[Q] Tips and Recommendations? - Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) Q&A, Help & Troubl

Hey, so as you can tell this is my first post here. Well, not only that, but I just rooted my first device. I'm excited and nervous and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.
That is why I came to you guys. I have never done this before and no one in my town knows anything about rooting devices, so all of this is a bit daunting. Anyways, I wanted to ask for a few tips and tricks, maybe a few apps, roms, or whatever to download. What to uninstall and not uninstall. But my main thing is, the whole reason I rooted was because someone said I could boost my RAM. And the reason I would want to do that is because, let's face it, I'm a huge nerd and I'm trying to play a Pokemon Colosseum rom. But my ram has gone from about 50% usage to now being in the 70-80% usage. Not only that, but my Internal storage went from being 45% full to about 80%.
Anyways, I'm probably not explaining myself in the best of ways. I just wanted to make this thread because after reading some of the others, I was still confused. Maybe here I can have someone explain it to me, because, as you've guessed, I'm worse than a newb. I'm like newb squared. Anyways, if you're confused on what I'm trying to ask of you, please respond down below and maybe I can explain some more of my problems.
Thanks.
P.S. By the way, you guys helped me out so much so far. Even though I didn't understand the majority of it from most other sites, you guys helped a lot more. You now take up over 50% of my bookmarks on my school computer. So much that they had to sit down all the seniors and tell us we can't root or jailbreak on the high school computers.

Oh, I also have no idea what roms and kernels and the likes of that are, despite my numerous hours of research during my 4 A.M. red bull fueled craze.

I also forgot to ask if there was a way I could add the facial recognition lock that is suppose to come with 4.3.

Which rom are you using?
Rooting allows you to do some very cool things. In a nutshell. Android is open source so people that are clued up with modding can change the entire operating system. They do All kinds of sorcery to the stock Roms eg. Zipaligning, deodexing, debloating etc. Debloating is where some of your ram gets freed up as they remove lots of the bloatware (unnecessary apps) that comes from manufacturer.
Also certain roms allow your device to render fully on the gpu.
Apps that you need to get:
Titanium backup
Greenify
Android Firewall
xposed installer
--
"Skate where the puck’s going, not where it’s been.”
- Wayne Gretzsky

Best tip I ever read on XDA: "before rooting read, read and read again. And then when you're ready to root read it all again."
Be ready for every eventuality before you do anything!
Sent from my SM-P600 still running Jellybean Samsung!

And don't forget that rooting voids the warrenty on our units

Related

I'm new, can someone please explain Hard-SPL to me!?!?

