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Hey guys! I'm picking up an Xperia Play in a couple of days and was looking for some general advice about the phone. This will be my first Android device, I've been on WebOS/Garnet for my last two phones. I'm just a little overwhelmed with the options presented by the Play and Android in general. For instance, I'm not sure if I should root my phone or not - what are the advantages?
Any other general guides to Android/the Play would be wonderful if any such guides exist. I'm looking to deck this thing out with every emulator on the market as well as get the PSXperia hack up and running (I've downloaded the program, but can't figure out how to use it).
You can sense my overall noobishness in general, I'm sure. Any advice or tips about this device would be great. I'm really excited about the Play and getting comfortable with Android. Thanks everybody!
kershner25 said:
Hey guys! I'm picking up an Xperia Play in a couple of days and was looking for some general advice about the phone. This will be my first Android device, I've been on WebOS/Garnet for my last two phones. I'm just a little overwhelmed with the options presented by the Play and Android in general. For instance, I'm not sure if I should root my phone or not - what are the advantages?
Any other general guides to Android/the Play would be wonderful if any such guides exist. I'm looking to deck this thing out with every emulator on the market as well as get the PSXperia hack up and running (I've downloaded the program, but can't figure out how to use it).
You can sense my overall noobishness in general, I'm sure. Any advice or tips about this device would be great. I'm really excited about the Play and getting comfortable with Android. Thanks everybody!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
congratz im waiting for mine is the mail right now lol
rooting allows you to have full access to the file system sorta like a administrator
on a windows machine since out the box you cant edit files or remove bloatware without root you cant install certain programs from the market without root
also having root and unlocked bootloader allows you to flash a custom recovery image which will allow you to flash customs roms(a custom version of android dev by a user here on xda or anywhere in general)
yes i highly recommend but if you ever plan on returning the phone to verzion for example you will have to revert it back to stock
and for the program psxperia you need to install the latest version of java from java.com
and if your on a windows machine you double click the psxperiatool.JAR file
and it should run not sure on OSX
in the end you made a good choice on choosing android as mainstream as it became its still a powerful system way better IMO than ios or even webos
since android has so many developers theres gonna be an endless amount of programs
will post new finds myself etc
edokassiah said:
and unlocked bootloader allows you to flash a custom recovery image which will allow you to flash customs roms(a custom version of android dev by a user here on xda or anywhere in general)
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Click to collapse
You cannot flash the recovery image directly or you will mess up boot partition, you need to flash a kernel with embedded recovery built in
Thanks for the info. I'm confused about the locked/unlocked bootloaders. How do I know which one I'll have? And how "easy" of a process is rooting the phone if I don't plan to install any custom roms or anything?
Also, how does transferring .apk files from my PC to the device work?
kershner25 said:
Thanks for the info. I'm confused about the locked/unlocked bootloaders. How do I know which one I'll have? And how "easy" of a process is rooting the phone if I don't plan to install any custom roms or anything?
Also, how does transferring .apk files from my PC to the device work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you havent unlocked your bootloader yourself it is locked there are many risks and advantages to unlocking your bootloader, but if you dont intend to flash custom roms there really is no need, just like with root, if you dont know what it is, you probably wont need it
transfering .apk's from your pc is easy, just copy the .apk to your sd card, then use a file manager to find the .apk, tap on it and the installer will pop up , you need to tick unknown sources in settings though
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1176367
AndroHero said:
You cannot flash the recovery image directly or you will mess up boot partition, you need to flash a kernel with embedded recovery built in
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Click to collapse
hes asking about android in general not aiming specifically at the xperia play
If I root my phone, do I have to switch everything back in order to get updates? All I really want to root my phone for would be to remove bloatware/speed it up a bit, is there a better way than rooting?
There is plenty of tutorials here, I suggest that you read, read, and then......read some more
_terror_ said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1176367
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Thanks so much for this link, it's seriously going to help me while rooting my phone. This might be a dumb question, but bear with me - better safe than a bricked phone. The guide to rooting in that link says that I need to flash my Play to the .184 Generic UK firmware...am I understanding it correctly that I need flash this firmware onto my American Verizon Play? I want to make sure nothing is going to get screwed up regionally, as I'm going to want to keep getting OTA updates and all that.
Just to share my own experiences since I'm new to the Xperia Play (previously had an Acer Liquid.. crappy hardware but great community of devs.. anyways..)
I'd recommend rooting your phone off the bat - the simple reason is rooting will involve wiping your phone's data, so if you already have a few months of use that means having to restore everything which is tiresome. First thing when my phone arrived was follow the rooting guide here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1116090
After that however I wouldn't recommend messing around TOO much with custom firmwares and such etc.. get used to the phone as it is and figure out what you like, don't like. if your like me within a few weeks or months you'll want something new - this is when you might want to start looking at messing around with the phone - new home launchers or even a new ROM (if your phone can have it's boot loader unlocked, from what I understand mine can't). The games and Emulators should keep you busy as is
The only customizing I've done to my phone is rooting it with Gingerbreak and using the leaked Sony Launcher.
I realize this is a pretty nooby thing to do that annoys all the veterans, but I consider this to be a fairly crucial piece of information I need before I attempt to root my phone, so I'm just gonna go ahead and bump this thing before it gets lost in the shuffle.
In order to root with a locked bootloader on an American Verizon XPlay, I need to flash to the .184 generic UK firmware, then root, then OTA update, correct?
kershner25 said:
I realize this is a pretty nooby thing to do that annoys all the veterans, but I consider this to be a fairly crucial piece of information I need before I attempt to root my phone, so I'm just gonna go ahead and bump this thing before it gets lost in the shuffle.
In order to root with a locked bootloader on an American Verizon XPlay, I need to flash to the .184 generic UK firmware, then root, then OTA update, correct?
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Click to collapse
No. That method will not work on the r800x (verizon xplay) to root yours you will need to see [How-to] R800x Root
Dont worry about annoying people lol . Who cares what others think? Everyone has to start somewhere.
But it would be better with a stickied thread for new users to look @.
So now, instead of the 3 step process linked previously in this thread, I have to unlock the bootloader and do a whole bunch of other stuff? This method is like 100x more complicated. Is there no other way? I don't intend to install any custom roms, I strictly want to root solely for freezing bloatware.
No i dont think so. You would be better asking for help from other r800x owners in that thread.
The exploit gingerbreak uses on 2.3.2 was patched in 2.3.3 (worldwide) and was also patched by verizon before they released the handset on 2.3.2. Up untill the bootloader was unlocked on the r800x rooting was not possible.
Ask in that thread and you should recieve the help/info you are after.
hiya mate right ive rooted and put on custom recovery but now its screwed up my cam , wifi , and the market so be warned im trying to fix this problem as we speak
---------- Post added at 10:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:27 PM ----------
im new to this to really but having a play with no cam and no wifi and no market. the market is there but cant dwnload nothing is taking the piss can anyone help me please
Mozza2k11 said:
But it would be better with a stickied thread for new users to look @.
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Click to collapse
There is one already stickied in the Q&A section.That it has gone practically unnoticed counters this statement.
kershner25 said:
Thanks so much for this link, it's seriously going to help me while rooting my phone. This might be a dumb question, but bear with me - better safe than a bricked phone. The guide to rooting in that link says that I need to flash my Play to the .184 Generic UK firmware...am I understanding it correctly that I need flash this firmware onto my American Verizon Play? I want to make sure nothing is going to get screwed up regionally, as I'm going to want to keep getting OTA updates and all that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Their is not such thing as a bricked phone
always is a way to fix it and usually its as simple as flashing a FTF
or whatever stock rom your device uses takes like 5 minutes tops lol
and logsemans guides will tell you anything you need to know
just use them for refrence
Xperia Play Super Compilation (Q&A Sticky)
and if you head down the path of rooting and stuff
messing with files
you wont be able to get ota updates lol.
it will "brick you"
I recentally made a quick video with tips for android users/beginners if you want to watch it. Thought it would help people. http://youtu.be/Pd5DerUoEcY
Hey guy, sorry if this is going to be a bit of a noob question but please try and bear with me. In lieu of the recent nexus 5x which i found to be a huge disappointment I decided to pick myself up an lg g4. I'm not the biggest fan of the stock lg Rom and immediately looked for Cyanaogenmod.
I know that no stable build has yet been release for this phone yet and that i just need to have some patience, but I have some questions regardless. I'm wondering if there is a difference between root and an install of cyanogenmod. By this i mean that there are certain installer which will complete the process for you without you having to do any rooting yourself. If i understand correctly the phone is still being rooted but just by a program. My question is, is it only this latter feature that is not yet available for my phone. Like, if I were to root it myself would I then be able to install a cyanogenmod ROM. Or is it that there is not yet any compatible ROM for my device. If it is of any help I have the LG-H812 version of the phone.
Also, I recently saw a video on the XDA developers YouTube channel where it was discussed how TWRP is now available for the G4. what exactly does this mean and is it something that I would want.
Thank you very much for putting up with me.
Sounds like you need to do a bit more research before you do anything. I don't think TWRP is available for your model at the moment, which rules out custom roms/cyanogenmod. You just have to be patient and hope TWRP becomes available, then wait for a stable rom to come along. Or trade/sell your H812 for the international H815 (careful there are a few variants of the H815).
Nickvek9 said:
Hey guy, sorry if this is going to be a bit of a noob question but please try and bear with me. In lieu of the recent nexus 5x which i found to be a huge disappointment I decided to pick myself up an lg g4. I'm not the biggest fan of the stock lg Rom and immediately looked for Cyanaogenmod.
I know that no stable build has yet been release for this phone yet and that i just need to have some patience, but I have some questions regardless. I'm wondering if there is a difference between root and an install of cyanogenmod. By this i mean that there are certain installer which will complete the process for you without you having to do any rooting yourself. If i understand correctly the phone is still being rooted but just by a program. My question is, is it only this latter feature that is not yet available for my phone. Like, if I were to root it myself would I then be able to install a cyanogenmod ROM. Or is it that there is not yet any compatible ROM for my device. If it is of any help I have the LG-H812 version of the phone.
Also, I recently saw a video on the XDA developers YouTube channel where it was discussed how TWRP is now available for the G4. what exactly does this mean and is it something that I would want.
Thank you very much for putting up with me.
