Components involved for flashing a custom Android ROM. Am I understanding things correctly?
I'm going to be flashing a custom ROM on my Nexus 5X device, and I was just curious if I'm understanding all the components involved. I currently have CopperheadOS on my device, but that ROM may be dead based on current events. I'm not switching because of this news, but mainly because I just want to try something else for the hell of it. I think I'm going to make the switch to Lineage, but there are way more options involved versus flashing CopperheadOS.
It seems the main components to consider when flashing are the following:
- The ROM itself (CopperheadOS, Lineage, PureNexus, etc.)
- The custom recovery (TWRP, etc.)
- The kernel (ElementalX, Franco, etc.)
- root (magisk, etc.)
- Play Services (OpenGApps, etc.)
CopperheadOS was kind of it's own package, so I didn't have to consider all of these other options.
My understanding is the minimum decisions I need to make if I want a custom ROM, is picking the ROM itself, and a custom recovery. In my case I'm going for LineageOS and TWRP.
Choosing a custom kernel seems to be optional. I think I might go with Franco on this one based on the little research I've done. But to flash a custom kernel, I think I need root, right? So now I'll need to get root access which requires another tool. I was going to go with Magisk based on not much. Just seems to be common. So that's 4 main things there. The ROM (LineageOS), the recovery (TWRP), the kernel (Franco), and root (Magisk). I personally don't want any Google services on my device, so I'm fine with skipping that part. I currently don't have any installed, and I'm doing fine without them.
So does my view on this seem correct? Are all the things I mentioned necessary for what I want to do? If I want LineageOS then I need a custom recovery right? If I want a custom kernel, then I need root which requires a separate tool, right? Just making sure I'm not doing more than I need to if I decided to go through with this. As a side convo, please recommend whatever ROMs, kernels, or root tools that you want. I have a Nexus 5X, and I'm hoping it doesn't bootloop after I'm done doing all this flashing =)
So once you flash TWRP and lineage, you can get root very easily by flashing addonsu (https://download.lineageos.org/extras) on top of it. I usually do TWRP -> Lineage -> Open Gapps -> