So, like the title says, should I unlock? Ive always been a sucker for custom ROMs on all my devices but I received my Prime a week ago and have for some reason been a little dubious to unlock, due to the nullification of the warranty. I have read lots of reports however that ASUS will still RMA your unit if unlocked. Can anyone confirm this? Also finding my Prime laggy at times with weird screen flicker and lines at left of screen. I see this is a common issue, does a custom ROM address any of these issues?? Many thanks
I don't a custom ROM will fix the current issues. They are based upon the official ASUS ROMS. When you use different ROM's there are issues with keyboard and battery support.
I wouldn't risk it yet, seeing ASUS is still releasing new ROM's and there is nothing really new yet. (like JellyBean)
What about custom kernels ? I wouldn't be surprised if most of current Prime issues come from the kernel, not the ROM itself.
I'm actually asking myself same question: to unlock or not to unlock.
unlock..its well worth it. prime a whole new beast on custom rom & custom kernel. if or when u do, use trwp recovery.
I have two primes, one unlocked and one locked (my wife's). The unlocked prime running AndroWookie 2.1 does circles around my locked stock prime.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
demandarin said:
unlock..its well worth it. prime a whole new beast on custom rom & custom kernel. if or when u do, use trwp recovery.
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Click to collapse
which roms do you recommend? I just RMA'd my tablet so it should be good to go for now, thinking about unlocking. But I dont see many good ROMs yet, they have bugs it seems.
edit: AndroWookie looks interesting, might do that? What recovery, CWM or TWRP?
dude2k5 said:
which roms do you recommend? I just RMA'd my tablet so it should be good to go for now, thinking about unlocking. But I dont see many good ROMs yet, they have bugs it seems.
edit: AndroWookie looks interesting, might do that? What recovery, CWM or TWRP?
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the new Androwookie. version 2.1. Twrp recovery.
definitely unlock.... that gives your device its true potential...
I definitely say to unlock. Honestly if my prime was locked and stock I wouldn't have bought it, stock out of the box I think the ipad is superior. But the Asus prime unlocked has endless possibilities and the ipad can't even come close to competing when it comes to recovery, flashing roms, overclocking and undervolting, theming, etc you get the idea.
As long as you run a good rom and kernel setup you wont have any issues with your keyboard or battery, at least I haven't.
You will see by my signature I'm proudly part of Team Wookie, but I'm not the developer. I'm part of Team Wookie because the developer released a rom that made my prime worth keeping, I had listed it on craigslist and decided to try his rom, and I fell in love.
If you have any questions or concerns I'll watch this thread but you can also PM me, and we can talk in realtime on gtalk if you want more information about anything.
Good luck, you wont be disappointed.
This sounds awesome, I want to try it and get a new ROM on this baby. But god damn Asus won't unlock my device with the tool. Pissing me off. This doesnt feel like I bought this tablet, I'm leasing it.
dude2k5 said:
This sounds awesome, I want to try it and get a new ROM on this baby. But god damn Asus won't unlock my device with the tool. Pissing me off. This doesnt feel like I bought this tablet, I'm leasing it.
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Are you getting that network error message?
CharliesTheMan said:
Are you getting that network error message?
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Yeah, Unknown error occurs. Someone said unroot, revert to stock/reset, my serial does show. But still nothing.
I posted my feelings about the whole "unlock or not" question in another thread this morning (also worth reading the quoted post I replied to, as it's an accurate view of the user experience when unlocked):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=28366429&postcount=174
Try a factory reset before you unlock. That is what worked for me.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
knucklehead_11 said:
Try a factory reset before you unlock. That is what worked for me.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Did, tried reupdating the latest update, then reset again, still nothing...
I unlocked last weekend after a few months on stock and it's the best thing I could have done to my Prime.
Prior to unlocking I used to find the thing a chore to use but with the custom firmwares out there, it's a fantastic tablet. Such a shame that Asus managed to screw so much up stock wise.
Man this sucks, can't unlock it at all. Reset it 3 times. Tried the unroot. Tried flashing the new update and reset. Nothing. Viper tool just installs the app and does the same thing. Probably stuck like this.
demandarin said:
unlock..its well worth it. prime a whole new beast on custom rom & custom kernel. if or when u do, use trwp recovery.
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Click to collapse
i just got my prime refurb from cowboom a week ago. was most awesome right out of the box.
that being said, i have been exploiting and modding my sh*t since the original xbox, so rooting this was a no-brainer for me.
(every droid in my sig is rooted)
androwook 2.1 ROM was installed that same week, and it is indeed an awesome piece of work by that crew.
i followed the viperMOD instructions, installed GOO to get TWRP installed, and installed the AW 2.0 ROM first. i
"dirty" flashed 2.1 over that when it was released, and have since, installed the popular Cobalt theme. this machine is a dream...
got the dock for about $100 yesterday for peripheral support...all is golden!
TF201.HTCEV0V. LGOV. KF. N8PSE
Forgive a neophyte's ignorance - I am rooted using Debugs method ( thanks millions), can i not flash a custom ROM if i don't unlock the bootlader?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda app-developers app
Dont think you can flash without unlocking.