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Click to collapse
He's right man you Really should start hammering google especially with a more technically involved root with our g4s. No matter what anyone tells you TWRP or another custom recovery is the number one absolute most important thing to do with any root and immediately after you root before you make any modifications beyond normal app installs whatsoever. Custom recovery is what is going to save your ass in a bootloop or brick situation where you cannot get to the OS or even get a response from the device. As long as you have a backup in storage, you can use hardware key combos to enter TWRP and wipe the system and the problem and reflash the backup. Recovery is completely separate from the Rom that's how you can get around a total Rom disaster when nothing else works. The main reason there's no Roms for them yet is cuz only that one variant's bootloader can be unlocked which is required in most devices to flash a Rom or recovery and the reason that even with my capabilities I won't even bother rooting my expensive ass main important phone I'm still paying for every month lol I just fulfill my flash addiction on an l70 on a daily basis and daily I get outta bootloop and bricks thanks to TWRP... The g3 is perfect for playing with and I'm considering buying a used one and o I recommend the same until the g4 is fully cracked......also CM only comes pretty rooted because it does the same thing as normal just by flashing supersu which is a breeze with TWRP also
Through my ancient eyes comes the certainty of decay... LG G4 & L 70
I just managed to get this device from someone the other day. Having been an iphone 5c user for a while, going to a 5c after my last frustrating and horrible android experience with an HTC inspire device, I am back on android for the storage expansion so that I can play emulator games- only to find myself pulling my hair out ONCE AGAIN after all the numerous conflicting advice/ threads/tutorials out here which I have countless wasted hours on already. I don't have time to read through tutorials promising a downgrade from lollipop to kit kat, in hopes of a root so I can pair my ps3 controller wirelessly to my device... constantly stuck on odin failing and what have you, so just give it to me dry and clean. Please help as this is extremely frustrating and annoying.
Can I or can I not root this device? if so How? ( please provide detailed instructions as i don't know what the lingo is around here) If not i'm putting this thing right back on craigslist where I got it from. I am running 5.0.1
All I want to do is pair my ps3 controller wirelessly to my note 4, thought I would be able to do that until sixaxis said it needed 'root access' :silly:
if theres a way to circumvent this, please let me know. I do NOT WANT to use a corded controller with this. Battery life is already kinda sucky on this phone so i'll ened to charge the device as i'm playing
Sunaj1 said:
I just managed to get this device from someone the other day. Having been an iphone 5c user for a while, going to a 5c after my last frustrating and horrible android experience with an HTC inspire device, I am back on android for the storage expansion so that I can play emulator games- only to find myself pulling my hair out ONCE AGAIN after all the numerous conflicting advice/ threads/tutorials out here which I have countless wasted hours on already. I don't have time to read through tutorials promising a downgrade from lollipop to kit kat, in hopes of a root so I can pair my ps3 controller wirelessly to my device... constantly stuck on odin failing and what have you, so just give it to me dry and clean. Please help as this is extremely frustrating and annoying.
Can I or can I not root this device? if so How? ( please provide detailed instructions as i don't know what the lingo is around here) If not i'm putting this thing right back on craigslist where I got it from. I am running 5.0.1
All I want to do is pair my ps3 controller wirelessly to my note 4, thought I would be able to do that until sixaxis said it needed 'root access' :silly:
if theres a way to circumvent this, please let me know. I do NOT WANT to use a corded controller with this. Battery life is already kinda sucky on this phone so i'll ened to charge the device as i'm playing
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Click to collapse
Have not read enough, if you have a Verizon locked bootloader... Recommend to put it right away to Craigslist because no root has been found good luck
If you can deal with root on a temp basis, meaning it is lost every reboot, then go that route. Otherwise as EdrickMg stated, it is not available.
How do I know whether the bootloader is locked or not? I might want to buy an N910V, as its much cheaper than international/Indian version, but I need to make sure whether or not the bootloader is unlocked. Cause I can't even think about not rooting a phone in first one hour of purchase. What could I ask the seller to confirm about the bootloader?
If it's a Verizon Note 4, then the bootloader is locked. There is no permanent rooting method for this phone. People are still hopeful that there might be one coming, but I'm willing to bet that there'll never be a method to root it. This phone has been out since October of 2014, with no root method found. There is a temporary root method that will allow you to root your phone, but the next time you reboot, it's gone and your phone is re-locked. To me, that's a lot of effort for something that you lose whenever you reboot your phone, but that's just my opinion. Also, this temporary root is just root - it doesn't unlock your bootloader.
If you absolutely must have a rootable phone with unlocked bootloader, then look elsewhere.
The only thing that we do have is debloater, which is a method that allows us to turn off and block almost anything we want. For me, that's enough, because the only reason I'd want root is to uninstall all of the crap that comes with this phone. It doesn't get rid of the junk, it just turns it off and keeps it from running.
If you want root to be able to install an ad blocker or to install custom kernels and/or ROMs, you cannot do it on this phone and likely (in my opinion), never will be able to.
Okay, I don't understand all these contract things as we don't have them in our country, but Verizon Note 4 and N910V, they are different? If not, how come there is a custom ROM and kernel for the SM-N910V model? The phone does show a red screen where Verizon is written on it. I am not understanding this!
ithehappy said:
Okay, I don't understand all these contract things as we don't have them in our country, but Verizon Note 4 and N910V, they are different? If not, how come there is a custom ROM and kernel for the SM-N910V model? The phone does show a red screen where Verizon is written on it. I am not understanding this!
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Click to collapse
There is a Verizon Note 4 Developers Edition that comes with an unlocked bootloader and it is rootable. I had to buy it straight from Samsung at full retail price. Totally worth it in my opinion. It is no longer available for sale on the Samsung site though
usmaak said:
If it's a Verizon Note 4, then the bootloader is locked. There is no permanent rooting method for this phone. People are still hopeful that there might be one coming, but I'm willing to bet that there'll never be a method to root it. This phone has been out since October of 2014, with no root method found. There is a temporary root method that will allow you to root your phone, but the next time you reboot, it's gone and your phone is re-locked. To me, that's a lot of effort for something that you lose whenever you reboot your phone, but that's just my opinion. Also, this temporary root is just root - it doesn't unlock your bootloader.
