Database Users

HELP ! ROM Update to Android 2.0 / 2.1

Hey Guys at first sorry for my english i'm not good in it. And I'm a Android newbie I just gained a bit exerience with my Touch Diamond but it's broken now..okay but that's not the probleme....
If got a question:
After about 2 days of searching for an android 2.0 or 2.1 ROM I was a little bit confused of the diffrent news everybody was talking about. I'm root on my Hero. That was the first an last thing I made with my device.
1. Everybody is gonna talk about MoDaCo 3.0 but when I was trying to download his ROM my browser never got a request. Is the site down, where that ROM is hosted ?? Could someone give me a working link with this ROM ??
2. Is there a ROM with Android 2.0 or 2.1 outside or even not ??? And if yes are they working well ???
Would be nice if someone can help me =) thanks a lot.
Please answer soon if you know something about that =)
Greetz BassdoxXx

you can get modaco's roms at his website, www.modaco.com.
in the android development section there are some 2.0/1 roms, none of them works flawless, see for yourself if it fits your needs.

Thanks a lot for your fast answer. =)
The problem that i couldn't open the modaco page was my isp -.- i downloaded it at school

BassdoxXx said:
Thanks a lot for your fast answer. =)
The problem that i couldn't open the modaco page was my isp -.- i downloaded it at school
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What? Does ISP's block that site? Lol, would never happened in Norway

there is a few 2.0+ roms out there for the hero.
most seem to be very usable now.
best sense ui would be lox/behnaam community release on 1.6.
http://htcpedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1448
there are two aosp roms worth looking at.
lox aosp ( im using that on a daily basis)
http://htcpedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1416
jnwhiteh aosp
http://htcpedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1528

Hello all,
I am having very specific request when it comes to choosing a proper rom for install on to my hero.
I am blind. Stock roms are only running Android 1.5. More robust accessibility features are available starting with Android 1.6 and improving even more with Android 2.0.
So for sure I am forced to upgrade my hand set.
There are various roms, some of their authors have even disable google specific features so I know I can't install such a rom.
All the accessibility efforts are being lead by the google developers.
Most likely these accessibility tools won't be usefull to most of you but please can anyone recommend me a rom where market is working and where the following applications can be installed and used?
- eyesfree suite of applications,
- talkback - the google screen reader for android,
- tts service.
All possible help is already appreciated.

sorry for the double posting. I've accidentally posted twice and I am unable to remove the post.
Hope anybody can help me please.

pvdeejay said:
Hello all,
I am having very specific request when it comes to choosing a proper rom for install on to my hero.
I am blind. Stock roms are only running Android 1.5. More robust accessibility features are available starting with Android 1.6 and improving even more with Android 2.0.
So for sure I am forced to upgrade my hand set.
There are various roms, some of their authors have even disable google specific features so I know I can't install such a rom.
All the accessibility efforts are being lead by the google developers.
Most likely these accessibility tools won't be usefull to most of you but please can anyone recommend me a rom where market is working and where the following applications can be installed and used?
- eyesfree suite of applications,
- talkback - the google screen reader for android,
- tts service.
All possible help is already appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am on mcr3.0, i looked in the market, i can find 8 apps for eyesfree, tts is one of these. i didn't try to install one of these, but usually it works. the search for talkback returned nothing.
not that i want to be rude, but wouldn't you be better off with another phone if you are blind? i can not imagine a touchscreen only phone would be suitable for someone who is not able to see... especially because there are great devices out there that have a full qwerty keyboard, and come with android 2.0 out of the box... imho this would be a better solution.
again, the last thing i want to be is rude, but maybe this was your mistake: you posted in the htc hero section of this forum, the hero is a touch screen only device, including a virtual keyboard on the screen. it has only six buttons and a trackball, and two rocker buttons for the volume. just to make clear we are talking about the same device
if you are still up for the hero you could try the 2.1 rom from here: http://htcpedia.com/forum/showthread.php?p=30418&posted=1#post30418
best you try for yourself, it has some drawbacks, but maybe in areas you don't need (afaik syncing with exchange does not work for example, which wouldn't be a problem for me...). otherwise it might be worth to wait another week or two, we all are waiting unpatiently for the official eclair release from htc
keep asking if you need to know more, but maybe open a new thread, since your problems are very specific, and might drown between all the newbies question about "how to root my phone".

Hello,
Thanks for your reply and a great attitude.
Yes it may sound strange I have really got HTC Hero here. I know I'll be having problems with virtual keyboard but also I am afraid accessibility features of Android phones are not really such mastered one can use it daily. For example reading emails and content from the web browser is not yet possible. I just want to try how things work and I would also like to touch the virtual keyboard. If I can memorize computer keyboard and use it daily, typewriter keyboard, nokia mobile phone keyboard, then perhaps I might be able to make some use of this too.
I am sory but here are some more questions:
I haven't yet verified with some sighted friends but... is it possible my hero is running even older version of android like Android 1.5? I've based the assumption that it's most likelly running 1.5 because majority of the devices I was reading on the net are running it.
You've been triyng to locate eyes-free applications on the market but you were unable to find talkback. Are you sure you are running newer version of Android than 1.5?
Talkback is supposed to be installed with Android 1.6 andd 2.0 by default and you should be able to find it in the accessibility menu of your phone. I am not sure how well this applies to the custom roms.
Talkback requires google's accessibility api which is reported to be available on Android 1.6 upwards.
To tell you the full story first I've asked on the eyes-free google group whether some accessibility experts from there can help me but no one knowledgeable enough has replied to my query, so I'm trying my luck here then.
Oh I am really excited since I've got really well formed informative reply.
Thanks again
Edit:
Also, I've seen somewhere in the forums here this leaked HTC rom does not support the market. Has this been rectified already? You know if market does not work then most likelly I won't be able to install these applications I am tallking about.
Also you are mentioning possibility to wait a few weeks until HTC guys role out the official update for Hero. Wouldn't that break chances I will be able to root my device later?
Edit2:
Ooops, I should read better next time. Market works on this rom. The problem is paid apps can't be installed which is hopefully not a big issue for me since most of the accessibility enabled applications are free.
Which of the downloads from Hero 21 do I need?
63.18.55.06JU_6.35.09.26) or No Wipe Download. I will need a wipe I am sure but since this link says nowipe I am ehmmm. confused.

pvdeejay,
Unfortunately there is not an 'official' update for Android 1.6, 2.0 or 2.1 as of yet. There are rumours of one coming out soon, but nothing cast-iron yet.
You are correct in that the Hero runs 1.5. It does say it under Settings | About Phone (bottom item on list)| Firmware Version (bottom on list again), although without a working screen reader, there is probably little use in knowing how to find that.
If you did want to upgrade, I'm sure plenty of people could help find a ROM that would suit. The only issue with that is that you would need a rooted phone with a custom recovery image installed. Unfortunately, a lot of the procedures would not be easy for you, as the software that you might need to use to go through the procedure is probably not designed that well for accessibility tools. I don't know what kind of software you are using, but some of the instructions for making goldcards are quite complex, and involve editing some numbers in a 'table' which could be quite difficult for you, I would imagine.
I'm sure a friend would be able to help you out with making a goldcard/rooting if you did want to install a custom ROM (you'll probably be waiting a while otherwise ). They could even root their phone while doing yours (just share the goldcard between the devices).
Nonetheless, there is probably a ROM out there with little removed from it. I'll have a look just now, but you would need to have your phone rooted to do anything just now.

When it comes to rooting and installing custom recovery image. Do you thing the following instructions might work for me?
These instructions don't require a gold card:
- How to Root HTC Hero and Install Amon Ra Recovery Image
- How to install a custom rom on a HTC Hero

Hello,
Here are some numbers I've asked my friend to read from system -> about screen. The phone interface is in czech so I am unable to get some names translated to english, but I believe some of the geeks will understand these identifiers and might be able to help me what is best:
Code:
firmware: 1,5
63.118.55.O6U|6.35.04.25
2.6.27-a5504199
Build number: 1.76.405.6 146733 CL# 47214 release-keys
Software version: 1.0.0.A6288

pvdeejay,
to sum it up:
the hero definitly runs on android 1.5. there are no roms for older android versions, and a few homebrewn for newer versions, as we said already.
i searched for talkbalk on my 1.5 rom, so it is obvious that i couldn't find it...
about rooting of newer roms: it is just a matter of time, sooner or later there will be always methods of rooting a rom. what i meant by waiting is: wait until the official update is out, then wait a few more hours until the first rooted and customized rom is out

@pvdeejay,
I would have to agree with kendong2 that waiting for the official ROM is probably the best idea for you at the moment. There are no guarantees that an unofficial ROM would help, and it would be another user interface to try and learn.
@kendon,
I noticed he has the original, easily rooted version of the hero. IIRC, that is what I had on my G2 (and had the security unlocked bootloader out the box). If that's the case, would pvdeejay be able to 'fastboot boot' a full system img file for the purposes of testing it out to see if it meets the requirements.
The reason I ask is that I've only ever fastbooted my AmonRA recovery (I didn't flash it, because I never felt any need to). I'm guessing you could fastboot a full img, but I'm not sure about the practical issues of where it would be stored in memory...

Sorry guys originally I believed I am slowly getting into the matter and am begining to understand how flashing / rooting / upgrading home brew firmwares works on these phones.
After these 2 posts I feel like a total noob again.
Now again some very concrete questions:
What about these 2 guides I've posted links to?
Can I somehow got [Recovery] [13-Dec-2009] RA-hero-v1.5.2 installed so I will be able to do nandroid backup and then possibly flash some new roms?
Can I really brick my phone by trying to install amon ra?
Originally I thought the process works as follows:
1) get the custom recovery image installed (that's the amon ra in this case),
2) do a nandroid backup which will dump everything usefull on to the memory card,
3) backup and reformat the card,
4) download a rom, rename it to update.zip, put it onto the root folder of the cart, reboot the hero in recovery mode, do the wipe of the data partition, and run update,
5) reboot again and believe it's good.
Also some very significant bit is the thing you are all calling the radio. I am afraid I've not identified this bit thus it's missing in this summary.
Which files will I need to download if I decide to try Android 2.1 community edition 1.8? Are these files I've copied links to a few posts earlier both needed?
Can you please check this list, identify the things I am missing, and make suggestions and corrections why this may not work on my device based off of those number I tried to put down here?
Even if I won't be able to do this right now I'd be happy to get corrections as I can learn something new.
Of course I won't be doing all this on my own. I will ask my bro to read all the stuff to me and we'll do it according to your advices.
To give some bits about me and my computer skills, I believe I am a Windows power user, Basically I do also understand unix, I know what's bash how the files are arranged in a file system, can use command-line tools, telnet, ssh. I am working as a network administrator here so some background is there really.

Hi pvdeejay,
Answers to your questions here.
You can actually use fastboot to 'temporarily' load up the AmonRA recovery image into memory and run it from there. I do that on my phone, for the simple reason that I can't be bothered ) ) to flash the recovery. Once you get AmonRA running, the first thing you should do is make a Nandroid backup. It will be saved to your SD card, so then get the nandroid directory of your card and save it to your PC (just in case!)
So, here's how you'd go about this.
(Make sure you have the android sdk installed, and that adb and fastboot commands are working). USB cable should be plugged in throughout.
Before you begin, put the ROM you want (ie. Android 2.1 community edition 1.8) into the root of the microSD card (a .zip file).
Code:
adb devices
Should list your phone's serial number
Now turn off the phone, and turn it on with the back key held down (the one at the very bottom right of the device).
You should enter fastboot mode. Now type
Code:
fastboot devices
and you should see the serial number again.
Now type
Code:
fastboot boot AmonRA.img
where AmonRA.img is a file in your present working directory that is the filename of the latest custom recovery image. This does NOT flash your phone, it merely runs the image (pretty much as close as you get to risk free, other than sitting there with a tinfoil hat on )
See screenshot of the recovery image here:
http://www.sizzledcore.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/RA-hero-recovery-image-500x375.jpg
Make the Nandroid backup by choosing 'Nandroid Vx.x Backup' and waiting a while.
If your ROM needs a wipe first (most new ones do), select Wipe data/factory reset. You will lose all your user data on the device (but you've got a nandroid backup just in case)
You're now good to go. So choose "Apply sdcard:choose zip"
Now select the custom ROM zip file you downloaded. It doesn't even need to be called update.zip! Choose it from the list and push trackball.
Wait for the update.zip to go in. Do NOT turn off the device or pull the battery. First boot can take a very long time (upto 30 minutes). Just keep it plugged in via USB and wait...
As for radios, see http://android.modaco.com/content/h...-24-11-hero-roms-radios-in-update-zip-format/ and look at the section titled radios. The latest one is in bold. It is a .zip file as well, that you use these exact same instructions for to install (don't do the wipe or anything like that. Just install the .zip file)

anon2122 said:
@kendon,
I noticed he has the original, easily rooted version of the hero. IIRC, that is what I had on my G2 (and had the security unlocked bootloader out the box). If that's the case, would pvdeejay be able to 'fastboot boot' a full system img file for the purposes of testing it out to see if it meets the requirements.
The reason I ask is that I've only ever fastbooted my AmonRA recovery (I didn't flash it, because I never felt any need to). I'm guessing you could fastboot a full img, but I'm not sure about the practical issues of where it would be stored in memory...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is correct so far, i did the same, except i installed the recovery. i play a lot with my phone, the installed recovery image with the nandroid backup is the best i have ever seen for a phone...
@pvdeejay
you always write so much...
i try to answer everything:
the two guides you posted are good for your situation. i never tried flashrec, but from what i read it is safe to use. i installed my recovery image through fastboot, the guide is here: http://android.modaco.com/content/h...ng-the-patched-recovery-image-on-your-device/
i have no idea how this works out for you, but my honest suggestion would be that you have someone seeing assisting you, you CAN brick your phone, though it is not likely if you follow the instructions precisely. the process is not very time consuming at all, so you don't need to bother anyone for days of their time.
edit: and now i read your post to the end and saw that your brother will be helping you, so you are on the right track
once you have the recovery installed you can make nandroid backups, and i would suggest that you do this first thing after installing the recovery, better make a backup too much than one too less...
the 5 steps you described are correct, except there is no need to rename the zipfile anymore, you can select any .zip from your sdcard.
the radio part is the number that begins with 63.18.55.06, then comes two letters and then more numbers. as by now the version can be identified by the letters, with JU being the up-to-date one. in general you can say the newer the better, but you have to try for yourself. start with the newest one, if you have problems go back.

thanks this seems to be pretty doable plus I will easily be able to restore the current data backed using nandroid backup.
Which android SDK do I need the latest one?
The commands I need to type are supposed to be typed on the PC or on the phone? I assume on the PC but I just would like to ensure.
Hero21 1.8 community edition has a recommended radio listed in the first post. Is it necessary to install that one as well? What should I install first the actual rom or the radio? Do I need installing radio at all? Should i do the same with radio i.e. renaming it to update.zip and using amonra to install it?
Also will I be able to use this method even if I install another rom (running amonra without actually flashing it)?
Edit:
sorry guys did not realize renaming to update.zip is no longer needed.
Edit2:
is there an easy way on how to access sd card from windows? I can't just remove the card from phone and insert it into my laptop because I don't have the proper adapter. Previously my boss was using the hero and perhaps it would be nice to backup the sd card first.
Edit3:
uhmmm, installing android sdk is perhaps not as simple as it sounds.
I have just seen this article.
I am on a limited gprs internet connection, can you please suggest sdk features I won't need to save some download bandwith?

