Best vanilla stock ROM with the bloat removed? - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Not looking for anything fancy, just something slim and stable.

The official 4.3 stock and it's stock kernel would probably be most stable. Or a custom kernel if you want more from your device, from there you could do your own tweaks, removing all the junk and useless apps.
I don't really recommend having 4.3 though... Some apps now doesn't support jellybean anymore, but if you don't use those apps or fine with sideloading outdated versions then that's fine, I think best would be a plain aosp 6.0.1, when I had this phone 2-3 years ago 6.0.1 was full of bugs, but I'm pretty sure it would be pretty refined by now

any 4.4 rom

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[Q] Vanilla Gingerbread ROM?

My phone broke and the cost of replacing it with a new one before I'm eligible for an upgrade isn't worth it, so my friend loaned me an HTC Droid Eris until then. It's already rooted apparently, and I'm looking to load a pure, unmodified version of 2.3.7 on it (2.3.5+ is fine too). Or as close as I can possibly get to that, anyway.
Normally I wouldn't bother (I don't need to do much with my phone and I'm hardly a power user), but 2.1 is a little (lot) old at this point. I don't want anything fancy and I don't want Cyanogen. Just a stock, Nexus-esque ROM of Gingerbread and the full, completely functional Google App Suite. That last part is a must. If the ROM doesn't come with them (legalities and what not), that's fine, I just need to know how to get them. I know little to nothing about mobile operating systems, so the plainer the language, the better please.
Thanks for any help you can give.
That may be a little hard if no one has built a pure AOSP ROM for your phone. But what's wrong with CyanogenMod? Since you don't know much about this stuff, maybe you have some misconceptions about it. It's as close to pure Android as you can get, with a whole load of useful features. Android was lacking in a lot of ways till ICS and Jelly Bean. CM really made Gingerbread awesome. Also, for the same reason, CM ROMs are made for a lot of devices rather than AOSP, and most likely yours has a CM ROM for it too.
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
sashank said:
That may be a little hard if no one has built a pure AOSP ROM for your phone. But what's wrong with CyanogenMod? Since you don't know much about this stuff, maybe you have some misconceptions about it. It's as close to pure Android as you can get, with a whole load of useful features. Android was lacking in a lot of ways till ICS and Jelly Bean. CM really made Gingerbread awesome. Also, for the same reason, CM ROMs are made for a lot of devices rather than AOSP, and most likely yours has a CM ROM for it too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it doesn't have to be ripped directly from a Nexus S or anything, but as close to stock as possible. I have a good friend with Cyanogen and I'm just not a fan of the modifications. The UI alterations, the changes to certain operations and functions, the general ability to do some higher level stuff I don't wanna mess with, etc. I'd really just rather have vanilla if it's physically possible.
I don't need anything CM has that GB doesn't already have, so that's why I've opted for vanilla. I already know there's a stable CM 7.2 release for the Eris, which is nice, but I'd really prefer stock. Thank you for your help, though. I appreciate the quick response
That's quite understandable. The multitude of options and advanced settings can be overwhelming. Unfortunately you're at a loss for choice with your device. There aren't a lot of recent ROMs for it to begin with, and out of those there's only one AOSP Gingerbread ROM (2.3.5 I think) that I can find. The rest are CM10 and CM7 ports, AOSP 2.1 Eclair and 2.2 Froyo, and some stock ROMs. There might be more, but I didn't bother to look as the threads have been inactive for very long. There's no point in flashing ROMs that have been dead for a long time. This one AOSP GB ROM itself is more than a year old since the last update. You can still try it though, and if everything works fine and it's stable, you're good. Otherwise your only real choice for a stable, fully functional ROM is CM7.2.
Here's the ROM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1040459
Look here for more ROMs for your phone - http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=554
You should ask this question in your phone's forum rather than the general Android Q&A, as you'll get more appropriate answers from people who are using the phone themselves.
sashank said:
That's quite understandable. The multitude of options and advanced settings can be overwhelming. Unfortunately you're at a loss for choice with your device. There aren't a lot of recent ROMs for it to begin with, and out of those there's only one AOSP Gingerbread ROM (2.3.5 I think) that I can find. The rest are CM10 and CM7 ports, AOSP 2.1 Eclair and 2.2 Froyo, and some stock ROMs. There might be more, but I didn't bother to look as the threads have been inactive for very long. There's no point in flashing ROMs that have been dead for a long time. This one AOSP GB ROM itself is more than a year old since the last update. You can still try it though, and if everything works fine and it's stable, you're good. Otherwise your only real choice for a stable, fully functional ROM is CM7.2.
Here's the ROM - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1040459
Look here for more ROMs for your phone - http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=554
You should ask this question in your phone's forum rather than the general Android Q&A, as you'll get more appropriate answers from people who are using the phone themselves.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I apologize for not posting on the Droid Eris boards. I know I should have, but it's basically dead at this point so I didn't think I'd get much of a response, if any. Thank you for that link. I searched those boards but I was having a hard time finding stock ROMs. Mostly just CM 7 stuff and other modified ROMs. I guess vanilla isn't too popular. *Shrug*
I just flashed that ROM and it's telling me I need to also flash Google Apps as well. While I greatly appreciate all your help, that was the one thing I said I really needed to have. Do you know how I would go about doing that? I'm gonna try and look it up now, but if my search for vanilla 2.3 is any indication I may need some help. Thank you again for everything
You can download gapps for any Android version from here - http://goo.im/gapps
If you're confused at all, the right gapps for Gingerbread 2.3.5-2.3.7 is here - http://goo.im/gapps/gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip
You won't need the one with Google Talk video chat add-on as your phone doesn't have a front camera. This package I linked to above is the standard gapps package for CM7 and any Android ROM above 2.3.5. Flash gapps package after flashing the ROM.
The reason for Google apps being packaged separately is that Google didn't want people packaging it with their ROMs. CM initially used to have them packaged till Google asked them to remove their proprietary apps, which include Gmail, Play Store and all the backend apps for syncing data with Google. They weren't okay with them being packaged with ROMs, but they were fine with the apps being packaged as a separate file and flashed after flashing the ROM. Modified HTC Sense stock ROMs come with them included though, because stock includes them.
Read this for more info on gapps - http://wiki.rootzwiki.com/Google_Apps
Also, vanilla AOSP ROMs are very popular now for a lot of devices. They just weren't too popular at the time of Gingerbread other than for Nexus phones.
sashank said:
You can download gapps for any Android version from here - http://goo.im/gapps
If you're confused at all, the right gapps for Gingerbread 2.3.5-2.3.7 is here - http://goo.im/gapps/gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip
You won't need the one with Google Talk video chat add-on as your phone doesn't have a front camera. This package I linked to above is the standard gapps package for CM7 and any Android ROM above 2.3.5. Flash gapps package after flashing the ROM.
The reason for Google apps being packaged separately is that Google didn't want people packaging it with their ROMs. CM initially used to have them packaged till Google asked them to remove their proprietary apps, which include Gmail, Play Store and all the backend apps for syncing data with Google. They weren't okay with them being packaged with ROMs, but they were fine with the apps being packaged as a separate file and flashed after flashing the ROM. Modified HTC Sense stock ROMs come with them included though, because stock includes them.
Read this for more info on gapps - http://wiki.rootzwiki.com/Google_Apps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No idea how I stumbled upon this but I always wondered why it was cool to just host all the apps. I remembered a C&D from Google to CM regarding the apps, but nothing on why they were so freely available. Thanks.