If your prime has no hardware issues (dead pixels, bad light bleed etc) Iwould support unlocking. Virtuous and Androwook make a huge difference to the tablet.
Related
Hello, i have a Asus Transformer Prime tf201 3.2.1 and i have rooted it successfully. I was checking the wiki site of transformer xda and i looked at the roms. I liked the Revolver ROM but will it work on my Asus Transformer Prime tf201 3.2.1? and if i can, before installing the rom i want to backup the stock rom. how can i do that since i cannot use the clokcworkmod from rom manager.
PLEASE HELP!!!
Bootloader is still locked. So, no recovery and no ROMs.
And I would advice you to not try to flash ROMs that are not made for your device anyway.
The Transformer and the Transformer Prime are two separate units. Even if we had a recovery, the Transformer ROM wouldn't work with our tablet unless properly ported.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using XDA Premium.
Someone09 said:
Bootloader is still locked. So, no recovery and no ROMs.
And I would advice you to not try to flash ROMs that are not made for your device anyway.
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so what can i do with my rooted device??
Herbertpiv said:
so what can i do with my rooted device??
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Click to collapse
Titanium Backup
SetCPU
So on and so forth..
I was ok when I bricked my droid 2 playing around with new ROMS, I'm not yet comfortable risking my $600 tablet. ROMs are going to wait quite a while until they're thoroughly tested.
Smahon03 said:
I was ok when I bricked my droid 2 playing around with new ROMS, I'm not yet comfortable risking my $600 tablet. ROMs are going to wait quite a while until they're thoroughly tested.
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When the capability becomes available. Just do an initial backup and flash away. Nothing to be afraid of.
People need to stop rushing into things. This is how bricks will occur. At least he came here first. Just be patient. Enjoy the device as it. Plus you still on HC. You need to upgrade to ice cream sandwich. Then you can root again. Plenty you can do with root right now. Overclocking being probably the best right now. Plus being being able to back up.
demandarin said:
People need to stop rushing into things. This is how bricks will occur. At least he came here first. Just be patient. Enjoy the device as it. Plus you still on HC. You need to upgrade to ice cream sandwich. Then you can root again. Plenty you can do with root right now. Overclocking being probably the best right now. Plus being being able to back up.
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At my device, i go to settings-->about tablet--> firmware update. i click check for updates for 3-4 times but nothing comes up. before i unwrapped my device (i bought it 4 days ago) it said that 4.0 ICS upgradable. how do i upgrade?
second thing is how can i do a backup?
Does your serial number show up in Settings-->About Tablet-->Status? If not you will not be able to get updates OTA. You will have to download ICS from Asus' website and update manually.
If you are rooted you can download Titanium Backup from the market.
Herbertpiv said:
so what can i do with my rooted device??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you can run apps, play video, watch youtube, browse the net, and have general fun. Oh and you can mess around with scary system stuff. Like system32 on windows.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium
maybe not setcpu
I downloaded Setcpu for my Transformer Prime and unless I want to underclock my processors it doesn't offer any other options. I'm rooted and running ICS and when I open the app it shows me running at my max and min already. I've used setcpu on my phones in the past and noticed its usefulness and would love to see what something like that could do for my tablet
Thx so much to the virtuous dev team. My tfp is performing how I like it, smoother and faster. For example, Engadget website loads in ics browser+ faster than my ipad2 (I'm using the performance mode which is at over clock speed of 1.6 ghz). How about that?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Might be off topic, but is there a thread showing exactly how to root and unlock bootloader?
d1ez3 said:
Might be off topic, but is there a thread showing exactly how to root and unlock bootloader?
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Click to collapse
Ask and you shall receive... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1427125
d1ez3 said:
Might be off topic, but is there a thread showing exactly how to root and unlock bootloader?
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Make sure you read thoroughly and know what you are getting yourself into. Not that it is entirely difficult at all, but you would not be the first one to unlock with no idea what they are doing.
Flashed this ROM as well. Running great all around. My first experience with a Virtuous ROM and I am very happy with it. Looking forward to future updates!
I'm running the latest version of this ROM and loving it.
Only.. one bit of feedback for Virtuous (which I've mentioned to Diamondback via IRC) is they need to include a boot image in the next release. This will make switching to other ROMs easier in the longer run. From my understanding, the only reason it was not included is due to lack of proper testing.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Yes. Follow the instructions carefully. The rooting and flashing of the rom went very smoothly. The rom thread has a link to the viper rooting thread too which you have to go through first and it takes care of running the Asus unlock tool.
I've been banging on this rom for several hours now. Even at balanced mode, its still very fast. Seriously a big difference. Web pages just load much more quickly, which was the biggest gripe I had. Now even that department matches my wife's ipad2. I used to hit so many crashes and stalling when there is flash material. Not a problem now. Flash just plays, PERIOD. I feel this rom really let tegra 3 shine. Very very exciting. This just confirms my belief of the potential of tfp and Android. Time to donate
I am holding off on unlocking my bootloader and installing custom ROMs till at least summer when there are plenty of ROMs out (and I have summer breaks). As of now, I am very happy with the stock Prime's performance. Probably the best out-of-the-box Android experiences I have had so far (I have owned a total of 4 Android devices).
