Help Stripped down version of Android?

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TheAntiDote

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Nov 18, 2013
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I originally had my unlocked S3 running 4.1.2 and upgraded to the original buggy 4.3. I decided to root it and installed Cyanogenmod but really didn't like it. I tried putting 4.1.2 back on it ended up screwing the IMEI and had to pay to have it reset and have 4.1.2 back on. Instead of upgrading to 4.3 or anything is it possible to get a non-branded version of Android I can put on there? One with non of the usual carrier/manufacture bloatware?
 
You could try either Cyanogenmod 11 or Dandroid 5 which is a stripped and optimized Touchwiz with Asp looks.
 
TheAntiDote said:
I originally had my unlocked S3 running 4.1.2 and upgraded to the original buggy 4.3. I decided to root it and installed Cyanogenmod but really didn't like it. I tried putting 4.1.2 back on it ended up screwing the IMEI and had to pay to have it reset and have 4.1.2 back on. Instead of upgrading to 4.3 or anything is it possible to get a non-branded version of Android I can put on there? One with non of the usual carrier/manufacture bloatware?
Click to expand...

Hi, if you want an original ROM without the carrier crap and logos then there is a standard country specific ROM available at Sammobile. Just type in your model number like 'GT-i9300' for international version of the S3 (you haven't said which model you have) and download it and flash it via Odin - Note: they changed the Odin version for JB43. ROMs to 3.09 and it looks slightly different to any previous ones, so where you previously found PDA tab its now called AP.

Here is the link to Sammobile, just register its free - Firmwares | SamMobile

P.S. Forgot to mention that the carrier versions are denoted by the carrier name in brackets, e.g. (Vodafone).
 
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Apologies for the delay, for some reason I didn't get any notification of replies.

Thanks everyone - I'm in the UK and my S3 is the non 4G model if that helps - GT-i9300.

I'm a bit wary of using anything from sammobile - that's the site I downloaded the version of 4.1.3 that screwed up my IMEI and meant I had to pay to get it reset. Is there a way I can ensure the stripped-down version (without carrier stuff etc) won't cause that to happen?
 
Alternatively is there a way I can get 4.3 on there? It tells me an update is available but when it connects to the servers it says I can't have it due to the phone being 'modified' (it's rooted). I went back to the shop that reset the IMEI and they said they could put 4.3 on it for me but that might pooch the IMEI again.
 
Sorry I made a mistake there - the shop said they could unroot it for me (thereby allowing me to get 4.3 OTA) but that could mess up the IMEI again.

When I use KIES it doesn't tell me any firmware is available (likely the 'modified' error again) so what's the best way to get 4.3 now? I'm downloading what seems to be a version of it from sammobile, do I need to flash the phone to get it on?
 
BTU.

What happened altogether was I started off with 4.1.2, unrooted. I then rooted is to try out Cyanogenmod which I didn't like at the time so I went on to sammobile to find a version of 4.1.2 to put back on it.

I followed the instructions but something went wrong as although 4.1.2 was on it the IMEI was a line of zeros or something.

I went to a shop to have the IMEI reset and I told them I wanted to go back to 4.1.2 (stick to what you know and all that).

All that went well (interestingly enough when the phone started up for the 'first' time after they put 4.1.2 the set-up language was arabic or something, I had to select English which wasn't what happened when I used to factory reset it before I messed it up) but the phone was still rooted.

Now when I try to update to 4.3 it won't let me as it is 'modified' - rooted I presume.

So I want to try 4.3 before going back to Cyanogenmod and trying to get used to it instead.

My worry is doing any of this will mess up the IMEI again.
 
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its been a while since i used firmware but i think BTU is the code for unbranded UK firmware which is what you want mate.
If your phone got flashed back to 4.1.2 then it wont be rooted now (download the Root Checker app to check) so i dont know why you arent getting updates.
Do you have a link to the firmware youre downloading?
 
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Yes thanks, installed it and backed the IMEI up. Only thing I was wondering though is about it being backed up to the phone, not the external memory card - is that the right way?
 
Good idea - thanks :D

So does this mean no matter what happens with whatever ROM goes on it, I won't mess up my IMEI again?
 
It may say your firmware is modified due to the trip counter being on 1 so you won't be able to update OTA officially.

Flashing an official firmware through odin shouldn't cause any problems but it's been a long time since I've messed around with odin and official firmware tbh
 

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