Questions about rooting

[Octaviannn]

Hey everyone, I've got some questions about rooting my device. I would like to have the possibility to use a USB flash drive with my nexus, and i know the device has to be rooted. Now i want to ask what's the best kernel, mode, stuff i dunno what is this called. I heard about cyanogen mod, francos kernel and these are two different things. I would also prefer the "newest" and most up-to-date mode. And after this i would like to know what i need to do with my phone so that it could be able to use USB flash drives. I know that i need a battery pack, which i have, and a y-cable, which i can buy. Thanks a lot!
P.S. will i still get updates, like 4.4.3 and MAYBE 4.5(cause Google has to decide it)? And will i be able to download update packs, and cracked versions stuff of newer updates?

Posted from my Nexus 4

 

[SactoKingsFan]

I think this is what you're looking for.

Android Advanced: USB OTG on the Nexus 4 | Android Central

Franco kernel is supposed to be the best for performance. After rooting you'll need custom recovery (TWRP or CWM) in order to install the modified kernel and custom ROM (Cyanogenmod). I suggest checking out xda developers to read up on rooting, flashing ROMs and kernels, and other mods for the N4.

Cyanogenmod is the most popular custom ROM. It looks pretty much like stock Android and adds some extra UI and performance settings. The most recent version is CM 11 which is currently available as a snapshot build. These builds have been tested but they might be missing some of the features in release candidate and stable CM builds. Once you've rooted and have custom recovery you won't be able to install official firmware updates, but you can easily update CM or another custom ROM.

 

[Octaviannn]

So if i have cyanogen mod, i won't be able to install factory images for 4.4.3 or 4.5? And is this cyanogen mod also having the kitkat design? Like white grey status bar?

Posted from my Nexus 4

 

[Octaviannn]

And i will still be able to use google now launcher and every setting that I've had before the mod?

Posted from my Nexus 4

 

[Octaviannn]

I've read a little about cyanogen mod, and i still got the questions about the factory images.
Lol i sound like a noob here.

Posted from my Nexus 4

 

[zorak950]

You can always install factory images because they aren't updates: they wipe your phone and put a fresh firmware install on it. Changing firmware (i.e. going back and forth between stock, CM, and whatever else) will wipe your phone every time. As long as you stick with one though, it will generally be able to update itself without wiping.

 

[Octaviannn]

Thank you very much! I'm installing CM.

Posted from my Nexus 4

 

[rhea]

Note that ziddey's kernel (otg for usb) is based on Franco's. Also, the only way to use otg on the n4 is with external power to the phone.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Hordiyevych]

PLEASE NOTE!!! The latest KitKat CM version (CM 11) will not work with Franco's Kernel (because of various factors that are too complicated to explain). You don't need a kernel to get USB OTG (On The Go) nor a ROM, as far as I know but you do need to flash a certain zip file. Its called Ziddey's OTG hack. To be able to flash it, you will need to install a custom recovery. Just Google how to do so.
If you decide to go with Cyanogenmod or a custom ROM you will need to rely on new versions of the ROM to update it. You can flash stock ROM whenever you want, but whenever you switch ROMs you will have to wipe your phone (you can still save your apps though, search up titanium backup). I recommend sticking to stock and simply flashing the OTG file, although I think when your phone updates to, say, 4.4.3, it will stop supporting OTG. At this point you will simply have to flash the appropriate file again.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Octaviannn]

Guys i should have read your comments before installing that s****. I've installed cyanogenmod 11 succesfully. but after i installed usb otg stuff, the colors have inverted themselves, changed. Videos also won't work properly and yeah..
So is there a way to uninstall the usb otg mode, or do i have to reinstall cyanogenmod? Thanks guys!

EDIT: I will try to undo cyanogenmod, but first of all i'll search for the custom recovery

 

[zorak950]

You might as well just re-install CM; since you've only been living with it a few hours I don't imagine you have much you need to back up. Most firmware tweaks you have to flash don't have uninstall tools, and in any case why take the risk that it won't be a perfect restore when you've got nothing to lose by simply wiping?

 

[Octaviannn]

Yep i reinstalled it. Thank you it worked. But you know wha, I'm thinking of going back to stock. Is it right that i have got to install a recovery image? Like recovery for clockwork.img ? How to do it, do i need a special software for my PC or can i make it from my android device?

 

[zorak950]

I think if you flash a factory image it takes care of all that for you, but I'm not sure about that part; I've never gone from CM back to stock.

 

[Octaviannn]

Yeah i wouldn't do it also, but if i can't use usb otg with CM, and it'S possible to do it with stock, i'm doing it. And after installing the image, the bootloader remains unlocked, am i right?

 

[zorak950]

Yeah, nothing you do should relock the boot loader, but if it does you can just unlock it again right away and not lose any data since you won't have any data to lose yet.

 

[Octaviannn]

thank you very much for the answers. Now i have a LAST question
If i have to install a custom recovery on STOCK, how could i do it, and could you send me a link to such a thread? i found something on xda, but they're not explaining at all, and there were flashes only for CM and TWRK but not stock.

EDIT: 4.4.x: 2013.12.11 1604ET: [fk r199] [fk r199-CM]
4.4.x: 2013.12.06 1445ET: [aosp r7]
Which one of them should i download? [fk r199], [fk r199-CM] or [aosp r7]?
And how to install it? my bootloader is unlocked on stock. if i open recovery mode, android is laying on the ground, broken, with a red error sign.