So I've messed around with my Galaxy S3 in the past and did a few custom roms a long time ago but as I've been learning about my new tmobile variant of the S5 I've seen more than a dozen kids bricking phones from doing things wrong. I don't want to be that guy.
I'm running 5.1.1, I'm rooted, (twrp recovery, ODIN flash SuperSU Beta method) G900TUVS1FOL1
My questions are as follows.
1. Do I need a rom designed specifically for the FOL1 baseband version?
2. If so is there a way to change it one of the many others I've seen?
My goal is to get a debloated stockish rom, I'm tired of all the bloat that comes on this thing. Thank you guys so much in advance.
Related
hi guys!
I recently converted from an iPhone platform to Android and I'm loving it! I've learned a lot on these forums and performed my first root and unlocked the bootloader successfully on my new Note 2! This seems to be a thriving community with a lot of solid developers keeping the platform relevant for many older devices.
I do have a question in which I could not find the answer. I've been reading a lot about flashing odexed or deodexed roms. I think I generally understand these terms. However, I'm not sure I understand how it affects my future endeavors with ROM flashing.
I rooted with the first root method that became available, I believe it was by MrRobinson. I unlocked using Adam Outler's unlock method. Do I need to re-flash my ROM to a base Deodexed ROM before I can flash any of these custom Deodexed ROM's? I assume since I'm on the stock ROM, I am using an odexed system. Or can I simply just flash any odexed/deodexed ROM I choose without worrying about a "base" ROM to work with? Or perhaps I'm completely misunderstanding odex/deodex.
Thank you in advance for answering my newb question
So far my experience with the recent update has been mediocre, Its been 2 days now for me and i'm ready to re-root my device and start tackling some of the bloatware to help improve performance or maybe installing some custom roms again(No Really this phone had better fluidity when i was running GB)....My questions is: now that i'm running stock 4.1 is the rooting process any different from when I was running stock 4.0.4?
I can't post links but on Galaxy note hacks there is a rooting guide specific to my phone...but not specific to the software version.
Thank You
Alex
SGH-i717 (At&t)
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2267199
That link is rather useless without explaining how to get recovery...
Op yes.
rooting jb is the same... use Odin to flash a custom recovery image.
Then use that recovery to flash zips, for root, or a completely different Rom.
So I just got handed an S4 from a co-worker, I just spent an hour looking up info on root and stuff to load custom roms (looking mainly for CM11). My main problem seems to be all the shortened terms and everything associated with this phone, root vs unlocked bootloader vs etc, MK2?? NC5??. I can't seem to find any "newb" friendly breakdown of all of this. This isn't my first hacked device by far (I got an old DiNC and a ReZound for my last 2), but definitely the most confusing one. So here's the info I got on my phone: Galaxy S4, Verizon, SCH-I545, Android 4.4.2, VRUFNC5, hardware version: I545.06.
Can anyone point me in the right directions to understand better, and get me to my final destination of Custom rom? Or at least get me to understand this better?
I did search the first 5 pages of every section to see if there was a "newb-friendly" sticky but didn't seem to go anywhere fast, just made me more confused.
tong6998 said:
So I just got handed an S4 from a co-worker, I just spent an hour looking up info on root and stuff to load custom roms (looking mainly for CM11). My main problem seems to be all the shortened terms and everything associated with this phone, root vs unlocked bootloader vs etc, MK2?? NC5??. I can't seem to find any "newb" friendly breakdown of all of this. This isn't my first hacked device by far (I got an old DiNC and a ReZound for my last 2), but definitely the most confusing one. So here's the info I got on my phone: Galaxy S4, Verizon, SCH-I545, Android 4.4.2, VRUFNC5, hardware version: I545.06.
Can anyone point me in the right directions to understand better, and get me to my final destination of Custom rom? Or at least get me to understand this better?
I did search the first 5 pages of every section to see if there was a "newb-friendly" sticky but didn't seem to go anywhere fast, just made me more confused.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The problem with a simple "newb friendly" page is that every update to the phone changes what you need to do to root and what you can run.
