Related
Note--forums ate my formatting. going to try and fix it....
Fascinate FAQ and Checklist
Most of the errors people run into are pretty much because they were so excited about learning about root and being able flash things on their phone that they forgot to THINK. Many of the items in this list are “obvious”. But, for anyone who has spent anytime in the Q&A forum it is clear that people often don’t consider the basics before taking the plunge.
So, what to do? There have been studies and research which shows that we are less likely to make errors and gloss over important steps if we can work off a checklist. So, I’m trying to develop a checklist of things people should go through BEFORE they flash anything to their phone. The goal here is prevention of errors that are easily avoidable. and is not to produce a step-by-step “How To” guide.
If you think the checklist is dumb, fine. Don’t use it. But, don’t thread crap; ignore it and let it fall down the page into oblivion. What I am looking for is constructive criticism and anything you think could make it better or more complete.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can I flash XYZ For the Verizon Fascinate?
BEFORE ANYTHING— I CERTIFY I HAVE READ THE FORUMS, GUIDES, AND WALKTHROUGHS. I FURTHER CERTIFY THAT I KNOW I AM OVERWRITING THE OPERATING SYSTEM ON MY PHONE. I KNOW THAT IF I FAILED TO DO THE RESEARCH BAD THINGS MAY HAPPEN THAT WOULD BE ENTIRELY MY OWN FAULT.
Follw each step down the list. Do not go on if you do not understand a question.
1. Do I own a Fascinate?
Look at your paperwork and packaging. Do you remember for fact that it’s a fascinate?
Menu->Settings->About phone-> Is your hardware verson “I500.04”
2. Am I on Verizon wireless?i. Menu->Settings->About phone-> Status-> Network = “verizon Wireless” If Yes, you Go to #3.ii. If No, you may not have a Fascinate or you may have flashed your Fascinate to another carrier. In either case you should STOP and do further research. Flashing something to a non-Fascinate or to a heavily modified Fascinate will take much more research than this checklist can provide.3. Is what I am flashing designed for the Verizon Fascinate?a. Make sure the ROM/THEME/MOD you are flashing says it is:i. For the Fascinate
ii. For Verizon.4. What version of Android OS am I currently on?a. Have you flashed anything prior?i. No—You are probably on stock Éclair. It is likely you will need to install a compatible Clockwork Recovery and WIPE DATA if going to Froyo.ii. Yes—You are probably on “froyo”. 5. Do I have Clockwork Recovery installed?a. Yes. Continue to the next step.
b. No. You will need to install CWR. Proceed to the next step to ensure you install a compatible version but be sure to install it.6. Is Clockwork compatible with the ROM/THEME/MOD/KERNEL?i. Does the ROM/THEME/MOD/KERNEL specify needing amend or edify scripting?ii. Does the ROM/THEME/MOD/KERNEL say it needs a certain color CWM?iii. Does the ROM/THEME/MOD/KERNEL say it needs CWM 2.5 or 3.0?7. Have I charged the battery to 100% prior to flashing a new ROMIf yes, proceed.
If no, let it charge to avoid needing to wipe battery stats.8. Am I at home or somewhere I can make use of Odin in case something goes wrong?If yes, proceed.
If no, wait to flash.9. Do I have anything to do soon or will I need my phone in the next 3 hours?
Don’t rush. You are seting yourself up for failure. If you need the phone soon you are setting yourself up for tears.
10. Do I have an Odin image and software handy (or an internet connection OTHER THAN MY PHONE) to download an image in case something goes wrong.No. Get it. We’ll wait
Yes, continue.11. Are there special instructions for installing this particular ROM/THEME/MOD/KERNEL?
If so, FOLLOW THOSE INSTRUCTIONS. Do not take short-cuts unless you are willing to troubleshoot FC hell or bootloops (not fun, quite unlike Fruit Loops).
Be sure you download the appropriate voodoo/nonvoodoo ROM/kernel
12. Have I made a BACKUP?
If, no stop and backup your phone. You can’t get it back.
Yes, proceed.
13. Have I wiped caches?
Dalvik (advanced menu) and cache.
Make sure the ROM doesn’t advise you against it.
14. Am I flashing a Kernel?
Is this a Touchwiz or ASOP based ROM? Am I flashing an appropriate Kernel for the ROM type?
15. Flash your ROM/THEME/MOD/KERNEL.
HERP DERP!!!!! Something has gone wrongs!!
Please see DaleV’s excellent guide to unbricking your phone via Odin/Heimdall: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1026746
OR
Gizmodroid’s thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1017817
I know your being serious, and I thank you for the list, but can I laugh at the first few questions even though in my limited time here and on AC i have seen it more than once (today)?
Thanks again for the write up
I added a few checks and will continue to try getting the formatting under control. Please feel free to point out anything I missed.
So, flashing Cyanogenmod7/MIUI on the SGS i9000 is an area covered in many, many tutorials to date. However, the vast majority of them are outdated or just downright confusing, this guide tries to make flashing CM7/MIUI as painless as possible.
DISCLAIMER: This guide is based on my personal experience in flashing CM7/MIUI and i take NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER in whatever untoward happens to your phone and/or life if you follow this. Also, this guide is meant for the SGS I9000GT PHONE ONLY, other variants please do not follow this guide to the letter and download the appropriate files for flashing.
Edit: This guide can be used to flash MIUI roms as well, seeing as they share the same requirements of needing Froyo bootloaders.
MIUI roms available:
1.MIUI Official [MIUI.us]
2. Galnet MIUI [Galnet and team]
3. MIUI+ [Decalc and Mothatt]
4. fitMIUI [Andro!de]
5 Nothing Fancy [spasms]
Note that this is not an exhaustive list.
Okay, lets go
Now, there are 2 ways to go about flashing CM7/MIUI.
1. ROMmanager method.
-Simple, fast but thats another tutorial altogether
2. The ODIN + CWM flashing method.
- That's what this tutorials all about!
NOTE: For those who wish to pursue Method 1, rschenck has written a guide on it.
Okay, now for the tutorial.
Firstly, find out what firmware you are running. Gingerbread bootloaders are now able to run MIUI/CM7. These give better battery life and are thus encouraged.
Go to ->SETTINGS ->ABOUT PHONE and look at what Android/Firmware Version you are running. If you are on 2.3.x, please skip the conditional step, if you are 2.1.x OR 2.2.x, you have to upgrade your bootloaders to 2.3.x.
CONDITIONAL STEP: Upgrade to GB bootloaders. (FOR 2.1.X AND 2.2.X FIRMWARE VERSIONS ONLY, 2.3.X FIRMWARES PLEASE SKIP THIS SECTION.)
Go to EZboot page.
