Related
First, an explanation of my situation:
I bought a Galaxy Note at the beginning of the summer. All-in-all, I was pretty happy with it. It was a much improved experience over my Atrix, which was in poor condition by the time I switched over.
I wasn't able to root at first as I only had access to a Mac, and there were innumerable issues in doing so - Odin was PC only, WINE ports of it failed to recognize the phone, the Mac equivalent of Odin (I am spacing on its name right now) didn't work with the Note, etc.
When ICS was officially released, I tried to update to it via Kies. Kies on Mac is a ****storm. It's incredibly buggy, toolbars and menus don't display correctly, it has trouble recognizing the device, etc. I was unable to get it to make a backup, but I eventually managed to load the ROM onto it...
... and that's when the real problems started.
My battery life has turned to crap. Everything runs incredibly slow. Everything's super buggy. Apps force-close all the time. My MicroSD card ended up getting corrupted - half of my music disappeared, of what was left only 1/3rd actually worked. I just reformatted my MicroSD, backing everything important up, etc.
I've been dealing with this for around a month now, as whenever I come to the forum I have no idea where to even start to fix this. I'm up for wiping everything and starting over, and I do have access to a Windows XP machine now so that may be easier... but I don't even know where to go from there.
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That's why I'm here - I need advice. I need advice as to how to clean up the current mess my phone has turned into and start over. I need advice as to what ROM to try and how to go about loading it. I need advice as to whether to root and how to do so. I need advice as to whether to install a CWM, which one to use and how to go about doing so.
Here is what I am looking for, ordered from most important to least:
Battery life is important to me. I loved how long the battery lasted before my attempted upgrade to ICS... now it lasts maybe 1/3 of the time.
I want something that will work - I want stability. No more constant force-quits of every freaking app.
A smooth, fast UI would be preferable.
Feature packed. I like the thought of cutting edge features of newer (or custom) versions of Android being incorporated - but this is far less important to me than battery life and stability.
My preferred method of installation would be using my Mac - but as I said, Windows XP is a very easy option for me as well. I could also install a newer version of Windows if need be, but would prefer not to go through that...
Thanks in advance for any help, advice and recommendations! ^_^
Get Odin and root your phone...
Download and flash TWRP... http://teamw.in/project/twrp
download a ROM of your choice
boot into the recovery ..wipe--->>cache/dalvik cache/ wipe ROM/factory reset..>then go to the install and flash your ROM...
These are very rudimentary instructions I hope they helped a bit...good luck
Do you have an idea for what ROM you like or want? Couple of great ROMs..for stockish check out flappjaxxx's for jellybean check out manelscout4life..stable and fast
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
Techno is onto the correct answer, unless of course you are truly wanting the stock version back.
Kies and OTA updates are often flawed, and give the end user exactly the type of problems you are stating.
However, if you want a return to stock, the information can be found in the "note super everything thread" located as a sticky at the top of the general note section.
But I do agree with techno, that a root and flash of a quality custom rom is the way to go......g
Thanks a lot, both of you!
As to what ROM I want, honestly that's one of the reasons I have been procrastinating so much -- I have no idea whatsoever. There's such an overwhelming number of options out there, of basic flavors (ICS, JB, GB, CM7, etc.) and tens of derivatives of each one made by different people. I have no idea where to even start making such a decision.
I can tell you this much. On my Atrix, I started with the stock Motoblur-Froyo, flashed GingerBlur, disliked it's bugginess but dealt with it for almost a year, then flashed the CM7-based Neutrino. I wasn't very happy with how skimpy the ROM was but stuck with it until I got my Note. I was pretty satiated with the stock ROM, but decided to upgrade to ICS due to the promise of a better UI, increased functionality and especially a faster camera. While my experience with ICS was terrible, I could see myself enjoying a functional, non-buggy version...
Basically, I have no idea what ROM or even what base OS version I am looking for. That said, I do know the criteria that matter to me, as stated prior:
Battery Life
Stability
Smooth UI
Cutting-Edge Feature Packed
I can't really think of any features I am specifically looking for, other than under-the-radar tethering and top-notch camera speed & functionality .
