How to select a kernel? - Nexus 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey guys,
So, I was wondering.. I am new to the all android experience, I am learning and I am enjoying tweaking and messing around with my phone.
Problem is that I am really un knowledgeable when it comes to kernels and roms..
I tested at least 5 kernels today and tbh apart from system performance on antutu i'm not seeing much, i'm wondering how people can reach 19 hours on here when no matter which rom or kernel I pick my phone just keeps draining pretty fast when i'm playing games..
I want to learn, to understand more.. but for that, I need help.
I want to know how to select a good rom, a good kernel, what features to look at, how to mess with voltages and etc..
I would love to learn, so someday I can be the one assisting other android users.

MrFishiz said:
Hey guys,
So, I was wondering.. I am new to the all android experience, I am learning and I am enjoying tweaking and messing around with my phone.
Problem is that I am really un knowledgeable when it comes to kernels and roms..
I tested at least 5 kernels today and tbh apart from system performance on antutu i'm not seeing much, i'm wondering how people can reach 19 hours on here when no matter which rom or kernel I pick my phone just keeps draining pretty fast when i'm playing games..
I want to learn, to understand more.. but for that, I need help.
I want to know how to select a good rom, a good kernel, what features to look at, how to mess with voltages and etc..
I would love to learn, so someday I can be the one assisting other android users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only one way to do that : READ READ READ READ and read some more. And don`t be afraid to try things like flashing roms, kernels, recovery`s, mods. Always read the OP`s of the devs well so you`ll know what to do,

gee2012 said:
Only one way to do that : READ READ READ READ and read some more. And don`t be afraid to try things like flashing roms, kernels, recovery`s, mods. Always read the OP`s of the devs well so you`ll know what to do,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thing is that most people here are already.. " in the zone " when it comes to knowledge, so they speak the language that I don't understand.. it's like chinese when I first look at it.
How does a beginner evolve like that?
Btw: I was wondering maybe I should test kernels and roms for a period of time instead of periods of hours? because I don't see immediate results I just switch a rom or a kernel not really giving it a chance to evolve

MrFishiz said:
Thing is that most people here are already.. " in the zone " when it comes to knowledge, so they speak the language that I don't understand.. it's like chinese when I first look at it.
How does a beginner evolve like that?
Btw: I was wondering maybe I should test kernels and roms for a period of time instead of periods of hours? because I don't see immediate results I just switch a rom or a kernel not really giving it a chance to evolve
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All you need to know about adroid http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2510966
Learn how to setup and use adb, unlock the bootloader and return to stock if need be? See http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2513701.
Also read this usefull thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2507905.
Read this also (for beginners very helpfull) http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2510966
Installing usb drivers http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2510966.
This is a very good start to stop beeing a` NOOB` and eliminate the risk of bricking your phone.
All users start from scratch bro, we all live and learn till the day we die

First don't care about bemchmarks. They mean nothing in term of user experience.
Second a kernel must be tried at least during one or two days.
Third there is no best Rom our best kernel. Golden rule. Each person has different needs and tastes.
And be careful when you see amazing battery times. What matters is phone usage. Good phone network ? Wi-Fi? Localisation always on? And so on.
What surprises you when you play your battery drains? Normal.
What makes difference is 'idle' time. Use Greenify, fight backend running apps.
Some people spend days tweaking their phones, and though don't have time to use it...

MrFishiz said:
my phone just keeps draining pretty fast when i'm playing games..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is normal... what do you expect when you stress the CPU/GPU?

Thing is, you don't just change kernels and run. Many of the efficiencies you gain with custom kernels comes from the tweaks you make to the system made possible by the kernel. These are where you can get increased performance in many respects. Keep in mind, though, no matter what you do, the processors will still be hungry under load and there is not much to do about screen use except brightness control. (i.e. games will kill your battery faster than just about anything else)
Sent from my Nexus 10 using XDA Premium HD app

Have you checked into finding out which apps and services may be causing your phone to wake up often, or even not sleep at all? Learn about wakelocks if you haven't already. There are good tools for finding out which ones are affecting your battery life, such as BetterBatteryStats.
Check out this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1827676

start off by reading.. read... and read some more:good:

Related

What is a good setup?

Alright Nexus S community, First off i will say thank you to all the devs and your hard work... i havnt even begun to use all of your awesome work but there SO MUCH stuff in this forum its nutz!
I have been on an lg p500 for awhile now, running a nice CM7 port. Recently i have been given the opportunity to get a Nexus S for CHEAP. I figured why not!
So i come to you guys after about 2 hours of reading through the various threads on kernels and roms.
I am going to be looking for the combination of a kernel / rom that produces the best battery life, with good performance. It doesnt have to be the best rom in benchmarks. But one thats stable with good battery life... with a SMOOTH UI.
Obviously there is alot of developing right now due to the drop of 4.0.4... im just trying to narrow down which rom i will use and which kernel.
suggestions welcome!
Thanks
Nd4
Most ROMs that aren't HEAVILY edited don't vary much in battery life. The kernel can change the battery life a little, but it sits heavily on whether or not you are OCing/OVing. An extreme undervolt could also give you a tiny, probably negligible, boost. This is something you can change in each kernel anyway though.
As always, the biggest problem you'll face is something keeping the phone awake through a wakelock, or be woken up constantly, as well as the screen being on. No unnecessary wakelocks while idling, no rogue apps using transferring data for no reason while screen is off and no heavy OC --> great battery life.
Try out a range of ROMs and Kernels which have the features you want, here on the Nexus S forums they're all top notch
Harbb said:
Most ROMs that aren't HEAVILY edited don't vary much in battery life. The kernel can change the battery life a little, but it sits heavily on whether or not you are OCing/OVing. An extreme undervolt could also give you a tiny, probably negligible, boost. This is something you can change in each kernel anyway though.
As always, the biggest problem you'll face is something keeping the phone awake through a wakelock, or be woken up constantly, as well as the screen being on. No unnecessary wakelocks while idling, no rogue apps using transferring data for no reason while screen is off and no heavy OC --> great battery life.
Try out a range of ROMs and Kernels which have the features you want, here on the Nexus S forums they're all top notch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats my problem! SO MANY awesome choices! hmmm which one to start with first.
Pick the ones which have all the features you want first, then move onto the ones which are missing one or two, and so on. TitaniumBackup will be your best friend
Harbb said:
Pick the ones which have all the features you want first, then move onto the ones which are missing one or two, and so on. TitaniumBackup will be your best friend
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
any stand out recommendations that i should at least give a try.
Thank you btw for your very warm welcome and help
nd4spdbh said:
any stand out recommendations that i should at least give a try.
Thank you btw for your very warm welcome and help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, all of them
first find a rom you like, then try all the kernels. the kernels can make a difference to the rom. it can make it worse, or much better. really, there are so many differences of opinions to whats good, as many opinions as there are users. but, being in the nexus s community, its really hard to make a wrong choice. there is just that much quality here.
personally, i use unofficial cm9 kangs as my rom with all the trinity kernels. but, i do make it a habit of trying all the kernels(and most the roms) at least once
AOKP and Bigxie ROMs, try these.
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
simms22 said:
yes, all of them
first find a rom you like, then try all the kernels. the kernels can make a difference to the rom. it can make it worse, or much better. really, there are so many differences of opinions to whats good, as many opinions as there are users. but, being in the nexus s community, its really hard to make a wrong choice. there is just that much quality here.
personally, i use unofficial cm9 kangs as my rom with all the trinity kernels. but, i do make it a habit of trying all the kernels(and most the roms) at least once
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much this. Everyone has their personal favourite which means very little to you. Give all of the ones with features you need a try, and once you're happy with a particular ROM give it a shot with various kernels. Later you can expand your horizons.
I'm pretty sure there was a topic not too long ago about how hard it is to choose ROMs and Kernels because there are just so many of them.
Harbb said:
Pretty much this. Everyone has their personal favourite which means very little to you. Give all of the ones with features you need a try, and once you're happy with a particular ROM give it a shot with various kernels. Later you can expand your horizons.
I'm pretty sure there was a topic not too long ago about how hard it is to choose ROMs and Kernels because there are just so many of them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well this is good to hear.
In the lg p500 community we had alot of roms that were almost nearly the same, and a buncha junky ones, with a few good standout roms....
Guess once i get the nexus ill begin a flashin and playing!
seems like the major kenels around here are
Air Kernel
Matrix
SG-NS-ICS
yes?
nd4spdbh said:
well this is good to hear.
In the lg p500 community we had alot of roms that were almost nearly the same, and a buncha junky ones, with a few good standout roms....
Guess once i get the nexus ill begin a flashin and playing!
seems like the major kenels around here are
Air Kernel
Matrix
SG-NS-ICS
yes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dont forget Trinity Kernel, and its been around the longest

