Hi All,
I am a new A500 owner and a long time Viewsonic G Tablet owner; I know why I put a Custom Rom on the G Tablet (Stock Rom Sucked and VS dropped support). However after playing with my new A500 for the last week I really can see no reason so far to put a custom rom on this tablet.
The stock rom rooted and a few extras added/fixed like...
GPS Fix
NTFS Mount
Rooted
CWM Added
have really made this a very stable and very effective rom. I have been reading through the forum and I see a significant number of custom roms out there. I am sure they are there for a reason however for the life of me I can not determine why I would want to install any of them. I do also understand that I am coming late to the game on this tablet as I am sure these were probably developed to fix deficiencies in the stock rom when the tablet was first released.
So can someone explain to me why I would want to switch to a custom rom today given the stability and fixes available for the stock rom?
This is not meant to be a dig on any individual, group or any dev of these roms; I know these folks do an outstanding job and I appreciate every single one of them. However for someone new to this tablet it would be great to know what makes the custom roms better than what I already have with the stock/fixed rom I am running. I am currently running;
Android Version: 3.1
Kernel Version: 2.6.36.3
Build Number: Acer_A500_4.010.11_COM_GEN2
This is a sincere question and I would appreciate not getting flamed or bashed for asking. This is in the Q&A section so I am hoping this is the right place to get the answers I am seeking.
" The only way to learn is to ask... so I am asking "
To me I think everyone installs custom roms for all diffrent reasons. Each rom has its own benefits and restrictions. I have tried a few and always go back to stock.
Good luck and flash with great Caution
erica_renee said:
To me I think everyone installs custom roms for all diffrent reasons. Each rom has its own benefits and restrictions. I have tried a few and always go back to stock.
Good luck and flash with great Caution
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Click to collapse
Hi Erica Renee,
Thank you for the quick reply... I was just not sure if there was a relevant issue that would persuade me to move from my stock rom to a custom one. I very much appreciate your response!!!
Rick
I'm coming from a Viewsonic Gtablet, and with the gtablet a custom rom was a must, here with the iconia I don't see any advantage to use a custom rom, Android 3.1 has everything I wanted. I only rooted it for ad-hoc support, but barely I use the ad-hoc, is only for emergencies, besides that, even rooting is not really necessary. Android OS backups all application settings, so each time I uninstall and reinstall an application, my former settings are there.
Just enjoy your Iconia
Frankly, I haven't felt the need to flash a custom ROM to the A500. I did root it to be able to use certain apps.
I have tried a variety of ROMs and kernels on my HTC EVO 4G, but that's because stock Froyo and even stock Gingerbread is boring. I think stock Honeycomb looks and performs great. It makes me really look forward to Icecream Sandwich.
I did add ADWLauncher to my A500, so maybe that's another reason why I haven't felt the need to flash a custom ROM.
i find myself in the same boat...
Running stock 3.1, rooted, cwm running - quite happy.
If you want to take it a step further, install Richardtrip's custom kernal and SetCPU and you will be amazed.
entropy.of.avarice said:
Running stock 3.1, rooted, cwm running - quite happy.
If you want to take it a step further, install Richardtrip's custom kernal and SetCPU and you will be amazed.
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Click to collapse
Hi entropy.of.avarice,
Thank you for the feedback, it is truly appreciated! I would not mind installing the new kernel as long as I knew for sure it would not break all that works well on my tablet right now.
Still on stock since I got mine - though I have since rooted - I'm not really making any use of it, only for file permissions and dropping boot animations onto the folder directly rather than through ADB.
I shopped around some of the ROM's floating around here and other that a few of the Touchwiz UI functions from Galaxy, [I don't even think it's supported or still available right now] there's nothing out there that would add to my experience in any appreciable way to risk going through all that [and back again] when I want to.
Stock is stable, runs smooth and fast and is supported if something ****s up and that is all I need - my life doesn't live and breath by the tablet so it's perfect for what I need it to be and what I need it to do.
