Hi guys,
I plan to buy on June 14th the Galaxy S2 on Bell Canada network, it will replace my Pre2.
I was wondering if you can recommend me a specific ROM that will get rid of TouchWiz and allow me to run Gingerbread stock. I'm not familiar at all with Android, as I never use it before. That is the main reason why I rather ask the question here instead of searching, as I would not know what to search for.
A little about myself: I'm a Linux head (Redhat advanced + Ubuntu).
Thank you for your your help.
If you realy want to delete touch wiz, you'll have to root your phone otherwise you can't get rid of touch wiz, however you can run a different launcher and having touch wiz on your phone.
Hi Viletung. In WebOS, it takes me about 30 seconds to root the phone.
Yet that retains all the phone settings unchanged, while allowing me to install packages, manipulate data, etc. Is it the same thing with SGS2?
I guess my question is: is it recommended to root the phone? I'm curious if most of Android users root their phone. I know I rooted my Palm Pre/Pre2 phones 5min after I got them. I read on the Internet that certain ROM's are built on stock Gingerbread (without TouchWiz), allowing the phone to save on battery and run much smoother with less used resources. Obviously, if you install a new ROM it will void the warranty.
I'm at a point where I'm learning the basics, so any advice is appreciated.
Hello!
I've installed Lite'ning rom 1.5, which has root access. And to flash it takes about one minute!
When I got this phone, I knew it was possible to root my phone, but I was scared that I would screw something up and break the device.
Now, it's about one month after I got this phone and I must say after rooting the device, deleting some standard Samsung **** (Social Hubs etc..), my SGSII isn't draining battery as it used to do before I deleted some stuff. (Including TouchWiz)
But I have also a JIG, to reset the custom kernel counter, just incase I need my warranty back.
So my final conclusion is; I can't life without root! I like to edit the system icons (battery-, wifi icon and much more).
If you have any questions, I'll try to help you
Rooting, yes do it. It's easy, does no harm, and opens up neat options.
Just get Villainrom which is updated to version 2.0. It's built on android 2.3.4, fixing the 2.3.3 battery drain bug (which occured on all phones running 2.3.3).
If you want your stock gingerbread experience, there is a rom out there which tries to replicate this, but I recommend using a 'better' rom with a custom launcher mimicking Gingerbread. Since there's not a lot of difference than just a different launcher (home-menu).
Most dont root but most are not on XDA and dont know anything bar stock . I would guess most XDA users root .
I'm at a point where I'm learning the basics, so any advice is appreciated.
To a certain extent its been a learning curve for the devs as SGS 2 is different to SGS1 .Expect even more development as the days go by .
jje
Thanks a lot guys for the info.
prodygee said:
Rooting, yes do it. It's easy, does no harm, and opens up neat options.
Just get Villainrom which is updated to version 2.0. It's built on android 2.3.4, fixing the 2.3.3 battery drain bug (which occured on all phones running 2.3.3).
If you want your stock gingerbread experience, there is a rom out there which tries to replicate this, but I recommend using a 'better' rom with a custom launcher mimicking Gingerbread. Since there's not a lot of difference than just a different launcher (home-menu).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info. I want to have the latest version of Android, I don't really care about Gingerbread. How do updates work on Android (i.e. updating to Ice Cream Sandwich eventually)? On WebOS, updates are done automatically from your carrier or Palm/HP (if you had an unlocked phone like myself). Even if I rooted my phone, I would be able to update the phone firmware with a simple download and retain the rooted aspect of the phone.
About rooting, what did you used? I'm looking at Odin and SuperOneClick... is there something better/safer? One more time, thank you.
Official updates via Kies over PC only .
Rooting is usually lost on update .
Rooting via Chainfire
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1103399
jje
yqed said:
I was wondering if you can recommend me a specific ROM that will get rid of TouchWiz and allow me to run Gingerbread stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why don't you use it for a least a few seconds before ditching it, there's no aosp gingerbread anyway so you're stuck with it until cm7 comes along.
