[Q] Does flashing a custom rom free up internal storage space ?? - Galaxy Tab 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm a PC person and this is my first android device, so please bear with me.
When my Tab 4 had the stock rom, it showed 3.28gb as the minimum required to run system blah blah under settings/device/storage
I've now installed a custom rom using TWRP flash.
The rom is supposed to be a lightweight version with a lot of the bloatware removed, but the OS still shows 3.28gb as system space.
Why did the system space not reduce if the OS is slimmed down version ??
Did I flash incorrectly ??, in the PC world if you used a smaller OS image it would give the option to make a smaller OS partition and free up more space for data partitions.
Am I missing something here ??
Do Android roms not resize the partitions ??
Can we resize the partitions manually before installing the rom ??

anyone ??

sid21177 said:
anyone ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the rom. First off, which model number do you have (Settings > about device > model number)? Secondly, which rom did you install? (I'm going to assume you installed some sort of stock-based rom). To tentatively answer your question, touchwiz roms (i.e. stock based) usually don't free up much space because even though it's a "custom rom" it's in many senses the same thing, many if not all of the same system apps/processes. AOSP-based roms (the most well known tends to be Cyanogenmod and its derivatives) usually free up a lot more space. A quick numerical example: my tablet came with something like 300 or 400 system apps comprising the stock OS. Simply put, I wiped everything and installed cyanogenmod, now the corresponding number is somewhere between 70 to 90 system apps. In other terms Samsung's touchwiz (the stock Samsung version of Android) is hideously bloated, first with all the unnecessary crap (adware, unnecessary apps, gimmicky features, etc.) they include, and also because they essentially built their own android environment (touchwiz) on top of google's stock android. I'm just speaking from what I've picked up from personal experience, I'm sure someone could give you a much better technically in-depth answer than this, but I saw your question and felt bad that you hadn't gotten an answer, so I hope this has helped in any way. If not, well, sorry

thisisapoorusernamechoice said:
Depends on the rom. First off, which model number do you have (Settings > about device > model number)? Secondly, which rom did you install? (I'm going to assume you installed some sort of stock-based rom). To tentatively answer your question, touchwiz roms (i.e. stock based) usually don't free up much space because even though it's a "custom rom" it's in many senses the same thing, many if not all of the same system apps/processes. AOSP-based roms (the most well known tends to be Cyanogenmod and its derivatives) usually free up a lot more space. A quick numerical example: my tablet came with something like 300 or 400 system apps comprising the stock OS. Simply put, I wiped everything and installed cyanogenmod, now the corresponding number is somewhere between 70 to 90 system apps. In other terms Samsung's touchwiz (the stock Samsung version of Android) is hideously bloated, first with all the unnecessary crap (adware, unnecessary apps, gimmicky features, etc.) they include, and also because they essentially built their own android environment (touchwiz) on top of google's stock android. I'm just speaking from what I've picked up from personal experience, I'm sure someone could give you a much better technically in-depth answer than this, but I saw your question and felt bad that you hadn't gotten an answer, so I hope this has helped in any way. If not, well, sorry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed a custom rom which is about 400mb in size. I assume the initial system partition was set to 3.28gb as the stock rom is a lot larger.
So, I thought that when I install a smaller rom, the space on the device will free up to be used as data storage, like it would on a PC when you image the drive with a smaller OS image.
But there was no change to the system partition size, apparently android custom rom flashes do not touch the partition size, they just reduce the content on the partition
Unless I got this figured out wrong

sid21177 said:
I installed a custom rom which is about 400mb in size. I assume the initial system partition was set to 3.28gb as the stock rom is a lot larger.
So, I thought that when I install a smaller rom, the space on the device will free up to be used as data storage, like it would on a PC when you image the drive with a smaller OS image.
But there was no change to the system partition size, apparently android custom rom flashes do not touch the partition size, they just reduce the content on the partition
Unless I got this figured out wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah sorry after I answered I read more carefully and saw you were asking more about the partition size, I apologize that was my bad. I'm definitely out of my league here, all I know is bad things (like hard bricks) tend to happen when people try re-partitioning (I'm not saying it isn't possible necessarily, just that it's certainly not to be done lightly or casually)
But there was no change to the system partition size, apparently android custom rom flashes do not touch the partition size, they just reduce the content on the partition
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct to this line. I think this is the core of what you were asking and what I missed.