- you need only the adb binary (thats adb.exe for windows) from the sdk, the rest is not needed for this.
- install the radio from the 2.1community-rom-thread, it is the newest. install the radio first. DO NOT PULL THE BATTERY until the phone has rebooted completely. if you pull the battery during radio upgrade your phone will be dead. it takes a few minutes, do not panic!
- you can copy the contents of the sdcard via the usb-cable, plug it into your pc and pull down the notification bar...

Do I need to run SDK Setup.exe when I have downloaded android sdk for windows?
Or can I simply run that binary from the command-line without the installation?
Do I need any USB drivers so my phone can be recognized?

[REF] Nexus S ROM&Kernel Survival Guide

Introduction:
Please read and try to do some research instead of bombarding the developers with the same questions over and over, cluttering the threads with useless and recursive information. I will try to include terms for all the ROMs and Kernels in the Development Section, and remove the obvious things as much as possible. That doesn’t mean it will be perfect! I hope this will be useful for beginners, because it provides most of the basic information you need to get started. From now on, it’s up to you what you do.
I am fully aware that the information included here is for one time use, enough to get you started. Some of these things ARE well known by many of you, but they are still useful for others that are just beginning to learn about their NS. Besides definitions and explanations, I’ll also link to useful posts around xda and other sites, which provide further information on the respective subject.
ROMs​(ROM: a firmware that contains the Android operating system, and at least critical apps necessary for running your phone (but usually more apps than just those); can be stock or custom, and comes packaged in a *.zip file, flashable under recovery)
AOSP-built ROMs
Features: these are built from source code, from the Android Open Source Project, delivered free of bloatware and with rich customizations.
Some of the most popular (at the moment):
GSM VERSION: i9023/i9020A/i9020T
CyanogenMod 9 (still in alpha stages for now)
IML74K Android 4.0.3 Build 4 - Quad Lockscreen + More MODS (1/15/12)
nuhetri- v1.0.0
Slim ICS
AOSP+ V2.3|ICS 4.0.3|Source Built|Status Bar Widgets + Nice Mods
4G VERSION
vhgomez36-ICS-NXS-4G-4.0.3 r2.0
IML74K Android 4.0.3 Build 3 - Quad Lockscreen+More MODS
Crossbones v0.1.3
CyanogenMod 9 v4.0.3 - Alpha 20
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Moddified ROMs
Features: these are modified versions of stock/AOSP ROMs/other custom ROMs, that keep the look of the base ROM up to a certain point. Also generally free of bloatware and with some additional modifications.
Some of the most popular (at the moment):
GSM VERSION: i9023/i9020A/i9020T
CyberGR-MOD|NS.NGN ver. 4.0 Ultimate
NSCollab 1.0.60
Ultimate ICS v4.0
-=Nexus MV 1.12.09=-
KANGY6 | ICS | AOKP |
NexusBeam 4.2.3
CyberGR-MOD|NS.NGN ver. 3.0 Hybrid ICS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MIUI-style ROMs
Features: unique type of ROM, developed by the Chinese. Has a strong iOS feel, highly customizable.
Some of the most popular (at the moment):
GSM VERSION: i9023/i9020A/i9020T
◄ ▌ [09.Jan.12] [ROM] Brainmaster's MIUI 2.1.6 ICS | Stable 2.3.7b v2 GB ▌►
DianXin OS (DX ROM) ICS | GB ROM
4G VERSION
◄ ▌ [28.Nov.11] [ROM] brainmaster's MIUI NS4G 1.11.25 | OTA ▌►
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock ROM
Official releases from Google. The reasons most people here flash a stock ROM are: they want to update/ are bored of custom ROMs/ want to start over with their phone/ warranty reasons.
If you want to go back to stock for some reason, check this thread and read carefully, so you get the correct version for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once we decide for a type or ROM (except stock), we head over to the ROMs thread and begin reading the list of features. Now would be a good time to PANIC! No, no, just kidding Those words do exist in some kind of language (not necessarily English). So here’s a very basic list of the most common terms found in our ROM threads:
Code:
[B]AOSP[/B]
[quote]Short for [url=http://source.android.com/]Android Open Source Project[/url]. Its purpose is to maintain the development
of the Android platform. Anyone can use the Android source code for
any purpose, and this is when custom ROMs come in. The [AOSP]
tag is used here to signal a ROM built from Google’s source, a pure
ROM, free of bloatware, with very good performance (generally)
and a very extended degree of customization. [/quote]
[B]Build.prop[/B]
[quote]This file is located in /system/build.prop. It holds the majority
of the runtime flags that are used when Android boots. Basically, it
lists specific information about your device, for applications to use.
You can also edit lines, with a file manager that has access to
/system, in order to change LCD density, build number, device
model and many more. [/quote]
[B]Busybox(ed)[/B]
[quote]Busybox is a collection of simple, but powerful Linux
utilities, that Android doesn't come with by default. It is used
by applications like MetaMorph and Titanium backup in order
to do special operations. You can manage ther version installed
on your phone with various apps from the [url=https://market.android.com/search?q=busybox&c=apps]market[/url] [/quote]
[B]/boot partition[/B]
[quote]This partition includes the bootloader and kernel, and
it enables the phone to boot. Wiping it must be done only if
requested, and the phone must not be rebooted after this operation.
Instalation of a new one is done by flashing a ROM that includes
the /boot partition. [/quote]
[B]/cache partition[/B]
[quote]Inside this partition, Android stores frequently accessed
data and app components. Performing a wipe of the /cache does
not affect personal settings or files, but simply gets rid of existing
data there, which gets automatically rebuilt in time. [/quote]
[B]Dalvik cache[/B]
[quote]Dalvik cache collects the information about the installed
applications and frameworks, and organizes them into a writeable
cache. Under this writeable cache, it stores the “optimized”
bytecode of the applications which is used by the applications
themselves later for a smoother operation. This dalvik cache can
grow as more applications are installed on your phone. It is safe
to wipe dalvik-cache. It will be rebuilt again when the phone
boots. This also explains why your phone takes ages to start up
for the first time. [/quote]
[B]/data partition[/B]
[quote]Also called userdata, the data partition contains the user’s
data – this is where your contacts, messages, settings and apps
that you have installed go. Wiping this partition essentially performs
a factory reset on your device, restoring it to the way it was
when you first booted it, or the way it was after the last official
or custom ROM installation. When you perform a wipe data/factory
reset from recovery, it is this partition that you are wiping. [/quote]
[B]Deodex(ed)[/B]
[quote]In Android file system, applications come in packages with
the extension .apk. These application packages, or APKs contain
certain .odex files whose supposed function is to save space.
These ‘odex’ files are actually collections of parts of an application
that are optimized before booting. Doing so speeds up the boot
process, as it preloads part of an application. Deodexing is basically
repackaging of these APKs in a certain way, such that they are
reassembled into classes.dex files. By doing that, all pieces of an
application package are put together back in one place, thus
eliminating the worry of a modified APK conflicting with some
separate odexed parts. The advantage of deodexing is in modification possibilities. On the other hand, since the .odex files were supposed
to quickly build the dalvik cache, removing them would mean
longer initial boot times. However, this is true only for the first
ever boot after deodexing, since the cache would still get built
over time as applications are used. [/quote]
[B]EFS folder[/B]
[quote]This is a VERY important folder. It contains phone-specific
information, like IMEI (encrypted in the nv_data.bin), wireless
devices MAC addresses, product code (also in the nv_data.bin)
and more. I advise you to make a backup of this folder, and keep
it safe. Remember, backup BEFORE flashing anything. Use [url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1138873]this tool from forum member Borky_16[/url]. [/quote]
[B]Init.d[/B]
[quote]Init.d is very useful because it runs scripts that you can
just delete or replace in the /system/etc/init.d folder. The scripts
are also very flexible and can be used to call other scripts or set
a variety of system settings. [/quote]
[B]G-apps/Gapps[/B]
[quote]A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there was a
developer. And he used the Force for developing something called
CyanogenMod. For the happiness of the other folks in the galaxy,
he included some applications from Google. But the Emperor…
oh, sorry… But Google didn’t agree with him including these
proprietary apps, so they sent him a cease and desist letter.
Long story short, the Google Applications are provided separately
via a flashable .zip file. This is the case for pure AOSP ROMs,
and theoretically this is how it should be done. Theoretically. [/quote]
[B]Host File[/B]
[quote]Located in the /etc/ folder, it is used to block ads.
Most ROMs come with a “blocks ~95% of ads” statement. You
can also manage it with apps from the [url=https://market.android.com/search?q=ad+block&c=apps]market[/url]. [/quote]
[B]Logcat[/B]
[quote]The Android logging system provides a mechanism for
collecting and viewing system debug output. Logs from various
applications and portions of the system are collected in a series
of circular buffers, which then can be viewed and filtered by
the logcat command. You can use logcat from an ADB shell to view
the log messages.[/quote]
[B]NANDroid[/B]
[quote]When you take NANDroid backup, it means you are
backing up entire ROM. It’s basically a picture of the ROMs’
state . So when something goes wrong, you have the
chance to restore your phone to the backup state using the NANDroid. [/quote]
[B]NSTools[/B]
[quote]An essential tool that manages tweaks like BLN,
BLD, BLX, Liveoc, OC, CPU Governor, Deep idle and so on.
Written by arifhn, available in the [url=https://market.android.com/details?id=mobi.cyann.nstools&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsIm1vYmkuY3lhbm4ubnN0b29scyJd]market[/url] and on [url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1333696]xda[/url],
this is a must have application for managing these various options. [/quote]
[B]Odex[/B]
[quote]These ‘odex’ files are actually collections of parts
of an application that are optimized before booting. Also explained at deodex(ed). [/quote]
[B]Power Menu[/B]
[quote]A multiple choice menu that appears when long pressing
the power button. In stock, these are critical options,
such as powering down the device. Developers have also
added options for taking snapshots,
rebooting normally/into bootloader/into recovery and so on. [/quote]
[B]Radio[/B]
[quote]The radio controls basic low-level functions like
network connectivity, Wi-Fi, and GPS. It comes as a radio.img file,
and generally, developers try to leave this out of their
ROMs because different areas require different radios. Pay attention
to this when choosing to flash a new ROM. There is a reference
thread with all the radios [url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1116884]HERE[/url]. [/quote]
[B]Ramdisk[/B]
[quote]Ramdisk.img is a small partition image that is mounted
read-only by the kernel at boot time. It only contains /init
and a few config files. It is used to start init, which will
mount the rest of the system images properly and run the
init procedure. A Ramdisk is a standard Linux feature. [/quote]
[B]Recovery[/B]
[quote]Recovery mode in Android provides an environment for
users to wipe cache, data, factory reset the phone or update
it with a .zip file. There are custom recoveries like [url=http://www.clockworkmod.com/rommanager]ClockworkMod[/url] or [url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1399565]TWRP[/url], which provide additional functionality,
and are very popular for this reason. [/quote]
[B]RTL[/B]
[quote]Short for Right-to-Left and refers to support for languages requiring this type of writing. [/quote]
[B]SetCPU[/B]
[quote]An application built by coolbho3000, which allows CPU speed tweaking and management, allows overclocking, and sets CPU governors. Available on [url=http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=505419]xda[/url] and the [url=https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mhuang.overclocking&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5taHVhbmcub3ZlcmNsb2NraW5nIl0.]market[/url] (try to buy from the market if you want to support his work). [/quote]
[B]SIM Toolkit (STK)[/B]
[quote]Now if you live in the States, you might not even know what
the STK is, so a bit of explaining is in order. Put simply, the STK
allows carriers to load a simple set of menus and 'applications' on
your SIM card. Earlier versions of Android, up to 1.6, actually
included a rather rough, but functional Sim Toolkit application, but
at some point it was dropped. [/quote]
[B]/system Partition[/B]
[quote]This partition basically contains the entire operating system,
except the kernel and the bootloader. This includes the Android
user interface as well as all the system applications that come
pre-installed on the device. Wiping this partition will remove Android
from the device without rendering it unbootable, and you will
still be able to put the phone into recovery or bootloader mode
to install a new ROM. [/quote]
[B]Unsecured Boot.img[/B]
[quote]Used for adb remount, gets you root by default on a shell. (ro.secure=0) [/quote]
[B]V6 Supercharger Script[/B]
[quote]A more technical explanation could be done here, but
the bottom line is that this is used to make your phone run
faster, by better management of memory. [/quote]
[B]Zipaling[/B]
[quote]Zipalign is an archive alignment tool introduced first
time with 1.6 Android SDK (software development kit). It
optimizes the way an Android application package (APK) is
packaged. Doing so enables the Android operating system to
interact with the application more efficiently, and hence has
the potential to make the application and overall the whole
system much faster. Execution time is minimized for zipaligned
applications, resulting is lesser amount of RAM consumption
when running the APK. [/quote]