I've read about it everywhere but can't find an explanation of what it is or what is does. It's like everyone knows what it is so there's no need to explain it anymore lol.
grant9908 said:
I've read about it everywhere but can't find an explanation of what it is or what is does. It's like everyone knows what it is so there's no need to explain it anymore lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you done a search yet? There are a couple of sticky threads on hardspl and rom flashing at the top of the Rhodium Rom Development sub-forum. They tell you all you need to know.
Grant: read the sticky's and wiki at the ROM forum.....
Short answer, hard spl changes the bootloader on the phone thus "unlocking" it for other ROMs. Without hard spl, you can't flash other ROMs. Read the stickys and good luck.
I have a TP2 and I have no clue what "flashing ROMs" means. what would be the benefit of doing this? If it's cool and helpful I'm all aboard, I just don;t know what it's talking about. Are we talking about Game ROMs, or apps etc. etc. etc.
ROMS, etc.
Grant,
This site is full of very technical minds, who disassemble code to build updated operating systems and tweaks for their devices. It takes a while to sort through all the acronyms that are used. I've been reading on this site for several years, and I'm still lost most of the time!
Do a lot of reading before you try ANY of this stuff; or your new, very expensive pocket pc phone (or whatever you call yours?) becomes a very expensive paper-weight!
This is a great resource site, but you have to become fluent in the language before you can converse with these people. Good luck, and happy learning!
grant9908 said:
I have a TP2 and I have no clue what "flashing ROMs" means. what would be the benefit of doing this? If it's cool and helpful I'm all aboard, I just don;t know what it's talking about. Are we talking about Game ROMs, or apps etc. etc. etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Grant, start here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=550540
Read through that about 3 times and it'll finally start making some sense.
Overall, many people are quite happy with the ROM (operating system) and programs that come with the phone and thus leave it the way it is. Others feel that it is quite to slow and bulky (uses too much memory with crapware that you don't ever use) and thus want to put a nicer looking, faster, smoother ROM on the phone. Also, this allows us to keep up to date with the newest ROMs as they are realeased.
Downsides: you've got to learn about flashing, you're ROM may be buggy since it's newer or it may be more stable if it's just a stock rom with crapware removed. Either way, to do any of this, you must first hard spl to allow the phone to take other ROMs. If you don't hard spl first, you phone will be mad at you and not wake up! Be warned that if you do this, you void your warranty (albeit there are ways to go back explained on the hard spl page) and you may become very very addicted and make posts on XDA froums on a holiday at 7 am in bed with your wife giving you dirty looks!
I've read everything 7 or more times lol and it did start to make sense =D after about 7 hours or reading last night I finally figured everything out, I think mike would be the best ROM to go with but I'm going to leave mine stock for now.
Welcome aboard Grant. I think the sentiment is pretty much same with most (except our all know elite who bring us most of these ...) of us. This site is very intimidating in the begining, but quite addictive later on. I still do not post regularly but takes some time to read almost everyday. But I can tell you one thing, whatever it takes, once you have flashed a custom ROM from these great developers here you will never go back to stock. It changes everything, stability, speed, functionality customization etc. and the most common complain, signal stregth, when you start playing with different ROM and RADIO combinations. Its fun.
martian07 said:
Welcome aboard Grant. I think the sentiment is pretty much same with most (except our all know elite who bring us most of these ...) of us. This site is very intimidating in the beginning, but quite addictive later on. I still do not post regularly but takes some time to read almost everyday. But I can tell you one thing, whatever it takes, once you have flashed a custom ROM from these great developers here you will never go back to stock. It changes everything, stability, speed, functionality customization etc. and the most common complain, signal strength, when you start playing with different ROM and RADIO combination. Its fun.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that you say all this I have a good question for you! my TP2 is 400 speed and I want to start playing playstation games on it, would flashing it over make it run faster for this purpose? and what would be the best one to go to for this purpose (and I disabled TF3D as well )
Can you flash a ROM in powercuts?
I too have just about got what it means to Hardspl and Flash a ROM. I live in a remote part of India where there are at least 4 power cuts a day (usually when you need the pump for a shower or are downloading). What would happen in the (extremely probable) event of a power cut whilst installing a new ROM? Is it possible to download to a PC first then connect to the TP2 later. How long do you need power for? Many thanks.
davidgee said:
I too have just about got what it means to Hardspl and Flash a ROM. I live in a remote part of India where there are at least 4 power cuts a day (usually when you need the pump for a shower or are downloading). What would happen in the (extremely probable) event of a power cut whilst installing a new ROM? Is it possible to download to a PC first then connect to the TP2 later. How long do you need power for? Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can just use your laptop to flash the rom. Make sure you have enough power on your laptop though. You wouldn't want the laptop to die in the middle of a flash. Same with your phone. It needs a minimum of 50% power. I would make sure to leave the laptop disconnected from the outlet though. You wouldn't want a surge or anything connecting with your phone.
grant9908 said:
Now that you say all this I have a good question for you! my TP2 is 400 speed and I want to start playing playstation games on it, would flashing it over make it run faster for this purpose? and what would be the best one to go to for this purpose (and I disabled TF3D as well )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You download the ROMs first then flash then on you device (TP2). You also download Hard-SPL and run it from you laptop, BUT it does require an internet connection as it connects at some point while in the process. It dosen't take very long, but not sure what would happen if you lost internet while you where running Hard-SPL.
Man, grant thats a challenge for me, never tried games, not a big fan. But yes if you want speed try the lean ROMs, almost all chefs have a lite version. If you want you can start paying with the kichen to have your own version. Let us know how your things fan out.
davidgee, for your question, when you are doing Hard SPL try to work with a laptop or UPS to avoid the power failure during the process, it can even brick your device. But for ROM or Radio flashing just use the SD card method, in brief copy the nbh file to card and boot to bootloader. Check the wiki.
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Rhodium