I am using self-cooked official honeycomb 3.2 ROM (rooted, ad-hoc fix, etc)
with self-compiled 3.2 kernel, OC and apply different kind of fixes & patches.
Installing custom ROM & kernel is the act of tailor making your own OS.
It is why android is so attractive and additive.
Whay a non-stock ROM?
There are about as many answers to this as there are ROMs.
I have CWM / Recovery / Taboonay 2.0 w/ richardtrip's OC-able kernel (oc'd to 15000) and the tablet is Super Snappy! It has ad hoc support for tethering to my phone via WiFi, no random wake ups, Netflix with no broken cameras, Good GPS lock (after a bit of futzing...)
I was originally just gonna put 3.2 on there to experiment with and flash back after playing with it, but I got REALLY lucky. Did a FULL CWM backup and just flashed the ROM & Kernel over my existing ROM without wiping and...it just worked without me having to redo everything. So I just kept going..
I'd say at this point on the tablet no one REALLY needs 3.2, but a few of the modded kernels out there fix a number of sore spots that I wish ACER would just take care of...
I love our DEVS!
So...Up to you! But I currently LOVE taboonay 2.0 and the RT kernel...No issues at all for me...
(p.s. I still have two preceding backups of a couple of states of working 3.1 on my SD card that are 3 weeks apart that function wonderfully Just In Case! so, yeah..nothing really to lose by playing and testing...)
Why a non-stock ROM?
There are about as many answers to this as there are ROMs.
I have CWM / Recovery / Taboonay 2.0 w/ richardtrip's OC-able kernel (oc'd to 15000) and the tablet is Super Snappy! It has ad hoc support for tethering to my phone via WiFi, no random wake ups, Netflix with no broken cameras, Good GPS lock (after a bit of futzing...)
I was originally just gonna put 3.2 on there to experiment with and flash back after playing with it, but I got REALLY lucky. Did a FULL CWM backup and just flashed the ROM & Kernel over my existing ROM without wiping and...it just worked without me having to redo everything. So I just kept going..
I'd say at this point on the tablet no one REALLY needs 3.2, but a few of the modded kernels out there fix a number of sore spots that I wish ACER would just take care of...
I love our DEVS!
So...Up to you! But I currently LOVE taboonay 2.0 and the RT kernel...No issues at all for me...
(p.s. I still have two preceding backups of a couple of states of working 3.1 on my SD card that are 3 weeks apart that function wonderfully Just In Case! so, yeah..nothing really to lose by playing and testing...)
I rooted to gain performance. Taboonay and Richards kernel have given me a huge performance increase, no more lag.
Sent from my A500 using XDA Premium App
Don't change unless you don't have a life and you want to spend all your hours figuring out what is wrong, have tried them all and stock is less head ake.
Is anyone working on a rooted stock USA ICS ROM (flashable from CWM)? (Acer_A500_041.205.01_COM_GEN2) From reading around a bit, I don't think I want to do the OTA and end up with the ICS bootloader and then have more extensive mods to do to get back CWM, I'd rather just keep my current setup with CWM and a stock rooted ROM.
Thanks in advance.
Me too
... this would be nice, I'm waiting too.
You will want the ICS bootloader. ICS runs alot better with it and alot of the glitches in the leaks were caused by the HC bootloader. In order to get the ICS bootloader you will have to jump through all the hoops. Sorry.
I currently run Flexreaper and am going to upgrade to the latest "extreme" edition. I either have to upgrade the bootloader to ICS or use a special kernel. So, should I go ahead and upgrade the bootloader? What is the benefit to doing so? What is the easiest method to do so (is it Civato's in the dev section)?
Thanks for your help!
You'll gain ability to flash any new ICS and JB based ROM. HC bootloader supporting ROMs is a dying species and sooner or later you will need to upgrade anyway. You also gain unlocked fastboot access with the ability to boot or flash any kernel or recovery image (there is no checksum checking).
And there's multiboot -- you can basically run two roms beside each other or run a full debian install for added features (things like LibreOffice and VLC) at native speed (chroot is slooow).
haag498 said:
And there's multiboot -- you can basically run two roms beside each other
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Click to collapse
No, you can't. You can boot two kernels, not two ROMs.
