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General Guide To Custom ROMs and Rooting (w/ FAQ)

_ASSASSIN_

ivosaurus' locked bootloader explanation:

So why lock a bootloader?

A bootloader lets you change all the software on your phone. By locking it, you are prevented from doing so. Why do companies do this? Well, they try to never say directly, but you can guess the reasons:

  • They don't want customers accidentally uploading faulty software to their phone, bricking it, and coming crying back

  • They want to give as little surface as possible to hackers looking to meddle with the phone, for whatever security reasons

  • At the request of various third parties, such as carriers

  • They don't want custom software being put on that gives the device extra functionality or lifetime

Disclaimer: I never said these reasons were going to make sense in your, the customer's, mind.

My system | Nexus 4 (16GB) with CyanogenMod 12 | Pebble smartwatch | Dropbox | about.me: Tom Burnes -

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that rom comparison database is a massive mess. And it really makes no sense. I just have the recommended ROM's list with all their websites so you can check out what they are doing. Because features change so fast it's really pointless when they have everything on their website.

It is for users who don't want to go to twenty different websites to compare ROMs. I don't use it, but it is useful.

 

Just add the rest of the stuff like the bootloader information and apps.

 

Another thing: you could add that Xposed won't work with ART.

My system | Nexus 4 (16GB) with CyanogenMod 12 | Pebble smartwatch | Dropbox | about.me: Tom Burnes -

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It is for users who don't want to go to twenty different websites to compare ROMs. I don't use it, but it is useful.

 

Just add the rest of the stuff like the bootloader information and apps.

 

Another thing: you could add that Xposed won't work with ART.

oh yeah, let me add that ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just realized this thread. You guys did a pretty good job in explaining terms imo. :)

thanks :D worked quite hard on it, took nearly a week but it was worth it

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I briefly skimmed through your post but you did a fantastic job with this write up. 

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Mobile Devices I ASUS Zenbook UX31E I Nexus 7 (2013) I Nexus 5 32GB (red)

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

Additional Q&A

 

Deodexed vs Odexed

Deodexed allows you to customize all the colors in your ROM by an insane amount, if you are like me and love to customize everything to your liking, You might like deodexed. However, the only issue currently for 4.4 with deodexed ROMs is that you cannot run the new experimental ART runtime introduced in Kitkat (more on ART runtime here)

 

Things to be Added:

S-OFF/S-ON

why are bootloaders locked?

ART Runtime.

 

The deodexed stuff is wrong, Deodex is not a feature for "Colours" but a fundamental part of android that actually slows the OS, the reason it exists however is because there is greater flexibility to manipulate the operating system.

Comb it with a brick

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The deodexed stuff is wrong, Deodex is not a feature for "Colours" but a fundamental part of android that actually slows the OS, the reason it exists however is because there is greater flexibility to manipulate the operating system.

give me some tangible examples and I would be happy to add your comment with you thanked for additional information.

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give me some tangible examples and I would be happy to add your comment with you thanked for additional information.

The original point of deODEX is to repack the ODEX file that is usually kept separate, into the APK itself. This means that the entire application needs to be loaded into memory at once however, it is easier to modify. The fractions of a second longer it takes to load is outweighed by the ability to have full control over the app and its behavior. An example is theming and another is app patching. When modifying an application on the fly or patching an app permanently, it is just easier to have one file modified rather than two, and besides ODEX comes with its own selection of complications. I always recommend deODEX, simply because it's usually considered a benefit of root or specific ROMs. Besides, very few ROMs come in ODEX form. :)

Comb it with a brick

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The original point of deODEX is to repack the ODEX file that is usually kept separate, into the APK itself. This means that the entire application needs to be loaded into memory at once however, it is easier to modify. The fractions of a second longer it takes to load is outweighed by the ability to have full control over the app and its behavior. An example is theming and another is app patching. When modifying an application on the fly or patching an app permanently, it is just easier to have one file modified rather than two, and besides ODEX comes with its own selection of complications. I always recommend deODEX, simply because it's usually considered a benefit of root or specific ROMs. Besides, very few ROMs come in ODEX form. :)

your comment will shortly be added to my answer, thanks for your contribution :)

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  • 5 weeks later...

I'm gonna just make a reply in white text cause I feel amused by it.

"Rawr XD"

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hey it's my understanding that you can obtain root by using adb and simply booting into a custom recovery instead of flashing and installing a root app that way (such as SuperSU). Is this true? Also no need to unlock bootloader even.

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Hey it's my understanding that you can obtain root by using adb and simply booting into a custom recovery instead of flashing and installing a root app that way (such as SuperSU). Is this true? Also no need to unlock bootloader even.

I have no clue since each exploit is different per device.