thisisapoorusernamechoice said:
Yeah sorry after I answered I read more carefully and saw you were asking more about the partition size, I apologize that was my bad. I'm definitely out of my league here, all I know is bad things (like hard bricks) tend to happen when people try re-partitioning (I'm not saying it isn't possible necessarily, just that it's certainly not to be done lightly or casually)
Correct to this line. I think this is the core of what you were asking and what I missed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No issues
If it was a PC I'd tinker around in a heartbeat, with devices & embedded roms its a little more hairy

sid21177 said:
No issues
If it was a PC I'd tinker around in a heartbeat, with devices & embedded roms its a little more hairy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can move apps from the data partition to system, this will give you more free space.
partitioning is also possible, there are custom roms from other devices which do so.

sub77 said:
you can move apps from the data partition to system, this will give you more free space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to do this ??

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.j4velin.systemappmover&hl=de

sid21177 said:
How to do this ??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On average how much space can you free up by doing this? Thanks In advance!!!
Sent from my SM-G920T using XDA Free mobile app

xda23 said:
On average how much space can you free up by doing this? Thanks In advance!!!
Sent from my SM-G920T using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First you should root your device to get the permissions to write any data to system partition.
Then you can use apps like Titanium Backup, .... to move apps to system partition.
Freeing space depends on the size of the app you are moving.
Don't root to just move apps to system partition. Use a sdcard intead.

Related

Flash storage usage??

I have searched the forum but could not find something of relevance.
It might sound stupid and maybe there is an easy explanation, but what I just don't understand is the following:
TyTN specs say 128meg ROM, 64meg RAM.
Looking at Start->Settings->Storage it tells me (translating from German):
File storage total: 56.22 megs
Program storage total: 48.80 megs
Then the usual stuff like 'used' and 'available'.
Of course there is the ExtendedROM which shows a total of 9.57 megs.
Where's the 128 megs gone or what am I missing here??? :roll:
Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
StonyA
the operating system basically. a perfectly intact copy is held in rom so that you can reinstall at any point using hard reset, this image is what you flash when you update your phone (same goes for your radio protocol).
hope this helps
herman3101 said:
the operating system basically. a perfectly intact copy is held in rom so that you can reinstall at any point using hard reset, this image is what you flash when you update your phone (same goes for your radio protocol).
hope this helps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello herman3101,
Thanks for your reply! Still a bit confused though. I understood the files stored in the "ExtendedROM" to be those who are used for reinstall.... ???
Even though, why doesn't it show Total ROM 128megs and xxx used???
I guess, I am still something missing :?
Cheers,
StonyA
The extended rom contains the customizations and patches that your carrier decides to put on, this is the way that different roms vary between carriers. The extended rom does NOT contain the operating system, this in a seperate hidden region of your rom (note that rom in this case has two variations of a meaning, one refers to the physical memory on your phone, the other refers to the image that is placed into that memory)
Think of that part of your memory as being an image of your windows xp cd rom, for normal day to day running its not needed as all the files it needs recide on your hard disk but when you come to reinstall you need to work of the cd. Same principle applies to that part of the rom. apologies if my analogy only makes sense to me, I have a habit of doing that.
Hey herman3101,
Many thanks for your explanation. Yes it does make a lot of sense what you are saying. Still don't understand why HTC does not openly show that, i.e. 128 megs rom, xxx megs used, xxx megs available.
Cheers & great weekend,
StonyA

What is ROM ?

I am very new to android and tablets as well.
I want to know what is Custom made ROM ?
BadProgrammer said:
I am very new to android and tablets as well.
I want to know what is Custom made ROM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You get 1 freebie from me....
Please Google and also learn to use the search function of the forum in the future
Android custom ROM explained:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/05/01/custom-roms-for-android-explained-and-why-you-want-them/
~~~
UnicornKaz said:
You get 1 freebie from me....
Please Google and also learn to use the search function of the forum in the future
Android custom ROM explained:
http://www.androidpolice.com/2010/05/01/custom-roms-for-android-explained-and-why-you-want-them/
~~~
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes ! I tried searching forums but i din't got the exact meaning for this so far i can understand Cutom made ROM is adding extra features and functionality on your tablet OS.
I also tried searching google which gave me this result
ROM is an acronym for Read-Only Memory. It refers to computer memory chips containing permanent or semi-permanent data.
More Clarification on ROM's will be helpful.
Edit : Thanks for the link
what does the narwhal bacon
Its just a custom made os for the device.
Sent from my GT-P7500 using XDA Premium App
The ROM is your OS, your system. With all the apps and settings, Kernel from Linux usw...
My gut instinct was to start describing a doofy Ferengi who eventually becomes Grand Nagus... wrong ROM!
But yes, the ROM is simply the software from your device or another which has been modified in some way by the community to add new features or fix bugs or whatever. Honestly, and I'm usually the last to say RTFM anywhere, there really is more than enough information around here on the subject... you may want to look around at sections for other devices to get a more generalized idea of what Android hacking is all about.
a ROM is not a place where we sleep???
go to your ROM and don't go out!
ROM is not a software...
Read-only memory (ROM) is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware (software that is very closely tied to specific hardware, and unlikely to need frequent updates).
In its strictest sense, ROM refers only to mask ROM (the oldest type of solid state ROM), which is fabricated with the desired data permanently stored in it, and thus can never be modified. Despite the simplicity, speed and economies of scale of mask ROM, field-programmability often make reprogrammable memories more flexible and inexpensive. As of 2007, actual ROM circuitry is therefore mainly used for applications such as microcode, and similar structures, on various kinds of digital processors (i.e. not only CPUs).
Other types of non-volatile memory such as erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM or Flash ROM) are sometimes referred to, in an abbreviated way, as "read-only memory" (ROM), but this is actually a misnomer because these types of memory can be erased and re-programmed multiple times[1]. When used in this less precise way, "ROM" indicates a non-volatile memory which serves functions typically provided by mask ROM, such as storage of program code and nonvolatile data.
but we call ROM because we put on the ROM

[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

Just got a new HD2. Recovery / root head start.

Hi guys.
Yesterday I got a used HTC HD2. It is installed with android nand and the DFT (Dark Forces Team) rom, I think taken from the DESIRE (according to the information on the 'About').
The main problem in the device is that it has really bit memory! After installing few apps, I cant download a thing :/
So I searched for the problem and I've realized that I need to make a partition on the SD-CARD. However I saw that in the market there are apps that allow moving the application that can only sit in the internal memory to the external memory.
I then found out that the phone doesn't have root access too. (Although it came with SUPERUSER app as default).
I can't find the main thread of the rom in order to ask there how to root the device.
Which software / app, will I need recovery installed (althogh I don't think it requires) and ETC.
Please can someone direct me or just give me names of apps/softwares/guides/anything :crying:
I guess GOOGLE could be my assitstant from there.
I'm afraid to follow guides that I don't sure will work properly with my phone's software.
Thank you.
pelegm28 said:
Hi guys.
Yesterday I got a used HTC HD2. It is installed with android nand and the DFT (Dark Forces Team) rom, I think taken from the DESIRE (according to the information on the 'About').
The main problem in the device is that it has really bit memory! After installing few apps, I cant download a thing :/
So I searched for the problem and I've realized that I need to make a partition on the SD-CARD. However I saw that in the market there are apps that allow moving the application that can only sit in the internal memory to the external memory.
I then found out that the phone doesn't have root access too. (Although it came with SUPERUSER app as default).
I can't find the main thread of the rom in order to ask there how to root the device.
Which software / app, will I need recovery installed (althogh I don't think it requires) and ETC.
Please can someone direct me or just give me names of apps/softwares/guides/anything :crying:
I guess GOOGLE could be my assitstant from there.
I'm afraid to follow guides that I don't sure will work properly with my phone's software.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
look for guides in this forum...about nativSD and dataonEXT...very helpful (that's how i learned what i need to know about the device)...also i recommend to change the rom to a better or newer version of android...you will also find guides about changing the rom...
eliaskammas said:
look for guides in this forum...about nativSD and dataonEXT...very helpful (that's how i learned what i need to know about the device)...also i recommend to change the rom to a better or newer version of android...you will also find guides about changing the rom...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Thank you for your kindly help.
Which Android version do you suggest to change to ?
ICS ? Or maybe GingerBread ?
And BTW I entered before to the MAGDLR menu, chosed the " AD Recovery " option and it said something like " no boot source ".
Does that mean that I don't have a recovery installed ?
And if so, will I need to install it first and then change the rom ?
Again, Thank you for your help.
Peleg.
yes you will need recovery...fast roms are mostly GB but ICS are as good as well...GB need less space on rom memory so if you don't install alot of craps as most of us do the remaining space will be fine for your data...ICS have hwa, apps work faster and games play better..I recommend ICS by tytung to be honest(very fast and stable)...when you download the recovery you will see a "flash.cfg" file...on the rom thread the developer will state the partitions needed for his rom and so you change the numbers on that file accordingly before flashing the recovery...but always make system space little bigger than needed just in case(and to avoid other problems that i will have a finger cramp if i write them down.! )
eliaskammas said:
yes you will need recovery...fast roms are mostly GB but ICS are as good as well...GB need less space on rom memory so if you don't install alot of craps as most of us do the remaining space will be fine for your data...ICS have hwa, apps work faster and games play better..I recommend ICS by tytung to be honest(very fast and stable)...when you download the recovery you will see a "flash.cfg" file...on the rom thread the developer will state the partitions needed for his rom and so you change the numbers on that file accordingly before flashing the recovery...but always make system space little bigger than needed just in case(and to avoid other problems that i will have a finger cramp if i write them down.! )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
I will first install the recovery, but I guess I'll have to read a lot before:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1021837
Then I will search for a guide for installing recovery-
CWM will be great right ?
Thank you very much !!! :laugh:
The guide you linked is very useful and makes everything clear. I strongly recommend reading it thoroughly before doing anything. Once you're slightly more comfortable with the terms, you can follow the guide in my sig to flash CWM and a ROM. You already have HSPL, a compatible Radio version and MAGLDR installed so don't worry about any of those. If you happen to come across guides which say 'task29' just ignore that step, Task29ing is completely useless.
As for recommending a ROM, it depends on your usage. Eliaskammas' post sums it up nicely, but you should note that (IMO) ICS and JB will give you worse day to day performance and stability than GB but will be better for intensive activities e.g. gaming, web browsing, using content-heavy apps etc. I've also found battery drain to be marginally more on ICS and JB ROMs.
Nigeldg said:
The guide you linked is very useful and makes everything clear. I strongly recommend reading it thoroughly before doing anything. Once you're slightly more comfortable with the terms, you can follow the guide in my sig to flash CWM and a ROM. You already have HSPL, a compatible Radio version and MAGLDR installed so don't worry about any of those. If you happen to come across guides which say 'task29' just ignore that step, Task29ing is completely useless.
As for recommending a ROM, it depends on your usage. Eliaskammas' post sums it up nicely, but you should note that (IMO) ICS and JB will give you worse day to day performance and stability than GB but will be better for intensive activities e.g. gaming, web browsing, using content-heavy apps etc. I've also found battery drain to be marginally more on ICS and JB ROMs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi.
Thank you for your advices and technical help.
I will read it as soon as possible and then try to install the CWM Recovery and a better Rom.
According to what I saw, I think I will go on the "Energy rom" (Sense 3.5).
I will probably update my progresses here.
Thank you a lot.
BTW, a deodexed rom is needed for languages that are written from right to left ?
Or that I have to find a rom supports RTL ?
Beacuse for example, I've searched the thread of the Energy rom for "Hebrew" and found out that it doesn't supports RTL :/
Thank you.
I don't want to confuse you but I personally have always found Sense based ROMs to be slow and I think you should really stick to CM or MIUI. Anyway, that's really just my opinion.
Unfortunately, I think that you may have to find a ROM which supports RTL. I haven't looked into it but there may well be an app which somehow makes it work. If you're desperate for Android with Sense and RTL support then you could consider some of the SD ROMs from boxmax, he made good SD ROMs (at least when I used it), but I don't know which NAND ROMs will work for you.
Nigeldg said:
I don't want to confuse you but I personally have always found Sense based ROMs to be slow and I think you should really stick to CM or MIUI. Anyway, that's really just my opinion.
Unfortunately, I think that you may have to find a ROM which supports RTL. I haven't looked into it but there may well be an app which somehow makes it work. If you're desperate for Android with Sense and RTL support then you could consider some of the SD ROMs from boxmax, he made good SD ROMs (at least when I used it), but I don't know which NAND ROMs will work for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Nigeldg.
I took your advice and I think I will go on this rom:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1639932
It supports rtl and data2ext.
But do I need to change my HD2's kernel ? To Dorimanx 's kernel ?
And from the guide that you've recommended on before, do I need to start from this part:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=12656427&postcount=3
And to skip the other parts ?
I've read the hole guide and it is very helpful.
Everything is really clearer.
There's no need to change the kernel after flashing, but you can if you want to. I think the dorimanx krrnel is included in that rom anyway so i don't see why you'd want to flash it again. Follow the new way method and everything should be fine. You can use the NAND toolkit to select the appropriate partition size.
Nigeldg said:
There's no need to change the kernel after flashing, but you can if you want to. I think the dorimanx krrnel is included in that rom anyway so i don't see why you'd want to flash it again. Follow the new way method and everything should be fine. You can use the NAND toolkit to select the appropriate partition size.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Nigeldg.
I now want to install the CWM (long time hh)..
In this rom:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1639932
It says to install CWM with this partition size:
" Flash the Latest CWR (Clockwork Recovery) with the appropriate partition sizes by using the "Repartition" button inside the HD2ToolKit: System: 200MB | Cache: 5MB "
In the thread of CWM: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=898913
Can I change the partition sizes used for CWM
A. You can by editing the flash.cfg but this is not recommended, CWM is designed to make it easier for switching roms, by flashing a custom partition size you may stop other roms working and require reflashing a new partition size when you want to change roms.
Q. I dont know which partition size to download
A. Depending on what type of roms you plan on using, you should choose the partition size based on the following.
150MB Partition - For bare roms including CyanogenMod, AOSP, and MiUI
250MB Partition - For Standard sense roms including Desire and EVo based ROMs, can also be used for some squashed HD builds
400MB Partition - For Larger roms including unsquashed Desire HD and Z roms, ROMs REQUIRE data2sd for EU HD2 with 512MB NAND
And in the thread in your sig it is possible to download 3 version of the CWM. (150, 250, 400).
How do I need to install the CWM ?
To download the 250MB version, and using the HD2ToolKit to change the partition size and install with System: 200MB | Cache: 5MB (as the rom developer suggested) ?
Thank you!
The thread you've linked to is the old CWM thread. I don't see why it says that you shouldn't change the partition sizes because that's simply not true, pretty much all ROMs use custom sizes. Ignore that advice, it's wrong. In my opinion the easiest thing to do is to download the HD2 NAND Toolkit, click 'MAGLDR repartition', choose 200 and you're done.
Nigeldg said:
The thread you've linked to is the old CWM thread. I don't see why it says that you shouldn't change the partition sizes because that's simply not true, pretty much all ROMs use custom sizes. Ignore that advice, it's wrong. In my opinion the easiest thing to do is to download the HD2 NAND Toolkit, click 'MAGLDR repartition', choose 200 and you're done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok.
So I've downloaded the HD2 ToolKit.
Actually what I need to do is this:
1. To choose the 200MB and 5 Cache and then press repartition. (In what way does the phone need to be ? MAGDLR Menu, or other option ? )
2. Then to install the CWM by going to MAGDLR - USB Flasher, connect to the computer, and run the
DAF.exe.
Right ?
1. Open the toolkit
2. Click the MAGLDR repartition tab and select 200 and change the cache size to 5
3. Click 'repartition' (bottom left of the toolkit)
4. Follow the instructions it gives you (boot your phone into USB flasher mode then connect it to your PC) and let it flash.
Nigeldg said:
1. Open the toolkit
2. Click the MAGLDR repartition tab and select 200 and change the cache size to 5
3. Click 'repartition' (bottom left of the toolkit)
4. Follow the instructions it gives you (boot your phone into USB flasher mode then connect it to your PC) and let it flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And once I've finished this, I need to install the CWM.
To donwload the 250MB version ?
pelegm28 said:
And once I've finished this, I need to install the CWM.
To donwload the 250MB version ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think you understand, THIS IS INSTALLING CWM :') After you've done this, just flash the .zip ROM and you'll be done
Nigeldg said:
I don't think you understand, THIS IS INSTALLING CWM :') After you've done this, just flash the .zip ROM and you'll be done
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I've already did it, just do this thing again and it will work ?
because now my phone cant load to the rom, it says NAND Kernel something and boots up to MAGDLR.
Is it OK ?
EDIT:
I've did it and chosed the "AD Recovery" option.
Now I can see that I have CWM Recovery!!
I thought that I had to choose somehow to install the CWM, and that's why I didn't understand.
Now,
Do you recommend to do wipe data/factory reset and wipe cache ?
And after that to install from CWM the ROM that I've transferd to the Root of the SD right ?
Thank you very much !!!
You don't need to wipe anything, that already happened when you flashed CWM. Yes you should just have to flash the ROM now, as said in the guide in my sig. You may want to create an EXT partition but for your particular ROM it's not a necessary step so you can skip that. Glad I could help
Nigeldg said:
You don't need to wipe anything, that already happened when you flashed CWM. Yes you should just have to flash the ROM now, as said in the guide in my sig. You may want to create an EXT partition but for your particular ROM it's not a necessary step so you can skip that. Glad I could help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It isn't necessary because it automaticly transfer the data to the SD ?
During the installation a message showed up saying that the rom identified that I don't have an EXT-partition installed.
Can I make a partition using the CWM/ADVANCED/PARTITION-SD ?
Thank you so much for your help!!
You saved me, and becuase of you I didn't sell the phone.
Thank you!!
It isn't necessary because the ROM itself is quite light, so all of it can be fit on to the NAND memory. It would help to create one because you may need it in the future, so I personally would if I were you. The way you described would work fine

[Q] Nexus 7: A Beginners Quest!

Hi guys!
I bought a Nexus 7 a few days ago, This is my first Android device, my first tablet and my first attempt at rooting anything. so I was hoping for some help from the experienced folks because frankly i don't know what I'm doing I was hoping you could help me with a sort of beginners guide for rooting, like what i should look out for, whats the safest and easiest toolkit, rom, kernel to use. I know i have so much to learn from you guys and I've been reading some of the threads and im starting to get a bit of it already just asking for a step by step of what i should do im mainly going to use my tablet for torrents, games, and some light photo editing and lots of comics! so how do i start? hope to hear from you guys soon THANKS IN ADVANCE!
For rooting the tablet ..its safe ,the important thing is to follow the instructions .so to root it you can use one of the toolkits in the development section,I preferred wugfresh toolkit more ..but its up to you the other one is also good ... Here's a video which explains the root procedure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI0_ylxyrWA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
btw update your phone before rooting it
And for flashing Roms there are a lots of guides on how to do it..just use Google
If you got stuck in any boot loops just use the toolkit you first used, to restore to stock or restore with a nandroid backup
Most important thing when you root. before touching a file ..do a nandroid backup in recovery to always stay safe ..
That's it enjoy the forums
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
BigJoey010 said:
For rooting the tablet ..its safe ,the important thing is to follow the instructions .so to root it you can use one of the toolkits in the development section,I preferred wugfresh toolkit more ..but its up to you the other one is also good ... Here's a video which explains the root procedure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI0_ylxyrWA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
btw update your phone before rooting it
And for flashing Roms there are a lots of guides on how to do it..just use Google
If you got stuck in any boot loops just use the toolkit you first used, to restore to stock or restore with a nandroid backup
Most important thing when you root. before touching a file ..do a nandroid backup in recovery to always stay safe ..
That's it enjoy the forums
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well said, but here are some more tips: DO NOT PANIC!! when something goes wrong, which is likely, as you are a newbie to rooting, one thing you must not do is panic. calm down and troubleshoot, what did i do wrong? how do i fix it? and according to my experience, whenever a door slams shut behind you, a new window opens. if one method doesn't work, try another method.
also, read through the entire procedure list before start doing the steps. make sure you understand what is required and how to do it before accidentally doing something stupid. believe me, its happened to me b4, not a pleasant experience when you realise you dont actually meet the criteria to install something. btw, here is a list of common names given to the nexus 7: Nexus 7 (duh!), N7, grouper (wifi only) Tilapia (wifi+3g)
good luck rooting!
Read through the stickied threads and try to understand them. It won't happen right away though; your head will probably spin the first couple of times through.
There is really no "overnight" learning curve to this stuff - even if you are an old hand with Linux/Unix.
BTW, it is important to point something out: There should be no reason for you to feel like you should be in a hurry to root. The N7 is a fantastic device, even when used in a pure stock experience.. You are not going to be missing out by not rooting immediately. Spend some time with your device getting used to the Android way of doing things, and start reading XDA with a relaxed frame of mind. There is plenty of time. It would be different if you have lots of prior Android experience - but you said it - this is your first Android device.
OK, rooting. To try and keep you safe while you are a noob, I'll give this recommendation:
If you see the word "flash" (verb) near the word "bootloader", RUN AWAY!.
The most dangerous thing you can do to an N7 is mess around with the bootloader. You can turn your device into a useless object by getting things wrong, and it is a little bit rare that you need to flash a bootloader anyway. You have been warned.
So, make sure you know the difference between bootloader and "boot partition".
Most Android devices have a single flash memory chip in them which is divided up into a number of partitions. There are 5 principal partitions and about the same number of less frequently used partitions:
THE 5 PRINCIPAL ANDROID PARTITIONS:
(B) boot - a raw blob of binary data containing a "kernel" and a "ramdisk"
(B) recovery - another raw blob of binary data containing a "kernel" and a "ramdisk"
(F) system - The "ROM" part of Android - all the factory (or customized) software, used read-only
(F) data - User data and customizations. A "factory reset" simply erases all the files here
(F) cache - a scratch area used for downloading files and other maintenance operations
B = binary, bootable
F = Filesystem
Now, the two bootable partitions - boot and recovery - are very similar in structure, but extremely different in purpose. (In fact, in stock devices, they both use a private copy of the same kernel) The "boot" partition can produce a UI (User Interface) after it starts up only in conjunction with healthy /system and /data filesystems containing the Android software. But the "recovery" partition can produce a minimal UI even if the /data and /system filesystems are completely empty of files; so it (the recovery boot) is used to do all maintenance operations - including things like installing new /system software or erasing all user data.
So, and Android "rooter" will usually replace the very minimal (and locked-down-security) stock recovery partition with a "custom recovery" that is more friendly, and the vast amount of the "flashing" operations will take place using this custom recovery.
When people talk about "ROMs", they generally mean only TWO of those five partitions mentioned above: the "boot" partition and the "system" partition. When a "ROM" is flashed using the system partition, the usual procedure is:
- The rooter makes a full Nandroid backup.
- The rooter performs a "factory reset" procedure which erases the /data*** and /cache filesystems
- The rooter then "flashes a ROM", which puts in place a new boot partition, erases the /system partition, and then re-populates the /system partition with changed Android system software.
Upon booting an Android phone/tablet after this procedure, the device will behave as if it just came from the factory - but now with a different custom version of Android software. Note that this means that all the things you customized in the previous ROM - wallpapers, settings, home screen app icons, widgets, market apps downloaded, etc - will all be gone. So, folks that make a habit of hopping from ROM to ROM generally have some tricks up their sleeves for making the re-customization of a freshly-installed ROM a little less tedious. (Things like using custom launchers that allow you to save homescreen customizations, apps to restore previously-used market apps & their data, etc, etc, etc)
*** there is some funny business with Android devices that have no removable SDcard storage devices such as the Nexus 7 - the user's "SD card" is emulated, and the files that are stored there are actually stored in the /data filesystem. So, custom recoveries usually have a "factory reset" procedure which deletes all files in /data while scrupulously avoiding erasing things in this /sdcard area ( == /data/media ). This allows you to keep things safe from wiping (pictures, music, ROM files, backups) while still installing a fresh and un-initialized ROM. Note that the stock recovery in the N7 does not do this - when you use the "factory reset" of the stock recovery, EVERYTHING in /data gets erased - everything!
While you are reading about Android, here are some questions/searches to look up that concern rooting activities... have fun!
- What is the difference between grouper/tilapia (or nakasi/nakasig )?
- What does it mean to "install a new launcher" or "install a new home app"?
- What is Android fastboot used for?
- What is the Android ADB (Android Device Bridge) program used for?
- What is the difference between a boot image and a bootloader?
- How do I go about making a Nandroid Backup?
- What are the Carbon and Titanium Backup apps for? What can they do?
- What file browsers on the market are "root aware"?
- What Android settings can be saved by the Google Play Store, and automatically restored into a new ROM?
- Is there a difference between the "Superuser" and "SuperSU" root kits?
- What are the special Hardware Button Combinations used by the Nexus 7?
- What is the Google Android SDK?
- What custom recoveries are available for the Nexus 7?
- How many unique operating modes does the Nexus 7 bootloader display? What are they called?
- What is a MD5 signature? How can it help me stay out of trouble?
- What does soft-booting a bootable image with fastboot do?
- How many (Windows PC) drivers are needed to use ADB (with both the custom recovery and also the regular OS) and fastboot (with the bootloader), 2 or 3?
- Suppose I soft-brick my N7 - how will I transfer files to and from the N7 in this situation?
- What is the difference between adb push/pull and adb sideload?
- What does "sideloading an app" mean?
- Is an Android ".apk" file the same thing as a .zip file, or different?
- In what folder in /data are market apps (.apk files) found? Same question for /system and system apps (.apk files)?
- How do I enable the developer options on my N7 tablet?
- What are the limitations of MTP or PTP file transfer modes?
- Where does the custom recovery tool store backups?
- Are the Android tools "adb" and "fastboot" available for Mac or Linux?
- What are the limitations of the Google Factory Images for the Nexus 7? How are they installed?
- I have a problem using the recovery. Where is the log file stored?
- What is the big stumbling block involved in unlocking the N7 bootloader?
- What operations can you perform using fastboot and the bootloader which you can not do any other way?
OK, that's enough for now.
Thanks Everyone!
bftb0 said:
Read through the stickied threads and try to understand them. It won't happen right away though; your head will probably spin the first couple of times through.
There is really no "overnight" learning curve to this stuff - even if you are an old hand with Linux/Unix.
