!
georg2010 said:
Well I wanted to install the recovery, it detected my phone but it says only for old BB, which is the baseband driver I guess.
As it is Android 2.3.3. I guess its the new baseband?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont quite understand friend, i dont think it should have anything to do with baseband.
Trozzul said:
i dont quite understand friend, i dont think it should have anything to do with baseband.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did it,
according to: http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/41965-lg-optimus-one-complete-flashing-guide/
5) Press the “Flash Clockworkmod Recovery” option
6) Popup appears, asking for your device; select “LGE Optimus One”
7) Another popup will appear giving two options for the basebands:
- LG Optimus One (This is for new baseband)
- LG Optimus One (Old BB) (This is for old baseband)
I would advise you to select Old BB recovery as its more stable; new baseband may result in semi-brick (Personal Experience)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it seems to be irrelevant if I have new or old BB, for this part, my LG still can connect and so its not bricked (yet ). So everything seems to be fine.
Did already a backup of my ROM through clockwork recovery.
So I guess its time to install CM7 now?
georg2010 said:
I just did it,
according to: http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/41965-lg-optimus-one-complete-flashing-guide/
So it seems to be irrelevant if I have new or old BB, for this part, my LG still can connect and so its not bricked (yet ). So everything seems to be fine.
Did already a backup of my ROM through clockwork recovery.
So I guess its time to install CM7 now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct. If your able to get into cwm with no troubles then we can move on. Your going to download cyanogenmod first, for your phone only p500. Then your going to see which version of cyanogenmod you downloaded and download the correct gapps from here http://goo.im/gapps gapps are needed for every rom yoi flash, pretty much it includes all nessesary google items such as gmail and the play store. Put both of these files onto a micro sd card for your phone and your going to first select wipe data, after that choose wipe cache. Once thats finished you are going to select install zip and navigate to where you put the cyanogenmod zip and gapps zip. Flash (fancy way of daying install) the cm7 first, once finished flash the gapps after then reboot if all comes out well.
Trozzul said:
Correct. If your able to get into cwm with no troubles then we can move on. Your going to download cyanogenmod first, for your phone only p500. Then your going to see which version of cyanogenmod you downloaded and download the correct gapps from here http://goo.im/gapps gapps are needed for every rom yoi flash, pretty much it includes all nessesary google items such as gmail and the play store. Put both of these files onto a micro sd card for your phone and your going to first select wipe data, after that choose wipe cache. Once thats finished you are going to select install zip and navigate to where you put the cyanogenmod zip and gapps zip. Flash (fancy way of daying install) the cm7 first, once finished flash the gapps after then reboot if all comes out well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it seems to work.
In some points not what I ´ve expected (I mean here and there still little lags) and so on. But I guess the fun has just begun, so it need a lot of fine tuning. Maybe I will update from CM7 to a higher one because its obviously still "gingerbread" (if this is recommended regarding the available resources on my P500)
But my goal is at first, to be able to move or install every app directly to the SD card. I would like to know how to do that, I´ve read some tutorials about partitioning the SD card and so on. Do you have to create a separate partition for the "apps"?
Although the 200MB space on my phone was nearly completely unused, (which is great becuase on the stock ROM its nearly full even after factory reset) I still would like to use the space on my 16 GB Sd Card, for this purpose.
The second "nice-to-have" feature would be the ability to install officially not compatible apps on my phone.
For example if I want to install "Threema" it says not compatible device in the market.
georg2010 said:
Well it seems to work.
In some points not what I ´ve expected (I mean here and there still little lags) and so on. But I guess the fun has just begun, so it need a lot of fine tuning. Maybe I will update from CM7 to a higher one because its obviously still "gingerbread" (if this is recommended regarding the available resources on my P500)
But my goal is at first, to be able to move or install every app directly to the SD card. I would like to know how to do that, I´ve read some tutorials about partitioning the SD card and so on. Do you have to create a separate partition for the "apps"?
