Database Info

Some general ROM/Kernel questions from a newbie

Hi, I am a relative newbie to ROM flashing and the like. Additionally I dont have a very deep computer knowledge base. I have rooted my Samsung Captivate and have flashed a ROM (which flashed properly, but didn't quite work). I have three questions about ROM usage and such:
1. I know kernels basically add aspects to the ROM you are running, but when should you flash these? How do you flash them (same process as with ROMs? do you just do it over-top of the Rom you currently have loaded? etc...)
2. If a newer version of the ROM you have running comes out, do you have to start over and completely wipe the device over again and do the whole process from start, or can you load a newer version of your current ROM over the one you have?
3. I have been hearing/reading about some problems with the Android Market disappearing on certain ROMs when the market updates, how can i avoid this/fix this?
Thanks. Sorry the basic/stupid questions.

1. Yes
2. There are WIPE versions and NO WIPE version. Usually you can use the NO WIPE version and keep everything. But sometimes if the roms are too different you get problems and errors, then it is recommended to flash a WIPE version.
3. Hm did not experience this yet, but there are fixes somewhere .

Whats up... No question is a stupid one buddy.... (Sometimes )
To answer your first question about kernels. Flashing kernels aren't a must. You don't have to flash them really, unless there is a need. Kernels for the most part can often change the way Android handles stuff like memory management, battery resources and even multitasking. They change (tweak) the way the Android OS itself interacts with the phones hardware. That's all a kernel is really. So read up on them before flashing them because each has their advantages and disadvantages. For example, the kernel I use gives me a good RAM boost and much better battery life but it suffers on the multitasking side and I have to do other stuff to compensate for that. That's how it is. As far as flashing them is concerned. That depends. Usually, you just flash them through recovery (Like a ROM) but I would suggest you follow the instructions they give you (if it exists).
Your second question is simple. Just follow the instructions they give you for installation. Some ROMS require a full wipe and others don't. It just depends on the ROM. When in doubt, follow the instructions (again if it exists).
Your third question is a weird one, I've never heard about that really. BUT.... Some ROMS may or may not include the GAPPS applications (Google Apps).
If the ROM you flash doesn't have Google Apps built in, it would literally be missing. You would have to flash it separately. Usually in those cases though, at the download location for that ROM, they would also provide links for GAPPS zip files to flash separately so you can have the option to go with Android Market, Gmail and such OR you can use an alternative. Short of that..... never heard of that issue before..... If the issue is happening after the Market app updates, in that case it might be some type of ROM issue, you'll probably have to somehow get the updated Vending.apk (Android Market) remove/backup the original and reinstall it manually (the way you would a regular apk). I'm guessing though....
Don't you just love research........

Thanks. And now, inevitably, answers lead to more questions.
With regards to kernels, how do I know which one's do what, are compatible with which ROMs etc. I feel like its the kinda thing that needs a giant database for them, but i know there isn't.
Also, is the process for flashing other .zip files the same (though either Rom manager or a built in Recovery option). For example, a bootanimation.zip?
Ultimately I hate the idea of asking overly simply questions, but I just don't know what I dont know, nor what is supposedly implied. Thanks.

Don't sweat it...... I'm in the same boat so I have no hangups....
I think I know what you mean when it comes to kernels. Ultimately, learning about kernels requires a lot of reading in many forums (Just like this one)... Why?.... Because in many instances the persons posting the kernels might not always give you an exact breakdown on exactly what it does..... so I understand. Your best bet would be scanning XDA. I've found all sorts of really excellent kernels lying around and the devs here love documentation so there is a good chance you'll know what it does...
You could also try DroidBasement: http://droidbasement.com/db-blog/
They actually have just what you wanted, a database....kind of. They have a very large variety of kernels for different devices so its a good place to start as well.
They also tend to do a breakdown of what each kernel is capable of, the device it should be used on and so on.
About flashing zip files. Generally speaking, most zip files are flashed through recovery but its not written in stone. Following the instructions concerning said zip files are always very important. Always look for instructions before you do so at least at first. In the case of bootanimation.zip.... They are not always flashable. But if it is flashable, you can flash it through recovery which would be the best method....
If you want though, you can replace the original bootanimation.zip file with the new one manually, once you have root and some type of root explorer (for example RootExplorer for Android).
Generally, the boot animation directory is usually, /System/Media so you can check to see if its there and if it is, just backup the original and replace it with the new one.... That should work... Always nandroid before doing so though.... before doing anything really....

