I recently bought a Gs4 on verizon running the latest 4.3 mk2 software and I hate touchwiz. Its just so packed with useless stuff that makes the phone slow. Since I cannot install a custom recovery on this phone I was thinking of trading it for an lg g2 and wiping the os and installing kit kat on it from cyanogen mod. What do you guys think should I do the trade?
egomez7737 said:
I recently bought a Gs4 on verizon running the latest 4.3 mk2 software and I hate touchwiz. Its just so packed with useless stuff that makes the phone slow. Since I cannot install a custom recovery on this phone I was thinking of trading it for an lg g2 and wiping the os and installing kit kat on it from cyanogen mod. What do you guys think should I do the trade?
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2406733
Well other than Nexus phones i don't like LG even a little bit. Just not a phone I personally would buy. I like the Samsung phones as I'm now selling my MDK based S4 on swappa.com and got a Note 3. I used to be a CM fan with my Droid Bionic, but I've grown to like TW a lot. The stats are nice but it would also have to have good real world battery life over the S4. My S4 is amazing with battery.
Plus what CM did to a lot of people/developers when they went commercial, I will more then likely won't use CM again.
egomez7737 said:
I recently bought a Gs4 on verizon running the latest 4.3 mk2 software and I hate touchwiz. Its just so packed with useless stuff that makes the phone slow. Since I cannot install a custom recovery on this phone I was thinking of trading it for an lg g2 and wiping the os and installing kit kat on it from cyanogen mod. What do you guys think should I do the trade?
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You can't install a custom recovery. Technically this is true. Unless you have an MDK Bootloader, you cannot install a custom recovery in the way you most likely want to. However, you can root your phone to debloat it so that it is not so slow. You can also install an application by Hashcode called Safestrap recovery. It basically allows you to flash touchwiz based roms on your phone on a different slot, without modifying the stock rom. You will have to deal with a custom system status, but if you use saferoot to root your S4, you will not have to worry about tripping KNOX so you can always flash stock recovery via ODIN in case of regaining warranty, etc.
Honestly from what I've seen, I wouldn't do the trade. If anything, you should get the Moto X dev edition. The developer edition of the Moto X allows you to flash whatever you want pretty much as long as it is compatible with your device. I have not read the warranty but they do say if you have the developer edition, the warranty is not void by flashing. I believe if you are with verizon you can switch out the phones if it has not been 14 days since you started the contract. I won't be buying the Galaxy S5, S6, or Swhatever... I mean the features are nice and all but there should be an option to delete the crap you don't use without having to root.
go here for this..http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2406733
Related
Handing my S4 over to my boss who wants stock TW on it. I got the phone day 1 when it was released and put TWRP and have run some form of AOSP since then. What's a good TW ROM that close enough to stock? Also I know there was some stuff that broke rooting methods in the later builds we've gotten (ME7 I think?), will flashing these builds have any effect on my recovery/root?
czonin said:
Handing my S4 over to my boss who wants stock TW on it. I got the phone day 1 when it was released and put TWRP and have run some form of AOSP since then. What's a good TW ROM that close enough to stock? Also I know there was some stuff that broke rooting methods in the later builds we've gotten (ME7 I think?), will flashing these builds have any effect on my recovery/root?
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I've heard Bonestock or Clean Rom are good TW roms, but as I have ME7 and a locked bootloader (I don't use Safestrap) I can't comment on them. If you flash ANY of the new updates you will lose the ability to unlock the bootloader, and will not be able to flash most roms anymore. If you use ME7, or to a lesser extent MI1, you can use Safestrap to flash roms, but will be severely limited on storage options.
Another thing you could do is flash back to MDK stock (what your phone originally came with), root it, freeze the updater apps, and hand it to him. It'll be bone stock without the risk of auto-updating.
Hey all, I'm thinking of getting a ( new) phone as I've had my vzw gnex for 2 yes now. As far as now I'm thinking of staying w vzw as I have unl. Data and honestly all the other carriers seem just as shady as vzw.
OK now on to what I was wondering. Since I plan on staying on my unl. plan I'm gonna buy a phone outright (craigslist, eBay, swappa, ect) so I don't lose my plan. Since I don't know what version of android the s4 will be running will the s4 be able to be rooted whether I get it with 4.2., 4.2.2, 4.3? I see the bootloader is not able to be unlocked so would that mean there are no custom kernels available? Since having the gnex I've been spoiled with full access to do whatever and however I want...ROMs, kernels, mods you name it. I know w the s4 I'll be limited verses the gnex but just curious on HOW limited?
Would you even advise against/for getting the s4?
Thanks in advance and at possible jumping into the s4 community...
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
The only version of the GS4 that has a bootloader exploit is the MDK version, so if you can find one of those then you'll be pretty much all set to flash whatever you want to. Any other version past that- ME7, MI1, or the latest MJ7 have locked bootloaders with no current workaround. Another thing to note is that once you upgrade there is NO way to flash back to an earlier firmware. ME7 and MI1 both have root methods, however the latest update MJ7 doesn't have a "safe" rooting option at the moment. The only version that's 4.3 is MJ7.
If you are on ME7 or MI1 you can use a special program called Safestrap to flash roms, however they have to be on a Touchwiz kernel (no AOSP roms) and you won't have full access to the storage on your device (read the Safestrap thread for more info). If you don't want to do that you can use Xposed to customize without flashing roms, although I find a lot of stuff kind of buggy, so I only use it for Greenify on mine.