some issues after root

some background. My wife and I both bought Slides. Shortly after getting them she had someone she works with root hers. Everything worked great, I liked the way it ran and the lack of bloat ware so I had him root mine. Well after rooting mine I noticed that swype doesnt work anymore and flash(Website Flash) doesnt work anymore either. Now he doesn't want to help or return our messages and I am lost as to what to do.
I am not sure much about how he rooted it or what he did. I do know I get a cynogen screen when i turn on the phone and the rom is up to date.
Do you know what rom he installed?
Chanbob said:
he doesn't want to help or return our messages and I am lost as to what to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly the reason that you shouldn't have someone root your phone unless you know what you're doing to do it yourself.
Best thing for you to do is to flash the 1.35.531 OTA update, which will remove root from your device and return you to the latest stock mytouch slide firmware. But honestly if you don't know anything about rooting or its benefits, OR ITS RISKS, then you shouldn't have anyone do it for you cus it makes you and your device a liability to this community. Everytime you have the slightest problem you're gonna be back here at the forum looking for someone to hold your hand cus you have no clue what you're messing with.
So I recommend you unroot your device until such time when you are able to fully understand the risks and capabilities of root. Go back to stock, then spend a lot of time here learning about root and what you might be able to use it for. For starters, ROOT IS NOT INTENDED FOR END USERS. If it was, EVERY phone would already be rooted when you get it. But its not. Its intended for ADVANCED users as a sort of "service entrance" to your device. This allows tech support guys (and gals) to do things that you shouldn't HAVE to worry about as an END USER; or, (my definition) a person, owning and using a device, with MINIMAL knowledge of the inner workings of said device. Its just like with windows....ANY IDIOT can get on windows and check their email. It requires almost NO knowledge to operate. Just the same, these phones are made so that any idiot can operate them with a bit of practice, but the critical parts of the system, where an IDIOT could really wreak some havoc, is(are) sealed off to most end users, to make sure they don't mess **** up. ROOT unseals all that so that you CAN really mess stuff up. And that's what will happen if you mess with stuff without a clue what you're doing.
Its in YOUR best interest to go back to stock. For now, anyway. Don't just accept your current level of know-how...LEARN HOW. When I got my G1 when they first came out, I knew NOTHING about programming or any kind of code, or any of that. But I have spent A LOT of time learning it all, and I'm still learning stuff all the time, and now I create my own themes, I patch code to make things work the way I want it to work, I fix all my own screw-ups without asking for help, and I'm damn proud of it. And you will be too, when you root your device all by yourself and don't NEED some non-replying jerkoff to do it for you...please take my advice, you'll be glad you did. Play it safe until you know what's safe and what isn't.
-BMFC
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
bmfc187 said:
This is exactly the reason that you shouldn't have someone root your phone unless you know what you're doing to do it yourself.
Best thing for you to do is to flash the 1.35.531 OTA update, which will remove root from your device and return you to the latest stock mytouch slide firmware. But honestly if you don't know anything about rooting or its benefits, OR ITS RISKS, then you shouldn't have anyone do it for you cus it makes you and your device a liability to this community. Everytime you have the slightest problem you're gonna be back here at the forum looking for someone to hold your hand cus you have no clue what you're messing with.
So I recommend you unroot your device until such time when you are able to fully understand the risks and capabilities of root. Go back to stock, then spend a lot of time here learning about root and what you might be able to use it for. For starters, ROOT IS NOT INTENDED FOR END USERS. If it was, EVERY phone would already be rooted when you get it. But its not. Its intended for ADVANCED users as a sort of "service entrance" to your device. This allows tech support guys (and gals) to do things that you shouldn't HAVE to worry about as an END USER; or, (my definition) a person, owning and using a device, with MINIMAL knowledge of the inner workings of said device. Its just like with windows....ANY IDIOT can get on windows and check their email. It requires almost NO knowledge to operate. Just the same, these phones are made so that any idiot can operate them with a bit of practice, but the critical parts of the system, where an IDIOT could really wreak some havoc, is(are) sealed off to most end users, to make sure they don't mess **** up. ROOT unseals all that so that you CAN really mess stuff up. And that's what will happen if you mess with stuff without a clue what you're doing.
Its in YOUR best interest to go back to stock. For now, anyway. Don't just accept your current level of know-how...LEARN HOW. When I got my G1 when they first came out, I knew NOTHING about programming or any kind of code, or any of that. But I have spent A LOT of time learning it all, and I'm still learning stuff all the time, and now I create my own themes, I patch code to make things work the way I want it to work, I fix all my own screw-ups without asking for help, and I'm damn proud of it. And you will be too, when you root your device all by yourself and don't NEED some non-replying jerkoff to do it for you...please take my advice, you'll be glad you did. Play it safe until you know what's safe and what isn't.
-BMFC
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This doesn't help in anyway!!
I am not looking for someone to hold my hand. I am wanting to learn how to fix what someone screwed up. I am pretty sure during all the time you spent learning all the things you know with root you asked a question or two.
Back to the topic at hand. Is this something that can be fixed? Like I said I am not 100% sure what rom I have, pretty sure it is cynogen though.
The reason I want it rooted is because the stock slide sucks, I don't like all the crap that came preloaded. I like how the phone is rooted, I just don't like the things that are not working.
I'm pretty sure you'll learn the how's afterwards since you're going to be reading and absorbing info from this forum
But for now... fixing the issues at hand.
The problem on adobe flash is actually something not exactly fixable... the flash 10 is just not for our device (correct me if I'm wrong x_x) and so the current cm6 is just unable to use flash... =/
As for swype... I actually asked the same question when I flashed cm6 rom. The thread is in the Q&A subforum titled [Q]Swype on CM6? or something like that. There will be links to dl swype. Have fun =)
Hope this helps lol.
Sent from my MT3GS with CM6 using XDA App
Well the problems you describe are bugs with the rom you are using and they will be the same for MOST roms since they're all based off cyanogens work. You SAY you wanna learn how to fix what someone screwed up but nobody screwed anything up, you just don't know what you're doing. If you want to fix problems that are specific to a certain rom, you need to look in your "about phone" section in settings and figure out what rom you are running.
THEN, go to the thread of the rom you are running. DON'T POST a question about swype or flash or keyboard lights there...the questions have already been asked and if there is a fix for your issue it will already be posted there somewhere.
And for your information, I used to ask questions all the time, that's PART of how ppl learn...but I NEVER in my time with android, have let anyone DO SOMETHING FOR ME. And that's all you seem to want, somone to root your phone for you, someone to tell you the answer so you don't have to waste time reading or searching for the answer...you don't even know what rom you're on, am I supposed to tell you THAT, too? You've displayed no desire to help yourself and the only ppl that get help around here are ppl that are willing to help themselves.
Its NO ONE'S job to man these fora to help ppl...anyone that helps anyone do anything here, they do it out of either the kindness of their own heart, or sheer boredom. Either way no one is OBLIGATED to help you, especially when the fixes for the bugs you describe have already been posted, and instead of searching for the answers you start a new thread, asking an old question, in the WRONG SECTION. There is a section marked Q&A which is SPECIFICALLY for asking and answering questions.
