[Q] 9 more attempts before device gets wiped issue - Verizon Galaxy Note 3 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

A co-worker and I both have a Verizon Note 3. They both are running Bajarom. We both followed the same steps to root and install it. The only thing I can find that is different about the phones is that I have the Galaxy Gear and it does the auto-lock thing on my phone when the gear is out of range. And we may have some different xposed modules/configs enabled.
However, my device gives the warning about wiping all the data when I enter the unlock pattern wrong. My co-worker's phone does not. I would really like to get rid of this because there is to much of a possibility of my young daughter of playing with the lock screen and wiping my phone.
Can anyone tell me how to get rid of this scary thing? What I have tried so far (all without effect):
1)Tried with android device manager as device administrator and without. Currently not set as device administrator.
2)Switched lock screen to swipe instead of auto-lock.
3)Created a Tasker task to take picture when >1 unlock attempt is made (using secure setting module for profile).
Thanks.

Am I the only one? I can't find much info about this anywhere. All I find are unhelpful posts such as this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48590347&postcount=23
I can't seem to get rid of this thing.

iherbivore said:
Am I the only one? I can't find much info about this anywhere. All I find are unhelpful posts such as this one: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=48590347&postcount=23
I can't seem to get rid of this thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if you can get rid of that or not. Kinda weird that one phone has it and the other doesn't. Since you're running Baja you could always PM him directly and see if he knows what's going on. He's pretty down to earth and doesn't have a Dev God Complex. In the meantime do you use Titanium Backup? I would just use this, make a Titanium folder on your external sd card, TIBU will install inital backup folder on your internal. Got into preferences and point Tibu to your external sd card folder. Make a batch backup of your user apps, not system apps. Go through and backup anything it might not have manually, for example if you have bookmarks in chrome batch won't back that up you have to do it manually. Then if your phone gets wiped by accident everything is still on your sd card and just restore with tibu. Honestly anyone flashing roms should have this app, it's priceless. Hope this helps for now.

Related

Help! My Locations app has disappeared!

Hi guys,
I just recently bought a HTC Desire HD and have been enjoying it very much.... I have rooted and S-off, but have yet to install recovery clockwork ....
That aside, yesterday I started moving some stock app files to a folder on the sd card (so I can remove it from my phone, plus back it up just in case) with root explorer (r/w mounted), I didn't move the HtcLocationService.apk. All went ok...
But just this morning I noticed my locations icon on my phone's interface has turned into the green android image...meaning the program is gone! It cannot be found in my programs at all.
I have tried to do the "reinstall locations" in the settings, but it says "unable to find an activity to handle this action", and I've tried to go straight to the HtcLocationService.apk to install it (not even sure if it is the right application) and it says "application not installed".
I am really stumped, and would like Locations back on my DHD!!
Any help will be appreciated!
Thanks in advance
What stock apps did you uninstall? Some apps are bound to eachother. Locations is probably bound to navigation or footprints or maybe another app. So if you uninstalled that, that could be the cause.
If it's really gone, then probably the only way to reinstall it is installing the stock ROM again (or a custom one). You probably can't install it again because locations needs some other stock app (if my hypothesis are right).
I took out stuff like friendstream, Plurk, Twitter, FieldTest, Flickr, HTC_IME, EasyCard, Laputa, KKBOX, plus phone provider apps (since I'm with TaiwanMobile, myfone) so TWM_City/Market/Movie/Music etc....
I've since moved the files back into system>apps, but it hasn't changed anything....is there any possibility I could get Locations back???
I can't think of an idea to reinstall Locations that easy. You can just install the official ROM again. You don't even have to be rooted then.
Have a look at this thread. If you deleted .apk files of the 2 lowest lists, then you could try to reinstall them first. Otherwise I don't know. maybe someone else.
I would have reinstalled the official ROM again. Just to make sure everything works correctly again. (and then start over removing apps :') ).
But maybe someone else knows a better solution
Thanks for you quick reply!
Can you point me to a thread that would explain the process of installing an official rom (where i would download the rom, etc)? Plus is there a way I can back up all my games, apps and settings, so I don't have to reinstall every app and game again?
would a Factory reset help? Sorry for all the questions, but I'm hoping I get this resolved
First of all: I found this thead for installing system .apk's. Maybe that can help. But it seems pretty comlicated .
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=695701
A factory reset should restore everything, (ofcourse I was tthinking to complicated :') ).
All apps you installed from the market will be reinstalled if you login with you google account again. It can take a while. It also remembers wich apps you bought. It won't however save any data (like saves for games).
For other apps (and all apps if you want to backup the data), you could download titanium backup (also available in the market). Keep in mind though that for restoring any backups made with this app, you need root acces again.
The facotry reset will remove your personal data. Only your sdcard and simcard will keep their info.
I hope all is clear what I told . So no ROM download needed. :')
Let us know if it has worked
Hey again,
I just factory reset my phone, using settings. Locations has not been restored , also some gadgets was not working (may be the widgets I have removed before). The front page weather animation is gone! Only the time left...(how would I get that back?)
Any other suggestions will be appreciated!
go to locations in settings... u will find a tab "reinstall locaton" make sure u r on wifi...and it will install it back...it happnd with me and got it back instantly