As I have no attachment to any specific OS version, suppose that would mean that if battery life, stability and smoothness issues are equal amongst ROM variants, I would be looking for a Jellybean ROM - as it would be most packed with new features... right?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1664980
That is the best stockish ICS experience you can get and keeps all the functionality of your phone including the spen. He also offers a jellybean ROM but honestly to find the best JB rom for you just read through the threads read and REREAD THE OP of those ROMs..jellybean is fun and cool but not 101% stable yet..people still getting random reboots and some are losing there APN settings..so maybe just flashing ics and playing with those ROMs is best for you for now..FYI the above rom is smooth as silk and great battery life
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda app-developers app
Again , I agree with Techno, and the rom he posted is the one I'm using to type this.
Flappjaxxx is a fine developer, and he has packed this UCLF6 build with full functionality , and much more.
He is , and will continue to be my top pick for quality builds and performance ...g
This is all really wonderful advice - thanks again!
I guess I have a few last questions:
What is the best way to root at this point? If I recall, there are multiple ways to root via Odin... is there a specific one you would recommend for my current situation (read: current buggy ICS firmware)? A link would be very much appreciated, as the roadmap thread is a bit... overwhelming with all of the options.
Are there any MODs you recommend I install after I have my new flappjaxxx ROM in place? Will tethering work off the bat? Will all of the Gapps (Gmail, Navigation, etc.) be there for me to use? Will I need to install anything else, or is there any recommendations that you have?
Thanks again a ton - you've both been enormously helpful!
Also, I just noticed that the recovery you linked me to (http://teamw.in/project/twrp) has no option for the Galaxy Note...
EDIT: It turns out you linked me to the wrong page - to TWPR 1. Here's the link to TWRP 2.2, for anyone else who comes across this thread: http://teamw.in/project/twrp2
Just my 2 cents. After you get straightened out, you may want to take a look here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=29376779
Another stable rom with great battery life, and a super Dev a well. I have been running it since testing and find it to be the perfect rom and team for me.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2
Okay ....
Please verify your carrier ....model ...and current software version ....then we can point you to the correct bits and pieces of the super thread.
I just want to make sure we are all on the same page ....g
Edit :
I'm away for a few hours ...
But I'm sure a few other helpful folks will chime in with the links ...g
phnord said:
Thanks a lot, both of you!
As to what ROM I want, honestly that's one of the reasons I have been procrastinating so much -- I have no idea whatsoever. There's such an overwhelming number of options out there, of basic flavors (ICS, JB, GB, CM7, etc.) and tens of derivatives of each one made by different people. I have no idea where to even start making such a decision.
I can tell you this much. On my Atrix, I started with the stock Motoblur-Froyo, flashed GingerBlur, disliked it's bugginess but dealt with it for almost a year, then flashed the CM7-based Neutrino. I wasn't very happy with how skimpy the ROM was but stuck with it until I got my Note. I was pretty satiated with the stock ROM, but decided to upgrade to ICS due to the promise of a better UI, increased functionality and especially a faster camera. While my experience with ICS was terrible, I could see myself enjoying a functional, non-buggy version...
Basically, I have no idea what ROM or even what base OS version I am looking for. That said, I do know the criteria that matter to me, as stated prior:
Battery Life
Stability
Smooth UI
Cutting-Edge Feature Packed
I can't really think of any features I am specifically looking for, other than under-the-radar tethering and top-notch camera speed & functionality .
As I have no attachment to any specific OS version, suppose that would mean that if battery life, stability and smoothness issues are equal amongst ROM variants, I would be looking for a Jellybean ROM - as it would be most packed with new features... right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im using black star v flawless in my eyes..
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using xda premium
I have been a member for a long time, but I never post anything so in that sense I'm new enough that I can't post this in the forum I wanted to, so I'm asking here. This is going to sound like a hateful rant and I'm sure someone is thinking, "If she knows that, then why is she hatefully ranting?" I am not ready to give up yet, so I'm explaining how I arrived at this point.
I have had my Gtab for about a year and a half. In that time I have rooted it and changed the ROM several times. I moved up to the 1.2 bootloader. In all this time I haven't really used it much because it just doesn't work right no matter which rom I try. Each rom will be ok for a few days, and then it starts getting glitchy. I got so fed up with it, I just parked it for several months and didn't touch it. Just recently I have installed the smoother bean rom. It is sort of ok but it doesn't 'just work'. I'm not a bigtime gamer, I like angry birds and sudoku. I surf the internet, watch videos, read books/magazines that are in epub format. When I study, I highlight text and make notes. When I sit down to study, I need it to work. No hangups or lockups or slow/frozen screens. When I get it out to use at the KH to follow along with the material I studied previously, I need it to just work. It has been to the point that I had to open the thing and physically unplug the battery to get it to behave. I was so excited to get this tablet and read all the information in these forums about it, so I knew what I was getting into when I bought it. The bloom is off the rose and I just want a tablet that does what I want it to do. I don't even care if it has jellybean or ICS or even Honeycomb at this point... I just want a tablet that works without having to fiddle around with the software.
And I don't install crazy amounts of apps. I think there are 7 or 8 that I use. Mainly Moon+ reader, Dolphin browser, Pinterest and Sudoku and Angry birds. I also like to sync my google stuff, calendar, contacts, email.
I'm am thinking I might put it back to stock and let it do all the OTA updates and see how it runs. But if I do that, I have to do the fix that makes the google market and stuff work. If I can do that and in the end have a working tablet that is decent and stable, I'll do it. Can anyone give me any feedback after having done this themselves? How was your tablet after? I remember how horrible it was out of the box. Is it better? MUCH MUCH Better? or just a little better.
Is there another rom that has been proven to be stable? I'm not worried if the camera or bluetooth doesn't work, I don't use those with the tablet. I don't think they are working right now, I'm not sure I haven't tried them since I installed the smoother bean rom. It can be any version of Android, I don't care.
I have given some thought to selling my gtab and getting another tablet, but I don't want to do that just yet. I know there has to be a solution, I just haven't found it yet.
Any feed back or suggestions would be most appreciated. The developers work hard on this tablet and have kept it going when Viewsonic themselves quit on it. I think that its really cool that there is such a devoted community of people who still love this tablet.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
My recomendation for "stable"
No expert here, but I have multiple g-tablets. For the "stable" ROM, I use Cyanogenmod cm-7.2.0-smb_a1002.zip
Hope that helps,
Jack
I have very similar experience as yours. Bought the gtab long ago, played for a while, then stashed away for several month, but pulled it out again while some brilliant devs actually put JB on it.
I will never ever go back to stock on gtab. Both Smoother Bean and G-Harmony Jellybean ROMs work reasonably well. In my opinion, they are already pushing the limit of the hardware.
atfsi said:
No expert here, but I have multiple g-tablets. For the "stable" ROM, I use Cyanogenmod cm-7.2.0-smb_a1002.zip
Hope that helps,
Jack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whereabouts can I download that ROM? I googled the file name and I found the cyanogen download page with the various releases but I wasn't sure which one to pick. I didn't see any that said for the gtab and to tell the truth, it was late and my eyes were sleepy! If you know of a place to download the ROM, I would appreciate it. I would like to give it a shot and see how it goes on my tablet. I'm also going to try out reinstalling JB. I didn't realize there was a update for smoOther bean. So, we'll see what happens.
For stability and full function of the Gtablet, you will probably want to use a Froyo rom. All other versions of Android required re-written drivers and/or kernel, as Viewsonic did not release an official version, and never released their source code. My favorite Froyo rom is:
TNT 6039
I used that rom with VTL Launcher for months, until TeamDRH released their JellyBean rom. You might need to make some minor modifications to see all the apps in the Play store, just read the thread.