And if you hadn't noticed, I'm about the only person even paying any attention to your plight so don't be too quick to shun my advice. I will help you learn how to do things, ill help you figure things out if you get stuck, but I'm not gonna give you the answers or do it for you.
Go find out what rom you're running. Then look up the rom and search the thread for the bugs you're experiencing. If there are fixes for the bugs they'll be there.
-BMFC
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
Chanbob said:
This doesn't help in anyway!!
I am not looking for someone to hold my hand. I am wanting to learn how to fix what someone screwed up. I am pretty sure during all the time you spent learning all the things you know with root you asked a question or two.
Back to the topic at hand. Is this something that can be fixed? Like I said I am not 100% sure what rom I have, pretty sure it is cynogen though.
The reason I want it rooted is because the stock slide sucks, I don't like all the crap that came preloaded. I like how the phone is rooted, I just don't like the things that are not working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you didn't want anyone to hold you hand. why post asking for help? BMFC's post is actually what you should do. Also your phone isn't just rooted, its running a custom software. and as with any custom software its should be obvious that stuff you had from stock just isnt going to be there. (flash lite and stock swype.) Also THIS POST IS IN THE WRONG SECTION. IF YOU HAD READ THE STICKIES which I know for a fact that you didn't you might have learned a thing or two. seriously. is it that hard to read the stickies? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=701241
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=702973
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=704567
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=747388
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=704865
Your problem isn't really a problem at all. you are running cyan0gen mod 6. That being said since it is a 3rd party android build due to copyright laws, cyan0gen cant add a lot of the things you liked from your stock build. Like BMFC said rooting isn't for end users, you can really mess stuff up when you have root access and not know anything, My first android phone is the mytouch 3G Slide so I don't know as much as others but I do have a Linux background so as to knowing about root I am aware that it is something for more advanced users, and everything I learned I read in the stickies and through trial and error. Asking for help is fine no wrong doing in that but you have to understand that unless you have some idea as to what you are doing you shouldn't dive into rooting your phone. I didn't root my phone until after the first few ROMs were out. I read up on rooting and what benefits it could give me, also in my reading you come to understand what happens when you flash a custom ROM, and when I did it wasn't easy(it was a pain) but it got done. and yes I ran into some problems. but there was already answers for them in the stickies. My advice to you is the same as BMFC's advice and go to Chiefz' Stock OTA 1.35 ROM and you will back at stock with flash lite and you beloved swype, because apart from that you can only get swype on CM6 and thats if you download it through a third party, stay on that ROM until you learn a little more about how android works, getting and setting up the sdk, and getting comfortable enough with adb and what needs to be done with root, go ahead and root it YOURSELF. I wont link you to swype,learn to use the search button, and learn to lurk this forum.
inb4 lrn2grammar
bmfc187 said:
Well the problems you describe are bugs with the rom you are using and they will be the same for MOST roms since they're all based off cyanogens work. You SAY you wanna learn how to fix what someone screwed up but nobody screwed anything up, you just don't know what you're doing. If you want to fix problems that are specific to a certain rom, you need to look in your "about phone" section in settings and figure out what rom you are running.
THEN, go to the thread of the rom you are running. DON'T POST a question about swype or flash or keyboard lights there...the questions have already been asked and if there is a fix for your issue it will already be posted there somewhere.
And for your information, I used to ask questions all the time, that's PART of how ppl learn...but I NEVER in my time with android, have let anyone DO SOMETHING FOR ME. And that's all you seem to want, somone to root your phone for you, someone to tell you the answer so you don't have to waste time reading or searching for the answer...you don't even know what rom you're on, am I supposed to tell you THAT, too? You've displayed no desire to help yourself and the only ppl that get help around here are ppl that are willing to help themselves.
Its NO ONE'S job to man these fora to help ppl...anyone that helps anyone do anything here, they do it out of either the kindness of their own heart, or sheer boredom. Either way no one is OBLIGATED to help you, especially when the fixes for the bugs you describe have already been posted, and instead of searching for the answers you start a new thread, asking an old question, in the WRONG SECTION. There is a section marked Q&A which is SPECIFICALLY for asking and answering questions.
And if you hadn't noticed, I'm about the only person even paying any attention to your plight so don't be too quick to shun my advice. I will help you learn how to do things, ill help you figure things out if you get stuck, but I'm not gonna give you the answers or do it for you.
Go find out what rom you're running. Then look up the rom and search the thread for the bugs you're experiencing. If there are fixes for the bugs they'll be there.
-BMFC
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol your post is similar to mine only i didn't see it befor eI posted mine or I would have held back on my post lol.
Bahaaaaa Dang BMFC187 you sounded like u have been wanting to say that to someone. That made me LOL.
As far as the OP...you need to read the thread that says "slide Rom bible" and start there. Sounds to me like u need to flash an updated ROM, plus there are lots of links in there that are helpful.
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
Wow. I didn't realize a simple question would ruffle so many feathers.
The reason I thought something was wrong is because my wife and I have the same phone, we got them at the same time, they were both rooted at the same time with the same rom. Some of the features that work on her phone don't work on mine. In my mind, something wasn't right.
Thank you to those who took the time to be courteous and helpful by pointing me in a direction to start looking.
there is no way, unless your wife is running a stock espresso based ROM that she would flash(lite) running in her browser. swype yes. flash lite no. you still haven't read the stickies have you?
Just for the hell of it. What's wrong with a new guy who realizes he has an issue that he would like resolved. Yes he did several things the wrong way.
1. Saw eye candy and wanted it (valuable lesson being eye candy is not always what you want.
2. Not educating yourself and Do it your damn self.
3. Coming to these forum asking for help without being prepared to be flamed (most xda seniors are hot headed)
4. If you can't do it yourself then you prob shouldn't have root
? Oops there be another ? Mark now I go to the q&a corner.
Ahhh sleep time
Sent from my T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide using XDA App
Chanbob said:
some background. My wife and I both bought Slides. Shortly after getting them she had someone she works with root hers. Everything worked great, I liked the way it ran and the lack of bloat ware so I had him root mine. Well after rooting mine I noticed that swype doesnt work anymore and flash(Website Flash) doesnt work anymore either. Now he doesn't want to help or return our messages and I am lost as to what to do.
I am not sure much about how he rooted it or what he did. I do know I get a cynogen screen when i turn on the phone and the rom is up to date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Assuming you can figure out what to do, there is http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7534187#post7534187 which is a ROM that's based off the stock variety. Can't speak for bloat (didn't like stock rom) but it may work for you.
As for flashing, I am not 100% sure what state your recovery is so no idea if you can realistically flash a ROM, but it's worth a shot.
Also, on the Android Market, there's the ROM Manager, which may help (or hinder) the situation...

