Wow, I'm sorta surprised there's not a USCC-specific thread anywhere yet...unless I just missed it, like I could well have.
Oh well, just thought it'd be nice to have a thread here at XDA, especially since it's so hard to find much of anything about USCC-branded phones in general anyway.
As far as my experience so far, I can't report any real issues beyond the usual so-so signal strength that I've experienced on every US Cellular phone me or my wife have owned ever since moving to my current location in town (yet it was fine at our old house just a few blocks over!). In the six years or so I've had USC, I've never found their phones being notably loaded down in bloatware, and nor is this one, so that's nice I guess. I was hoping I'd find some unlikely, overlooked USCC-specific perk like an unlocked bootloader on their models, but I don't see that happenin'... siiigh.
As for the phone itself independent of US Cellular, eh, I'm no power user, I'm probably not the dude who should make too many hardware-based critiques because the thing's more than powerful enough to ably do anything I'll ever need a phone to do. I will say I briefly owned an S6 Edge (briefly being because it was stolen) and I can't say the S7 seems like a huge upgrade to me, not one worth full retail anyway, but obviously it's a damn nice phone anyhow. (...But I went from my stolen fancy S6E down to an old, cheap Motorola Razr M (aka Electrify M) for a little over a year before getting my S7E and I was, for the most part, totally satisfied with the Motorola's performance despite the huge discrepancy in horsepower, so what the hell do I know?)
So yeah, bring on your USCC-specific guides, thoughts, questions, complaints, opinions, etc etc!
So I'll kick things off with a bit of root discussion/issues...
I rooted my phone maybe a week or so after getting it back in July, taking the chance against my better instincts that the instructions found over in this Verizon thread would work out for USCC phones too. Much to my surprise, not only did it work, I experienced almost none of the many problems that the Verizon users kept encountering in the early weeks of that thread. Why that is, though, I still have no clue. I guess VZW's software is somehow different from USCC's in such a way that we simply weren't affected by whatever kept causing the boot loops, extreme battery-drainage and heat issues for those phones. (Mostly...)
I don't want to steal the work of thread-starter psouza4 or anyone else in that existing Verizon thread so I don't want to try and rewrite every full detail but for any future USCC S7/Edge owners who might wind up here, I guess I'll do a real basic rundown of exactly how I did mine (and also I'll do it so that maybe someone more versed in Android-tinkering than me can tell me where I may have gone wrong on certain steps). The files I used in my root/fix/debloat process are the ones listed in Bold below and all can be found on that thread - I'd link 'em directly here but I don't know how kosher that is - and what isn't there should be in the Play Store.
So, after disabling "Secure Startup" under Settings-->Lock Screen & Security (and ensuring I had the correct drivers and ADB working and such), I...
1). Flashed the Samsung_G935x_QC_Rooted_BOOT.TAR image using the Odin3_v3.12_PrinceComsy.zip variant. The Verizon thread reports that some AT&T users had recommended the Comsy version because they found it prevented boot issues that they were experiencing when flashing with the other "plain" version of Odin that was linked. As for me, I only used the PrinceComsy version because the plain version simply doesn't run on my computer for some reason. I have no idea what the difference is between the two versions, so I've got no idea if the Comsy version may be the better way to go for USCC users as well (or if it even makes a lick of difference for anyone really), but it works.
2). After successful flash and reboot, I installed SuperSU-v.2.76-S7QC.zip via the included root.bat file and waited for another reboot to finish. I can't recall if SuperSU prompted me to download a newer version of the "su" binary upon opening the now-installed SuperSu app (as the original thread indicated it might) or not, but I didn't and neither should you apparently. As of the original post in the other thread on 7/15/2016, the "2.76-S7QC" build was the most recent version for S7 models . Since that's been over a month ago, can anyone verify if the current 2.78 version of SuperSU works with S7s (and/or USCC phones), or if there's a 2.78"-S7QC" version specifically? (I'm guessing no and no, but I lost track of the Verizon thread a while back and haven't seen any specific reference to 2.78 working or not working...)
3). From there, I downloaded FlashFire (v051, I believe) and flashed the suggested S7_or_S7Edge_Fixes_Debloater_V15.zip file, which aims to, y'know, fix some stuff and debloat the thing. I didn't manually adjust any of the "fixes" applied by the patch, and many of the apps and services killed by the "debloater" part of the script don't even come on USCC-branded versions of the phone. The instructions in the thread go on to say that some users reported problems with a handful of the fixes - Lag issues, Wifi passwords refusing to save, "Unauthorized Actions" pop-ups, and problems with VoLTE icons (the last of which isn't relevant to USC really anyway). While it seemed like the majority of VZW/ATT/other-carrier users in the thread were experiencing at least one of these issues, I didn't. There was some lag, for sure, but sporadically, and the remaining steps mostly knocked it out and I didn't need to do anything extra.
4). Next I installed a couple, but not all (initially) of the programs/settings suggested in the separate . Amplify Premium 3.3.7 and L Speed 3.1.9.7 (though I updated to the current 3.1.9.8 Beta shortly thereafter with no ill effects). Now I thought I followed the thread's suggestions pretty much exactly for these two, but when I looked just now to verify, I found that I hadn't made quite a few of the recommended changes in Amplify after all. (Probably because many of them give warnings when adjusting that the other entries hadn't, and I figured I'd play it safe). Anyway, I went ahead just now and finished everything up so that it does follow that thread's suggestions - I'll report back on it if they seem to make a notable difference. Maybe worth noting here that not all of the recommended changes are valid on US Cellular phones, so no need to worry if you can't find a few of them. As for L-Speed, I did indeed have all of the thread's recommended settings for it set, except for one, "Storage IO Tweaks: Partition Remount - Enabled." Not sure why this wasn't set, guess I just didn't see it the first time. Anyway, I've enabled it now, and since it seems to be there for "giving more permissions to the SD card," it was probably irrelevant to me anyhow since I don't currently use one.
Now, the guide suggests installing Xposed when you do all of this, along with three more apps - Greenify, ForceDoze, and LeanDroid. I decided to hold off on all the above for a while when I did it, but I'd say it's plenty safe to do it all in one go if you choose to. By the time I got around to applying the L-Speed and Amplify settings and rebooting, I had been up and rooted for at least a couple hours altogether, enough to notice that I wasn't seeing the immediate disasters a lot of other posters were finding. The most common problem seemed to be bootloops and random resets, which I hadn't encountered (and still never have really, beyond a couple of unexplained reboots once or twice that had no noticeable effects other than mild annoyance). There were also a lot of complaints about some rather extreme-sounding overheating, terribly reduced battery life, and serious lag problems - these all appeared in some degree, but seemingly nowhere nearly as bad as what people were reporting from their VZW/etc-branded phones in the thread. Plus, after making the L-Speed/Amplify changes, the battery seemed to be holding up a bit better, the phone wasn't running as warm as it had been pre-tweaking, and the lag I had experienced had calmed down from "pretty minor but definitely kinda annoying" to mostly gone. I wondered why I was missing out or getting much milder versions of all the problems mentioned by others, but by that point in the thread people were beginning to suspect Xposed was the cause. Some reported their phones working well up until installing Xposed, after which they'd begin getting bootloops or other problems. Not wanting any of that headache, I decided to just wait it out a few days and see how it held up before risking the install.
The guide also suggests at this point to turn off Wifi Scanning, Bluetooth, Location and Location History. I left the Location stuff alone, but this all seems pretty optional. It's also suggested to turn off the AOD Clock, which I left alone at the time but later disabled (and am now having issues with, but more on that later). I don't think there's any need to do the recommended disabling of all animations in Developer Options either, at least for our phones. I've left those settings at their defaults and speed's been fine.
So, since I basically took a break at this point when I was actually doing all this the first time, I'll take a break here too before getting into the next stuff I did regarding debloating and how my now-rooted-but-not-yet-real-tweaked USCC phone would turn out to actually run over the next few days...
I'm looking for a firmware which has european languages any idea?
Any new news on root and roms for our phones?
HavING trouble unlocking bootloader and flashing custom rom.
Is this possible yet? I've achieved root, But failed to flash twrp or cm. Any help would be appreciated!
lugnut2099 said:
So I'll kick things off with a bit of root discussion/issues...
I rooted my phone maybe a week or so after getting it back in July, taking the chance against my better instincts that the instructions found over in this Verizon thread would work out for USCC phones too. Much to my surprise, not only did it work, I experienced almost none of the many problems that the Verizon users kept encountering in the early weeks of that thread. Why that is, though, I still have no clue. I guess VZW's software is somehow different from USCC's in such a way that we simply weren't affected by whatever kept causing the boot loops, extreme battery-drainage and heat issues for those phones. (Mostly...)
I don't want to steal the work of thread-starter psouza4 or anyone else in that existing Verizon thread so I don't want to try and rewrite every full detail but for any future USCC S7/Edge owners who might wind up here, I guess I'll do a real basic rundown of exactly how I did mine (and also I'll do it so that maybe someone more versed in Android-tinkering than me can tell me where I may have gone wrong on certain steps). The files I used in my root/fix/debloat process are the ones listed in Bold below and all can be found on that thread - I'd link 'em directly here but I don't know how kosher that is - and what isn't there should be in the Play Store.
So, after disabling "Secure Startup" under Settings-->Lock Screen & Security (and ensuring I had the correct drivers and ADB working and such), I...
1). Flashed the Samsung_G935x_QC_Rooted_BOOT.TAR image using the Odin3_v3.12_PrinceComsy.zip variant. The Verizon thread reports that some AT&T users had recommended the Comsy version because they found it prevented boot issues that they were experiencing when flashing with the other "plain" version of Odin that was linked. As for me, I only used the PrinceComsy version because the plain version simply doesn't run on my computer for some reason. I have no idea what the difference is between the two versions, so I've got no idea if the Comsy version may be the better way to go for USCC users as well (or if it even makes a lick of difference for anyone really), but it works.
2). After successful flash and reboot, I installed SuperSU-v.2.76-S7QC.zip via the included root.bat file and waited for another reboot to finish. I can't recall if SuperSU prompted me to download a newer version of the "su" binary upon opening the now-installed SuperSu app (as the original thread indicated it might) or not, but I didn't and neither should you apparently. As of the original post in the other thread on 7/15/2016, the "2.76-S7QC" build was the most recent version for S7 models . Since that's been over a month ago, can anyone verify if the current 2.78 version of SuperSU works with S7s (and/or USCC phones), or if there's a 2.78"-S7QC" version specifically? (I'm guessing no and no, but I lost track of the Verizon thread a while back and haven't seen any specific reference to 2.78 working or not working...)