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_ASSASSIN_

rather that making a new thread i figure go here ask instead, ok i'm trying to enable root access on my moto g, i did exactly as motorola guide itself said (https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/standalone/bootloader/unlock-your-device-b)
if the page doesn't load or whatever it says this

2ppUBVv.png

placed my code there, got the email and did what it said again (https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/standalone/bootloader/unlock-your-device-c) which was to place my device in fastboot mode, type "fastboot devices" to check, then "fastboot oem unlock [place email code here]" and then the phone in bootloader says "device unlocked" then every time it boots up show a splash screen saying bootloader unlocked but it s not i used this to app to check the root access ( 1 and 2) both said no, also whit every app that needs root access, i'm trying to unlcock my root so i can use my bloody pen drive on it and watch some movies that are over 4GB bigs and no surprise android doesnt have native support for exFAT devices (nor NTFS) and fat32 is useless these days  

 

realised this was half of the process to unlock root access, idk why i confused bootloader with root -__-

this is one of the greatest thing that has happened to me recently, and it happened on this forum, those involved have my eternal gratitude http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/198850-update-alex-got-his-moto-g2-lets-get-a-moto-g-for-alexgoeshigh-unofficial/ :')

i use to have the second best link in the world here, but it died ;_; its a 404 now but it will always be here

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Rooting

 Answer
In layman's terms, it’s basically administrator power to a user for android. Rooting is a way of modifying your device to give users access to the /root partition on your phone. Why does this matter? Rooting allows you, the user, to read and write from the /system partition, which allows for you to do a lot more with your phone than you could before, such as:

- backing up apps

- removing pre-installed bloatware

- installing a custom recovery, custom ROMs (such as CyanogenMod, AOKP, or Omni)

and custom kernels (we will get further in-depth with this later)

- extensive customizability and other customized apps.

I highly recommend using SuperSU as your root access control.

 

I recently purchased a LG G3 and im curious does Rooting the phone allow me to delete the LG bloatware and take it back as close to stock android 4.4.2? (Used to have a Nexus 4)

If so has anyone done this before & is there anything else I will need to do besides just root the phone?

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Rooting
 Answer
In layman's terms, it’s basically administrator power to a user for android. Rooting is a way of modifying your device to give users access to the /root partition on your phone. Why does this matter? Rooting allows you, the user, to read and write from the /system partition, which allows for you to do a lot more with your phone than you could before, such as:

- backing up apps

- removing pre-installed bloatware

- installing a custom recovery, custom ROMs (such as CyanogenMod, AOKP, or Omni)

and custom kernels (we will get further in-depth with this later)

- extensive customizability and other customized apps.

I highly recommend using SuperSU as your root access control.

 

I recently purchased a LG G3 and im curious does Rooting the phone allow me to delete the LG bloatware and take it back as close to stock android 4.4.2? (Used to have a Nexus 4)

If so has anyone done this before & is there anything else I will need to do besides just root the phone?

 

you can delete all of the LG apps (be careful, if you delete something like the camera, it might break things). 

However, the OS itself has been modified extensively, you will never be as close to AOSP like a Nexus 4 unless you load a custom ROM built on a AOSP base.

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Ok thanks. Any suggestions on which ROM I should go for then? New to all this but keen to try it. The G3 is a sweet peice of hardware but would be much better without their snot on it. Admittedly I'll prob try keep the camera app though if possible because its faster than stock android. Great guide BTW :)

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Ok thanks. Any suggestions on which ROM I should go for then? New to all this but keen to try it. The G3 is a sweet peice of hardware but would be much better without their snot on it. Admittedly I'll prob try keep the camera app though if possible because its faster than stock android. Great guide BTW :)

Depends what you need for battery life and minimalism: Codename lungo, for tablet ui PAC Man and for customization all the rest. just give them all a go. I normally change rom weekly. :P

Steve

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Ok thanks. Any suggestions on which ROM I should go for then? New to all this but keen to try it. The G3 is a sweet peice of hardware but would be much better without their snot on it. Admittedly I'll prob try keep the camera app though if possible because its faster than stock android. Great guide BTW :)

I have no idea as far roms go for the G3, since I have a G2. Just browse xda in the development board. 

As for the camera, no worries. Even if you flash a custom rom there are many modded stock G3 camera apps in there as well. 

Oh, and you don't really need to flash a custom rom if you want to get rid of the LG UI. Just install xposed and then install the G3 tweaksbox module. It'll make your G3 look like it's running on a aosp rom.

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  • 1 month later...

Yay for resurrecting a *kinda* dead thread! 

 

Does anyone want to point me in the right direction on how to root my Motorola Droid Razr (xt910)? I'm a complete newb when it comes to rooting (even after reading your post. Great job, by the way - Really well written/done). It's running 4.1.2. I've seen a lot of videos on how to root other Droid phones (Razr Maxx, Razr HD, etc.), but very few on my specific phone. And all the ones I've seen of my phone were either ICS or Gingerbread. Also, to make it even harder, the only computer I have access to right now is my MacBook.. Again, I don't need step-by-step instructions (although I wouldn't complain if someone did), just a general push to start my journey into rooting  :P

I done been through a whole lot. Trial, tribulations, but I know God - Kendrick Lamar


I question your mother's upbringing if you don't like me - Action Bronson


You apocalyptic dingleberry - James 'Captain Slow' May

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