[Q] ROMs & Restores

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Ctrl_Alt_Del

Member
Feb 2, 2014
45
13
Newport News, VA
I'm gonna go out on a limb here & ask a question that's been on my mind for a while, so bear with me. But first, let me give you some background so there's no confusion & no unnecessary questions asked. I'm by no means a "pro" at modifying my Note 3, I just follow instructions carefully & then implement those directions to achieve results. That's how I rooted my Note 3 but could still care less that I tripped Knox in the end.

I have the 32 GB Sprint Galaxy Note 3 with an 8 GB microSD. It's rooted using Chainfire's method. I also have TWRP for a recovery, but I'm using the stock Sprint ROM that came with it. I have a few root apps installed (Titanium backup, AdAway & Root Explorer) but the rest are what Sprint (& Android) put in there, minus a few that are totally unnecessary for me...(chat apps, picture drawings, step counting & so on) that were removed with Titanuim. It's still on 4.3 Jellybean with PUBMJ4 baseband. I also have the Wi-Fi hotspot fixed through 2 file replacements using Root Explorer.

Now that you know what I have, onto the question...

I see many, many ROMs in other threads that I'd like to try out, but don't know how to go about doing this. Before you jump right in & answer, here's my problem. If I try a ROM but don't like it, or it doesn't suit my needs, how can I go about going back to what I have now in the best (& fewest) steps necessary? In other words, to go back to exactly what ROM I have now, the apps installed, baseband, the whole nine yards. Just like a computer backup, it's a bit-for-bit restore, completely mirroring the hard drive. Understand?

Maybe you could explain to me like I'm seven years old what apps I need, what procedures are taken, the order in which they happen & so on. If I need an app or two to do just this, I have approximately $20 Google Play credit left.

Can a DEV or an experienced person that's done just this help a fellow out? Don't get me wrong, the stock ROM I'm using works for me, but there's ROMs posted that look just awesome! It's all about "personalization", am I right?
 
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kingdazy

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2010
1,752
758
Olympia
Easy, since you have a custom recovery installed (twrp) , you simply do a "nandroid" backup (I personally like to backup to an external SD card, so get a bigger one) before wiping and installing something new. If you like what you got, fine. If you want to go back, wipe and restore! Easy Peasy!

Sorry, being a father means sometimes your time suddenly becomes unavailable. But believe me, it's really easy once you figure out twrp.
I'll let another fine member get more details if you actually need them. ?

Sent from my calculator watch.
 
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Ctrl_Alt_Del

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Feb 2, 2014
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Newport News, VA
Easy, since you have a custom recovery installed (twrp) , you simply do a "nandroid" backup (I personally like to backup to an external SD card, so get a bigger one) before wiping and installing something new. If you like what you got, fine. If you want to go back, wipe and restore! Easy Peasy!

Sorry, being a father means sometimes your time suddenly becomes unavailable. But believe me, it's really easy once you figure out twrp.
I'll let another fine member get more details if you actually need them. ?

Sent from my calculator watch.

Doing a Nandroid backup as we speak! I didn't realize TWRP could do that. (duh! :p ) I only installed TWRP because I just liked the name of it. TWERP!! (gotta nice sound to it, doesn't it??) Thanks a bunch! :good:


So did you figure it all out?

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

I did. I found a Youtube link on how to do a TWRP backup on the Sprint Note 3. Easy Peasy as said above! I'll try some ROMs this weekend (can't promise nuthin' cause it's gonna be 70 degrees this weekend & I'm itchin' to ride my mountainbike along the boardwalk at the Virginia Beach.)

But now that the hard part is outta the way, it's all easy street from here!
 
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kingdazy

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2010
1,752
758
Olympia
Just be sure to Please, oh god Please, read all instructions on any rom you decide to try. Doesn't hurt to read the last 10 pages of each too, get an idea of Current issues that may not be documented in the OP.
And don't get lazy, follow word for word. The only times I f*cked stuff up was when I didn't follow instructions (ie, thought my experience meant I knew best), or just got sloppy.
And, don't forget to wipe! (I wipe 3X, everytime, as a habit. Some people will give you reasons why that's unnecessary, but I can say confidently, if perhaps anecdotally, that I Never have the issues others have with bad flashes, softbricks, FCs, etc.)
Something to get comfortable with, even though you may never need it is ODIN. It's most common use is a utility for flashing stock ROMs and firmwares, great for recovery from bad things. Again, you may never need it, but have it ready in your Pc with a stock ROM file, just in case.
Finally, Titantium Backup can be your best friend, if used properly. It can also be a real pain, so don't become too dependant on it.

FIN

Sent from my calculator watch.
 
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Ctrl_Alt_Del

Member
Feb 2, 2014
45
13
Newport News, VA
Just be sure to Please, oh god Please, read all instructions on any rom you decide to try. Doesn't hurt to read the last 10 pages of each too, get an idea of Current issues that may not be documented in the OP.
And don't get lazy, follow word for word. The only times I f*cked stuff up was when I didn't follow instructions (ie, thought my experience meant I knew best), or just got sloppy.
And, don't forget to wipe! (I wipe 3X, everytime, as a habit. Some people will give you reasons why that's unnecessary, but I can say confidently, if perhaps anecdotally, that I Never have the issues others have with bad flashes, softbricks, FCs, etc.)
Something to get comfortable with, even though you may never need it is ODIN. It's most common use is a utility for flashing stock ROMs and firmwares, great for recovery from bad things. Again, you may never need it, but have it ready in your Pc with a stock ROM file, just in case.
Finally, Titantium Backup can be your best friend, if used properly. It can also be a real pain, so don't become too dependant on it.

FIN

Sent from my calculator watch.

No worries! As I said in the OP, I follow directions carefully. I read everything.

Odin is my friend as well. I have it installed on my laptop. That's how I flashed basebands & deodexed stock rooted ROMs on my Galaxy S III. I also have the original stock Sprint ROM for this GN3 "just in case", in a folder sitting on my desktop with a few extra tools. I've never bricked a phone, unless you count using Samsung's online update (can't think of the name at the moment). It said 4.3 was available, so I downloaded it. It flashed, rebooted, but stuck there. Never finished the boot, just gave me an error code. Samsung's own update killed my GS3 & was unrecoverable. Believe me, I tried everything. What was strange, was the ROM was 4.3 but the baseband was the previous version, not the newer one, so the phone just puked. It never updated the baseband so it bricked. Now, I tried (and used) different radios with no problems before the update. Everything worked in harmony. Go figure!

Time for sleep my friend. Gotta work in the morning!
 
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    Easy, since you have a custom recovery installed (twrp) , you simply do a "nandroid" backup (I personally like to backup to an external SD card, so get a bigger one) before wiping and installing something new. If you like what you got, fine. If you want to go back, wipe and restore! Easy Peasy!

    Sorry, being a father means sometimes your time suddenly becomes unavailable. But believe me, it's really easy once you figure out twrp.
    I'll let another fine member get more details if you actually need them. ?

    Sent from my calculator watch.
    1
    Easy, since you have a custom recovery installed (twrp) , you simply do a "nandroid" backup (I personally like to backup to an external SD card, so get a bigger one) before wiping and installing something new. If you like what you got, fine. If you want to go back, wipe and restore! Easy Peasy!

    Sorry, being a father means sometimes your time suddenly becomes unavailable. But believe me, it's really easy once you figure out twrp.
    I'll let another fine member get more details if you actually need them. ?

    Sent from my calculator watch.

    Doing a Nandroid backup as we speak! I didn't realize TWRP could do that. (duh! :p ) I only installed TWRP because I just liked the name of it. TWERP!! (gotta nice sound to it, doesn't it??) Thanks a bunch! :good:


    So did you figure it all out?

    Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

    I did. I found a Youtube link on how to do a TWRP backup on the Sprint Note 3. Easy Peasy as said above! I'll try some ROMs this weekend (can't promise nuthin' cause it's gonna be 70 degrees this weekend & I'm itchin' to ride my mountainbike along the boardwalk at the Virginia Beach.)

    But now that the hard part is outta the way, it's all easy street from here!
    1
    Just be sure to Please, oh god Please, read all instructions on any rom you decide to try. Doesn't hurt to read the last 10 pages of each too, get an idea of Current issues that may not be documented in the OP.
    And don't get lazy, follow word for word. The only times I f*cked stuff up was when I didn't follow instructions (ie, thought my experience meant I knew best), or just got sloppy.
    And, don't forget to wipe! (I wipe 3X, everytime, as a habit. Some people will give you reasons why that's unnecessary, but I can say confidently, if perhaps anecdotally, that I Never have the issues others have with bad flashes, softbricks, FCs, etc.)
    Something to get comfortable with, even though you may never need it is ODIN. It's most common use is a utility for flashing stock ROMs and firmwares, great for recovery from bad things. Again, you may never need it, but have it ready in your Pc with a stock ROM file, just in case.
    Finally, Titantium Backup can be your best friend, if used properly. It can also be a real pain, so don't become too dependant on it.

    FIN

    Sent from my calculator watch.

    No worries! As I said in the OP, I follow directions carefully. I read everything.

    Odin is my friend as well. I have it installed on my laptop. That's how I flashed basebands & deodexed stock rooted ROMs on my Galaxy S III. I also have the original stock Sprint ROM for this GN3 "just in case", in a folder sitting on my desktop with a few extra tools. I've never bricked a phone, unless you count using Samsung's online update (can't think of the name at the moment). It said 4.3 was available, so I downloaded it. It flashed, rebooted, but stuck there. Never finished the boot, just gave me an error code. Samsung's own update killed my GS3 & was unrecoverable. Believe me, I tried everything. What was strange, was the ROM was 4.3 but the baseband was the previous version, not the newer one, so the phone just puked. It never updated the baseband so it bricked. Now, I tried (and used) different radios with no problems before the update. Everything worked in harmony. Go figure!

    Time for sleep my friend. Gotta work in the morning!