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[Verizon] Which Rom and Why?

J

jboku

Member
Hello,

First let me apologize if a thread like this exists, I didn't look too hard for it.

Secondly I have a few questions I would like to ask.


  1. 1. Which is the "best" rom for a Samsung Galaxy Nexus
    1. I know there is no "best" but which ones are the most popular and why?
    2. I am looking for a rom that is updated frequently (I don't need all the bells and whistles, stock is fine) though I do not mind fancy animations / menus.
  2. My phone is unlocked but what steps must I take to backup my data before I root?
  3. Is there a ROM that auto-updates (similar to like how Verizon or other carriers send OTA updates)
I apologize I've been out of the ROM business since the OG droid days and have noticed the processes has changed dramatically since then :). I've gotten to the point where my nexus no longer satisfies me since verizon is so far behind (4 updates) and want to get back into the ROM business ;).



Nexus Issues I am hoping to fix w/ a new rom:

Currently my Nexus is having some issues. Firstly, the battery is great 1 day and the next terrible (If I charge it all night while I sleep and wake up I see in my battery widget that its gone to 100% and down to 95% while still on the charger). Also last week I went to Hawaii for vacation. My phone was off the entire flight (6 hours) and by 7pm my phone was completely dead. I didn't use it hardly at all except to maybe take 1-2 pictures and a couple text messages. The next day after charging it, it died quickly again by 3pm it was dead. However the next day it lasted all day and was at 15% at 11pm at night. Again similar use. Perhaps my battery is just getting old and I need to get a new one.



Secondly it randomly reboots on me sometimes. Even when not using it, I just look over and I see it's rebooting. I am hoping a new ROM might fix these issues. It is possible that it's hardware related though. I would venture to say 1-2x a week I see this happen.


Thanks everyone for your input
 
installing roms hasnt changed much since the OG droid days.
backup your rom, factory reset, install rom, install gapps and boot up.

I dont know if any rom toolkits save your data when you root, so backup anything you can to your computer so you can copy it back once done.

1-1 the answer to this is they all have their own merits and they all have their own detractors. Nobody can tell you which rom will be your favorite. Find the one that looks good to you and see how it runs... then try another... some roms are more stockish (jelly Belly is good stockish rom) while others are more feature packed (Sourcery/AOKP/CM). It all depends on your taste. IMO all roms are great in their own way, its up to you to decide which works best for you

1-3 no rom auto updates. some can send you notificaiton of a new update, but you shouldnt be forced to take an update if you dont want it.

Welcome back to the world of the rooted, btw :)
 
Thanks for the responses. I think I am going to try a few different ROMs. Can someone send me to a site that tells me step by step how to backup flash a rom. Again its been too long and I don't want to lose my data ;p.
 
jboku said:
Thanks for the responses. I think I am going to try a few different ROMs. Can someone send me to a site that tells me step by step how to backup flash a rom. Again its been too long and I don't want to lose my data ;p.
Click to expand...

wow, ya know thats a simple question but idk how to do it from scratch lol. I'd say go to xda or even the store has a couple of apps that root/unlock with one click...
 
I love the sorcery ROM. It let's you customize anything you want. Plus if you don't want to customize you don't have too. It makes my nexus feel so new again.
 
I tried Sourcery, best feature set of any ROM I've tried.

I use Liquidsmooth, best performance and battery life of any ROM I've tried. It feels closer to stock, and the parts of the phone that I personally use on a daily basis work very well.

I tried maybe 3 or 4 others whose names I forget, they honestly weren't close to the above two. That said, I'm curious to see where CarbonROM settles out and whether or not it lasts.
 
Only thing bad about sourcery is that it isn't as friendly on your battery as some of the more stockish roms are. But with as many customizations it offers, many feel it's a positive trade off. I personally use Eclipse because it's entirely inverted as far as colors go, so it really helps the battery on these AMOLED screens, plus I like the inverted look.
 
jboku, nice way to ask a question, thorough and well detailed. :)

I came straight from the OG Droid to the VZW Galaxy Nexus. And as said, the process for flashing a rom is pretty much the same.

Like you have answered for yourself, there is no 'best' rom as every phone and person is different.

I'd like to ask a question. Well two. In your #2 above you say your phone is unlocked. Do you mean you've unlocked the bootloader but have yet to actually root the phone as the rest of your question implies? And if so does this mean you have yet to install a custom recovery? And if you have and want to try a rom based on Android 4.2.x you must have the latest version of your preferred custom recovery before flashing otherwise you will wind up with a heck of a mess in the file structure on your 'sdcard'.