If you absolutely must have a rootable phone with unlocked bootloader, then look elsewhere.
The only thing that we do have is debloater, which is a method that allows us to turn off and block almost anything we want. For me, that's enough, because the only reason I'd want root is to uninstall all of the crap that comes with this phone. It doesn't get rid of the junk, it just turns it off and keeps it from running.
If you want root to be able to install an ad blocker or to install custom kernels and/or ROMs, you cannot do it on this phone and likely (in my opinion), never will be able to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm happy with a temp root, itll fit my purposes. Can you point me in that direction? and the debloaters direction?
yes sad, so sad that Permanent root was never fount! I am disappointed with Verizon over this......
DikStarrbuck said:
I'm happy with a temp root, itll fit my purposes. Can you point me in that direction? and the debloaters direction?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's all in topics in the forum. Easy to find if you look.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
RedsonRising said:
It's all in topics in the forum. Easy to find if you look.
Sent from my SM-N910V using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
Yea, theres SO much stuff in the forum, I honestly dunno what to look for. I'll keep at it, thanks
So what if u have a bootloader that starts with 15? I got 90% on kingoroot running a crap ton of random apps in the backgroundI thought I had it but bam root failed keep in mind I'm on marshmallow to anyone else get 90% are we really close or is it just a trick lol
custom_roms_epeptic said:
So what if u have a bootloader that starts with 15? I got 90% on kingoroot running a crap ton of random apps in the backgroundI thought I had it but bam root failed keep in mind I'm on marshmallow to anyone else get 90% are we really close or is it just a trick lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So your bootloader is unlocked already, correct? You need to have an unlocked bootloader and be running Lollipop, here's the thread that shows you how/what to do...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/no...asy-guide-how-to-root-verizon-galaxy-t3454593
I used the instructions in that thread and didn't have any issues.
driguy said:
So your bootloader is unlocked already, correct? You need to have an unlocked bootloader and be running Lollipop, here's the thread that shows you how/what to do...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/no...asy-guide-how-to-root-verizon-galaxy-t3454593
I used the instructions in that thread and didn't have any issues.
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Click to collapse
Thanks bud I'll try it tonight! I gone like 6 pages into Google trying to find something that works I got a little confused on the baseband version part. This is a silly question but if I have mine on
N910VVRU2CPF3 and use Odin and flash version: N910VVRU1ANJ5 it won't brick my device? And no my bootloader is not unlocked yet
custom_roms_epeptic said:
Thanks bud I'll try it tonight! I gone like 6 pages into Google trying to find something that works I got a little confused on the baseband version part. This is a silly question but if I have mine on
N910VVRU2CPF3 and use Odin and flash version: N910VVRU1ANJ5 it won't brick my device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll want to flash the N910VVRU2BPA1_N910VVZW2BPA1_N910VVRU2BPA1_HOME.tar .md5 file in ODIN as that is the firmware that Lollipop expects/works on. I don't know what android version N910VVRU1ANJ5 firmware is for. Flashing N910VVRU1ANJ5 shouldn't brick your phone but you will need to have it on N910VVRU2BPA1 to install Lollipop and root.
Trust me, just follow the instructions in the post I previously linked. It's all laid out for you in what is pretty much the easiest way you can do it. As long as you do it in the order listed, with the files provided, it will work.
driguy said:
You'll want to flash the N910VVRU2BPA1_N910VVZW2BPA1_N910VVRU2BPA1_HOME.tar .md5 file in ODIN as that is the firmware that Lollipop expects/works on. I don't know what android version N910VVRU1ANJ5 firmware is for. Flashing N910VVRU1ANJ5 shouldn't brick your phone but you will need to have it on N910VVRU2BPA1 to install Lollipop and root.
Trust me, just follow the instructions in the post I previously linked. It's all laid out for you in what is pretty much the easiest way you can do it. As long as you do it in the order listed, with the files provided, it will work.
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Click to collapse
Nj5 was kitkat but I will flash the version you said I greatly appreciate it
Wait hold on my bootloader is locked will it still work? Sorry for the annoying questions I'm a little rusty cause I only get a new phone every 2 years so I barely ever root lol
Rooting this phone is pretty tricky and you may have to repeat the process a few times for it to work. Follow the guide custom_roms_epeptic posted, that's the one I used and even though it took me a couple hours to go from stock to Nseven, it did indeed work. I would recommend using the version of kingoroot found in the zip contained in that guide, I tried kingroot and the newest version of kingoroot and both got hung up at 90% or just didn't work at all.
custom_roms_epeptic said:
Wait hold on my bootloader is locked will it still work? Sorry for the annoying questions I'm a little rusty cause I only get a new phone every 2 years so I barely ever root lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Part of the steps you will be doing will be to unlock the bootloader, this is mandatory. If your CID starts with 15, you can change the CID of your device to that of a dev edition device, which can then have its bootloader unlocked. Like I said before, it's all laid out for you in the other thread.
driguy said:
Part of the steps you will be doing will be to unlock the bootloader, this is mandatory. If your CID starts with 15, you can change the CID of your device to that of a dev edition device, which can then have its bootloader unlocked. Like I said before, it's all laid out for you in the other thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay so I FLash the downgrade and then unlock the bootloader
,? Yes?