Thanks. I actually had a question about nandroid but forgot. Basically, what is it. I realize contextually that it's a backup program and apparently works through the recovery menus. I read a ROM flashing step-by-step that mentioned it but couldnt figure out where to get it (not in the market unlike Ti-bu which i use currently).

Nandroid is a backup program that basically creates a flash image of your phone... If you've ever heard of "Ghosting" or "Imaging" a Hard Drive, its exactly the same thing.
Its really as good as it gets as far as data backup is concerned. Its also a low level backup, so even file structures would be recorded.. In other words, you can completely screw up your phone (file partitions everything!!!!) but once you can boot to recovery, your phone can be restored. That's why its so important because its your safety net....
Its not something that you can install like an apk, so its not in the market.
You would have to flash a custom recovery. If you have one already, it should be located in one of the menus (It changes depending on the type (brand) of recovery).
If you don't see the option in your recovery then its probably not custom and you're going to have to do some digging on these forums and maybe a bit of googling for instructions on exactly how to do so. Because it could change from device to device.
Nandroid also allows you to backup your sd-ext partition as well, so if you switch cards, you can restore to another card.... Its really incredibly handy and I wouldn't suggest you do anything until you can create nandroid backups....

Now, I'm having an interesting problem I posted this same thing in general Captivate forums but maybe someone who is looking at this/answering me knows. here's what i posted there:
have a Captivate that I recently flashed Di11i's 7.1.1 to, before that I had flashed my first ROM which was Serendipity 6.2. Both times I have found that I don't get incoming calls. People calling me get 2-3 rings, and then a traditional "busy signal" sound. On my end, either the phone vibrates once but the screen doesnt change from whatever screen I'm on. Or, The screen goes black like its going to the incoming call screen, but the black screens only flashes and goes away, as does a force close message box that goes away quickly without me clicking it.
Everything else on my phone works as far as I can tell, I've been running my current ROM for about 5 days without issues other than this one. This same exact problem also happened when I flashed Serendipity 6.2 (which I only kept for like a day because of this problem)

Ok....I currently use a G1 and most of my experience has been on HTC Devices. I'm not sure of how to reply to this as I have never really modded Samsung devices before. So I'm not really familiar with software and hardware differences (Like Bootloader, Recoveries, Radios and such). But based on what you're describing.... It sounds like a ROM or maybe a radio issue. Maybe its an issue with the phone app itself. If the app is somehow buggy then thats exactly what would happen. When the phone rings the phone app would try to run but then force close....
I'm guessing here, but it could also be a radio issue because you're getting a busy tone as well which is not good. Maybe the ROM requires a specific Radio version BEFORE its flashed.... Check the source of the download and determine if it requires a specific Radio version.
In my experience though, if the correct radio version isn't used for a ROM that requires it, the phone just won't boot..... but then again, I don't know what would happen on a Samsung Captivate.... Not sure if I can help on this one because I don't have any info on that type of hardware. I don't own one you see.....

What about if you found out a new kernel isn't as good as the old kernel, how would you go on to take away the new kernel to replace it with the old kernel? Is it the same process or even harder?

vlen22 said:
What about if you found out a new kernel isn't as good as the old kernel, how would you go on to take away the new kernel to replace it with the old kernel? Is it the same process or even harder?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NOW THIS IS ANNOYING..
u have to flash ur rom again..
but fortunately u dont need to do and wiping data or partitioning sd card.. jus flash rom..

Its not something that you can install like an apk, so its not in the market.

zeemar007 said:
NOW THIS IS ANNOYING..
u have to flash ur rom again..
but fortunately u dont need to do and wiping data or partitioning sd card.. jus flash rom..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The rom kernel that I downloaded, or flashing clockwork recovery mod? Like adrenylyne's kernel for the thunderbolt.
EDIT: Never mind, I found out. I didn't mean any harm if MY POST was annoying.

If you have two kernels, in a flashable zip, you can just flash them over each other to exchange them (turn off any modification the kernel did befor though, like lagfix).

