Kernel and bootloader and recovery

[backslashV]

Hi guys,

1. What is the advantage/disadvantage of flashing a custom kernel?
2. I recently flashed Cyanogenmod. It automatically installs a custom kernel right?
3. Using the Nexus 7 toolkit I reverted my N7 to stock recovery (from CWM) How should I make sure that it's been reverted to the latest stock version?
4. What does N7's stock factory image contain? (Stock ROM + Stock recovery + Stock kernel?) (found here: https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images)
5. Is this correct? You can install a custom ROM without changing the kernel but in order to have more customization you have to flash a different kernel than the stock one.
6. Is this the correct order? Unlocking bootloader>rooting>Flashing custom recovery>Flashing custom kernel>Flashing custom ROM>...?
7. Difference between unlocking bootloader and rooting.
8. How to find out N7's latest kernel version. (stock)

Many thanx

 

[digitalslacker]

Hi guys,

1. What is the advantage/disadvantage of flashing a custom kernel?
2. I recently flashed Cyanogenmod. It automatically installs a custom kernel right?
3. Using the Nexus 7 toolkit I reverted my N7 to stock recovery (from CWM) How should I make sure that it's been reverted to the latest stock version?
4. What does N7's stock factory image contain? (Stock ROM + Stock recovery + Stock kernel?) (found here: https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images)
5. Is this correct? You can install a custom ROM without changing the kernel but in order to have more customization you have to flash a different kernel than the stock one.
6. Is this the correct order? Unlocking bootloader>rooting>Flashing custom recovery>Flashing custom kernel>Flashing custom ROM>...?
7. Difference between unlocking bootloader and rooting.
8. How to find out N7's latest kernel version. (stock)

Many thanx

1. There are a few threads around here that go into this one in great detail but the bottom line is really control. There are things the device can do that are either disabled or done in a different way by the manufacture. Since the kernels are open source we can see and change those things. There aren't any disadvantages persay other then if you don't follow instructions right you can screw your device up but on Nexus devices that's pretty easily fixable with the system images.
2. All ROMs, custom or not have a kernel that ships with them. Kernels are the bridge that let the ROM talk to the hardware and vice versa. You need to have a kernel that's compatible with the ROM you are using or the device won't work so one will always ship with it. Sometimes it's a custom kernel and other times it's just a stock one. Depends on the ROM.
3. It's probably the latest already but I'm not sure how to tell that. I just use CWM all the time.
4. The factory images contain everything. They'll return the device to it's out of the box state.
5. No that's wrong, if you flash a custom ROM you'll overwrite the kernel that's on the device currently.
6. No, the correct order is unlocking bootloader > flashing custom recovery > flashing custom ROM > flashing custom Kernel. Rooting is done to the ROM. Most custom ROMs come pre-rooted so really rooting only comes into play when you are using the stock ROM. You don't need to root to unlock the bootloader or install a custom recovery and once that is done...you don't need to do it again until you use the images to restore your device and relock the bootloader.
7. unlocking allows you to install custom stuff outside of the ROM, rooting gives you elevated permissions within the ROM to install apps and do things that normally you don't have access to.
8. XDA would be the best bet i'd guess. If you restore though it'll install it.

Hope that helps.