Hello,
I've got a Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 that I bought during the few months when it was the top of the line small tablet from Samsung (before the S series came out). Since it seems clear that Samsung has abandoned it and it won't get an Android update, I want to see what it'll take to upgrade to at least Lollipop. I'm pretty tech savy, but I've never tried to do anything like this with Android and I'm not at all sure where to start.
I've started to read the thread on rooting, but I quickly got a bit lost as I don't understand the terminology.
My goal would be to simply get to stock Lollipop or Marshmallow and have a stable, functional tablet that I don't have to tweak or mess with much. I'd also like to be able to go back if it proves too buggy. Is that feasible, or is rooting plus upgrading pretty much something that will require constant maintenance and tweaking? If it is possible, can someone point me to a how to for complete newbies?
Rooting will not help you upgrade your tablet to Lollipop or Marshmallow as they aren't available for your device. You might want to google "what is rooting" and find out what it does before proceeding.
The only thing you could do to get L or MM is install a custom ROM such as this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...5-1-x-cyanogenmod-13-0-nightlies-tab-t3256093
CafeKampuchia said:
Rooting will not help you upgrade your tablet to Lollipop or Marshmallow as they aren't available for your device. You might want to google "what is rooting" and find out what it does before proceeding.
The only thing you could do to get L or MM is install a custom ROM such as this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/gal...5-1-x-cyanogenmod-13-0-nightlies-tab-t3256093
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What makes you thin that his device is not have any Third Party ROMs (i.e CyanogenMod)? FYI this is the Tab Pro Fourm, and his Device should damned well be able to get to Lollipop or Marshmallow. e.g. CM12.1, or CM13.
As for rooting which you have to do at the start. Will most likely send him back to SamFirmware's where he'll need to likely first downgrade his Firmware to one that has a rootable exploit. i.e. a 'BOC1' ROM for the T325. (Which is the version I have). Through Odin (Samsung's Android Firmware Windows PC flashing Software). Then run something like the CFRoot App to get root.
NOTE: THIS WILL THROW YOUR KNOX FLAG!
This means that you'll never be able to use Knox services on that Device ever again. It will also throw the Warranty Flag as well Alerting Samsung that the Firmware was tampered with. For the moment (As I gather there is no known way to reset either of these Flags.) Not that this should stop you from installing either CM12.1 Lollipop (Seems to have lost support to) CM13 Marshmallow which is currently on a nightly release.
So the better question to ask is which T32x does Op even have? The T320 (Wi-Fi) The most common, and cheapest version has the greatest support. Where as the T325 (LTE), and T321 (3G) versions seem to be leaving behind. though even these are currently well into Marshmallow, and like with most ROMs there are some small bugs. But, on the whole My Device is more or less working as it should be.
Ichijoe said:
What makes you thin that his device is not have any Third Party ROMs (i.e CyanogenMod)? FYI this is the Tab Pro Fourm, and his Device should damned well be able to get to Lollipop or Marshmallow. e.g. CM12.1, or CM13.
As for rooting which you have to do at the start. Will most likely send him back to SamFirmware's where he'll need to likely first downgrade his Firmware to one that has a rootable exploit. i.e. a 'BOC1' ROM for the T325. (Which is the version I have). Through Odin (Samsung's Android Firmware Windows PC flashing Software). Then run something like the CFRoot App to get root.
NOTE: THIS WILL THROW YOUR KNOX FLAG!
This means that you'll never be able to use Knox services on that Device ever again. It will also throw the Warranty Flag as well Alerting Samsung that the Firmware was tampered with. For the moment (As I gather there is no known way to reset either of these Flags.) Not that this should stop you from installing either CM12.1 Lollipop (Seems to have lost support to) CM13 Marshmallow which is currently on a nightly release.
So the better question to ask is which T32x does Op even have? The T320 (Wi-Fi) The most common, and cheapest version has the greatest support. Where as the T325 (LTE), and T321 (3G) versions seem to be leaving behind. though even these are currently well into Marshmallow, and like with most ROMs there are some small bugs. But, on the whole My Device is more or less working as it should be.
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1) I read the OP. He said, "stock Lollipop or Marshmallow."
2) You don't have to root TouchWiz to install a custom ROM. All you have to do is install TWRP, but it doesn't matter because of #1 above.
Well yes if he wanted Stock then he'd be outta luck. But that is not how I read it. I read it that he has accepted the fact that Samsung have left us in the lurch concerning any future updates.
That's how I read it, so the question follows in how to install a Custom ROM. Granted it should be possible to install TWRP v. 3.0.1-0, though Odin, and then the Device appropriate ROM. It should go without saying that the T320, and T325 are not the same Device, even if they are both collectively known as Galaxy Tab Pro's 8.4. As such it would be upnto the owner to know which version he might need.
Ichijoe said:
Well yes if he wanted Stock then he'd be outta luck. But that is not how I read it.
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The problem, is folks really need to stop using the word "stock" as it really doesn't mean jack. Or at the least, means so many different things to different people, as to be basically meaningless. I would take stock to mean, what belongs on the device per the manufacturer, so that would be Kitkat TouchWiz in this case. To others (and probably what the OP is getting at) is a "pure" unskinned Google experience like Nexus. But seeing as Nexus is limited to such a small number of devices, I don't personally feel you can consider that "stock". CM is AOSP based, and at one time considered by many to be close to a pure AOSP experience. But those days are long gone, and there are so many proprietary CM features and apps now, you can't even begin to consider this "stock" by any means.