I want to root the phone and replace the ROM mainly because I heard that TouchWiz is running on top of current OS. I could disable TouchWiz, indeed. The issue is: I do not know how upgrades are performed into phone. From the above posts, I have to do it myself is not an automated download/install like WebOS does it.
So, if a new Android version is released, I have to download it myself? For example, my phone comes with 2.3.3 installed but 2.3.4 is released already. Will my phone ask me to download the latest version automatically upon release? I presume not, I have to download and install it myself. Using logic, that is done by either installing a ROM or getting the upgrade from mobile provider.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
yqed said:
So, if a new Android version is released, I have to download it myself? For example, my phone comes with 2.3.3 installed but 2.3.4 is released already. Will my phone ask me to download the latest version automatically upon release? I presume not, I have to download and install it myself. Using logic, that is done by either installing a ROM or getting the upgrade from mobile provider.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's correct, and is one of the main reasons people root their Androids so that when a new version comes out we can download it straight away and don't have to wait for the carrier to officially release it, which usually takes a lot longer than it does for the devs here to put something together. E.g. there are a few ROMs already in the dev forum based on 2.3.4, but there is not yet any official update.
Thanks guys much appreciated. I will probably have more questions, once I have the phone on hand.
yqed said:
I want to root the phone and replace the ROM mainly because I heard that TouchWiz is running on top of current OS. I could disable TouchWiz, indeed. The issue is: I do not know how upgrades are performed into phone. From the above posts, I have to do it myself is not an automated download/install like WebOS does it.
So, if a new Android version is released, I have to download it myself? For example, my phone comes with 2.3.3 installed but 2.3.4 is released already. Will my phone ask me to download the latest version automatically upon release? I presume not, I have to download and install it myself. Using logic, that is done by either installing a ROM or getting the upgrade from mobile provider.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android phones get new updates over the air when available, just like web os. Only Samsung does their own thing which is different on the sgs2 than on normal android devices. .
Which is, providing updates through an unnecessary software suite called KIES. You won't see an update available message on your phone.
yqed said:
Hi guys,
I plan to buy on June 14th the Galaxy S2 on Bell Canada network, it will replace my Pre2.
I was wondering if you can recommend me a specific ROM that will get rid of TouchWiz and allow me to run Gingerbread stock. I'm not familiar at all with Android, as I never use it before. That is the main reason why I rather ask the question here instead of searching, as I would not know what to search for.
A little about myself: I'm a Linux head (Redhat advanced + Ubuntu).
Thank you for your your help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just install a launcher fromthe Android Store. There's plenty of good ones like LauncherPro, GX Launcher, 7 launcher. Their all relatively good and fully functional.
OK, I got the phone (16GB model) today from FutureShop and played with it a bit. It is a great phone indeed...
Phone Info (might be useful for devs)
Network: Bell Canada
Model: GT-I9100M
Android Version: 2.3.3
Baseband Version: I9100MUGKG2
Kernel Version: 2.6.35.7-I9100MUGKG2-CL371789 [email protected] #2
Build Number: GINGERBREAD.UGKG2
Now, on with the usual:
Bell bundled the phone with several crap apps like Self Serve, TeleNav GPS (how stupid is that on an Android), Remote PVR, etc.
I will follow your advice and use the phone for now as is, without any fancy stuff done to it (like a new ROM). I would like to get rid of the Bell proprietary apps (physical delete), let me know if is possible. I guess if the phone is rooted it should be easy, the trick is to know how to delete the apps from the phone.
Another question: How do I install the Samsung drivers, without installing the blotted KIES?
I looked for a clean package with SGS2 drivers only but I could not find anything... All I want is to go to Device Manager and point a directory.
I must admit that Android is a totally new experience, coming from WebOS. I'm pretty much lost, heh. I know I sound like a noob, so please forgive me if I ask some simple questions that I can get the answer with a search or just by reading the phone instructions (haven't had the time to read the documentation).
Related
I have never seen a clear answer on this question. What exactly will prevent us from running an official update on our phones. When LG releases the official gingerbread update, what will prevent us from doing that?
1) Rooting.
2) OCing/tweaking/hardware acceleration.
3) Installing custom roms.