1. Go to that website and download the Gingerbread bootloaders.
2. Download Odin, if you haven't done so already.
3. If you don't have Kies, you would need Samsung Drivers, which you can easily find around this forum. I believe its a sticky somewhere.
4. Open Odin and put your phone in download mode before connecting it.
5. Set up Odin as per picture in the link provided(The gingerbread one)
6. Flash and wait for reboot!
/END OF CONDITIONAL STEP.
2. Acquiring CM7/MIUI.
CM7 users: CM7 uses the term Nightlies, which are actually so called "experimental" builds that are updated, well, nightly. Despite it being called experimental, most nightlies are actually stable for "everyday usage". So don't be scared to flash 'em!
So,
1. Download the latest(topmost) version of CM7 or the various MIUI roms. (Links above)
2. Transfer the .zip file onto your phone through ADB push or USB cable.
3. Make sure your phone is not connected to your computer or anything. You're almost there!
Third, Flashing time.
1. Boot into recovery mode using the following method.
(a) Phone off.
(b) Press in the following order: VOLUP, HOME, POWER.
2. Now you have to clean out your phone.
-Wipe CACHE
-Go into advance options, WIPE DALVIK CACHE
-Go into mounts and storage. FORMAT SYSTEM, DATA AND CACHE. (Three separate moves)
3. Go to 'Install zip from sdcard' and scroll to your CM7/MIUI .zip file.
Flash.
Wait for reboot. And. You are done.
Congratulations, you are now running CM7/MIUI.
For CM7 users: Go get GAPPs(Google Apps) for Android Market and other android apps. Stay updated by flashing updated Nightlies.
[Small expansion of guide] Flashing from MIUI
If coming from MIUI rom, and wishing to switch to CM7(or vice versa)
1. Download newest version of CM7(or MIUI, whichever the case) and place in phone.
2. Boot into recovery. Format Cache and System. Not necessary to format Data(will erase all apps) but is recommended for stability purposes. You can backup your apps using Titanium Backup or use the native backup app in MIUI.
3. Install from zip and choose the correct file. Flash it.
Done.
Please comment if this was helpful to you. And THANK if it helped you!
Credits:
codeworkx - http://twitter.com/codeworkx
coolya - http://twitter.com/dumdidum
guiper -http://twitter.com/guiperpt
-All for CM7
nitr8 - For EZboot
rschenck - For his guide
And of course, myself for writing this.
Thank you, Very useful
mrsufgi said:
Thank you, Very useful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks glad it helped
slotteh said:
Now, there are 2 ways to go about flashing CM7.
1. ROMmanager method.
-Simpler, faster BUT requires premium version of ROMmanager(purchasable in market)
Note: Premium version not required but that's another tutorial altogether.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this is supposed to be the definitive non-confusing guide, but I started reading your guide and 10 secs into it, you've posted confusing info:
info 1 - you state this first method requires PREMIUM ROMmanager
info 2 - in the very next sentence you state 'PREMIUM version not required"
After reading the rest of your guide, I have to conclude that it's just as - if not more than - confusing as other 'user guides' found in these forums. Your guide is only suitable for people who have learned by trial and error and are already comfortable with the nuances of wiping and flashing their phone.
Experienced users like myself have done it so many times I could do it with my eyes closed now, so I already know how to avoid missteps even if given incomplete, misleading or outright contradictory instructions, which your guide is full of.
I wish I had the time to go through the errors with a fine toothed comb, but I honestly don't at the moment (@work). That said, this guide either needs a complete re-write to improve readability and logic flow, or just be removed altogether.
evilsopure said:
After reading the rest of your guide, I have to conclude that it's just as - if not more than - confusing as other 'user guides' found in these forums. Your guide is only suitable for people who have learned by trial and error and are already comfortable with the nuances of wiping and flashing their phone.
Experienced users like myself have done it so many times I could do it with my eyes closed now, so I already know how to avoid missteps even if given incomplete, misleading or outright contradictory instructions, which your guide is full of.
I wish I had the time to go through the errors with a fine toothed comb, but I honestly don't at the moment (@work). That said, this guide either needs a complete re-write to improve readability and logic flow, or just be removed altogether.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright thanks for the feedback. It's the first guide I've tried to write so I think I've messed up a lot probably. I'll definitely try to re-write it. But thanks for the criticism.
Also, you've identified one area where I'm not very clear(ROManager part) and thanks for that. Do you have other specific examples of my post which are error-filled so that I can work on them? I want this thread to work. Thanks again
Have updated and removed contradictory statements.
Is it wrong this passage ?
1. Download the latest(topmost) version at : http://insanity.rollus.net/EZbase/img/sc/ezodin.png
Lord Style said:
Is it wrong this passage ?
1. Download the latest(topmost) version at : http://insanity.rollus.net/EZbase/img/sc/ezodin.png
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is. Thanks very much for the spot
Edit: Edited it already. Thanks again
Thanks to slotteh for this guide.
Now I have CM 7 Nigthly 15 in my phone.
Stable cm7? Not for the sgs
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App
Mothatt said:
Stable cm7? Not for the sgs
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i've been a little confused looking for it. I'll edit it.
slotteh said:
Yeah i've been a little confused looking for it. I'll edit it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@slotteh
one more MIUI rom, you may want to update your OP
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1184066
krarvind said:
@slotteh
one more MIUI rom, you may want to update your OP
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1184066
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks will do
Updated to include GB bootloaders flashing
what recovey do i need to install cm7 as it doesn't say or how do i install with odin
Are you sure if it's safe to flash MIUI rom with GB Firmware on every single one of the roms? I'm really considering fitMIUI, any suggestions?
Thanks for a nice guide.
bootloader
How i can flash only a new bootloader without lose all data?
Revise?
This section is not clear...
"Go to ->SETTINGS ->ABOUT PHONE and look at what Android/Firmware Version you are running. If you are on 2.2.x, please skip the conditional step, if you are 2.1.x OR 2.2.x, you have to upgrade your bootloaders to 2.3.x. "
I think this is a 'contradictory' point...
Otherwise, if this was a little proof-read, could be a dang good guide.
F x
Hi sorry for all late replies, have been a little busy, you may already have gotten answers to these but still,
got-petrol said:
what recovey do i need to install cm7 as it doesn't say or how do i install with odin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need Clockworkmod Recovery and unless you're coming from a stock rom, you should already have this.
In either case, onstallation of EZbase from odin has been covered pretty well here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1089989
It's really simple to follow, just make sure you have a full battery while flashing via odin.
I have an iconia tab getting shipped to me as of this post. I fairly knowledgeable about rooting and roms ( have done many roms and recovery from my cell phone).
I am sorry if some was explained on different threads, figured I would just ask them all here.