I second this, I'm so glad I took the plunge, even though I was skeptical about how unchanged this rom looked from stock. It makes me so excited about what's to come, and just makes the every day operation on the tfp so much more pleasant!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1442441 you need this as well its a perfect theme and awesome boot animation
Waiting
I'm stoked about using it, but I think I'll wait and see if they can come up with a way to unlock the bootloader without voiding warranty. Not a noob, but not a gambler either.
Seems like my GPS is not working like before the unlock. Any chance some tweaking can be done within a rom?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium
The only thing holding me back right now is simply the lack of knowledge regarding bricks. When I modded my Captivate I read for days about the kinds of bricks that can occur and how to avoid the hard bricks along with how to recover from them with loads of stock images. We don't really have that yet here.
hOws the battery life, I'd expect the battery life close to 5 hours if its in 1.6 ghz all the time.
dannb said:
The only thing holding me back right now is simply the lack of knowledge regarding bricks. When I modded my Captivate I read for days about the kinds of bricks that can occur and how to avoid the hard bricks along with how to recover from them with loads of stock images. We don't really have that yet here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a thread with some brick info.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1514088
You're not likely to brick if you follow instructions. Devs who are testing new things out can get bricked. I was testing a kernel flashing method for Diamondback and my device got bricked, but he figured out a new method to unbrick Brick option 3 (in thread)
mtotho said:
Here is a thread with some brick info.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1514088
You're not likely to brick if you follow instructions. Devs who are testing new things out can get bricked. I was testing a kernel flashing method for Diamondback and my device got bricked, but he figured out a new method to unbrick Brick option 3 (in thread)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah bricks are certainly possible, but as long as you follow the instructions for flashing the ROM you should be ok. That said between Diamondback's post on fixing/preventing bricks and personal support by him (he's very approachable) you should be ok. I'm on .15 beta 1 of Virtuous and it runs very well.
With the initial sluggishness and then asus locking the bootloader, I almost returned my TFP. Good that asus quickly announced they would unlock the bootloader. Then I knew its a matter of time the TFP will perform well with our talented dev teams. Let's donate
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
if we have nvflash can't we recover from almost any brick?
Take your time, read directions, and make sure that you put the ROM on your INTERNAL memory root folder and not on the micro SD card. I had no problem doing it. Easiest bootloader unlock yet. I have a HTC EVO3D and it's much more difficult than Virtuous. By doing this it has also fixed my screen flicker when pushing the recent apps button. That was the only real issue(to me) that I was having. Can't wait for more exciting and feature packed ROM's in our future!!! Just my .02
Word. Stellar ROM.
Are you tired of the constant updates lately? I didn't know if it would fix my prime or break it further I was just hoping for the best with 13,14, and 15. I was also hoping someone could hack the unlock key so I could still have my warranty. Well yesterday I got irritated and decided to unlock. The entire time I had second thoughts because I am unsure if this tablet will last a year without breaking lol, so I clicked through as fast as I could (after reading all the unlock ops.) Well as soon as I was unlocked I felt a whole lot better about my prime. Maybe I have just lost faith in Asus, I don't know but as soon as I loaded virtuous I felt more secure about my purchase. I guess I have finally come to the conclusion that Asus ISNT going to have a miracle fix for the prime that fixes all the problems and after asking someone through PM twice for a refund since I was dissatisfied with the product (only to get no response what so ever..) I decided I would make the best of what I have and stop worrying.
I don't know how to explain it but now that my device is unlocked all of my uncertainties are gone. I will keep this device for the next year or so and crack flash like there's no tomorrow!
If you are undecided on unlocking I say go for it. (Assuming you read the tutorials!!) I did and I am much happier.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
what isseues did you have in each firmware ?
and what`s your sn ?
Reboots, bad wifi range, zero GPS, screen flickering, lag in the UI, bad battery life. Some of these issues would come and go depending on the update.
C10 serial.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
I have a C10 also, but with none of the issues you have mentioned other than the gps being totally useless. I'm not that bothered as i don't really need it but it does take the shine off an otherwise excellent product.
Could you let me know if installing a custom rom has made any improvement to your gps performance.
Cheers
Interesting, i was to on the fence about unlocking. I returned my Prime the other day. I've never had wifi probs on any of mine. Just got fed up with random reboot and YouTube glitches and browser freezing. One had dead pixels and light bleed.
Might have to pick up another today. Why not make it 5 lol.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using XDA App
let me know how you like the virtuous rom. how is the battery life compared to stock? how is the overall speed of device now in your opinion? have you come across any shortcomings on the rom yet? I'm on the fence also but still holding on. I will at least wait till I see more roms. plus I'm really looking for a rom to bring 1.8-2.0Ghz+ speeds. then I might jump the gun if its stable and performs very well.
