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[Q] What do I lose when I switch to custom ROMs from stock ROMs?

I'm currently running my Note on a stock XLA4 and AbyssNote kernel and I'm considering flashing RocketROM in the hopes of improving performance and battery...
What features do I lose, if any, when I switch to a custom ROM?
I am most concerned with the following:
1. My access to Android market and being able to download the same apps as if I were on stock ROM (because I don't know how Market checks devices. )
2. Access to Samsung Apps (I would normally check all new apps offered there.)
3. The apps that originally come with the Note. (I use S Planner and S Memo a lot!)
4. Others I may not be aware of. (?)
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE, GUYS! :O
I just finished backing up mostly everything in my phone but I'm putting off wiping and flashing before I'm sure of what comes next.

It really depends on the ROM you choose. You should be able to use all the functions with most of them, but some ROMs remove Samsung stuff, some don't, some remove most and leave others (like s-memo), and some remove stuff but let you choose to install it back (like CheckROM).
Just read the ROM description post thoroughly - it should list all the stuff that was added or removed. Unless it specifically says that samsung apps/widgets were removed, or that it is AOSP, all the functions should be available.
P.S. don't forget to make a full backup in CWM Recovery before wiping/flashing in case you don't like the result or something doesn't work, so you can go back to your stock ROM.
edit: as for market, it should work with all ROMs. There are some slight problems in some ROMs, which usually means that a custom ROM will have the previous version of market (which works fine) and, to update to new market, you have to install any app from the market and then apply a fix which updates the version to the new market. Method of applying the fix can differ, but it will probably either be a one-click-fix, or you will have to reboot into recovery and choose "flash zip from (internal) sd card" and install it like you installed the ROM.

[Q] does rooting modify the original firmware?

Hi,
I plan to root a HTC Desire C only for sim unlocking it. So far I am pleased with the original firmware (ICS 4.0) - after disabling some apps the phone runs fast and smooth.
The question is: does rooting modify the original OS in such a way that instabilities may occur?
Thanks.

dr.pythagora said:
Hi,
I plan to root a HTC Desire C only for sim unlocking it. So far I am pleased with the original firmware (ICS 4.0) - after disabling some apps the phone runs fast and smooth.
The question is: does rooting modify the original OS in such a way that instabilities may occur?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting itself doesn't modify anything besides installing an app called Superuser.
You deleting/disabling apps that were not meant to be disabled does.

dr.pythagora said:
Hi,
I plan to root a HTC Desire C only for sim unlocking it. So far I am pleased with the original firmware (ICS 4.0) - after disabling some apps the phone runs fast and smooth.
The question is: does rooting modify the original OS in such a way that instabilities may occur?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please, read this for first before doing anything: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2323518
(Thanks to @aashay960 )

smoza said:
Please, read this for first before doing anything: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2323518
(Thanks to @aashay960 )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the related link. Helpful.
As I like, for the moment, to stick to the original firmware (to me, it is the most stable among all avalable roms for HTC Desire C), I still have two more questions:
- will the rooting stop the handset from receiving official updates?
- assume I root the handset and install cwm recovery and backup the current rom.
if ever I like to restore this backup, I will need to flash a kernel boot.img.
can I extract the kernel related to my current firmware so I can flash it after I restore?
Thanks.

dr.pythagora said:
Thank you for the related link. Helpful.
As I like, for the moment, to stick to the original firmware (to me, it is the most stable among all avalable roms for HTC Desire C), I still have two more questions:
- will the rooting stop the handset from receiving official updates?
- assume I root the handset and install cwm recovery and backup the current rom.
if ever I like to restore this backup, I will need to flash a kernel boot.img.
can I extract the kernel related to my current firmware so I can flash it after I restore?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- As far as I know, you can receive updates but you cannot apply them. It will show in the notifications "Software Update, Click to download" when you download it, it will reboot to recovery and stop there. Again, I'm not 100% sure about this but this happened to me once.
- If you flash a custom kernel like Prometheus Kernel, then you will have to flash the stock boot.img if you wanna go back to stock completely. But if you never changed your kernel from stock, then you don't need to do anything. I have provided the link to stock kernel and stock recovery as well, in the Index thread. (Link in my signature)
PS - As far as Custom ROMs go, you should try the Sense Roms. All of them are based on the stock ROM so all of them are completely stable. You can always put the 'Stock theme' on these roms to make them look like the Stock ROM and you will end up with a ROM that looks exactly like Stock but performs much better and has increased functionality
Hope this was helpful. I'll be glad to answer any further questions.

It will not definitely modify your system it will add a folder to your system to access the system... and also it adds app called Superuser or SuperSU ....
Features of Rooting:
Android rooting is the process of allowing users of smartphones, tablets, and other devices running the Android mobile operating system to attain privileged control (known as "root access") within Android's subsystem.
Rooting is often performed with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on some devices, resulting in the ability to alter or replace system applications and settings, run specialized apps that require administrator-level permissions, or perform other operations that are otherwise inaccessible to a normal Android user. On Android, rooting can also facilitate the complete removal and replacement of the device's operating system, usually with a more recent release of its current operating system. Most of the time,[citation needed] rooting a device voids its warranty.
From Wikipedia ...