If we have only rooted can we update, or would we somehow need to flash our phones back to stock settings? I suppose the development community will take the official LG gingerbread rom, tweak it a bit, and release it for us to use with our rooted and OC'd phones, so maybe it's not a big deal?
Any advice?
I think this is a good thread to sticky so people know this info, since i've never seen it posted anywhere else, for any other phones.
Nothing will prevent you to update. It's your choice.
Don't see the point to stick this.
Cheers
Zecanilis said:
Nothing will prevent you to update. It's your choice.
Don't see the point to stick this.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if I have my LG Optimus T rooted, and have a rom installed like cyanogenmod, I can then just download and installed the official 2.3 upgrade from LG/Tmobile?
Yes.
Cheers
Ok then cheers!
how on earth were you able to put CyanogenMod on your phone?
I just thinking about same!
I've never tried to install a stock rom, and with the HTC magic I had read people talking about not being able to install the stock rogers rom without a lot of trouble.
I also heard some issues with certain phones having OTA updates and conflicting with rooted phones.
I just wanted to make sure this was ok. I have cyanogenmod on my HTC magic, sorry for the confusion, so I just used that name for a generic rom. I just meant in general if you can update a hacked/rooted phone without it locking up.
Jailbroken ipod touches and phones cannot be updated using the stock updates that are released over itunes, you have to do a factory reset before going and installing the official updates.
thesmoth said:
I've never tried to install a stock rom, and with the HTC magic I had read people talking about not being able to install the stock rogers rom without a lot of trouble.
I also heard some issues with certain phones having OTA updates and conflicting with rooted phones.
I just wanted to make sure this was ok. I have cyanogenmod on my HTC magic, sorry for the confusion, so I just used that name for a generic rom. I just meant in general if you can update a hacked/rooted phone without it locking up.
Jailbroken ipod touches and phones cannot be updated using the stock updates that are released over itunes, you have to do a factory reset before going and installing the official updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this case - Custom ROMs - HTC now sucks. HTC still trying disable for their users installation of custom ROMs even if many people just love this possibilities.
LG (for now) doesn't do that.
The_ERROR said:
In this case - Custom ROMs - HTC now sucks. HTC still trying disable for their users installation of custom ROMs even if many people just love this possibilities.
LG (for now) doesn't do that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Idk where you got this from... especially when hTC is one of the few companies still posting info on how to fix your phone after you root it, also if you are friends with them on facebook they make posts about leaked roms and they say they dont recommend installing but they still show you where its at. Motorola did try to make it impossible to root the droid 2/x/pro but ppl found a way around that, i believe it was koush.
I don't believe any manufacturer spends a great deal of time trying to prevent root, now carriers like sprint and verizon, yes. They don't want you doing wireless tether and things like that.
I have this from root.cz but it is in czech language.
They talking about problems of rooting and updating of system on new HTCs phones, like for example Tatoo. They have HW lock on their NAND ROM, so getting of root is not as simple as was before and so on.
Hello everyone,
so i registered yesterday in this forum, know it for a while now but was never useful to me because the "coolest stuff" to do on my LG always was needed to root it and i was (and still am) a bit afraid of doing it, since i dont understand nothing about it but i heard it can mess up your phone. So i thought of posting something here.
So i have a LG P500 and yesterday i updated the firmware or software (dont know how to call it). Now i have the official Gingerbread udpate. I was a bit disappointed as i always wanted to have that locking animation that nexus S has.
Yes, i know you might tell me to use the search button but i looked for something similar and someone said something about rooting the phone to use the CM7.
So what i wanted to know is. What are the pros and cons with rooting. Do i need to "instal" CM7 or something like that to have that lock animation even having the 2.3.3 official update? Do you advice me to root my phone even though i bought it a few months ago?(like march or something)
Im sorry if i should searched a bit more but i think its better to just talk directly with people who understand this phone stuff better then i.
Thank you in advance!
Ps: Im portuguese and i know there are a few portuguese members here, if any of them could help me with this i would appreciate!