New question, I had an app (quick office) that came on my captivate. Now that I've flashed di11i's 7.1 I don't have it anymore. This is particularly peculiar because all the other native apps are still here:samsungs media player from example. How do I go about getting this missing app back on my phone. I have all the backup files on my computer so I should have the .apk (although I'm not entirely sure how to install those properly) thanks
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Recommended TODO list before flahing

So we are all flashing and re flashing new excellent ROMS that are being developed by the great devoted guys in here. I looked around and beside this I didn't find any TODO list before flashing.
So here is my little contribution,of the tasks I do before every flash to verify that I don't loose any data,but only upgrade my beloved device:
CONTACTS:
Since I'm not using my google account to sync my contacts(I'm a little bit envy of my privacy regarding the people I'm in contact with) - backup contacts using the import function in the contacts section
SMS/MMS:
Backup my sms/mms using any of the much too many apps in the market
APPS(Here is a section that I know will cause a lot of discussion):
I don't use titanium - I tried to use it during my first months with this phone I just didn't like it.I know it could be great to just save everything using it but I found it..hmmm...not suiting my needs and wants so I don't use it.
Instead recently I found a great feature in File expert which lets you backup your APKs(without the data,i.e. scores in games) - I find it very convenient because when I flash I want a clean start where I know exactly what I put back into the phone.
LAUNCHER:
I'm putting not a little effort to make my phone look as awsome as possible(and I'm sure you are too) so in order to save the trouble of configuring your preferred launcher after every flash - just back its settings. most of the used launchers have this option in their settings.
BATTERY:
Be sure you have enough battery life - best practice(which I admit that I'm not always follow)is to fully charge your phone before flashing.
FILES:
I personally always put my current rom zip and the one I'm about to flash on the sdcard to be on the safe side(boot loop for example that can be caused from bad download of the zip)-that way you always have a backup plan.
Also I'm trying to always backup all the content of my sdcard to my computer while I can, who knows what will happen during the flash - maybe you'll have to format your sdcard without any access to the data on it
UTILS:
even if you are just flashing using the CWM be sure to have a setup environment for ODIN:drivers,odin,tars etc.
And last but most important - NANDROID BACKUP:
Always and I repeat Always make a nandroid backup(if you are on the GB kernels I think there is a problem with backup/restore so I heard a solution is to flash the Bali kernel and make a restore with it - search the forum for more details.
That's it - I hope I didn't forget anything.
Please if you have any suggestions/comments don't hesitate to bring them up and I'll update this post if needed.
Enjoy

Thumbs up, bro.
I'm a big fan of Titanium backup though..
I will definately look at file expert to be using up to date supplemental apks when building a ROM.
Sent from me

For apks I just copy the install file from data/app or system/app to my sd card/app. This probably takes a little longer than batch functions. The only problem i encounter with this method is the need to push some apks back to system/app when they won't install properly. I like to reset my launcher after a flash but all of this is just personal preference
Post logs not complaints

Good stuff. Stuff that should be in the wiki Note the issue with CWM & GB is fixed in the later releases (version 5, I think) fixes that problem. I know it's available in bhndven's KJ6 kernels but I'm not sure about elsewhere.

Smells sticky...
Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk

stephen_w said:
Good stuff. Stuff that should be in the wiki Note the issue with CWM & GB is fixed in the later releases (version 5, I think) fixes that problem. I know it's available in bhndven's KJ6 kernels but I'm not sure about elsewhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I heard about this but I haven't tried it yet and also I think most (if not all) the ROMs here still use the old CWM so...

alon2 said:
Yes I heard about this but I haven't tried it yet and also I think most (if not all) the ROMs here still use the old CWM so...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ROMs themselves can be flashed from either. It's the Nandroid backups/restores that have an issue

stephen_w said:
The ROMs themselves can be flashed from either. It's the Nandroid backups/restores that have an issue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
exactly what I meant

DT APP2SD - New Way of flashing ROMS?