Kernels​
(Kernel: provides the most basic level of control over all of the phone's hardware; consider them a link between the hardware components and the ROM)
With kernels it’s a little bit easier. At least this is how it may seem. Right after rooting the device, many choose to first flash a kernel (including me) mostly because it gives the opportunity to flash something while not modifying the appearance of the phone. Furthermore, it gives you the ability to change things like CPU clock speed, internal and ARM voltages, and also have different patches and mods designed to prolong battery life/improve speed/provide stability.
Kernels are abundant for the NS, so I’ll be naming the most popular:
GLaDOS
ICUP Kernel Edition
*Matr1x*
SG-NS-ICS - 14-01-2012 - 11UV|Voodoo|BFQ|BIGMEM|BLN|BLD|BLX|TW|Lazy|3.0.15
Netarchy Nexus
NS+4G Trinity (E)UV and OC CM9 + m(any) roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many users ask around about which could be the best kernel. For this, xda member bedalus decided to set up a thread where he benchmarked ICS kernels (accurately enough). This should give you an idea where to start from.
Also, there are terms which appear frequently in the features list of kernels, so here’s a very basic list of the most common terms found in our kernel threads:
Code:
[B]BFS[/B]
[quote]A Brain F**ked Scheduler will perform better on CPU intensive
process, which usually cause them to get higher benchmark scores.
However because it only dedicates minimal CPU to background
processes you may experience lag when switching quickly between
different tasks. [/quote]
[B]BLD[/B]
[quote]Backlight Dimmer provides an option for the lights of the
touchkeys to be turned off after a certain period. This can be
tweaked from NStools. [/quote]
[B]BLN[/B]
[quote]Backlight Notification is a mod developed by neldar,
which converts the touchkey backlights into a notification led. [/quote]
[B]BLX[/B]
[quote]Battery Life eXtender, from Ezekeel, manages the maximum
percentage to which the battery is being charged. By default,
the Nexus S is charged to about 95% capacity. [/quote]
[B]CFS[/B]
[quote]A Completely Fair Scheduler is more suited for multitasking.
You may notice performance issues when using CPU heavy
activities like HD games because it is trying to keep the other
processes in the background equal to the one that is hogging the
CPU. It should also be noted that, as designed, this type of
kernel should handle going from listening to music to sending a
text to surfing the web with minimal lag. [/quote]
[B]Deep IDLE[/B]
[quote]Another mod by Ezekeel, which allows the phone to
enter a “deep idle” state while performing tasks when the screen is
off. For example, listening to music with the screen off and
Deep Idle turned on, you should get better battery life than
without Deep Idle. [/quote]
[B]Governors [/B]
[quote]There is a much to be said here, and this would stretch
this dictionary too much. I recommend reading [url=https://github.com/CyanogenMod/cm-kernel/blob/android-msm-2.6.37/Documentation/cpu-freq/governors.txt]THIS[/url], a very good explanation of
governors—from CyanogenMod. [/quote]
[B]OC (Overclock)[/B]
[quote]An overclock is usually one of the first things users
figure out after gaining root access on a new phone. If you
want to push your smartphone's CPU to run more clock cycles,
you have to know that extra power isn't coming from nowhere.
However, it is generally considered good practice, but it
depends on your handset. Some phones may be able to support
overclocking to 1.4 GHz, while others may never get past
1.2 GHz. Just proceed with caution. [/quote]
[B]Touch Wake[/B]
[quote]Yes, yes, Ezekeel again. This mod allows the user to
wake the device after a set amount of time, just by touching
the screen or the capacitive buttons. The time after which the
screen no longer responds to a touch is set with NStools. [/quote]
[B]UV (Undervolt)[/B]
[quote]This refers to lowering the voltage to conserve power while
still achieving the same performance, assuming your settings
remain stable. Both SetCPU and NStools allow the user to change
voltages. Like overclocking, this is also a trial and error process,
because each phone is different. The benefits are low energy
consumption and less thermal output. [/quote]

Tools & Mods​
So you have a rooted phone. Maybe even a custom Kernel or ROM, whatever works for you. But you still want to be a tad different from the other guys using the same configuration as yours. So here's a small selection of mods and apps developed by members of the community, enough to get you started. Feel free to experiment, and remember: read before flashing, search before asking and you should be alright!
Mods for AOSP+ Rom
[BOOTANIMATION] Plain, Simple & Colorful + color variants
Nova Launcher
Flavours for stock OTA ICS 4.0.3
Search key to ICS recent apps [add CM9 version]
[NS][NS4G]FaceLock for ICS 4.0.3
Enable on-screen buttons in ICS roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NOTES:
I am hoping this little survival guide is useful FOR BEGINNERS in understanding the basic terminology used here in the Nexus S sections. As the title suggests, it was made with beginners in mind, so I don’t want posts of so called “experts” saying how they already knew this.
IMPORTANT: I do NOT guarantee the explanations written here are completely accurate or complete, FOR NOW. I will keep working on this, correcting mistakes as I continue to read.
If you find something that you think is not correct, or consider something must be added, please post here, together with a link to a credible source.
All of this came from sources off the internet, so please bear with me. Also, sorry for any typing mistakes. If you see any, please be sure to signal them
If I have helped you in any way, or if you appreciate the work invested in this (now and for the future), press the THANKS button.
Thank you! (Hoping to see this stick) And many thanks to all the great devs working on ROMs and Kernels for us. Keep up the great work!
W O R K - I N - P R O G R E S S
(I will be sure to notify you when I believe this is complete)​

Wow this is a very good idea. Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

ljordan2 said:
Wow this is a very good idea. Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! I'm just worried it is a little bit long... but in the next couple of days I will be making it more reader friendly
Transmitted from somewhere in space... from my Nexus S... and Tapatalk.

nice thread! thanks

Hey great post, i still haven't rooted my nexus s but you just made me flash a kernal. I was tkinking about it but never too serious.
thanks!

Love it!!! Cleared so much up (you recieved my first Thanks button click!)
Just wanted to clarify something about the Kernel. My Rom is stock 2.3.6 that was received OTA when I unboxed the phone (Nexus S GSM i9020A, I'm in Canada). The bootloader is unlocked, phone rooted with CWM recovery via one click (QBKing's Video). Am I able to flash a custom Kernel to a stock Rom? Reading the above seems to lean towards the "yes", but wanted to make sure first.
Also, do not use the one click method on the Nexus S GSM if you want to easily return to stock. The one click stock only supports the 4G, which is extremely silly and inconvenient IMO. I'm currently still trying to figure out how to return to stock, incase something does happen and the phone needs warranty work. Let's just say, I'm not making much progress and this is extremely uncomfortable ATM..

Great thread and idea, all seems spot on. I vote for sticky.
Also, heX, you can flash a custom kernel on a stock rom as long as you have an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery. I'd recommend you backup all you need with TB or similar, then do unlock your bootloader if you havn't already (search around for how to do this, described in rooting guides). Just remember this will delete -ALL- user data, including sdcard. After this you can flash a su.zip to have proper root access, and you can easily install a stock image with a custom bootloader then lock the bootloader afterward for pure stocky goodness.

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Harbb said:
Great thread and idea, all seems spot on. I vote for sticky.
Also, heX, you can flash a custom kernel on a stock rom as long as you have an unlocked bootloader and custom recovery. I'd recommend you backup all you need with TB or similar, then do unlock your bootloader if you havn't already (search around for how to do this, described in rooting guides). Just remember this will delete -ALL- user data, including sdcard. After this you can flash a su.zip to have proper root access, and you can easily install a stock image with a custom bootloader then lock the bootloader afterward for pure stocky goodness.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TYVM Harbb!
Yes, currently the bootloader is unlocked, phone rooted and CWM installed. I did a TB backup prior so I could quickly restore my apps and settings. All is running well.
I tried to flash a full stock Rom back to the phone, but have run into an issue in doing so, posted here
I'm still awaiting some help with regards to that one, hopefully all will be well soon.
I'm not sure why I got spooked in doing this. I'd like to try the Matrix kernel and there are various Roms that definitely sound fantastic, but part of me just wants it back to stock so warranty and OTA are restored as the phone is only a few weeks old.

very useful for us newbie, thanks for sharing

heX79 said:
TYVM Harbb!
Yes, currently the bootloader is unlocked, phone rooted and CWM installed. I did a TB backup prior so I could quickly restore my apps and settings. All is running well.
I tried to flash a full stock Rom back to the phone, but have run into an issue in doing so, posted here
I'm still awaiting some help with regards to that one, hopefully all will be well soon.
I'm not sure why I got spooked in doing this. I'd like to try the Matrix kernel and there are various Roms that definitely sound fantastic, but part of me just wants it back to stock so warranty and OTA are restored as the phone is only a few weeks old.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I see you have the att version, so i9020A. When android 4.0.3 came out, I wanted to go back to stock 2.3.6 so that I could update officially. Anyway, I downloaded a full stock ROM, flashable via recovery, from HERE and all went smooth for me. (the link is to the i9020A version, of course I used the i9023 version). Try the stock posted there, and see if you get any error. I think you should be ok now, if not, post back. Remember, this takes you fully back to stock, no cwm, no nothing custom.
I am glad to see that I helped somenone, I will make some modifications this afternoon, still 9am here (maybe add stuff to the dictionary and post it to google docs or something like that, just to make it easier to scroll through and more). Any suggestions or critics are welcome!
EDIT: Guide updated:
-better arrangement of the dictionary (will be adding new terms tomorrow, had to study for an exam today)
-added Tools & Mods section (will build on that later on)
-more to come...

great post OP

Nice thread! Great Work ,Thanks

Hey thanks! Happy to see good feedback on this.
Transmitted from somewhere in space... from my Nexus S... and Tapatalk.

Great beginners guide, and thanks for the link!
For kernel benchmarks and more, see here: http://goo.gl/mpeHI

Thanks very much! I will give it a try shortly, just to confirm if I recieve any issues. I've also installed the recommended CWM version for my model, not sure if it makes a difference, but I flashed 5.0.2.0 anyway as the version I was getting an error with had a higher build number.
Right now I'm enjoying AndroidME 1.2.3 with Speedy 6 kernel and have no complaints so far! (Kernel updated this morning from Speedy 5)
I will report back with any issues once I have some time to do a Nandroid backup and test the stock Rom.
Thanks for your help!
It's nice to know there's a way to revert back to stock, should anything need servicing! I've also started reading up on Odin
flodb113 said:
Ok I see you have the att version, so i9020A. When android 4.0.3 came out, I wanted to go back to stock 2.3.6 so that I could update officially. Anyway, I downloaded a full stock ROM, flashable via recovery, from HERE and all went smooth for me. (the link is to the i9020A version, of course I used the i9023 version). Try the stock posted there, and see if you get any error. I think you should be ok now, if not, post back. Remember, this takes you fully back to stock, no cwm, no nothing custom.
I am glad to see that I helped somenone, I will make some modifications this afternoon, still 9am here (maybe add stuff to the dictionary and post it to google docs or something like that, just to make it easier to scroll through and more). Any suggestions or critics are welcome!
EDIT: Guide updated:
-better arrangement of the dictionary (will be adding new terms tomorrow, had to study for an exam today)
-added Tools & Mods section (will build on that later on)
-more to come...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

You're welcome! Looking forward to an update with your stock flashing situation. I also used ClockworkMod 5.0.2.0 a long time. I'm now on 5.0.2.3 only for the better menu layout.
Transmitted from somewhere in space... from my Nexus S... and Tapatalk.

just one question...
can i install more than one kernel at a time...
for eg.like one i installed for battery usage and othr for sound..
can i do tht