[Q] what are the advantages and disadvantages of rooting and are there any risks?

Could somebody please tell me what the advantages and disadvantages of rooting the flipside are, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, are there any risks??
Will I be able to take of all of these ATT apps?
Will I be able to move my apps from the phones memory to the SD card?
Can the phone be unrooted?
Will all of my apps still work?
What is the best route to root? I have the z4root.
I am much indebted to anyone who will answer these questions. Thanks.
z4root will work fine, it's nice an easy to use. Rooting won't give you an easy way to move apps to the sd card, but you can remove the AT&T (and other system) apps. You can either do it by hand, or with any number of apps on the market. I prefer titanium backup, personally. All of your existing apps will work, there's no change there.
The only real disadvantage is that you'll have the power to screw up your phone. You can potentially screw up bad enough that you'll need to reflash the stock .sbf file. Generally, this takes some real screwing around, but just thought I'd point it out.
Thank u for your thourough answer. What do you mean by screw it up. How could I do that and how do i avoid it. Are you saying by virtue of the fact that i'm rooting that i'll screw it up, or it's something that i may do afterwards that may do it? Thanks.
also, are there any other advantages to rooting other than taking off the apps?
The act of rooting itself shouldn't screw anything up, but having root means you could possibly do something later that would. Generally, you'd have to be messing with stuff you have no business messing with. With root, you can remount the system directory as read/write, and then end up deleting or modifying a file that won't let the phone boot, which means you'd need to reflash. Stay away from the command line if you don't know what you're doing, and don't grant root access to apps you don't trust, and you're reasonably safe.
Other than removing system apps, like the AT&T garbage, you can also backup and restore apps and their data, which is great for if you need to reflash, if you switch phones, etc. There's not a TON of stuff that requires root, but honestly, removing the AT&T junk is definitely a good reason to root, the phone feels much faster after scrapping a lot of the blur and AT&T stuff.
I'm assuming then that any android/att/Motorola updates will not be problem either? BTW, do you if and when Motorola will bupdating the flipside to 2.2? Thanks.
There shouldn't be any problem updating with an official update if/when we get one, but you'll need to re-root and remove the AT&T stuff again. There's no word on when we'll get 2.2, but I'd assume we'll get it at some point.
Ok. I just rooted! Yeah, it worked! But i cannot figue out how to delete the att bloatware. I go into the apps manager and click on one of the att apps, and there is still no option to uninstall; only to clear the cache. Also, I downloaded the titanium and I cannot figure out how to do it from there either. Plus, I still had to sideload the titanium which i tbought that i would not have to do once i rooted.
mordechai said:
Plus, I still had to sideload the titanium which i tbought that i would not have to do once i rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to enable Unknown Sources before you can install non-Market apps
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=867637
This is also an example of how you can mess up your phone by having root access.
That is part of the problem that i do not have that option in two.one. that is why i had to sideload all of those programs. are you saying that i screwed up my phone. i tried clicking on the link but this googlw ad comes up and i cant get past it.
Ok, i got through to the link. But the guy seems pretty shaky as to whether you should follow his instructions. Is this legit or what?
Maybe one of you guys can help. I'm new to alot of this but my last droid x was rooted and it was great I used z4root worked perfectly. But now I have a new X and a z4root apk. On my laptop, now what? Last rooted X, I was fortunate enough to catch z4root on the market, like a day before they updated. HELP!!!!!
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
There are instructions in another post in this forum on how to enable Non-Market Apps, also known as Unknown Sources. With Titanium Backup, make sure that you grant it root permissions when it asks, and that it says something like this on the overview:
Root access: OK (BusyBox 1.17.2 from system)
HyperShell (FAST!): YES
Fast/Auto app install: Yes (using HyperShell)
SQLite: YES (SQLite 3.7.2 included)
Then just click on Backup/Restore at the top, and you'll get a list of all your apps. If you don't have backup/restore at the top, your sd card isn't mounted on the phone, unplug your usb cable and hit Menu > More > Reload application.
From Backup/Restore, you get a huge list of all the apps on your phone. Just scroll down to the AT&T stuff, tap them, and click uninstall in the top-right corner. If you're not sure if you want to uninstall something, because it might belong to something important, click Freeze instead. Freezing will stop the app from running, and stop it from showing up in your tray, but you can easily unfreeze it to restore it if it turns out it was important.
Here's the list of stuff I have frozen/uninstalled:
AdService 1.0
all of the "AT&T" apps
all of the "com.motorola" apps
Data Manager and Data Manager Service
Help Center
Home (I use ADWLauncher, don't remove this if you don't already have an alternative launcher installed)
MediaSync
Mobile Video
all of the "MotoBlur" apps
My Uploads
Phone Portal
Quick Contact
Social Messaging, Social Messaging Service, Social Networking, and Social Status
Sticky Note
Video Editor Lite
Vlingo Voice
Weather 2.1
WHERE
Work Contacts
Mobile Banking
Magic Smoke Wallpapers
Kodak Perfect Touch
AT&T Address Book
Quickoffice
YPmobile
As for enabling unknown sources, it's a bit of a pain, you'll need to be comfortable with a command line to do replace the files, and comfortable with a hex editor if you want to edit your own instead of reusing someone else's files. I managed to screw up my phone in the process and had to completely reflash and start over, it wasn't fun.
His instructions do work, but his .sh file doesn't work, you'll need to paste the commands one by one into your command prompt. I preferred to edit my own files, so I wouldn't have the same market ID, and that's just slightly more complex. I can help you through it either way though, just make a post over in that thread if you're having problems.
bubba90744 said:
Maybe one of you guys can help. I'm new to alot of this but my last droid x was rooted and it was great I used z4root worked perfectly. But now I have a new X and a z4root apk. On my laptop, now what? Last rooted X, I was fortunate enough to catch z4root on the market, like a day before they updated. HELP!!!!!
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just need to get z4root installed on your phone, it should be pretty straightforward. The Droid X shouldn't be blocking non-market apps, so just download it from your phone and run the .apk to install.
So do I hook my phone up to my laptop, and put the apk. on my sd?
Or download the apk. directly to my phone from the site?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
I found the link, but the directions are too complicated for my novice understanding of technology. It looks like I am stuck. I don't want to try what he's saying and take any chances. Are there any other alternatives? Or do you have any other suggestions as to how to make the most of the space that I do have with the att bloatware, because I am constantly running out of room. It is a strange phenomenon that I don't understand, that when I turn on the phone it will have around 40mb to play with, and after a few hours it is down to 16 and then 10, and then before I know it, the phone is telling me that my memory is full. So then I reset and it's back to ~40 again. Do you have an explanation? Thanks.