I also have another Gtab that is running CyanogenMod. This became my 'stable' tablet. My parents, kids and nephews have used it for months with no complaints. If it gets a little slow, just wipe the cache and it speeds right back up again. Hardware acceleration does not work on Gingerbread, so major 3d games often have graphical glitches, but it is very stable. Here is a link:
CyanogenMod 7.2
If you can wait a few more days (hopefully!) TeamDRH will be releasing a new JB rom with their new kernel. I am currently running my own CM10 build with the new kernel and it is great. Very fast and stable. None of the released JB roms ran very well on my 'experimental' Gtab, so I built my own. After a ton of work, it is running even better than my 'stable' tablet, so I would be willing to bet that when they release their new rom, it will be the best available. Judging by the description of your usage, I would try CM 7.2.
DaggerDave said:
For stability and full function of the Gtablet, you will probably want to use a Froyo rom. All other versions of Android required re-written drivers and/or kernel, as Viewsonic did not release an official version, and never released their source code. My favorite Froyo rom is:
TNT 6039
I used that rom with VTL Launcher for months, until TeamDRH released their JellyBean rom. You might need to make some minor modifications to see all the apps in the Play store, just read the thread.
I also have another Gtab that is running CyanogenMod. This became my 'stable' tablet. My parents, kids and nephews have used it for months with no complaints. If it gets a little slow, just wipe the cache and it speeds right back up again. Hardware acceleration does not work on Gingerbread, so major 3d games often have graphical glitches, but it is very stable. Here is a link:
CyanogenMod 7.2
If you can wait a few more days (hopefully!) TeamDRH will be releasing a new JB rom with their new kernel. I am currently running my own CM10 build with the new kernel and it is great. Very fast and stable. None of the released JB roms ran very well on my 'experimental' Gtab, so I built my own. After a ton of work, it is running even better than my 'stable' tablet, so I would be willing to bet that when they release their new rom, it will be the best available. Judging by the description of your usage, I would try CM 7.2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Second that! :good:
When will TeamDRH be releasing a new JB rom?
Do you mind to share the new rom?
Thanks for the feedback ya'll. I did install the CM7 ROM and I also tried another one, I can't remember right now which one it was. I was tempted away by the G-Harmony Jellybean ([ROM-AOSP][BL-1.2]G-Harmony Jellybean 4.1.2 ODEXed (UPDATED 12/28)) , I installed the Overclocked version and I have to say it is doing very well. I did have some SOD's but I supercharged it and bumped up the CPU with No Frills CPU and since then it has had no trouble. Its been since Saturday that I installed this ROM and I have used it a bunch since then. I guess time will tell.
I do have a question tho about a problem I'm having but it's absutely not a deal breaker. I can't get google calendar to sync. I know other ROMS have had a package to install that fixed this but I wasn't sure if I could do that with this rom. I don't want to jack up my install. I don't absolutelly have to get the calendar working right now. I don't have reliable internet at home, so the only time I get online with the thing is when I wifi tether to my phone. Was just wondering if anyone knew how to resolve this issue. Again, I would post in the forum for this ROM but I'm not allowed yet.
Thanks!
DaggerDave said:
For stability and full function of the Gtablet, you will probably want to use a Froyo rom. All other versions of Android required re-written drivers and/or kernel, as Viewsonic did not release an official version, and never released their source code. My favorite Froyo rom is:
TNT 6039
I used that rom with VTL Launcher for months, until TeamDRH released their JellyBean rom. You might need to make some minor modifications to see all the apps in the Play store, just read the thread.
I also have another Gtab that is running CyanogenMod. This became my 'stable' tablet. My parents, kids and nephews have used it for months with no complaints. If it gets a little slow, just wipe the cache and it speeds right back up again. Hardware acceleration does not work on Gingerbread, so major 3d games often have graphical glitches, but it is very stable. Here is a link:
CyanogenMod 7.2
If you can wait a few more days (hopefully!) TeamDRH will be releasing a new JB rom with their new kernel. I am currently running my own CM10 build with the new kernel and it is great. Very fast and stable. None of the released JB roms ran very well on my 'experimental' Gtab, so I built my own. After a ton of work, it is running even better than my 'stable' tablet, so I would be willing to bet that when they release their new rom, it will be the best available. Judging by the description of your usage, I would try CM 7.2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you share the ROM, please?
lekhwani said:
Can you share the ROM, please?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mind to share the new rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When DRH is ready to release their new rom, it will likely be on the other forum first. Search Google for "gtablet roms 1.2/1.3" and that forum will be listed at the top of the page. Can't link you to it, else I may anger the XDA Moderators! Sounds like they are very close, just waiting on a new recovery.