(Guide) (Beginners) You have rooted your phone, now what can you do

(Guide) (Beginners) You have rooted your phone, now what can you do​Note – I will keep updating this guide as much as I can
Note - Please ask as many questions as you need, there is no question to basic to ask, it would be better being asked here instead of starting a new thread.
Note – Please don’t swear in this thread fu**ing is still swearing, using this - ** - still means you are swearing. Also please don’t call anyone a Noob after all this is a guide for beginners.
Final note – Can all beginners please thank people if they give you an answer to your question.
So welcome to the world of being rooted, you now have a nice shiny new rooted Android phone, but what can you do now. Well I have decided to start this thread to tell you what you can now do. This guide is for beginners and should be treated as it is intended, keeping it simple and just going over the basics. This guide will be broken down into main sections –
Post 1
• Super User
• Clockwork Mod Recovery (CWM)
• Apps
• Roms
Post 2
Further reading, it’s time to get you geek on
Post 3
More usefull apps that you might like
Super User
When you have a rooted phone you will need this little app called super user that has a massive job. When you rooted your phone it will have more than likely come with this app, if not then you can download it here. The basic idea behind super user is to control the root access to you phone. Your phone must have this app before you continue with the rest of this guide. Using Super User is easy when you open an app that needs root access a prompt will come up asking if you want to allow this app super user access, giving you two options deny or allow.
Clockwork Mod Recovery (CWM)
Once you have rooted your phone one of first thing you need to do is make sure you have Clockwork Mod Recovery. All phones have a recovery mode that can be accessed when turning on your phone or some root access apps allow you to access recovery mode through them. What CWM recovery does is modifies this recovery mode to make it better, allowing you to flash nearly anything you want or need, such as roms, themes and kernels. Also through CWM Recovery you can create a nandroid backup, which is a backup of your whole current rom, you can also carry factory data wipes and more advance features.
So how do you get CWM, well the first thing to do is check, depending what root method you used you might have it all ready (power off your phone and then hold the power, home and volume up buttons together until you enter recovery mode). You will know if you have CWM Recovery by looking at the top of the screen is should say “Clockworkmod Recovery”; if it doesn’t then you need to get it. The easy way to get CWM is by downloading the app Rom Manager (talked about below), open Rom Manager and there is an option to flash Clockwork Mod recovery, select that select which phone you have and it will do the rest for you.
Controls for CWM Recovery – Then volume buttons allow you to move and the power button is used to select.
Apps
Right there are a number of apps that will take advantage of you root access, and I am going to cover what I believe are the basics.
Remember when using any app that uses the root access of your phone it can come with risks.
Rom Manager – So Rom Manager and CWM sort of go hand in hand, being that Rom Manager is the nice user friendly app, giving you control of CWM from your phone home screen. Just like in CWM you can backup and restore your rom, flash new roms, fix permitions and partition SD card. As said above you can use Rom manager to flash CWM for you straight from the app, you can download this app here.
BusyBox – Trting to keep this simple, when you have a rooted phone there are sets of commands that you do not have, installing BusyBox will give these. This is required to run some apps that require root access. I think that was simple enough, oh and before I forget you can get it here.
Titanium Backup Root – Titanium Backup is an enormously useful app. Not only can it backup apps, but it can backup apps and all their data, and it can delete apps—even system apps or bloatware (bloatware are apps that come with your phone that you normally can’t remove like Games hub), making regular backups of all your apps and their data. You can download Titanium Backup here, also if you would like to know more about how to backup and restore most things when changing roms (more about roms just below) you can use my other guide here.
These are the very basic apps that you will need to see you of into the future of a android custom android experience, I will include other cool apps that use root access in post 3.
Roms
So the best part about having a rooted phone well for me anyway is the massive list of roms out there. If you don’t know what a rom is then here we go. When you get your android phone and turn it on, you’re faced with this impressive software that allows you access to apps throught the market, make phone call, txt, maps, voice commands, email and the list is never ending. This is all done through the software known as the Rom, the rom you get when have your phone is known as a Stock Rom. Now it this stock rom that we can change to improve our Android mobile experience known as a Custom Rom, and there are lots of custom roms out there. Some are made to give you a better battery, better custimization, improved features, so to provide a vanilla experience and some try to make a balance of them all, but the main idea is to make android better. So roms are broken down into different categories, here is a breakdown of them for you.
Stock Rom – As talked about before stock roms are the software that comes with the phone, some people prefer the stock experience but I don’t. The main problem with stock roms is that manufactures will place an extra layer of software on top of the rom known as a user interface (UI), such as Samsung wither their touchwiz UI and HTC with HTC Sense UI. The problem I have with these UI are they are power hungry and well not to sound mean but touchwiz is not very well made.
AOSP – Android open Source Project is the android rom in its basic form, so it has no bloatware or power hungry UI’s. This is where you will get most of your custom roms from, there are devs within the android community most found right here on XDA, that will use AOSP and make their own custom roms with this adding to and improving it to make the best rom they can. Just as a note there is no best rom and you will never get an answer as to which is the best. Each rom is to their own and suit different people with different needs, but as a starter rom to get use to the idea of flashing roms and learning everything that is needed then I would recommend a Cyanogen Mod Rom, as this is the most popular and you will get the most advice from the community is it is the most used. You can find the Cyanogen Mod website here. The best way to find roms is to look through the forum and look in the Development and Original Development threads.
INDEX - Android Development [29 March] - Here is a Rom list from the Android Development Fourm, the list includes both ICS and GB roms, thanks to daniel_costa_rj
There is a lot more to roms that just this basic overview and I will be adding more in the future as this will take just as long as writing this whole thread, so keep an eyeout for more updates, including AOKP.
EFS Folder (Important)
Ok this is more of a you must do and not a what you can now do. So the efs folder is a very important folder within your android system that contains infomation like your IMEI number, and just well important infomation trust me it's important. When people start to mod their phone such as flashing roms, kernels e.t.c, this folder can become corrupt, making you phone usless. So backing up this folder is important and their is an easy way in which you can do this, a more user friendly way using a great app by hellcatdroid. You can get this app from google play here, and it will give you all the tools to back up the folder. I will also include a guide on further reading for you to have a look over, so please backup your efs folder.
Well that’s it for now, this is my first draft and I will be making a lot on adding and changing over the next week.
Thanks for reading and I hope this guide helps even a handful of people.

Further reading, it’s time to get you geek on
[Guide] Back up your data before moving to a new rom
[REF] Guide to the Galaxy S II and Android (04/10/11)
[GUIDE] Fix an unflashable or soft bricked GSII
[REF][TWEAKS] Kernel Governors, Modules, I/O Schedulers, CPU Tweaks, AIO App Configs
Android Terms,Slang & Definitions
Forum & Marketplace Rules
[REF] Backup /efs folder. IMPORTANT.

More usefull apps that you might like
Root Browser Lite - Root Browser is for both non-root and rooted users. If you are rooted then this app will give you access to ALL of Android's file system. With a beautiful interface, tons of features and a cheap price Root Browser is a must have!#
ROM Toolbox - ROM Toolbox is the MUST HAVE app for any rooted user.
ROM Toolbox combines all the great root apps all tied up into one monster app with a beautiful and user-friendly interface. It also adds many more unseen features!, Check out the link for the full feature list
SGS2 Dual-Boot Setup (LolBoot) - Dual-Boot your Galaxy S2!
/!\ Requires root /!\
/!\ This is for the Galaxy S2 *ONLY* /!\
When the dual-boot is set up, you can (re)boot between two different, independent ROMs.
Just powering on boots into the primary ROM (duh!).
Using the recovery button combo (VOL-UP+HOME+POWER) will boot into the second ROM instead of recovery!
Pluggin in a USB cable or AC charger when the phone is powered off will make the phone boot into recovery.
AdFree Android - THIS APP IS FOR ROOTED PHONES ONLY!
AdFree removes most ads in the browser and other apps. It does this by nullifying requests to known host names in the system hosts file.
If you have problems with this app, or you know of additional host names not being filtered, please comment in xda-developers.com forum so it can be fixed!
kTool - Tool for a few functions after rooting. Kernel dump/flash, EFS backup/restore...
/!\ Requires Root /!\
/!\ Works on the >Galaxy S2< and >Galaxy Note< *ONLY* /!\
(i) the "lock pattern bug" is currently being investigated and worked on!
kTool is a small tool originally bundled with Hellcat's Root-Kernel for the Galaxy S2.
It offers a few functions usefull after rooting the device:
- Dump current kernel to /sdcard/zImage
- Flash kernel from /sdcard/zImage
- Backup the phone's EFS (sensitive storage are holding the IMEI and other vital data) as a raw .IMG dump and a .tar archive
- Restoring EFS from the raw .IMG or the .tar backup
- Format EFS (create fresh filesystem for cases where you want to restore seperate files or a .tar backup, but the filesystem is stuck/locked in read-only due to corruption)
- Reboot (normal, directely to recovery or directely to downlaod mode)
EFS Pro - EFS Pro - For Samsung Android Devices
Advanced Backup and Restore of your Device's '/efs' folder!
Features:
Supports Backup and Restore of Partition Image (*.img) and Compressed TAR Archive (*.tar) formats.
Automatically detects saved EFS Backups on Device and PC for hassle free restoring.
Re-Scan option to refresh Backup list for restoring Backups.
Automatically Re-Mounts '/efs' folder with Read/Write permissions during restore for users 'stuck' with Read Only permissions.
Automatic detection and prompting of Mass Storage Mode.
Automatic detection and termination of SAMSUNG Kies application on startup.
Supports Multiple Backup handling.
Option to Format '/efs' partition before restoring an EFS Backup.
Displays Device, ROM and BusyBox information on startup.
(NEW!) Attempt NV Recovery - Restores NV Data from '*.bak' files if they exist to fix corrupt or incorrect IMEI number.
(NEW!) Repair NV Data - Repairs NV Data file ownership to fix 'Unknown Baseband' and 'No Network / Signal'.

Introduction to Kernels
What is a kernel
So to keep this simple their 3 parts of your device the hardware, Software (rom) and your kernel. The kernel is the communication link between hardware and Software, although some of the seen as more important things are battery life, touch, wifi and more. You can also use a kernel to give you greater controll of your phone with such things (each kernel has its own conrtoll features).
You can swap your kernel just like you can swap your rom, although you need to check that the kernel you are going to flash with work with the rom you are using. some kernels will work woth all rom types such as SiyahKernel, others are made to be used on certain roms only such as Stock Roms, AOSP roms, AOKP Roms, and some even more specific such as CM9, MIUI and diffrent versions such as GB and ICS. So you will need to check the thread for that kernel and see what the features are and what Roms it will work on.
Their are many kernels on XDA Develpoers and the idea is for you to try a few out and see which suits your needs best, as their is no best kernel, the same as their is no best rom. So here is a list of a few kernels to get you started, and remember to check that the kernel you are about to flash will work on your device.
[KERNEL][ICS][ExTweaks][All-in-1kernel][DualBoot] SiyahKernel v3.2b6
[KERNEL][05.05][APP/PRO/OTA][AOSP&SAMMY] N.E.A.K. ICS - Designed by Nature (v2.0.4x)
[KERNEL] SpeedMod SGS2 ICS [K3-16 CIFS ROOT / NO-ROOT CWM5]
[KERNEL] SpeedMod SGS2 [K2-21 CWM5 CIFS ROOT]
[KERNEL] XPLOD 3.0.24 opensource kernel
Learn more about kernels
I will be adding more reading on kernels soon

reserved for later

My very own rom
Ok so here it is my very own rom go to the link to see more
[Rom][4.0.3][Vertumus][Apex & Galaxy 3 TW Launcher] Dark Angel

Gonna try Adsfree. My best improvement with my custom rom (resurrection remix 1.1) is that now i can tether. And overall is much better than the stock one.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

Great guide

u said that u can flash new roms now that your phone is rooted but my question is dont you have to unlock bootloader to do that
i'm still new so i'll ask alot of questions

If you install ClockworkMod Recovery, it will allow you to flash roms as it will unlock bootloader for you
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

ok then nevr heard of that but i'm still new to everything
would clockwork mod unlock the bootloader of xperia play r800i i recently rooted it(last night to be exact)
i know this may not be the xperia play section but i was searching and stumbled upon this thread

RealMcoy said:
ok then nevr heard of that but i'm still new to everything
would clockwork mod unlock the bootloader of xperia play r800i i recently rooted it(last night to be exact)
i know this may not be the xperia play section but i was searching and stumbled upon this thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure you would have to look in the relevent thread for you device, i wouldent want to give you advice on a device i have never worked with.

Updating thread
I have started to add more to the thread -
Extra reading and more i have add some apps, their is a lot more to come.

fantastic post
I spent 10mins to go through the whole post and very helpful for me. As a newbie, I have learned a lot from you. Thanks for your work and keep updates.

AOKP sms related
I have rooted my phoen and installed custom ROM with AOKP sms, can some one please help me that how can i send sms to multiple ppl @same time, i mean how can i add contact group in AOKP sms, i tried a lot but not able to find it..

Did you install an aokp Rom or a custom AOSP rom and install the SMS.apk from AOKP source
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

Update to thread
I have updated the thread a little with more guides for you to geek up on, and i have added a link to a rom list................ Enjoy

Just a thought mate, how about linking up a thread on how to back up your efs folder after root, last few months been lots of threads about efs being messed up, there is also a guide to re-storing ya efs if ya screw it up. Nice thread btw
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

E_Goldstein said:
Just a thought mate, how about linking up a thread on how to back up your efs folder after root, last few months been lots of threads about efs being messed up, there is also a guide to re-storing ya efs if ya screw it up. Nice thread btw
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will make an edit to the 1st post and include a guide on efs backup, not that many people now how important efs folder is so thanks for the idea.

Great Guide
This is very helpful indeed.

[REF] Understanding the basics before rooting your S3 (GT-i9300/i9305)

Note from the Author -
I am moving on to the N5 now and ditching my S3. I will continue to maintain this thread, however - please do PM me if you think that something needs to be changed or updated in this thread as I doubt I will be answering questions within the thread as much. Please don't PM support questions to me. Only PM updates that need to be made in the thread.
It's been a blast!
Regards
Dan
efs | backup your efs | backup your efs | backup your efs | backup your efs | backup your
Understanding the basics before rooting your S3 (GT-i9300/i9305)
This thread is intended to give you (as someone considering rooting your device) an overview of some of what I deem to be, really important information. Many people blindly follow guides and end up in trouble because they break their phones and don't really know what they were even doing at the time.
This may seem a bit overwhelming at first, there is a lot of text, but please do take the time to read it. It may save you further down the line.
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Before we get started...
Here are a couple of threads you should get familiar with before posting on XDA.
Forum Rules - use Search before posting
Post Questions or Support queries in Q&A, NOT General
What is root access?
"root" is (but not exclusively) a Linux term. As you may or may not know, Android is based on a Linux Kernel.
The term "root" refers to the root of the device. All devices with an operating system use a series of directories (or folders) nested within one another. If you think of windows, your documents folder would be C:\users\username\documents.. Well, "documents" is a directory. It is within another directory (username).
Imagine "documents" being the top of a tree (A folder tree). You climb down the tree to username, past there to "users" and down to the root, in this example "c:". You cannot go beyond this level, because nothing exists beyond the root. To save a file directly on C: (not within any folders) would be to save a file to the root of your c: drive.
In Linux (unlike Windows), these root locations are completely locked down. A user of normal priviledges cannot edit any file or create files in these locations. They can only do this in their "home" location, which is the equivelant of username on windows. To gain access to these locations, you would need to be an administrator of the machine. Linux calls this Super User (su), and this user is said to have "root access".
This applies to Android in the same way. To root your Android device, is to have superuser access to the root locations of your phone, that you normally could not have access to.
Is it Risky?
There is always a risk having access to locations on your phone that are supposed to be locked down. You can easily delete things that your phone needs to boot up, which could lead to you losing all your data or even breaking your phone. This is why it is good have an understanding of your device and root access BEFORE you root.
It is worth noting that although many say rooting shouldn't void your warranty (it does in many places) even where that is supposed to be true, in practice, it isn't really. Even in the EU, I've seen many warranty claims rejected due to root so do think of your phone as out of warranty when you root.
The advantages of rooting
Why root?
More control over how the CPU acts. This can increase performance or battery life
More control over power consumption (undervolting)
More control over how apps start up. Prevent apps from starting up when they don't need to
Baseband. Try different basebands with the possibility of reducing drain or imporving signal strength
De-bloat. Remove or freeze system apps that you don't use
Access to community driven bug fixes that Samsung haven't released
Custom ROMs. Add additional functionality and controls over and above the stock experience
Increase redundancy. The ability to backup apps and entire phone
Theme. Don't be stuck with Samsung driving aesthetics.
Innovations. Use community driven features that improve your day to day experience
Better RAM management. Change the values of "Out of memory". Decide yourself when android should kill unused apps. Increase mutlitasking capabilities
Custom kernels. With kernels you can bring support for better audio features, better graphics performance and support for stock unsupported files systems
Google Android. Use android as it was intended before Samsung got their hands on it.
The Disadvantages of rooting
Why not root?
For all intents and purposes, rooting voids warranty.
Dangerous. You can break your phone and need the warranty you probably just voided
You open the doors for more mistakes. These mistakes may cause you to panic and further damage your phone
Lack of understanding. Blindly following guides and not understanding what you're doing.
No more official updates. Updating is a more manual process
Basic layout of /root on the GT-i9300
I'm not going to go into too much detail here. I just need you to know the basics. The GT-i9300 has an embedded Multi Media Card. This is the internal memory that everything on your phone you need to run it, is insalled on. It is the "internal memory" of the device.
Like windows and linux, there is a root to this memory, which has a few basic partitions that you need to know.
/efs - This is REALLY important. This is where your IMEI is stored, which you need to connect to your provider's network. Unfortunately it is the easiest partition to corrupt and impossible to restore without a backup so ensure you have a recovery or application to backup your efs cause if it goes (likely) you'll be sending your S3 to Samsung for repair.
Please read THIS THREAD for more info on EFS and IMEI issues.
/system - This is where the ROM is installed. Within /system are many important folders that you normally cannot get to.
For example, you have /system/app where all the important ROM apps are located. Things like the phone app and the messaging app. /system/bin, where all the important binaries are located that allow android to execute commands that it needs to, so it can function as an OS and /system/framework, where the crucial policies that control how things the user and processes interact with - act.
/data - This is where apps you install are kept. This is also where your data is kept, eg your SMS and e-mails. It also stores settings. If you change the wallpaper, it is stored here. What ringtone you have chosen... etc. The important directories here are /data/app and /data/data. These are what get wiped when you choose to wipe data\factory reset
/data/media is an important directory in /data. This is what is known as your "internal storage" or your "internal sdcard". /sdcard maps to here.
When you have root access to android, you can browse these partitions with a root explorer / file manager with root functionality.
There are also some hidden partitions you cannot browse like this. These are the partitions that contain recovery, bootloader and kernel
What are those things?
Kernel - This is always supplied with a ROM. It is the beating heart of Android. The ROM cannot function without the kernel. Since all ROMs include a kernel, if you're using a custom Kernel then flash a ROM, you will need to reflash the kernel again.
Please note, unlike the Galaxy S2 (and like almost every other modern android device) the kernel and recovery are independent. There is no link between recovery and kernel. Kernels are boot.img files.
Bootloader - this is what handles what you boot into. When you see the black Galaxy s III text, thats the bootloader. Its job is to handle the boot. It is responsible for booting into android, or if you manipulate the buttons in a certain way, it will boot into recovery or download mode. PLEASE NOTE, i9300/5 Bootloader is NOT LOCKED. DO NOT TRY TO UNLOCK IT. Only some US variants have a locked bootloader...
When you see this screen, you're looking at the bootloader:
Download mode is part of the bootloader itself. Again, it is a mini OS. It is designed for flashing stock (official) ROMs onto the phone (Which you can do using Odin). It is also used by Samsung to detect the status of your phone (if you have modified it or not).
If you have (or had before rooting) an official ROM above 4.1.1, Your bootloader flash counter in download mode will change to "1" at every boot, if you have a custom kernel or recovery - even if you reset it with Triangle Away. See the return for warranty link later in this post to get around this.
To access download mode, turn off your phone. Home volume down + home then press power. You will get to the screen below:
Press volume up to continue into Download mode:
Recovery - a secondary, min operating system designed to offer a few "drastic" options to recover when you cannot boot into android. For example, factory reset. Recovery isn't part of android. It is a seperate operting system. You can either boot into android or boot into reocvery.
To access recovery (custom or stock), turn of you phone. Hold volume up + home then press power.
The intial use of Stock recovery was to allow a user whose phone does not boot, to wipe their device to "recover" it to a booting state. It could also flash official updates from the sdcard. Custom recoveries do so much more, such as allowing you to flash custom rom.zip or kernel.zips from sdcard or backing up your device with a nandroid recovery.
Here is an example of a custom recovery (Philx Touch 5):
Please note, unlike the Galaxy S2 (and like almost every other modern android device) the kernel and recovery are independent. There is no link between recovery and kernel.
Some other stuff you may have heard about
Baseband / Modem / Radio - This is the software that manages your connection to wireless networks, be that voice or data. Unlike unrooted users, you can download and flash any number of i9300 (Versions for other models WILL BRICK YOUR PHONE) or i9305 radios pulled from official ROMs. I wouldn't waste too much time on them. Usually what your official ROM comes with in your country / for your carrier, is the most optimised for you. Try a few by all means but don't waste time testing every last one.
Be aware that Samsung official ROMs come with a baseband. Often this means Samsung based custom ROMs may also do so. Some ROMs which install using the Aroma installer (A kind of set-up wizard) may give the option to not flash the baseband. AOSP ROMs almost never come with a baseband. When you flash a ROM withotu a baseband, the previous baseband remains. You can by all means, mix and match ROMs and basebands. You are not tied to the baseband with the same build number as the ROM. For example, if you are on XXEMB1 ROM, you definitely do NOT have to stay on the XXEMB1 baseband.
RIL - RIL is Radio Interface layer. It's what sits between the radio (above) and the android telephony services. Each Radio is supposed to have a specific RIL. Every ROM comes with RIL as it's a requirement to function. Again, although the best pair is a matched RIL and Radio version, if you do change your Radio, it's not the end of the world. You may notice a little difference flashing the right one, but it's not something to get bogged down with. Personally, I very rarely try a new Radio. I almost never change my RIL.
It's worth mentioning that the above is only really valid for Touchwiz ROMs. AOSP ROMs use OpenRIL and are not compatible with Samsung RILs. Do not use apps like GetRIL or flash Modem+RIL packages on AOSP ROMs. You would have to reflash the ROM if you do this because using a Samsung RIL on your AOSP ROM will likely break your signal.
Also note, Nandroid backups generally don't backup the Radio. Some recoveries may give you a separate option to do so however. The RIL (as part of the ROM itself) is backed up in a Nandroid.
ROM - ROM really stands for "Read Only Memory" which refers to memory that cannot be overwritten. When we talk about an Android ROM, we are really talking about the Android OS which is installed ON the Read Only Memory, of course since rooting, the /system partition where the ROM is installed is no longer read only. It is read / write. Flashing a ROM will over write the entire /system partition with whatever is in the ROM.zip or ROM.tar. Any mods, scripts, themes or apps will be replaced. You can only have one ROM at a time, unless you use one of those funky dual boot kernels.
More advanced layout of the GT-i9300
Here we have a lovely MS paint diagram of the eMMC layout of the GT-i9300/5. Some of this you don't need to know, some of it you do.
1 BOTA0 - mmcblk0p1 - 4 MB
2 BOTA1 - mmcblk0p2 - 4 MB
3 EFS - mmcblk0p3 - 19.7M
4 PARAM - mmcblk0p4 - 8 MB
5 BOOT - mmcblk0p5 - 8 MB
6 RECOVERY - mmcblk0p6 - 8 MB
7 RADIO - mmcblk0p7 - 33 MB
8 CACHE - mmcblk0p8 - 1 GB
9 SYSTEM - mmcblk0p9 - 1.48 GB
10 HIDDEN - mmcblk0p10 - 587 MB
11 OTA - mmcblk0p11 - 8 MB
12 USERDATA - mmcblk0p12 - 11.4 GB
The above sizes are approximate and the diagram is not to scale.
Rooting the phone
When you go through the process of rooting the phone, you have to alter the ROM. Although the risks of this are very minimal, we couldn't technically say it was risk free. The process of rooting puts a binary (called "su") in /system/bin (remember we talked about that earlier?). This binary is what allows the user (you) to run things at an elevated privilidge (super user). That in itself would be quite risky, so rooting also gives you one of the superuser apps (there are 2 - SuperSU and SuperUser, both very good). These apps install to /system/app and act as a gateway. Essentially, these apps prompt you when another application wants "root access" so you can allow it or deny it. It's a form of protection against malicious intent.
Root is often enough for most people who simply want to run a few root apps, but many people will need to replace their stock recovery with a custom recovery. This is because you cannot flash custom roms from the stock recovery. Some methods of rooting give you root AND recovery. Some just give you root, but you can flash a recovery yourself using Odin and download mode. Technically you do not need root to flash a recovery and then flash a custom ROM as the rom will include /system/bin/su and /system/app/SuperSU anyway.
Odin is a useful Windows tool. You'll be using this to return your phone back to stock too by flashing a stock "firmware"
Please read Samsung Galaxy S3 General Sticky Roll-Up Thread ***Stickies found here!** to find all the rooting and flashing guides you need for the GT-i9300
If I were asked my opinion on how to root, I would recommend one of the 2 scenarios.
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