I think I know the feeling you talking about. its a feeling like you have more control now over the fate of your device now that you can flash new roms at will. did you use rom manager to install official updated CMW or did you use the unofficial method? or the all in one method with viperprimetime 4.5?
glad to hear you feeling more confident about device now that you have the power..lol
demandarin said:
let me know how you like the virtuous rom. how is the battery life compared to stock? how is the overall speed of device now in your opinion? have you come across any shortcomings on the rom yet? I'm on the fence also but still holding on. I will at least wait till I see more roms. plus I'm really looking for a rom to bring 1.8-2.0Ghz+ speeds. then I might jump the gun if its stable and performs very well.
I think I know the feeling you talking about. its a feeling like you have more control now over the fate of your device now that you can flash new roms at will. did you use rom manager to install official updated CMW or did you use the unofficial method? or the all in one method with viperprimetime 4.5?
glad to hear you feeling more confident about device now that you have the power..lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. Yes more control over its fate lol. I tried to use rom manager but it wouldn't work for me. I did use vipers mod to unlock and install cmw. Virtuous is great, very stock feeling and buttery smooth. Ill let you know about the battery after a week or so of testing. I do like the 1.6 ghz overclock being the new performance mode. No screen flicker anymore either! It does seem very stable in the few hours I've tested it. Will update when I can.
Edit: GPS is just as dead as before zero birds.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
I won't get the fuzzy feeling until I can unbrick with nvflash, like with my phone (only not nvflash lol)
But I absolutely understand! 20 minutes after I picked up my phone from the Post Office, it was running custom ROMs (without voiding warranty... bah!). 10 minutes after I picked up my Prime it was rooted
Until then I'm still kind of sitting on a sharp edge with the Prime.
buxtahuda said:
I won't get the fuzzy feeling until I can unbrick with nvflash, like with my phone
But I absolutely understand! 20 minutes after I picked up my phone from the Post Office, it was running custom ROMs (without voiding warranty... bah!). 10 minutes after I picked up my Prime it was rooted
Until then I'm still kind of sitting on a sharp edge with the Prime.
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Click to collapse
Is nvflash an Asus thing or Nvidia? I seen a post asking for it from Asus but are they the right people to ask?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
*EDIT: see lol, figured I was wrong. I was mistaken, but it is what will allow us to recover from some s/w bricking.
di11igaf said:
Its strictly a nvidia program supplied by them. I have a version of nvflash for 'Linux for tegra' that supports tegra 3. Problem is, asus's half ass unlock does not allow us to use it even though it could recover what right now would be a hard brick.
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Click to collapse
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using xda premium via my tethered HTC Vision
nelly1977 said:
I have a C10 also, but with none of the issues you have mentioned other than the gps being totally useless. I'm not that bothered as i don't really need it but it does take the shine off an otherwise excellent product.
Could you let me know if installing a custom rom has made any improvement to your gps performance.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the exact boat you are, C1 and no issues besides GPS. Just solved that today with GPS over bluetooth pairing with my Nexus. Ive got no need to unlock with Voodoo rootkeeper, haven't had any issue with Asus' OTA's (.13 had the battery issue but it disappeared for me in .14) and if they want to provide me with frequent updates- I'll take em. To each his own I guess.
NeoMagus said:
I'm in the exact boat you are, C1 and no issues besides GPS. Just solved that today with GPS over bluetooth pairing with my Nexus. Ive got no need to unlock with Voodoo rootkeeper, haven't had any issue with Asus' OTA's (.13 had the battery issue but it disappeared for me in .14) and if they want to provide me with frequent updates- I'll take em. To each his own I guess.
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Click to collapse
Definitely, I'm glad your having great luck with your prime! As far as battery life on vitreous rom, it seems VERY solid. Still no concrete numbers but its been on for about 12 hours with about 5 hours of usage and I have 68% battery. I've ran several benchmarks during this time as well. Seems quite a bit better!
Edit: by the way, I am in no way hating on the prime. I was so excited when I got it (one of bestbuys first batches!!!) But I've just had more problems than is normally acceptable even from a new product. I love my prime so much I'm just disappointed with a few critical features and was hoping Asus could somehow fix these issues. I am a HUGE techie and even though I can get about 27-32 mbs from my prime upstairs, all my other devices get a solid 42 mbs which makes me sad face! Lmao.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
I had the same feeling as the OP, except it was the first day the unlock tool came out.
I had wholly intended on unlocking it right away.
I also love experimenting, learning and tinkering with this, so I've flashed and reflashed about 100 things on my prime so far, and I could not ask for anything more
benefit14snake said:
Is nvflash an Asus thing or Nvidia? I seen a post asking for it from Asus but are they the right people to ask?
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its strictly a nvidia program supplied by them. I have a version of nvflash for 'Linux for tegra' that supports tegra 3. Problem is, asus's half ass unlock does not allow us to use it even though it could recover what right now would be a hard brick.
I ma wondering if anyone runs without rooting or putting on custom roms..
I ask because I just got the prime and have not updated to the .21 yet.
Doesnt seem like I would miss a ton. Just curious..