As for my current build, just a basic CM10 build with a few minor customizations (my chosen boot animation, removed/replace system apps, changes to build.prop, etc.). I cannot share it because I am using the new (unreleased) kernel, and it's a pretty 'plain' version of CM10, but you can easily build it all yourself. Once you have your build environment setup, it is easy to rebuild an updated version any time you like. Only thing is, you are on your own when it comes to troubleshooting and support! If you are interested, I can link you to the info I used to figure out how to build the kernel and CM10, and the Git locations of the required source code. You would need a decent computer running 64bit Linux (I use Arch Linux, but Ubuntu is easier to setup), about 50GB hard drive space, and some free time. I just did it for fun, plus I'm impatient and wanted to try the new kernel, and none of the JB roms at the time would run well for me.
Best ROM for G-Tab
Hi all,
I bought my G-Tab whentheyfirst came out and have tried about 13 or 14 ROM's over the last (nearly) two years. In my opinion the best is SmoOtherBean by Nobe1976. Out of the box it is pretty good, I made a few minor adjustments after the install and it is running perfectly.
Changed dpi to160 (enabled Music / Movies in the Play Market)
Used ROM Toolbox to delete Music FX and DSP Manager (fixed problem where music would suddenly blare or change volume)
Set min/max CPU to 312 / 1200 (seems to wake up faster, no lags when browsing,etc)
Give Nob1976 a thumbs up if you like his ROM - stop the trolls who have chased off so many devs.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1900562
This post. A million times this post. Smooth bean looks promising but I've been through so many roms with mediocre to poor tab perf.
[=torilyn73;37717272]I have been a member for a long time, but I never post anything so in that sense I'm new enough that I can't post this in the forum I wanted to, so I'm asking here. This is going to sound like a hateful rant and I'm sure someone is thinking, "If she knows that, then why is she hatefully ranting?" I am not ready to give up yet, so I'm explaining how I arrived at this point.
I have had my Gtab for about a year and a half. In that time I have rooted it and changed the ROM several times. I moved up to the 1.2 bootloader. In all this time I haven't really used it much because it just doesn't work right no matter which rom I try. Each rom will be ok for a few days, and then it starts getting glitchy. I got so fed up with it, I just parked it for several months and didn't touch it. Just recently I have installed the smoother bean rom. It is sort of ok but it doesn't 'just work'. I'm not a bigtime gamer, I like angry birds and sudoku. I surf the internet, watch videos, read books/magazines that are in epub format. When I study, I highlight text and make notes. When I sit down to study, I need it to work. No hangups or lockups or slow/frozen screens. When I get it out to use at the KH to follow along with the material I studied previously, I need it to just work. It has been to the point that I had to open the thing and physically unplug the battery to get it to behave. I was so excited to get this tablet and read all the information in these forums about it, so I knew what I was getting into when I bought it. The bloom is off the rose and I just want a tablet that does what I want it to do. I don't even care if it has jellybean or ICS or even Honeycomb at this point... I just want a tablet that works without having to fiddle around with the software.
And I don't install crazy amounts of apps. I think there are 7 or 8 that I use. Mainly Moon+ reader, Dolphin browser, Pinterest and Sudoku and Angry birds. I also like to sync my google stuff, calendar, contacts, email.
I'm am thinking I might put it back to stock and let it do all the OTA updates and see how it runs. But if I do that, I have to do the fix that makes the google market and stuff work. If I can do that and in the end have a working tablet that is decent and stable, I'll do it. Can anyone give me any feedback after having done this themselves? How was your tablet after? I remember how horrible it was out of the box. Is it better? MUCH MUCH Better? or just a little better.