Although the 200MB space on my phone was nearly completely unused, (which is great becuase on the stock ROM its nearly full even after factory reset) I still would like to use the space on my 16 GB Sd Card, for this purpose.
The second "nice-to-have" feature would be the ability to install officially not compatible apps on my phone.
For example if I want to install "Threema" it says not compatible device in the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well first off, for your lagging problem, its because the device is a little outdated with its Processor which is clocked at 600 MHz. Cyanogenmod allows you to overclock your device to what they think is a safe Clock speed. honestly when i had Cyanogenmod 7 on my Optimus v (same as p500 different carrier) i don't think i got to overclock it past 700 MHz. now you might be wondering if overclocking is as dangerous as computer overclocking, these phones (CPU's) where meant to get packed into small areas on its motherboard if that makes sense. it is completely safe to overclock (there was a Motorola phone i think was the moto atrix, when it first came out, it was clocked at 1 GHz. the ics update had boosted it up to 1.2 GHz.) the most harm it can do is Reboot when it either what i'm guessing cant handle that clock speed or is just a huge jump from different speeds. so pretty much just boost it 5% at a time until it reboots, to overclock i don't remember where you would be able to find it in cyanogenmod 7, i think it might be in something called cyanogenmod settings, the layout between CM7 vs CM9 and up changed quite a bit. but pretty much just look around for it.
as for your SD card problems, i don't know much about partitioning SD cards i don't do much of that. i think Gingerbread (2.3.X or CM7.X) and down had some weird SD card problems and limited taking apps to the SD card, android 4.0.X and up changed and you had more options but Apps were allowed to dump files everywhere onto your SD card making a mess (this is normally through all android versions Except Kitkat 4.4.x lots of people don't mind it but there are others who like it neat) kitkat fixed this and if i remember right kinda broke our way of making apps go to the SD card, you would have to look that up. i would recommend getting a 4.2.X or 4.3.X rom, personally my favorite versions of android. kitkat was not very impressive, if you don't see any of those just Test 4.0.X roms and up until you get something that is enjoyable. i'm looking around for a smaller gapps so we can give you a little more internal space, these small gapps pretty much give you the things you Really only need to use your phone such as the play market and Google play services, it removes like Gmail and hangouts, you will still be able to download them from the play store if you need them or see something missing.
as for your last question, its not that your phone is not officially compatible its because of your android version, i did some research and threema requires ICS 4.0.X and up so if you want to use this app you need to flash a ics or higher rom. remember every time you want to flash a rom, backup, wipe data, wipe cache, flash rom then gapps. i'm surprised you still own this phone, it is outdated at this point but is still a GREAT phone and im glad some people still use it, it was my first android phone and is still a great phone to this day (even if its sitting on my desk for the rest of its days like the rest of my phones lol). if you get stuck please reply back.
Albert.Rr said:
just ignore me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry i cant, its against rules to spam to get past the 10 post limit and make you look bad.
Trozzul said:
Well first off, for your lagging problem, its because the device is a little outdated with its Processor which is clocked at 600 MHz. Cyanogenmod allows you to overclock your device to what they think is a safe Clock speed. honestly when i had Cyanogenmod 7 on my Optimus v (same as p500 different carrier) i don't think i got to overclock it past 700 MHz. now you might be wondering if overclocking is as dangerous as computer overclocking, these phones (CPU's) where meant to get packed into small areas on its motherboard if that makes sense. it is completely safe to overclock (there was a Motorola phone i think was the moto atrix, when it first came out, it was clocked at 1 GHz. the ics update had boosted it up to 1.2 GHz.) the most harm it can do is Reboot when it either what i'm guessing cant handle that clock speed or is just a huge jump from different speeds. so pretty much just boost it 5% at a time until it reboots, to overclock i don't remember where you would be able to find it in cyanogenmod 7, i think it might be in something called cyanogenmod settings, the layout between CM7 vs CM9 and up changed quite a bit. but pretty much just look around for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The overclocking indeed helps a bit. I think it depends on the Launcher too.
