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[Q] Main reason to install custom ROM's on WP7

Hi,
I have been a WP user for a very long time (A journey which started with HTC Artemis)
I had started using the custom ROM's provided by some amazing chef's over here compared to what MS was dishing out.
I am not having the WP7 from the first day it had launched (Started with the mozart and now on lumia 800)
I have not yet tried to root the mobile or install a custom ROM in this as for the first time I am loving what MS has given.
Since there are quite a lot of people here who are using custom ROM and also rooting their devices I was wondering what I am missing.
If you have rooted your device or installed a custom ROM please let me know the advantages of rooting and/or installing a custom ROM.
I had searched the threads and could not find an answer anywhere so if this was posted somewhere before apologies.

This has definitely been asked (and answered) before, but the short version is that custom ROMs give deeper access to the system (ability to replace system files, which are locked in ROM, and ability to completely bypass the security system, for example). They also can include the best firmware features from multiple different OEMs. Current "rooting" ability gives less complete access than a custom ROM (for example, native EXEs aren't supported yet, although that's being worked on and should be available soon), but also maintains the OS's ability to receive official updates. Stock ROMs are also less likely to have bugs than custom ROMs, though they typically also offer fewer features.
Of course, part of it comes down to the model of phone you have. LGs can be rooted, but don't get custom ROMs. Lumia 710s (and a very lucky few Lumia 800s) can get custom ROMs, but we havent' been able to root their stock ROMs.

I had checked a few threads but did not find the complete list of benifits in one central place hence this thread.
I am giving below the benefits of rooting based on my little knowledge. It would be great if some one would be able to add to this very small list.
Pro's of rooting
1) Can install the best firmware for your phone regardless of your carrier and your location.
2) Can side load apps which are not approved by MS and not in the marketplace
3) SMS tones
4) Using the phone as mass storage (Not sure about this one)
5) Change the available fonts and metro theme colors
A very small list from me so it would be really great if someone could expand and also correct if the above list is wrong.

I just really dont know if I should custom rom mine. I have so many sms and mms, couple of my games are finished, and final fantasy is still halfway through. Carbon isnt in the marketplace anymore but I still have it. Also messages in whatsapp viber and kik, risking all those for full unlock and homebrew apps that I need but lived without since I bought a titan. If it were possible to export messages, and game progress, and import them back, then I'd definitely custom rom mine, else I'll just have to get a lumia 920 and then do a custom rom.

Ability to send all files through bluetooth to other phones is also great, you should really consider jailbreaking.

NeuroXT said:
I just really dont know if I should custom rom mine. I have so many sms and mms, couple of my games are finished, and final fantasy is still halfway through. Carbon isnt in the marketplace anymore but I still have it. Also messages in whatsapp viber and kik, risking all those for full unlock and homebrew apps that I need but lived without since I bought a titan. If it were possible to export messages, and game progress, and import them back, then I'd definitely custom rom mine, else I'll just have to get a lumia 920 and then do a custom rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's defenetly worth trying out the 7.8 rom, with the windows phone 8 startsceen!! (link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1908624)
I'm sure you won't regret this one!!! (Microsoft is said to release this February 2013!)
And after you have the Nokia apps (Maps, Music, Drive, City Lens & Counters) you won't let the custom rom's go!!!
(Use this HSPL guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=32097753&postcount=14)
For the backing up part: USE CABSENDER! (http://xboxmod.sylvester20007.com/TOOLS/WP7-Update-Cab-Sender.rar) (as Admin)

Thanks sianto I really appreciate it, but I've read some posts around that backing up via cabsender and after installing a custom rom, you won't be able to use that backup anymore as the ID changes per rom install. Is this true? Is it not like in android where you perform a full nand backup and restore anytime?

NeuroXT said:
Thanks sianto I really appreciate it, but I've read some posts around that backing up via cabsender and after installing a custom rom, you won't be able to use that backup anymore as the ID changes per rom install. Is this true? Is it not like in android where you perform a full nand backup and restore anytime?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it is unstable sometimes! But you just need to copy the folder xxxxx - xxxxx - xxxxx - xxxxx - xxxxx
x: is something random
from an temp folder called Windows Phone Update C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Phone Update
to an safe location, and (after flashing) place it back (with still an extra copy on a safe location) and just use R.
It "should" work!