Official Updates
Once you have rooted your phone, the phone is classed as "modified" and no longer qualifies for Official Samsung OTA updates.
It is possible to receive official updates (whilst rooted) via Kies, however this will remove root (just like flashing a full stock rom) and if you have any custom themes, kernels or /system modifications, this could really cause some problems to the ROM so it is best to avoid. Of course if you have flashed a custom ROM (even TouchWiz based ones) Official updates are a big, fat No-No.
If you do run custom ROMs, it's best to use their OTA method if they have one, or download from the threads on XDA and flash via recovery.
Flashing - Good practice
Recovery - Custom recoveries are very handy tools. Unlike the stock recovery, they have lots of options. Not only do they allow you to flash custom ROMs, but you can backup your current ROM too. This is called a Nandroid backup. Its a snapshot in time. It backs up your entire device, from the ROM to the Kernel and all your data too. If you restore a nandroid backup, your device will be extactly the same as it was when you took the backup. This means if you took a backup 2 weeks ago and restored it today, you could have lost 2 weeks worth of SMS.. but it is very handy. As soon as you have a custom recovery, a Nandroid backup should be the FIRST thing you do. You should take one before you flash any Mod, kernel, ROM or theme. It really is important, incase you manage to break your device.,
The RIGHT files - Always be careful that you know what you're flashing is for your device and you know what it is. Flashing files (ROMs, kernels etc) for other devices could BRICK your phone. Bricking means that it is beyond normal levels of repair, often meaning it needs the internal memory (which equates to the motherboard) being replaced. very expensive.
NEVER remove power - When flashing something, be it from your computer or from recovery (or mobile Odin), do NOT remove the power. It can corrupt not only what you're flashing but also what you're flashing to. If you corrupt any of your eMMC partitions, you could have Bricked the device.
Read, read and read - Read the development threads before you flash anything. Ensure you understand what you are flashing. Ensure you know the specific procedure layed out by the developer and you follow it closely. Do not ad lib. If you are unsure, ask.
DON'T PANIC - Think you've bricked your device? Dont panic. Stay calm. Dont google "unbrick S3" and flash lots of files you dont understand. There are many types of S3 "brick" (they're not bricks if you can easily recover) and many varients of the S3. Flashign these files could further break your phone and actually brick a not already bricked phone. Nothing for any other variant than the GT-i9300 should be flashed on it. The same goes for the i9305. Never flash for another model number.
Search and Ask - Unsure of something, read the stickies Samsung Galaxy S3 General Sticky Roll-Up Thread ***Stickies found here!** and do a search. Can't find your answer? Ask. It is easier for us to help you understand something before you do it than to fix something after you've broken it.
Provide details - ALWAYS tell us exactly what happened if you are requesting help. Always describe in detail what is happening.
"Flashed my phone now it doesn't work" is useless information.
"I rooted my phone 3 months ago and flashed a custom ROM. I decided today to flash ROM X from recovery Y. I booted into recovery and flashed from my internal SD card. I rebooted the phone and it is not starting up. It is looping at the boot animation" is GOOD information. We need to know What, when, how. We need to know if you followed a guide and which one (links where possible)
Backups
Backups are really important. This is how you can mitigate the risk of losing all your important data. Without these you could have to start again from scratch or worse, need to send your device for repair.
Your entire phone - Nandroid - Recovery
[*]efs - Recovery - EFS backup aapplications
[*]Your apps and data - Titanium backup
[*]SMS - SMS backup+
[*]Photos - Dropbox
[*]sdcards - FolderSync
The reason we backup is multifaceted.
A Nandroid will backup your entire phone. This is usually taken immediately before you flash a mod or a new ROM. Nandroid restores /system and /data. Usually when you flash a mod (kernel, theme, some system app or libs etc) and it causes a bootloop, a simple restore of Nandroid will return your phone as it was and booting again. In fact, you can use an advanced restore in recovery and choose ONLY to restore /system if appropriate
Titanium backup would often be done on a schedule. Every 2nd night or something, maybe once a week if you're daring. These are important for a number of reasons but the most important is if you are flashing a new ROM.
Remember earlier, we talked about all your data and apps being in /data/data and /data/app? Well, Titanium backs that up. When you flash a ROM, you have to perform a full wipe / factory reset before it will boot up properly. This is because you have settings stored in data/data for apps in /system/app that may have changed or no longer exist, or settings different to the settings in the new ROM. These are incompatibilities and these incompatibilities often will prevent a new ROM booting. Of course, a factory reset doesn't fully restore it to it's factory condition. It cannot restore the bootloader, rom, baseband etc because you overwrote these by flashing a new one.
We wipe, we install titanium and we restore all the data/apps and the /data/data related to /data/apps, but none of the data/data related to /system/apps (because that would restore the incompatibilities)
Here is how I restore using titanium backup after a wipe and flash....
Remember if your backup is on external sd, you need to point titanium to the location using preferences > backup folder location...
Go to backup / restore tab and press "click to edit filters" and deselect "system" and press the done tick icon to apply. Then from the previous backup / restore screen, go into the batch screen (another tick icon top right).
From this batch screen, select "restore missing apps with data" by pressing "run". Manually go through every app (yes, even if you have 300 apps) ensuring there's nothing samsung or rom specific there, unticking anything that is...
This should ensure a clean, user only app and settings. You will then need to manually set your system settings (ring tones, email etc)
Warranty
So, as we have discussed, warranty should be considered void once rooted. Technically in the EU, the OEM must prove root damaged your phone to reject warranty, however this is almost never the case.
When the S3 was released, it came with android 4.0.4 (ICS). The bootloader with ICS was normal. If you used Triangle Away once rooted, it would reset your binary counter forever. You may have kept status: Modified until you factory reset but that is not so much a problem.
When the S3 was upgraded to 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, a new bootloader was introduced. You could still reset with Triangle away, however on the next boot, if you had a custom recovery or kernel, the binary counter went back up to 1 again, which can present a problem.
Please see the following scenarios.
1) You just want root. No custom Kernels, no custom ROMs, no custom recoveries.
This is fine. If you root with CF-Auto Root it gives you a stock recovery. Once you reset the flash counter with triangle away, you should be fine.
2) You want root and recovery on a 4.1.1+ S3.
If you have a custom recovery or kernel, you can set triangle away to reset at every boot. The problem is if your phone breaks in such a way that you can never boot into android, but download and recovery mode still work, you're screwed, It goes back up to 1 on boot, fails to boot then you can only reset it with triangle away, which you can't use because it needs you to boot into Android. You see the risk?
3) You want root and recovery on a 4.1.1+ S3.
The alternative to the above is to flash This 4.0.4 bootloader via cwm. It can be reset by Triangle Away, and stays reset forever. Well why aren't we all using this? Because it is NOT SDS safe. This means if you ahev the unsafe internal memory, if you use download mode to flash anything, you risk bricking your device. Read [Important] Sudden Death Fix - Are you covered? for more information.
So it's a choice between:
I risk that under certain conditions, I may not be able to reset the binary counter for a warranty return
or
I have my binary counter at 0 always, but I cannot use download mode.
Please note, you need to run a TouchWiz ROM to use triangle away
Popular misconceptions
USB Debugging is always required for flashing.
Incorrect. USB debugging is an Android setting. It is only applicable within android. This setting does not work in recovery or download mode, so obviously anything done in those modes does not require USB debugging.
When rooting, all your data is lost.
Incorrect. Rooting adds a binary and application to your phone. It does not wipe it.
I need to root to fix my battery by wiping battery stats.
Incorrect. No one needs to wipe battery stats. Please read the wiping battery stats thread linked below:
Battery stats
What's good for you is good for me!
Incorrect. Everyone's usage is different. Everyone's set-up is different. Everyone's environment is different. There is no "Best" ROM. There is no "Best kernel for..." There is no "Most battery efficient baseband". All these things may acti differently for you than they will for me. What I like isn't what you like. Please do not create any "Best" threads.
If I ask the question "Blah blah blah for custom ROMS?", everyone will know what I am talking about
Incorrect. "Custom ROM" and "AOSP ROM" are NOT synonymous. People imagine when they ask about "Custom ROMS" that we know they really mean "AOSP ROMS". We don't. There are TouchwIz based custom ROMs too. We assume nothing.
B]I need yo be on a certain ROM to flash certain other ROMs[/b]
Incorrect. You're overwriting the ROM so why would ot matter what ROM you're overwriting?!
Important threads and resources
A list of important threads and resources...Please read ALL of these threads before rooting.
Mskip's unified toolbox(Root, drivers etc)
Index of Roms, recoveries and kernels
Guide for flashing roms, backups etc
Returning to stock for warranty
Odin flashing guide
Sammobile.com - stock firmwares
Be prepared ahead of time to fix a Brick
rootSU recommends
A few recommendations from me...
RootExplorer
Titanium Backup
Philz Recovery (CWM advanced)
Odin
Heimdall (Linux / Mac odin equivelant
That's it for now. I know this is a lot of information, but I believe this info to be the very least you should know before deciding to go ahead with rooting your S3. Please read it and read it again. Anything doesn't make sense, please ask in this thread and I will gladly help.
If any other seasoned rooters / flashers think there is something salient missing, please post her too. happy to add to it.

Glossary of terms
adb - Android Debug Bridge. This is a Windows or Linux command line tool that can be used to push files to a device, pull them, create directories. Very handy with a custom Kernel if you can't boot and need to get data from the device. This can be downloaded as part of the Android SDK or mskip's unified toolbox mentioned earlier.
AOSP - Android Open Source Project. This is google's code base. This is Android in it's pureset form. Anyone can download this code and build a ROM. It will take some work to build for a specific device however. Even Samsung start with this code at some point.
AOKP - Unofficial development team building ROMs based on AOSP accross a range of devices. AOKP stands for Android Open Kang Project. A play of the AOSP it is based on. Kang means to find / use (or even steal, although not in this case) source code.
baseband - The software responsible for controlling the radio hardware. Essential for network connectivity. Also referred to as "modem" or "radio"
bash - bash is a shell script language. Natively used in unix and linux, it can also be used within terminal emulators on android and scripts. Most mods that are scripts, use bash.
binary - a binary file is the opposite of a text file. It may contain data to be read by the OS rather than a human. It usually contains instructions on how a particular function should be handled.
binary counter - also referred to as flash counter. This is in part of the bootloader, viewed in download mode. The Binary counter increases as you flash non-stock (custom) recoveries and roms and kernels not "signed" by Samsung. The app, triangle away can help a little
boot.img - the kernel is contained within an .img file named boot.img. Not to be confised with sboot.img (bootloader)
bootloader - Bootloaders exist on almost any multi-OS bootable system. Windows has one, linux has one and android has one. It is how the device "decides" which OS to boot into. the user can manipulate hardware buttons during boot to alter which OS the bootloader boots into. It boots into Android by default but it can also boot into recovery or download mode. The bootloader is within an .img called sboot.img
brick - brick refers to a device that has been "bricked". A bricked device is beyond repair. In other words, your phone may as well be a brick, because it cant be a phone any more. A bricked device must be sent to the manufacturer / carrier / service centre for repair. You cannot repair a brick yourself. If you have something that can be repaired, it is not a true brick.
There are 2 types of brick referred to..
Soft brick, where the phone bootloops. These can sometimes be repaired, so for that reason it is not a true brick and I prefer to never use the term "Soft Brick".
Hard Brick. This is what I call a true brick. The phone cannot be repaired by a user. This of course does not extend to replacing parts. Sure, a brick can be replaced by replacing parts. It can't be fixed with external hardware or software however.
busybox - A set of tools to be added to android. Many root apps require busybox to run. It can be installed using an installer from the market. Similarly, most custom ROMs will contain busybox by default
clockwork mod - clockwork mod is a custom recovery
cfq - this is a scheduler (see scheduler). There is some info that can be read here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/i-o-schedulers/
checksum - see md5 checksum
cm - abbreviation for cyanogen mod. See Cyanogen
CPU - central processing unit. This is the brains of the operation. the CPU is what translates all the instructions and processes them. This is the main "power" behind any device. The better the CPU, the faster these instructions can be processed
custom ROM - A Custom ROM can be based on Touchwiz (Samsung stock), or it can be built from AOSP code. It really just means "unofficial" and will usually contain tweaks, fixes and imporvements for your device. A Custom ROM is a complete android replacement.
cwm - abbreviation for (see) Clockwork Mod.
cyanogen - a team of developers spanning multiple devices. Probably the most famous of development teams releasing heavily modified AOSP based ROMs. If there's any AOSP ROM thread for any Android device forum, there will be credits to cyanogen in there.
dalvik-cache - Dalvik-cache is a way of optimising applications. Its a way of ensuring all the dependencies an app requires are "at hand" to speed up use. It is rebuilt at start up when wiped. A de-odexed system will have more dalvik-cache than an odexed one.
de-odex - The act of removing odex from a stock ROM. On Stock ROMs, instead of using a dalvik-cache for system apps, we use .odex files instead. Generally custom ROMs prefer de-odexed configurations as it's easier to wipe and maintain when you make changes to your system.
deadline - this is a scheduler (see scheduler). There is some info that can be read here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/i-o-schedulers/
download mode - Samsung's own mode accessible via the bootloader. Hold Vul down, Home and power (from off) to boot here. Also referred to as "Odin Mode". This replaces the "fastboot mode" that most other devices have.
efs - Important partition / directory on the root of your phone. Ensures the IMEI number is present in the software. Back this up, because if it breaks, it's gone for ever. You need Samsung to repair.
eMMC - Embedded MultiMedia Card. This is like an SD card, but it's embedded in a device. the eMMC is a NAND flash memory chip which acts as internal memory (storage) on the S3.
exFAT - exFAT is a Microsoft proprietary (closed source) file system, used for media (sdcards, USB flash memory, HDD's etc). ExFAT is not natively supported in Linux and AOSP ROMs
ext - ext2, ext3 and ext4 are file systems created specifically for Linux. Our internal memory is ext (or "extended" as it is known). This can sometimes be used to refer to an ext partition, an old school method of partitioning your sdcard to link the internal ext partitions to to increase app space on low memory devices. Ext file systems cannot be read on Windows machines without special applications / drivers installed.
extSdCard - This is referring to the removable Micro SD card. Samsung ROMs mount the rremovable sd card in Android as /extSdCard. Recoveries such as CWM will mount it as external_sd. Both of these terms are valid, but it depends if the phone is booted to Android or Recovery. In AOSP ROMs, the removable SD card is often mounted as /sdcard1
FAT32 - another file system which is quite old now but still a good one. This is the only file system that is compatible with all devices unconditionally. The downfall is a maximum file size limit of 4 GB. Windows disk management GUI can only format up to 32 GB. Windows command lien tool "diskpart" can format up to the max volume size of 2 TB, as can many 3rd party tools such as easeus.
flash - Flash means a few things. It can refer to the fact that our internal memory is NAND Flash (Solid state) memory. It can also be the act of "flashing", or "to flash", meaning to install to flash memory. This doesn't really refer to installing an .apk. Rather, it refers to bigger, OS, System or device wide altering modifications (Kernels, recoveries, ROMs etc). Always back up before flashing.
Custom ROMS are usually flashed from your SDcard via recovery, as are kernels and basebands however, kernels and basebands usually can come in .tar format which means odin/mobile odin can flash them too from your computer/sdcard respectively. Rule of thumb, .zip from sdcard via recovery. .tar from sdcard via mobile odin or from computer using odin
flash counter - See binary counter
framework - The android frameworks are a standard structure within android that the OS is built around. It determines things like policy (how the OS should manage an event). It controls everything from notification behaviours to the theme. Anything visual within Android with exception to the notification area is controlled by framework-res-apk. AOSP and most manufactured ROMs only have 1 frsamework-res, however Samsugn Touchwiz ROMs alsu have a twframework-res.apk for Samsung only visuals.
gapps - Google Apps (gapps). AOSP ROMs like Cyanogen, have been asked by google to not include the google apps packages, which are proprietary to google (meaning not open source). This means that when you download these roms, you need to flash a gapps package separately. They are usually available as link in the ROM thread
governor - governors are included with kernels. I will not go into too much detail but essentially, the governor is a set of instructions which tell the kernel how to manage the CPU. It can control when the CPU ramps up or down, or how long it stays at a certain frequency. Most custom kernels come with a selection of governors to choose from using things like Set CPU. The governor settings for each can also be fine tuned or tweaked to y7our liking.
hotplug - this is a governor (see governor). Governors are explained in great detail here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/governors-explained/ - not all these governors are valid for our device, but it's a good technical read.
jig - a small usb device that plugs into the USB port of the S3. Designed to provoke "bricked" S3's to boot to download mode in an attempt to help recovery the device.
kernel - The kernel, it is said - is the "beating heart" of Android (or any OS for that matter). It sit's between the application layer (Android, applications etc) and the Hardware (CPU, Memory) and handles all transactions between the physical and the virtual. It passes information and instructions inbetween and translates. Very important stuff!
lulzactive - this is a governor (see governor). Governors are explained in great detail here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/governors-explained/ - not all these governors are valid for our device, but it's a good technical read.
md5 checksum - md5 checksum is a way to verify that a zip (or file) is not corrupt. A developer or uploader may provide a hexidecimal string called an md5 checksum. This checksum is a test done on the files that gives it a unique string based on it's contents. If you download the file and check the checksum and it does not match, it means the contents of the file have altered, usually meaning it is corrupt and shouldn't be flashed.
An md5 checksum is easy to check on android. My preferred method is using an android terminal emulator. Lets imaging I have a file on my external sd card called "rom.zip"...
In terminal emulator, type "md5 /mnt/extSdCard/rom.zip" and the terminal will give you an md5 string, If this matches the uploader's string, you're good to go.
If you're downloading something on Windows and then transferring it to your phone, it's a good idea to check md5 on both.
Linux is pretty much the same except the command is "md5sum"
For windows: http://www.winmd5.com/
modem - see baseband
NAND - NAND is a type of Flash memory. If anyone say's "NAND" to you, they are talking about the internal memory (Storage) of your device.
nandroid - nandroid refers to a backup taken or restored via custom recoveries. This is a universal term, although nowadays most recoveries simply say "backup" or "restore", but it is a nandroid backup they will be taking or restoring, which got it's name from the NAND flash memory that Android devices use internally. Nandroids are often only compatible with the variant of recovery you have. For example, a backup taken with CWM may not be compatible with TWRP, unless they introduce a compatibility setting in the future, which Philz recovery has done.
noop - this is a scheduler (see scheduler). There is some info that can be read here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/i-o-schedulers/
oem - Original Equipment Manufacturer. The OEM ROM for us is teh one the Manufacturer (Samsung) shipped with the phone.
overclock - overclocking is to set the CPU clock speed (frequency) higher than intended by the manufacturer. For example, the S3 has a 1.4 GHz (1400 MHz) maximum clock speed. With the use of a custom kernel and an application such as Set CPU, you can set this higher, to 1.6GHz or maybe even higher.
The risk is that the higher clock speed uses more voltage and voltage = heat. A higher clock with higher heat can permanently damage the CPU. Overclocking is usually paired with undervolting for these reasons. Another risk is instability. Each individual CPU has different tolerances due to imperfections in the manufacturing process. My CPU may be stable at 1.6 GHz, yet yours may be stable at a higher or lower clock. The side effects you will see here will be random reboots when the phone is under load.
pegasusq - this is a governor (see governor). Governors are explained in great detail here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/governors-explained/ - not all these governors are valid for our device, but it's a good technical read.
radio - see baseband
RAM - Random Access Memory. Great explanation here: http://www.androidcentral.com/ram-what-it-how-its-used-and-why-you-shouldnt-care
scheduler - built into kernels, there are schedulers to determine how CPU load is spread across different tasks. There are also read / write schedulers that spread out read and write operation priorities across the internal memory. Like Governors, there are different types of scheduler available.
sio - this is a scheduler (see scheduler). There is some info that can be read here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/i-o-schedulers/
stock - Imagine your phone is on a shelf in a shop. The phone is "stock" of that shop. If anything is referred to as "stock", this means standard for the device / as it was when shipped / as per factory set up. It is the opposite of custom. Some people refer to AOSP ROMs as "Stock Android". This may be the case for some phones, like the Nexus devices, but generally this is incorrect. Stock is whatever the phone came with as standard.
triangle away - an application designed to reset the binary counter. Warning, newer bootloaders (4.1.1+) now re-increment the binary counter at boot, so some trickery is required to get the counter to remain 0. This can be troublesome if you need to return for warranty.
undervolt - to undervolt is to lower the voltage used, either by the CPU or the GPU. Kernels assign a static voltage to each clock speed. For example, 200 MHz = 900 mV, 300MHz = 925 mV. Undervolting is the process of lowering this voltage staticaly for each clock speed, which potentially will save battery, although many people think it wont have much affect. Beware, undervolting too much can cause instability. When a clock frequency hasn't got enough power to sustain, the device will likely reboot or power off.
vanilla - meaning plain. Often used to refer to the "pure" android. AOSP without OEM skins, UI's and Launchers etc. The people who incorrectly use "Stock" to describe AOSP, really mean vanilla.
zzmove - this is a governor (see governor). Governors are explained in great detail here: http://www.alliance-rom.com/community/wiki/governors-explained/ - not all these governors are valid for our device, but it's a good technical read.