Stock vs Custom - what's the best for you?

What a great question! I'm so glad you asked!
I recently gave in and got my bootloader unlocked on my Verizon R800x, just so I could see what all the hoopla was about. After a few days of analysis, I've already been able to draw some conclusions that I hope new seekers will find useful.
There are several things to know when making a decision like this one.
1. What model of Xperia Play am I rocking? Not all Xperia Plays are created equal. There is the data connection to consider. If you are in most of the world outside of the US, you probably have a carrier that uses GSM for data. So does AT&T and Sprint in the US. Because it is so common, there are lots of Custom ROMS and kernels, unlocking the bootloader is easy, and many people are experienced in supporting GSM. But you're a Verizon Wireless customer? - sorry, you use a CDMA connection, which means your choices are much more limited, unlocking the bootloader is more of a challenge, and people tend to laugh at you!
2. Do I want to use the phone primarily for gaming with that sweet gamepad and not-so-sweet touchpads? Do I really depend on my phone to be 100% useable at all times? Better stick with ROMs and kernels based off of stock. No need to even know what a bootloader is!
3. Or, screw the games, I wanna be big, bad and bold, on the bleeding edge of technology! Well then, plan on furthering your techie education! You're going to be learning all kinds of fun and interesting terms, like soft brick, hard brick, adb, fastboot, flashing , RAM, ROM, push, root and boot - after awhile it all starts sounding like a naughty little party is going on in your phone! Hey, Baby! I got yer bootloader right here, know wut I'm sayin?
How about some do's and don'ts?
DON'T post a question on how to root, unlock the bootloader, install coolappofthemoment.apk or what does any of these terms mean without doing a little research on your own first. Chances are, someone else asked it at least once, probably a million times, and the only responses you're likely to get are "GEEZE, READ THE BLOODY FORUMS, YA N00B!!!"
DO use Google, search the forums, and actually READ the threads that seem relevant to your question. Yes, you will read a more than a few posts like "Does this work yet?", "I don't like the color of...", "MemberX is a troll!", but interspersed in there is quite a bit of information that you may benefit from and often you will find your answer much more quickly than posting a question and waiting for a valid response.
DON'T be afraid of rooting your phone but...
DO be aware that your warranty may (will) be affected by modifying your phone.
DON'T remove anything preinstalled by the service provider until you...
DO a Nandroid Backup first. (There's a term you will want to explore further. Hint: Look into CWM Custom Recovery.)
DON'Tuninstall system apps right away. Instead freeze them (OOOH another term you might want to learn. Hint: Titanium Backup among other apps.) Once you are comfortable with restoring your Nandroid Backup, you understand what the app does, and you experience no issues freezing it, then you can remove it if you want to free up some internal storage space.
DO pay attention to who the developers are for different projects, as well as frequent posters with actual useful contributions. You can tell who they are by the phrase "The Following 9 million Users Say Thank You to UltraDev For This Useful Post:" These are the people you want to make your bestest friends.
WOW !! Who knew there was so much to learn !!! Can't I just skip all that and charge blindly ahead??? I have one word for you. BRICK !!! OK, I have another word for you:
DON'T!!!
After trying the few kernels and Custom ROMs available to me (Yes, I am a lucky Verizon customer), I decided that, for me, it's fun to be able to juggle razors (Get It? Be on the BLEEDING EDGE???), but since some of the things I like to do with my phone are not yet working with the latest and greatest, I'm better off sticking with a customized stock configuration. The great thing is, I can always try the newer stuff and then go back to the "safe" setup.
Oh yeah! I almost forgot! There is one more DO for you, and it's extremely important!
DO click that Thanks button when someone posts a project or information that you find useful. We all want to know our efforts are appreciated, right? RIGHT?????? <<Taps his foot and looks pointedly at the Thanks button>>
Your post reminded me of Excel, of Excel Saga's fame. For that you carved a little nostalgia hole in my rocky heart.
That's going to be very useful, and you had me laughing for 10 mins with the bootloader thing
Sent from my Xperia Play using Tapatalk