---------- Post added at 03:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:22 PM ----------
_salguod said:
My goal would be to simply get to stock Lollipop or Marshmallow and have a stable, functional tablet that I don't have to tweak or mess with much. I'd also like to be able to go back if it proves too buggy. Is that feasible, or is rooting plus upgrading pretty much something that will require constant maintenance and tweaking?
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What you are asking for is CM12 or CM13 (LP or MM) or one of the CM based ROMs. Those are really your only choice when it comes to anything past KK on this device. The CM ROMs are are very stable at this point. You might run into an obscure bug, but to be honest, its less laggy and overall a much better experience than the official Samsung TouchWiz ROM. And if you want to be free of Samsung bloat, CM definitely does that as well.
Tweak or maintain? You don't have to do anything after flashing the ROM, if you don't want to. You can decide to update to newer nightly CM builds from time to time, but that is completely optional. And to be honest, even CM13 is so stable at this point, that the nightly updates don't really change much of anything.
Go back? That's a breeze. Just do a backup in TWRP custom recovery before flashing a ROM, and you can restore to that backup (basically a snapshot of your existing configuration).
_salguod said:
If it is possible, can someone point me to a how to for complete newbies?
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Honestly, just searching and reading are your best friend. You'll learn a lot more that way, than folk spoon-feeding you the info. The process isn't really all that hard. There may be a lot of esoteric lingo, but you can easily Google or use the XDA site search to find out what those terms mean. And once you've gone through the process, you'll likely be happy for the learning experience.
XDA is a wealth of information, for those willing to take the time to learn and search. All the answers you want are here in one form or other. Difficult to wade through at first, I'll agree with that. But all of us here had to go through the same thing at one time or other.
Its really hard to help someone when they say is "I'm a newb, tell me how to do this". Make a lot more sense for you to just dive in, then come back here with some specific questions, which we will gladly answer.
it would help to know what version OS you're running and the build #.
I rooted my tablet late last year (bought it in May 2015). Wasn't hard to do after some reading. Knox is still good too...1 yr warranty will be over soon.
Thanks all, I appreciate it. I've been doing some more digging to try to learn what everything means so I might know what I'm talking about. I started with the Lifehacker rooting guide (I can't post links yet, add this to lifehacker dot com: /5789397/the-always-up-to-date-guide-to-rooting-any-android-phone) and their how to flash a ROM guide (/how-to-flash-a-rom-to-your-android-phone-30885281) as well. Let me know if those aren't good places to start. I've also read through the CyanogenMod how to for the 8.4, which seems pretty thorough.
I definitely appreciate the push to search and learn, but it can feel like drinking from a firehose. Most "how to" posts are written assuming the reader knows the terminology and every post I read means Googling a half a dozen terms to understand it. For example, I have no idea what the Knox flag is or why I'd care if it got triggered. I don't care about the warranty flag, I'm past the 1 year mark so it doesn't really matter, right?
When I said "stock" I was referring to stock out of the box Android, not stock Samsung. Stock Samsung means staying with KitKat which I'd rather not do. My phone is a Motorola Droid Turbo, which I think is pretty close to stock Android Lollipop, so that I'm familiar with that.
However, I think I'm seeing that going stock Android isn't necessarily possible, or rather, other ROMs are easier to come by. Cyanogenmod seems to be the most popular and sounds very stable, I'll likely try that.
So, I don't need to root in order to flash a new ROM. What's unclear is do I need to do anything special to make sure I can go back to the out of the box Samsung KK that I have now in case I really screw it up or just don't like it and want to go back? Will the process of installing Cyanogenmod wipe my device (apps, files, accounts, data, etc.?
Any other surprises that a guy who has never done this might want to know before going in?
Thanks again for your patience and help.
I forgot to mention, I've got the wifi model, T-320. It's running 4.4.2, build number KOT49H.T320UEU1AOC1.
Well you have a number of choices for your T320 (WiFi), Sadly nonmof those stock. Since Samsung has never seen fit to ever giving us one. For me the Samsung (e.g. Vender ROMs), were always the 'Stock' ROMs. 'Pure' ROMs (al-la Nexus), are clearly Custom ROMs.
The best, and quickest way to learn how to update from Stock to Custom would be to hit up YouTube for a few short Vids on the subject.
_salguod said:
I've been doing some more digging to try to learn what everything means so I might know what I'm talking about. I started with the Lifehacker rooting guide (I can't post links yet, add this to lifehacker dot com: /5789397/the-always-up-to-date-guide-to-rooting-any-android-phone) and their how to flash a ROM guide (/how-to-flash-a-rom-to-your-android-phone-30885281) as well. Let me know if those aren't good places to start. I've also read through the CyanogenMod how to for the 8.4, which seems pretty thorough.
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Those aren't bad general guides, to just introduce you to the basic concepts and terms. Just keep in mind that every different Android device has its nuances, which vary by manufacturer and over time (from one device to another - even from the same manufacturer). So you'll be referring back to Tab Pro 8.4 specific guides eventually.
_salguod said:
I have no idea what the Knox flag is or why I'd care if it got triggered. I don't care about the warranty flag, I'm past the 1 year mark so it doesn't really matter, right?
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Basically, if you don't know what the Knox flag is, then it probably doesn't matter.