3). From there, I downloaded FlashFire (v051, I believe) and flashed the suggested S7_or_S7Edge_Fixes_Debloater_V15.zip file, which aims to, y'know, fix some stuff and debloat the thing. I didn't manually adjust any of the "fixes" applied by the patch, and many of the apps and services killed by the "debloater" part of the script don't even come on USCC-branded versions of the phone. The instructions in the thread go on to say that some users reported problems with a handful of the fixes - Lag issues, Wifi passwords refusing to save, "Unauthorized Actions" pop-ups, and problems with VoLTE icons (the last of which isn't relevant to USC really anyway). While it seemed like the majority of VZW/ATT/other-carrier users in the thread were experiencing at least one of these issues, I didn't. There was some lag, for sure, but sporadically, and the remaining steps mostly knocked it out and I didn't need to do anything extra.
4). Next I installed a couple, but not all (initially) of the programs/settings suggested in the separate . Amplify Premium 3.3.7 and L Speed 3.1.9.7 (though I updated to the current 3.1.9.8 Beta shortly thereafter with no ill effects). Now I thought I followed the thread's suggestions pretty much exactly for these two, but when I looked just now to verify, I found that I hadn't made quite a few of the recommended changes in Amplify after all. (Probably because many of them give warnings when adjusting that the other entries hadn't, and I figured I'd play it safe). Anyway, I went ahead just now and finished everything up so that it does follow that thread's suggestions - I'll report back on it if they seem to make a notable difference. Maybe worth noting here that not all of the recommended changes are valid on US Cellular phones, so no need to worry if you can't find a few of them. As for L-Speed, I did indeed have all of the thread's recommended settings for it set, except for one, "Storage IO Tweaks: Partition Remount - Enabled." Not sure why this wasn't set, guess I just didn't see it the first time. Anyway, I've enabled it now, and since it seems to be there for "giving more permissions to the SD card," it was probably irrelevant to me anyhow since I don't currently use one.
Now, the guide suggests installing Xposed when you do all of this, along with three more apps - Greenify, ForceDoze, and LeanDroid. I decided to hold off on all the above for a while when I did it, but I'd say it's plenty safe to do it all in one go if you choose to. By the time I got around to applying the L-Speed and Amplify settings and rebooting, I had been up and rooted for at least a couple hours altogether, enough to notice that I wasn't seeing the immediate disasters a lot of other posters were finding. The most common problem seemed to be bootloops and random resets, which I hadn't encountered (and still never have really, beyond a couple of unexplained reboots once or twice that had no noticeable effects other than mild annoyance). There were also a lot of complaints about some rather extreme-sounding overheating, terribly reduced battery life, and serious lag problems - these all appeared in some degree, but seemingly nowhere nearly as bad as what people were reporting from their VZW/etc-branded phones in the thread. Plus, after making the L-Speed/Amplify changes, the battery seemed to be holding up a bit better, the phone wasn't running as warm as it had been pre-tweaking, and the lag I had experienced had calmed down from "pretty minor but definitely kinda annoying" to mostly gone. I wondered why I was missing out or getting much milder versions of all the problems mentioned by others, but by that point in the thread people were beginning to suspect Xposed was the cause. Some reported their phones working well up until installing Xposed, after which they'd begin getting bootloops or other problems. Not wanting any of that headache, I decided to just wait it out a few days and see how it held up before risking the install.
The guide also suggests at this point to turn off Wifi Scanning, Bluetooth, Location and Location History. I left the Location stuff alone, but this all seems pretty optional. It's also suggested to turn off the AOD Clock, which I left alone at the time but later disabled (and am now having issues with, but more on that later). I don't think there's any need to do the recommended disabling of all animations in Developer Options either, at least for our phones. I've left those settings at their defaults and speed's been fine.
So, since I basically took a break at this point when I was actually doing all this the first time, I'll take a break here too before getting into the next stuff I did regarding debloating and how my now-rooted-but-not-yet-real-tweaked USCC phone would turn out to actually run over the next few days...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any updates on how this is running on USCC devices.
It's running beautifully for me. I haven't went through the entire guide for the improvements with the extra apps, but root and xposed are perfect. I am using the ForcedDoze app and it does help, without causing any issues.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
barndawg76 said:
It's running beautifully for me. I haven't went through the entire guide for the improvements with the extra apps, but root and xposed are perfect. I am using the ForcedDoze app and it does help, without causing any issues.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello? I'm new to USC. Want to get one off ebay. Seller says AT&T works on it. Does it mean phone is sim unlocked? Considering USC is CDMA?
I'm not sure about that. Check with the USC guys over at teamuscellular.com It should be possible, but I don't want to steer you wrong.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Yikes, sorry for never finishing that initial post, everyone. Nonetheless, most of it would be outdated by now anyway, and though it ran well-enough for a while after some more tweaks that I never got around to describing here, it was still never a fully satisfying experience just due to the inherent jankiness of the Engboot root. (And it gradually ended abruptly in a softbrick). I haven't kept up with developments on S7 root at all really, though I thought I saw something in regards to a new root method a while back - anybody know on that?
Anyway, here's what I found works much better, though still Engboot-based - the Stang5liter custom ROM found here - https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-s7-edge/development/stang5litre-edition-5-0-s7e-t3450208
All of the frequently found issues with Engboot root - heat, lag, battery life, etc. - were pretty much immediately greatly improved when I installed it. "Improved," not "gone" - they do still exist to a degree which some may find unacceptable, but if you don't expect 100% perfection, you shouldn't have any problem with it. The issue I notice most on this ROM is lag, but this tends to happen mostly only when attempting to do a lot of tasks quickly, opposed to just here and there all the time randomly the way it often seemed before I switched to the Stang ROM. Oh, and for whatever reason, it kinda frequently runs crappy while charging, but that's really a minor annoyance. The biggest plus of all, however, is that you don't need to waste hours tinkering with arcane settings like before to create minor improvements in performance - all the tweaks are integrated into the ROM, so you pretty much just install it and forget about it. Overall besides the lag I've been basically problem-free with it, especially in regards to heat, which I always had varying issues with on "plain" Engboot root. It's worth noting too that I'm still using the v1 version of stang5litre - v2 is current and was released a while back, I just never upgraded out of sheer laziness and the "good enough for me" status of v1. I will probably try to upgrade finally this week sometime, so if I do I'll note any improvements/problems here.
The caveat that you may have noticed here is that Stang5litre is a Verizon ROM intended for the SM-935V. The good news is that it runs just fine on our SM-935R4 without any adjustments - I don't think I even had to tinker with the APN. Your phone may exhibit some Verizony characteristics - your phone will identify itself as a Verizon phone, for one - but you should be good. If you want to root, this is the best way to go that I've found, plus it's quick and easy.
(Oh and hey, has USCC pushed Nougat yet?)
No, no nougat. No root for nougat anyway, so no real rush to see it.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Any idea of when nougat will be released for this phone? I'm using one and live in Malaysia. Haven't receive nougat. Really want to have it. Dont really care about rooting, etc
A US Cellular version? In Malaysia? You are in the wrong thread my friend.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Just wanted to let you guys know this works on our variant of the S7 Edge.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3552824
I flashed with Flash Fire and mounted system as read/write without any issues and it definitely makes a big difference in sound output.
Try at your own risk!!, but is working on my rooted US Cellular S7 Edge running PK1 firmware. Gonna try the dual speaker sound mod next and will update here if it works.
The dual speaker mod also worked for me, link below. I am using windows 7 professional 64-bit.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3494412
Here is something else I found that works on the the edge panel to control your music. I only tested with Spotify, as that is the music player I always use.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3365528
Sentm my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
huszonnegy said:
I'm looking for a firmware which has european languages any idea?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, did you find a solution?
Anyone taken the Nougat update yet? Just wondering how its running for you, if so.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
My wife set the update to install tonight,I have yet update ,liking my rooted mm, will update on how she likes it in a few days.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Yeah, I'm kinda hiding out for a more stable Nougat root, but I don't thunk we'll see one.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
The wife took the update and is really liking her battery usage. Said it is lasting way longer before needing charged(no definitive proof here. just what she said). She is trying to get use to the ui changes. So i decided to go ahead and update mine as the last week or so it has been lagging more than normal and eating battery. So i downloaded our firmware from updato.com and flashed with odin 3.12.3 and used the home.csc so not to lose any apps and data(had everything backed up with titanium in case of issues). All went well and was running fine so i decided might as well root and see how that goes. Rooted using this thread https://forum.xda-developers.com/tm...eres-how-rooted-nougat-s7-edge-g935t-t3567502 and i used the alternative root.bat listed in the op(post #688) i also did the suggested cache wipe and leave the phone for 5-10min, i waited at least 10 watching a youtube video. Have been running all day with no noticeable lag and decided to download Antutu and do a test,pulled a 132374. I know that benchmarks dont mean dudu but to me it verified it is running as fast and smooth as it seems. So far i have no complaints and have not found anything not working properly.
Just an update, the update and root on nougat apparently broke the fingerprint sensor. Only had 1 app I use that on so no biggy for me.
Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Related
Hey, guys. Hoping some of you experts can help me diagnose what's wrong with my Samsung Infuse. I bought it off Craigslist at the end of May, and the guy had the phone with the original screen protector on it, with the original case and all accessories, so I had no reason to believe it had any problems. He told me the phone was already rooted & unlocked, which I wanted since I signed up with Straight Talk. I used it for June & July and had a host of problems, so I put on the CM10 ROM last week to see if it helped. It didn't. Here are the problems I continuously encounter:
1. When going to unlock my phone with a pattern, once in awhile it won't detect my finger-presses. Sometimes nothing shows up at all, sometimes one of the dots will highlight as I pass over it, but it won't draw. Eventually the screen turns off, and I turn it on and try it again. Usually it ends up working.
2. The battery dies much quicker than I expect it should. I tried running JuiceDefender and not running JuiceDefender, and it doesn't seem to make a difference. Even without using my phone much for anything, even with the screen off, the battery will run out before the day is out. It's like if you were driving and had a hole in your tire... seems like some sort of a leak.
3. The cell radio seems flaky. Sometimes I won't get texts on time. A lot of the time I can't access any data, which is very important as I use Google Voice for lots of my texting, so I send a text and it won't go out. Loading web pages or reloading my email shows that it is a data problem.
Those are the primary problems, and I suspect that somehow they are all related. I'm not sure if the Craigslist guy sold me a lemon, or there is some other problem that came up. I've tried multiple ROM's and disabling every app I can think of. Can anyone think of anything that would cause these problems & any way to fix it? Or do I just own a broke phone that I have to throw in the garbage?