Since I haven't messed with the os at all, is there a lot of advantages from stock os to custom os?
Is there any reason to create a ext partition on sd.?
Is custom recovery installed easy, hopefully not uninstall to easy.?
Is there anyways to get data from Titanium backup on the tablet.
I am sure I may have a few more questions when I receive the tablet.
Any help on these questions would be great.
Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk
All your questions are answered in the forums. You'll get your answers MUCH faster if you follow the rules and actually search before asking.
To be helpful, I'll give you ONE of the answers.
Custom recovery is very easy to install IF you don't have a 3.2.1 ROM preinstalled. If you have this version, you can still install but it's a more complex process. Read the guides in the development section and DO NOT attempt to use ROM manager or a generic CWM.
if you root you can use drivemount to be able to use external hd's formatted in ntfs. Which is the reason I rooted.
1. There's no general answer, as it depends on the ROM you use (some are more-or-less stock, others aren't even based on Acer stock)
2. I haven't had any reason to do anything like that, as I keep basically only my apps (with their data) and my linux chroot on the internal memory... Other than that, search the forum for instructions on how to switch internal <-> external memory (just a config hack, nothing spectacular and completely reversible)
3. It used to be almost ridiculously easy, but a recent update made it more complex. Details are in the forum (and partly in FloatingFatMan's post above).
4. As Titanium backup even runs fine on ICS, you'd expect it to work on HC... which it does.
FloatingFatMan said:
All your questions are answered in the forums. You'll get your answers MUCH faster if you follow the rules and actually search before asking.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did do a some searches already , and found a lot of information. The people here are always helpful so I thought instead of just asking one question that I didn't know the answer to I would ask all of them I had.
To be honest I do love loading roms and enjoy the phone rooted atm, but a tablet is much more expensive device and want to try to avoid any conflicts with roms (There are so many I do not know where to start).
Here is my plans on the tablet atm.
Root it, load custom recovery (Clockwork?)
Doing a Nandroid backup of stock rom.
Loading Titanium backup and possibly transfering some data from the phone SD to acer sd, such as psx roms, and other misc stuff.
will look into different roms and see what works for my needs and hopefully avoid the rom cycle that I see with phone roms ,( Seems 3 month and support drops and different projects happen).
Plan on trying stock rom a little rooted before going into custom roms.
This is my current plan, but if anyone else has some suggestions that would be great.
FloatingFatMan said:
Custom recovery is very easy to install IF you don't have a 3.2.1 ROM preinstalled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, actually its still really easy you just have an extra step.
download the 3.0 downgrade
place it on sd card root directory
reboot holding volume down and power
?????
profit!
after that, just run iconiaroot and acer recovery installer (install both before downgrading) and you're golden, root with CWM. flash a rooted 3.2.1 stock or custom, its that easy.
you are right about one thing though, you can easily find the answer to every question in this thread on these forums.
edit- also, TC, i've found the most stable and functional roms to be stock. i ran a few customs (the best of which was flexstriker) but always found stock to run better and be the most stable, both the rooted 3.2.1 a500 rom and the rooted 3.2.1 a200 port have been great for me. you can go custom if you want, I'm just putting in my two cents.
Note from rootsu:
XDA staff have transferred ownership of this thread to me so that I can update the rooting methods. The reason for this is because the rooting method contained within is outdated and since identified as unsafe.
I have PM'd the original OP @Stormlister to update the thread but unfortunately have received no response.
I aim to keep the structure of the thread in tact. I am only here to edit out / replace outdated and unsafe methods contained within this thread. The work below is not my own.
Disclaimer:
This guide is for total noobs (I am one myself). Until the information here can be confirmed by an experienced person please don't bet on the fact that this information is 100% accurate. I studied and put together bits and pieces of information that I found everywhere, tried it and it worked. I will mention the sources. Even though its probably not a good idea for a noob to write any sort of guide, these were taken from working sources, I have tried it myself and all works flawlessly.
About me:
I write open source software and also write documentation.
Why:
I wrote this tutorial as I found the scattered information all over kinda confusing on the subject of flashing, wiping and ROMS.
Who's it for?
You already know what you want to do, but don't know where to start.
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting Started - Rooting
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Root means you are opening the operating system to allow a user or application full read and write access. This is needed by some special applications to change operating system files. For example the "Adfree" application changes system files to block certain domains which completely stops ads from showing up on your phone. Unlike other systems like in the iOS, all the root applications are available in the Google Play store, I think Google is great for allowing this.
The main thing I root first even though it is not needed to flash a rom is the fact that you ALWAYS need to make a backup, if something goes wrong you have a something to fall back on and the friendly xda community can help us get things running again.
The easiest way I found to quickly and safely root was by using the following software:
ODIN (Desktop software) (Incorrect usage may make your phone unusable.)
Before you start using Odin, make sure all the Kies* services on your desktop is stopped. (On Windows, you can press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, go to task manager, services and stop it from there). Infact you should consider uninstalling Kies altogether as it is really not needed if you are going to root. There are more than enough backup software that does not add the bloatware.
This piece of genius is a tool to flash among other things a new ROM to your phone.
We will be using this piece of software twice, first to root it, and then to flash your S3 with a new ROM.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<rootsu insert>
Recommended methods to "root" depending on your requirements...
1) You want root only. No custom ROMs, kernels etc. Just root, just to use root apps.
CF Auto Root Via Odin
Why? Tried and tested method, simple to use. No need to choose what exploit you want to use as it's tailored for your device.
What does it do? It gives you a stock recovery (so can't flash things) and roots the Android OS
The Steps:
1) Download the Latest Odin
2) Download CF-Auto-Root for your model
3) Follow These steps to root
2) You want to flash custom ROMs / Kernels
If you want root on your existing Android ROM, you can do 1) first. Then flash a recovery of your choice (CWM, Philz, TWRP) via Odin
However, if you immediately plan on flashing a ROM, there's no need to root your existing ROM. Simply skip straight to installing a recovery. Backup then flash what you like.
The Steps:
1) Download the Latest Odin
2) Download recovery of your choice CWM, Philz, TWRP
3) Follow The steps to Flash Philz recovery (But for the recovery of your choice)
These steps can also be followed to update recovery to newer versions
</rootsu insert>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Difficulty: Easy
After you have completed the tutorial your phone should be rooted and ready to go to the next step.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Backing up
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next thing we will need to do is backup our current apps, settings and even ROM. Now that the phone is rooted we can install a few applications to help with this process. Lets do this now.
In Google Play Store, search and install:
Titanium Backup (Google Play)
With this tool, you will be able to backup application and settings of your current installation.
To do so;
Open Titanium Backup
At some point it will ask for root access, you will need to allow it root access.
Click on Backup/Restore.