Rooting My TMo Vibrant Using Super Oneclick (A Full Guide)

And every other step you need to transform and gain control of your stock ROM!
Given the fact that T-Mobile and Samsung have made it clear that the Galaxy S Vibrant will not receive Gingerbread, Honeycomb, ICS, or any other functionality update, I made the decision that it was finally time to root my beloved phone.
I didn't want to root for the purpose of trying a ROM for any of the above OS's. I merely figured that since there are not going to be any future updates to my phone, I'm basically on my own. And if I'm on my own then I can and should get rid of the TMo crap software that came pre-installed on my phone (and which can't be uninstalled by any normal means).
Hopefully this process might also help make my phone operate a little faster and cleaner. And in general, the rooting process would give me full control over my own phone. But if you have ever rooted a device the experience can sometimes be challenging, even for tech-savvy folks like me.
There are lots of sites for advice and how-to’s on rooting your Android device, but most of these sites run you through the process in a way that assumes all will work perfectly the first time. There aren't a lot that take you through the root process with at-hand solutions to many of the commonly reported errors.
I've just finished rooting my stock TMo Vibrant, fixing signature/Multi-CSC issues from the root process, installing and using Titanium Backup (TB) PRO to handle bloatware, and finally installing ROM Manager for the purpose of installing ClockworkMod Recovery (for creating and restoring backups of my current ROM). WHEW! And while it's all fresh in my mind, I'm writing it all down to share the process with you so that it's all in one convenient place.
Let’s Start With Rooting The Phone By Using Super Oneclick
After doing some reading in the XDA forums and a few other places, I wanted to try rooting with a one click option. There are many out there that are available for use. But the very first issue that plagued my rooting process was the incompatibility of many of these root installers with my home Win7 64bit pc.
I tried downloading and extracting various recommended solutions that use the "one click" functionality (Super Oneclick--various versions with and without drivers, Galaxy S One Click Root, and Vibrant One Click Root). I also downloaded and installed AIO Vibrant Toolbox, a program which also features a “one click” method for rooting a Vibrant once it has been installed on your pc.
What many posts on rooting never really mention with these methodologies is that you might have issues running the programs on a Win7 machine, which was my issue. Not all Win7 machines, but some. I downloaded the zip file for each with generally with no issue. * But once I tried to run the exe (best done via "Run As Administrator"), I got the following error message on virtually all of them:
"CLR Error: 80004005 The program will now terminate"
AIO Vibrant Toolbox wasn’t any better even though it was an installed program. It terminated as well.
(*NOTE: Anti-virus programs will mistake parts of the root zip files for Trojans, usually quarantining them after download. You are then left with the uncomfortable choice of turning off your anti-virus and taking that chance, or looking for another zip solution. I opted for the latter. Never take a chance with a Trojan!)
These errors messages did not show up on my work pc which is also Win7 64-bit. But that was no comfort as most of my root work was going to be done at home. After much searching on the internet, I read a random post that mentioned two helpful suggestions:
Use a rear or powered USB port, not a front port (because they often can’t power the root install sufficiently)
Use Super Oneclick v1.7 as opposed to any newer versions. The newer versions can cause problems with this particular Galaxy S root.
Two simple suggestions that made a world of difference! The root process worked smoothly afterward, and was finally a "success".
Reminder - Remember to put your phone into USB Debugging mode for the root process, and don’t mount the external SD card when attached.
Along the way to “rooting” you might be confronted with messages about your Samsung drivers for your phone. You may see messages like these:
Device drivers not found
Samsung android USB composite device failed
A quick search on these forums will yield updated drivers for your phone. The successful install of these drivers can also be a function of using the proper USB ports, as in the situation above. The installation of Samsung drivers failed on the front USB ports of my Dell. Success was again found using the rear ports. The main point here: use the rear ports (or powered USB ports) no matter how much of a pain it is maneuvering under your desk and behind your pc!
You’re Almost There…Kinda!