[Q] Best SIII 4.4 ROM or BTU?

Hi All
Long story short, my phone broke and samsung fixed it under warrantee. They returned it with the vodaphone 4.3 flavor OS which was bloated to bursting point with all the crap-ware they add. So naturally the phone was dead slow, which prompted me to flash it to the 4.3 BTU. The phone is quite fast now, but the updates don't work so I'm stuck with those dreaded initial 4.3 software bugs, wifi connectivity & battery drain to name just 2.
I'd like to know if there are any decent & stable 4.4 ROMs available? I have tried CM11 earlier this year, but that didn't work to well, it was quite buggy.
I'd love to be able to install the 4.4.x BTU, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't been released (yet?).
Advice would be great.
Thanks!
SwiftyZA said:
Hi All
Long story short, my phone broke and samsung fixed it under warrantee. They returned it with the vodaphone 4.3 flavor OS which was bloated to bursting point with all the crap-ware they add. So naturally the phone was dead slow, which prompted me to flash it to the 4.3 BTU. The phone is quite fast now, but the updates don't work so I'm stuck with those dreaded initial 4.3 software bugs, wifi connectivity & battery drain to name just 2.
I'd like to know if there are any decent & stable 4.4 ROMs available? I have tried CM11 earlier this year, but that didn't work to well, it was quite buggy.
I'd love to be able to install the 4.4.x BTU, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't been released (yet?).
Advice would be great.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never expirienced any strange bugs like eith new 4.3 uodates, try using some great custom 4.3 roms out here, like archidroid, neatrom, arhd etc. Just search and try, combine it with a custom kernel and your phone will be reborned.
4.4.x ism't and won't be released for s3, because, well, samsung is $#&*, but you have note2 4.4 ports, like QS kitkat Archiport, and s5 themed like Blekota etc. But these 4.4 ports are having graphical glitches which occur for some, for some not, but as I see, Lord Boeffla updated his Boeffla kernel and in new updates graphical glitches are gone, battery life is much better and wifi direct and screen mirroring are working.
So if you want best stability go with custom 4.3, if you want to test out the kitkat experience which should be good now if combined with Boeffla kernel then go with some 4.4 port.
And don't forget, best rom threads are not allowed and will be closed by moderator, you should try what xda world has to offer and then decide.
lsalamun said:
I never expirienced any strange bugs like eith new 4.3 uodates, try using some great custom 4.3 roms out here, like archidroid, neatrom, arhd etc. Just search and try, combine it with a custom kernel and your phone will be reborned.
4.4.x ism't and won't be released for s3, because, well, samsung is $#&*, but you have note2 4.4 ports, like QS kitkat Archiport, and s5 themed like Blekota etc. But these 4.4 ports are having graphical glitches which occur for some, for some not, but as I see, Lord Boeffla updated his Boeffla kernel and in new updates graphical glitches are gone, battery life is much better and wifi direct and screen mirroring are working.
So if you want best stability go with custom 4.3, if you want to test out the kitkat experience which should be good now if combined with Boeffla kernel then go with some 4.4 port.
And don't forget, best rom threads are not allowed and will be closed by moderator, you should try what xda world has to offer and then decide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do I load a custom kernel? I've only ever flashed with Odin and then that was just the ROM.
Just as a matter of interest, 4.4 has been released for the S3 on certain carriers.
Flash the kernel through your custom recovery.
Only the versions of the s3 which have 2gb of ram have kitkat..other versions do not including the international version
Sent from a "Galaxy" far, far away with my Ultra Ray Gun
SwiftyZA said:
How do I load a custom kernel? I've only ever flashed with Odin and then that was just the ROM.
Just as a matter of interest, 4.4 has been released for the S3 on certain carriers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just as Pulseuser mentioned, 4.4 is released only for i9305 LTE variant of s3.
About custom kernel, the easiest method is to root your phone using cf-autoroot, just google cf auto root and download the .tar.md5 for Odin for i9300 S3. Then when your phone is rooted download ROM Manager from playstore and install Clockwork Mod recovery, then reboot to the recovery via rom manager app and choose install zip from sdcard, fin your custom kernel/rom or whatever you want to flash and then tap yes and reboot, but first copy your custom kernel/rom on sdcard.
It is very easy, you even have tutorials on youtube on how to flash something via CWM recovery.