I´ve installed Go Launcher Ex with a simple theme: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex.theme.cblue
And it works much better.
There is a unofficial CM9 for P500
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Unoff....2C_Thrive_.28P506.29.2C_Optimus_T_.28P509.29
but the thread seems to be closed.
Also I don´t know if I just can pick any ROM available, or if I need a specific port for my device.
i'm looking around for a smaller gapps so we can give you a little more internal space, these small gapps pretty much give you the things you Really only need to use your phone such as the play market and Google play services, it removes like Gmail and hangouts, you will still be able to download them from the play store if you need them or see something missing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks this sounds good. I guess this apps cannot be stored on the SD Card. And such like launchers neither. Tried this with Go Launcher Ex, the widgets crashed. - At least if You use the standard way of copying Apps on the SD card through the App manager.
So such performance-relevant stuff should be kept in phone´s storage.
i'm surprised you still own this phone, it is outdated at this point but is still a GREAT phone and im glad some people still use it, it was my first android phone and is still a great phone to this day (even if its sitting on my desk for the rest of its days like the rest of my phones lol)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its a combination of circumstances.
The phone is not so outdated that I had a strong desire to give out money for a new one.
And I like the design becuase its "handy". It´s not so small and not too big.
And if there is a free way to get rid of the slow stock rom, and make it a little bit faster... why not?
The today´s phones, like the Samsung S3-5 are way too big, and most importantly too expensive,
the whole system there is sad, you have to pay like 700€ for a new phone and as soon as they bring out a new model, the price drops instantly.
So you ask yourself do you pay for the hardware or for the "image" or whatever? So if I buy a new phone then I will of course always look for the "outdated" models (which are not in my opinion). Like the S2 or S3, where you still have a good performance, for a good price.
The One Plus One is interesting too, another favorite would be Google Nexus or (to stay loyal) some of the LG smartphones like the L70-L90, its maybe not one of the high end smartphones but still sure a nice performance boost.
The only bad thing about the older phones is the low screen resolution.
georg2010 said:
The overclocking indeed helps a bit. I think it depends on the Launcher too.
I´ve installed Go Launcher Ex with a simple theme: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex.theme.cblue
And it works much better.
There is a unofficial CM9 for P500
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Unoff....2C_Thrive_.28P506.29.2C_Optimus_T_.28P509.29
but the thread seems to be closed.
Also I don´t know if I just can pick any ROM available, or if I need a specific port for my device.
Thanks this sounds good. I guess this apps cannot be stored on the SD Card. And such like launchers neither. Tried this with Go Launcher Ex, the widgets crashed. - At least if You use the standard way of copying Apps on the SD card through the App manager.
So such performance-relevant stuff should be kept in phone´s storage.
Its a combination of circumstances.
The phone is not so outdated that I had a strong desire to give out money for a new one.
And I like the design becuase its "handy". It´s not so small and not too big.
And if there is a free way to get rid of the slow stock rom, and make it a little bit faster... why not?
The today´s phones, like the Samsung S3-5 are way too big, and most importantly too expensive,
the whole system there is sad, you have to pay like 700€ for a new phone and as soon as they bring out a new model, the price drops instantly.
So you ask yourself do you pay for the hardware or for the "image" or whatever? So if I buy a new phone then I will of course always look for the "outdated" models (which are not in my opinion). Like the S2 or S3, where you still have a good performance, for a good price.
The One Plus One is interesting too, another favorite would be Google Nexus or (to stay loyal) some of the LG smartphones like the L70-L90, its maybe not one of the high end smartphones but still sure a nice performance boost.