It will show you a list of software.
Click the ok tick top right.
It will now show a list of actions you can take.
You will now [ RUN ] Backup all user apps+ system data.
It will flip to a new screen, click top right ok tick again.
The backup process will take a few minutes.
After the backup completes, we will need to copy it to a safe place, just in case something else goes wrong.
With above explained, there are more optimized Titanium Backup methods, this is a must read:
http://checkrom.com/threads/titanium-backup-explained.433/
You could also backup your whole system from the boot menu of ClockWorkMod / custom recovery - which you will already have if you used the rooting method above. Have a look at this short yet very informative video to do just that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPvNr7LqP30&feature=related
Difficulty: Easy
Bear in mind that custom recoveries vary, they all work pretty much the same. The backup is referred to as a "nandroid" backup, but in the recovery menus, it may well be referred to as simply "backup and restore".
To boot into whichever custom recovery you have installed, power off the phone. From off, hold Volume Up + Home then press and hold Power until the S3 splash screen shows. Release power. Once in recovery, find the backup and restore menu and take a backup.
There is one more place you need to manually write down some settings, the APN for your data and MMS, this is the only area besides the branding when another countries stock rom might affect you if you chose to use it. So head over to;
Settings->More Settings->Mobile Networks->Access Point Names.
Click on each and write down its settings.
Backing up EFS folder
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The EFS is a filesystem folder which contains important information like for instance your IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number, even though I cant find any evidence that anyone lost their EFS folder yet, I think it is probably important enough to back it up. First open your favorite file browser like ASTRO and click on your internal build in sdcard0 and see if you have a efs_Backup folder. If you have such a folder its is probably backup up inside already. To be honest, I dont know what backed mine up, but it was there, and it will be likely there if you followed the procedures listed in the collection of this tutorial.
However, the folder is only 6mb, if you don't have such a backed up folder, using an application like KTOOL, gives you the ability to backup the whole "/efs" folder to wherever you like. The external SSD and also your PC would be a good idea to back it up to.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Difficulty: Easy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROM - Hunting for a new rom
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
************************************************************************************************************
My ROM is not YOUR ROM
But I have an S3, wtf is this? Note that when hunting for a ROM that you make sure it is either based on your models ROM or supports your models ROM. The reason this should be noted is because the models are so profoundly different, from Dual Core to Quad Core, from 1GB memory to 2GB memory etc. This means each ROM is optimized of based on a specific model. If you have the GT-I9300, you have the most popular model which has a lot of custom ROMS.
Read more about the differences here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1870827
************************************************************************************************************
This is where I got confused, I did not know if I had to match the code base of my factory stock rom to the rom I wanted. I was afraid that it might flash my modems software making my phone unusable with my service provider. It seems that the rom file is only to flash the actual OS and wont include the modem flash too.
So what ROM to pick, there seems to be very good ROMS out there, but know, the further you go away from the stock rom, the more difficult things become. You might just want to upgrade to the latest Jelly Bean and not worry about an improve stock Samsung rom. Or you might want to take it to a whole new level and perhaps install a pure Android rom (however, I noted a few people having trouble with the pure android rom, you really need to know what you are doing). But as I say, it seems things gets kinda tricky the further you move away from the Stock Rom.
Lets look at a few examples of solid roms:
At this stage we only have one stock rom available in Jelly Bean, this is most probably the safest bet when you only want to upgrade to Jelly Bean (If you do decide to just go with the safest rom, you can just root again after the rom was successfully flashed) [INTERNATIONAL GALAXY S3 ONLY] [DONT USE THIS ROM ON ANYTHING ELSE THAN INTERNATIONAL VERSION (IT WONT WORK)]:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1646610
Now we can start looking at roms based on stock roms that was improved by a linux guru, very good example of such a rom which is very solid is Android Revolution HD, if you have other Samsung devices I would recommend sticking to this one as it comes stock with Allshare Play:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1797334
The most popular OMEGA rom for the S3 international, pure awesomeness:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1663656
Then you get completely customized roms like Cyanogenmod, this is next level roms and should probably only be tried once you are more confident with flashing ( . Y . )
Note that Cyanogenmod is very controversial for the international version of the S3, there are technical issues, and newer stable version is always behind, I would NOT go for Cyanogenmod at the moment..
http://www.cyanogenmod.com/
For a very nice list of roms and some explanations have a look at:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1674286
Now that you have your rom, lets continue.
Difficulty: Easy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wiping & Flashing - Cleaner Flashing Method
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[I will try and confirm all my findings below]
When people refer to the term wipe, it is my understanding that it means to delete the old ROM from various locations. This ensures a more clean installation, almost like its better to install Windows afresh instead of an upgrade. However, this is not Windows, its Linux, I am sure the logic behind this is because the way Linux works, it has certain files in certain directories, that if the file is there, the service is loaded automatically. Now if you had to replace a stock rom with something completely different, some of those auto loaded files will be left behind and you will be stuck with loaded services that should not be there. But this is just my experience, I am not sure if this completely accurate.
This is where things might start becoming slightly confusing. Many people seem to argue that when upgrading from a stock version to another stock version that you don't need to wipe, I completely agree with this, as this will almost be the same upgrade process the default upgrade will follow.
However, if you upgrade to a very different ROM, start paying attention, as things might just get slightly more complicated. This I have not tried myself yet, but it seems that for this to work you wont need Odin.
Some people also recommend formatting and not just deleting, I will even advice against this, this is the EXT4 filesystem, not some NTFS filesystem. I cannot see the real benefit of formatting.
At this stage I don't know how to wipe the phone if you are going to use the alternative Odin flashing method explained below, this I have done, tried and tested, working fine:
[Below method I use to flash my own international S3]
This is what you will be doing to install a custom rom while wiping it for a fresh install (make sure you have your titanium backups handy ):
Copy your ROM inside an easy locatable phone folder by browsing to it, from your PC and copying it to your phones folder using your micro USB cable. I strongly recommend using your External SD card as some roms may wipe your internal SD card leaving you without any ROM to update.. that will be very sad. :crying:
Boot into recovery (Vol up + Home + power from off)
You will see a new Unix like screen appear, use volume + and - to navigate up and down, home button is enter, and soft touch back button back is back.
Next we will wipe the phone (if your ROM does not have special instructions on wiping this is a standard method).
Goto Wipe Data/Factory Reset -> Yes
Goto Wipe Cache Partition -> Yes
Goto Advance -> Wipe Dalvik Cache -> Yes
Next Select Install Zip from SD Card (You may also mount External SD card and load ROMS from external SD card (I can recommend this))
It will take a while...
Reboot, and hope to god all is good.
I can confirm above works perfectly, I have flashed HD Revolution ROM successfully using above method.