[Q] stock rom vs custom rom

good morning,
i'm quite new on this phone even if It works fine for me with a stock rom 4.0.4 I would you like to understand if there is a good advantage to pass on a custom rom.
Please share with me your experience and answer with my few questions:
what kind of custom rom and kermel you have on?
which is the difference there is in term of battery life; performance; stability.
Thanks for your help
Welcome to the Nexus ... you're going to love this phone. With that said, you need to jump in and do some reading. There is no shortage of opinion on which rom, kernel, or even GB vs ICS ... is best. It very much depends on your likes, dislikes, etc. I assume that you have a gsm device, so make sure to flash the appropriate roms, kernels, etc. Lastly, there is lots of help available, but it's always best if you dig in and bring yourself up to speed with what's already been posted in these great forums. Good luck!
wmdunn said:
Welcome to the Nexus ... you're going to love this phone. With that said, you need to jump in and do some reading. There is no shortage of opinion on which rom, kernel, or even GB vs ICS ... is best. It very much depends on your likes, dislikes, etc. I assume that you have a gsm device, so make sure to flash the appropriate roms, kernels, etc. Lastly, there is lots of help available, but it's always best if you dig in and bring yourself up to speed with what's already been posted in these great forums. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks mate,
after few weeks i tested it, i find this phone a very good one and I don't feel the need to jump in a custom rom. I rooted it, installed a busybox and the clockwork and I added some apps to eliminate some gaps like the missing notification when the screen is off (I installed the noled apk for it) or like a switch off or switch on of the screen using the power button (I used an apps called accendi scermo and I switch on and off the screen using the phone sensor). The only thing that miss on this phone is an fm radio offline. I'm still searching a solution.
Stock rom: more stable, less features
Custom rom: less stable, more features
Well if you want to be normal. Than good for you.
Now a custom rom and kernel can give you unlimited privilages to things you can never imagine possible. Undervolting your device to give you brain blowing battery life or over clocking to give you awesome graphics.
A custom rom like CM9 or AOKP (there are way more than two but im just listing the popular ones) is of course better than stock since... well if it wasnt why would they make it. A kernel links your hardware to your software, meaning you can do some tweaking in the middle. If you find the right kernel and rom mix you can have a wopping 15 days standby on your battery (eg CM9 and Matr1x Kernel).
Now thats just the basics. if you are interested and want more information. Just do a bit of research and reading in this forum and ask questions in those forums. Hope this helps.
ics 4.0.4 stock+ simple or thalamus kernel
Or Bugless Beast with one of those kernels
Sent by pocket technology
TigaTiger said:
Well if you want to be normal. Than good for you.
Now a custom rom and kernel can give you unlimited privilages to things you can never imagine possible. Undervolting your device to give you brain blowing battery life or over clocking to give you awesome graphics.
A custom rom like CM9 or AOKP (there are way more than two but im just listing the popular ones) is of course better than stock since... well if it wasnt why would they make it. A kernel links your hardware to your software, meaning you can do some tweaking in the middle. If you find the right kernel and rom mix you can have a wopping 15 days standby on your battery (eg CM9 and Matr1x Kernel).
Now thats just the basics. if you are interested and want more information. Just do a bit of research and reading in this forum and ask questions in those forums. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks x your answer. You gave a good view. As sono i find ti me i Will try a custom rom with a kermel
Inviato dal mio Nexus S con Tapatalk 2
TigaTiger said:
If you find the right kernel and rom mix you can have a wopping 15 days standby on your battery (eg CM9 and Matr1x Kernel).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want 15 days standby! lmfao maybe a day at most if I'm at home with my wifi on and airave all day...
Lol
Lol. Wtf is the point in having a smartphone if you aren't going to use it?
Sent by pocket technology
chronophase1 said:
Lol. Wtf is the point in having a smartphone if you aren't going to use it?
Sent by pocket technology
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha that's the problem! I use it too much! Lmfao
Rblacula said:
Haha that's the problem! I use it too much! Lmfao
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah.... well, I have to use 2 even 3 batteries for day as heavy usage...
Sent from my Nexus S using xda premium