The only bad thing about the older phones is the low screen resolution.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the original Stock launcher for Cyanogenmod 7 and below was a launcher called ADW launcher, the company or person who made it tends to try to make it as stock android as possible and honestly the version cyanogenmod 7 came with was not very good. i dont think launchers cant be moved to the sd card but widgets sure cant.
your right, you cant pick any rom you want, it has to be specifically built for your own. cyanogenmod is not the only rom type. most of the time unofficial roms will be built upon cyanogenmod or other roms. there are a few others on some newer phones but cyanogenmod is the stablest and if its official updates on bugs come faster. if you want to find more roms, here on xda you always want to go here for your device
http://forum.xda-developers.com/optimus-one/one-development for roms kernels and other modifications.
honestly if you were to find a used Galaxy s2 the specs would be perfectly fine. all variants have a great development community going and should for the new few android versions. what carrier do you have? i would try to get a T989 T-mobile s2 like myself, its pretty great though its a 4.5" ich screen vs your 3.2" screen its not too big, probably the only problem i have with it is the resolution is not the best. a motorola G would be a great replacement aswell, better specs than the s2 (its very close to a s3 benchmark) same screen size and i think it has a better resolution.
as for today's standards you Are paying for image, paying for the brand name (like alienware and dell computers), back then it used to be Hardware, the Nexus one used to have the Best phone specs when it was released. if you look at benchmarks, the Galaxy s4 vs the s5 there is not much of a difference. i myself am interested in the oneplus one device but the only problem is that invite system. im also thinking of grabing a LG L90, great price for its specs which are the same as the moto g so pretty much as close to a s3.
Its hard to choose but I will give this one a try:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2409107
what carrier do you have?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
O2
but I don´t really care about carrier, ´cause I use a prepaid card. Which work with every phone. And would buy only a sim-lock free phone.
georg2010 said:
Its hard to choose but I will give this one a try:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2409107
O2
but I don´t really care about carrier, ´cause I use a prepaid card. Which work with every phone. And would buy only a sim-lock free phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
be sure to read most of the thread looking for special requirements, some roms like this one dont need a gapps.
Trozzul said:
be sure to read most of the thread looking for special requirements, some roms like this one dont need a gapps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes saw this already.
btw. deleted this already,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2409107
.. not so smooth and screen was not so good, in the menues on the small display.
Flashed this now: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1811325
which is coming closer to that what I´ve expected..
Although I´ve trouble with the non-functional home button, someone suggested here, to re-flash the ROM, but Cyanogen and Gapp separately.
Will try this now.
Also I am considering to try this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2096721
But not sure if there are any major bugs or something.
This is the 4.2.X you suggested. Can´t find 4.3.X though.
What is the difference between them?
Maybe you can suggest one specific rom.
georg2010 said:
Yes saw this already.
btw. deleted this already,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2409107
.. not so smooth and screen was not so good, in the menues on the small display.
Flashed this now: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1811325
which is coming closer to that what I´ve expected..
Although I´ve trouble with the non-functional home button, someone suggested here, to re-flash the ROM, but Cyanogen and Gapp separately.
Will try this now.
Also I am considering to try this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2096721
But not sure if there are any major bugs or something.
This is the 4.2.X you suggested. Can´t find 4.3.X though.
What is the difference between them?
Maybe you can suggest one specific rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i cant sugesst you a rom because i dont own the phone, i could look through the forums and show you one to test out but thats about it, 4.2.X and 4.3.X have just minor ui updates that can come in handy, just test a bunch of 4.1.X and 4.2.X and you can see the difference, i think 4.2.X added camera to the lockscreen and dropdown status bar different ui. you can check here to see some of the differences http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history
Is the Shield Tablet even worth rooting. I mean, it is stock android with Nvidia stuff. And rooting it just takes away the Nvidia logo when turning it on, and its few apps that do more good than harm. Is there a mod out there that will beat out Lollypop? Only thing I can really think of is Carbon KitKat, and I'm not sure if the Tablet runs crappy because of the hardware or because of the software. I haven't been in the scene for a while (and when I was I wasn't there for long), but my swag snapback wearing friend put Cyanogen on his phone (yes, they're evolving) from the Cyanogen website. Has this in it's essence killed the development for systems since they made it easier to run the OS? Much of the ricing vocabulary is jargon for me, so please explain it instead of avoiding it, for example I don't know the difference between a root vs. recovery vs. rom vs. kernel and TWRP vs ClockworkMod, Unofficial mods vs official.