BUT PLEASE BE WARNED: HD Revolution recommends using Super Wipe, the instructions are unclear, it says you must copy it to the your sd card, if you do this and copy it to your internal sd card all will be wiped including your images, I think you are screwed then. Rather copy them to your EXTERNAL SD card and choose zip from EXTERNAL SD card.
Or you can see a very clear example video of how to wipe data from your phone in preparation of a new rom;
Be aware, this video shows that you should UNLOCK your bootloader, some phones wont boot after this, don't do it except if you know you have to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJUCOtX1cUk
Difficulty: Medium
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALTERNATIVE Flashing - With Odin
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have not followed the wiping method and you will just be going for the stock updated rom, you should not be needing any wiping, you can just download the stock rom as linked and follow this great guide:
STOCK ROM:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1646610
ODIN GUIDE
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1671969
Difficulty: Medium
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Restoring your data
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After you have are done with a successful flash, we want to recover our apps, but its not just a matter of recovering everything, it will be a mess if you do that.
Many people carry out a backup before installing a custom rom and didnt really understand what kind of backup they should of carried out and have just gone with what they have seen, WRONG!!! when it comes to custom roms there is only one type of backup you can do.
Custom roms have their own system files and dont like other system files being installed over it, you will definitely have rom problems if you carry out this kind of restore from a backup over a custom rom.
When using Titanium Backup its important not to use the settings - backup all system data and backup all user apps + system data, you cant use these with a custom rom, so dont try this kind of backup, this kind of backup is to restore your phone back to its previous state, should something go wrong with the rom installation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Read more detail here:
http://checkrom.com/threads/titanium-backup-explained.433/
Difficulty: Easy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Getting rid of bloatware
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you went for a stock based ROM, you might want to get rid of all the SAMSUNG bloatware that sits in memory and really never gets used.
This is mostly all the "S" software like "S Suggest", I believe not a lot of people is going to use this for instance. And one can't simply uninstall it as it is hiden from uninstalling.
There is a very easy way if you are rooted though (another reason to root). Simply install the little greatness called "Nobloat Free" from the Play store.
Now select those bloatware you dont want and simply uninstall. But make sure it might not be useful for yourself. To give you an idea, "AllShare Play" might sound useless, however, if you have a XBMC media pc, by simply enabling "PNP" in the configuration, you can display photos and videos instantly from your G3, does not matter where you are in XBMC.
Difficulty: Very Easy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unrooting and getting back your Warranty!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At some stage you might want to sell your phone or it is giving you hardware issues that has nothing to do with software. At this stage you want to reset the phone to it 100% factory state and status. It is completely possible, unfortunately it wont work to just update the rom to the stock factory rom as there are built in counters and status writes who flags the phone as modified. However, by following these tutorials, you can quickly reset your phone.
You will need the factory rom for your country, this can be downloaded here:
http://www.sammobile.com/firmware/
Then watch both of these tutorials and decide which one you feel the most comfortable with:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEI_c1R0_nQ&feature=related
And another approach to regaining your warranty:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEsBwtqY2xE&feature=related
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Oops, if you are stuck on a crossroad and you think you might have bricked (term used to define the fact that you made your phone unusable) your phone, following this tutorial will help you out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypmqJbZqOaU&feature=related
Difficulty: Easy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to everyone
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just want to say thanks to the wonderfully smart people who makes rooting possible. It is amazing how much more fun some people can make the life for other. I truly appreciate every bit of it.
Also special thanks to xdadevelopers who keeps an awesome community together.
Odin Greatness!
CF-Root
SuperSu
CWM
CWMManager
ClockworkMod (WTF, this is omg awesome!)
Titanium Backup
Adfree
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congrats on your new firmare!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAQ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JiiNDER said:
Hey I want to thank you so much for your guide! It actually makes rooting a lot easier. I had one question though, if I root and a new official firmware comes out, can I still update to the latest stock rom with Kies even though I will lose my root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It all depends what ROM you loaded, if its not the default factory ROM or based on it, you will have to follow the instructions of the CUSTOM rom provider on how an upgrade should be achieve. Else simply use the newest default rom and simply re-root, should be a very quick to do. Also, dont use KIES if you have already rooted, rather use ODIN and follow the instructions. NOTE: KIES, if left running will make ODIN behave incorrectly.
just a slight correction/heads up.... if you root with cf root then cwm recovery is installed, hence no need to use Rom manager, it's kinda outdated now imho
---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:49 PM ----------
further to that you may want to provide instructions after the rooting process on how to get into recovery and download mode
slaphead20 said:
just a slight correction/heads up.... if you root with cf root then cwm recovery is installed, hence no need to use Rom manager, it's kinda outdated now imho
---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:49 PM ----------
further to that you may want to provide instructions after the rooting process on how to get into recovery and download mode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I will note that above.
The stock rom at the bottom goes to the international version rom. I found this thread in the Sprint version so u might want to note that. If someone were to flash that they wouldn't boot up.
Sent from Galaxy SIII
Added many corrections.
musclehead84 said:
The stock rom at the bottom goes to the international version rom. I found this thread in the Sprint version so u might want to note that. If someone were to flash that they wouldn't boot up.
Sent from Galaxy SIII
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you please explain why you think it wont boot, what exactly would be different that wont make it boot. I believe it will?
Great tutorial for the noobs. Would be really useful for them. :thumbup:
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Stormlister said:
Could you please explain why you think it wont boot, what exactly would be different that wont make it boot. I believe it will?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Different CPU's, different kernels, different drivers, different partitions, different radios and tech (one being GSM the other being CDMA) and the list goes on...
graffixnyc said:
Different CPU's, different kernels, different drivers, different partitions, different radios and tech (one being GSM the other being CDMA) and the list goes on...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the feedback man... will mark it as International Only.
I had question regarding Odin behaving strangely, make sure KIES is stopped in your services. I have added it in the tutorial.
Stormlister said:
I had question regarding Odin behaving strangely, make sure Kiss is stopped in your services. I have added it in the tutorial.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean Kies ? (Samsung) good tut for super noobs btw
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
i would recommend you to recommend not installing Kies at all, or uninstall it if installed.
any backup that you can do with it, can be done by 3rd party apps. it has a lot of security issues. and worst, its slow as hell.
i think a person that want to root his phone and flash a custom rom, will have no need of it anyway.
Edit: thumbs up for the effort! i could have really used such guide when i just started, instead i learned it the hard way!
OverRipeBananas said:
Do you mean Kies ? (Samsung) good tut for super noobs btw
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, yes Kies, thanks for spotting it
Thanks, I'll try this soon! Glad I found this, voiding warranty still sounds scary. I have other rooted devices and sometimes they can blow me away, so I think I'll go for it anyway.