Yes, I am. I'm running ICS, the latest patch/update/whatever that was pushed by Asus.
(Now, FWIW, I bought my Nook Color tablet last year with the full intention to root and wasted no time in doing so.)
For my TP, I just haven't seen the reason. Given the expense of my 64GB unit, the lack of any pressing reason to hack it, and the (apparent) potential to brick it, it's just not a road I want to go down.
For the Nook Color, the reasons to load CynogenMod 7 were considerable and undeniable. Also, the fact that the Nook always tries to boot from the Micro-SD first was re-assuring. For the TP, not so much.
I'm on the stock rom as well, I don't see any reason in rooting the Prime (at least currently)...
Ok, so it sounds like I am not crazy for wanting to not root it.
I just upgraded to the latest firmware and it seems to run very fast and without issues.
Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out on too much.
I rooted my TF101 and slapped custom roms all over the place. A bit scared to do so on my Prime.. Seems the risk is a lot higher..
I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. I'm open to being enlightened, but I haven't run across any must-have functionalities/apps that require hacking.
too bad i came posting too late, cause i would say root your tablet just incase you do want it.. as theres no way of rooting your device on .21
and you can clear root by just doing a factory reset so there is only gain and no loses
too late now tho
Nascor said:
I'm on the stock rom as well, I don't see any reason in rooting the Prime (at least currently)...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I could, I would root BUT NOT UNLOCK. Having a rooted device allows a whole new set of apps that require rooting, and some of which I'd like to use.
If you decide to root, when available, keep the original files backed up someplace. With .15, wpa files could be changed for AD-HOC capability. If you tried to update to .21, you were given an error message and needed to restore the original files back.
Unless you want to void your warrenty, I definitely wouldn't unlock...and as a side note, you also can't get OTA update.
Bob
I am running stock with the latest firmware update. I'm pleased with the features so far, but as the custom ROMs mature, that may change.
acdcking12345 said:
I ma wondering if anyone runs without rooting or putting on custom roms..
I ask because I just got the prime and have not updated to the .21 yet.
Doesnt seem like I would miss a ton. Just curious..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm still running stock here for now but that could change once I learn my way around a little better. Coming from a Linux background it feels odd not to have full access to the device.
I am running stock without any issue.
I also put the Nova launcher and EZOverlock which are a little bit smoother than the stock launcher.
I'm stock but rooted. For me root let's me use apps like TiBackup amongst others that i like and use. Other than that o have no plans to unlock or run roms. Heck I'm still running the stock rom on my DroidX rooted of course
The odds of bricking the Prime are just to high for me right now.
fasthair
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA
Jgrimoldy said:
Yes, I am. I'm running ICS, the latest patch/update/whatever that was pushed by Asus.
(Now, FWIW, I bought my Nook Color tablet last year with the full intention to root and wasted no time in doing so.)
For my TP, I just haven't seen the reason. Given the expense of my 64GB unit, the lack of any pressing reason to hack it, and the (apparent) potential to brick it, it's just not a road I want to go down.
For the Nook Color, the reasons to load CynogenMod 7 were considerable and undeniable. Also, the fact that the Nook always tries to boot from the Micro-SD first was re-assuring. For the TP, not so much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is me exactly. Not sure I even booted the newer Nooks in the house into the stock ROM. My Transformer does what I need it to at this point, unlike the NOok that was locked down like crazy. I'm happy to hang out stock.
I think i would go nuts without root in my prime... i fact i couldn't use for the main task i bought this tablet for.
I take notes every day in classes using my Prime. It has replaced all books and note books, so using TouchScreen Tuner is a MUST, without this, stylus are just useless.
Then we have all those root apps like Titanium Backup, UMTS manager, Market Enabler and WidgetLocker.
Ooh, and of course the possibility to change the sound when i dock my Prime (sounds like a transformer transforming, super awesome if you ask me).
I am running Stock but I did Root because of I wanted to use AdFree and Titianium Backup Apps. I have an Android Phone that I love to Flash new ROMS to and I eventually will Unlock my Prime and do the same to I just don't see the need to at the moment.
I am, but, not so much by choice. I had root and lost it with .21 update. I will reroot when available, but am hesitant to unlock and void my warranty. Especially since asus has made it such a challenge to recover your device. If they are going to give us the unlock tool and we aren't going to be troubling their warranty division with the problems which ensue, just make it easier for us to fix our own problems.
I'm running stock. I I don't know much about rooting because I am new to Android.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
IMHO, the only reason to root this is so you can say "I rooted this." There's no reason to root the Prime, the way I see it. Yeah, there's a little bit of bloatware, but far less than was on my Samsung Galaxy S when I bought it, and with the 64 GB of memory it's not really necessary. I do wish that I could move apps to my SD card, so that could be a reason to root, but not a big enough one to get me to risk it.
I've also noticed that a LOT of people who claimed to be having these huge problems with the Prime also were working with a rooted device...