Removing App info

I've been having quite a difficult time with an application that simply does not want to disappear and I have no idea how they're doing this.There's a game called Knights & Dragons and after I used titanium backup to restore my game [not thinking] after flashing a new ROM it suddenly got stuck in a reloading loop. I've tried to contact the developers over the matter but 1. it's GREE and 2. they're probably under the impression that i've been cheating.
SO. I decided that I'll just whipe it and make a new account and start from scratch not bothering. I just played casually so it's not a big issue really. Something to do with my kids and brother.
I've done a full out factory reset more than once, installed different ROMS including different playstore versions, cleared data under apps options, looked under android/data/ for any game files i may have missed floating on the system, spoof data through XPrivacy which works on everything else, tried PDroid, made a new google account and downloaded through that and nothing.
Every time it still loads up my old game thats glitched/banned [unsure which it is] and I have no idea how. All data that I know of has been deleted and the phones data including google acc/key has been legitly changed AND i'm spoofing on top of it. There should be absolutely NO way the game associates itself with my device yet it does which leads me to believe that somewhere on my phone something is hidden. Does anyone have any ideas?

Same issue
Did you get it to work?
I'm also after what are they using to identify the device. Can't figure out.
If you fixed it, can you please let us know?
Thanks

Do you have a full backup from your stock ROM ? (you can restore and start over for real)
You should have your stock ROM and then flash other ROM over it, simply because custom ROMs are overwritten to the previous ROM and if some file are corrupted they should get fixed
Repair shops usually have devices to hard flash your android device into an stock Recovery and ROM, you may try that too

Bumble (dating app) install issue / possible hack?

Hey guys,
so I lately had a bunch of issues with my Samsung and had to restore several backups etc after failed firmware updates.
Sometimes I lost a few apps, had to reinstall it, etc - it was a HUGE mess. I'm fairly certain at some point bumble downgraded me because I had so many reinstalls/reactivations/etc.
Here's the issue - I'm trying to create a new account and its easy to get around geo-location, IP and new phone-number and verification but I'm fairly certain they also track my device-ID or device-IDs if that changed with the backup/restores/reactivations.
I downloaded device-ID-changer and all the apps show up, ASIDE bumble... I'm wondering if I screwed up something like the registry (if android has something like this) with all the re-installs... the app opens, works, all good, but I can't sign up on this device because of the ID.
I'm on Pie so every app has a separate ID but Device ID changer cant find app.bumble.com.
I can sign up just fine from my tablet (on Nougat) - set geo-location/proxy/verification, easy - works every time, but as soon as I log in on phone I'm getting kicked off.
Where could the issue be? Why can't Device ID changer not find the app? Is there a way to find out if something went wrong with the install? I HIGHLY doubt they hardcoded all my device IPs in the installer (tried offline installs as well, so 0 change they send data down)
Could someone check if Device ID Changer 2019 can find com.bumble.app in the list on their phone?
thanks

Google Factory Reset Protection & used phones

Hi all,
I'm a bit confused at the moment.
My mum dropped her phone and needs a new one. I was able to retrieve all her data and would also like to set up a device for her with a minimal custom rom, etc.
Now, she doesn't have a lot to spend on a phone, so the logical decision would be to get a good used device. That's when I learned of FRP. However, I'm unsure how exactly it works.
Is there any way to get around it, at all, without having the Google account data? (And without sending it to the manufacturer, as that would surely raise the costs, making it pointless.)
I've read on a few threads that it's possible to re-flash the stock firmware, but then someone wrote that the account still was needed to install custom roms.
Is this heavily dependent on the device or are there some general rules to follow?

NovusDeus said:
Hi all,
I'm a bit confused at the moment.
My mum dropped her phone and needs a new one. I was able to retrieve all her data and would also like to set up a device for her with a minimal custom rom, etc.
Now, she doesn't have a lot to spend on a phone, so the logical decision would be to get a good used device. That's when I learned of FRP. However, I'm unsure how exactly it works.
Is there any way to get around it, at all, without having the Google account data? (And without sending it to the manufacturer, as that would surely raise the costs, making it pointless.)
I've read on a few threads that it's possible to re-flash the stock firmware, but then someone wrote that the account still was needed to install custom roms.
Is this heavily dependent on the device or are there some general rules to follow?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
FRP isn't an issue if the device is properly reset, many people don't.
FRP on most Android devices can be bypassed, just do a search on YouTube for FRP, the device and current Android version.
Best to ask the seller if the device is FRP locked before buying.
Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk

The problem is that most sellers don't seem to even know about this, as it's done automatically opt-out (I didn't either, but my phone is already older than Android 5 and I've just used it with Lineage all the time and didn't bother).
I've talked to a handful of sellers online now and asked them if their accounts were removed, but they always just reply with "sure, the phone is factory reset", then you have to explain to them what FRP even is and why they need to check manually. Some didn't even respond after that yet, one still didn't fully get my issue. It's a complete mess, I just wanted to buy a used phone for my mum.
sd_shadow said:
FRP on most Android devices can be bypassed, just do a search on YouTube for FRP, the device and current Android version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the hint, I didn't even consider looking on Youtube. I've had a quick search and I can see that it's easier to show the instructions that way, so no wonder I haven't found much concrete info.
However most I've seen just replace the Google account with their own one. I presume you would swap out the account with your own, then disable FRP and delete the account? Does that work?
My mum doesn't have a Google account, I have one, but I don't really want it sitting on there. I didn't even plan on installing any Google services to begin with..