Cheers.
MrEdgar said:
Thanks, I'll try this soon! Glad I found this, voiding warranty still sounds scary. I have other rooted devices and sometimes they can blow me away, so I think I'll go for it anyway.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I personally think it is well worth-it, it is almost as if the phones turns into mini super computer when rooted. It is so much fun to have a ROM installed and setup that you are completely happy with, removing bloatware, no intrusive ads. Just stay away from overclocking, I think that is taking it too far if you are a scary pants like myself.
Also, you know how the retailers are, they almost never deliver on their warranty anyway.
No offence, but given this guide is designed 'for the ultimate noob' AND it has been stickied, there are some glaringly obvious things missing, that should be cover at the beginning of your post/guide before hitting the processes of
In the first post, you do not cover information pertaining to the flash counter and triangle away, and most importantly by far, BACKING UP THE EFS. Also, possible risks from installing potentially malicious apks from 'other sources' to a rooted device.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Good job! :good:
bootx1 said:
No offence, but given this guide is designed 'for the ultimate noob' AND it has been stickied, there are some glaringly obvious things missing, that should be cover at the beginning of your post/guide before hitting the processes of
In the first post, you do not cover information pertaining to the flash counter and triangle away, and most importantly by far, BACKING UP THE EFS. Also, possible risks from installing potentially malicious apks from 'other sources' to a rooted device.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None taken, but in a community it works like this. We build a tutorial together. Instead of taking the time pointing out what you think is missing. Why did you not just write the part so I could add it? This tutorial is based on the international version, I am not sure if the triangle notification does not affect this version but I could not test it as I did not ran into this problem.
Regarding the EFS, I will do some research regarding this and add it to the tutorial.
I have added detail on backing up EFS folder and also triangle away.
CF-Root 6.4 - SuperSU+CWM5.5+CWMManager does not work on stock JellyBean Firmware right?
I frequent the JasmineROM and CyanogenMod threads in this forum and have noticed (and answered) many repeat questions: questions that have already been answered maybe a page or two back. I've noticed frustration in the answers to these questions (I've felt it myself), so I decided to start a new thread that will address the questions and provide the answers. It won't stop the questions from happening, but at least we can all just paste a link instead of writing the same paragraph over and over to people who don't seem to do any research.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the format I'll be using for the questions and answers. I'd really appreciate it if suggestions could follow it, but it isn't necessary at all.
[SIZE="4"][B]Q: LE QUESTION[/B][/SIZE]
[SIZE="3"][I]A: ZE ANSWER[/I][/SIZE]
Sorry for not adding this in earlier.
---------------------------------------------------------------
(This may be in the wrong section, but I figured General would fit it best. Please move it if it's better somewhere else.)
---------------------------------------------------------------
I know I'm going to forget to include quite a few things. If you've seen a repeat question, I believe (I don't know for sure ) that replying to this post with at least the repeat question and then allowing me to edit it into this post will be a good way to go about this (I'll give credit with a name and link to the post).
---------------------------------------------------------------
Without further ado, here's the "FAQ":
Q: How do I root my Note?
A: http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-verizon/general/guide-noobs-guide-to-perm-root-twrp-t3360883
Q: How do I upgrade to the MM bootloader and modem?
A: http://forum.xda-developers.com/not...t/howto-bootloader-unlock-upgrade-to-t3398144
Q: I have no WiFi after using the latest version of CyanogenMod, JasmineROM, PaulPizz or any other Marshmallow-based ROM.
A: Make sure you have upgraded the bootloader and modem to Marshmallow. Guide here.
Q: On CyanogenMod, I'm losing LTE and only getting 3G.
A: Reboot into Recovery and then back to System. It won't fix it permanently, but it will restore LTE for a while.
A2: Delete the StraightTalk APN from your APN settings. (Obviously, you shouldn't do this if you have StraightTalk.) (Not everyone has a problem with the ST APN, but I figure I'll put this here.)
Q: Screen rotation isn't working on JasmineROM 6 or 7.
A: Many people have reported that this is a result of debloating. Not everyone has the issue, but those who have say one they remove Facebook and DT Ignite (among others), screen rotation breaks.
Q: Bluetooth audio is stuttering in CyanogenMod 13.
A: The workaround for this is to enable Daydream. That will prevent the phone from going to sleep, but will display a dark background with a clock, allowing you to still get a fast charge. The problem with BT audio lies in a CyanogenMod change that caused some problems with Bluetooth discovery upon device wake. hsbadr is working on a new build with the fix incorporated.
---------------------------------------------------------------
---- Thanks to @douger1957 || Post ----
Q: I'm already on Marshmallow with a locked bootloader. Is there hope for me?
A: Yes. You need to downgrade to Lollipop first. Flash the full firmware (thanks, @hsbadr!) on ODIN. Make sure that auto reboot is unchecked. When you get a "pass" in ODIN, boot into recovery and do a factory reset, otherwise you could get a bootloop. It takes a while for the first boot... upwards to 15 minutes... so be patient. Then you can start to unlock the bootloader. The bootloader must be unlocked before you can root.
Q: What ROMs can I flash?
A: That's a tough one. If you have a Lollipop unlocked bootloader you can only flash a ROM based on a Lollipop bootloader. Often the developer of the ROM will put the base of his ROM in the title of the thread as the bootloader firmware name (ie N910VVRU2BPA1) is a Lollipop firmware. Otherwise, you'll find the information at the lower left corner of the opening post. If you don't know, ask in that thread.
Subsequently, you must have an unlocked Marshmallow bootloader in order to flash a Marshmallow bootloader based ROM.
Confusing the issue more is the fact that it's possible to have a Marshmallow ROM use a Lollipop bootloader.
You can find all of the ROMs that are specifically for the N910V Note 4 variant (Verizon) here.
Q: I hear there are ROMs for other Note 4 variants. What's up with that?
A: True deal. Some of the other variants, the international models specifically, have been unlocked for awhile and there's a thriving development community. You can find those ROMs here. You've gotta know some stuff before you can flash one of their ROMs.
1) Stick with ROMs developed for the N910F and N910G variants. The radios are closest to ours. Flash a ROM for another variant and you're now a test pilot.
2) The same rules apply to their ROMs: Lollipop bootloader on your phone? Lollipop based ROM. Same for Marshmallow.
3) You'll need to flash a data fix to make their ROMs work on the Verizon network. Further, you may need to flash a kernel to make wifi work. I had luck with the Oscar kernel when I tried the Noble ROM last week.
(Note by Zacharee1: I've only had luck with the data fix on TouchWiz ROMs. AOSP ROMs, like CyanogenMod and Resurrection Remix, have problems with the data fix, resulting in reduced performance and still no cellular.)
