Rooting older Nexus phone that is running JB?

[crumbworks]

I have a Nexus S. I can't afford a new phone in the near future (now unemployed) and ever since it upgraded to ICS (and then to JB), it has been so slow -- the 1 GHz CPU w/ 512 MB RAM simply can't handle ICS/JB... and when I say slow, I mean painful -- from when I launch Chrome, it's at least 90 seconds until I can use the browser. It takes 30 seconds after I load the texting app until it converts phone numbers into names and becomes responsive enough to use. This is with a single-digit number of apps installed, and only one widget (3D Digital Weather Clock). Even clicking a text box, it's 6 or 7 seconds until the keyboard pops up.

The notion:
My brother says I'll be able to breathe some new life out of this thing by rooting it with a custom ROM. I have my SMS and call logs backed up and can easily re-download all my apps from the Play Store, so I don't care about losing anything. I just never really 'cared' about the rooting potential.

The question:
Is he right? Do you think there would be any reason for me to put something like Cyanogenmod on this thing, or is it simply too weak a processor (with too little RAM) to actually get anywhere with it?

Thanks for your input!
-Chris

 

[Deanig_12]

I have a Nexus S. I can't afford a new phone in the near future (now unemployed) and ever since it upgraded to ICS (and then to JB), it has been so slow -- the 1 GHz CPU w/ 512 MB RAM simply can't handle ICS/JB... and when I say slow, I mean painful -- from when I launch Chrome, it's at least 90 seconds until I can use the browser. It takes 30 seconds after I load the texting app until it converts phone numbers into names and becomes responsive enough to use. This is with a single-digit number of apps installed, and only one widget (3D Digital Weather Clock). Even clicking a text box, it's 6 or 7 seconds until the keyboard pops up.

The notion:
My brother says I'll be able to breathe some new life out of this thing by rooting it with a custom ROM. I have my SMS and call logs backed up and can easily re-download all my apps from the Play Store, so I don't care about losing anything. I just never really 'cared' about the rooting potential.

The question:
Is he right? Do you think there would be any reason for me to put something like Cyanogenmod on this thing, or is it simply too weak a processor (with too little RAM) to actually get anywhere with it?

Thanks for your input!
-Chris

you could try this How to Update Your Google Nexus S to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean [Full Guide] - International Business Times

 

[crumbworks]

you could try this How to Update Your Google Nexus S to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean [Full Guide] - International Business Times

Would there be any benefit to getting an even NEWER version of JB onto it, given the single core 1 GHz processor with only half a GB of RAM??

 

[patruns]

Well, since you backed everything up, the first thing I would try is a factory reset to clear out all the crap that accumulates over time. See how it runs after that before you think about a custom ROM. I have a CM10 (JB) ROM on my Nook color which probably has less power than your phone and while no killer, it runs just as well as it did with CM7 (Gingerbread).

 

[srkmagnus]

If you root and install a custom ROM then it's likely that the experience will be better.

Before going that route, I'd suggest a factory reset and see if that helps.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[crumbworks]

Well, since you backed everything up, the first thing I would try is a factory reset to clear out all the crap that accumulates over time. See how it runs after that before you think about a custom ROM.

If you root and install a custom ROM then it's likely that the experience will be better. Before going that route, I'd suggest a factory reset and see if that helps.

Thanks to both of you. I did just that, and it's considerably more responsive. Not exactly 'project butter' smooth (as expected) but it's actually functional again.

 

[srkmagnus]

That's good. The long term solution may be to install a custom ROM that improves how the phone runs.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2