Every phone specific section needs something like this.
Very well done!:beer:

abaaaabbbb63 said:
Every phone specific section that can be rooted needs something like this.
Very well done!:beer:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now you need the difficult part, people to actually read it.

Nice work @rootSU
Needs to be stickied and a humongous "READ ME" sticker attached! :thumbup::thumbup:
Edit........Reported©®™ so it gets stickied!

Its getting noobs to actually bother to read is the problem .
jje

True but i'll start with the "read my sig" method. At least if it's here, thats a small part of the battle. Anyone anything to add to post 1? Slappy? jje?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

Add backup EFS first ??
jje

Some of the stickies in the roll up thread are badly out of date, you also might want to link to Mike Skip's toolbox, which reduces the chances of bricking considerably.

rootSU said:
True but i'll start with the "read my sig" method. At least if it's here, thats a small part of the battle. Anyone anything to add to post 1? Slappy? jje?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seeing as this may well attract lots of attention, possibly add a reminder about reading the rules and link? I know it's not relevant particularly, but any chance to ram the message home is good :thumbup:

rootSU said:
True but i'll start with the "read my sig" method. At least if it's here, thats a small part of the battle. Anyone anything to add to post 1? Slappy? jje?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Instead of [REF] you should write [BOOBS]. That would attract attention.

Added:
Link to forum rules and "post in Q&A" threads
Important links and resources
efs (in partitions)
backups

I'm sure there's still loads missing, I just can't think of much so all suggestions welcome.

Added "The advantages of rooting". Miss anything?
EDIT > added disadvantages too.

OP, I have moved your thread to the q&a section and stuck it. It is a great FAQ type thread and will serve a good purpose being stuck where people go to ask these types of questions. :good:
Towle
XDA Moderator

Towle said:
OP, I have moved your thread to the q&a section and stuck it. It is a great FAQ type thread and will serve a good purpose being stuck where people go to ask these types of questions. :good:
Towle
XDA Moderator
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks @Towle
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I've updated the following to sections to read as below:
Bootloader - this is what handles what you boot into. When you see the black Galaxy s III text, thats the bootloader. Its job is to handle the boot. It is responsible for booting into android, or if you manipulate the buttons in a certain way, it will boot into recovery or download mode. PLEASE NOTE, i9300 Bootloader is NOT LOCKED. DO NOT TRY TO UNLOCK IT.
Download mode is part of the bootloader itself. Again, it is a mini OS. It is designed for flashing stock (official) ROMs onto the phone. It is also used by Samsung to detect the status of your phone (if you have modified it or not).
If you have an official ROM above 4.1.1, Your bootloader flash counter in download mode will change to "1" at every boot, if you have a custom kernel or recovery - even if you reset it with Triangle Away. See the return for warranty link later in this post to get around this.

oops
first i thought it was typo but after i check out dictionary i just learn a new and rare word ... teh ....:fingers-crossed:

qtwrk said:
oops
first i thought it was typo but after i check out dictionary i just learn a new and rare word ... teh ....:fingers-crossed:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not new, not rare:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teh

[INFO][Guide][Noob] [Android] [ROM][Kernel][Recovery][Development]

Hello all,
I know there are many people who are curious about android or/and are about their new device. With this in mind, I have decided to give a brief idea about Android and its different aspects. I will use as simple words as possible.
Every highlighted word is a term that is used often at XDA or just refers to the word in FAQs in case you cannot find it.
ANDROID is an open-source (thus possibilities endless) mobile operating system (OS) based on the Linux kernel and currently developed by Google
With a user interface based on direct manipulation, Android is designed primarily for touch screen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers, with specialized user interfaces for televisions (Android TV), cars (Android Auto), and wrist watches (Android Wear).
ANDROID is usually based on these four major components:
ROM :
It is the system on which phone works (like windows for PC). Or simply called an Operating System. Can be Custom/Stock. Usually you need a custom or official tool to install/ repair a STOCK rom.
KERNEL is a part of ROM which is a programmed code that tells the phone how to function in accordance to the ROM & hardware capabilities. It can also be Custom/Stock. Sometimes they are used to enhance user experience, performance, battery life by small changes made to them. Some kernels are specific to ROMS.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CUSTOM/STOCK
When you buy your phone/tablet from a retailer, you are on STOCK ROM and STOCK KERNEL. (its from your mobile manufacturer and in this case straight from Google as it is a nexus device. Thus it is called a STOCK ROM/ STOCK KERNEL.
The STOCK ROM & KERNEL is usually an all-rounder to fit most of the users. However, some people are not happy with the limited option available on their devices. As Android is open sourced, and thus easily customized, they want to explore different options by tweaking their devices
In other words, some people like gaming on their devices while other want to increase the battery time, speed, performance etc and the possibilities are very vast as what we want from our devices. Like a person who likes to read books on his device would not care for heavy gaming performance but appreciate if he can get more juice out of his device so he can read more on a single charge.
Therefore, we can say we all need different flavours and thus there is a need for customisation. However, there could be some minor disadvantages too that come with some advantages like overclocking can result in heating and quick battery drain while it increases performance. Also, increased battery life might slow down your device if you are tweaking or under-clocking it too much Therefore, most of the developers try to find the best combination of both performance and battery. However, some custom ROMS/Kernels are developed with specific functions in their core like they might focus only on performance and gaming while other might just ignore heavy gaming and focuses on battery usage. Therefore, it is to your advantage to use your device how you like want it to function according to your preference.
By customisation, we run our devices to our needs and get the most out of it in accordance to how we want to customise it.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS
All devices ROMs and KERNEL are specific. This means stock/custom ROM for every device is specific so you cannot flash a ROM which is made for other device. This can permanently damage your phone. A famous Custom Rom is CyanogenMod which is currently on version 12.1. Although the ROM would be same for many devices, but you can not flash CM12.1 for Xperia M to Xperia M2 etc. In the same way, you can not flash custom/stock kernel of one device to another.
Rom can be installed via official tools provided by manufacturer or by using custom tools. Usually when you flash a STOCK ROM, it flashes SYSTEM+KERNEL+RECOVERY. However, some unofficial tools can help you flash any one component of the ROM. It could be Kernel/ Recovery or System.
RECOVERY
Recovery is also a part of ROM which is basically a backup mechanism of your device which lets you install stock ROM to your device if something has been corrupted in your device software. However, many CUSTOM recoveries are available which are necessary for flashing CUSTOM ROMS, MODS to modify your ROM and also you can backup your ROM(called nandroid backup), partition your sd card amongst many other uses. Recoveries could also be flashed via kernel as they are preinstalled.
BOOTLOADER is basically a lock in your device which doesn't allow modifications to your phone by the Manufacturer. Unlocking bootloader voids your warranty and stops automatic updates of your STOCK ROM. However, you can easily lock your bootloader again any time or manually install STOCK Updates.
Remember you should usually unlock bootloader before rooting unless you are installing a custom rom which is pre-rooted and allows locked bootloader.
ROOTING
This is basically a powerful exploit to take over your system and kernel of your device. It simply means that some system files which couldn't be modified can be changed now. It is as if you have complete power of your ROM and hardware. There are no restrictions from your manufacturer and thus you can change values , overclock your processor or put your hardware in hibernation to increase battery life, turn on/off your cores , speed or enforce 3D gaming cards to play HD games which you couldnot play before. However, this is a very tricky business so if you mess it up and not sure what you are doing, you can really end up with a bricked phone.
Usually apps are used to change these values or it could be done via SDK tools/ programming. To be sure if you are rooted or not, you can install ROOTCHECKER app from PLAYSTORE.
ADVANTAGES OF ROOTING
- You get full access to your phone's Hardware and software
- You can Overclock CPU clock speed and make phone faster
- You can Install many mods to improve camera, audio and video playback quality
- You can Install Beats Audio Drivers/others to enhance audio output
- You can increase speaker / earphone volume using volume hack
- You can Install Custom ROMs and Apps
- You can take the hell out of your device and Improve user experience
Rooting is safe and reversible, You can unroot your phone if you want. It won't void you're warranty etc
DISADVANTAGES OF ROOTING
-Chance to brick your device if the wrong software gets flashed. This can be EASILY reversible
-Warranty is void. You can flash STOCK ROM again and no one will have a clue you did that. So it can be reversible.
-Because, after Rooting you give permission (apps prompt, it's not by default) to apps to change values so if you give it to a malicious app, it can result in Viruses or security/privacy breach.
In all honestly, I am using rooted devices for over 5 years now and I never had any problem with viruses however, I have bricked my device innumerous times by accident. (I have flashed and rooted my device almost every one to two weeks and I have bricked my devices so many times in testing phase of Roms). I was always able to retrieve back the device with some tools and thus it was not much of a problem.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOOGLE NEXUS DEVICE AND A NON NEXUS DEVICE
GOOGLE NEXUS DEVICES give you vast freedom to install custom roms and it is comparatively very easy to unlock bootloader of these devices so a custom Rom can be flashed. (Flashing rom is equivalent to installing windows in PC). You can understand that a Nexus device only needs one command to unlock its bootloader while others could trouble you a lot for that.
Also, Google is very quick with updates on their devices which mean that you will get the latest software updates officially as they come out. Thus, even staying on STOCK ROM is not a bad choice for many users. Every update increases stability and gets rids of bugs. And of course, sometimes the bugs are not ironed out well and come back
NON NEXUS DEVICES do not give you as much freedom as a Nexus device. It is usually much harder to unlock their bootloader, develop on these devices and usually some exploits are needed to run custom ROM/root/kernels. Manufacturers or these devices try their level best
to narrow down the exploits as in other words, the more exploits a device has, the less secure it tends to be.
SOME CUSTOMISATION DIFFERENCES
As it is a nexus device so Asus has no say on any customisation at all. Thus, Nexus devices are said to run the PURE ANDROID and give you the best android experience in my opinion. However, usually manufacturers customise pure android from Google. To understand better, Google is responsible for development of the android OS so every new version is made by Google and then it is open sourced to manufacturer of different devices. Manufacturers like Samsung/Sony/Motorola/HTC customize the code provided by Google to customize it to their likings. This can result in some added options but can also result in slow performance if there has been too much customization from a device maker. Google itself is only responsible for the software and DOES NOT make any hardware itself.
Also, many manufacturers take a small fee from some app developers and install their apps with every device they produce. It is good news for app developer and manufacturer but usually a burden for users as not only they hog RAM, diskspace, and slow down the device they also are useless to many users. Referred to as BLOATWARE
SUPPOSE YOU HAVE DECIDED TO INSTALL CUSTOM ROM/ KERNEL.
This is a short synopsis of steps which are explained in details later in the post :
1.Unlock your bootloader
Some phones have unlocked bootloaders out of box (Not anymore)
2.Root your phone , which can be done via flashing a custom prerooted kernel or by binary method. There are innumerous ways now actually so usually visiting your device forum will help you find it.
3. Flash a recovery. This step can be done before or after unlocking your bootloader. Even you can root your phone via flashing SuperUser in recovery. However, sometimes, you need a rooted device before you can install a custom recovery using exploit/ scripts method.
SOME COMMON MISTAKES AND PREREQUISITES:
1. Make sure what ever you do, do it as administrator on your PC.
2. Make sure drivers are installed properly for your device.
3. Make sure, USB debugging is ON
4. Unknown Sources is ticked as well
5. Windows 7 is usually quick to install drivers itself. In windows 8 however you have to manually install drivers.
6. There are tools like SDK which is about 500mb which can help you to install drivers/fastboot etc but this is the long route. I suggest you just find platformtools in attachment which would be enough for cmd commands.
UNLOCKING BOOTLOADER :
I will give you a rough idea and it is NOT a guide to unlock your bootloader !
Basically, when you buy your phone it is locked from the manufacturer so no changes can be made to the software(STOCK ROM & KERNEL ) and thus this way, they can stop users to modify their software which might damage the device and they do not want to be responsible for that. So unlocking bootloader voids your warranty. However, this can be reversible.
ROOTING :
What you do in rooting is either flash a kernel via fastboot or exploit your device using binary method. This gives you permenant root, however there are ways to get temporary root too.
ROMS & KERNELS :
You choose a rom to your likings and then flash it via recovery. Usually the instructions are given on every rom as there is slight change as to how to flash it.
There many Roms & Kernels made by developers after lots of hardwork and testing. Thus every rom that surfaces might not be good for you but best for another user. Thus, it is never good to compare roms. What might work for you might not work for another.
I hope this helps!
MORE TERMS CLICK HERE

