Database Users

Best Kernel for Stock (Non-Rooted)

I used to be an avid ROM flasher, changing ROMs daily on my old Moto X. Now that I'm using Android Pay religiously I need to keep my phone non-rooted, but would still like to run a custom kernel. I have been looking at FrancoKernel and ElementalX (sp?), but not sure what is best for the stock ROM without any tweaking (as most kernel tweaking apps need root). What's the community think?

grimez said:
I used to be an avid ROM flasher, changing ROMs daily on my old Moto X. Now that I'm using Android Pay religiously I need to keep my phone non-rooted, but would still like to run a custom kernel. I have been looking at FrancoKernel and ElementalX (sp?), but not sure what is best for the stock ROM without any tweaking (as most kernel tweaking apps need root). What's the community think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Franco kernel
Flash it forget it
Cheers

I would also say Franco...

Never used Franco so I cannot comment on it. I use ElementalX, stock, rooted and it works awesome.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA-Developers mobile app

Got Franco's kernel flashed with TWRP as recovery and everything else stock. Can already see battery life improvement, can't wait to see how it compares in the long run.

I hate using Franco Kernel.
For some reason everytime I use it I get more battery life then I should, and everything works faster than stock. I don't plug in my phone more than I have to. It's just the worst kernel out there if you want low OST and crashes.

Didn't think that you can replace boot.img on an uprooted phone.

grimez said:
I used to be an avid ROM flasher, changing ROMs daily on my old Moto X. Now that I'm using Android Pay religiously I need to keep my phone non-rooted, but would still like to run a custom kernel. I have been looking at FrancoKernel and ElementalX (sp?), but not sure what is best for the stock ROM without any tweaking (as most kernel tweaking apps need root). What's the community think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm rooted with custom ROM and systemless root and Android Pay works 100%. Can add cards and pay at terminals without issue.
Just a little FYI.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

Can we change the kernel if not rooted? If yes, can you share the procedure?

GroovyGeek said:
Didn't think that you can replace boot.img on an uprooted phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dharish said:
Can we change the kernel if not rooted? If yes, can you share the procedure?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root has nothing to do with the ability to install a kernel. All that's required is TWRP recovery, which in turn requires an unlocked bootloader.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6p/general/guides-how-to-guides-beginners-t3206928

Stick with PureNexus or update to Oreo?

I'm currently running the latest version of PureNexus and debating installing Android Oreo. Are there any huge downsides? Is it buggy, slow, etc? In other words, is it daily driver ready for someone who uses their phone all day for music, video, games, EVERYTHING and still wants to tweak the os to their needs.
?

Etheralrealm said:
I'm currently running the latest version of PureNexus and debating installing Android Oreo. Are there any huge downsides? Is it buggy, slow, etc? In other words, is it daily driver ready for someone who uses their phone all day for music, video, games, EVERYTHING and still wants to tweak the os to their needs.
?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless you're worried about the security updates, just stay on PN. PN for Oreo should be out soon as well.

That makes a lot of sense, thanks.

Etheralrealm said:
I'm currently running the latest version of PureNexus and debating installing Android Oreo. Are there any huge downsides? Is it buggy, slow, etc? In other words, is it daily driver ready for someone who uses their phone all day for music, video, games, EVERYTHING and still wants to tweak the os to their needs.
?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was on PN since I got my 6P and updated to Oreo as soon as it came out. I don't regret the decision at all. Battery life is as good or better than PN (I routinely end the day with 4+ hours of SOT and 35-40% left. Your experience may vary depending on usage), performance is wonderful, and I haven't found any major bugs yet. All of my favorite mods work (EX kernel, Pixel mod, Camera NX, WakeBlock, and a few others I'm forgetting).
The only downside is some modifications require a bit more work. For example, to resize the navigation bar and add dynamic coloring I had to extract, modify, and push framework-res.apk instead of having those options built right into the settings menu. There's no custom quick settings tiles and I can't change the number of rows/columns, but that isn't a big deal and I've learned to live without it for now.
As stated above PN based on Oreo should be out within the next month or two. Beans posted an announcement on G+ yesterday explaining that he had a family emergency that slowed down development on PN O, but he is actively working on it as much as he can.

Etheralrealm said:
I'm currently running the latest version of PureNexus and debating installing Android Oreo. Are there any huge downsides? Is it buggy, slow, etc? In other words, is it daily driver ready for someone who uses their phone all day for music, video, games, EVERYTHING and still wants to tweak the os to their needs.
?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went from PN to 8.1. Honestly, stick with PN. I used it for a couple days and I am downgrading right now. My battery life was significantly worse (on 7.1.2 I ended the day at ~40-50% battery. On 8.1 I was at ~20-30). I didn't notice anything great about Oreo and found myself missing PN.