What do you guys run? What do you recommend visual appeal, and what do you recommend for performance? Can I possibly run Carbon Kitkat while keeping the nVidia apps?
Mehhh I only rooted for xposed modules... honestly stock lollipop with a ntfs SD card to get around the SD card issues and root really isn't a factor in performance. Just using like gravity box and an ad block. I think if you have a lte version it may be more useful so u can mess with radios but I can't vouch for that.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
I only rooted for viper audio. Major improvement then without
I'd say its definitely worth it for the fact that you can move all your games off of the internal storage onto the SD card using virtualized directories (ie FolderMount) so the data appears on internal storage but actually resides on your SD (load times have been fine for me with a 64 GB class 10, HL2, Portal, TT Games, etc.)...although I'd probably root either way just for a few specific root apps and the fact I root every android device I ever get.
Side note: PLEASE don't use NTFS on flash storage (unless you absolutely have to)...it doesn't know how to cope with it and over time will have degraded performance. Use exFAT, it was pretty much made for this purpose. I've heard people having issues with exFAT on the shield (specifically 128 GB SDs it seems), but my 64 GB worked perfectly on KitKat and now on LolliPop
Since you're not familiar to the terminology, I'll give you the "concise" (I sometimes ramble...) summary of my understanding:
1. Rooting is giving yourself full administrative power over every single file and operation on your phone. Use this power responsibly, meaning think twice before executing a command and bear the consequences like an adult (or enjoy the benefits like a giddy goof!)
2. Recovery is a partition on your device's storage. Stock recovery usually only automatically performs the one task of factory reset/wipe of your device's data, but a custom recovery can allow you to flash (install) programs or even a customized version of the whole operating system (a custom ROM).
3. ROM technically stands for "Read-Only-Memory" but these days it refers to the actual operating system that's residing within that read-only-memory. You've heard of the Cyanogen ROM, which really means Cyanogen's customized operating system for your read-only-memory.
4. Kernel is basically a magical piece of software that tells your device's hardware how to function. So, if you use the wrong kernel, your device's hardware won't know how to function properly and you'll run into problems. But using a customized or optimized kernel will allow your hardware to function much more efficiently or unlock abilities that your hardware didn't know it could do (e.g. undervolting to save power, communicating with USB devices via USB on-the-go, etc.)
5. TWRP and ClockworkMod are both examples of very popular recovery partitions. Some people prefer one over the other. I personally like TWRP because it has an easier to use interface for me.
6. Unofficial vs official mods are best discussed using an example like a cyanogen ROM. An unofficial cyanogen mod means that it's not officially made by the Cyanogen team and is therefore not supported so you can't go crying to Cyanogen if you've messed up your device using an unofficial mod. Official mods are the stuff officially released by Cyanogen and will be fully supported by their team.
I hope the above helps with your understanding of some terminology. Below, I describe my opinions on whether rooting / custom ROMs are worth it.
I'm currently using the nVidia stock firmware, so I'm not using a custom ROM. The downside is that I miss out on the great customized features like clearing all recent apps from memory, or holding the Overlay button to switch to my last-used app, etc. The upside is that I get to use the nVidia-specific features, such as stylus-only mode (I use it a lot for annotating PDFs / research papers / drawings etc.) or the Console Mode for when I hook up the tablet to the big TV. I've tried a custom ROM and loved the somewhat increased smoothness and extra features, but I personally wanted the nVidia-specific features more than the custom features.
That said, I have rooted my stock nVidia firmware because I wanted to block ads without downloading or purchasing an additional app. I've used the root privileges to allow me to modify my hosts file to redirect ad URLs to 127.0.0.1, which gives those ads no data therefore effectively blocking them. That's all I use my root privileges for, and some of you might think "that's it?!?!" and to that I say "yyyyyyup".
Long post, but congrats for making it this far and thanks for reading!
amartolos said:
The downside is that I miss out on the great customized features like clearing all recent apps from memory, or holding the Overlay button to switch to my last-used app, etc.
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Click to collapse
Since you're rooted, check out the app "Recently" from Chainfire - it provides much better control over the stock 'recents' menu as well as the option to clear all.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Free mobile app
An Droid said:
Since you're rooted, check out the app "Recently" from Chainfire - it provides much better control over the stock 'recents' menu as well as the option to clear all.
Sent from my SGH-I337M using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
neat, i didn't know they made such an app! thanks =)
ben.nesheim said:
Mehhh I only rooted for xposed modules... honestly stock lollipop with a ntfs SD card to get around the SD card issues and root really isn't a factor in performance. Just using like gravity box and an ad block. I think if you have a lte version it may be more useful so u can mess with radios but I can't vouch for that.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Same thing I do. I rarely flash a custom ROM if the device is stock or near stock android. Simply rooting, installing an adblocker and installing xposed framework is good enough for me.
Sent from my SM-N900V
Evolve
Rooting is Evolving
To me for buy the shield tablet is going beyond on your imagination, why don't try something new, come on is a piece of hardware, you just installing a software and why not with a such powerful device,you don't want more juice and control.
My ST LTE root and some utilty and tool apk got between 60000 and 62000 in antutu performance and stability, but careful in what you do.
I see many people doing modifications and having many issues and then spending a lot of time having to mess with their devices in order to get them back in order. If that's your thing great and I used to be one of you ...
... but these days I try and consider very carefully everything I do so everything works rather than spending hours basically being a mechanic if you want to use a car analogy. I want to drive my car not spend most of the time fixing it.
I see people with a lot of issues after they've done a lot of "do it because it can be done" modifications, their devices become unstable and then they don't know what caused it due to having five or ten major modifications.
One at a time:
1. Nandroid Backup.
2. Do 1 modification
3. Use your device for a day
4. If everything is working, go to 1, otherwise see 5.
5. If everything is not working restore backup from 1. and start at 2. again.
Now my opinions (as a half interested longtime Android user and a new Shield Tab user) are:
TheSkywayBridge said:
Is the Shield Tablet even worth rooting. I mean, it is stock android with Nvidia stuff. And rooting it just takes away the Nvidia logo when turning it on, and its few apps that do more good than harm.
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Click to collapse
It depends - if there is some added functionality that you cannot have any other way then yes.
Rooting by itself actual does nothing to the ROM but it allows other applications that might change your boot logo. What will change your boot logo usually is using a custom ROM or kernel.
But you can absolutely make any firmware better by rooting your device for example by installing Viper4Android which will improve sound quality and a ton of other stuff.
TheSkywayBridge said:
What do you guys run? What do you recommend visual appeal, and what do you recommend for performance? Can I possibly run Carbon Kitkat while keeping the nVidia apps?
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After a few devices it's been my preference to use stock ROM's with custom kernels (sometimes) because I mainly use my phones and tablets to play games and with some rare exceptions the dev community doesn't get to the performance level when I benchmark them.
If I never played games then CM and other custom firmware is better.
Unless I'm mistaken there is no CM based ROM that allows Nvidia Shield Controller usage so for me personally it's even less appealing as a prospect on the Shield Tablet to not run stock.
Since I'm a new Shield Tablet user I've only used some LP version (which arrived with the tablet) then had an awful experience with Nvidia's OTA update when I attempted to update to MM after no mods :|
However I went back to LP v5.1.1 and it's an amazing tablet again which doesn't surprise me as it usually seems you need to stick 1 major version behind on Android if you want to customise it and run apps you like sometimes.
I'm now going to apply a custom kernel onto stock firmware as this has often been the "winning" combination if you want to evaluate ROMs using benchmarks.