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA
stock as well. Though I would love to root to use the sixaxis app.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
I'm still on stock with the latest updates. When I first got my Prime there wasn't a real need to root, although it meant I couldn't run some apps like Adblock. There weren't many roms around at that time but now there's alot more. Now I've gotten used to running Prime stock and it doesn't present any issues for me and runs smoothly and I've kind of lost interest in custom roms (plus I don't have as much time as before). Lol, I used to change roms on my Nexus One nearly as often as I changed my underwear - you can assume that I changed my underwear often
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
The Grey Elf said:
IMHO, the only reason to root this is so you can say "I rooted this." There's no reason to root the Prime, the way I see it. Yeah, there's a little bit of bloatware, but far less than was on my Samsung Galaxy S when I bought it, and with the 64 GB of memory it's not really necessary. I do wish that I could move apps to my SD card, so that could be a reason to root, but not a big enough one to get me to risk it.
I've also noticed that a LOT of people who claimed to be having these huge problems with the Prime also were working with a rooted device...
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using XDA
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There's many reasons to root a device. If you want to have super user permissions just like being a administrator on your PC, your gonna need to root it. Apps such as Root Explorer and as mentioned Sixaxis app for syncing your PS3 controller up with your prime, ROMManager, TiBu, SetCPU, and the list goes on. All up to the end user and what you prefer. The first thing I do is root my devices
Oh and most if not all issues people run into is due to a user error.. not because the device is rooted.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
Wanted to get an idea from the group on options here:
Have seen quite a few postings on the issues with JB on the TF201 and how limited that makes things. Currently have a Gnexus phone running cyanogenmod 10 and really like it; started wondering what interesting features that rom might bring to the TF201.
So, first question is can any roms such as the CY10 even be installed given the JB limitations?
If so, are the benefits gained from custom roms worth whatever headaches are involved with the currently upgrade processes.
I am heading out on a deployment in about 6 days so access to pull down upgrade files will obviously be limited. Won't be returning to the US until the Sept timeframe, so definitely a needed decision on if anything can/should be done for improvements (to play with of course!) during the deployment.
I have the weekend to tinker but wanted to ask whether I'm better off just keeping the device as-is or putting in the time for possible upgrade steps.
Thanks!
militarymedic23 said:
Wanted to get an idea from the group on options here:
Have seen quite a few postings on the issues with JB on the TF201 and how limited that makes things. Currently have a Gnexus phone running cyanogenmod 10 and really like it; started wondering what interesting features that rom might bring to the TF201.
So, first question is can any roms such as the CY10 even be installed given the JB limitations?
If so, are the benefits gained from custom roms worth whatever headaches are involved with the currently upgrade processes.
I am heading out on a deployment in about 6 days so access to pull down upgrade files will obviously be limited. Won't be returning to the US until the Sept timeframe, so definitely a needed decision on if anything can/should be done for improvements (to play with of course!) during the deployment.
I have the weekend to tinker but wanted to ask whether I'm better off just keeping the device as-is or putting in the time for possible upgrade steps.
Thanks!
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Hey militarymedic23,
There are definitely ROMs that can be installed currently, however most are unofficial ports from either a different device (TF700) or ported to the JellyBean bootloader (current OFFICIAL CM10 runs on ICS bootloader and will fail on updated JellyBean bootloader).
After experimenting with unofficial ports of CM10 (4.1), CM10.1 and JellyBeer (Android 4.2), I honestly recommend sticking to stock JellyBean as of right now. These ROMs, although offering a lot of customizations, are not "done" yet. There are many little bugs on each (ex: JellyBeer rom doesn't show dock battery, uses mobile mode aka. single pane, for play store, etc etc.) and although by itself doesn't take too much away from the experience, does tend to bother me over time.
It is these small bugs that I wouldn't recommend changing over from stock. A lot of the Asus features also missing (I really enjoy being able to change CPU modes from navigation menu-- which is a missing feature, for example). Also, assuming you already upgraded to the JellyBean bootloader, official CM10 ports DO NOT work, so you're getting unofficial ports.
Overall, I don't mind stock, and as long as you ROOT, you can go ahead and remove all the ASUS bloatware to get a pretty clean tablet experience. I also didn't find any performance enhancements after upgrading from stock (which I expected). I can include some pictures of stock vs unofficial CM10 benchmarks upon request.
My personal recommendation, due to the fact you will be deployed (so not sure if you'll have all the time to always flash the newest upgrades) is to continue with stock for now. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a buggy firmware without any way to update and restore. This way you can still receive OTA updates from Asus, which from my experience has been pretty timely (If you are out of the country, using an app like Hotspot Shield may help you get an OTA update if it isn't accessible from your current region).
Hope this helps.
Hi trophx, thanks for the input on this. I do agree that overall the stock software isn't actually that bad. In comparison to my phone, CM10 does give a nice assortment of features over the stock so I was thinking it might also do the same for the tablet. But for all of what I plan to be using the tablet for while deployed, keeping a stable release would eliminate one possible headache!
On a last note; I have seen other posts that mention some tablets have dropped by the wayside in terms of developers focusing on them vs the latest and greatest fresh meat hitting the market. Do you think the TF201 is among those tablets that probably won't be having things like CM written specifically for them?