BTW, it is important to point something out: There should be no reason for you to feel like you should be in a hurry to root. The N7 is a fantastic device, even when used in a pure stock experience.. You are not going to be missing out by not rooting immediately. Spend some time with your device getting used to the Android way of doing things, and start reading XDA with a relaxed frame of mind. There is plenty of time. It would be different if you have lots of prior Android experience - but you said it - this is your first Android device..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do appreciate everyones input! yeah i think ill make do with the stock for a couple weeks while i study up on rooting and firmwares. well the main reason i wanted to root was for the games, as much as i want to buy the games i like, i dont have the means to
This is great. Wish I had been fortunate enough to have such great help when I first started.
And the most important rule is the one about reading before you root or flash. This will save you some heartache down the road.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
How's rooting related to games ? You mean overclocking ?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
BigJoey010 said:
How's rooting related to games ? You mean overclocking ?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sad to say i will have to torrent my games as much as i wanna pay and support the game devs i already blew all my money on steam and buying the N7. ive read somewhere that if u are using the the stock version and you try to run a torrented game it automatically shuts down
No it doesn't ...i be downloaded tons of games(torrents) and I'm on stock and they are working normally
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
UrbabBear said:
sad to say i will have to torrent my games as much as i wanna pay and support the game devs i already blew all my money on steam and buying the N7. ive read somewhere that if u are using the the stock version and you try to run a torrented game it automatically shuts down
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Click to collapse
All the help you were given....then you bring this up.
I doubt further help will come your way as pirating software is very much frowned upon at xda.
Sent from my cell phone telephone....
kj2112 said:
All the help you were given....then you bring this up.
I doubt further help will come your way as pirating software is very much frowned upon at xda.
Sent from my cell phone telephone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i never really liked pirating software...believe me im a huge fan of steam and i practically buy alll my games legit for the pc.. since steam wallet codes are available at a local store here.. okay i promise i wont pirate and ill try to look for the means to buy from the google store , the thing is i dont have a credit card... and i dont know if google has have something equivalent to steam wallet cards for the google play store.. i could borrow a cc and pay for it.. but is the google play store a safe place to purchase ? i nkow some people disputing alot of charges from google play to everyone, i meant no disprespect.. i was thinking along the lines of test the game if there is no lite version, then when i can i will buy the game :< im still new to the whole tablet arena and im gonna need all the help that i can get
UrbabBear said:
i never really liked pirating software...believe me im a huge fan of steam and i practically buy alll my games legit for the pc.. since steam wallet codes are available at a local store here.. okay i promise i wont pirate and ill try to look for the means to buy from the google store , the thing is i dont have a credit card... and i dont know if google has have something equivalent to steam wallet cards for the google play store.. i could borrow a cc and pay for it.. but is the google play store a safe place to purchase ? i nkow some people disputing alot of charges from google play to everyone, i meant no disprespect.. i was thinking along the lines of test the game if there is no lite version, then when i can i will buy the game :< im still new to the whole tablet arena and im gonna need all the help that i can get
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a good way to get started is to get yourself a prepaid credit card from 7eleven and use that for purchases from the play store.
Billchen0014 said:
a good way to get started is to get yourself a prepaid credit card from 7eleven and use that for purchases from the play store.
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Click to collapse
as much as that service would be convenient its not available in my country thanks! i hope somebody brings it here ... i found a workaround already now just a matter of saving up for the good apps! so in the mean time lite versions here i come!
UrbabBear said:
as much as that service would be convenient its not available in my country thanks! i hope somebody brings it here ... i found a workaround already now just a matter of saving up for the good apps! so in the mean time lite versions here i come!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://play.google.com/about/giftcards/ use this to see if any retailers near you sell.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
Hey guys, what do you think are the most basic and necessary apps that i should get ? running on stock
, ive checked some and go a file manager
If you think you are going to root down the road...
If you think there is a good chance that you are going to root down the road, I would suggest unlocking the bootloader in the near future. You'll need to do this and it wipes everything on the tablet. Even if you don't root, there's isn't any major downside to having the bootloader unlocked and you can always relock it later.
It's better to do that before you've put a lot of time into customizing your tablet to perfection and then have to redo it all.

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