I have ME7 and currently I've: rooted, disabled WiFi notification, disable e911 icon, increased the default volume, installed the International Dialer, and used Xposed for Greenify. I'm happy with how my phone runs and the battery life, but I definitely feel limited with a locked bootloader.
OK , some info to chew on. sucks. I am so spoiled w the Nex that any phone I look at can't unlock the BL and is severely crippled.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
if you can find a developer edition s4 it comes with an unlocked bootloader. other than that, try to find an mdk version, and you can use the loki exploit.
So my girlfriend has wants her S4 rooted. I have the S3 and its quite different as far as rooting goes. I am also on sprint whereas she is on verizon (although thats not such a big deal).
Anyways, what I would like to have clarified for me is this: She is currently unrooted with stock MK2. From what I have read you can only root and install compatible roms with safestrap. The main thing she wants is KitKat and possibly CM. Is there any way for her to get either of these. Also, would it be possible to revert back to stock and flash KitKat with the OTA from verizon when it is released?
Thanks for any help.
BioBot said:
So my girlfriend has wants her S4 rooted. I have the S3 and its quite different as far as rooting goes. I am also on sprint whereas she is on verizon (although thats not such a big deal).
Anyways, what I would like to have clarified for me is this: She is currently unrooted with stock MK2. From what I have read you can only root and install compatible roms with safestrap. The main thing she wants is KitKat and possibly CM. Is there any way for her to get either of these. Also, would it be possible to revert back to stock and flash KitKat with the OTA from verizon when it is released?
Thanks for any help.
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There's no way for her to get KitKat or CM or anything AOSP. Hopefully the next OTA will have an exploit, but there hasn't been a cracked bootloader since the first version of firmware on the initial releases. Realistically, never going to happen.
I have a Galaxy S4 and it is really starting to run like crap. I am thinking about picking up a used G3. How difficult is it to Root and unlock the bootloader on it? When I bought my s4 used I had to make sure I had the MDK bootloader because Verizon locked down any version newer. Is this a problem on the G3?
BPHusker said:
I have a Galaxy S4 and it is really starting to run like crap. I am thinking about picking up a used G3. How difficult is it to Root and unlock the bootloader on it? When I bought my s4 used I had to make sure I had the MDK bootloader because Verizon locked down any version newer. Is this a problem on the G3?
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Root is easy as this as well as installing TWRP to flash custom ROMs/kernels:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-lg-g3/general/verizon-lg-g3-one-toolkit-vs985-root-t3124846
"Unlocking" is sort of not really what you're doing with the G2. Instead, there is an exploit called Bumping where after you root, you can flash what is called a "bumped" version of TWRP that allows you to flash "bumped" ROMs. Bumped ROMs are specific to the model of G3 you are using, so you must use only VS985 ROMs that are bumped specifically for the VS985. Same with the other versions of the G3. So, you cannot flash a D850 ROM on the VS985 and vice-versa. So, if there is a ROM that is bumped for the D850 but not for the VS985, you're out of luck for that particular ROM.
A whole slew of questions can be answered here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-g3/help/help-thread-lg-g3-question-t2947298
This covers all variances of the G3. It's where I went to back in December when I was researching whether or not to upgrade to this phone or not. It definitely helped me decide what to do and believe me, I'm not at all disappointed with going to this phone. In fact, for a long time, I stayed on stock and unrooted because I had no reason to root. But, with the latest LP OTA (24B), I have noticed a drop in battery performance, so I've now rooted and flashed the Jasmine 8.0 ROM and the SkyDragon 4.2 Kernel. I'm on my second day, but I appear to be getting the same battery life I did pre-LP (under KK). I could unplug my phone before I went to bed the night before at 100% and wake up 5 hours later and still be at 100%. I wasn't getting that anymore under LP (I'd wake up at 93% or less under LP). With Jasmine and SkyDragon, I woke up this morning and after 5+ hours of not charging, I was still at 100%.
Hello,
Firs off I'm new here so a lot of this stuff is still foreign to me. I was able to get a brand new Verizon S4 with NC5. I have not even opened the box yet.
I want to upgrade to the best OTA which also has a stable, reliable, debloated custom ROM available similar to say CleanRom. Which OTA should I upgrade to? If it's not the newest VZW has put out, will I get notifications every day asking me to upgrade?
Which custom ROMs are similar to CleanRom? I was stability, reliability, speed and tethering.
Thanks!
Empty Galaxy is a killer kitkat rom
Stang5litre edition is a great lollipop rom. He and klabit87 are working on some fun stuff right now too.
There are a few ways to update. Safestrap or flash fire.
Flash fire flashes once in the rom. You have to be careful with it. It can flash the kernel and bugger things up.
Safestrap is a recovery before the rom boots but is only compatible with kitkat. You have to flash a kitkat kernel to use when flashing when using lollipop roms. Then flash the lollipop kernel and boot the rom.
Muniz_ri makes some stock rooted roms with older bootloaders so you can always go back.
Always uninstall SDM with titanium backup when using a stock prerooted rom so it doesn't try to update the phone and ruin the fun.
Brian
Thanks for the reply Brian! Since posting, I taught myself a few things but your tips certainly will help!
I installed Eclipse ROM and so far so good. The one exception is I lost my Verizon voicemail. How can I add that? I have my old S4 laying around, also on NC5. Can it be copied from there?
I'm not sure. if the old one is rooted, you may be able to copy the apk to the directory of the new phone and change the permissions and reboot and have it work but I'm not sure.