Thanks again
militarymedic23 said:
Hi trophx, thanks for the input on this. I do agree that overall the stock software isn't actually that bad. In comparison to my phone, CM10 does give a nice assortment of features over the stock so I was thinking it might also do the same for the tablet. But for all of what I plan to be using the tablet for while deployed, keeping a stable release would eliminate one possible headache!
On a last note; I have seen other posts that mention some tablets have dropped by the wayside in terms of developers focusing on them vs the latest and greatest fresh meat hitting the market. Do you think the TF201 is among those tablets that probably won't be having things like CM written specifically for them?
Thanks again
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The difference between the phone and THIS particular tablet is that the added dock functionality which is built into ASUS' stock firmware (which means support for a all dock keys-- screenshot, volume, brightness, lock, etc.--, USB, SDslot, etc.). This makes it different from almost all other tablets/phones in terms of how to get the best user experience. To address your point, the added functionality of CM10, for example, isn't THIS tablet specific, thus not as appealing in my opinion (just because of the instability of the build as of now). Although there definitely are a lot of added features-- very similar to all your phone features. But as I said before, I'd probably prefer stability over extra functionality at this time.
To your second point, I'm not sure. I certainly hope that development continues. On the plus side the similarity of this device to its siblings (tf300t and tf700) makes porting software across each device easier (One of the CM10 dev threads is a port from tf700). Currently CM does officially support the tf201, however, they haven't worked out the issues with the new JB bootloader, and doesn't seem to be too high on their priorities list. On another plus note, ASUS has been pretty quick about shipping out new firmware updates.
Hope this helps
I'd suggest Androwook 1.51. It's stock based so you get all the Asus compatibility with tweaks and performance out the @$$. It's definitely a lot better than stock and more stable/faster than AOSP based roms like CyanogenMod unofficial ports.
hmm, that androwook does look interesting. And you say that it pretty much adds to the base functionality without taking away any of the prime/keyboard specifics? I did a bit of searching on it and saw that many people like it and are awaiting 4.2 to be pushed out so the 1.51 -> 2.0 can go forward. Any rough timeline floating around on that?
Also, considering I will be overseas and on a limited connectivity basis, can anyone point out issues with 1.51 that would be a problem in this scenario?
Since my prime is completely untouched in the sense of no unlocking or rooting, is there a specific guide recommended, start to finish, for getting this loaded? Some of the articles I read seemed to expect a few steps to be done already. Messed around with my phone without too much problem but I get a bit edgy with wanting the exact process for the tf201. I bought it over a year ago now so the unlocking shouldn't be an issue with the one year warranty now expired, but I guess I'm more concerned on making sure I don't brick it!!! Currently use TWRP for my phone, and if that is installed on the tf201 would that allow a full restore back to the current image that is running right now (in case of whatever issue rendering it problematic)?
Thanks!
militarymedic23 said:
hmm, that androwook does look interesting. And you say that it pretty much adds to the base functionality without taking away any of the prime/keyboard specifics? I did a bit of searching on it and saw that many people like it and are awaiting 4.2 to be pushed out so the 1.51 -> 2.0 can go forward. Any rough timeline floating around on that?
Also, considering I will be overseas and on a limited connectivity basis, can anyone point out issues with 1.51 that would be a problem in this scenario?
Since my prime is completely untouched in the sense of no unlocking or rooting, is there a specific guide recommended, start to finish, for getting this loaded? Some of the articles I read seemed to expect a few steps to be done already. Messed around with my phone without too much problem but I get a bit edgy with wanting the exact process for the tf201. I bought it over a year ago now so the unlocking shouldn't be an issue with the one year warranty now expired, but I guess I'm more concerned on making sure I don't brick it!!! Currently use TWRP for my phone, and if that is installed on the tf201 would that allow a full restore back to the current image that is running right now (in case of whatever issue rendering it problematic)?
Thanks!
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Yep-- for the most part. Since I don't believe you can use NVFlash (this can recover almost all bricks) on already Asus's OTA jelly bean bootloader, TWRP is next best option. I've been flashing and restoring and such for a few months now and no issues. Just be sure to READ very very carefully because the JB bootloader is very different from the ICS one, and (Cyanogenmod for example) some only support one-- installing the wrong one can brick your device permanently.
Ps. I don't want to seem like I'm recommending Stock over other roms in most scenarios, just in yours with limited connectivity, and I don't know how much time you'll have to mess around with a comp, and backing up your device and what not. I just think OTA updates from Asus is the easiest way to go.
**Androwook is extremely stable and super fast. It is exactly as McJesus15 said, based off Asus's rom-- I didn't know if you were asking about those too, because it doesn't offer the same tweaking and system settings CM10 or AOKP offer.
Hi guys, I'll throw in my 2 cents ... Mr medic u should unlock and flash Androwook. The McJesus poster above wrote a newbie guide that I followed and had success with, glitch free. I had been fully stock and read heaps before taking the plunge. You seem the type to read 1st act 2nd so ... no drawbacks. All Asus stock options remain available and Androwook uses an installer that gives you choices every step of the way.