Is there another rom that has been proven to be stable? I'm not worried if the camera or bluetooth doesn't work, I don't use those with the tablet. I don't think they are working right now, I'm not sure I haven't tried them since I installed the smoother bean rom. It can be any version of Android, I don't care.
I have given some thought to selling my gtab and getting another tablet, but I don't want to do that just yet. I know there has to be a solution, I just haven't found it yet.
Any feed back or suggestions would be most appreciated. The developers work hard on this tablet and have kept it going when Viewsonic themselves quit on it. I think that its really cool that there is such a devoted community of people who still love this tablet.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions![/QUOTE]
Running SmoOther Bean but it starts up laggy?
Nice you gave me some more settings to try. Don't know that I want to change the DPI or have any issues with volume. Did change CPU settings. Anything else you'd recommend?
After it's run for about 10 minutes, it seems to work OK, only occasional lag. I'm setting background processes limit to none on every boot up. Anyone have a way to make that change stick between reboots?
Thanks!
Downloadbob
ugsny321 said:
Hi all,
I bought my G-Tab whentheyfirst came out and have tried about 13 or 14 ROM's over the last (nearly) two years. In my opinion the best is SmoOtherBean by Nobe1976. Out of the box it is pretty good, I made a few minor adjustments after the install and it is running perfectly.
Changed dpi to160 (enabled Music / Movies in the Play Market)
Used ROM Toolbox to delete Music FX and DSP Manager (fixed problem where music would suddenly blare or change volume)
Set min/max CPU to 312 / 1200 (seems to wake up faster, no lags when browsing,etc)
Give Nob1976 a thumbs up if you like his ROM - stop the trolls who have chased off so many devs.....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1900562
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out nobe1976 UnOfficial -BAKED ROM
For anyone who is "still looking" for something stable, check out noble1976 modified Blackbean (on this site).
I am very satisfied with this "beta" version that this maybe will be the last one I'll be using (its that stable for me).
A big THANK YOU to Noble1976 for his hard work on getting this version to work on the gtablet and his PAC rom and all the other help he has given to us. :good:
What's your experience like with Blackbean?
Are you seeing any startup or sleep lag like I'm getting with SmoOther Bean? I switched from Go Launcher EX to the default one (Apex?) and it does seem a bit better.
Would like something a bit more responsive for daily use though. What's involved to flash Blackbean over SmoOther Bean? Repartition, etc?
Thanks for the heads up on this - might give it a shot when I hear back from you! Sounds like a good weekend project!
Downloadbob
_dave said:
For anyone who is "still looking" for something stable, check out noble1976 modified Blackbean (on this site).
I am very satisfied with this "beta" version that this maybe will be the last one I'll be using (its that stable for me).
A big THANK YOU to Noble1976 for his hard work on getting this version to work on the gtablet and his PAC rom and all the other help he has given to us. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
downloadbob said:
Are you seeing any startup or sleep lag like I'm getting with SmoOther Bean? I switched from Go Launcher EX to the default one (Apex?) and it does seem a bit better.
Would like something a bit more responsive for daily use though. What's involved to flash Blackbean over SmoOther Bean? Repartition, etc?
Thanks for the heads up on this - might give it a shot when I hear back from you! Sounds like a good weekend project!
Downloadbob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BAKED Bean you will must NVFlash to the new 2013DRH setup. The boot.img in that ROM is the latest fosser2 3.1.10 kernel. The mounting is completely different other then the System. So updating the Tablet with the latest that is linked in the OP should be done to the T.
downloadbob said:
Are you seeing any startup or sleep lag like I'm getting with SmoOther Bean? I switched from Go Launcher EX to the default one (Apex?) and it does seem a bit better.
Would like something a bit more responsive for daily use though. What's involved to flash Blackbean over SmoOther Bean? Repartition, etc?
Thanks for the heads up on this - might give it a shot when I hear back from you! Sounds like a good weekend project!
Downloadbob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only "lag" I'm seeing is after the opening screen animation the screen goes blank for 10sec or so. So, just wait till the regular default screen appears.