Now on to your battery issues. Your battery _might_ be getting worn out, but I'm going to go on my personal soapbox about using batteries in my cell phones. It costs a bit more, but I always invest in an extra battery and a battery only charger. I've been doing this for years and years. My batteries last longer overall and longer in between charges; way longer than being charged in the phone. Besides, that little port on the phone is much better served to only transfer files and hack your phone, lol.

Finally, I personally have been on Sourcery the most; though I am on JBS 3.2 based on Android 4.1.2. I have tried AOKP and a couple of others, but Sourcery has the most bells and whistles; but you don't have to use all of them.

good luck
 
teddyearp said:
jboku, nice way to ask a question, thorough and well detailed. :)

I came straight from the OG Droid to the VZW Galaxy Nexus. And as said, the process for flashing a rom is pretty much the same.

Like you have answered for yourself, there is no 'best' rom as every phone and person is different.

I'd like to ask a question. Well two. In your #2 above you say your phone is unlocked. Do you mean you've unlocked the bootloader but have yet to actually root the phone as the rest of your question implies? And if so does this mean you have yet to install a custom recovery? And if you have and want to try a rom based on Android 4.2.x you must have the latest version of your preferred custom recovery before flashing otherwise you will wind up with a heck of a mess in the file structure on your 'sdcard'.

Now on to your battery issues. Your battery _might_ be getting worn out, but I'm going to go on my personal soapbox about using batteries in my cell phones. It costs a bit more, but I always invest in an extra battery and a battery only charger. I've been doing this for years and years. My batteries last longer overall and longer in between charges; way longer than being charged in the phone. Besides, that little port on the phone is much better served to only transfer files and hack your phone, lol.

Finally, I personally have been on Sourcery the most; though I am on JBS 3.2 based on Android 4.1.2. I have tried AOKP and a couple of others, but Sourcery has the most bells and whistles; but you don't have to use all of them.

good luck
Click to expand...

Hello,

I've unlocked the boot loader but i have not yet rooted.

I have not installed a custom recovery.

I think I am going to try sourcery first. as an above poster listed http://androidforums.com/verizon-ga...ngs-root-guide-minor-update-01-26-2013-a.html -- will this take me through all the steps I need to make sure I have the proper recovery rom and backup of all my apps?

Thanks
 
If you need some refreshing on how to do the process, yes, there is alot of good info to be found in the links in that thread.

Otherwise, you can just install rom manager or goo manager. Either one of those will enabel you to flash their latest respective recovery for you, and the instructions in the OP of most any rom thread will give instructions on how to flash it.

good luck
 
Here's The Chief's great read through on installing and backing up things. It's what I used to go step-by-step through backing up my phone, and installing new ROMs. Once you're familiar with it, it comes down to:

Back up phone > Wipe > install ROM/Gapps > Restore Data > Done.

I was new to rooting up til mid-last year, and with his guide and tips, and the Root forum, I am now comfortable to do it whenever it strikes me. Give it a good read, and ask any questions you might have :)

Oh, and I'll add a + to TWRP recovery. So simple to use!
 
I would also add a +1 to using TWRP, and wanted to add that JDX aka Jelly Belly is the stock end of the ROM list that I have had a lot of success with.
I also came straight from the OG to the Nexus, and had the same issues you described. After installing AOKP as my first ROM on the Nexus, I have tried any and all I could get my itchy fingers on, like riding a bike! It gets easier as you do it more.
I have been back to JDX now for a while, and like the all day usage. Only other thing I might mention is that connectivity to a tower or wifi has a lot to do with the battery, just something to take note of. I was in a decent 4g area, then moved over the holidays... Now not so good on the connection speeds.. Meaning I use more battery to connect throughout the day.
Good luck and let us know how it goes for you!
 
With Key Lime Pie set to be released in May, I have to wonder how many more improvements (if you can call them that) are coming for Jelly Bean. Something tells me that new versions of JB Sourcery will be fairly scarce until KLP Sourcery 1.0 comes out... now THAT'S the one I'm waiting for :D
 
Coming from bugless beast, mmuzzy's roms over on xda have been clean and stable.

[ROM] [AOSP] MMuzzyROM for Toro - Jelly Bean 4.2.2 - JDQ39


 
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