I myself upgraded to the LG 2.3 gingerbread firmware v20b
and it sucks to the core
i downgraded to froyo v10e the very next day itself
the pro's of rooting is that
you get access to the core android files
and use your phone to the max
(example overclock, customized ROM's,hardware acceleration etc)
in short you get a much better phone and no lg crap bloatware etc
the con's are
if rooting doesn't go properly you'll end up with a bricked phone
and your warranty will be void
my suggestion is
if your not so much into your cell
i mean you dont use it a lot for 3D gaming and other hi resource using applications
and just need for messaging,music,net
then dont root
else root
and enjoy your phone
---------- Post added at 06:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:43 AM ----------
Palmaaa said:
Hello everyone,
was a bit disappointed as i always wanted to have that locking animation that nexus S has.
Yes, i know you might tell me to use the search button but i looked for something similar and someone said something about rooting the phone to use the CM7.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im sure there are applications
or some launcher which will have what your looking for
Just do it.
I rooted it 3 days after I bought it.
But be careful while doing so, there are chances of bricking your phone.and yes, warranty will be void. But you can, anytime,go back to stock firmware just in case if you want your warranty.
Sent from my LG-P500 using XDA App
Rooting & link to howto (mostly for my own reference)
Hi,
For me the main advantage of rooting is that you can use a custom recovery (= do nandroid backups) and that you can install different kernels (better performance but mainly better battery life).
I have been on official 2.3.3 since months now (waiting until Andy's Phoenix ROM matures a bit), and I must say that I'm quite happy with it (with LauncherPro of course).
Just be sure to install a good recovery (CWM 4.0.1.5 or so) and that you make a nandroid backup before you flash something new.
Oh and here's the howto I used to root my brother's phone yesterday...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1146566#3
And here's a collection of working recovery images (flashable)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1065197
dryhte said:
Hi,
For me the main advantage of rooting is that you can use a custom recovery (= do nandroid backups) and that you can install different kernels (better performance but mainly better battery life).
I have been on official 2.3.3 since months now (waiting until Andy's Phoenix ROM matures a bit), and I must say that I'm quite happy with it (with LauncherPro of course).
Just be sure to install a good recovery (CWM 4.0.1.5 or so) and that you make a nandroid backup before you flash something new.
Oh and here's the howto I used to root my brother's phone yesterday...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1146566#3
And here's a collection of working recovery images (flashable)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1065197
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So to see if i get it, by "custom recovery" you're saying i can use a "custom image" that someone created to improve my phone?
I didnt quite undestood the nandroid and CWM recovery parts! Im really sorry for all the questions but im still a noob in this area and i was hopping i could get to know a little more about this in this forum!
Ps: thank you all that answered till now!
Reply
Hi, as u said u r novice, & does not know anything.
My suggestion is to use ur cell for few months & search in google & XDA whatever u have doubt. Then understand one by one things.
I am telling because my cell was bricked with doing all these things, I voided warranty & i have to change my entire board for 3,000/-
I think no use with all these rooting & flashing, roms, getting headache with this stuff.
Just use ur phone as it is, & u may install new new softwares & games as market is producing a lot daily.
I have bad experience with all these experiments.
Rooted my p500 successfully ...
Rooting is NOT for novices.
Rooting requires some basic (to slightly advanced) understanding of the way this android software works. It also requires some basic understanding of the way in which kernel, over-clocking etc., work. And, one should also understand the limitations (of hardware, processing power, storage, RAM etc.,) of one's mobile phone.
Thankfully, I rooted my P500 successfully yesterday. And, loaded Titanium Backup and got going in the `rooted mobile' arena.
Removed some unwanted/useless applications like bollywoodji, vaccination tracker, etc., successfully.
i think rooting is a piece of cake. enable debugging mode, connect phone to pc, press the ROOT button
sekhar13515 said:
I am telling because my cell was bricked with doing all these things, I voided warranty & i have to change my entire board for 3,000/-
I think no use with all these rooting & flashing, roms, getting headache with this stuff.
Just use ur phone as it is, & u may install new new softwares & games as market is producing a lot daily.