You can check to see if you are successfully rooted by checking to see if Superuser is installed in your apps. It was there… whew. The next step was to install Titanium Backup so that I could have root control over my apps, allowing me to delete bloatware that was slowing my phone. I downloaded TB from the Market, opened it, tried to give it Superuser permissions, and was notified with an error message that permissions were unsuccessful because the phone was not rooted. WHAT???
More online research revealed that I had achieved a “soft root”, whereby you have successfully rooted your phone but you don’t have all root permissions because the install wasn’t complete. The solution? Basically you just have to keep doing it more than once. All steps of this process seem like they will take the first time if you do what you are supposed to do. But more often than not, you have to repeat your steps over and over to make sure that it takes. After two more Super Oneclick rooting attempts, TB finally gave me the thumbs up for root.
Some may say it’s not necessary, but I upgraded to TB PRO. It allows for more options and better functionality with the apps and system data on the phone. And really, at about 6 dollars it is more than worth the price. Heck, two Starbucks lattes will run you more than 8 or 9 bucks. So if I can get piece of mind with respect to app management on my newly-rooted phone, 6 bucks is more than worth it.
I immediately wanted to learn how to remove bloatware -- and it’s amazingly difficult to find clear directions on doing so. After my backup of all apps and data, I went to the backup/restore tab and found the programs I wanted to get rid of. Many online users recommend “freezing” an app first to make sure that removing it won’t make your phone all wonky. So after “freezing” the offending apps (by pressing the menu button, selection batch, and then scrolling down to the appropriate section on freezing apps), I long-pressed the desired app and only saw one option for uninstalling via an exploit. I selected it and long story short, it failed. As the phone boots to stock recovery, this message popped up:
E:failed to verify whole-file signature
E:signature verification failed
Applying Multi-CSC Installing
Multi-CSC Installation Aborted​
In simple terms, the rooting tool (Super Oneclick) doesn’t contain all of the necessary items for a complete root. A fix is needed for the invalid signature problem that will help you get to a full root state. Fortunately there are fixes out there you can find for this particular fix.
Here are some helpful links:
http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s-a...iled-installation-aborted-one-click-root.html
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1052991
Read the instructions for the fix on the first page, but get the correct file from the second page as the link for the fix from Dropbox is a little messed up in the first URL. The second URL has the correct link. Use the automatic method so that you don’t have to use the terminal emulator. If you are like me, this process has already given you more gray hairs than you would really like to admit. So take the easy route.
Run the install.bat file and you will be fine. When you reach stock recovery again remember to reinstall all packages. This will make sure that the fix is installed properly. I didn’t know that was needed and was wondering why the fix wasn’t taking initially. So I’m sharing this with you to head off your frustrations at the pass. ;-)
Getting Rid Of The Bloat
Check to make sure that you are fully rooted by opening TB. It will automatically take Superuser permissions from the first time you allowed it IF you are rooted. If not, it will tell you. And by now you should be rooted. Heading back to the bloatware, I was able to figure out that the “long press method” was not the correct one for uninstalling apps.
Once again, press the menu button (bottom left) and select batch. Scroll down and you will see a section for uninstalling apps. Select uninstall user and system apps, and make sure to DESELECT ALL before you do anything else. From there you can pick and choose the apps to uninstall, then “run the batch operation” to complete the task. Bye bye bloatware!
The last crucial step to complete now that your phone is rooted is to make sure that you have a backup of your current ROM and configuration. The backup you created using TB is only for apps and data. It is not a backup of your current stock ROM.
Nandroid backup works best for the purpose of backing up and restoring ROMs. And if you have done any previous rooting on an Android device, you will recognize that Nandroid is a function of ClockworkMod Recovery. Sigh. I know... frustration starts to set in as you realize that there is yet another necessary install needed for a totally successful root process ON TOP OF and AFTER everything else you have had to do. So what is the next step?
ROM Manager To The Rescue
Install the free ROM Manager from the Market and you will be good to go. This app allows you to flash CWM Recovery as well as mount various ROMs on your phone. After installing the app (and declining the various offers that pop up), press “Flash ClockworkMod Recovery” at the top of the menu. It will cause the phone to reboot. And CWM will be downloaded…but not installed. To install after reboot, open ROM Manager and now select Reboot into Recovery. It will challenge you with a question on whether you really want to do this or not. Say Yes.
Important: This is another one of those places where it’s not intuitively obvious what to do for CWM Recovery.
When I first rebooted into recovery I didn’t see any changes from my stock recovery menu…because there were none. What I needed to do (which I found in yet another forum posting) was again to select Reinstall all packages. CWM had been downloaded and was ready to install… this would do so.
Happily, the phone went into Clockwork recovery*immediately after "Reinstall all packages" . If it wasn't clear earlier, use the volume buttons toggle up (or down) to select backup/restore. *You can then implement your selection by pressing the power button on the right side of the phone. On the next screen select backup, and then let it do its’ thing. It may take a while to complete, but will be well worth the time and effort if you have any future problems.
The Entire Process Is Finally Complete
So there you have it. In a nutshell, here were my steps:
1. Samsung drivers
2. Super Oneclick v 1.7
3. E. Signature fix
4. Titanium Backup PRO
5. ROM Manager (free version)​
Use the rear USB ports or powered USB ports for the phone connection. Phone should be in USB debugging mode, and external SD card should not be mounted. For each process, it may take up to 2 or 3 attempts for successful completion. So keep trying after the first FAIL message. When applicable, “Reinstall All Packages” to make sure that downloaded files are actually installed.
And lastly, if absolutely nothing works correctly for you, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use Google for help. Many others have successfully worked through all of the problems you might encounter that aren’t listed here. Actively use Google to help find solutions to any problems, using the exact error messages shown and adding in your phone type. You will be amazed by the depth of experience out there that can help you.
Above all else, keep up a good attitude. Rooting might be a pain in the ass while you are doing it, but it’s for a greater purpose. My four days of rooting have now given me a phone that is FREE from all the bloatware that bugged me for the past two years. And soon I’m sure I will experiment with a different ROM. But for now I’m just happy that I have my phone, my way. After all, if they (TMo and Samsung) aren’t going to make our phones better, we can do so for ourselves.
Good luck, and I hope this complete set of instructions from my own past 4 days of experience will help someone else!
A good read. A few things though with the Titanium part.
First I whole-heartedly agree to kick down the $ for the Pro. It really ups the functionality of the app and what all it can do.
The part about "freezing". This part is tricky b/c you need to make sure he apps that you are freezing are indeed bloat and not something that is needed for something else (i.e. did you know that GTalk directly effects the market on some ROMS). I don't use Gtalk but I still have it installed and frozen so I can defrost at will. This is the reason for Freeze. It lets you know of any adverse effects on your ROM, other apps,...then you have the option to defrost if need be. I also always avoid doing anything in "Batches" on TBPro, as it can sometimes be a little wonky, especially when restoring batches, causes reboot and freezes resulting in batterty pull.
I freeze for at least a week on new ROMs so that I get the full experience with daily life to make my determination on uninstall, defrost or wait longer.
Another way to do it is once you know the apps that are frozen do not effect any other parts of your ROM, you can back them up with TBpro for later use and uninstall or you can do it this way. Since you have root, go into /system/app or and pull the APK out and put it in a folder or something like that on your SD card. You would do this to some of the /system apps that TB shows as only haveing a checkmark next to and not the yellow/orange circle with the M in it. If you uninstall these with the checkmark you will not be able to restore them b/c part of the executable portion of the APK is not able to be backed up. This is the reason to pull the app out of /system/app and put it on your SD card. Hit menu, more, Clean up Dalvik cache and viola!! you have some free space on /system and the offending APK's dex will be deleted too.
Sidenote: I have never been able to get SuperOneClick to work on any phone I have ever tried. Maybe I'll unroot and try again but the SU exploit is a flashable zip located here. Option A. Put it on your SD card, boot into recovery and Bam!!! you are rooted
Nice work though.
Where can we still get Super Oneclick v 1.7?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=739300 make sure you have ADB turned on and use the USB ports from the back not front
too lengthy.
Just got vibrant
Sent from my SGH-T769 using xda app-developers app
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
Delete..