And be sure to do what Nobe1976 said. It went very easy for me changing over, for I already have used NVFlash 2013DRH version with
nobe1976 "PAC" ROM. Good Luck.
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!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
I have owned more android phones than any non dev has a right to lol, and never before have I run stock this long
Thing is any other phone I have owned there has always been at least one rom that sticks out to me, but there just isn't with this phone. It's not that I do not think any are great, I just have not seen anything that jumps out to me.
So anyhow I was hoping maybe I might be able to get some people to share some of their favorite features, or things that are missing that do not work etc from roms currently available for hte Verizon LG G3.
Thanks in advance!
Morkai Almandragon said:
I have owned more android phones than any non dev has a right to lol, and never before have I run stock this long
Thing is any other phone I have owned there has always been at least one rom that sticks out to me, but there just isn't with this phone. It's not that I do not think any are great, I just have not seen anything that jumps out to me.
So anyhow I was hoping maybe I might be able to get some people to share some of their favorite features, or things that are missing that do not work etc from roms currently available for hte Verizon LG G3.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know the feeling, to an extent. I'm still very much AOSP-inclined, but as far as "stock" roms go, you could definitely get a lot worse than LG's (cough, touchwiz, cough ). Anyway, At this point I've bounced back and forth between 4.4.4 roms and 5.0(.1) ones, as I can't find exactly what I want. On one hand, I like the bleeding edge of 5.0, but on the other, stability is real nice haha...which LG's stock offers, for the most part. I wish that there was just one "rock-solid" 4.4.4 rom out there, but every one I've tried has noticeable issues to some extent. They're often not severe, but they're enough to ideally want a little better. Back on my S3 I ran slimkat, and outside of battery life (which might have just been largely my old battery), it was easily my favorite and most stable daily driver. I'm currently running the latest build of the unofficial slimkat, but I think that the timing of when this device got unlocked, and all the hype about lollipop, etc. it seems like a rock-solid stable 4.4.4 may not exist for a while, if ever. Thing is, 4.4.4 to me really has a lot of benefits still over 5.0. It's not quite as speedy, but being able to run xposed, etc. are big plus'es imho. Just my 2c
I find myself in the same position. I really like xposed therefore I am rooted and running stock with xposed installed. Haven't tried any roms and will probably wait until there is a stable 5.0 rom.
I'm in the same boat, this is my first LG phone and I actually think the stock rom is pretty nice after I rooted, removed the bloat, and installed exposed, I usually run a rom for a few weeks until I get bored with it and look for something new, usually flash back and forth from aosp to stock, but I may keep it the way it is for a while, like the op said, I dont really see anything that jumps out to me and says "FLASH ME" either, I like lollipop but none of the roms had anything much to offer and I missed tweaking with exposed. the most important things to me are being able to root and tweak things and a rom that runs smooth and stable, stock has done this so far.
Hi guys,
I'm sorry cause asking this, especially cause this question has been asked manytimes and I have read several subjects too, but I didn't strict answer I'm looking for.
I recently bought nexus 9 (WiFi only model) 16gigs,
I unlocked bootloader, I rooted the device and now I want to debloat it.
I'm in dilema weither I should just have it rooted and debloated on 7.1.1. android, or should I use some of the custom roms around.
I'm aiming to use tablet mainly for gaming. I have servral games I'd like to play listed:
Marvel Future Fight
DC Legends
Star Wars Galaxy Heroes
Star Wars Force arena
and few others but i take it that if those can run fine, all others would too.
Also can someone point me to a safelist of application that can be removed if answer to first question is to just leave it rooted and debloat.
Thank you a lot for help.
Cheers.
IrethTassartir said:
Hi guys,
I'm sorry cause asking this, especially cause this question has been asked manytimes and I have read several subjects too, but I didn't strict answer I'm looking for.
I recently bought nexus 9 (WiFi only model) 16gigs,
I unlocked bootloader, I rooted the device and now I want to debloat it.
I'm in dilema weither I should just have it rooted and debloated on 7.1.1. android, or should I use some of the custom roms around.