Thanks in advance for reading!
a whole slew of problems can lead to a whole slew of possibilities for your issues.
first, i wasnt aware that you could do any of this on a straight talk phone, but i could be wrong. i am not the "expert" you may be looking or hoping for, though one i am sure will show up.
second, i think the response you may get is......did you go to JB straight from Gingerbread??? that will cause HUGE problems.
dd you read OP and follow to a tee??? again HUUUUGGEE problems.
the "never fail" here.....READ READ READ. feel confident as to what you are doing and follow steps one at a time. UNDERSTAND steps one at a time.
first thing that never hurts.....return to stock and start from scratch.
"super everything thread" under development.
Odin "stock-root & modded 3e rcovery.
follow all directions TO THE TTT.
if that doesnt work, you might have to get some mortar, you've got yourself a BRICK.
i know almost everyone else here is more of a expert than i am, but i do believe that is where they will tell you to start
good luck and be sure and thank the experts
captemo said:
first, i wasnt aware that you could do any of this on a straight talk phone, but i could be wrong. i am not the "expert" you may be looking or hoping for, though one i am sure will show up.
second, i think the response you may get is......did you go to JB straight from Gingerbread??? that will cause HUGE problems.
dd you read OP and follow to a tee??? again HUUUUGGEE problems.
first thing that never hurts.....return to stock and start from scratch.
"super everything thread" under development.
Odin "stock-root & modded 3e rcovery.
follow all directions TO THE TTT.
if that doesnt work, you might have to get some mortar, you've got yourself a BRICK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I have no idea what you're getting at by your Straight Talk comment, as ST is little more than AT&T service that's sold through a 3rd party at a discounted rate, the fact that he's using ST may be part of his problems, at least in regards to the network issues. I'm also having an unbelievable amount of data issues on ST. ST is having some network problems that are affecting a decent amount of customers who are on their AT&T network.
One thing that the OP may want to try is this: Download DNS Changer from the Play Store, and change your primary and secondary DNS to OpenDNS1 and OpenDNS2. Or try different settings, as there are a bunch that are available. That has made at least some difference with my data connectivity issues.
Based on my own experience, having tried to go to JB directly from GB, is that if it's going to affect your radio, it's likely to completely wipe out your EFS data so you won't have ANY cellular or data networking capabilities. As stated, that's simply based on how it worked out for me, and there could easily be other side-effects that just didn't happen to show up for me.
I agree with returning completely to stock UCLB3, with the GB bootloaders. Then flash Entropy's 4.4.2012 Kernel, which will also install CWM Recovery. I'd personally reccomend Heimdall, as it seems to be somewhat simpler. Detailed information on returning to stock via Heimdall can be found in this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1629079&highlight=heimdall+uclb3
If you use it, be sure to thank qkster for making it available. He's probably the most helpful person you're likely to find on this forum, especially where us noobs are concerned.
I would take it back to stock and start all over.
Here is a very helpful thread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1700416
I agree with parrot head. When issues arise go back to stock. That's the best part of our phones. They are damn near impossible to really mess up. Just have to be ware of bootloader flash going wrong. If you got your gb rom from keis your good to go though.
Sent from my SGH-I997 using xda app-developers app
Appreciate the response, guys. I guess it doesn't hurt to try to start from scratch... AGAIN! It just seems like I'm putting an awful lot of hours into putting new ROM's and bootloaders on this phone. Going to be especially frustrating if I go through all the steps and it still doesn't fix my issues, which would mean my phone is broke. Oh well, guess I have little other choice.
All of the issues sound related..
It shouldn't take long to drop to stock and flash up to JB.. I've bobbled and missed steps here and there and have had to return from stock more times than I care to admit.. even rooting and flashing up the ladder only take about 20 minutes if even that..
Good luck!
drnecropolis said:
All of the issues sound related..
It shouldn't take long to drop to stock and flash up to JB.. I've bobbled and missed steps here and there and have had to return from stock more times than I care to admit.. even rooting and flashing up the ladder only take about 20 minutes if even that..
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the flashing process isn't that long, it's getting back my phone to all of my customized settings that ends up taking weeks. Home screen icon positioning, logging in to every app, system settings, etc.
Didn't create a backup?
drnecropolis said:
Didn't create a backup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always created backups with Titanium Backup, but when I restore the apps, a lot of them ask me to re-login or re-verify myself.
Thanks for the advice guys.
Spent a whole day going back to stock, then CWM red, then ICS, then Jellybean. Things seem to be markedly better, but the phone still seems laggy in a few places. Is this just because it's not the latest and greatest processor?
Also, the GPS just does not work right. It's still identifying me as being in Missouri even though I'm in Nevada. Consistently. Do I just have to live with that?
veeRob said:
Thanks for the advice guys.
Spent a whole day going back to stock, then CWM red, then ICS, then Jellybean. Things seem to be markedly better, but the phone still seems laggy in a few places. Is this just because it's not the latest and greatest processor?
Also, the GPS just does not work right. It's still identifying me as being in Missouri even though I'm in Nevada. Consistently. Do I just have to live with that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you still using the Trebuchet Launcher that comes built-in to the JB ROM? If so, that may be part of your lag problems. I just use ADW EX launcher. Here's an excerpt from the Paranoid Android JB OP:
******* EVERYONE: If you experience a sudden lag for no reason, IT is due to Trebuchet. GOOD NEWS though... From reading the log cat on my end, there is a very simple fix... Go to settings -Launcher - Homescreen - And Check "Resize any widget" and you are good to go! Instantly fixes the lag problem that a few have been experiencing. I have located the source code that needs to be changed and this will be enabled by default on future builds. ********
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as the GPS goes, I think Samsung just used ****ty receivers in the Infuse. My GPS isn't quite as bad as yours seems to be, but it's nowhere near as accurate or reliable as the GPS chipset in my crummy little Optimus V.
Hi all, made an account in anticipation of my night spent mucking around with my new Galaxy S4 i9507. I had been reading about people who have had success and some who have had less success with getting custom ROMs on their devices. None said what methods they used, so I decided to compile together what I did today.
UPDATE 3/6/14
I installed a snapshot of CM 11 (KitKat) onto my device with little issues. I'll update this guide with the links to that firmware, and also update the existing links because of changes CyanogenMod made to how they aggregate their S4 devices now. They are treating them all as derivatives of 'jftle', so basically one firmware fits all devices, including the i9507! (even if not official yet).
Please read the bottom of this post if you wish to install KitKat on your device.
CUSTOM FIRMWARE ON SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 i9507 - Aus/HK
Tonight I have managed to root the device's stock firmware (I have the Australian Optus/Virgin device); install ClockworkMod Recovery on the stock firmware, and then use it to install CyanogenMod 10.2.0 (jfltexx) on the device.
If you're looking to root this device, I found that by treating it essentially as an international i9505 I was able to fulfil all three of the things I mentioned above.
UPDATE: THIS WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY AND RESULT IN 'KNOX WARRANTY VOID 0x1' BEING DISPLAYED WHEN YOU ENTER DOWNLOAD MODE ON THE DEVICE. PLEASE BE SURE YOU ARE OKAY WITH THIS HAPPENING BEFORE TRYING THIS FOR YOURSELF. AS IT STANDS, KNOX CANNOT BE RESET, IT IS AT A HARDWARE LEVEL.
[ROOT i9507]
Using Chainfire's guide to CF-Auto-Root in the Galaxy S 4 i9505 Original Android Development section of this forum; I was able to root my device despite it being an i9507. Being a new user, I wasn't sure exactly what things to test out whether the root worked/was permanent, but I did install AdBlock Plus and it asked me for Superuser privileges, then proceeded to work. I also restarted the device and tested whether the root was still present; it was.
[INSTALL CLOCKWORKMOD]
I decided to install CyanogenMod as I have heard from friends that have it; and read online about it being one of the more stable custom ROMs available. It has been a while since I last owned an Android device! So, continuing with my theme of treating this device as being an international i9505, I obtained CM 10.2.0, a stable release of the jfltexx CM, based on from their website (as of December 2013, this was the most recent). Their custom installer app on Windows did not support my phone, so I had to use their guide for manual installation.
Their guide contained steps to installing ClockworkMod Recovery as well as the ROM installation. Following the guide, I installed it without a hitch. When rebooting the phone from ClockworkMod, it prompted me about the fact that the phone may reflash its own recovery tool, but this did not happen. Once again, a success.
[INSTALL CYANOGENMOD]
The last task was to install CM. This was quite an endeavour as I decided to use someone else's Windows 8 laptop (being the only Windows device I had access to at the time) and I forgot how much of a struggle it can be! Again, I used CM's guide to installing 10.2.0 (which by the way is Android 4.3.1, whereas the stock firmware is bloated and heavy at 4.2.2). This went off without a hitch once I reminded myself how the ADT works. I also did as CM suggested and installed the Google Apps pack alongside the ROM.
So, currently this is where I'm at. The device boots and reboots fine. Some users in certain threads had issues with loading 4.4 (KitKat) ROMs or custom ROMs that they didn't allude to the names of, so I don't know if they were having issues with CM or not. There are other threads, but that was the one that kickstarted my attempts to get this all to work. Their issues with the custom ROMs seemed to be related to the 4.4 ROM not recognising the modem of the i9507; I'm not sure why this is but the i9507 was made specifically for Australian/Hong Kong networks so perhaps 4.4 has not been updated yet or something of the like. Anyway, on 4.3.1, or CM 10.2.0, my SMS, calling, and internet are working fine (it displays Virgin Mobile as my carrier). My 4G reception is somewhat iffy in this town (or in particular my house), and the reception seems to be switching between 3G and H so whether that is indicative of 4G not working, I'm not sure. LTE is definitely checked in the settings, however, and my area does have 4G, but my parents' iPhone 5Ss sometimes do not have 4G in this house either. I'll report back tomorrow after having tested the phone for a day to see if the 4G does activate.
As it stands, however, the phone seems to be functioning well. Oddly the Settings report that the phone is an i9505, I assume that's normal as I'm using a ROM for that particular phone!
[CONCLUSION]
So, I hope that anyone who has been looking for a way to remove the carrier/Samsung bloat from their i9507 device will have a good time using the guides I've used. I followed them to the letter and I had no issues.
DISCLAIMER: I had no troubles, but that's not to say you won't either. Please be careful, as you may potentially risk affecting your phone negatively. I'm simply telling you what I did, not giving you a 100% correct and flawless guide that will work no matter what.