[Q] Rooted/Custom Rom'd AT&T S4, now for some very basic questions!

I recently rooted/installed CleanROM for my S4, but now I have some basic questions regarding what actually happened in the process and how I could improve it. (First smartphone, first Android).
1. Is flashing the exact equivalent of installing a kernel/ROM/app in a recovery like TeamWin that is zipped in an SD card? All I did was select my zipped file and install--the guide says to use GooManager but I never used it. Also, does updating TWRP, kernel, or ROM (same application/kernel/ROM, but newer version) require that you delete the old ZIP, copy over the new ZIP, then install it? Is there a cleaner method (I feel that since we have to wipe to prevent old files from interfering with new ROM that maybe parts of the old version of a ROM may be redundant or may interfere with the new ROM?
2. Is there a way I can save the phone settings when dealing with one ROM and transferring these settings to another ROM? I really don't want to spend 20 minutes to go through all the settings and change it to my liking every time I install a new ROM.
3. With TWRP I could backup the entire ROM and also be able to install that backup ROM if I don't like the new ROM installed? What does Titanium Backup offer in regards to this aside from backing up app data and the ability freeze/uninstall system apps?
4. Does Titanium Backup leave any residual files? I see other apps designed to uninstall system apps and Titanium Backup seems like an all-in-one jack of all trades.
5. I thought I wiped everything and to me, that sounds like reformatting the entire drive. I only wiped system, boot, and data though (good enough for ROMs, according to what I've read). I was surprised when I saw my videos that I had already backed up to my PC accessible on the phone. Should I just wipe literally everything (I assume it would be cleaner) like cache, preload, EFS, modem, recovery, etc.? Will wiping literally everything be like reformatting my phone (since my phone was not reformatted because my personal videos was still there when I installed my custom ROM? If I were to install completely different ROMs cleanly and wanted to keep my personal files, I would only need to wipe system, data, and boot?
4. Do I have to use CASUAL again to install an updated TWRP?
5. Does backing up a ROM also backup its root? I'm going to assume this is a dumb question and the answer is no. I'm also guessing I have to block OTA updates from AT&T to ensure I keep my root. How would I go about doing this? Also, would my phone be "safe" if I stick to my ROM (no updates or anything) for 4+ years? I'm asking this as an extreme case because I feel like I'm missing out on AT&T security updates that could protect my phone and also I don't think the developer my ROM (CleanROM) will do frequent updates).
6. I had problems with my computer not being able to recognize my phone and my SD card in the phone after I wiped everything and before I installed a ROM. I literally had to take the SD card from the phone and use an SD card reader to transfer my custom ROM/loki then put it back into the phone. Was I missing a driver?
7. What are some must-have apps a newly rooted user would want?
8. I read that you only need 1 EFS backup and you don't need to back it up every time you are going to install a custom ROM. Can I get a confirmation?
9. What does Goo Manager do and would I want it?
10. Is it essential that I keep up to date with news about my custom ROM/phone to ensure my phone is secured?
**Not Root/ROM related--Is swiping an app away from the Recent Apps List (long-press home button) the equivalent of killing an app? I use the Recent Apps List often but I don't want to go about swiping apps away if means it is killing it, since I read that killing apps are bad and actually drains battery life. Also, is there a mod that lets you access the Recent Apps List by long-pressing the menu one? I only see a mod that kills the app if you long-press it.
Also, any ROMs you guys can recommend me that is like CleanROM? It has to be TW-based because I use multi-windows. Basically, I want a stable, popular (popular ones tend to be more frequently updated, which is important because there are often bugs in custom ROMs), and optimized/debloated ROM (as debloated as possible, I rather use my own large list of apps than pre-installed ones). I was looking at GoldenEye but I'm not sure.
Thanks. I'm hoping for many responses as I have more questions to ask but not a lot of free time (I will check back on this thread every several hours until there are no more responses on the thread.
Hey there! Here is my take on at least some of your questions. I am not a super pro, but I will try not to give you any wrong info.
1. The zip files that are still out on your SD card are just the install files for whatever you are flashing. They won't be cleaned up automatically and you will need to delete them yourself if you want them gone. That being said I would recommend leaving the previous version's zip out there in case you need to back out of the new version.
2. If by phone settings you mean all of the settings in the various option menus baked into the ROM it is best to redo those when switching between ROMs. Many ROMs add and take away options and add whole new option sections so you will want to go through those and set things to your liking. Another option is to use a launcher like Nova Launcher that lets you back up its settings and restore them which is a big chunk of the things I change when going to a new ROM. Some people may have a different opinion on this one.
3. Yes if you make a backup in a recovery like TWRP and then restore from it it will be like you never flashed the other ROM. Titanium backup does what you say and also can backup individual Apps themselves and restore them.