The longer story, Knox is a enterprise mobile solution made by Samsung. If you company doesn't use Knox (and you don't use your device for work), you don't need it. The huge majority of folks will never need Knox or want it.
You're right, that if the warranty is expired, the warranty flag doesn't matter. And honestly, I rooted my device while it still had a valid warranty. I'd rather have a device that I can use how I wish, and install what software I want (especially if Samsung isn't going to support it with updates) and warranty is a secondary concern, at most.
_salguod said:
What's unclear is do I need to do anything special to make sure I can go back to the out of the box Samsung KK that I have now in case I really screw it up or just don't like it and want to go back?
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Once you install TWRP custom recovery, you can make a backup of the current Samsung TouchWiz KK ROM; and revert to that if needed or desired.
But honestly, you won't want to go back. CM runs faster and smoother, with no Samsung bloat. You won't want to go back to the crappy TouchWiz ROM, that is 2 generations (Android versions) obsolete.
But it is a good idea to have a backup, in case flashing CM doesn't go right the first time, and the device won't boot.
_salguod said:
Will the process of installing Cyanogenmod wipe my device (apps, files, accounts, data, etc.?
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You will absolute want to wipe user data when installing CM. Not doing so will likely cause major bugs and/or failure to boot. This is the general rule whenever flashing a new ROM. Although for similar ROMs (such as minor CM updates) you can try to keep user data. This is called a "dirty flash".
You can backup a lot of your data before flashing CM:
Apps: After root, you can use the app Titanium Backup (highly recommended) to backup apps and app data
Accounts: Titanium can backup a lot of this stuff, as well. Depends on what you are talking about, specifically.
Files: just move them to SD card or your computer. Or use a cloud solution (there are many)
You should always be backing up your data, anyway, if its important to you.
_salguod said:
I forgot to mention, I've got the wifi model, T-320. It's running 4.4.2, build number KOT49H.T320UEU1AOC1.
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Same firmware as what I had prior to rooting it.
The cyanogen articles give a good rundown on how to install it. The only thing that I'm not sure about is whether getting the sdcard to be formatted/recognized is still an issue or not.
When last I checked back in Feb. it seemed like that was still unresolved. I have a 64gb card and getting it to be read by CM13 was absolutely critical. So any move to CM13 was postponed.
Running Kitkat is fine for me...after rooting it, I uninstalled/froze a lot of software incl. a lot of Samsung crap that was eating the battery. The battery is my only complaint with the tablet.
AndroidPrince1 said:
The cyanogen articles give a good rundown on how to install it. The only thing that I'm not sure about is whether getting the sdcard to be formatted/recognized is still an issue or not.
When last I checked back in Feb. it seemed like that was still unresolved. I have a 64gb card and getting it to be read by CM13 was absolutely critical. So any move to CM13 was postponed.
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The SD card issue on CM13 was solved in early March. It was holding me back as well (stayed on CM12.1) , until I saw it was solved. Now I've been using CM13 for over a month. My 64GB card works great with CM13.
AndroidPrince1 said:
Running Kitkat is fine for me...after rooting it, I uninstalled/froze a lot of software incl. a lot of Samsung crap that was eating the battery. The battery is my only complaint with the tablet.
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If you flash CM, you'll see its a lot smoother and snappier, especially on the home screens, app drawer, etc.
Thanks all, I plan on biting the bullet some time soon. Too much other stuff on my plate (like car repairs, etc.) so it'll have to wait for a bit. I'll check back in when I do. I'm looking forward to it.
redpoint73 said:
The SD card issue on CM13 was solved in early March. It was holding me back as well (stayed on CM12.1) , until I saw it was solved. Now I've been using CM13 for over a month. My 64GB card works great with CM13.
If you flash CM, you'll see its a lot smoother and snappier, especially on the home screens, app drawer, etc.
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Good to know on the sdcard thing...looks like I'll have to read up again on how to do.
Thanks for the note.
_salguod said:
What's unclear is do I need to do anything special to make sure I can go back to the out of the box Samsung KK that I have now in case I really screw it up or just don't like it and want to go back?
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BTW, you can always restore your device to 100% stock (Samsung) by downloading the firmware from sammobile.com/firmwares and flashing it using Odin. If you get into trouble, this will help get you back out.
But since flashing CM13 nightlies is relatively easy, I don't think you'll have any serious trouble, just the normal learning curve.
I've had my SM-T320 on Cyanogenmod since the day after I bought it in 2014 and never looked back :good:
CafeKampuchia said:
BTW, you can always restore your device to 100% stock (Samsung) by downloading the firmware from sammobile.com/firmwares and flashing it using Odin. If you get into trouble, this will help get you back out.
But since flashing CM13 nightlies is relatively easy, I don't think you'll have any serious trouble, just the normal learning curve.
I've had my SM-T320 on Cyanogenmod since the day after I bought it in 2014 and never looked back :good:
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I don't see any US firmwares on the sammobile.com site. Am I looking in the wrong place?
_salguod said:
I don't see any US firmwares on the sammobile.com site. Am I looking in the wrong place?
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Cellular South is the US firmware for some reason.
I'm trying to load the latest CM 13.0 nightly this morning and running into issues.
I'm following the install instructions on the CM website and the loading of a custom recovery is failing at step 7. I get the start of the blue bar on my tablet, but I get this error in the command prompt:
Downloading device's PIT file...
ERROR: Failed to send request to end PIT file transfer!