Poebat said:
I went from PN to 8.1. Honestly, stick with PN. I used it for a couple days and I am downgrading right now. My battery life was significantly worse (on 7.1.2 I ended the day at ~40-50% battery. On 8.1 I was at ~20-30). I didn't notice anything great about Oreo and found myself missing PN.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe your battery is just getting tired I'm finding the opposite Oreo 8.1 giving me excellent results.

Exodusche said:
Maybe your battery is just getting tired I'm finding the opposite Oreo 8.1 giving me excellent results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might be Xposed then. My sot dropped by 1.5hrs.

Poebat said:
Might be Xposed then. My sot dropped by 1.5hrs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm gonna go back and try Pure Nexus again now that I have a new battery I could use extra 1.5 hours.

Exodusche said:
I'm gonna go back and try Pure Nexus again now that I have a new battery I could use extra 1.5 hours.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good luck.

Not sure aware of this or not, but beans posted in the PN thread he's working on Oreo for the angler. So you'll soon have the best of both.

Poebat said:
I went from PN to 8.1. Honestly, stick with PN. I used it for a couple days and I am downgrading right now. My battery life was significantly worse (on 7.1.2 I ended the day at ~40-50% battery. On 8.1 I was at ~20-30). I didn't notice anything great about Oreo and found myself missing PN.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey man, how did your downgrading go? I had the intention of downgrading today but somewhere messed up and now my phone is in a bootloop. What steps did you take?
Thanks!

Ritser said:
Hey man, how did your downgrading go? I had the intention of downgrading today but somewhere messed up and now my phone is in a bootloop. What steps did you take?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had that issue too. Spent waaaayyy to long trying to figure it out. I think 8.1 has a different encryption method. You need to wipe the phone completely and then do a nandroid restore (or flash PN)

Poebat said:
I had that issue too. Spent waaaayyy to long trying to figure it out. I think 8.1 has a different encryption method. You need to wipe the phone completely and then do a nandroid restore (or flash PN)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't mean to sound like a complete noob, but how did you go on about wiping the phone completely? I've now tried so many things, reflashing TWRP, reinstalling stock firmwares, using Wug's Nexus Rooting kit, ... I can acces fastboot, what do I need to do to be able to reinstall TWRP? Because when I try it right now, I can't acces it. It goes back into the boot loop.
Cheers

Ritser said:
Don't mean to sound like a complete noob, but how did you go on about wiping the phone completely? I've now tried so many things, reflashing TWRP, reinstalling stock firmwares, using Wug's Nexus Rooting kit, ... I can acces fastboot, what do I need to do to be able to reinstall TWRP? Because when I try it right now, I can't acces it. It goes back into the boot loop.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In TWRP, format /Data and the internal storage. I also formatted /system just to be safe.

Quick Question

So I am on H91810q and I have kept root through the upgrades. Am I still able to flash another rom like LineageOS or am I stuck with stock since I upgraded so far?

Try it -- it isn't going to break your phone
Probably isn't going to run to well on new firmware though. Most of the heavy development was done on much older firmware, and those parts haven't been updated.
-- Brian

runningnak3d said:
Try it -- it isn't going to break your phone
Probably isn't going to run to well on new firmware though. Most of the heavy development was done on much older firmware, and those parts haven't been updated.
-- Brian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm thinking a TWRP Full Backup of the stock rom and wipe and flash LineageOS. In theory do you think I would be able to restore stock if something doesn't go right?

Yes. When you install LOS or a LOS based ROM the only thing that gets flashed is boot and system. Both of those are backed up by TWRP.
-- Brian

runningnak3d said:
Yes. When you install LOS or a LOS based ROM the only thing that gets flashed is boot and system. Both of those are backed up by TWRP.
-- Brian
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I just flashed LOS and I can see the screen flashing on and off but no boot. Any other suggestions? Am I stuck with the stock rom which I am gettings sick of...

Nope, you can't downgrade. Unless someone picks up development on current firmware, you can only use stock.

Not the answer I was looking for lol...

jrosetto said:
Not the answer I was looking for lol...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know this isn't a custom rom but you're like me and on rooted Q, I use to not enjoy stock due to not being able to customize the phone how I liked but the instabilities in the camera and bluetooth and battery life made me appreciate the stock/stock based roms for the V20 and I actually PREFER a fully functional camera nd awesome audio recorder than inferior apps. But! Askermk2000's kernel is COMPATIBLE with rooted 10q, I am using it and it has honestly breathed new life into my phome for sure and since we don't have many rom options at the moment at least throw this kernel on your stock 10q rom and enjoy it! Here's the thread
https://forum.xda-developers.com/v20/development/h918-h910-us996-ucl-mk2000-kernel-t3708330

Gytole said:
I know this isn't a custom rom but you're like me and on rooted Q, I use to not enjoy stock due to not being able to customize the phone how I liked but the instabilities in the camera and bluetooth and battery life made me appreciate the stock/stock based roms for the V20 and I actually PREFER a fully functional camera nd awesome audio recorder than inferior apps. But! Askermk2000's kernel is COMPATIBLE with rooted 10q, I am using it and it has honestly breathed new life into my phome for sure and since we don't have many rom options at the moment at least throw this kernel on your stock 10q rom and enjoy it! Here's the thread
https://forum.xda-developers.com/v20/development/h918-h910-us996-ucl-mk2000-kernel-t3708330
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out.

Should I install custom rom?

Hi there. I am kinda new on these things.
I am at my home right now. I have the time to backup everything.
I am on stock right now , I have started getting a bit of lags here and there.
Should I root and install a custom rom?
And if yes , what is the best combination of kernel and rom for the best performance and battery.

Akshatk said:
Hi there. I am kinda new on these things.
I am at my home right now. I have the time to backup everything.
I am on stock right now , I have started getting a bit of lags here and there.
Should I root and install a custom rom?
And if yes , what is the best combination of kernel and rom for the best performance and battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DO NOT INSTALL CUSTOM ROM, if you have to ask that question.
On a serious note, a factory reset will take care of all lags.Rooting is for those who have a spare phone,want to play around and can afford brick sooner or later. Moto has determined stock to be best for all others.

pradyot said:
DO NOT INSTALL CUSTOM ROM, if you have to ask that question.
On a serious note, a factory reset will take care of all lags.Rooting is for those who have a spare phone,want to play around and can afford brick sooner or later. Moto has determined stock to be best for all others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not so new dude. I have installed custom roms many a times..on my canvas a1.
On that device , it was good bcoz the device itself wasn't so good.
But this moto g5 plus is a nice phone. That's why I'm asking whether i should install custom rom or not

Akshatk said:
I am not so new dude. I have installed custom roms many a times..on my canvas a1.
On that device , it was good bcoz the device itself wasn't so good.
But this moto g5 plus is a nice phone. That's why I'm asking whether i should install custom rom or not
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Acknowledged !! and my apologies.
Rooting and custom roms work well on MotoG+.On some of the latest Oreo roms I was playing around with in the past couple of months,the camera app broke more often than once.If you can live with that in exchange for performance, LineageOS 15 and Pixel Experience roms worked great.
But as with any phone, you have to play around for the best of latest or for stability.
Just my two cents .

pradyot said:
Acknowledged !! and my apologies.
Rooting and custom roms work well on MotoG+.On some of the latest Oreo roms I was playing around with in the past couple of months,the camera app broke more often than once.If you can live with that in exchange for performance, LineageOS 15 and Pixel Experience roms worked great.
But as with any phone, you have to play around for the best of latest or for stability.
Just my two cents .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about the battery life?
Can i use greenify etc with these roms?
Thanks for the reply

Install only if a stock firmware higher or equivalent to your current version is available. Else you will not be able to go back to stock. If you attempt to downgrade you will run into problems with bootloaders.

Akshatk said:
What about the battery life?
Can i use greenify etc with these roms?
Thanks for the reply
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery life is pretty good on the custom rom side. All updated ROMs are now Android 8.1 and are 64 bit. I usually get 6-7+ hours screen on time and switch between every rom that's released For battery and customizations I recommend AEX or Validius. Also, you can use greenify on any of the custom ROMs and root with magisk and pass safety net as well. I Also recommend you download from telegram group as those links are updated more often than xda.
Telegram links are:
t.me/g5pluslinks ---> All new ROMs released no chat
t.me/motog5plus ---> Release of new ROMs / kernels but lot of chat too.
t.me/MotoG5PlusStuff ---> Collection of all kinds of camera apps.

Too late. I failed to root. And now my camera doesn't work. :Cries:
Gonna try flashing stock (some 92 version ) which has the Nov patch. Older one failed(downgrade).
Help me if you can. PLEASE.
I can explain everything I did.

Too late. I failed to root. And now my camera doesn't work. :Cries:
Gonna try flashing stock (some 92 version ) which has the Nov patch. Older one failed(downgrade).
Help me if you can. PLEASE.
I can explain everything I did.

Ok guys. So..i somehow got the root to work. But the camera is not working. It is saying camera is busy . What should I do?

