Hello, Im new here, Just heard about XDA and how its the best forum (knowledge-wise) out there. I dont have enough knowledge and experience with smartphones (Im more of a PC freak, building and hardware and stuff) but smartphones are a whole different subject.
lately Im having some "hangings" on my Galaxy Note 2 (N7100, 4.1.2 stock) it started when browsing firefox, and continuing to Whatsapp, it started freezing for a minute or so.. (which is quite a long period of time like u probably know.)
I started checking the whole Root&ROMs subject, and also found out that there's a way to update my phone to Android 4.3 JellyBean.
so here are my q's , What is the most CURRENT stable OFFICIAL OS (from what I saw online there's no 4.4.2 for Isarel-ILO (if it matters at all? Because I've seen a few official EU versions from various countries) and people just get a custom ROM of 4.4.2 to run it and also that quite a few ppl on here had some issues with it and were pretty happy about 4.3. So what do u think ?
also, I will probably need the best ROM for the OS you will recommend next (from what I read ROMs can boost phone performence) but I am not sure about it yet
but I am certain that I'm gonna root my phone, but can u tell me exactly how does rooting help ? I mean in which aspects and such..?
Thank you very much in advance, 73RM1N470R.
** just fyi, I figured I'd hard reset my phone and then update the Android to 4.3/4.4.2 which would help the hanging issue , and then root it. (not 100% sure about the ROMs..)
Related
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
Hi everyone,
I am new to the android world having just bought a galaxy s2, so please be gentle. I'm a previous iphone owner and always hated the restrictions apple put on their phones and dictated the way I could use my handset! I've since moved over to android and my first impressions are OMFG, how confusing is all of this!! I'm not techphobic by any means but I am struggling to piece together how the world of android works and I have spent a lot of time reading various things about ROMs, rooting, flashing, kernels etc... but I am getting more and more confused!
I recently bought a Galaxy S2 which is running a custom ICS ROM on it (resurrection remix 1.0) and also has CWM on it. Having looked at the forums i can see that another version in out (1.3 i believe) but i'm very hesitant to try a flash as i dont want to screw my phone.
The way I see it i've got two choices, either try and reset the phone to stock so that warranty etc... remains uneffected and then update to ics through kies when its available or try and install a later version of one the ics ROM's that are availabe. I was wondering to that end if you lovely people coudl give me some guidance.
If I were to reset my phone to stock how do i do this bearing in mind i am confused about
a) what kernels are in the first place and
b) which one i woudl need for my phone and will I need a usb jig for this?
c) -i need to unroot my phone to return it to stock and if so how do i do this
also:
-what is the difference between an insecure and secure kernal
-if i flash my phone to a newer version of ics can i revert back to 1.0 as at the mo apart from the odd app crashing here and there I'm not having any probs with it.
I'm reading about GAPPS and APKs and dont know what the hell these are either but they keep popping up every so often.....basically i'm confused and on the verge of a breakdown!!
Please could somebody help mw with this and massive apologies if i've posted where i shoudnt have.
Thanks in advance
Saf
If you had taken the same time took for typing here to search and read you would have learnt almost everything...
go through these stiky threads
also see my links in singnature.......read as much as possible....no other substitute for reading and learning, nobody will answer you in essays like you typed
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1544657
Appreciate what you're saying mate and thank you for taking the time to reply. I have been reading various threads over the last day or so but the problem is when something like this which is quite techinical is completely new territory you dont know where to start. Google throws up page after page of stuff that doesnt make much sense and i've searched on the forums here and read up on quite a bit but again am not sure if i've grasped it.
problem is I didnt install the custom ROM on the phone, i bought it like this and to do anything further with it i dont know if i need to go back to the original owner with more questions or can i just go ahead and start tinkering with it without knowing what software was originally on the phone? (bearing in mind that various posts state that you need certain software which is as close to the original one as possible)
Thanks anyway
Saf
this is the stage which passed by all the noobs including me, dont worry
Your strating treble will only be over when you start flashing a ROM,
cool.
ima go ahead and try and install version 1.3 of resurrestion remix! Wish me luck hehe!!
Good luck,
dont forget to follow the steps mentioned the ROM thread atleast...
hi.
not sure if this is the best place to ask but I thought I'd try; can anyone advise on the most up to date and stable rom available for the Galaxy Wifi 5 (UK)? I'm trying to root my Wifi 5 in order to install more recent software. I'm currently stuck on 2.2.2 (!)
I'd ask about a simple safe way to root as well but I'm hoping that the quagmire of information culled from the fora so far will serve me in good stead.
I have tried searching the various forums but frankly there's a hell of a lot and most of it seems overly complicated sometimes confusing and contradictory....
If this isn't the right place please let me know and I'll ask elsewhere.
Alternatively if you can advise on an alternative Android powered portable music hardware device even better
If you want stock ROM with little modification you can get the latest European here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1446774
They're already rooted.
About another Android player, well... Philips has one but with no camera.
Hiya all
I'm new to these forums but ive lurked for a bit off and on.
However I felt it was time to join up as I am getting more and more involved with android development.
Here is the current scenario: I have a Samsung Galaxy S2 (SGH-T989) Currently running the stock firmware (ICS).
I am also rooted and fully enjoy the device and it's flawless operation. But I want to move on to Jellybean as I have heard quite a bit of positive feedback from many users of the newest flavor of android. As such this brings me to my first question rooting after the update.
As I understand it when I update with the OTA JB (that's constantly prompting me) I will be back to a out of box device, No apps, no tweaks, and even worse no root? (if my understanding is faulty or not on point please correct me)
Secondly Has anybody rooted the stock JB with this model of the SSGS2? if so please be as so kind as to direct me to relevant documentation or guides.
That being said Thank you all for your time and I look forward to geeking out on android with all of you from here on out.
Corpsemaker
Cheers!