Q: I've gotta, gotta, gotta have wifi calling.
A: At this time, you're pretty much stuck with a stock based ROM like Jasmine or PaulPizz. @hsbadr is working on getting it to work on CM13 but I'm waiting for other issues with that ROM to clear up and I am not current on its features. You will not find it on any of the international based ROMs.
(Note by Zacharee1: WiFi calling still does not work on CM. I have hopes for it in the future, but I may be moving to T-Mobile, where I'll probably have it anyway, so I won't be current on this either.)
Q: What are some tips about choosing and flashing custom ROMs on my Note?
A: Read these tips:
1) Find a ROM that interests you and has the features you can't live without. Most ROM developers are pretty thorough in the opening post or so regarding what you can expect.
2) Read the thread cover to cover. But Douger, some of those threads have hundreds upon hundreds of pages. Why? Because you'll know what issues others have had with the ROM and you'll find possible workarounds. You'll find out whether or not there are any showstoppers that'll keep you from using it as a daily driver.
3) Before you flash anything, do a full nandroid backup. In TWRP, check off all of the blocks. If crap blows up in your face, you can be using the phone again in about ten minutes of recovery time. Otherwise, you can spend hours setting the phone up again after flashing a ROM again.
4) Speaking of spending hours, plan on it. If you don't have the time, wait till you do because you;
5) Need to do a full wipe. That means data, system, cache and ART/Dalvik. Often when flashing ROMs, things don't get cleaned out properly, and artifacts will remain. Most ROM developers will include the instruction to wipe, which brings us to the next point;
5) Follow the directions exactly. Do not freelance unless you know what you are doing. That means flashing kernels, modems, bootloaders, etc. Follow the instructions in the order they are presented. If you don't understand any of the instructions, don't proceed until you do.
6) Perform a factory reset after flashing a new ROM but before booting.
7) Before rooting, I strongly suggest that you move anything you have stored on internal storage such as pictures or music, off the phone. Before you flash your first ROM, format the internal storage. The root process involves Chinese software and if you're not one who keeps up with the news, the Chinese are notorious hackers. Make sure you get all of the cooties off your phone.
8) It takes a long time for a phone to fully boot once you've flashed a ROM. Usually, it's over in about ten minutes but twenty minutes isn't unheard of. Be patient and resist the urge to pull the battery.
9) If you can get into recovery and download modes, you did not "brick" your phone. Contain your panic and think things out. The best advice I can give is to try to get back to the last time things worked.
Q: How do I know whether to use ODIN or flash in recovery?
The developer will usually tell you. But, if the file you're flashing has a ".tar" or ".md5" extension, it's flashed in ODIN. Often that file is zipped (extension ".7z") and needs to be unzipped. If the file has a .zip extension it's flashed in recovery.
Q: What is Odin?
A: Not the Norse god in this case. http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...08-2013-odin-3-09-odin-1-85-versions-t2189539
Q: What is TWRP?
A: TWRP is what's known as a custom recovery, which is what allows you (for the most part) to flash custom ROMs and packages to your phone. Each build of TWRP is device-specific. Make sure you downloaded the correct version for your device. http://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-install-twrp/
Q: What should I do if I'm having an issue with the ROM?
A: PLEASE don't just complain that something isn't working. See if you can fix it yourself; maybe it was something you installed or changed? If it's not unique to you or even a clean flash doesn't fix it, then you should look into providing some logs for the dev. Check out LogCat. Ask the developer how they want the log delivered.
Don't complain if you dirty flashed the ROM (meaning you didn't wipe /system and /data before flashing -- leaving internal storage and SD card alone is perfectly fine). While it's possible your issue is something wrong with the ROM, the developer will just ignore you. Also don't lie about having done a clean flash. It's pointless, and the developer can probably tell from any logs you provide that you actually dirty flashed. It's not fair to others if you take up their time by helping you try to fix a problem that can be solved by flashing the ROM the way it was meant to be flashed.
Q: Things on my screen are too small/large.
[SIZE="3"[I]A: You can actually change what's known as the DPI. Here's a method for that for the Note 4 on TouchWiz: [url]http://forum.xda-developers.com/note-4-verizon/development/solution-dpi-change-camera-dialer-t3422699[/url][/I][/SIZE]
[SIZE="4"]Q: I really like the ROM I'm using. Is there something I can do to help the developer out?
A: Luckily for you (and the dev), there is. Many developers will have a DONATE button in the sidebar on their posts. Remember, this is the only way most of them get anything from what they do. Developing these ROMs is usually done as a hobby, and considerable time and effort are put into producing something for you to use on your phone.
If you can't donate (or don't want to -- it's understandable), hit the THANKS button on the developer's posts. It's a nice gesture that shows you are interested in their work and that you would like to see more.
Q: What's this Xposed thingy I've heard about?
A: Xposed is a framework that allows almost unlimited customization and feature unlocking. As such, it is not something to play with lightly. This is the forum devoted to Xposed. This is where you'll find the framework, installers, and the modules.
@wanam has done much of the development for Samsung phones. Here's where you'll find his work. Since his is made especially for Samsung ROMs, I strongly recommend sticking with his base until you're more comfortable with using Xposed.
Q: There are so many downloads for Xposed. Which one do I use?
A: As always, RTFT (read the f'ing thread). However, here's a shortcut. Note 4 phones are ARM. Version 86 is current. Use that for AOSP based ROMs. Use the "alt" version for TouchWiz based ROMs. You need both the framework and the installer.
---------------------------------------------------------------
It's not very much so far (it's hard to come up with this on the spot), but I hope you'll all help out by posting the other frequent questions you see around these forums.
Q: What's this Xposed thingy I've heard about?
Xposed is a framework that allows almost unlimited customization and feature unlocking. As such, it is not something to play with lightly. This is the forum devoted to Xposed. This is where you'll find the framework, installers, and the modules.
@waram has done much of the development for Samsung phones. Here's where you'll find his work. Since his is made especially for Samsung, I strongly recommend sticking with his base until you're more comfortable with using Xposed.
Q: There are so many downloads. Which one do I use?
As always, RTFT (read the f'ing thread). However, here's a shortcut. Note 4 phones are ARM. Version 86 is current. Use that for TouchWiz based ROMs. Use the "alt" version for ASOP based ROMs. You need both the framework and the installer.
douger1957 said:
Q: I'm already on Marshmallow with a locked bootloader. Is there hope for me?
Yes. You need to downgrade to Lollipop first. Flash the full firmware (thanks, @hsbadr!) on ODIN. Make sure that auto reboot is unchecked. When you get a "pass" in ODIN, boot into recovery and do a factory reset, otherwise you could get a bootloop. It takes a while for the first boot... upwards to 15 minutes... so be patient. Then you can start to unlock the bootloader. The bootloader must be unlocked before you can root.