Also if you're looking for a 4.4 ROM then you might be out of luck, least till some dev or coder takes notice of this device's existence and helps out to develop a specific way of rooting this phone/installing custom ROMs for this phone. Overall though, it seems to all work fine so perhaps the 4.3.1 CM isn't such a bad thing.
If you try this and want the original firmware back on your phone, use this link. I believe that OPS is the Australian firmware, the other one is for Hong Kong. So, for the second link, HK is Hong Kong, and the one without is for Aus.
UPDATE 3/6/14
I've successfully managed to install a Nightly build of CM 11, based on KitKat. Read my latest post in this forum for more info. I essentially found that upgrading from within the phone itself caused a number of issues so I did a fresh flash. Please note that such a flash of a new OS wipes all personal data but not things like images, videos, etc. I lost all my contacts, SMS, browsing history, apps etc. But my Gallery, Downloads folder, etc remained intact.
I followed my guide to flashing the phone again, but I used a Nightly build of CM 11, based on KitKat. As I write this, there are actually stable versions of CM that you can use in place of the CM 10.2.0 I used in the above guide. If you follow those steps but use this firmware you'll find no issue. Feel free to use CM's guide, but don't, under any circumstances, forget to flash Google Apps to your phone!!!
If you need a hand or want a question answered, feel free to post here and I'll do my best to help you out. Thanks!
kaiserwatson said:
Hi all, made an account in anticipation of my night spent mucking around with my new Galaxy S4 i9507. I had been reading about people who have had success and some who have had less success with getting custom ROMs on their devices. None said what methods they used, so I decided to compile together what I did today.
Tonight I have managed to root the device's stock firmware (I have the Australian Optus/Virgin device); install ClockworkMod Recovery on the stock firmware, and then use it to install CyanogenMod 10.2.0 (jfltexx) on the device.
If you're looking to root this device, I found that by treating it essentially as an international i9505 I was able to fulfill all three of the things I mentioned above.
[ROOT i9507]
Using Chainfire's guide to CF-Auto-Root in the Galaxy S 4 i9505 Original Android Development section of this forum; I was able to root my device despite it being an i9507. Being a new user, I wasn't sure exactly what things to test out whether the root worked/was permanent, but I did install AdBlock Plus and it asked me for Superuser privileges, then proceeded to work. I also restarted the device and tested whether the root was still present; it was.
[INSTALL CLOCKWORKMOD]
I decided to install CyanogenMod as I have heard from friends that have it; and read online about it being one of the more stable custom ROMs available. It has been a while since I last owned an Android device! So, continuing with my theme of treating this device as being an international i9505, I obtained the latest stable release of the jfltexx CM from their website (it was the most recent stable release at the time, may be out of date by the time you get to doing this yourself). Their custom installer app on Windows did not support my phone, so I had to use their guide for manual installation.
Their guide contained steps to installing ClockworkMod Recovery as well as the ROM installation. Following the guide, I installed it without a hitch. When rebooting the phone from ClockworkMod, it prompted me about the fact that the phone may reflash its own recovery tool, but this did not happen. Once again, a success.
[INSTALL CYANOGENMOD]
The last task was to install CM. This was quite an endeavour as I decided to use someone else's Windows 8 laptop (being the only Windows device I had access to at the time) and I forgot how much of a struggle it can be! Again, I used CM's guide to installing 10.2.0 (which by the way is Android 4.3.1, whereas the stock firmware is bloated and heavy at 4.2.2). This went off without a hitch once I reminded myself how the ADT works. I also did as CM suggested and installed the Google Apps pack alongside the ROM.
So, currently this is where I'm at. The device boots and reboots fine. Some users in certain threads had issues with loading 4.4 (KitKat) ROMs or custom ROMs that they didn't allude to the names of, so I don't know if they were having issues with CM or not. There are other threads, but that was the one that kickstarted my attempts to get this all to work. Their issues with the custom ROMs seemed to be related to the 4.4 ROM not recognising the modem of the i9507; I'm not sure why this is but the i9507 was made specifically for Australian/Hong Kong networks so perhaps 4.4 has not been updated yet or something of the like. Anyway, on 4.3.1, or CM 10.2.0, my SMS, calling, and internet are working fine (it displays Virgin Mobile as my carrier). My 4G reception is somewhat iffy in this town (or in particular my house), and the reception seems to be switching between 3G and H so whether that is indicative of 4G not working, I'm not sure. LTE is definitely checked in the settings, however, and my area does have 4G, but my parents' iPhone 5Ss sometimes do not have 4G in this house either. I'll report back tomorrow after having tested the phone for a day to see if the 4G does activate.
As it stands, however, the phone seems to be functioning well. Oddly the Settings report that the phone is an i9505, I assume that's normal as I'm using a ROM for that particular phone!
[CONCLUSION]
So, I hope that anyone who has been looking for a way to remove the carrier/Samsung bloat from their i9507 device will have a good time using the guides I've used. I followed them to the letter and I had no issues.
DISCLAIMER: I had no troubles, but that's not to say you won't either. Please be careful, as you may potentially risk affecting your phone negatively. I'm simply telling you what I did, not giving you a 100% correct and flawless guide that will work no matter what.
Also if you're looking for a 4.4 ROM then you might be out of luck, least till some dev or coder takes notice of this device's existence and helps out to develop a specific way of rooting this phone/installing custom ROMs for this phone. Overall though, it seems to all work fine so perhaps the 4.3.1 CM isn't such a bad thing.
If you try this and want the original firmware back on your phone, use this link or this one. I believe that OPS is the Australian firmware, the other one is for Hong Kong. So, for the second link, HK is Hong Kong, and the one without is for Aus.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'll post later tomorrow when I've tested the phone for a day to see if it's still working, and to see if the 4G/LTE does actually work. Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong in the meantime!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had my i-9507 rooted for about a month now with foxhound rom, also on the optus variant.
One thing i've noted is, its next to impossible to update the MODEM for it.
I think because our latest modem for this variant is the one we have stock. And new updates haven't been put in terms of modem specifically for our variant yet.
We should keep this thread stickied for Australian OPTUS GT-i9507 discussion.
OR open up a sub forum for it.
kaiserwatson said:
I'll post later tomorrow when I've tested the phone for a day to see if it's still working, and to see if the 4G/LTE does actually work. Fingers crossed nothing goes wrong in the meantime!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly, thank you for creating this complete description of your experiences with customising the i9507.
Secondly, just wanted confirmation that you do now have the pesky "KNOX WARRANTY VOID: 0x1" displayed when your device is in Download mode, right?
Lastly, any updates, issues? All still working, including 4G/LTE?
Hey sorry its been more than a day, I've been swamped with work, that Christmas time feel.
I do have the Knox 0x1, which I assume means my warranty is void. There's conjecture as to whether that will actually affect warranty for this device in Australia, as I've read up on the Knox system but i think the ACCC would have serious issues with this system actually affecting the warranty. But yes, it would seem my warranty is void, let's hope the phone lasts two years!
I have been able to access 4G, the phone says 4G or LTE, sometimes switching between the two. Again, the reception in the town I'm currently staying in is pisspoor so I can't say for certain whether the antenna/modem is fully functioning to the degree it would be on the stock firmware, but I can definitely access the Optus 4G network.
One issue I did have was that I sent an SMS then immediately turned my screen off, 40 minutes later the message was still 'sending'. I have recreated the same scenario but I haven't been able to get it to happen again, perhaps just a weird tower-side quirk. I know people were having issues with the modem and the phone sleeping but this doesn't seem to be related. Overall I'm really happy with how this has all gone. My battery life has been increased by at least 40% and the phone is so much faster. Very pleased.
kaiserwatson said:
Hey sorry its been more than a day, I've been swamped with work, that Christmas time feel.
I do have the Knox 0x1, which I assume means my warranty is void. There's conjecture as to whether that will actually affect warranty for this device in Australia, as I've read up on the Knox system but i think the ACCC would have serious issues with this system actually affecting the warranty. But yes, it would seem my warranty is void, let's hope the phone lasts two years!
I have been able to access 4G, the phone says 4G or LTE, sometimes switching between the two. Again, the reception in the town I'm currently staying in is pisspoor so I can't say for certain whether the antenna/modem is fully functioning to the degree it would be on the stock firmware, but I can definitely access the Optus 4G network.
One issue I did have was that I sent an SMS then immediately turned my screen off, 40 minutes later the message was still 'sending'. I have recreated the same scenario but I haven't been able to get it to happen again, perhaps just a weird tower-side quirk. I know people were having issues with the modem and the phone sleeping but this doesn't seem to be related. Overall I'm really happy with how this has all gone. My battery life has been increased by at least 40% and the phone is so much faster. Very pleased.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That occurs because the modem signal cuts out after you switch your phone off, or lock it.
This issue can be resolved by updating our modems, but with our current variant we can't update it yet apparently, until the correct new modem for our specific variant has been released.
Hi guys,
I thought I would also post here.
I have the optus 9507 and I tried a couple of different kitkat 4.4 roms. They all worked perfectly except for the fact that they lost data completely as soon as the phone went to sleep. the weird thing is, the phone showed 0 bars but i could take calls just fine, just had data issues.
i tried the slimkat rom and the echoe rom with the same issue
i went back to stock firmware, rooted, ran a debloat script i found on xda, removed a bunch more apps, then unrooted again because i need to run good for enterprise for work.
im getting decent battery life with the debloated stock rom but i would like to move to 4.4 if theres a rom that works. ive been watching the optus and sammobile site hoping there will be a newer modem for the hk version because i think optus will take their time releasing 4.3 for this model.
kaiserwatson said:
Hi all, made an account in anticipation of my night spent mucking around with my new Galaxy S4 i9507. I had been reading about people who have had success and some who have had less success with getting custom ROMs on their devices. None said what methods they used, so I decided to compile together what I did today.
Tonight I have managed to root the device's stock firmware (I have the Australian Optus/Virgin device); install ClockworkMod Recovery on the stock firmware, and then use it to install CyanogenMod 10.2.0 (jfltexx) on the device.
......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your experience sharing,
I also started with Cyanogen and shared about the same experience.
Just didn't know the Knox thing before I started.. should had read up more before doing it.
So you did the Recovery with Heimdall also? What has made you switch to the customized Rom camp
kaiserwatson said:
Hey sorry its been more than a day, I've been swamped with work, that Christmas time feel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, no worries at all, anyone who works weekends can take all the time they need...
But yes, it would seem my warranty is void, let's hope the phone lasts two years!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea, I've done some reading also and you're right, it seems to be all conjecture, I really doubt handset warranty refusal can be based on the KNOX Warranty chip. I think the Samsung Enterprise Security Group VP explains it well here.