Good luck.
Thanks for the additional feedback. Certainly am interested in the wooky version, but have a few questions on the process McJesus wrote.
An Unlocked Transformer Prime with a custom recovery and updated to the official JB bootloader..
NVflash installed if you want to go back to any other ROM not built on official JB. This is more a recommendation
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The first would be an obvious download and run the unlocker (warranty buster) from Asus, and the second; that is more of an optional?
And per the instructions it seems once unlocked then doing the pwr_volume combo will allow the bootloader to see the SDcard contents of the wooky image?
Might be bordering on the paranoid level of doublechecking, but definitely can't afford to accidently brick this a day before shipping out!
Thanks!
militarymedic23 said:
Thanks for the additional feedback. Certainly am interested in the wooky version, but have a few questions on the process McJesus wrote.
The first would be an obvious download and run the unlocker (warranty buster) from Asus, and the second; that is more of an optional?
And per the instructions it seems once unlocked then doing the pwr_volume combo will allow the bootloader to see the SDcard contents of the wooky image?
Might be bordering on the paranoid level of doublechecking, but definitely can't afford to accidently brick this a day before shipping out!
Thanks!
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Alright I'll take care of ya before you ship out. Good luck and God bless you.
NVflash is a utility that can only be used while you are on Ice Cream Sandwich. Since you are on Jelly Bean there is currently no way to do the process.
Unlocking your Prime is easy. Just use the app provided on the Asus website. Understand that your warranty is now void (not like Asus intended to do much for you anyways). Once you are unlocked use the automated utility in my guide to easily flash TWRP. It's not the latest version but I haven't had time to update my post. It's perfectly fine for your uses.
Once that's done just flash Androwook either by putting the .zip file on an external SD card or the internal storage of the Prime. Once you begin the process and start selecting options the rom is basically totally customizable for you. One suggestion I will make is when selecting the kernel go with Clemsyn's 1.7ghz custom kernel as it literally is the biggest performance boost you could possibly do for your Transformer Prime. If you need any help you can message me privately or ask in the Androwook thread. The guys there are genius's. Hope we helped you get your Prime in working order before you deploy.
Oh, also, when you first boot into recovery I suggest making a back up immediately. Always have a back up handy and I personally keep 2-3 rom zips on my Prime for the SHTF moment.
Thank you!
I actually started tinkering around with the unlocker just before you posted. Unlocked it fine, and put TWRP on it and did a full backup of stock. I did pull down the 1.51 wooky image and put it on. I guess after working with CM10 I was expecting all the fancy changes but so far I can't tell the difference between stock and androwook.
I did also try and put the Wooky Prime 2.1 image but the tablet would just sit on the asus logo and not go anywhere. Can you advise what major differences should be noticed between 1.51 and prime 2.1?
Thanks
militarymedic23 said:
Thank you!
I actually started tinkering around with the unlocker just before you posted. Unlocked it fine, and put TWRP on it and did a full backup of stock. I did pull down the 1.51 wooky image and put it on. I guess after working with CM10 I was expecting all the fancy changes but so far I can't tell the difference between stock and androwook.
I did also try and put the Wooky Prime 2.1 image but the tablet would just sit on the asus logo and not go anywhere. Can you advise what major differences should be noticed between 1.51 and prime 2.1?
Thanks
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Wooky Prime 2.1???
oh I have to laugh at myself sometimes
Androwook Prime 2.1
militarymedic23 said:
oh I have to laugh at myself sometimes
Androwook Prime 2.1
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I'm still not getting where you are seeing 2.1. Can you link me please.
it was buried fairly well, but here is the link:
http://www.teambamf.net/topic/3986-rom040712-androwook-prime-v21-complete-rom-customization/
militarymedic23 said:
it was buried fairly well, but here is the link:
http://www.teambamf.net/topic/3986-rom040712-androwook-prime-v21-complete-rom-customization/
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Ahh, sorry mate but that is really old. That was when the rom was based on ICS. When it turned to jellybean it became hairybean and went back to version 1.
1.51 is the latest.
oh, no worries though. Since it was hanging at startup I went back to 1.51.
Is there a rough rumor when JB 4.2 might be coming out and HB goes up a version? It will of course be while I'm away but if I know a general date then I can try and watch for it.
militarymedic23 said:
oh, no worries though. Since it was hanging at startup I went back to 1.51.
Is there a rough rumor when JB 4.2 might be coming out and HB goes up a version? It will of course be while I'm away but if I know a general date then I can try and watch for it.
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Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the AndroWook rom is based of OTA releases from Asus, so it probably won't have JB 4.2 unless something along those lines comes out.
of course but I was just curious if anyone has heard if a major version change or new version of android scheduled to be released in the next 6 months.
militarymedic23 said:
of course but I was just curious if anyone has heard if a major version change or new version of android scheduled to be released in the next 6 months.
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Oh no idea-- Asus said they would be supporting 4.2 back in November, but it'll probably take a bit. It isn't a Nexus after all. But so far I've been pretty satisfied with their software updates in terms of speed of release and quantity.