4. Once you have a recovery installed you should not have to go through the hoops you went through to get it there to update it. Check the thread for the recovery for upgrade instructions.
5. Your SD card will not be wiped when you wipe system or data. There is also the internal "sdcard" that if I recall is not wiped when you do a standard wipe which will keep things like pics and videos between flashes.
6. So you were trying to access the phone storage/SD card while it was in recovery? I have never had much luck with that. I always just make sure I have all of the files I will need to install the new ROM moved over before I wipe it. That being said if you have the right driver it might be possible.
7. Titanium Backup, a file explorer that can leverage Root access like Root Explorer, maybe something like Greenify (I think it takes Root). Other than that check out the thread in the Apps/Themes subforum where people list their top 5 apps.
8. Pass (but I think what you heard/read is right)
9. Goo Manager can let you know if there is updated version of your ROM or what other ROMs are available for your device and download them. It can also be used to install a recovery. Personally I don't use it and just check ROM threads for updates if the ROM doesn't offer OTA updates.
10. I rarely see mention of security fixes/features in custom ROMs so I don't think you need to stay on top of threads for that reason. With that said, if security is crazy super important to you then a custom ROM might not be your best bet. Even though source code is available for most if not all of them that doesn't mean someone has gone through the code looking for security flaws (or even malicious code).
11. You can test this yourself. Go into the "Apps" section of the options and look at what Apps are running then swipe one away and check again. Personally I would go ahead and swipe away Apps as needed since that is a core Android feature. I haven't seen a mod for what you are asking.
12. The other two TW-based ROMs I have used are Goldeneye and Alpha. Both are good, but I am using Alpha now due to its higher degree of customization. Goldeneye hasn't been updated in a month or so, Alpha is being updated regularly at the moment.
---------- Post added at 08:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 PM ----------
Here is the link to the thread where people list out their top 5 apps!
Nice post, very good help...serious...
Incredibly helpful, thanks. I will post more questions if I have here, kind of busy at the moment.
Question:
What is the best way to detect whether a third-party app has a keylogger? I read from an article that it is incredibly easy for someone to put a keylogger on an app. Is Avast Mobile Security and Antivirus capable/overkill for this job? Also, I was worried that Avast may actually be bad because it would deteriorate (wear and tear on the SSD of the phone) through all the scannings? Or am I completely wrong? If I am wrong, I'm guessing it's because an antivirus only reads your files and therefore does not wear down a SSD (I'm not even sure if this is right).
mindstormer said:
Question:
What is the best way to detect whether a third-party app has a keylogger? I read from an article that it is incredibly easy for someone to put a keylogger on an app. Is Avast Mobile Security and Antivirus capable/overkill for this job? Also, I was worried that Avast may actually be bad because it would deteriorate (wear and tear on the SSD of the phone) through all the scannings? Or am I completely wrong? If I am wrong, I'm guessing it's because an antivirus only reads your files and therefore does not wear down a SSD (I'm not even sure if this is right).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can read a SSD all day long, that doesn't wear it out. Writing to a SSD will cause wear, not reading. I'm thinking that most antivirus apps can find that kind of stuff, but don't download from unknown sources or those you don't trust. Even Google Play has some shady stuff. I would recommend researching an app on Google if you have any doubts about it. I'm sure it can be done, but I really doubt any of your friends know how to reprogram one of your apps to have a keylogger, plus I wouldn't let them use my phone in the first place.
To answer your questions:
1. Antivirus doesn't wear anything out, it just puts load on your system.
2. Most antivirus apps should detect apps like the ones your talking about.
agent929 said:
You can read a SSD all day long, that doesn't wear it out. Writing to a SSD will cause wear, not reading. I'm thinking that most antivirus apps can find that kind of stuff, but don't download from unknown sources or those you don't trust. Even Google Play has some shady stuff. I would recommend researching an app on Google if you have any doubts about it. I'm sure it can be done, but I really doubt any of your friends know how to reprogram one of your apps to have a keylogger, plus I wouldn't let them use my phone in the first place.
To answer your questions:
1. Antivirus doesn't wear anything out, it just puts load on your system.
2. Most antivirus apps should detect apps like the ones your talking about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the confirmation.
Another question for anyone:
Clean Master found the folder of an app that I installed on a precious ROM, so I not wipe the device cleanly. I though wiping system, boot, and data was enough--what was I missing, or should I have checked everything to be wiped on TeamWin Recovery?
Are you sure its not coming from your SD card?
Sent from miPhone using XDA Premium HD app