Overall I'm really happy with how this has all gone. My battery life has been increased by at least 40% and the phone is so much faster. Very pleased.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great to hear, based on this I can ge ahead and 'burn out' my eFuse, happy in the knowledge that my Knox warranty has gone to a good cause. :fingers-crossed:
---------- Post added at 08:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 PM ----------
opelcalibra said:
then unrooted again because i need to run good for enterprise for work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can only assume your "enterprise for work" has nothing to do with KNOX, right? Coz that option would be closed for you now...
CuriosityBrah said:
That occurs because the modem signal cuts out after you switch your phone off, or lock it.
This issue can be resolved by updating our modems, but with our current variant we can't update it yet apparently, until the correct new modem for our specific variant has been released.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That odd message not sending was the only issue I've had with this sort of thing; I can still download things, receive messages and calls just fine while my phone is sleeping, how do you know if the modem signal is cutting off? Perhaps it's just a selective thing, not sure. Don't know how to test if it's happening to me because it doesn't seem to be, lol.
opelcalibra said:
I have the optus 9507 and I tried a couple of different kitkat 4.4 roms. They all worked perfectly except for the fact that they lost data completely as soon as the phone went to sleep. the weird thing is, the phone showed 0 bars but i could take calls just fine, just had data issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey mate if you check the forum that I linked to the Knox issue; someone on there posted a fix for sound/WiFi issues post-Knox voiding, maybe that fix'll work for you. Sorry I can't link you to the exact post but it was about 10-20 pages in.
opelcalibra said:
i went back to stock firmware, rooted, ran a debloat script i found on xda, removed a bunch more apps, then unrooted again because i need to run good for enterprise for work.
im getting decent battery life with the debloated stock rom but i would like to move to 4.4 if theres a rom that works. ive been watching the optus and sammobile site hoping there will be a newer modem for the hk version because i think optus will take their time releasing 4.3 for this model.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I reckon they'll take ages, they have pretty much left everyone who's getting this phone in the next couple of months in the dark because of the (as I can tell) severe lack of devs etc in Aus who have Samsung phones and are willing to hack them to the ****. I wish I could help out somehow, but I don't have the time to learn so I figured I'd help out by putting up my experiences. I'm still learning as I go haha.
As for your KitKat problem, I have read that 4.4 didn't do so well in terms of battery life and bloat, what are your reasons for wanting to go to it? I wanted the most recent build also but I figured that if they're still having issues with it then it was better to go with something I knew would work (ie. 4.3.1).
phileasx said:
Thanks for your experience sharing,
I also started with Cyanogen and shared about the same experience.
Just didn't know the Knox thing before I started.. should had read up more before doing it.
So you did the Recovery with Heimdall also? What has made you switch to the customized Rom camp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I followed the Windows process on the CM wiki to the letter, so yeah I did the Heimdall also.
Mate legitimately I went from my stock firmware taking up so much space on the hard drive to the real lightweight CM, seeing as I haven't bought a micro SD yet that was a big deal. Also battery life was a major reason for me buying the S4 so to be able to further improve it is just hella.
siganid said:
Hey, no worries at all, anyone who works weekends can take all the time they need...
Yea, I've done some reading also and you're right, it seems to be all conjecture, I really doubt handset warranty refusal can be based on the KNOX Warranty chip. I think the Samsung Enterprise Security Group VP explains it well.Great to hear, based on this I can ge ahead and 'burn out' my eFuse, happy in the knowledge that my Knox warranty has gone to a good cause. :fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Australia I think we're pretty good. Funny that Samsung and Optus have given us this nice present and it's only a matter of time before someone cracks it open and remains above the warranty voiding
I have read that Knox may be software-based, which would make sense, and maybe it's a matter of time before someone cracks that too. Hehe.
Go ahead, post here if you have any issues and I'll see if I can help you out. What ROM would you be planning on using? A 4.3.x one?
kaiserwatson said:
I followed the Windows process on the CM wiki to the letter, so yeah I did the Heimdall also.
Mate legitimately I went from my stock firmware taking up so much space on the hard drive to the real lightweight CM, seeing as I haven't bought a micro SD yet that was a big deal. Also battery life was a major reason for me buying the S4 so to be able to further improve it is just hella.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Welcome to the rom flashing side
After read up more, I realize Odin is a more popular method for Galaxy S4 flashing,
Besides that, Stock rom battery life should also be all right. Samsung did quite some efforts to make the software user friendly.
Anyway, the Bloatware chunk are really irritating have to say.
because i cant keep still i have flashed my phone again lol.
i flashed the official CM 11 (4.4.2) and gapps for kitkat and all is working awesome so far.
no issues with losing signal when going to sleep. seems very fast. right now im happy with it.
Could someone please find new links for the original software posted in the OP?
Links are dead, would be greatly appreciated! =)
Also, Opelcalibra, you have no issues with network/signal on CM 4.4.2 with the Optus i9507?
I better give it a try then lol
RE: Signal issues
Hi,
I also have the AU i9507 Opus S4, I flashed the Omega based 4.4.2 KitKat (i9505 version) and had wifi problems (Greyed out) I tried various fixes and went back to 4.3 based Omega, this had its problems with cell signal being lost when locking the mobile.
I fixed this by going into settings and experimented with mobile networks i.e. Settings, more networks, mobile networks, network mode and tried all 4x options with (for me at least) the GSM ONLY option selected, great rom and worth losing the 4g which is very patchy in my part of Melbourne.
D
Anyone else had any sort of success rooting this phone without tripping Knox.
Also, is it just me, or does it suck pretty hard that we Aussies get stuck with an inferior version of a phone? (Snapdragon 600 in the I9507 vs the 800 in the other international versions)
Update
Hi
Just wondering if anyone has an update on this? Success or otherwise...
One of the main reasons I'm looking to root is to boost volume levels - I find the volume to be way too low. Does anyone know of a way to do that without rooting? Of course I'd like to remove bloatware but could live with it if volume was fixed.
Thanks in advance.
thestuntman80 said:
Anyone else had any sort of success rooting this phone without tripping Knox.
Also, is it just me, or does it suck pretty hard that we Aussies get stuck with an inferior version of a phone? (Snapdragon 600 in the I9507 vs the 800 in the other international versions)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey bro, no one has cracked without tripping Knox yet because as far as I can tell it's a phone specific fix/hack. So, because our phone is a different and 'rare' model, I doubt that the major heads in the Knox-proofing scene (CF comes to mind) will have the time to make a fix for the knox trip. So for now, either suffer in your jocks (QQ) get a different phone (uh, not likely) or wait for the minute chance that someone actually cares about Aussies )
As for your second point, yeah, it does suck. We get shafted with all sorts of things like prices, release dates, localization...the list goes on. Unfortunately the people who make these ploys know we're desparate and will pay the exorbitant prices anyway :/
jameshef said:
Hi
Just wondering if anyone has an update on this? Success or otherwise...
One of the main reasons I'm looking to root is to boost volume levels - I find the volume to be way too low. Does anyone know of a way to do that without rooting? Of course I'd like to remove bloatware but could live with it if volume was fixed.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey mate, the rooting was probably the easiest part of the whole situation. You can follow my guide in the OP if you're having trouble. Just be aware about the warranty issues etc because your audio issue may be hardware related rather than software? Is the volume issue in the headphones or the speaker? Some apps may not utilise the phones full volume and also be sure to go into the settings of the phone and make sure the volume limiter is turned OFF. This **** me to tears for the longest time but once I figured out what the issue was, all good!
The only thing I'd say is just make sure its not a hardware issue because you don't want to root your phone, find out that it wasn't a software issue, take your phone into Samsung and have them tell you that your warranty is voided because you rooted. Obviously that's a worse case scenario but just be on the safe side.
I hope I helped you guys!
kaiserwatson said:
Hey mate, the rooting was probably the easiest part of the whole situation. You can follow my guide in the OP if you're having trouble. Just be aware about the warranty issues etc because your audio issue may be hardware related rather than software? Is the volume issue in the headphones or the speaker? Some apps may not utilise the phones full volume and also be sure to go into the settings of the phone and make sure the volume limiter is turned OFF. This **** me to tears for the longest time but once I figured out what the issue was, all good!
The only thing I'd say is just make sure its not a hardware issue because you don't want to root your phone, find out that it wasn't a software issue, take your phone into Samsung and have them tell you that your warranty is voided because you rooted. Obviously that's a worse case scenario but just be on the safe side.
I hope I helped you guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm fairly certain it's a software issue. I've done a fair bit of reading on it and the low volume is a very common complaint about the S4. My volute limiter is turned off - thanks for that tip though!
I'm going to try to root this weekend. I really hope that it works and I don't have any issues with reception dropping when the phone goes to sleep! Feels risky.
I've changed my firmware from Optus to XSA, but am still on 4.2.2, how do I upgrade now?
Kies says I have the latest release.
has anyone got links to newer modem files for this phone? been given one to update it to 4.4, but i know from experience that doing so without at least a 4.4 GSM modem, it wont behave right.
to the people without working wifi after updating: flash the Ktoonz kernel, he has a fix for that.
Hi All,
I recently updated to the new official 4.3 update from optus in order to update my baseband etc.
Then i immediately updated to the i9505 Goldeneye 4.4.2 rom. Ran a ebloat script to get rid of alot of the extras and its running very nicely.
Since updating the modem I get 4g at home which i never did before.
optus rom here
http://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/3/?download=27109
flashed via odin (will lose root and custom recovery). re-root and install recovery after flashing this room.
goldeneye rom here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2313469
obviously this will flag knox, mine was flagged long ao
So this is a bit of a cross-post from here where I asked the general M8 community.
There is at least some minor evidence that T-Mobile and/or Sprint M8's do not have this problem - but at least on the former it may be due to a custom ROM.
Basically Netflix audio sync is off. You will see lips move a good .25 seconds before sound comes out. That may not sound like much, but it is very noticeable - like watching a bad dubbed movie.
As the thread above shows, I have tried just about everything I can think of. I'm 100% sure it's not my network connection, Netflix account, or show - as everything works fine under the same controls on my wife's S5.
I'm sure there has to be a good chunk of people who use Netflix, and I find it hard to believe I'm not finding more reports about this problem.
thanks.
I just tried it on mine. Stock 4.4.3. Seems just fine. I tried several different movies and they all seem to play as they should.
I tried it on my wife's which is running sense and I didn't notice any sync issues either
robocuff said:
I just tried it on mine. Stock 4.4.3. Seems just fine. I tried several different movies and they all seem to play as they should.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just doesn't make any sense. If mine doesn't work - and the Verizon one I tried didn't work, and the AT&T one I tried didn't work... ???
