i apologize for not seeing some questions since the thread got stickied lol
Metfanant.....great information. Question though, why is CM10 not listed under the ROM's? I am new so I am sure I am missing something.
CM10 isn't listed because i started with the TouchWiz based ROMs...
i did this for a few reasons
1. they are more user friendly
2. currently there are some issues with AOSP based ROMs that our guide is not quite setup to help with yet...i will however take some time tomorrow and edit my "ROMs" section to include them
One more question. Is there a certain sequence to all of this? Here is what I mean. I know you root the phone first, then do you install the ROM, then the NANDROID backup then, then the bootloader?...etc?
THanks
ok here is the BASIC order at which you should probably go...id like to get a chance to talk with Rolo about formatting this thread in the best way possible but here goes...
**Now while this is a general rule of thumb that you can follow for any Android phone, always make sure you read directions for specific devices as things can change..but this is the "path" i would send a VZW SGS3 owner on**
1. Root:Many different ways to do this now...i suggest the pre-rooted G1 ODIN Flash because it includes the new baseband as well
2. Recovery: Many ways to do this as well, EZ Recovery is still the easiest
2b. Make a stock Nandroid in case anything goes wrong and you want to get back to stock(i dont make Nandroids and have never used them...but you really should)
3. Unlock Bootloader: many ways to do this, but i suggest the 1-click tool at this point especially for noobs
4. Flash (ROMs, MODs, Kernels etc..)
4b. Make a Nandroid: if everything is working right its nice to have a clean install of your new ROM handy in case anything goes wrong later
First ima Noob.
I rooted with Odin(Fairly sure if this)
well the program is called ODIN so you cant miss it
I haven't flashed a phone before so if I do, do i really want any updates from VZW if they come out? (Since I'm using a 'better' version of the OS it seems like I won't need to worry about VZW.)
No, you generally do not want any of the updates from VZW...
ESPECIALLY now that we have our unlocked bootloader...there is a VERY GOOD chance that whenever an OTA comes out for our phones (i would say 99.9% chance with the JB update) that VZW will sneak a new bootloader into the update...its VERY LIKELY that installing said bootloader will completely brick our device..
If yes, I will need to flash back to stock before installing VZW update, right?
well here is the beauty of being a root user...i have not taken an OTA from VZW since the Froyo update on the Droid X in September of 2010..let me explain...
1. new versions of OS's are often leaked out...developer builds, carrier rejected builds etc...these often find their way into the hands of developers who get them on our phones...
this happened with the Droid X Gingerbread builds like crazy...us rooted users were running OFFICIAL Moto/VZW builds of GB something like 6+ months before it went public
2. official OTA updates ALWAYS go out to soak testers before it goes live...at that time developers will be looking to get copies of the soak test updates from testers...in the case of our phones we will likely get either a pre-rooted ODIN file, or a pre-rooted .zip within a day or two of the soak test starting, and we will have official JellyBean before it goes live
How do I keep the VZW update from updating?
often custom ROMs have the files needed to even download the OTA removed...so your phone will never know there is an update...
If I don't want to flash a custom ROM but just remove some bloat wear, where do I read about just doing that?
you can read about it right here..questions that you guys ask make these Guide Threads easier...because we know what to put in the threads...
Can someone refer me to where to read about saving a file for recovery? I have titanium back up but i don't understand where the files are? And I always have a 'didnt back up completely' message in the morning as the schedule is set for 2am.
recovery and titanium are two different animals...so we need some more info as to what youre trying to accomplish
Uuugh, so much to learn but I'm searching, reading, and watching YouTube vids as I don't want you guys to link me to that noob video I once saw.
ask away...thats what these threads are for
Edit: added a section to my above post differentiating between the TouchWiz ROMs and the AOSP ROMs...i will start to add the AOSP ROMs tomorrow when i have some time
Edit 2: added a few AOSP ROMs to the list and updated the "home thread" input for the TouchWiz ROMs as well...MUCH more is needed to be explained about the AOSP ROMs and potential risks associated with them, but no fear we will get there!