[Q] New to XDA and rooting and flashing etc....

Hello all!
My name is Bruce, and I’m a new android user. Although I bought my Sprint Samsung Epic 4g Touch (E4GT) back in October, I still call myself a n00b because I joined the army being a switcher from Apple. The reason I left iOS is because I felt the OS got stagnant, and wanted to try something new. I also hated having to wait for jailbreaking tools from the dev teams and so forth, to make my iOS device worthwhile.
So here I am, I have my E4GT and I want ICS. I’ve been reading countless sites trying to figure out how to get it. But I’m scared of hard bricking my phone in the process. First, lemme give you my phone details.
I have a stock Sprint E4GT Model # SPH-D710. Running Android Version 2.3.6 on Baseband S710.10. S.EL29. It also uses Hardware version D710.10. It’s never been rooted or modded in any form or fashion. Totally stock besides the updates sprint pushes out.
I am a Mac user running a Macbook Pro (Mid 2010) on OSX 10.7.4; though I have access to a PC running Windows Vista if needed.
When it comes to android definitions such as ‘root’, ‘flash’, etc. I’m still somewhat n00b. I have a somewhat average understanding of what each one does, but I’m still mediocre at best on the definitions. As a matter of fact, I just learned yesterday what Kies is, with my cousin upgrading his t-mobile galaxy s2. I discovered it’s like a version of iTunes (correct me if I’m wrong) but for the E4GT or Samsung devices?
So why am I here? Well to be honest… I want ICS like everyone else on here does (and which most of you probably already have). But I’m still a n00b to android and don’t want to hardbrick my device. I know the chances are low if I can follow instructions well, but here’s my problem. I’ve read so many different forums and threads, and watched tons of youtube videos on how to root, and flash roms, etc. I don’t know where to begin. It’s all a big jumble in my head. :-(
So here’s what I’m asking. I’m asking my fellow android users for some guidance. I want an awesome ICS rom that is stable enough and won’t brick my phone. I also want one that is closer to the real android ICS, and that junk Samsung puts out that is more gingerbread than ICS based.
I was hoping someone can lay out a short answer to guides that can help me root, and install a custom rom stripped of all the Samsung bloatware. Also, if you can point me to a guide with links to the files that I need, and most of all… in which order I should do it in. E.g. root first or flash rom, or something else?
Lastly, and I feel this is important. Like I stated, I don’t have access to a windows computer, and that’s fine, I can use my family’s PC like I stated earlier, but the one thing I think you should be aware of is the brick bug and chipset.
I ran the gotbrickbug-v1.1apk on this thread which starts here
http://www.droiddog.com/android-blo...ynos-family-of-phones-sii-and-note-brick-bug/
and directs to the apk on this one
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1693704
And I’m sad to say that it indicated that the verdict for mine was “DANGER! This eMMC chip is *KNOWN* to have the brick bug !
In closing, should I be thinking of flashing a rom with the above known brickbug issue? Or should I wait?
I know this is REALLY long, but I just wanted to be thorough when seeking the help of the community. If anyone has any ideas on how to safely upgrade my phone even with the above brickbug effecting my phone, or if I should wait, or what course of action I should take… please let me know.
I appreciate everyone who might have read this, and hope to become an active member of this community.
Thank you again.
- Bruce
P.S. I read the E4GT wiki at the top of thread, and it did have answers. But I was hoping someone could offer a more specific answer to my questions. Particularly the brick bug. Thank you all again!
Easy answer, only flash roms and stuff from EL29 rom with EL26 kernel. Yes, it means it's harder to preserve data, but you will preserve your phone. Read the directions slowly. Not being condescending, but even I will miss a step rushing through at times. Use Qbking77's videos. He takes the time to make them so you don't have to have issues. Feel free to join our forum where he and any of us can help in an environment where you don't have to worry about getting flamed or ridiculed if XDA requires a thicker skin than you're used to. Otherwise, feel free to ask questions. It took me 8 months to first root and rom my Old Epic.
Hey Bruce I think we all got the Danger message. Just be smart and if a developer has directions then follow them. I've probably flashed this phone a hundred times in 5 months and many others have flashed a lot more. If there is a doubt then don't flash, read, watch, ask first. Here is some required reading http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1525495
Basically the easiest safest place to start with an ICS rom would be with one of sfhubs one clicks. Here is the most recent http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1705730
Next when you are ready to update your kernel use this (Option D for ICS kernels) http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1342728
After you play with the stock ICS for a bit then start poking around the various roms. There are lots of options. Based on recent comments I would stay away from AOKP and CM9 as a noob.
My order of event
1. Nandroid current setup
2. One click to EL29 rooted
3. Use sftools to push EL26 cwm by Chrisg41
4. Flash new modem