I have bad experience with all these experiments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually very few people have bad experiences with rooting and related stuff. Most of us (including me) have done it right, and are enjoying the benefits.. Just follow the instructions carefully and everything will be alright. And make sure that whatever process you do, it is NOT INTERRUPTED in between. That's all.
Also, if you were in the stock froyo firmware, you could have simply rooted using gingerbreak. The 2.3 based firmware can also be rooted, but requires a few more steps, you can search and find out about that.
I would personally suggest not to use ROM manager for installing custom recovery on your P500, because when I used it, my phone got stuck in the fastboot mode. But with a little effort I could make it right.
All the best!
Hello all. I'm about to bombard you with a few noob questions that I'm really hoping someone could help me out with.
I'm currently using a Galaxy S2, but after reading a bit about custom ROMs and the ability to possibly increase battery life among other features, I have decided to delve a bit deeper. I do have a few questions though.
- What is the difference between rooting and using a custom ROM?
- Do I need a specific Kernel version or build number in order to use a custom ROM on my Galaxy s2 or does none of that matter when installing a new ROM?
- It is to my understanding that custom ROMs cannot use Kies. So, in the event that Android 4.0 comes out, will I have any problems being able to get it onto my phone with a custom ROM? Will it cause any interferences between the ROM and the new operating system?
I'm very interested in trying this out, however with the firmware I am currently running, there is no replacement to be found. In the event that I want to revert back to factory, it probably will not be possible to find this specific firmware that I am using (already searched).
Thanks a ton in advance for the help
Rooting gives you access to aspects and features on the phone that you otherwise couldn't get to. Installing a custom ROM wipes out the software on your phone and replaces it with software someone other than the OEMs developed.
You need to unlock your bootloader in order to install a custom ROM, and the process for this differs from phone to phone. Other than the different steps, it doesn't really matter what your phone has to start out with.
I don't know anything about Kies.
Honestly, I would highly recommend rooting your phone... just make sure you maek a backup as soon as you get root access (but before you install a custom ROM) and you're good to go!
roboedar said:
Hello all. I'm about to bombard you with a few noob questions that I'm really hoping someone could help me out with.
I'm currently using a Galaxy S2, but after reading a bit about custom ROMs and the ability to possibly increase battery life among other features, I have decided to delve a bit deeper. I do have a few questions though.
- What is the difference between rooting and using a custom ROM?
- Do I need a specific Kernel version or build number in order to use a custom ROM on my Galaxy s2 or does none of that matter when installing a new ROM?
- It is to my understanding that custom ROMs cannot use Kies. So, in the event that Android 4.0 comes out, will I have any problems being able to get it onto my phone with a custom ROM? Will it cause any interferences between the ROM and the new operating system?
I'm very interested in trying this out, however with the firmware I am currently running, there is no replacement to be found. In the event that I want to revert back to factory, it probably will not be possible to find this specific firmware that I am using (already searched).
Thanks a ton in advance for the help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's probably a for for the GS2, where you can find details for your phone. Some methods of rooting on some devices do require a specific version of firmware. Give or take carrier issues I heard the GS2's were getting ICS in an update...
The main reasons to root your phone are to do things you can't do without root. For example using a VNC server you typically requires root, but it allows connecting to your phone via VNC. Custom ROMs are usually rooted; installing a custom ROM doesn't always need root (e.g. nvflash) but it helps eventually.
No idea what Kies is and I'm to cold to Google it. If it's in the market, check it in a browser to see what versions they support.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Questions or Problems Should Not Be Posted in the Development Forum
Please Post in the Correct Forums
Moving to Q&A
Hi All,
I am new to this forum and also to this Smartphone world
I am planning to buy Galaxy S2 , but want to use ICS Stock UI ( I can wait for official ICS update or use some ICS ROM ) , but what I want to know is that how can I use default ICS Stock UI on my Galaxy S2.
And another question when we use unofficial ROM on our Android phone , what are the risks we should consider in terms of our personal data security and also the stability of our phone ?
Thanks,
Maverick
mavericki said:
Hi All,
I am new to this forum and also to this Smartphone world
I am planning to buy Galaxy S2 , but want to use ICS Stock UI ( I can wait for official ICS update or use some ICS ROM ) , but what I want to know is that how can I use default ICS Stock UI on my Galaxy S2.