OK...Let's get something out of the way before anyone start getting irate with me and saying things they shouldn't be about this thread does not belong here...
THIS IS NOT A ROM...does it have to do with Development? I believe so....
We have always been instructed by every ROM Devs that we have to WIPE Everything in order to get our ROMs stable and running as it should...well this post goes counter to what you've been told by almost any post on XDA-Dev
I am addicted to flashing ROMs to see which best suits my needs, however the pain of having to install my apps (I have more than 150...don't ask) usually kept me from trying as many as I would like to....started thinking about how DT APP2SD work...since it is a partition that is completely separated from where the ROM is flashed...WHY DO WE HAVE TO WIPE IT??? So, I started flashing different ROMs, from ICS, Gingerbread to even Froyo to test my theory. Low and behold...more than 95% of my apps held intact (albeit no DATA - you can use Titanium or MyBackup Root to restore the Apps Data) with no hiccups when running from one ROM to another. I have flashed from AOSP to SENSE to MIUI...same result, my apps remain intact as long as I wipe EVERYTHING EXCEPT the SD-EXT...DALVIK CACHE HAS TO WIPE...even though part of it is on the Extension!!!
The reason why is simple. Any DEVs that baked DT APP2SD into their ROMs essentially call for this partition at boot...and once the ROM call for this partition...all the apps that are located in there still remain and the ROM uses it as if it was part of the ROM.
Also, I have even tested it so extensively that I flashed a Sense, an AOSP and ICS independently - after making sure my ROM was stable, reboot to RECOVERY and plug my phone to my PC running Linux....automatically the SD EXT pops up and I dropped all my apps (again, more than 150) to it...and KABOOM!!! Upon reboot...all my apps started showing up.
Again, I have no intent to take space from the DEVs who are doing a GREAT job supporting our phones....
I am posting this in the hope of helping those who flash often and also the Devs themselves from having to reinstall all their apps everytime they flash a new ROM.
If the MODs feels like this does not belong here...please feel free to move it. I think that it could play an integral role in development to all the Devs out there, hence why I am posting it here.
PS: I am not here every day, I have two little ones and a beautiful wife that I try spend as much time with...so please be patient with me if you PM me for more details on how to do this.
If this helps you in any way, please hit the thanks button...
Again, thanks to all the great works the Devs are doing!!!!

I have done this before and it does work. The only thing that keeps me from doing this is the lack of the ability to do a batch data only restore with titanium. Am I missing something? How do u quickly restore the data to your apps?

do a batch, and at the top, select data only.

lawsonmh15 said:
do a batch, and at the top, select data only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ooooohhhh......how did I not put 2 and 2 together. Thanks.

Would it not depend on the ROM your flashing?

i've been doing this for awhile, jus thought it was common knowledge. there have been some apps that FC, but i'm a FLASH chronic, and reinstall apps wud suck. ROOT UNINSTALLER is also a great app to do BU's.

I've done the same thing a couple times in the past (between CM and Sense) but always had nagging doubts that I was screwing something up somehow... Good to know that someone has taken the time to confirm that this is actually a reasonably safe process! I just had to do a nightmare manual one-by-one app restore on a ROM I flashed but I'm glad that now I can comfortably use this trick in the future.
Thanks man.

The reason for a full wipe is that most people don't have their sd card partitioned.I myself have partitioned mine and do exactly what you suggested and it does work,i figured this out after wiping the sd-exta few times,1 time i decided not to,i noticed my apps were still there after i installed another rom.Of course if you have a google account,google keeps your apps and contacts backed up.

Would this also apply for those that have partitioned sd and have a Sense 3.0~3.5 ROM installed? Question is because some devs, if not all, set the rom to save part of the rom on sd-ext partition.

I have been doing this all the time for sense and asop roms, works great. Off topic - wiping more than once is BS unless you have bad nand or using bad wiping program.

Happy to see that some of you find this information useful. I just didn't want to get screamed at for posting it here.
It's a little I can help with in contrast to the great work the devs are doing
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

dragon_rckr said:
Would this also apply for those that have partitioned sd and have a Sense 3.0~3.5 ROM installed? Question is because some devs, if not all, set the rom to save part of the rom on sd-ext partition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should have no impact because essentially your app folder is where everything is kept. If the Dev add some system info to the Ext it won't mess with your apps.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

[Q] CyanogenMod 9 v4.0.3 v3.4 bugs and Issues.

Hi guys, I am new here so try to be gentle.
This was the first time I've ever tried to do something with my phone (Nexus S) from the day I've bought it. (Ver 2.3.4)
I did my homework, and tried to install a new Mod.
I have tried many Roms from the last couple of days, but for some strange reason non of them worked fast enough (at least as my old version).
(well and the fact that it erased my SD card with all the info I've had there...)
The one version that looked ok from first sight was:
CyanogenMod 9 v4.0.3 v3.4 + CM Night builds
Now I'm having lots of different issues, and have no idea if someone already solved them, or should I just return to the working old version I had.
The first thing is -> I cannot move Apps to the SD storage, Under the Storage cattegory i have no option to choose to install apps on the SD (like I had with the old version), and under Apps - the "move to SD card" is Grey.
another thing is the languages, why do I see Chinese and other langauged by default and Im unable to uncheck them?
there are many more issues, but these are the most annoying ones for now.
I cannot reply to the version thread, so who can advice?
Thanks!

There are MANY roms for the Nexus. You just have to try a few and find one to your liking. The Chinese text you were talking about might of been an MIUI rom. They are based from China. When you go through the setup screen on each rom after you flash, make sure you choose the appropriate language to your liking.
On another hand. If you tried an ICS rom, then I think apps to sd don't work on Ice Cream Sandwich. I am not 100% sure, though. Please don't take my word for it.
Some roms might have bugs, some might work 100%. Just do the reading and flashing and learn from experience. Its the best way.
BTW. Welcome to XDA!

Well not quite.
mabry said:
There are MANY roms for the Nexus. You just have to try a few and find one to your liking. The Chinese text you were talking about might of been an MIUI rom. They are based from China. When you go through the setup screen on each rom after you flash, make sure you choose the appropriate language to your liking.
On another hand. If you tried an ICS rom, then I think apps to sd don't work on Ice Cream Sandwich. I am not 100% sure, though. Please don't take my word for it.
Some roms might have bugs, some might work 100%. Just do the reading and flashing and learn from experience. Its the best way.
BTW. Welcome to XDA!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The MOD is the most recent CM9 mod, (named in the topic).
I dont see why is it related with the fact I cannot uncheck the unneeded language like Chinese.
but the language part is not much of an issue like the SD card.
I am not trying to run old Apps, since my SD was formatted during the upgrade,
I am trying to move - or choose where to install current apps, ability I had before this Version.
I have an image to attache, but I cannot since I am a new member.
any reason why other mods for the same phone were working very slow? (Clean installation)
thanks for the quick reply.

The ability to move/force all apps to to SD or pick a default install location is not included in the rom yet. Do it manually with a app if you want to move something to SD that doesn't support being moved there.

albundy2010 said:
The ability to move/force all apps to to SD or pick a default install location is not included in the rom yet. Do it manually with a app if you want to move something to SD that doesn't support being moved there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just tried it, same thing, Apps cannot move to the SDcard.

I find the "Airplane" icon can't be shown on the top when you choose "text" in Signal status style.
ROM: CM9 v3.4
KERNEL: Matr1x v17.5

Onlyktm said:
Just tried it, same thing, Apps cannot move to the SDcard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How did you try it?
I have not used that particular rom myself but have used kangs and am running a official nightly build of cm9.

albundy2010 said:
How did you try it?
I have not used that particular rom myself but have used kangs and am running a official nightly build of cm9.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have d/l couple of apps that move to usb, they all say apps cannot be moved to the SD, those apps (like facebook) were already on my SD with the old version.

Just because the old version allowed to move them to SD that does not mean the apps support it. Again since the feature to do it within the rom itself is not there yet you have to do it manually with a third party app. Titanium backup or one of the who knows how many root apps2sd apps will move it

albundy2010 said:
Just because the old version allowed to move them to SD that does not mean the apps support it. Again since the feature to do it within the rom itself is not there yet you have to do it manually with a third party app. Titanium backup or one of the who knows how many root apps2sd apps will move it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got it, thanks.
another thing, when unlocking the device I have two options.
one is to unlock, and the other one is the camera.
Q: 1. can i switch the camera with something else?
2. I have seen roms with 4 -5 -6 different options to unlock, how can I have this feature?
thanks again.

That is a feature built into that rom. Cyan doesn't have it yet. Not sure what options they are planning to add to lock screen . Just a place holder for now in settings. There are lock screen replacements on the market you could install if you like.

Try CNA or the more stable CM7.2
CM9 made by Kalim doesn't have these features right now. You could try a different ROM called "Codename Android" (CNA) which is based on ICS.
However, all these ROMs are not in their final stage. A better choice to try would be the CyanogenMod 7.2 for NS. I was using it while I was on GB, works wonders, although expect BSOD some times...
Enjoy the testing!
Onlyktm said:
Got it, thanks.
another thing, when unlocking the device I have two options.
one is to unlock, and the other one is the camera.
Q: 1. can i switch the camera with something else?
2. I have seen roms with 4 -5 -6 different options to unlock, how can I have this feature?
thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] Just Rooted My Phone: Where to go from here?

Hi,
I am new this this whole Samsung Galaxy S3 customization. Yesterday, I took the big risk of getting my phone bricked and successfully rooted my phone. Now, I am interested in installing some interesting ROMs and uninstall some uninteresting bloatware. However, I do not know where and how to start.
Just a quick note. I have followed [GUIDE] Root for Jelly Bean 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 OTA ***UPDATED 3/5*** to customize my phone, using ClockworkMod Touch Recovery 6.0.2.3 and MD5: 8C3DA18BD5DEF7E38E03DD147A0E10A1 for VRBMB1 (Jelly Bean 4.1.2). My phone's Model Number is SCH-I535, Android Version 4.1.2.
The first thing I want to do is to reformat my phone. By that, I mean improving the battery life, speed, and practically everything else related to those two things I just said. I have read somewhere that custom ROMs can improve battery life, as well as make everything in the phone move faster and smoother. A few ROMs have caught my attention, but I am unsure of which ROM to use. I have also noticed that you can change the battery preferences without the need of a ROM, but nevertheless, a custom ROM couldn't hurt. Plus, I really want to change the theme of my phone, specifically replacing them with [OMG][THEME] 03.21 - Ultimate OMG Theme - 35 Choices - Aroma - CleanROM/Stock.
So the first question is, which is the most preferred ROM to use for my phone? (Or better yet, do I even need a custom ROM?) So far, my main goal is to improve the speed and battery life. But I have noticed that you must factory reset your phone. That is a little discouraging as there are many personal things in my phone that I would love to keep. I do have Titanium Backup, however, I am unsure of how to use it. Is there a guide on how to use Titanium Backup? I am also concerned that a factory reset can and will clear everything in Titanium Backup as well. The next thing is, I am using Next Launcher by Go Developers. I really enjoy the launcher and would like to continue using it. Will I still be able to use the launcher in custom ROMs?
Thank you for your help!

Zarotu said:
Hi,
I am new this this whole Samsung Galaxy S3 customization. Yesterday, I took the big risk of getting my phone bricked and successfully rooted my phone. Now, I am interested in installing some interesting ROMs and uninstall some uninteresting bloatware. However, I do not know where and how to start.
Just a quick note. I have followed [GUIDE] Root for Jelly Bean 4.1.1 or 4.1.2 OTA ***UPDATED 3/5*** to customize my phone, using ClockworkMod Touch Recovery 6.0.2.3 and MD5: 8C3DA18BD5DEF7E38E03DD147A0E10A1 for VRBMB1 (Jelly Bean 4.1.2). My phone's Model Number is SCH-I535, Android Version 4.1.2.
The first thing I want to do is to reformat my phone. By that, I mean improving the battery life, speed, and practically everything else related to those two things I just said. I have read somewhere that custom ROMs can improve battery life, as well as make everything in the phone move faster and smoother. A few ROMs have caught my attention, but I am unsure of which ROM to use. I have also noticed that you can change the battery preferences without the need of a ROM, but nevertheless, a custom ROM couldn't hurt. Plus, I really want to change the theme of my phone, specifically replacing them with [OMG][THEME] 03.21 - Ultimate OMG Theme - 35 Choices - Aroma - CleanROM/Stock.
So the first question is, which is the most preferred ROM to use for my phone? (Or better yet, do I even need a custom ROM?) So far, my main goal is to improve the speed and battery life. But I have noticed that you must factory reset your phone. That is a little discouraging as there are many personal things in my phone that I would love to keep. I do have Titanium Backup, however, I am unsure of how to use it. Is there a guide on how to use Titanium Backup? I am also concerned that a factory reset can and will clear everything in Titanium Backup as well. The next thing is, I am using Next Launcher by Go Developers. I really enjoy the launcher and would like to continue using it. Will I still be able to use the launcher in custom ROMs?
Thank you for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to flash a custom ROM to improve battery just a custom kernel. There are a lot of custom tweaks that the developers put in their ROMs to further improve the ROM some you can put yourself. As for the themes the stock ROM has to be deodexed in order for the themes to work. Lastly Next launcher is an app and the last time I checked all launcher apps work on rooted phones.

jmxc23 said:
You don't have to flash a custom ROM to improve battery just a custom kernel. There are a lot of custom tweaks that the developers put in their ROMs to further improve the ROM some you can put yourself. As for the themes the stock ROM has to be deodexed in order for the themes to work. Lastly Next launcher is an app and the last time I checked all launcher apps work on rooted phones.
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Thank you for the reply. Seeing how it is, where can I find custom kernels and/or a guide on how to install and use a custom kernel on my phone? I do not quite understand what you mean when "the stock ROM has to be deodexed in order for the themes to work." Lets say I am interested in one of those custom theme, does that mean I have to personally deodex the ROMs or can I just follow the instructions stated in the main thread? So far I do not have a custom ROM after rooting my phone. Everything is still the same since I did the last step, which was to flash the Jelly Bean Bootchain.
Edit: Is there a thread I can look at find to get more information on how to prepare my phone for theming and modding? Information such as deodexing my phone, and other preparation information. I can't seem to find a good thread.