5. Reboot
6. Wipe using Calk full wipe
7. Flash desired ROM
8. Odin agat recovery (touchwiz roms only)
9. Flash inverted apps
10. Rebuild and debloat as desired
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
I know it has already been mentioned, but qbking77 has the best videos for a noob. Going to ICS is usually safe. Going back to gingerbread or switching between ICS roms is where you can easily get into trouble. Go to qbkings YouTube page and watch the videos.
Then watch them again.
Then watch them AGAIN.
specifically the ones about using mobile Odin. Personally I recommend rujelus22's blu kuban . Watch the install video and follow step by step and you will be fine. Just be patient and you will learn a lot by doing. If you are unsure,ask before doing something. This is a great community and everyone is very willing to help. Just ask.
Sent from my ridiculously long named phone while firing up a Blu Kuban ---
Sprint Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch
It took me over 5 months to root and flash my E4GT when I got it. I agree with these 2 guys that you should watch QBKing77's videos. He is very helpful with his reviews as well as install instructions. Not sure which Rom to flash ? Watch his reviews and see which one appeals to you most. Once you find your desired rom he will give you step by step instructions on how to do so. Also, mobile odin, I dont use mobile Odin ... there is just something about it that does not sit well with me ... I always use a normal Odin3 v1.85 .. I am running the AOKP rom and I absolutely love it. I would like you to be aware that almost all ICS roms are still buggy and you may need some work arounds i.e. MMS, Video recorder, Voicemail etc. but if you follow the threads the questions are always asked and solutions are always posted. I flashed AOKP build 39 last night and the MMS was not functional. By this afternoon, there was a work around posted and MMS is fully functional. What I have noticed is that in most roms your video recorder will not record in HD. But 480p SD will work just fine.
You should not be scared, but be careful. Always read and follow instructions EXACTLY and do not deviate. I would also suggest that you do not preserve your data as a fresh clean install always works best. Best of luck.
Use sfhub's autoroot packages to root (root just means giving yourself elevated permission levels that are usually blocked by the phone company) your phone. then use his other package that automatically installs CWM to your phone. Use this stock CWM5 (for EL26 or EL29) to flash an ICS ROM. Make sure it is stock... so the hat and the cog or whatever are both there as the logo. Don't use Rogue Recovery or anything custom to flash.
Bruce, I'm gonna take the time to write out as much as possibly can to help you, through a private message when I get the chance to do so on a computer. It may be a day or 2 before I can because I've got a pretty busy schedule the next couple days, but I assure you, by the end of our conversation, you will have as much of an understanding of all the lingo and knowledge as I do. The best advice to give to you, or anybody, is to be VERY PATIENT with everything that you do. As far as the gotbrickbug app, yes, all of us have it. Just don't be hasty with anything, and don't be afraid to ask when you are unsure of anything no matter how "n00b" are or aren't.
You'll be hearing from me soon.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
We were all noobs once. Post your questions, because I guarantee there is someone else looking for the sane answer who is to scared to ask. And don't worry if its been asked before. People get too damn touchy about the search feature.
Sent from my ridiculously long named phone while firing up a Blu Kuban ---
Sprint Samsung Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch
First off, I would like to thank ALL of you for the amazing, helpful info that you provided me. I am very grateful to all of you for taking the time to read my post and provide excellent feedback.
In regards to the brick bug, I'm now feel reassured in moving forward with upgrading my phone, and putting the worry of the brick bug behind me. I will still follow through with everyones advice in reading the directions carefully and re-reading them, and re-re-reading the posts and instructions to avoid hard bricking my E4GT.
A special thank you is in order to peanut1596; for when you take the time to write me a private message to assist me in the best method of upgrading my phone to ICS. Your effort and time will not go overlooked.
From here on out, I'm going to take everyones advice, and look into the you tube vids that you have suggested, and watch them multiple times before proceeding.
Thank you all for also making me aware of the possible problems I might experience, such as problems with MMS, video recording in more than 420p, etc.
Again, many thanks to everyone on here for all their feedback. I can't say it enough, you all have my sincere gratitude in making me feel welcome to this community, and I hope that in the future... I will be able to pay it forward to someone else in need.
If anyone has any more advice, I sincerely look forward to reading it. I appreciate all help and will keep everyone posted on any roadblocks I run into. Before I update my phone, I will post a new thread on what my plan of action is, and hope I can get the final "go" on if my plan is prudent from the community.
Thank you all again, I sincerely appreciate it.
Check your PMs