[Q] General questions about ROMs and the rooting how-to

Hi, many thanks for the great and detailed how-to. However, I think it may lack some answers to a few important questions that people who come from other phones could ask. Until now, I've been used to rooting and flashing my Galaxy Nexus which appears to be rather different from the methods on this phone. Anyway here goes: I just got my Z3 Compact. I'm willing to give the stock UI a try, especially because it has some very nice features (noise removal on camera, STAMINA mode) and a clean enough look, however I need root and don't want to put up with some of the preinstalled apps. I can then either create my own pre-rooted image or flash a custom, stock-based ROM w/ root such as SLiM. Here are my questions:
Based on the how-to, if I want to install a custom ROM such as SLiM, at which step do I need to flash it? In particular, that ROM requires "root and recovery", does that really mean that I first have to root a stock ROM and install a new pre-rooted ROM + recovery, and only then flash SLiM from recovery, or can I install it during the various stages of the how-to?
I was used to TWRP recovery remaining on my Galaxy Nexus for pretty much all its life. I don't understand: why are there so many different recoveries for the Xperia phones and why do you apparently need to flash them so often? Can't you put one there and never touch it again? Why do they sometimes come with the ROM?
Why do some custom ROMs have requirements to be running a specific version of the firmware to be installed? Can't they just be flashed from recovery? Oh and btw, is there a difference between a ROM and a "firmware" as far as Xperia-specific vocabulary goes?
Putting those questions into words, I realize I may be missing something crucial about these phones that ties recovery, ROM and kernel together in a way I'm not used to. If there is any documentation about how these general concepts work on Sony phones, I'd be happy to read it!
Thanks in advance.

Answering myself, hoping it can be helpful to people who are new to the Z3C and wondering about the same questions:
SLiM is a complete ROM, it only requires "Root and Recovery" to mean that it must be flashed from recovery -- and recovery must be installed from root anyway.
If you want to install SLiM on your first root, you must follow the how-to down to the point where you've downgraded, rooted and installed XZDualRecovery. After that you're good to go, you can wipe everything (or not) and flash SLiM.
There aren't in fact that many recoveries. Basically, the CWM recovery and its derivatives (PhilZ Touch) and TWRP. Both have different UIs and a few different extras in the way they manage backups, but they really serve the same purpose.
And then, there are things like XZDualRecovery, which includes both standard recoveries and allows to choose between them. Why include both? I don't know -- it may be related to CM ROMs needing their own recovery or just user preference --. Anyway, I suppose what makes XZDualRecovery the standard on Z2+ Xperia phones is its ease of install and the fact that it works out of the box.
Now, you need to reflash XZDualRecovery after installing a new ROM. There's a part of it that resides in the system partition and you'll lose it when you flash a new ROM; that's a big difference from what I was used to on the GNex, and many custom ROMs already include the necessary files. Be sure to check that before you flash, though.
I was mistaken, no ROM comes with a "previous ROM" requirement. Some packages (debloat releases such as serajr's for example) require an already present and rooted ROM to be installed, as they don't contain the whole system + data. They are not complete ROMs and must be flashed onto an existing, rooted ROM of the same version.
There is no real difference between ROM and "firmware", the latter is mostly what Sony uses to describe their flashable tool format releases while the former is more often used to describe custom releases. As a consequence, you'll more often see Sony's stock .FTF files described as "firmwares", and custom flashable .zip files as "ROMs".
In the end, here is what I ended up doing yesterday to my new Orange FR Z3C:
Follow the how-to to:
install the PC drivers;
downgrade to 23.0.A.2.93 stock firmware;
root the phone;
install XZDualRecovery;
Download Pandemic's pre-rooted stock 5.1.1 rom (23.4.A.0.546), reboot to recovery and flash it;
Download serajr's debloated, pre-rooted system and flash it;
Download and flash RICDefeat just to be safe;
Download and flash/install the Xposed framework and serajr's Xperia Xposed, although right now I only use it for its ability to load custom icon packs.
Huge thanks to everyone involved in the development of these tools, apps and ROMs.

Port HTC Music on Note 3?

I've been reading guides online discussing porting HTC apps to non HTC devices. Most of the apps work like blinkfeed. But when ever I flash the complete zip in recovery as mentioned in this link :
http://www.droidviews.com/install-h...yboard-gallery-music-player-apps-and-widgets/
Android updates and boots up but the apps are no where to be seen. I've even tried manually installing the apps and changing the permissions but that doesn't work either. I think the issue is with the recovery since it's not really twrp or am I completely wrong? I'd love any feedback you can offer. I've tried this on stock lollipop and alliance ROM.