I'm thinking about swapping it out (again), but since every one I've actually had my hands on has this issue, why should I expect any to function?
Advice?
TraderJack said:
Just doesn't make any sense. If mine doesn't work - and the Verizon one I tried didn't work, and the AT&T one I tried didn't work... ???
I'm thinking about swapping it out (again), but since every one I've actually had my hands on has this issue, why should I expect any to function?
Advice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not try flashing the vzw adsp and see what happens. You can easily flash back to what you had originally
dottat said:
Why not try flashing the vzw adsp and see what happens. You can easily flash back to what you had originally
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not S-Off on this phone yet and am not going to pay for sunshine until I'm 100% sure I am keeping this phone (don't want to pay if I need to return it). I usually prefer to run a stock (close to stock ROM)... although if I could I certainly would flash another to test. But, at this point I'm stock to only trying things on stock.
TraderJack said:
Just doesn't make any sense. If mine doesn't work - and the Verizon one I tried didn't work, and the AT&T one I tried didn't work... ???
I'm thinking about swapping it out (again), but since every one I've actually had my hands on has this issue, why should I expect any to function?
Advice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know what to tell you. It is odd that you see the same problem on multiple devices like that. I tried it again and watched for the slightest bit of out of sync and mine is spot on. I'm pretty fussy about this type of thing too. Used to have PMP. I'd rip my own movies to put on it and would run into sync issues like this once in a while. Drove me crazy. That's not much use to you but I'm just trying to get the point across that if mine was out of sync, I'd notice it.
robocuff said:
I don't know what to tell you. It is odd that you see the same problem on multiple devices like that. I tried it again and watched for the slightest bit of out of sync and mine is spot on. I'm pretty fussy about this type of thing too. Used to have PMP. I'd rip my own movies to put on it and would run into sync issues like this once in a while. Drove me crazy. That's not much use to you but I'm just trying to get the point across that if mine was out of sync, I'd notice it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do appreciate it...knowing that someone else is on Stock and cognizant of the issue, but not seeing it.
Curious how long have you had your M8 for and if it is the standard Gunmetal grey?
Also...are you rooted and/or Unlocked//S-Off? Have you ever flashed a custom ROM or been on stock?
Finally, are you running the latest Netflix from Play Store? (updated Sept 9th)
Or try installing an older Netflix.apk? That's what I'd try.
TraderJack said:
I do appreciate it...knowing that someone else is on Stock and cognizant of the issue, but not seeing it.
Curious how long have you had your M8 for and if it is the standard Gunmetal grey?
Also...are you rooted and/or Unlocked//S-Off? Have you ever flashed a custom ROM or been on stock?
Finally, are you running the latest Netflix from Play Store? (updated Sept 9th)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My phone is one of the earlier ones. Bought it 4 days after the launch date. And yes, it's gunmetal grey. It's rooted, unlocked, and S_Off. Has been since they released Firewater. Seems to me that was within the first 2 weeks after launch.
I've flashed quite a few custom roms in the past but it's been a while now. Stock Sense suits me just fine (first time I've ever said that about stock anything ) . I always ended up coming back to stock. I can make all the tweaks I want using things like xposed or a root file manager and stuff still all works
As for the version of Netflix I'm using, mine was a version or 2 behind but I just updated it to the newest this morning to see if there was any difference. I still don't see any sync issues.
calebcabob said:
Or try installing an older Netflix.apk? That's what I'd try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did backrev to two different 2.x versions and then finally an 1.8x version. They all had issues, although the 1.8 was much less noticeable. I may not have even noticed it on that one if I hadn't had the previous issues. Of course, 1.8x is over 2 years old and has some other buffering issues.
robocuff said:
My phone is one of the earlier ones. Bought it 4 days after the launch date. And yes, it's gunmetal grey. It's rooted, unlocked, and S_Off. Has been since they released Firewater. Seems to me that was within the first 2 weeks after launch.
I've flashed quite a few custom roms in the past but it's been a while now. Stock Sense suits me just fine (first time I've ever said that about stock anything ) . I always ended up coming back to stock. I can make all the tweaks I want using things like xposed or a root file manager and stuff still all works
As for the version of Netflix I'm using, mine was a version or 2 behind but I just updated it to the newest this morning to see if there was any difference. I still don't see any sync issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I think I'm going try to get another replacement - although I don't have high hopes based on the fact that the other ones I've had my hands on had the same issue.
One last thing...can you tell me one show/movie that you were watching that looked good to you (time stamp too)?
I can't believe I just had bad luck with the 3 I picked, especially since they looked fine on my wife's phone.
Well, just received my 3rd M8 from the retailer.
1st one I didn't test the Netflix issue on because I had a return issued quickly due to the screen not being flush and loosey buttons.
2nd one is what i have posted about here with the Netflix issues.
3rd one just arrived - screen also has quality issues, not being flush where it meets the grill (and no, it wasn't designed to be that way as my 2nd one is almost perfect and the other two vary the level the glass meets the grill in a variety of ways...inconsistency means that at least 2 of the 3 of them are wrong).
Anyway... I have the exact same issue with the audio sync on the new phone as well.
At this point, I have to believe that every M8 has this issue and those that don't see it either haven't tried or don't care enough to notice.
Perhaps this issue only happens with the Stock ROM, which is why many of you don't see it(?).
I have watched half a dozen shows/movies on Netflix and all of them have the issue. I would say 4 of them it is just blatant...easily a quarter second off or more. On the other ones, it is maybe barely noticeable...but still there.
Again, I have tried 2 M8s that were in my possession, one in the Verizon store, and one in the AT&T store (4 total).
I've contacted Netflix and they were mostly useless. They claim they escalated the issue to R&D, but could provide me no sort of ticket tracking or call back, which basically means nothing will ever be done.
I was surprised that HTC support took more interest than I thought, since I normally would blame this issue on the software vendor as they should be the ones responsible for coding to work with a particular OS. HTC escalated as well, but by the time someone gets back to me on it (7-10 days), my return period will be over. Even then, I doubt HTC will do anything about it as it appears to only be Netflix (not YouTube). OTOH, seeing as Netflix works fine on their competitor's phones (S5), maybe they will actually pursue it.
I appreciate that some people responded that they don't see the issue - but from my standpoint...you can understand how I can't see that it is possible that I have tried 4 phones (from 2 providers) that all have the issue. I have no explanation.
The only thing I haven't tried on these is to run something other than Stock, because I can't firewater S-OFF, and am not paying for Sunshine since it is tied to device and I have had to switch the device so many times.
Right after I did the tests today, Netflix appears to have gone down. When I get back from dinner tonight I will post a couple of samples that show the issue clearly and some others where it is more minute.
New Girl - Season 3 - Episode 1 - Starting at 3:25 (after intro), the whole conversation between the two dudes. It is really clear when the white guy says at 3:35 "To become best friends" and at 4:37 when he says "I'm also a socket." Really the whole conversation it is evident, but these two lines it is exceptionally apparent.
3 Days to Kill (Movie) - 49:58 "I'm plugging in my phone, this stuff sucks." In reality, much of what I skimmed through in this movie looked pretty good...I think it is partly because of how the actors enunciate and move their lips (as opposed to the white guy in New Girl who really moves his lips when he speaks). But, here at 49:58 you can see it off.
Bones - Season 1 Episode 1 (Pilot) - 15:36 "Lennie Kravitz or Vanessa Williams"
There does seem to be a bit of inconsistency in how good or bad things are. Usually, I can see something off within the first 10 seconds of conversation, and sometimes I need to watch a couple of minutes. I'll admit that there are some points where it looks almost perfectly fine - enough that I might not have detected it were there not these more blatant areas.
Nonetheless, when I watch on my PC, or on my wife's S5 there are absolutely zero problems.
Netflix still seems to be flaky right now, so I'm not going to try to get more examples until I get some more feedback.
I have the same issue. I just installed the newest firmware and update and the poroblem is still there. I do have the HK audio installed, maybe I should disable it? It's only an issue with netflix though.
Ordered a chromecast, it better not persist the problem onto that!
Then again youtube has it's own problem, seems to be network throttling to me pauses every 10 seconds or so...Been like that for some time too.
BTW most M8's don't have perfectly flush screens, those seem to be the anomaly rather than the standard. Some are worse than others though. I honestly never really notice it though in use, just when I first purchased.
Justintoxicated said:
I have the same issue. I just installed the newest firmware and update and the poroblem is still there. I do have the HK audio installed, maybe I should disable it? It's only an issue with netflix though.
Ordered a chromecast, it better not persist the problem onto that!
Then again youtube has it's own problem, seems to be network throttling to me pauses every 10 seconds or so...Been like that for some time too.
BTW most M8's don't have perfectly flush screens, those seem to be the anomaly rather than the standard. Some are worse than others though. I honestly never really notice it though in use, just when I first purchased.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to know that the issue is still there with HK (which means you upgraded the audio DSP, right?). I wanted to try that, but since I'm not S-Off I couldn't.
I have hardly used YouTube, so haven't seen a throttling issue...I just watched a few videos long enough to validate there were no sync issues.
No way this is carrier specific. I just installed 4.4.4 Pac man Rom on my nook HD+, then installed netflix. Audio is also out of sync, maybe not quite as bad as the M8 (which is faster) but it is still an issue. It does not look like it affects the chromecast though.
Looks like LG, Motorola Maxx and other phones are also having issues. Might be more or less related to 4.3 / 4.4 android devices.
Well it's not just 4.3/4.4 since my M8 was tested on 4.2.
The only other KitKat device that I tested on was a G5...and it was flawless there.
I suppose though if there are a lot of other devices having issues on KitKat then it definitely may be more of a Netflix problem.
Also, due to the extreme lack of response to my post, and others I have seen over the past year on various devices, most people claim not to see the issue.
I can only believe that (at least on the M8) these people either don't watch closely enough to see/care, or else they are almost impossibly watching only shows that it wouldn't be visible in (which based on my sampling would be pretty amazing).
I have an escalated case with HTC and they should be getting back to me shortly if they can recreate the problem.
At this point I'm just as frustrated that no one else is making this an issue as I am that it is one. If I can get HTC to at least admit that there is a sync issue, then I will at least feel exonerated and perhaps other people will begin admitting that they see issues on their devices as well. If this extends beyond the M8, then likely Netflix is the one that is going to need to be prodded by the public to get their act in gear.
I supposed i would be a nice test if someone had a device that could run something pre KitKat to see if the problem doesn't exist, and if it arises when upgraded to KitKat.
TraderJack said:
Well it's not just 4.3/4.4 since my M8 was tested on 4.2.
The only other KitKat device that I tested on was a G5...and it was flawless there.
I suppose though if there are a lot of other devices having issues on KitKat then it definitely may be more of a Netflix problem.
Also, due to the extreme lack of response to my post, and others I have seen over the past year on various devices, most people claim not to see the issue.
I can only believe that (at least on the M8) these people either don't watch closely enough to see/care, or else they are almost impossibly watching only shows that it wouldn't be visible in (which based on my sampling would be pretty amazing).
I have an escalated case with HTC and they should be getting back to me shortly if they can recreate the problem.
At this point I'm just as frustrated that no one else is making this an issue as I am that it is one. If I can get HTC to at least admit that there is a sync issue, then I will at least feel exonerated and perhaps other people will begin admitting that they see issues on their devices as well. If this extends beyond the M8, then likely Netflix is the one that is going to need to be prodded by the public to get their act in gear.
I supposed i would be a nice test if someone had a device that could run something pre KitKat to see if the problem doesn't exist, and if it arises when upgraded to KitKat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe the lack of response indicates that few people watch Netflix on their PHONE??
Love the screen, but for watching movies I switch to tablet or smart TV....
berndblb said:
Maybe the lack of response indicates that few people watch Netflix on their PHONE??
Love the screen, but for watching movies I switch to tablet or smart TV....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The fact that the phone isn't the optimal media for Netflix doesn't diminish the problem. Although, admittedly I'm sure it is a secondary or tertiary outlet for most...as it is for me, it is still supposed to work (i.e. it is listed as a compatible application). Additionally, it has worked on other phones/versions of android...so there is obviously some issue.
I Netflix doesn't want to support it on phones, because they think it is unimportant, then they should clearly indicate it is not compatible. Since many new phones are 4x+ more powerful than a $40 tabled that runs Android, there isn't a great reason why it shouldn't work fine.
October 15th update of Netflix hadn't made anything better.
HTC was supposed to follow up with me and it has been 3 weeks. I am reaching out to them today to see where they are with their testing.
I originally used the Dirty Santa routine on my Verizon VS995, so it remained on VS99513A for a couple of years. Had all manner of issues over time - apps "failing to respond", YouTube not displaying video but rather black screens, green-screen crashes, etc. Finally had enough and used the LGUP process to return to stock and unroot, of course. I probably (assuming, anyway) could have gone right to the latest Oreo firmware with LGUP, but decided to go to the stock version of VS99513A and then just do the many system updates to get current.
It's now happily sitting on Oreo, and knock on wood it's like having a new phone! It's so much smoother, YouTube is working, lol, battery life is an order of magnitude better and it's working like a phone should work. No one knows the future, of course, but today, I'm happy.
Just passing this along, but I've gone from being ready to trash this thing to being able to enjoy it again without worrying about having to dump some $$$ into something else.
I had originally rooted to get around the Verizon mobile-hotspot check, but I have an unlimited plan that includes it anyway, now, so that's no longer an issue.
Possible placebo effect...
A clean stock unrooted firmware may run smoother than a few custom roms, but not smoother than a rooted version of the exact same rom.
I wouldn't give up on root, even if the best ever unrootable phone was given to me for free (Ad-blocking being the primary reason)
Prowler_gr said:
Possible placebo effect...
A clean stock unrooted firmware may run smoother than a few custom roms, but not smoother than a rooted version of the exact same rom.
I wouldn't give up on root, even if the best ever unrootable phone was given to me for free (Ad-blocking being the primary reason)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Blokada DNS changer. Also working without root. All problems gone. :good: for me the main reason for root is to prevent screen retention. The sucked soooo hart. If there would be an option without root I would also go with an unrooted stock fw.
Prowler_gr said:
Possible placebo effect...
A clean stock unrooted firmware may run smoother than a few custom roms, but not smoother than a rooted version of the exact same rom.
I wouldn't give up on root, even if the best ever unrootable phone was given to me for free (Ad-blocking being the primary reason)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not even a close comparison in my case. Admittedly I'm on Oreo now and not the original Nougat the phone came with (and was rooted with), but it's literally a night and day difference. It wasn't just performance - it was extreme instability, apps that wouldn't work or would constantly go into "not responding" mode, green screens, battery life that was awful to the point where it nearly always needed to be connected to a charger, etc. I'd tap on an app or a function in an app before, and I'd literally have to wait and wait for something to happen at times.
Now? Lightning fast and smooth operation, stability where there was none before, etc. And, as stated, for what I really needed root before (bypassing vendor check for mobile hotspot), it's no longer an issue due to the phone plan I'm on.
I'm not knocking rooting, so don't misunderstand. But for my experience with this phone, going back to stock where I could actually update the version of the OS, as well, has made all the difference in the world for my user experience. YMMV.
Interesting... I haven't tried stock Oreo yet but in every time I flash a new stock rom the phone runs great for 6 months then starts lagging.
oooh meee TOOO! me! meeeee!
Heyitsrick said:
I originally used the Dirty Santa routine on my Verizon VS995, so it remained on VS99513A for a couple of years. Had all manner of issues over time - apps "failing to respond", YouTube not displaying video but rather black screens, green-screen crashes, etc. Finally had enough and used the LGUP process to return to stock and unroot, of course. I probably (assuming, anyway) could have gone right to the latest Oreo firmware with LGUP, but decided to go to the stock version of VS99513A and then just do the many system updates to get current.
It's now happily sitting on Oreo, and knock on wood it's like having a new phone! It's so much smoother, YouTube is working, lol, battery life is an order of magnitude better and it's working like a phone should work. No one knows the future, of course, but today, I'm happy.
Just passing this along, but I've gone from being ready to trash this thing to being able to enjoy it again without worrying about having to dump some $$$ into something else.
I had originally rooted to get around the Verizon mobile-hotspot check, but I have an unlimited plan that includes it anyway, now, so that's no longer an issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Between the GIGANTIC pain in the ass that it was to root this phone (I have a VS995 rooted and on 13a ever since) and all the problems that rooting has caused I'd be ready to undo it all anyway. But due to some problem with internal storage* that started a couple weeks ago, I was fed-up and factory reset the phone. When it boots normally, a check in "about" shows the software status as "modified" but root checker says its not rooted, superSU can't find root (I installed it from play store).. Tried to update via the "system updates" in settings (could not get it to show developer options either).
* The storage issue: I have 50 gigs internal (or something similar) and I get a message that the storage is full and some apps may not work. Not possible, but I humored it and uninstalled everything, cleared cache, downloads cleared, etc ... still showing +/-1 gb free space avail. Factory reset, appears stock, but free space STILL less than 1 GB.
Regretted rooting this phone almost immediately since I still couldn't get rid of certain apps, I had to deal with the camera issues, etc... The only thing positive about it was that my work was unable to install their MDM crap (Mobile Iron shielding Gsuite etc). But anyway, it doesn't look like I'll be able to update the system - I tried it and now it boots to twrp, or boots regularly and then loops around to twrp again. I'm looking for the easiest way to get the phone working (with the persistent problem of internalstorage being full for no reason fixed) and at least reasonably updated. Don't care if it's rooted or not really.
Do you or does anyone have a link to a "play by play" for whatever might work? Its been too long since I rooted it for me to remember the nuances of the procedure so its safe to say that I don't really understand how Android works all that well, so instructions like, "flash xxx 3.2 then flash back to 2 then fastboot and load yer ROM but don't forget the dalvik blah blah" won't work... I'm looking for the idiot's version with hand-holding and everything.
Interesting analysis................ I mainly rooted my older phones due to the need for the mobile hotspot without paying VZ extra charges. However, now that I have the VS995, I was able to download and use the Foxfi app (I paid for the Pro upgrade license) so this left me thinking, do I really need to root my V20 at all? In the past, you couldn't run apps that ran many WIFI tools and other tech'y things, but it seems much of that has changed. I don't run custom ROMs so maybe I don't need to root. Would be glad to hear rebuttals on the subject
I received a new VS995 last week and I flash h910 to get FM radio. I could not be happier as I'm on OREO and the device is working perfectly without any issue whatsoever and with latest mk2000 kernel (2.2 beta) general interface performance is working very well - as it should. Hotspot needed a little workaround bit it wasn't too difficult. I wouldn't dream of going back to stock!
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=79939652&postcount=269
I know it's not straight to bootloader unlock and root this phone but it's worth the trouble. I hope my new fone will last and last untill manufactures change mind about removable batter and horrible new aspect ratio! No thanks V30 !
You're right.
There's no good reason to root the v20. Even rooted you can't do things that other phones can do, like enabling monitor mode on the Wi-Fi. Nor have I been able to get an external Wi-Fi adapter to work on it.
0per said:
There's no good reason to root the v20. Even rooted you can't do things that other phones can do, like enabling monitor mode on the Wi-Fi. Nor have I been able to get an external Wi-Fi adapter to work on it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YOU ARE WRONG.
AD BLOCK Yeah they have rootless ad block but they work like ****
screen burn fixes. hows the ghosting?
titanium backup still best option for absolutely all apps getting backed up.
Sorry i have run root too long i cant live without it anymore.
is this happening to just verizon version of LG V20? anyone?
is this happening to just verizon version of LG V20? anyone?
I am now running stock Android 8 with ezV2020 kernel for the DS version. Boot loader unlocked and Rooted.
As far as I can see, it is pretty stable. It was a long and tough process, but having already done the LG F800K it just took some hours to do the LG H990N and not days as the former did to break free.
So... just wanted to tell you guys, and let you know, it is possible. Both Sims are working, screen working, seems smooth and stable and all that.
Well, it was a lot of hoops, but I did think it might be possible - and it was and is.
Used my experience from the F800K on this little guy, and it seemed to have payed off, even if I had forgotten a lot of things or had to gather my thoughts on it.
But what a fight... But there you go.
Although it seems like it might be locked on the 4G, and I wanna have it run 3G as the radiation is much much much smaller compared to 4G. Like it is amazing to see the difference between the 2, one being nearly always in the Green by the testing instrument and the other nearly always in the Red. Just utter terrible. But I a have an app that should work that out, or maybe it just need a code and adjustment. dunno what they done to this. But should be workable. There was this code with putting the mobile number into it that got you into a menu... But I found an application for my new used LG mobile that could do the trick which name alludes me... but wait a minute and I will get it. That will most likely be my first try to fix the issue. 4G Switcher is the name of the app and it should be all clean and free!
Dearly regards
- Darkijah
Update... the good news first.
The H990N is running very smooth with the A8 Rooted with the DS kernel of ezV2020... The bad news... the Rotation and Camera does not work.
Not sure if this was something that happened after I installed Lineage 17.1 A10 and then stored it or if it was a problem before that. I just don't know. It looked like it did fine for me, and yet... apparently some issues. I tried to install a foreign kernel like I had done before, but TWRP would not flash it because the kernel file was foreign to the system. Which is odd as I flashed the mobile with the F800K kernel to get it working first hand, ezV2020 1.0 if I recall correct.
Maybe fastboot or something could installed it, adb whatever - still confused by it all...
Lineage by the way was somewhat horrible, and when I found out the sound from the Phone Jack was utter horrible I quickly turned around back to A8 stock. Although now witnessing these issues. I don't know if those issues where there before or not - or if it was something coming after the restoration from Lineage. A lot of factors can make issues.
But the mobile overall, works with network and it does run very smooth compared to my F800K, at least I seem to feel a difference here. One is slower to react, and the other is just butter smooth.
Not sure if I should toy more around with the stuff... I still have my new mobile incoming at some point when they change the broken screen. Getting a little sick and tired of the Android nonsense everywhere, which is literally is, everywhere. Issues, and looking for work arounds and what not, it is never ending.
Rooting should be as easy as pushing a button - and in my opinion should be default out of the box. No user should need to tinker and toy around with there expensive device to get things in order - the criminal companies purposely working against the users on so many levels. Highjacked the whole thing and filling it up with nonsense in the name of security or what not.
To early to say, but I might have found a fix. That took hours and hours... And still at it. But I have the Camera working and the rotation and it seems to still be running smooth. So... Hopefully no more issues, but I will further test it and try some things. It seems this issue is in all H990N20h stock Roms - I have one left to try out. I just tried a DS stock Rom and after installing the kernel and all, doing all the steps I am now into the system, need more testing if everything works, but... Well the Kernel ezV2020 is DS and now the system is DS, also known as Global if I recall. The TWRP is H990 another dual variant. There are absolutely some options to do, but they only allow 2 images being downloaded from the site and it takes a lot of time trying things out, installing it and making it work in the first place. Hours and hours wasted on this :/
But... just wanted to make an update for you guys Found a solution it seems - although there might come up new issues, usual do with Android, but hopefully it everything works!
You have to use the old version of TWRP to fix the lock issue if you get a screen like that. Very annoying, but the oldest version I have breaks it, and then you can install another higher version thereafter. Wipe out the data, and I have wiped out all else except system, not sure if it is needed overall... But in any case, that is my observations for now. I have used TWRP versions before 3.3.0 to unlock this locking issue.
Another issue is that if you go into the system it seems to delete TWRP, so... There are all these steps to do to make it work, *Sigh*.
H990N20f_00_OPEN_HK_DS_OP_1214 - camera and rotation not working.kdz
H990N20h_00_OPEN_HK_DS_OP_0225 - camera and rotation not working.kdz
H990ds20b_00_OPEN_AU_DS_OP_1108 - Newest DS version and working.kdz
H990N20d_00_OPEN_HK_DS_OP_0920 - Oldest H990N A8 but working.kdz
Here are my data so far.
I don't get it, Android is a madhouse. So after having tried things to get the Camera and the rotation to work in the stock A8, kernels and all... Then now installing the newest that did not work. Now it work all of the sudden. Makes zero sense and typical Android. I thought it might work and just for lunacy of it all I tried to install it to verify it still did not work - and now all of the sudden things that did not work, works even if I did the exact same things. It is an utter madhouse. And just typical Android...
After trying different kernels and what not... Downloading another version that did not work, downloading another and another variant of the DS... Then trying the DS that worked, then trying the oldest of the H990N working, and then trying the Newest of the H990N, and now working...
So once again I seemingly wasted hours and hours on something that now just works... Like this is something that happens all the time working with Android I have found out.
The only thing I can conclude by this, is that the installation of the DS in Partioning DL with boot and recovery unchecked, 4 unchecked in total. Must have done something to it, so it could apparently work for the other main images. At least, that's the best I can do, although I don't see why it would be related to fixing it, but it works now with the main and newest H990N image...
I wonder if my old backups would work with camera and rotation if I installed them... but... I'm not so sure I wanna try... But then again... If so, it would make zero sense. In any case I am now making a backup of the one I know 100% to work with camera and rotation H990N. Then I can always try to restore my old backups and see if the problem is there.
First older backup with the camera and rotation not working, restoring crashed the system now before being restored. *Sigh* Trying the first backup that also had the camera and rotation issue.
Well... At least I got it working, it seems. So, so far so good I guess...
My oldest backup got restored, and the Camera and rotation now works... Seems far out, but it is android so not a big surprize I guess. Faulty by design.
Anyway I will try to restore my second backup again and hope for the best... It must have been the H990DS Rom that fixed something while installing it, although have no idea why, and can make no sense of it.
Got my second backup up restored this time... The Camera and Rotation works... Like... I just don't know what could change here. But it started out working when I installed the H990ds stock so I guess it must have something to do with that, beside that I have no idea.
Seems the sickness went away from one mobile and planted itself on the other... I feel more and more that Satans minions are doing these things... Whatever the case, now my daily working mobile is having Camera problems all of the sudden... This is insane, 2 mobiles which should have nothing to do with each other, one mobile having a camera issue, and solving itself all of the sudden, and now the other mobile is infected... Like, just, just give me a break...
You gotta be kidding me, it now also have the turn issue!... This is utter insanity... Like seriously.... *Sigh* What is going on here.
Thinking seriously that a hammer can fix everything!
I downloaded US996 now that US996 is used so much for the F800 mobiles variants, well my F800K did absolutely not like that, I tried it twice and got nothing. It changes partitions apparently - It never loaded up in the system at all.
Anyway, so knowing that the H990DS stock seemed to have fixed the screen issue and rotation issue on my H990N version, I installed that on the F800K and the system worked, and with camera and rotation, although you need a lower version of TWRP to get through the security nonsense as seems to be standard. Well, the H990DS version worked on the F800K and I wonder if it might be a better choice overall to use for it. But it did look pretty good and no Korean nonsense text. Well... I am now restoring my backup of my former system with the sickness that I made before all this, and see if it has fixed it like it did with my H990N. Need to restore +50 GB because of TWRP programming nonsense and then we will see if the Camera and rotation has sorted itself out.
Interesting if it fixes both variant phones... And maybe then it might be better just to use that version on both phones, not sure...
If it sorts it out at least, I think we have a good indication that the DS version H990ds20b_00_OPEN_AU_DS_OP_1108 is a cure for this sickness, it seems.
The F800K seemed to become more sick and skype did not work and it was terrible slow to respond :/ And then of cause the camera and the rotation did not work either. Not sure what is up with that sadly. Not sure what the overall issue is. Maybe I need to keep to the older versions of TWRP or... Dunno...
But I might try the DS version on both systems, if it fixes the 2 main issues, it might not ever come on it. Maybe... Or maybe it just fixes it overall after having been installed, no idea.
I wonder if twrp-3.2.3-0-h990 might also be used on the F800K - if the US996 is not so compatible with the phone, maybe the TWRP is not so compatible either... And the H990 should be close to the DS and H990N version as far as I know...
Restoration failed.... ohh no.... hmmm - might be that the H990DS is different in regards of partitions I wonder...
I will try again and if it fails again, I will install the right stock image and see if it wanna change some partitions and thereby show if there is anything different which might break the beta full partitioning backup. The foolish nonsense of backing up a lot of empty space. Utter insane, but overall Android is insanity.
I feel that the TWRP programmers are lead by Satan, some of these choices that is found is just outrageous. But if you wipe out the competition you can rule over it all, the same with Magisk if there is no competition then it is easy for them to stir the boat. If programs takes the lead and crush everybody else, then they can begin to play tyrants and promote insanity.
Anyway, most likely will get another fail with the backup, partitioning being different in size or something. As TWRP forces this bull**** on the users, and many other things. But can't complain about it, then the blotting pen comes by here on the forum. Censorship, as always, nothing new these Satanic days of hating Truth.
Anyway, I will fix the F800K image and then restore things, that should do it. Then again, it might be better to jump on that DS image overall... *Sigh*
And see if I can get my data with me... Usually also makes issues, because programmers makes it near impossible for users to easily do what they wanna do.
We can't have to much freedom you see...
58 GB's... insanity and waste of time. Programmers love to put that bull**** on us, Android is faulty by design and the programmers outrageous following blindly along pushing more garbage - oh how I wish the Linux Pine or Librem phones had been closer to running as a daily. I would not be on this Android jail bull****, and insanity land of wasting my time with things which should have taken 1 second to fix without breaking anything and yet ends up taking months. Sick sick sick.
Android seem nothing related to Linux, no freedom, no nothing. Just Tyrant companies and programmers, ads all over and other filth. Well the progress is 42 GB and going, getting close to the breaking point I guess.
XDA is full of ads as well, same as all the website with any android stuff - ugly and disgusting filth. Because no website can be run without any ads, apparently...
Yup the restoration failed... but if the partitioning is different then it is no surprise when TWRP programmers program like drunkards full of demons.
Hopefully will soon have figure this out so I can wipe out windows 10 and get on linux... but using LGUP which is running on windows. Don't think there is a Linux version as far as I know. Okay system installed, although it did not give me any warnings of changing the partitioning... I wonder... If it will now restore my backup and if not... then I am in trouble. As this was my main phone... I should have copied everything from the internal to the Micro SD card before doing this.
Should have taken my precautions as Android never seem to do what is expected of it. Always new wacky loony things incoming from all sides. A backup should work but don't expect it too.... Because, Bull****.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
I guess he never tried Android...
The error restoration in TWRP could also be related to the version of TWRP, dunno I might have used the old version. Can't remember, but have to take that into consideration as well... As it did not seem to do anything with any partitioning when I ran the H990N stock image.
In any case the H990N stock image is loaded this time - I will restore it with the old TWRP, and if that fails again try a newer version of TWRP and redo it again again again...
So many factors play in, and downgrading for this and upgrading for that. Because... that's Android.
Well, it restored it although with some errors, but not the overall error. Something about some folders it could not enter, which I have seen before. I don't think it is a problem but... I will just test out the Camera and rotation and then go back and restore it with the newest version of TWRP that I have working and see if I get the same issues. The BIG moment... Have it worked? Rotation works... next... Camera works!
Whatever seems to be the issue the H990ds20b_00_OPEN_AU_DS_OP_1108.kdz takes care of it and one can just return to the former stock version or restore the backup.
And I do wonder if I should just install the H990ds20b version on both mobiles really... Seems to be able to run on both variants of the LG that I have.