I'm aiming to use tablet mainly for gaming. I have servral games I'd like to play listed:
Marvel Future Fight
DC Legends
Star Wars Galaxy Heroes
Star Wars Force arena
and few others but i take it that if those can run fine, all others would too.
Also can someone point me to a safelist of application that can be removed if answer to first question is to just leave it rooted and debloat.
Thank you a lot for help.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the best performance, install a custom ROM. As for debloat, ... It's a Nexus, what bloat?
But if you want minimal, I would say flash slimrom and the smallest gapps package that fits your needs. Or go gapps free and use micro g instead.
Performance on stock is pretty bad (really bad), but a custom ROM will fix it for the n9. When I say bad on stock, I mean opening more than 1 tab in chrome, it has to reload the page every time switching between the two. Same with having a couple apps open.
Fortunately, most of the ROMs out there take care of all that.
madbat99 said:
For the best performance, install a custom ROM. As for debloat, ... It's a Nexus, what bloat?
But if you want minimal, I would say flash slimrom and the smallest gapps package that fits your needs. Or go gapps free and use micro g instead.
Performance on stock is pretty bad (really bad), but a custom ROM will fix it for the n9. When I say bad on stock, I mean opening more than 1 tab in chrome, it has to reload the page every time switching between the two. Same with having a couple apps open.
Fortunately, most of the ROMs out there take care of all that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on latest Android 6 stock, unencrypted and Fire Ice kernel. its running fine and if use the chrome that comes with the stock and don't update it, it will run fine.
How would someone find official roms? I used pure nexus rom thinking that is official but i guess i was wrong. I not to big on roms knowing. They all looks the same to me I just care to be able to uninstall builtin apps i don't use and that everything works fine.
This one i use now had a problem common with nexus 9, white blocks and anoying skrechy sound, but i read somehwere it is fixed by unhoking battery, cleaning pins and putting it back together. I tried it and I didn't have problems since then. I drained battery to 2% no problem, before it was impossible. I have no idea was it ROM issue or what.
IrethTassartir said:
How would someone find official roms? I used pure nexus rom thinking that is official but i guess i was wrong. I not to big on roms knowing. They all looks the same to me I just care to be able to uninstall builtin apps i don't use and that everything works fine.
This one i use now had a problem common with nexus 9, white blocks and anoying skrechy sound, but i read somehwere it is fixed by unhoking battery, cleaning pins and putting it back together. I tried it and I didn't have problems since then. I drained battery to 2% no problem, before it was impossible. I have no idea was it ROM issue or what.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a common hardware issue for n9, not a ROM issue.
madbat99 said:
That's a common hardware issue for n9, not a ROM issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it's safe to say that it's fixed now. Everyone was talkin about disconnecting battery, and clean a bit and connecting again.
it seems such a easy troll solution to this "very anoying and hard problem that even HTC didn't solve", and i did it and it really did the job (knock on a wood ). I've been draining battery to the end for 3 days now, nothing ever like that happend ever again. before it wasn't even a day when i didn't experienced that problem.
IrethTassartir said:
But it's safe to say that it's fixed now. Everyone was talkin about disconnecting battery, and clean a bit and connecting again.
it seems such a easy troll solution to this "very anoying and hard problem that even HTC didn't solve", and i did it and it really did the job (knock on a wood ). I've been draining battery to the end for 3 days now, nothing ever like that happend ever again. before it wasn't even a day when i didn't experienced that problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear. That usually is the fix for that.
Please, just to confirm, is this "image-volantis-n9f27l" official ROM or it's custom ROM?
I also use this bootloader : "bootloader-flounder-3.50.0.0143" since other ones didn't work for me.
I was with support trying to solve issue of Device restarting every time I install new app or update app, and while trying to clear cache partition, it gone to my device not wanting to boot. so i had to factory reset, and it still won't start android in full. so i have to reflash ROM. I guess.
I'm kinda lost now cause i don't know what to do.
As said i just want for my device to be rooted so i can delete all apps i don't need and change launcher (deleting existing one - well i don't know if it's smart or not. i figure why having two launcers when i will use only one).
And i want to play games and use apps without it failing on me all the time.