Magisk and Bootloader

Hi,
I am very new to this android world so my queries might feel stupid. Actually i m here after 3 years and that is very long period in this world. I know about rooting(super Su), bootloader and recovery (stock,CM and TWRP) . Recently read about Magisk and got some queries. Hope you will help me out. These are not device specific but need to learn.
What i read/study i found these readings...
1. Magisk roots device systemlessly (does not touch system partition) so one can get OTA updates easily.
2.To install and run Magisk one needs to unlock the bootloader .
3.(Device Specific) My redmi MI Flash tool says,If you unlock the bootloader , you wont get OTA updates.
4.I have previously rooted my galaxy Y and uninstalled system apps. If i delete sys apps from magisk,still can we say that we are not touching system.
So all statements are true? or some? or none ?
Here my device is redmi 3s (6.0.1- MIUI 9.6.1.0 Global Stable).All these queries are just in relation to OTA system updates. Nothing related to warranty.
Thanking You

Yes.
Yes.
Don't know about Xiaomi, but I've never had issues with OTA on a device with an unlocked bootloader (I've mainly used different Google and Oneplus devices). Someone with a Xiaomi is gonna have to chime in on this one.
As long as you use Magisk's debloating feature of replacing files or directories with empty ones, you're good. The actual /system partition won't be touched. Use a module like the Debloater module by @veez21, or make a debloater module yourself.

Didgeridoohan said:
Don't know about Xiaomi, but I've never had issues with OTA on a device with an unlocked bootloader (I've mainly used different Google and Oneplus devices). Someone with a Xiaomi is gonna have to chime in on this one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ahh, Thank You.
You get OTA system updates for your STOCK ROM ?

inwell said:
Ahh, Thank You.
You get OTA system updates for your STOCK ROM ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. But, having both Magisk and a custom recovery (an OTA won't install with a modified boot image and a custom recovery installed) I always find it easier to download the update and flash it manually. But, like I said, I have no idea if this is true for Xiaomi.

1. Ok. i also heared that when you update your device,you lose root...not true ? Or you need to root again ?
2.In normal stock device,we get update notification and we downlaod then restart (as per convenience)device to update.
If i remove some system apps from my rooted device and unroot the device,manage to get stock recovery back ,will the OTA update system treat my device as Stock-untouched? And install updates just as stock device will do ?
3. Is boot.img and bootloader are same things? Coz i read that for re locking boot loader you need to flash boot.img from stock software. (But Some procedures just use fastboot and relock oem command-they wont use boot.img,dont know why )
I read that unrooting,restoring stock recovery and locking bootloader again is more difficult/complicated than the rooting procedure
Some one should come up with solution just like Windows Restore .If you want to go back to everything STOCK,just use that feature same as done to Restore Windows in its previous state.

Any update that also updates the boot image (which means pretty much all) will remove root. But, that's just a simple case of reflashing Magisk right after applying the update.
If you've touched /system in any way, removing system apps or even just mounting the /system partition read-write, an OTA will fail. To be able update with an OTA your /system and /vendor partitions need to be untouched and you need to have the stock boot image and stock recovery installed. If your device doesn't conform to this the OTA will fail.
Boot image and bootloader are not the same thing. That you can read up on all over the internet, so I won't go into details. If you have done any kind of modifications on your device, I suggest you leave your bootloader unlocked. It's to easy to mess things up otherwise.
Going back to full stock is usually just a matter of flashing a full factory image/firmware package/stock ROM. Quite easy... Of course, some manufacturers make it harder than others.

Didgeridoohan said:
Boot image and bootloader are not the same thing. That you can read up on all over the internet, so I won't go into details. If you have done any kind of modifications on your device, I suggest you leave your bootloader unlocked. It's to easy to mess things up otherwise.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok. As you say the two are different , but can you explain in simple words (terms) that how they both are related/linked/connected? Coz as i read some forums/posts i get to read
1. To relock/lock bootloader you need to flash boot.img which suggests these (terms) are linked/connected.
2. but same time some forums/post suggest no img file flashing but just a fastboot command(s) to relock bootloader. In this case it seems they are not linked/connected.
And if the above 2 statements are true and device specific then how the bootloader and boot image are linked and not linked in diff devices? what changes are made so that in some cases these are linked and in some not
Sorry for asking too much. But you were really very kind to help me out.Thank you once again

I'm not 100% accurate (and someone will hopefully come I'm and correct me if needed), but basically the bootloader checks that everything is alright and then starts up your device. After that the boot image (ramdisk and kernel) takes over. Ramdisk basically makes sure all the partitions are mounted, and the kernel is exactly what it sounds like. The core of the OS, making sure that everything is working as it should.
This is of course a huge over-simplification, so if you want more you'll have to search around (and there are tons of resources around the web).
The main reason I can think of right at the moment for wanting to flash a boot image before locking the bootloader is that it's generally a good idea to have your device fully stock and functional before doing so. After you've locked the bootloader there might not be any going back if things start acting up and you could end up with a nice paperweight.
Questions are good. That's how you learn. I do believe that you'd be much better of searching around the internet for your answers. They've been put out there many, many times.

Ok.Thank you very much.I will learn more ...