Zarotu said:
Thank you for the reply. Seeing how it is, where can I find custom kernels and/or a guide on how to install and use a custom kernel on my phone? I do not quite understand what you mean when "the stock ROM has to be deodexed in order for the themes to work." Lets say I am interested in one of those custom theme, does that mean I have to personally deodex the ROMs or can I just follow the instructions stated in the main thread? So far I do not have a custom ROM after rooting my phone. Everything is still the same since I did the last step, which was to flash the Jelly Bean Bootchain.
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In the original android development is where you will find the kernels. Most of the kernel threads will provide links and the information you need. If you are planning on flashing KT747 kernel here is some additional information: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2144004

Whoa, hold up on the custom kernels and custom rom stuff.
1. You need to make a back up with either twrp or cwm. Next put your important files on your external sd including your efi. Idk if titanium backup allows you to store app back ups on the external sd or not but I assume it does (I use a diff app). You don't have to format your internal sd to flash a custom rom, you have to format the system partition.
Take a minute to make sure you have the prerequisites before moding your phone more. You cannot possibly want to be doing all this so soon especially if you just got into this yesterday.
2. Your still on a stock rom, which is odexed. If you want to customize your rom you need to be on a deodexed rom most of the time. This is a the simple abbreviated difference between odexed and deodexed.
3. Luke took on Vader, even though he was a new rookie padawan. He didnt have a good grip on what he was doing, and karma took his hand and slapped him in the face with irony for it. You might find yourself falling a deep hole of problems if you don't read up more on what you're doing. Do yourself a favor and stay on the god damn dagobah system awhile.

One final thing I have to say is do some research it will help you a lot.

Well, if you want the pure AOSP feel with a CM base, yet uber customization and tweakability I would go with paranoidkangdroid. It mixes CM as a base, with AOKP and ParanoidAndroid. This is what I use and I love it. Cleanrom is a touchwiz rom and I personally feel that while TW roms are stable and usually butter, they are all missing some aspects of customization. Link to the rom: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2186838. However that's my opinion. I prefer the clean stock google experience, others may not. Happy flashing
EDIT: before you go flash anything make sure you do the following: (in this order)
1. Root device
2. Unlock the bootloader
3. Install TWRP (or CWM, I like TWRP)
4. Make a backup of the current stock rom
5. Take all the things you want to save (pictures) and back them up to your computer.
6. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TRY TO INSTALL A ROM MADE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL, AT&T, NOTE2, etc. You will brick your phone. Stick to the Verizon variant thread and you should be fine. If getting the rom from another website, make sure it is made for SCH-I535 or D2VZW.

nrock2256 said:
Well, if you want the pure AOSP feel with a CM base, yet uber customization and tweakability I would go with paranoidkangdroid. It mixes CM as a base, with AOKP and ParanoidAndroid. This is what I use and I love it. Cleanrom is a touchwiz rom and I personally feel that while TW roms are stable and usually butter, they are all missing some aspects of customization. Link to the rom: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2186838. However that's my opinion. I prefer the clean stock google experience, others may not. Happy flashing
EDIT: before you go flash anything make sure you do the following: (in this order)
1. Root device
2. Unlock the bootloader
3. Install TWRP (or CWM, I like TWRP)
4. Make a backup of the current stock rom
5. Take all the things you want to save (pictures) and back them up to your computer.
6. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TRY TO INSTALL A ROM MADE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL, AT&T, NOTE2, etc. You will brick your phone. Stick to the Verizon variant thread and you should be fine. If getting the rom from another website, make sure it is made for SCH-I535 or D2VZW.
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Ok he is a newbie in this so pretty much AOSP especially those are a little bit advance for him.

jmxc23 said:
Ok he is a newbie in this so pretty much AOSP especially those are a little bit advance for him.
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Haha! Seeing how there is so much to know before I can get started on anything, I believe I will be needing to do more research. So first thing's first. If all I did was root my phone, using the clockwork recovery mod, what should be my next move? Where do I go from here? I have been searching, but have not yet found a guide. How do I backup my stuff in clockwork recovery mod? What do I do if I do not have an external SD card? Haha, I didn't think customizing your phone would be this difficult.
Thank you.