My opinion why you shouldnt flash your Galaxy device

To start this thread off, I will start by saying ying I am not bashing the developers in any type of way, just giving people my perspective and opinion.
Hello guys,
Let me start by introducing myself. I'm not new to this forums, ask many questions and do lots of research and from my research here is my conclusion.
People normally say they want a custom, stock feel of an android and that's why they flash rooms. If you want a pure droid feel get a Nexus device simple as that. Why flash a rom that takes away originality from the device? Things like S Voice, Samsung Watchon, multi window mode, WiFi calling and etc are very useful in everyday life. It's also what makes the phone better than an iPhone in opinion, the only advantage I see with roms are slight speed advantages and honestly, it isn't by much. I feel like roms are only better for games but if you're rooted, you can over clock your phone when you're playing games and problem solved.
I didn't go too much into detail, just stated a few reasons. Feel free to drop your opinions though, I'd like to hear why some of you think custom roms are better.
i rooted my s3 for the first time a few weeks ago, and the main reason was because i wanted the new 4.4 and heard that it wasn't going to come out for a LONG time through an official update. i was leaning towards buying the nexus 5 but when i found out i could flash a custom rom i tried it right away. i'm extremely happy with my decision because the new rom has been stable and makes the phone brand new again. like you mentioned, its much snappier without all the extra samsung extras.
dreseansr said:
To start this thread off, I will start by saying ying I am not bashing the developers in any type of way, just giving people my perspective and opinion.
Hello guys,
Let me start by introducing myself. I'm not new to this forums, ask many questions and do lots of research and from my research here is my conclusion.
People normally say they want a custom, stock feel of an android and that's why they flash rooms. If you want a pure droid feel get a Nexus device simple as that. Why flash a rom that takes away originality from the device? Things like S Voice, Samsung Watchon, multi window mode, WiFi calling and etc are very useful in everyday life. It's also what makes the phone better than an iPhone in opinion, the only advantage I see with roms are slight speed advantages and honestly, it isn't by much. I feel like roms are only better for games but if you're rooted, you can over clock your phone when you're playing games and problem solved.
I didn't go too much into detail, just stated a few reasons. Feel free to drop your opinions though, I'd like to hear why some of you think custom roms are better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cannot overclock your phone by rooting
you need custom kernel for that
pradeepxtremehacker said:
you cannot overclock your phone by rooting
you need custom kernel for that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, you can. I've overclocked my phone lol.
It's not just for better performance but in custom ROM everything is better, such as battery life, it's the most important thing after performance.
You can also take the full control of the device after root and install a custom ROM. Games also is very important point for huge number of android user, because the stoke (original) android system cannot run games as smooth as custom ROMs.
Another reason is the lag, lag is a big problem in any android environment and up to now there is no solution for that, however, custom ROMs reduce the lag and make a better feeling for the user.
Help me by hit like here :
https://www.facebook.com/BankMuscatMeethaq/posts/576114045788466
dreseansr said:
Actually, you can. I've overclocked my phone lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you cannot
tabnnaj said:
It's not just for better performance but in custom ROM everything is better, such as battery life, it's the most important thing after performance.
You can also take the full control of the device after root and install a custom ROM. Games also is very important point for huge number of android user, because the stoke (original) android system cannot run games as smooth as custom ROMs.
Another reason is the lag, lag is a big problem in any android environment and up to now there is no solution for that, however, custom ROMs reduce the lag and make a better feeling for the user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not in all cases a ROM makes for better performance, and in some cases it actually makes it worse if the ROM is not properly configured. But a ROM can give the device a plain android version without the bloat software from the device manufacturer, thereby increasing performance and stability. In most cases I don't think it increases performance over plain android other then giving access to overclocking and scheduling options