ERROR: Failed to download PIT file!
Ending session...
ERROR: Failed to send end session packet!
Releasing device interface...
I've tried twice with the the factory cable and a third time with an alternate cable same result.
How do I fix that?
I should mention that I'm working on a Windows 10 computer.
Ok, I start this off with the fact that this is my first phone with the whole slot A&B thing. I've done a ton of reading but it's still very confusing to me. I'm very confused on what exactly to do when it comes to updates. I'm stock rooted with TWRP installed on slot A. I'm also on the December build. I would like to update but I don't know what the easiest way to go about it is to be honest. I feel like an idiot but I guess that's because I'm really old school when it comes to this stuff. My rooting/roming goes back to the Samsung Captivate and countless other phones up until it got to be too much of a hassle to get a phone from a carrier that could be messed with. Now that I have rambled on, I thought it would be different getting a Pixel but this whole slot thing has me all confused. I basically want to stay stock rooted for now and possibly try a kernel down the line but I'm very happy with stock for now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
pside15 said:
Ok, I start this off with the fact that this is my first phone with the whole slot A&B thing. I've done a ton of reading but it's still very confusing to me. I'm very confused on what exactly to do when it comes to updates. I'm stock rooted with TWRP installed on slot A. I'm also on the December build. I would like to update but I don't know what the easiest way to go about it is to be honest. I feel like an idiot but I guess that's because I'm really old school when it comes to this stuff. My rooting/roming goes back to the Samsung Captivate and countless other phones up until it got to be too much of a hassle to get a phone from a carrier that could be messed with. Now that I have rambled on, I thought it would be different getting a Pixel but this whole slot thing has me all confused. I basically want to stay stock rooted for now and possibly try a kernel down the line but I'm very happy with stock for now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
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@Homeboy76 will get you squared away :good:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pi...-android-9-0-pie-unlock-t3857195/post77944292
Badger50 said:
@Homeboy76 will get you squared away :good:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pi...-android-9-0-pie-unlock-t3857195/post77944292
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Thanks for the reply. I've read throughout that thread numerous times and I still can't determine the easiest way to update my phone and the necessary steps to take to get there. I just want to be stock rooted like I am now but don't know what steps to take to get there. Like do I need to unroot first, relock bootloader? I'm sure all those answers are in that thread but I'm probably just too dense to see them. I haven't really had a solid rooted phone in like 3 years so I'm used to things being done way different. Some times I miss my old HTC Inspire/Desire HD. There was so much development for that phone and it was all very straightforward.
pside15 said:
Thanks for the reply. I've read throughout that thread numerous times and I still can't determine the easiest way to update my phone and the necessary steps to take to get there. I just want to be stock rooted like I am now but don't know what steps to take to get there. Like do I need to unroot first, relock bootloader? I'm sure all those answers are in that thread but I'm probably just too dense to see them. I haven't really had a solid rooted phone in like 3 years so I'm used to things being done way different. Some times I miss my old HTC Inspire/Desire HD. There was so much development for that phone and it was all very straightforward.
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This guide is how I update the monthly security patches. It is predicated on the notion that you have the latest platform-tools (28.0.1) and that your computer and phone are communicating well. It doesn't not require you to switch slots, and it will not wipe your data, and, you do not have to unroot before you begin. Happy flashing, and good luck
And never ever ever relock the bootloader! :crying:
Badger50 said:
This guide is how I update the monthly security patches. It is predicated on the notion that you have the latest platform-tools (28.0.1) and that your computer and phone are communicating well. It doesn't not require you to switch slots, and it will not wipe your data, and, you do not have to unroot before you begin. Happy flashing, and good luck
And never ever ever relock the bootloader! :crying:
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Awesome, thank you very much for that. Yeah, I figured that about the bootloader. Does it matter if I have TWRP installed? That's the one main confusing thing to me. How you can have TWRP installed or not installed. I'm used to absolutely having to have TWRP or some other kind of custom recovery installed. But like I said it's been quite a while since I was really able to root/ROM a phone. I was basically forced to move to AT&T and opted for the Active line of Galaxy phones since I have little kids plus even the phones that were rootable and such seemed like more of a hassle than it was worth. The last phone I had that had some good development was probably the LG G3 on T-MOBILE. For some reason the T-MOBILE version had an unlocked bootloader or could be unlocked, don't remember exactly. But then a coworker got a Pixel 2XL and I got the itch again, not knowing how much had really changed though. Ok, I think I've rambled on enough now. Thanks again for the help.
pside15 said:
Awesome, thank you very much for that. Yeah, I figured that about the bootloader. Does it matter if I have TWRP installed? That's the one main confusing thing to me. How you can have TWRP installed or not installed. I'm used to absolutely having to have TWRP or some other kind of custom recovery installed. But like I said it's been quite a while since I was really able to root/ROM a phone. I was basically forced to move to AT&T and opted for the Active line of Galaxy phones since I have little kids plus even the phones that were rootable and such seemed like more of a hassle than it was worth. The last phone I had that had some good development was probably the LG G3 on T-MOBILE. For some reason the T-MOBILE version had an unlocked bootloader or could be unlocked, don't remember exactly. But then a coworker got a Pixel 2XL and I got the itch again, not knowing how much had really changed though. Ok, I think I've rambled on enough now. Thanks again for the help.
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Doesn't matter if you have twrp installed or not. When you fastboot the update, it'll wipe it out anyway :good: