Unlocked, rooted, flashed with custom ROM

[zeneleven]

Im new to Android world, so please help me.

Now, my Nexus 7 Wifi is now unlocked and rooted by your tutorial, and flashed Xenon HD Custom Rom.

I was in Jelly Bean 4.2.2 before. And i found some site that says XenonHD is updated to 4.2.2 version, so i try to get it, and installed it to my device. But after evrything done, i checked my device's version and it says 4.2.1, but im sure i downloaded the right one, dated April 2013, as far as i know. So, my device was downgraded to 4.2.1

Question:
a) Is it just that easy for downgrading an Android device? Because on iOS, there are lots of concerns first before you can actually do downgrading..

b) After installing apps, i made a backup with Nexus Root Toolkit, and after the backup process, it reboots, and i notice that something is wrong, the X animation logo goes somewhere at the lower right, and when it goes to lockscreen, since im locked on landscape orientation, half right side shows first then the half left side, youll really say that, it is not okay. I tried rebooting by XenonHD settings, i tried to turn off and turn it on again, same thing happens, what should i do?

c) About XenonHD, is it just one theme available? or i can download more themes elsewhere? can somebody point me to where can i do that?

d) And what more can i do to my device to achieve it AWESOMENESS

Thanks in advance..

 

[digitalslacker]

Responses in bold.

a) Is it just that easy for downgrading an Android device? Because on iOS, there are lots of concerns first before you can actually do downgrading..
ROMs are built off of a specific version of Android. Xeonon probably is based off of 4.2.1 which is why that's the version you are seeing. So yes...it really is that easy. You just gotta be careful that the other components (bootloader, radio etc) are compatible with the version you are installing. Those too can be downgraded but they don't usually ship with the ROM so that needs to be done manually.

b) After installing apps, i made a backup with Nexus Root Toolkit, and after the backup process, it reboots, and i notice that something is wrong, the X animation logo goes somewhere at the lower right, and when it goes to lockscreen, since im locked on landscape orientation, half right side shows first then the half left side, youll really say that, it is not okay. I tried rebooting by XenonHD settings, i tried to turn off and turn it on again, same thing happens, what should i do?
Not sure on that one. If you can't get it to boot up just get into recovery and re-flash Xenon.

c) About XenonHD, is it just one theme available? or i can download more themes elsewhere? can somebody point me to where can i do that?
Not sure on that one, don't use Xenon

d) And what more can i do to my device to achieve it AWESOMENESS
Try a few different ROMs and when you feel like it..look at kernels. That's where you add in real performance. ROMs really at in features and themes and stuff.

 

[zeneleven]

Responses in bold.

a) Is it just that easy for downgrading an Android device? Because on iOS, there are lots of concerns first before you can actually do downgrading..
ROMs are built off of a specific version of Android. Xeonon probably is based off of 4.2.1 which is why that's the version you are seeing. So yes...it really is that easy. You just gotta be careful that the other components (bootloader, radio etc) are compatible with the version you are installing. Those too can be downgraded but they don't usually ship with the ROM so that needs to be done manually.

b) After installing apps, i made a backup with Nexus Root Toolkit, and after the backup process, it reboots, and i notice that something is wrong, the X animation logo goes somewhere at the lower right, and when it goes to lockscreen, since im locked on landscape orientation, half right side shows first then the half left side, youll really say that, it is not okay. I tried rebooting by XenonHD settings, i tried to turn off and turn it on again, same thing happens, what should i do?
Not sure on that one. If you can't get it to boot up just get into recovery and re-flash Xenon.

c) About XenonHD, is it just one theme available? or i can download more themes elsewhere? can somebody point me to where can i do that?
Not sure on that one, don't use Xenon

d) And what more can i do to my device to achieve it AWESOMENESS
Try a few different ROMs and when you feel like it..look at kernels. That's where you add in real performance. ROMs really at in features and themes and stuff.

I did reflashed last night with Xenon, and i have the latest one this time at 4.2.2. About the lockscreen, it happens again, but when i tried to change and locked the lockscreen to portrait orientation, its all good now. But i had another problem, its Apollo app (music app) and its launcher giving me ".. has stopped" error, and when i try to use the Mic application for dictation (i think its the SIRI's match for android) , it exits to homescreen wherever im in..

So, i was thinking to change my ROM, anyone who can recommend a great ROM for me? About the kernel, i will try to learn about that

thanks for the response..

 

[digitalslacker]

CM and AKOP are the fan favorites
ParanoidAndroid is popular too
i'm a fan of Minco but it's not up to 4.2.2 but some feel that's a feature since 4.2.2 has some "issues" on N7
I've tried Xenon and didn't really like it too much.

right now I'm stock with the Franco's kernel and it's perfectly fine for me.

 

[zeneleven]

thanks, already did re-flashed with CM 10.0.0 last night, but its for 4.1.2 only, since theres no stable build for 4.2.2 yet.. everything is great, loving it so far.. about the kernel's, don't fully understand it yet, the how's, what's, and why's.. if you can enlighten me. please

thank you so much in advance

 

[digitalslacker]

sure

So a kernel is a layer of software that comes in every ROM (stock is a form of a ROM too). In simple terms it's the interface the ROM uses to talk to the phones hardware. Every ROM has a kernel included but you can over-write the default one with another that is compatible.

A custom kernel provides a lower level of access to your hardware. Meaning things can be tweaked, changed, added or updated that a ROM isn't allowed to modify. That can mean a range of different things depending on your device but in some cases whole new dormant features can be enabled that were simply never included for whatever reason. It also means you can tweak the clocking (speed of the processor), governor (algorithm used to determine when and what clock speed to use), voltage (to save battery, or give your device more voltage to run more stable at higher clocking) and lots lots more.

That's the short of it. The reality is that kernels are really complicated and there are far fewer players in that space than in the ROM space.

The big names out there are Franco, Motley, Clemnsyn and Trinity (i'm sure i forgot some)

I'm a big fan of the Franco kernel. He has a whole app that lets you install and mange them easily. It's in the play store. On the N7 it doesn't so a whole lot featue, some tegra tweaks and stuff but not much. But on the N4 I can tweak so much. Gamma correction to make the colors more accurate is by far my favorite. Don't just take my word for it though, there are lots of good ones you should try.

A word of caution on this one. Make sure you read the kernel threads well before installing and be sure that it's for your device and for the version of Android you are running. Most will specifically note if they have CM or AKOP support. If you flash the wrong thing there's a good chance you won't boot up until you wipe and restore and that's never fun.

For me anymore, since i really prefer a stock ROM and don't want or need all the features AKOP and CM have, kernels are were most of my tweaking happens. I get the clean feeling of stock but the speed bump and smoothness a kernel can provide. Most of the time when people say a ROM is "so fast and stable", that's probably more due to the kernel it ships with than the ROM.

my two cents, hope it helps.

 

[zeneleven]

well that's a lot. thank you so much. about ROM, the first reason why I want custom ROM is because of customization, and some additional settings. about kernels, I wanna try it, but from searching here, is there a thread where it has all the details needed about a certain kernel such as Franco, what I mean is, including the how's, how to install, where to go, what to do, especially infos about changing those frequencys , voltages, what is the recommended value, and many more. I can't find thread like that, can you point me to the right direction.

I find this video in YouTube that says there's a Franco kernel updater in play store, is that it? or I need a flashing?

sorry for asking for too much, and thanks for everything.

*oops, i think i found it, reading it now

 

[digitalslacker]

most of the official threads are over a XDA Developers.

francos is done through his app but others are flashed like ROMs are

 

[zeneleven]

i tried to download this flashable zip in franco thread in xda developers, milestones6 for 4.1.2, not nightly, and flash it in recovery mode, finished flashing, reboot system, and when i checked, kernel is still the same, and no icons? am i missing something? as for what ive read, theres choices how to install, fastbooting boot image at flashing zip?

im having a hard time for this please help

*ive installed the kernel already through fastboot, what to do next? no icons? no settings? should i download the updater in play store for me to be able to use the kernel?

- by the way, im just making this post in advance, while searching the net while waiting for answers

- so, after installing franco kernel, in automatically do its magic after reboot?.. and for me to have the control panel settings, for me to be able to modify the parameters, i should buy the app in the play store? please correct me if i was wrong, the controlling settings is in the updater app itself?

and one more thing that i dont know, what are the recommended values for each settings? for me to have the greatness of Nexus 7

 

[digitalslacker]

with franco the easiest way is to use his app. he's got a free version too of it that'll handle the install for you.
you should be able to just flash his kernel in recovery but you may need to push down the image via adb...can't remember.
the specific install instructions should be on his xda thread


Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD

 

[zeneleven]

i downloaded the boot image for my device, used fastboot flash boot-name.img, when i downloaded free updater, theres no control settings there, so i decided to buy the full one, i also found a thread from other forums that has information i needed, so i tried it, now observing for the changes. thanks for the responses sir.