Akshatk said:
Ok guys. So..i somehow got the root to work. But the camera is not working. It is saying camera is busy . What should I do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that using custom kernel was the fix to that issue, not 100% sure as I never had the issue myself. Also, if you decide to go to a custom rom you won't have that issue (it only affects stock rom). Another option if you want to stick on stock is find the thread on here for TWRP flashable stock ROMs and use latest one for your phone.

I'm not able to select SD card storage in the recovery mode. What's the issue here? How do I fix it?

Akshatk said:
I'm not able to select SD card storage in the recovery mode. What's the issue here? How do I fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nevermind. I updated twrp to 3.2.1.0 . Now i can use my sd card there.

jeffsga88 said:
I believe that using custom kernel was the fix to that issue, not 100% sure as I never had the issue myself. Also, if you decide to go to a custom rom you won't have that issue (it only affects stock rom). Another option if you want to stick on stock is find the thread on here for TWRP flashable stock ROMs and use latest one for your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I installed lineage 14.1.
I have no issues now.
Thanks bro!

Akshatk said:
I installed lineage 14.1.
I have no issues now.
Thanks bro!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. Happy I could help.

To root or to not root?

Hi everyone,
I've been using my OP5 for the past year and now I've exhausted my full 64Gb of storage. Was planning to backup my data onto my laptop and start afresh but I thought it is time to root. I've rooted pretty much every phone I've had in the past for some or the other reason like increasing battery life, overclocking, debloated roms for more storage etc. etc.
I have been technologically dead for the past 2 years so I'm kind of lost right now and in confusion on as to whether to root or not? What would be the main advantages I'd be getting if I root. My phone is still blazing fast, has amazing battery life and OOS is really smooth.
Just in a lot of confusion and want to find more reasons to root.

If you have to ask, you don't need it.

If you root your phone you'll be able to actually use your phone. The only disadvantage to rooting your phone that I see would be that whenever I see a new rom, I want to flash it. I've never understood why somebody would not want to root their phone. Maybe warranty? But then again, I think there are ways around that?

Rickyloc said:
The only disadvantage to rooting your phone that I see would be that whenever I see a new rom, I want to flash it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This! +1

Dirk said:
If you have to ask, you don't need it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Should have seen a reply like this coming my way. Buddy, I've rooted every other phone I've had in the past. Either for updates, better battery life, smoother ram management and so on.. The only thing I couldn't understand is this phone isn't lacking in any of the above mentioned points including updates **touch wood** so wanted to understand others thought process on the advantages cause I am unaware of all the cool mods you can do at the moment, if there are any.

Rickyloc said:
If you root your phone you'll be able to actually use your phone. The only disadvantage to rooting your phone that I see would be that whenever I see a new rom, I want to flash it. I've never understood why somebody would not want to root their phone. Maybe warranty? But then again, I think there are ways around that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, this was helpful.. I don't see why i shouldn't root it too. I'll probably be rooting too. Which Rom would you suggest for stability and everyday usage with some good extra additional functionality?

Kunal5894 said:
Thank you, this was helpful.. I don't see why i shouldn't root it too. I'll probably be rooting too. Which Rom would you suggest for stability and everyday usage with some good extra additional functionality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My favorite rom is Codename Phoenix. It's fast and it's not on XDA, which is probably why I like it. It's got a lot of features. If there is a feature a rom doesn't have you can always get Xposed or something to enable.
But the main reason for rooting my phone is so that I can use gcam properly. I love Photoshop and gcam offers the best photos. In my opinion, far better than stock or any other.

There's an option just to flash a custom ROM and leave it unrooted ?
I can recommend Resurrection Remix unofficial. Simply followed the steps with unlocking the bootloader and gaining root on stock ROM, then flashed a custom ROM without rooting it.
If you thought battery life was great with stock OOS you're going to be pretty surprised with battery at Resurrection Remix and Flash Kernel ?

Kunal5894 said:
Thank you, this was helpful.. I don't see why i shouldn't root it too. I'll probably be rooting too. Which Rom would you suggest for stability and everyday usage with some good extra additional functionality?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best combination of stability and improved battery life is between the stock stable OxygenOS paired with the latest Franco kernel. I have tried pretty much all of the custom ROMs but every time the battery life of my phone was getting worse (compared to fully stock) until I tried stock OOS with Franco Kernel. But I have to say that I only have rooted my phone to use the Franco Kernel Manager and I do not have any add-ons into Magisk. Root + Franco and everything else is stock. I am not flashing new roms/kernels like crazy and really often, because the stable OOS is getting released once in two or even three months. Franco's kernel is being updated, hm, let's say once in a month or two months. So 99% of the time you are going to use your phone without flashing anything new.