And another question when we use unofficial ROM on our Android phone , what are the risks we should consider in terms of our personal data security and also the stability of our phone ?
Thanks,
Maverick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you do some reading around the SGS2 forum, you'll find all of the information you seek. Or you could try google...either way, the powers that be here at XDA aren't very friendly to those who don't bother trying to research, read, or use the search function. I'm trying to be a bit more personable.
At the moment, ICS is in either the Alpha or Beta stage...meaning that it's still buggy and doesn't really function as a daily driver yet.
To get ICS right now, you have to flash a ROM...which involves root access. The risks are pretty high. You have the risk of bricking your phone, if you don't read the instructions and follow them exactly, which isn't always easy because you're not very likely to find exact instructions for your specific phone (the hardware specs will match, but the ROM/Radio/Modem numbers may be different which can lead to confusion). You also run the risk of voiding your warranty, which is a pretty significant one.
I flashed an ICS build yesterday, and then my S2 wouldn't charge. I eventually flashed back (thank God I had made a backup yesterday, and 2 days ago as the one from yesterday didn't work!)
As far as security goes, nothing really to worry about. Dev's don't build in Carrier IQ and don't really want your personal data. But the flip side is, that they don't get paid for what they do...so if you have a problem or 'eff something up, you're pretty much on your own. You can ask for help, but again, sometimes the dev's don't want to be bothered with a question if it's already been answered or if you could've found the answer by searching for it. This is where it gets rude, sometimes.
That's the long answer. The short answer is READ, READ, READ...everything about your phone and flashing ROM's. Start at the beginning of the forum, as that's where the 'stickies' are and work your way thru. ICS will be released officially and stably later.
Hope that helps.
Thanks ,
I have googled it and read some threads on this forum and on others as well... thats how I came to know that you can root your phone with unofficial ICS ROM... but wasn't sure that in that case , will I get ICS with TouchWiz or Stock UI...
And 2nd thing that if I screwed up what will happen to my personal data...
anyhow thanks for replying my (dumb ? ) question
Hi Guys as my title Says..
i need Help very Badly.
First of all MODS and USERS i'm sorry i didn't knew where to post this thread so if its in in-appropriate section please move it to correct section. THanks
OK my problem is this.
i recently (less than a week ago ) bought a Samsung Galaxy S2 its by Bell Canada and its i9100M. i bought it online since my service provider is Rogers.
i guess this phone is already rooted to unlock it and i can see CWM and SU icon there.
Well i'm a Hardcore Blackberry Fan and have been using Blackberries from last 6 years. I loved the new samsung because of it looks and its screen.
I Had Lot of Problem with it like setting up my yahoo as push email, setting the Ringtone Profile, setting up the Custom Ringtones for Text Messages..
Having wrong time stamps on Recieved TEXT Message.. well i fixed all those by installing apps from market and forwarding my yahoo to my gmail...
i Hated doing all that but infront of the beauty of this phone i had to compromise but today it took 3 hours to find my gps location and day by day im using it i'm hating it .....
SO OK I DID MY RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT ALOT... the more i'm researching the more i'm getting confused...
first of all what is the difference between custom ROM and KERNEL.
i know custom rom could be like operating system but customized by unofficial person.
what the h is KERNEL..
to install rom's or kernel do i really have to root.
To unlock do i have to root or is there a paying method.
also i want to know if i'll go back to stock rom can i still unlock it.and recieve all the updates from samsung or google specially when ICS will be launched.
after unlocking and installing custom root. can i unroot it
and lastly which is best custom kernel and which is the best rom availble.
since been a blackberry user i have very basic needs. i don't play any games or download much apps and if an app is paid..i'll pay for it.. i don't want to jailbreak anything .
all i need is better battery life, gps and network coverage.
Thanks for taking time to read and reply.
Hi there.
I'll try and get through your questions as simply as possible,
Imagine your phone is like a car
A kernel is like the engine of a car - it's the low level machinery that keeps it going.
The Rom is like the body of the car around the engine. Roms can be official (or Stock Roms), or they can be customised by other people.