Zarotu said:
Haha! Seeing how there is so much to know before I can get started on anything, I believe I will be needing to do more research. So first thing's first. If all I did was root my phone, using the clockwork recovery mod, what should be my next move? Where do I go from here? I have been searching, but have not yet found a guide. How do I backup my stuff in clockwork recovery mod? What do I do if I do not have an external SD card? Haha, I didn't think customizing your phone would be this difficult.
Thank you.
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It is more confusing than it is difficult.

Essentially your next move is preparing yourself incase you fail flashing a rom. You need to do the following:
1. Get a micro sdcard, atleast 16gb
2. Make a back up on the external sd you acquired in step 1 above. This can be done from cwm by selecting "Back up and restore" from the menu, followed by selecting the back up option that says back up to external sd.
3. Now download the rom you want on to your external sd card. Find out if the rom requires gapps or any other supplemental downloads and put them on the external sd as well.
4. Next, report back here for further instructions.
(I havent used cwm for a while so the instructions I gave there are from memory, double check on that)
Surge1223

Surge1223 said:
Essentially your next move is preparing yourself incase you fail flashing a rom. You need to do the following:
1. Get a micro sdcard, atleast 16gb
2. Make a back up on the external sd you acquired in step 1 above. This can be done from cwm by selecting "Back up and restore" from the menu, followed by selecting the back up option that says back up to external sd.
3. Now download the rom you want on to your external sd card. Find out if the rom requires gapps or any other supplemental downloads and put them on the external sd as well.
4. Next, report back here for further instructions.
(I havent used cwm for a while so the instructions I gave there are from memory, double check on that)
Surge1223
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Okay what if the person doesn't have the money as of now to purchase an sd card? Are there other ways to back up their data?

Sure you can back it up on your internal sd card, but generally you would only do that if you were very familiar with how your recovery works and know exactly what you were doing. Most of the time that means you've had previous experience with the rom your flashing and/or arent too woried about your stuff getting deleted. Usually its a good idea to keep a flashable zip of a deodexed stock rom, radio, recovery, bootchain, etc. In the internal if your doing that but since he's just starting out I wouldn't do that and I usually dont anyways. Its risky and not worth losing your stuff when you could just spend a couple bucks and get a external micro sd.
Surge1223

Surge1223 said:
Sure you can back it up on your internal sd card, but generally you would only do that if you were very familiar with how your recovery works and know exactly what you were doing. Most of the time that means you've had previous experience with the rom your flashing and/or arent too woried about your stuff getting deleted. Usually its a good idea to keep a flashable zip of a deodexed stock rom, radio, recovery, bootchain, etc. In the internal if your doing that but since he's just starting out I wouldn't do that and I usually dont anyways. Its risky and not worth losing your stuff when you could just spend a couple bucks and get a external micro sd.
Surge1223
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Micro SD price range from $5-$100 retail when not on sale and the retail price depends on the storage size. So if the person is hard on cash or has more important things to spend their money she/he might not be able to buy the micro sd with the couple of bucks that you said it cost. The reason I asked those questions is that not everyone has a couple of dollars to spare on a micro sd card so all possible ways to back up data should be mentioned not just what you or I think is the best thing to do. For instance I have my data backed up on my computer via external hard drive as well as Google drive, box and Dropbox. I also use Carbon instead of the titanium backup app that everyone suggests to use. So they can use their computer, cloud storage service, external hard drive, micro sd cards and apps to backup their data.

Its not a matter of whether its possible or not, I mean yeah you can also make a system image of your pc using DVD's instead of a portable hdd or flash drive. I can understand people may be short on cash, but if you have enough time and money to root your phone, pay for a data plan, subscribe to the internet, you can budget 5 dollars. Hell, you could even start using bing rewards to get yourself a 5$ Amazon credit.

All I am saying mainly is that there are more ways to back up your data besides micro sd cards and that all people new to rooting should know more then one way as something can go wrong your micro sd card so your data should be backed up in other ways to insure that you can restore your data.

I hear ya, I guess I just think because I learned my own how to use other methods I assumed that as people got more familiar with flashing roms, etc, that they'd learn eventually too. But hey to each his own. IMO, the external sd is the easiest, fastest, and most reliable way so in this case, I think we should leave well enough alone.
Surge1223