Advice/suggestions on best stable custom rom for new Moto G5 Cedric (XT1671)

madagascaradam

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Apr 3, 2013
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Hi, I'm replacing a lost Moto G3 TE with a Moto G5 (xt1671 dual sim) that should be coming in the mail on Monday. I'd like to do whatever mods I want to my phone right away, before activating my google account on it and everything. So, I'd really like any advice any of you can give as to preferred custom rom with root that I should put on my new phone, so I can get to it right away. I've already found the thread to unlock it (same process as in past mostly), and I've found the guides for putting on TWRP (either 32-bit or 64-bit). So, now I just need to decide which custom ROM to use. Please advise!

I've also had a Moto G2 in the past. I've unlocked and used custom roms and root on all my phones so far, from Cyanogenmod 12.1 to AOSP Extended, ViperOS, and LineageOS. My wife's Moto G2 has Oreo on it (through AEX) and we're enjoying it (I had her add me as an account until I get my new phone). So, I'd like to continue using an Oreo system if possible, and I'd even prefer AEX, but it seems that it's discontinued for the Moto G5. Is that correct?

My overall goals for a custom rom are, in order of priority: reliability, speed/performance, battery life, and customization options. I found that AEX balanced all of that well on our past phones. Is the discontinued AEX for this phone reliable, or not? I've also seen the LineageOS thread and the KAOSP thread and have glanced at a few others. I use google accounts and half their apps for sure (so I'll want to install a GApps package with it). And I see there's a possibility to unlock RAW/DNG files for the camera, which I'd really like to try (as I prefer raw file editing instead of JPGs). And the customizations I like (if still possible) are mainly involving the way the launcher responds - I like having the navigation buttons hide, or to swipe up to get them back, I like being able to modify the status bar, etc.... typical customizations that were usually available in AEX that I've used. I also use root for file explorer and a few other functions - I used to always use SuperSU in the past, but just recently started using Magisk (on the Moto G2) and it seems good, though I'm open to any recommendation about which root to use.

So, please fire away! Please give your suggestion as to which currently available custom ROMs are stable, have good performance, good battery life, and offer standard customization, plus which I can root. I appreciate any suggestions and any advice you can give, especially regarding if there's a recommended rom but if it has known issues and any known workarounds. Also, I'd appreciate advice anytime today or tomorrow (since it'll likely be the afternoon or evening of Monday +3 GMT time - Madagascar - that I'm able to start working on unlocking it, installing custom recovery, etc.). But even if the advice is late, I might still be able to use it. I know this is a bit much to ask, but please give your own opinions freely!

Oh, by the way, do I need updated Motorola drivers, or will the motorola drivers and adb/fastboot I installed last time (for the Moto G3 TE) keep working with the new phone? The unlock thread I've found here doesn't say anything about motorola drivers or adb/fastboot. Thanks in advance!
 

madagascaradam

Senior Member
Apr 3, 2013
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the best stable rom is stock rooted
Thanks for the response! Is there a stock oreo available? And is stock rooted still customizable (like with AEX or something - can I install some sort of thing to let me customize it more?). And is there a debloated version of the stock rom available? I saw one thread on here about a debloated stock rom, but it looked like it was still nougat.

If it's possible to customize the stock rom further, please point me in the right direction. And if not possible to customize it further... then are you suggesting that any of the custom roms available aren't very stable to be used well for a daily driver?

Again, thanks for your response and also for any more feedback you can give!
 
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madagascaradam

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Apr 3, 2013
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So, I have my phone now and it came with stock Nougat. I've unlocked it, and I'm currently working on getting TWRP, Dm-verity thing on it, and then magisk. After that can I still update it to Oreo or not? Please advise. Thank you!
 

woozie.2007

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Oct 16, 2008
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So, I have my phone now and it came with stock Nougat. I've unlocked it, and I'm currently working on getting TWRP, Dm-verity thing on it, and then magisk. After that can I still update it to Oreo or not? Please advise. Thank you!
no, you have to update oreo first, after that install twrp and magisk for root it
 

madagascaradam

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Apr 3, 2013
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no, you have to update oreo first, after that install twrp and magisk for root it
Crud, that sucks! I was already finished rooting and everything on magisk, then I let the OTA update download and when it restarted my phone, it just automatically sends it into recovery (TWRP) every time now! I tried to install this TWRP stock Oreo (dirtying flashing it) hoping it would fix the boot-loop-to-TWRP-recovery problem, but it didn't. So now I need to figure out a way to get back to the original, so I can start over and try again. :(

I'm trying to do a factory reset and try again, but in TRWP it says ""Failed to mount '/data' (Device or resource busy)'" This sucks! Any ideas where I can go or what I can do (such as some fastboot commands or something) to get it all working again?