Q: What ROMs can I flash?
That's a tough one. If you have a Lollipop unlocked bootloader you can only flash a ROM based on a Lollipop bootloader. Often the developer of the ROM will put the base of his ROM in the title of the thread as the bootloader firmware name (ie N910VVRU2BPA1) is a Lollipop firmware. Otherwise, you'll find the information at the lower left corner of the opening post. If you don't know, ask in that thread.
Subsequently, you must have an unlocked Marshmallow bootloader in order to flash a Marshmallow bootloader based ROM.
Confusing the issue more is the fact that it's possible to have a Marshmallow ROM use a Lollipop bootloader.
You can find all of the ROMs that are specifically for the N910V Note 4 variant (Verizon) here.
Q: I hear there are ROMs for other Note 4 variants. What's up with that?
True deal. Some of the other variants, the international models specifically, have been unlocked for awhile and there's a thriving development community. You can find those ROMs here. You've gotta know some stuff before you can flash one of their ROMs.
1) Stick with ROMs developed for the N910F and N910G variants. The radios are closest to ours. Flash a ROM for another variant and you're now a test pilot.
2) The same rules apply to their ROMs: Lollipop bootloader on your phone? Lollipop based ROM. Same for Marshmallow.
3) You'll need to flash a data fix to make their ROMs work on the Verizon network. Further, you may need to flash a kernel to make wifi work. I had luck with the Oscar kernel when I tried the Noble ROM last week.
Q: I've gotta, gotta, gotta have wifi calling.
At this time, you're pretty much stuck with a stock based ROM like Jasmine or PaulPizz. @hsbadr is working on getting it to work on CM13 but I'm waiting for other issues with that ROM to clear up and I am not current on its features. You will not find it on any of the international based ROMs.
---------- Post added at 06:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:55 PM ----------
Douger's tips for success:
1) Find a ROM that interests you and has the features you can't live without. Most ROM developers are pretty thorough in the opening post or so regarding what you can expect.
2) Read the thread cover to cover. But Douger, some of those threads have hundreds upon hundreds of pages. Why? Because you'll know what issues others have had with the ROM and you'll find possible workarounds. You'll find out whether or not there are any showstoppers that'll keep you from using it as a daily driver.
3) Before you flash anything, do a full nandroid backup. In TWRP, check off all of the blocks. If crap blows up in your face, you can be using the phone again in about ten minutes of recovery time. Otherwise, you can spend hours setting the phone up again after flashing a ROM again. Douger also creates a full nandroid backup when he's got his phone all set up with the apps loaded, just in case the ROM blows up or something.
4) Speaking of spending hours, plan on it. If you don't have the time, wait till you do because you;
5) You need to do a full wipe. That means data, system, cache and ART/Dalvik. Often when flashing ROMs, things don't get cleaned out properly, and artifacts will remain. Most ROM developers will include the instruction to wipe, which brings us to the next point;
5) Follow the directions exactly. Do not freelance unless you know what you are doing. That means flashing kernels, modems, bootloaders, etc. Follow the instructions in the order they are presented. If you don't understand any of the instructions, don't proceed until you do.
6) Perform a factory reset after flashing a new ROM but before booting.
7) Before rooting, I strongly suggest that you move anything you have stored on internal storage such as pictures or music, off the phone. Before you flash your first ROM, format the internal storage. The root process involves Chinese software and if you're not one who keeps up with the news, the Chinese are notorious hackers. Make sure you get all of the cooties off your phone.
8) It takes a long time for a phone to fully boot once you've flashed a ROM. Usually, it's over in about ten minutes but twenty minutes isn't unheard of. Be patient and resist the urge to pull the battery.
9) If you can get into recovery and download modes, you did not "brick" your phone. Contain your panic and think things out. The best advice I can give is to try to get back to the last time things worked.
10) Douger does not use Titanium Backup to restore his apps, especially if he's flashing a different ROM than the one he was on when he created that backup.
11) If you didn't do a full wipe before you flashed that ROM (dirty flash) do not complain about things not working properly on the developer's thread. Do send the developer a logcat so he can look into the issue.
---------- Post added at 06:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 PM ----------
Q: How do I know whether to use ODIN or flash in recovery?
The developer will usually tell you. But, if the file you're flashing has a .tar5 extension, it's flashed in ODIN. Often that file is zipped and needs to be unzipped. If the file has a .zip extension it's flashed in recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Added. Thanks!
Zacharee1 said:
Added. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From now on, I'm just going to link all questions to this thread. If they're too thick to use it, tough cookies. It'll be all they get from me. I just reported this post to see if we can get it stickied.
And thank you for fixing my boo boos.
---------- Post added at 07:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:49 PM ----------
What you need to know about ODIN.
Everything you wanted to know about TWRP but were afraid to ask yo mama. TWRP is phone specific. Don't try to flash any old copy of TWRP.
Giving back to the community. How to logcat.If you're having an issue with the ROM you're on and you did a clean install, generate a logcat, then PM the developer and ask him how he'd like it delivered. It's basically a system dump which shows where errors were generated. It's helpful to narrow down the bugs. Don't fib about doing a clean install. The logcat knows, and is worthless to the developer.
How to change your DPI Thanks, @charly211297!
Almost forgot the most important thing: If you enjoy using the ROM or kernel and have gotten value from it, please consider sending the developer some beer money. Most of these guys spend considerable time in development and fixing bugs. Remember that no one here gets paid for what they do and if nothing else, hit that thanks button.
douger1957 said:
From now on, I'm just going to link all questions to this thread. If they're too thick to use it, tough cookies. It'll be all they get from me. I just reported this post to see if we can get it stickied.
And thank you for fixing my boo boos.
---------- Post added at 07:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:49 PM ----------
What you need to know about ODIN.
Everything you wanted to know about TWRP but were afraid to ask yo mama. TWRP is phone specific. Don't try to flash any old copy of TWRP.
Giving back to the community. How to logcat.If you're having an issue with the ROM you're on and you did a clean install, generate a logcat, then PM the developer and ask him how he'd like it delivered. It's basically a system dump which shows where errors were generated. It's helpful to narrow down the bugs. Don't fib about doing a clean install. The logcat knows, and is worthless to the developer.
How to change your DPI Thanks, @charly211297!
Almost forgot the most important thing: If you enjoy using the ROM or kernel and have gotten value from it, please consider sending the developer some beer money. Most of these guys spend considerable time in development and fixing bugs. Remember that no one here gets paid for what they do and if nothing else, hit that thanks button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll add these after dinner. Thanks again.
Wanna mess with your kernel? Here's a pretty good primer. As always backup first.