[Q] Rooting and its basics

I've rooted one phone in my history of rooting - the mytouch 4g. I found it very unstable during that process thus my hold off of rooting until now.
I have a Nexus 5, thus me creating a thread in this forum. I know many will just tell me to google or whatever but I rather get someone's actual response to my post.
That said, what is the different between a ROM and a Kernal. And how can one tell if one is better than another?
I think I want what everyone wants in their phones - stability and extended battery life.
Thanks again.
a rom is the ui, it gives the user variables to adjust and can add some features. a kernel is the central control of your whole phone. it ties the cpu to the rest of your phone, and to your ui. the kernel is like the brain, where the rom is like the outside/skin of the body.
hiw do you know which is better? only by trying them out. some phones will like certain kernels better than others, and you wont know which until you try.
Hi,
Sorry to give you a link to explain what is a rom and what is a kernel, but anyway: http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=ROM-VS-Kernel, for me it's a good start.
About battery life it's not the rom that will give you better or worse battery life (unless a "bug"), at least the kernel can play its role but it's mainly your use and settings, the apps you use...
If you have a bad signal reception or a rogue apps with a ton of wakelocks, whatever the rom or the kernel, it will be always the same thing.
Hammer_Of_The_Gods said:
Hi,
Sorry to give you a link to explain what is a rom and what is a kernel, but anyway: http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=ROM-VS-Kernel, for me it's a good start.
About battery life it's not the rom that will give you better or worse battery life (unless a "bug"), at least the kernel can play its role but it's mainly your use and settings, the apps you use...
If you have a bad signal reception or a rogue apps with a ton of wakelocks, whatever the rom or the kernel, it will be always the same thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hammer-thanks for the link. Very informative for me and I am sure others.
Doc
TXRaunchy said:
I've rooted one phone in my history of rooting - the mytouch 4g. I found it very unstable during that process thus my hold off of rooting until now.
I have a Nexus 5, thus me creating a thread in this forum. I know many will just tell me to google or whatever but I rather get someone's actual response to my post.
That said, what is the different between a ROM and a Kernal. And how can one tell if one is better than another?
I think I want what everyone wants in their phones - stability and extended battery life.
Thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I`am not rooted also atm, the device does everything that i need it to do to be honest. Rooting is handy and usefull if you want to use features or do things that cannot be done with the stock configuration. Read the first 4 threads in the General section well if you want to learn the basics of rooting.

Looking for a specific rom

Well I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for as this is the first time i'll ever install a custom rom.
I'm mainly looking for Battery and Performance, don't really care for features, but they wouldn't hurt if skins were great.
I've chosen a kernel already, which will be Franco Kernel!
Due to it's features of battery saving.
Also another question I have is for things such as Nightly and Stable releases etc, do I need to do a clean wipe every time I wish to update versions of the rom?
xPvn said:
Well I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for as this is the first time i'll ever install a custom rom.
I'm mainly looking for Battery and Performance, don't really care for features, but they wouldn't hurt if skins were great.
I've chosen a kernel already, which will be Franco Kernel!
Due to it's features of battery saving.
Also another question I have is for things such as Nightly and Stable releases etc, do I need to do a clean wipe every time I wish to update versions of the rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, generally, you arent allowed to post threads on xda asking about which rom(battery being the most requested). what is told to you is try out a few, decide which you like best, as we all have different needs and wants, and our devices all react differently. anyways, battery is not about rom or kernel(yes, you said you like franco for battery). battery life is nearly all about how you personally use your device, how you personally set it up, what apps you use, and very much the quality of your phone/data signal. everything else plays very little into it.
with every kernel someone will tell you that it gives the best battery life, someone will say it gives terrible battery life. there is no magic pill, it does not exist. i know you read about kernel so and so and its amazing battery life, but it is usually just fanboys spreading the use of the kernel.
anyways, if you are updating a rom, feel free to dirty flash it. no need to wipe.
simms22 said:
well, generally, you arent allowed to post threads on xda asking about which rom(battery being the most requested). what is told to you is try out a few, decide which you like best, as we all have different needs and wants, and our devices all react differently. anyways, battery is not about rom or kernel(yes, you said you like franco for battery). battery life is nearly all about how you personally use your device, how you personally set it up, what apps you use, and very much the quality of your phone/data signal. everything else plays very little into it.
with every kernel someone will tell you that it gives the best battery life, someone will say it gives terrible battery life. there is no magic pill, it does not exist. i know you read about kernel so and so and its amazing battery life, but it is usually just fanboys spreading the use of the kernel.
anyways, if you are updating a rom, feel free to dirty flash it. no need to wipe.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! :]
Guess I'll give SlimKat a spin!
Any thread links you could refer to me for first timers in terms of installing roms, backing up, etc.
I already have a rooted 4.4.3
xPvn said:
Thank you! :]
Guess I'll give SlimKat a spin!
Any thread links you could refer to me for first timers in terms of installing roms, backing up, etc.
I already have a rooted 4.4.3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/general/how-to-nexus-5-one-beginners-guide-t2510966
try uber
xPvn said:
Well I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking for as this is the first time i'll ever install a custom rom.
I'm mainly looking for Battery and Performance, don't really care for features, but they wouldn't hurt if skins were great.
I've chosen a kernel already, which will be Franco Kernel!
Due to it's features of battery saving.
Also another question I have is for things such as Nightly and Stable releases etc, do I need to do a clean wipe every time I wish to update versions of the rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try uber kernal, its a treat:good:

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