Broke settings.

So i installed the samsung s5 lockscreen, or at least attempted to, I never realized you needed to flash in recovery. First I backed my files up. Then with the zip all I did was copy the files down to system in EZ Explorer, when I found out that my settings.apk went missing and the home button didnt work(or the lockscreen) I tried to restore my files, I restart my phone but no change still no settings and home button doesnt interact at all. (Stock S4 with Root)
(Also I cannot install apps anymore) Any help greatly appreciated!
I think you can solve this by Android development bridge (adb). In a few words, this is a way you can modify your internal memory from your ?. So, you have to push all backup.
If you don't know how to use it, in this page there are a lot of helpful post.
marniba1 said:
I think you can solve this by Android development bridge (adb). In a few words, this is a way you can modify your internal memory from your ?. So, you have to push all backup.
If you don't know how to use it, in this page there are a lot of helpful post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry the app creates a backup, or do I need to have a previously installed backup?
Messed up even further!
Guys I tried to factory reset hoping to fix the problem, but as the config window opens up, I'm flooded with errors. My question is should I just install a ROM and hope that fixes it, or just go to my provider and go by the warranty?(Root I used is towelroot, so it should be gone after FR, so the warranty should still be good.)
Found a fix!
I did what it says here, works perfect except for wifi(Other then that its great)
www(dot)droidviews(dot)com/install-android-4-4-2-kitkat-firmware-on-canadian-galaxy-s4/

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