EDIT: It does reboot to bootloader though, so it's not hardbricked. Just need to figure out what to do from here. Thanks for any help!
 
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madagascaradam

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Apr 3, 2013
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Thanks! I downloaded the firmware (for latest Nougat) from this thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5/development/stock-upgrade-to-official-stock-oreo-8-t3823598

Then I flashed everything they said through fastboot (ignoring the modem stuff) because I'm still downloading the oreo firmware right now anyway (my connection is quite slow). At first the bootloader got stuck and said "error" and I was freaking out thinking I'd hard-bricked it. But I turned it off and on again anyway and it loaded fine back into nougat for that latest version.

So now I'm downloading the latest stock Oreo and I'll probably try to ADB sideload it.

Which root do you recommend? I have the Magisk I did for nougat that worked great - 11.6 But there's this thread here (https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5/how-to/guide-how-to-root-stock-oreo-8-1-soak-t3832347) that talks about what seems like a complicated way of doing Magisk 15.3 and then getting it up to 16. What do you suggest?
 
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woozie.2007

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Oct 16, 2008
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magisk 17.1 its ok, but you have to flash only partition that i said, not full firmware, and DONT flash the bootloader and GPT partition

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:10 PM ----------

better let the phone to update ota for latest security patch, dont flash via fastboot
 
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madagascaradam

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Apr 3, 2013
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OK, I installed the stock oreo through ADB sideload (it wouldn't read my storage for some reason).... then I reinstalled TWRP, no problem... then installed Magisk 17.1 (per your suggestion) and then the apk for the manager. Everything's working great! Didn't even need that dm-verity thing.

I'm still looking into the mods I can do to it now that it's rooted (such as changing boot logo and boot animation, adding that 'camera 2' setting, etc.) So I'm not sure I'm at a finished product yet, but I'm definitely at a stable rooted oreo with all my regular stuff installed, so that's a good place to start! I've made a nandroid backup here in case any of my further experimenting messes it up.

Thanks again for your help! And if you can give any suggestions towards the best way to customize the look (for example - is nova launcher still the best way to do that?) or other aspects of the system UI, while still being on this stock rom, then please let me know. I'll look up how to get that better camera mode working.
 
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madagascaradam

Senior Member
Apr 3, 2013
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magisk 17.1 its ok, but you have to flash only partition that i said, not full firmware, and DONT flash the bootloader and GPT partition

---------- Post added at 06:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:10 PM ----------

better let the phone to update ota for latest security patch, dont flash via fastboot
Could you help me with this: if I backup my system (everything) with TWRP.... can I then switch to a custom rom to try it out (in case I want a different user interface, more tweaks, etc.) and if I don't like it can I easily switch back to the stock rom nandroid backup I have saved in TWRP (thus restoring my previous state, but without having to start from factory reset)? Or would it be difficult to switch back - like would I have to redo it through fastboot or something and factory reset, etc.?

I'm asking because in the past I never used the stock rom much and I definitely never switched between a custom rom and the stock rom. Once I went for custom rom, I didn't go back - so I don't know if it's as simple as restoring a nandroid backup or if it's much more effort. Please let me know. Thanks a lot!
 

woozie.2007

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Oct 16, 2008
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you must be very carefully because most of the custom roms need twrp on 64 bits, now you have official twrp 32. When you come back from custom roms 64bit to previous nandroid backup, you must install 32 bits twrp, otherwise you may lose the imei of the phone, just read very well when you want to do something risky
 

madagascaradam

Senior Member
Apr 3, 2013
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you must be very carefully because most of the custom roms need twrp on 64 bits, now you have official twrp 32. When you come back from custom roms 64bit to previous nandroid backup, you must install 32 bits twrp, otherwise you may lose the imei of the phone, just read very well when you want to do something risky
OK, thanks a lot for that helpful info! So just to clarify to be sure: basically, if I want to switch back and forth, I'll install the 64-bit twrp first, then the custom rom(s). Then if I want to come back to my stock image backup, I re-install the 32-bit twrp (like the one I'm currently using) and then I can just restore my nandroid backup I took of the stock and all is well? And it's not risky if I do it like that?