So, when you install a stock rom - you're installing the kernel, but you're also installing the radio (called a modem or baseband) and the registration (or the CSC which is location specific information) as well as the unique 'body' of the car for that rom - tweaks, default software, etc.
You don't have to have rooted your phone to install a Rom. When you update your phone via Kies, you are, literally, installing an stock rom. You can even install stock roms from elsewhere without rooting your phone. Because stock roms are released in different regions at different times, lots of people update their phones to the latest official roms via this method - no root required.
However, to install a custom, unofficial rom, you will need to root your phone as they will require access to the 'root level directory' of your phone's file system - which is what root really means.
You can find everything you need to know about that, how to root and also lots of stock roms you can install without rooting here:
Some shops will root you phone for you if you want to go down that path and don't want to risk it. But it's easier than you think and the galaxy s2 is very hard to break. There's lots of help available on XDA - just remember to search before you ask so you don't ask a common question the millionth time.
If you have installed a custom rom you can easily re-install a stock rom over it that will still work with Kies and thus be updateable when ICS turns up.
There is no 'best' Rom or kernel. Some Roms go 'as is' and some are customisable to the nth degree if you like fiddling with your phone non-stop. I personally use CheckRom because I like the kitchen app that lets you swap kernels, modems and mods with ease - but check out the Original Android Development threads and see which other roms you like the sound of.
Depending on what you are currently running, a new rom - even a stock one if you're running a very old one - could easily help with battery and range issues. For GPS - try installing FasterFix from the market and see if reassigning your GPS fix to a closer location helps.
Best of luck - it's a great phone once you open up its possibilities
Thanks a lot for the reply
well your reply did help me a lot...
my phone is been already rooted by someone else already from the person i bought it....
as for searching i did a lot.. and its been confusing me more and more ..well thanks for your answer
also as u said S2 is hard to break..i guess u mean is that the JIG thing on EBAY
and as for flashing the stuff i've played with other stuff just not android thing ive replaced the os on BB and jailbreaked iphones and installed macintosh on HP PC and also worked on most of the languages 10 years ago... and i believe nothing is impossible so going to someone else is never an option for me
just want to know as much as stuff i can before going further
well i have few more questions
how can i find which rom or kernel is already installed...
i mean is it possible to tell if its stock or its customized and its customized by which group.
and one last thing.. u know the words u used modem and baseband...
i read about it before...
but my question is ...
IS THE BASEBAND ANYTHING LIKE IPHONE BASEBAND???
u know in iPhones when baseband is updated u r screwed sometimes its hard to jailbreak and definately hard to unlock and reverting changes to baseband....
is it the samething in Galaxy S2 as well...
Thanks a lot for replying...i really appreciate all the time you took to reply.
Thanks once again.
Yeah baseband is the code that handles the phone part of your smartphone. Talking to your wireless provider, 3G, texts all these things are done by baseband.
Flashing a different baseband won't screw your root, and you'd still be rooted. Samsung doesn't make it hard to root as Apple does to jailbreaking. Even if something goes wrong with a new version, you can always revert back to old one using Odin(Samsung ROM flashing tool) and you are good to go.
Thanks a lot... about that quick reply...
i'm gonna collect more information and hopefully i'll be flashing it on weekend...
but how can i find which rom or kernel is already installed...
i mean is it possible to tell if its stock or its customized and its customized by which group
Everything you need to know can be found here. Most of it, anyway.
Backup your device with cwm when rooted ... So you can always restore to previous state. ;-)
Good luck there. But reading is a must.
SGS II - XDA
blackberryfan said:
thanks a lot... About that quick reply...
I'm gonna collect more information and hopefully i'll be flashing it on weekend...
But how can i find which rom or kernel is already installed...
In your dialer type *#1234#
info will apear. Now read chainfire's tutorial how to root your device ....
I mean is it possible to tell if its stock or its customized and its customized by which group
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Setting went wrong when quoting
sgs ii - xda
also you can go settings - about phone - then look at the bottom fields to see kernel, baseband and build. Quote those and we should be able to tell what you have.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App