[Q] Rooting Etc. the s3

Okay, I just recently got the S3 after having an HTC hero for years that was unceremoniously killed by mother nature on a ride home that took me through a torrential downpour on a motorcycle.
My little hero was rooted and running cyanogenmod 7.2 however i haven't messed with modifying any phone or such since that one or more advanced than that.
I know there are tons of threads with how Tos on rooting the s3 and such. But, I have noticed in a few of them they mention "tripping a flash counter". Does the method shown by qbking trip it or not, and what is the significance of this?
Something else I'm noticing being mentioned in various threads are Kernels. To be honest I don't know what they are and haven't found a thread explaining them. So what do they do what is their significance? etc etc
Thanks in advance for any help and I'm sorry if these have been answered before somewhere I'm not seeing. But I think it's better to ask and get answers from the experts and be sure before moving forward with modifying my brand new phone. Especially since the guys at my local sprint store root and modify their phones so they know what to look for in case something were to happen.
Before I answer your questions, I just wanted to thank you for reading up a lot prior to asking and trying to find the answer on your own. Also, your questions were clear and concise, which is becoming more rare on this site (and others).
Ok, as far as the trip counter goes, it shouldn't matter if you trip it. Samsung is a lot more developer-friendly than HTC is, so there's no locked boot loader (on the s3) and there's no real big deal with tripping the counter. You can use triangle away to remove the trip, but it shouldn't matter. I believe qbking's method well trip it.
Kernals are a bit more difficult to explain, but if you're familiar with drivers for Windows, I think the concept is similar. The android os is not designed to communicate with every piece of hardware out there. The kernals are there to act as the translator between the "generic" language of android and the specific language of the specific hardware that's used in the phone. So when android asks for the GPS, all it had to do is call upon the GPS. The kernel is the one that translates that and gives directions to the specific piece of hardware (in this case, the GPS). The main advantage of custom kernals is that they can also relate the processor speed, which can either boost performance or save battery life, depending on your preferences and settings.
There is a thread in general that talks a lot about the ktoonsez Kendall and the various settings that people have used. I've found it a good primer on kernals and how the different governors work.
After all that, have fun flashing!
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Tuvan03 said:
Okay, I just recently got the S3 after having an HTC hero for years that was unceremoniously killed by mother nature on a ride home that took me through a torrential downpour on a motorcycle.
My little hero was rooted and running cyanogenmod 7.2 however i haven't messed with modifying any phone or such since that one or more advanced than that.
I know there are tons of threads with how Tos on rooting the s3 and such. But, I have noticed in a few of them they mention "tripping a flash counter". Does the method shown by qbking trip it or not, and what is the significance of this?
Something else I'm noticing being mentioned in various threads are Kernels. To be honest I don't know what they are and haven't found a thread explaining them. So what do they do what is their significance? etc etc
Thanks in advance for any help and I'm sorry if these have been answered before somewhere I'm not seeing. But I think it's better to ask and get answers from the experts and be sure before moving forward with modifying my brand new phone. Especially since the guys at my local sprint store root and modify their phones so they know what to look for in case something were to happen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suggest checking out THIS THREAD
topherk said:
Before I answer your questions, I just wanted to thank you for reading up a lot prior to asking and trying to find the answer on your own. Also, your questions were clear and concise, which is becoming more rare on this site (and others).
Ok, as far as the trip counter goes, it shouldn't matter if you trip it. Samsung is a lot more developer-friendly than HTC is, so there's no locked boot loader (on the s3) and there's no real big deal with tripping the counter. You can use triangle away to remove the trip, but it shouldn't matter. I believe qbking's method well trip it.
Kernals are a bit more difficult to explain, but if you're familiar with drivers for Windows, I think the concept is similar. The android os is not designed to communicate with every piece of hardware out there. The kernals are there to act as the translator between the "generic" language of android and the specific language of the specific hardware that's used in the phone. So when android asks for the GPS, all it had to do is call upon the GPS. The kernel is the one that translates that and gives directions to the specific piece of hardware (in this case, the GPS). The main advantage of custom kernals is that they can also relate the processor speed, which can either boost performance or save battery life, depending on your preferences and settings.
There is a thread in general that talks a lot about the ktoonsez Kendall and the various settings that people have used. I've found it a good primer on kernals and how the different governors work.
After all that, have fun flashing!
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the help and the info. As far as the kernel thing goes i must admit i feel stupid now, esp being a computer science major, granted I'm just beginning toward my degree however for some reason i just didn't put two and two together. My excuse is that it was late at night/early in the morning heh , that being said please excuse me while i go bang my head against a wall to see if i can jump start my brain.
I guess now the only thing left to do is watch the video again/download the files and root the sucker and go from there.
Thanks again for the info and guess i need to read the FAQ a bit more rather than skimming through
We're here to help! I'm glad you're understanding it better now, even with the couple of horrible autocorrect mistakes I had in the post.
Hope you enjoy all the custom roms out there, I always enjoy trying out a new one.
Peace,
Topher
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app

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