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
INTRODUCTION
I am starting this forum in hope of educating my readers about ROM development according to my experiences. Further, I will highlight what is the usual developers' thought process before they decide to build a ROM for a specific device. The reasons why they usually choose a certain device or why they prefer one device over another would also be stated briefly. I also have intention of looking into ways how we can speed up ROM productions for any device and what you can do to play your part.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION FOR NO CUSTOM ROMS EVEN AFTER SOME MONTHS BUT THIS DOESNOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO SPAM
I am sure many of you must be really disappointed by the lack of development for your device and I know this must be frustrating when we see other devices are getting ROMS so quickly. I know many are too excited when they find a little about any OTA/ Custom ROM and sharing such news is fully justified. However, it's beyond my logic & thinking why the forums are SPAMMED for any little information they might find anywhere regardless of their sources or if it has been ALREADY POSTED. I reckon many of these threads could have been avoided by simply searching in the forum.
ROM DEVELOPMENT
I can assure you that many develoeprs are working very hard to PORT and develop different ROMS for a device. However, the reason we can not see any CUSTOM roms till yet is due to complicated nature of a device itself.
Usually developers prefer a device which is :
1. Easy to work with, less complicated to code with or in other terms DEVELOPER friendly. For example, for a while I had a real issue with HTC phones as they have too many things to work with like Bootloader, S Lock, Radios, Hboot version etc while in Nexus devices you only need to unlock your device with one fastboot command. That's all and you are ready to flash ROMs.
2. Personal preference of Device. This simply means that we all have different tastes and thus we choose different devices. A certain developer might only work for a certain brand while other might work with few brands. This has nothing to do with anything but a personal choice.
3. A device that promises reward in terms of money/self satisfaction. Developers usually go for devices which have most active users so if their intention is also to get some money out of it in terms of donation, this will work well with devices which are more in number.
4. Knowledge about a certain brand more than another.
5. MONEY TO BUY A CERTAIN DEVICE/DEVICES. Suppose a developer wants to make ROMS for Xperia L/ SP/Z and Xperia U. Yet he only has 500 dollars to choose from. He then will have to make a choice between devices and this will eventually mean that not all of the devices get the same treatment. Money is the most decisive factor why a developer doesnot chose your device but rather another. For example purpose only, if I have to choose between devices, I might prefer SP over Xperia L as I can see more future of SP than Xperia L(I might be wrong).
6. Simply he bought a device or it is gifted/donated to him
SOME REQUESTS
Please STOP bugging developers by trivial questions. Just think how many other people ask the same question and it gets very frustrating to actually work on the device itself.
Every developer has a LIFE apart from developing ROMs. They also have a family, school, work, hobbies, bad days and so much like us. So they will do it when they feel like doing it. Just sit back and relax. Enjoy your device until developer releases the ROM for your device. Asking a REASONABLE question seems plausible but asking same questions/useless questions without using brains is just STUPID. Kindly refrain from that.
If you have seen a developer who has taken the initiative to work on your device , the best thing to do is to be patient. Let him concentrate. Spamming and spamming again won't help really.Yet some users start SPAMMING developers, their twitters, blogs and accounts. That's really sad. You can discuss on the forum what you think about it but IRKING developers isnot really cool.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP DEVELOPERS AND SEE CUSTOM ROMS.
1. Search the form first and look for answers. DON'T start new posts/questions/threads when it is ALREADY mentioned in some other section.
2. STOP PMing/SPAMING developers but rather ask a question WHICH havenot been asked before in the forum. Do not engage in the habit of making a new forum for everything. Try to keep threads as little as possible.
3. Follow developers and see what they have updated about on their official twitter,facebook,etc rather than bugging them on different forums/social websites.
4 DONATE THEM. DONATE THEM . DONATE THEM!
The amount of efforts they put, sitting for hours in front of their PCs and I know how frustrating it gets when you try to run commands and everything seems to work yet you can not boot up your ROM. And worse, you can not find WHY really. Just a change in line in build.prop results in failure of ROM to boot up and specially working from source to build ROM is really really tough. The best thing you can do is being supportive and patient !
A ROM development requires not just EXCESSIVE amount of hardwork, time, energy and dedication but also they need MONEY to actually buy devices and try it on. They are happy and encouraged to keep on developing ROMs when they see their efforts are not wasted and they are rewarded and respected for what they do.
SOME BASICS OF ROM DEVELOPMENT
Usually this is required to make a full custom ROM
Blobs which contain hardware information which comes from hardware manufacturer like Qualcomm in case of Snapdragon processors
A fully functional device tree
Latest Android source (Or the android version source you want to build for)
Specific Custom ROM coding which is based on Android Source
Usually a device tree and kernel tree is needed before custom roms can be made available. This is a long trial and error process in which every component of hardware is made functional as usually manufacturers do not provide any code for their devices and thus new code is to be written which is very frustrating and long process!

FAQs :
BRICKED : Two types. hard or soft.
Hard bricked is when your phone hardware information is damaged. Now it is an expensive paper weight and it would only revive if you either send it to a JTAG technician or change motherboard of your device.
Soft is when your device ROM/kernel is damaged and thus it can be easily revived.
NOOB FRIENDLY : A guide that anyone with no knowledge of android can use
TWEAKINGimprove performance by making fine adjustments to it.
BLOATWARE Useless apps which come preinstalled in a stock rom from a manufacturer.
Sometimes, developers PORTone particular feature of a phone to another. This means, a function specific to one phone can be used in another but bear in mind, the hardware should support it. Like LG has knox feature which means that you can tap on the screen to wake it up or turn off the screen. Now it is a common feature of many kernels. LG was first to introduce it officially in their stock rom but the feature is a bit old. Even Asus Zenfone 2 uses tap to wake feature.

Nice One Brother

ARGHA_DAS said:
Nice One Brother
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I am glad this was of help to you

What's in the 'boot' partition?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

AbyssBreak said:
What's in the 'boot' partition?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
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This guide should be of help
/boot
This is the partition that enables the phone to boot, as the name suggests. It includes the kernel and the ramdisk. Without this partition, the device will simply not be able to boot. Wiping this partition from recovery should only be done if absolutely required and once done, the device must NOT be rebooted before installing a new one, which can be done by installing a ROM that includes a /boot partition.
/system
This partition basically contains the entire operating system, other than the kernel and the ramdisk. This includes the Android user interface as well as all the system applications that come pre-installed on the device. Wiping this partition will remove Android from the device without rendering it unbootable, and you will still be able to put the phone into recovery or bootloader mode to install a new ROM.
/recovery
The recovery partition can be considered as an alternative boot partition that lets you boot the device into a recovery console for performing advanced recovery and maintenance operations on it. To learn more about this partition and its contents, see the ‘About Android Recovery’ section of our guide to ClockworkMod recovery.
/data
Also called userdata, the data partition contains the user’s data – this is where your contacts, messages, settings and apps that you have installed go. Wiping this partition essentially performs a factory reset on your device, restoring it to the way it was when you first booted it, or the way it was after the last official or custom ROM installation. When you perform a wipe data/factory reset from recovery, it is this partition that you are wiping.
/cache
This is the partition where Android stores frequently accessed data and app components. Wiping the cache doesn’t effect your personal data but simply gets rid of the existing data there, which gets automatically rebuilt as you continue using the device.
/misc
This partition contains miscellaneous system settings in form of on/off switches. These settings may include CID (Carrier or Region ID), USB configuration and certain hardware settings etc. This is an important partition and if it is corrupt or missing, several of the device’s features will will not function normally.
/sdcard
This is not a partition on the internal memory of the device but rather the SD card. In terms of usage, this is your storage space to use as you see fit, to store your media, documents, ROMs etc. on it. Wiping it is perfectly safe as long as you backup all the data you require from it, to your computer first. Though several user-installed apps save their data and settings on the SD card and wiping this partition will make you lose all that data.
On devices with both an internal and an external SD card – devices like the Samsung Galaxy S and several tablets – the /sdcard partition is always used to refer to the internal SD card. For the external SD card – if present – an alternative partition is used, which differs from device to device. In case of Samsung Galaxy S series devices, it is /sdcard/sd while in many other devices, it is /sdcard2. Unlike /sdcard, no system or app data whatsoever is stored automatically on this external SD card and everything present on it has been added there by the user. You can safely wipe it after backing up any data from it that you need to save.
/sd-ext
This is not a standard Android partition, but has become popular in the custom ROM scene. It is basically an additional partition on your SD card that acts as the /data partition when used with certain ROMs that have special features called APP2SD+ or data2ext enabled. It is especially useful on devices with little internal memory allotted to the /data partition. Thus, users who want to install more programs than the internal memory allows can make this partition and use it with a custom ROM that supports this feature, to get additional storage for installing their apps. Wiping this partition is essentially the same as wiping the /data partition – you lose your contacts, SMS, market apps and settings.
With this, we conclude our tour of Android partitions. Now whenever you install a ROM or mod that requires you to wipe certain partitions before the installation, you should be in a better position to know what you’re losing and what not and thus, you’ll know what to backup and what not.
All credits to the writer Haroon Q Raja
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