I'm sure there's a million other threads like this, but the Iconia development world moves too fast for me to keep up, and for those older threads to maintain relevance. So I'm wondering what the latest and greatest ROMs are for the Iconia A500, and better yet a good guide on how to get it going.
Here's what I have going on right now:
1. It's running stock ICS (4.0.3, image Acer_AV041_A500_RV05RC01_PA_CUS1) applied through the OTA update.
2. It is rooted.
3. It has stock recovery, stock everything besides being rooted.
I do have experience flashing ROMs on Androids, rooting, ClockWorkMod, ADB, etc. but I have never flashed anything on an Acer before. Ideally, I'd like to throw CWM on there and a (mostly stable) JellyBean ROM. Can anyone hook me up with some threads?
Thanks!
EDIT: You know, from the looks of it, that CUS1 kinda screams that something isn't stock. The only explanation I have is it changed when I rooted it.
In Developement section I noticed JB 4.2.1 beta3 is most current if your going on JB numbers (over 4.1.x) not all works (but is getting better each version), read thread
if you goto any JB ROM , it will based on another BASE... ACER A500 STOCK ROM only has gotten to 4.0.3 so far (NO JB)
A good MOD or addon, I like is "Google NOW by Civato MOD" it adds Google NOW to 4.0.3. (ICS)
Lightspeed 4.8 is a great ROM (older ICS 4.0.3 based) but nice how it is stripped of bloatware) and you can add OC kernel and have @ 1504 Mhz
Civato, has made a few ics 4.0.4 ICS roms with A700 mixed in, better screens, etc.
I Like sticking with STOCK Acer_AV041_A500_1.054.00_WW_GEN1. It's the most current STOCK version.
Then I strip out a lot of Bloatware, add in Civato's Google NOW mod. another MOD AD Blocker (etc\"hosts" file)
I tried JB on Another based ROM, couldn't get into it, I'd try 4.2.1 in few weeks when more is working.
*** MOST important to get onto ICS UNLOCKED Bootloader, and before that, GET CPUID before u do any other CHANGES
Hope this has been helpful.
So... Where do I start? What software should I use? Do I fix the bootloader first or flash CWM, or what?
I would like to update to the latest stable 'acer blessed' version of android (if its worth it?) before I pass it down to juvinile delinquent #2, yah I'm one of the lucky ones, remind me to buy a lotto ticket......DOH
Currently running 3.1, stock, unlocked, rooted, CWM and would like to keep my existing programs intact, hence a no-data-wipe update folks have had the most stable experience with. Since I have been outa the loop for awhile figured it best to get some useful feedback.
Since picking up my a500, I won an ipad-16GB-retina AX5 last summer and have recently picked up a nexus-7 which im dual booting 4.2.1 and ubuntu 13.04 using MultiROM v3, freekin amazing. Needless to say, I can afford to pass down the 'sherman' which has and still is running like a champ, gotta lot of miles out of it and hopefully get alot more.
Thx.
if you upadate to Latest ICS, you will need update the bootloader to ICS Unlocked ..lots of threads on it..
if you want to stay on older bootloader and run a stock ICS rom with much removed bloatware, download and flash LightSpeed 4.8 ROM
but either ROM you flash too, you will have to wipe DATA (or it won't work correctly) (my opinion)
you data has settings for HC settings and some apps are for HC , not ICS
I suggest you make nandroid backup , so you can revert back to old, if you have to)
*** Read alot of info on NEWER ICS, you can't go back and forth real easy, (like just flashing a ROM)
Stick with newer ICS ROM and keep Newer UNLOCKED ICS Bootloader, or stay with older HC ROM and older HC bootloader... (keep the set ROM + Bootloader -the same)
almost all ICS roms will need new UNLOCKED ICS BOOTLOADER.
newest STOCK ICS version is (Acer_AV041_A500_1.054.00_WW_GEN1)
-if you go thru OTA update, you will be stuck with LOCKED ICS bootloader