How to know if Android phone was flashed?

After paying to have my phone flashed (Honor 20e), how do I know if the person really did the agreed job or simply did a hard reset?

Flashed with what? Why?

With stock ROM, to eliminate spyware.

by risking more spyware ignoring that stock always has spyware?
my guy, flash it your self with an aftermarket OS like GrapheneOS, /e/OS or OmniROM.
you don't avoid espionage by walzing into the spymaster's den!

Ok… factory resetting would also remove bad software…

traman124 said:
Ok… factory resetting would also remove bad software…
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LMAO no, Android (from google or honor or any other phone maker) comes with "bad software", a factory reset won't do anything!
again, get /e/OS or grapheneOS or OmniROM for your phone and flash it your self! get rid of anything that comes from Honor/Google like GMSCore that can be replaced by MicroGapps
though I very much congratulate you on wanting to escape the goolag! now get to hacking!

I think he was referring to bad software that he installed and wanted to clean wipe his phone.... I don't think he was trying to degoogle...
If you were, Lineage OS or /e/OS with microG and Aurora let's you get apps without Google services
@burbank_ what do you mean by bad software?

Yep, I meant spyware that the perpetrator installed on my phone, allowing them to monitor my activity, listen to my calls, and possibly even control my phone.
So yes, I want to clean wipe, and I don't think I can be sure to have removed the spyware with just a hard reset..?

There's no way I know of to check, but a factory reset would remove all the apps from the user partitions (including the spyware).
I looked for stock firmware for the 20e everywhere and found nothing (except a sketchy download link that downloaded some random firmware for the Honor 8X) so your person probably cheated you (unless he works for huawei/honor and has access to some files that the Internet does not).
A factory and cache reset from Android Recovery (press Power + Volume Up and select factory reset, cache reset, reboot in order) would remove spyware for the most part.....

Ok, thank you (and qwerty too)!
I'll probably install a custom ROM myself then, just to be sure. Can you recommend what to install, I'm interested in something with all the Android functionality I've gotten used to...?

It's a huawei... You can't unlock the bootloader

traman124 said:
It's a huawei... You can't unlock the bootloader
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
maybe only through the phone, I did a quick search and allegedly huawei maybe would allow you to unlock it, but as I suspected there is always a BROM exploit to be had: https://www.xda-developers.com/huawei-honor-bootloader-unlock-potatonv/
though the link is a bit dated, I do believe potatonv should support the Kirin 710F SoC
also, if you want to remove spyware, you remove anything that contains data collection I.E. google services and whatever the CCP mandates their OEMs install

Thnx, I'll look into it. What about other custom ROMs you've mentioned, though, would there be difficulties in flashing it with one of them?
Also, I've another question. I contacted another mobile repair service and they've told me they have special access to stock ROMs through "programmers they hire", so they can install a stock ROM for my Honor 20e. Is this possible/ unlikely/ trying to cheat me?

well I don't know about the other ROMs, ever since AOSP introduced Projet Trebble the promise was of Generic System Images, but they don't exactly exist because just like with UEFI, the OEMs implementation is broken so you still have to look for an aftermarket OS that is speciffically tailored for your device
that repair shop are likely trying to scam the heck out of you or actully know what they are doing and have a fresh image they pulled from a brand new phone and that "programmers they hire" thing that sets off alarms in my head is likely just them explaining it as simple as possible

burbank_ said:
After paying to have my phone flashed (Honor 20e), how do I know if the person really did the agreed job or simply did a hard reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it seems there is a way to find out about the last flashing date - provided it was followed by a Google account initialization:
Go to the Google Dashboard, login with your Google account.
Scroll to the section labeled "Android" and expand it (by clicking its title / the LGM [little green man])
Check for the device in question
Associated, you will find a date of registry. That doesn't reflect the first time a device was added, but the last time the Google account was activated on the device. So if you activate your Google account following a Factory-reset, this field is updated and thus reflects this point-in-time.
Additionally, if phone's Android is rooted, you always can check a directory's creation time below /data/data.

burbank_ said:
After paying to have my phone flashed (Honor 20e), how do I know if the person really did the agreed job or simply did a hard reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why pay for something you can do?

tutibreaker said:
why pay for something you can do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
because you dont want to