Debloated, optimized, stock ROM

Guys, I've looked through the threads here but I can't seem to find a rom which is stock, but debloated and optimized. I am on CM11 now but I am experiencing very bad battery life and some instability. I will be passing my S3 to my daughter soon and I would like to have a stable rom with good performance and battery life. It would be best if the ROM would be a modded stock rom which includes the factory languages, Icelandic to be exact
Can anyone point me in the right direction? It doesn't need to be Kit Kat, just a stable and fast rom.
Thanks!
Try this.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=57331086
giving me error file corrupt, redownloading doesn't help, flashed 8 different versions of twrp
@bjornvil: I guess your daughter often uses internet - then JB or KK are too unsecure. I recommend an AOSP-MM-ROM: Haxynox or Slim (fewer features than CM and its clones, but fewer bugs and lite).

1st ROM to install?

Hi.
My S3 is bogging down, and was going to factory wipe it. But because I've had it over a year now, I feel like putting a new ROM.
I still need to use things like Gmail & Navigation.
Can someone point me to the right direction for a simple install for something that is better than the stock 4.1.2 i'm running.
And as I rooted this last year with the video tutorial posted on here, It was on a previous PC which I don't have so can't remember if it was Odin that I used (If this makes any difference)
Many Thanks
and happy new year!
Archidroid 3.0.2 if you want smoothness and stock android interface.
But beware of bad camera and graphic glitches.
Archidroid 1.7.18 + latest archi kernel if you want not so smooth but still better experience.
It's a Touchwizz ROM but it has a lot of customisability options during install.
My favourite JellyBean 4.3 ROM is Imperium :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=37656328&postcount=2
Loads of options to customise through Aroma installer and was always solid and reliable for me.
I am currently rocking KitKat with QS-i9300-KK v3.1
http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3/development/rom-qs-i9300-kk-t2755841
which is looking good and solid as a daily driver so far (I am using it with Arter97's kernel v4 beta 2 which fixes the power-off charging bug where the phone will switch on when plugged in to charge - the latest Boeffla kernel also now fixes this issue)
Both of the above are stock ROM based.

What's the "smoothest" custom ROM for the E970?

Hey guys, looking to flash my stock AT&T E970 to a custom ROM. I've done some research and it seems the two most popular are the KK 4.4.2 versions of CM (CM 12.0) and Liquid Smooth.
I'm looking for these things in this priority:
1) Most important is that the ROM is reliable, stable, and bug free.
2) Also important is that the ROM opens apps/browses the web quickly and smoothly without a lot of delay.
3) Least important are the total features and how current the OS.
So basically, if I have to run an older version of Android that's reliable and smooth, I would prefer that over a newer version.
With that criteria in mind, what do you guys think is the best custom ROM for the E970? Appreciate the input.

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