For your NC5 phone, you need to use Towelroot to root it. That gets you root, but you're stuck with the stock bootloader. That means that you can't directly run a custom ROM. You can use Safestrap to allocate space for an alternative ROM, which is almost the same as a fully unlocked phone. The big thing you lose is that you can't run arbitrary ROMs, just what's compatible with the stock kernel. No CM, no AOSP.
So, read up on Towelroot and Safestrap. Once you have those down, you should be n the way.
Yeah, I got towel root already installed, supersu running and added to system and Knox disabled. Where should I be looking at roms that I can run under safestrap? Or should I say which section of the forums? Thank you for your response btw.
tong6998 said:
Yeah, I got towel root already installed, supersu running and added to system and Knox disabled. Where should I be looking at roms that I can run under safestrap? Or should I say which section of the forums? Thank you for your response btw.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Usually, roms that are compatible with safestrap are labeled as such. Since nc5 doesn't allow custom kernels, you will stuck with touchwiz kernels, so usually the roms will look like the stock samsung experience or a themed version. If you want an aosp themed safestrap rom, get eclipse rom. If you want a 99% gpe s4 rom download the gpe edition safestrap rom( it has some bugs though).
Usually roms are located at the "Android development" section of the forum. The gpe rom thread is in the general section.
tong6998 said:
Yeah, I got towel root already installed, supersu running and added to system and Knox disabled. Where should I be looking at roms that I can run under safestrap? Or should I say which section of the forums? Thank you for your response btw.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The thing to keep in mind, is that safestrap loads too late to be able to replace the kernel. This is the limiting factor, your stuck on the stock kernel... Different versions of android and different versions of kernels may have slightly different functions/parameters coded into the kernel, so calling a newer function or calling a function with parameters that no longer match the new style will fail.... so if the rom wasn't directly designed for the stock kernel of the same version your using it likely won't work.
In practice that means you need a rom based on TW, that is the same version (NC5) as you are currently using. Not sure but there are likely a few changes the Rom make needs to add for safe strap compatibility... Basically when you look at the Rom's thread it will list a baseband (NC5) and say its safestrap compatible.
Thanks to all of you, that clears up a lot of confusion I had. Now where do I find out (or how do I decifer) if I'm MJ7/MK2/ME7/MI1? Or am I correct in assuming I'm NOT (all the builds I see for safestrap mention those only no NC5.
Hi,
Just got an i545. It is currently on NK1 with 4.4.2. I understand to root it I can follow this (thread closed so can't post there). My confusion is: once I root, can I install safestrap or TWRP and flash custom roms? I read somewhere else on the forum that NK1 is limited to certain AOSP roms. I really like Carbon but am open to trying others and I don't want to screw things up. Sorry if this is noob-ish but I think I gave myself information over-load trying to find the correct steps.
Also, I will be using this with AT&T so would I want to stick to the unified builds?
Thanks,
SS only, no twrp/cwm.
Only TW roms aside from this aosp:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3019132
I used it before LP, a few bugs but overall ran well
Thanks for the info. If safestrap must be used, would these roms work? From what I gather so far, it's also not possible to downgrade from NK1 to NC5 or other, is it? I don't see the point of flashing another TW rom...but that's just me. I guess I can just root and customize for now, and experiment with TW roms if I get bored.
EDIT - I am wrong, it appears that I can odin back to earlier images (MDK, NC5, etc...) Is this feasible? Would it allow me to root, install custom recovery, and any rom I wish?
That list should be good. You can go back to nc5, can't downgrade past KK.
Also, there are threads on how to upgrade to 5.0.1, however if you take the official ota you'll lose root and can't downgrade back
I appreciate your help. Just to confirm, if I downgrade to NC5, will I be able to use ANY custom recovery and flash ANY rom? Or will I still be limited to safestrap and TW roms?
EDIT - Found my answer here. Anything over MDK can only use safestrap and TW roms. Bummer. No point in down-grading then.
Edit 2 - It seems that if I want to run any kind of rom I do need to down grade to NC5 as most seem to be based on it. I assume I would use the full wipe from this guide.
This S4 is my 7th android and it's, by far, got the most hoops to jump through and/or limitations. All my other phones were easy-peasy! Or is it just because it's Verizon branded? All other phones were T-Mo or ATT.
It's this phone & Verizon, they both suck
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.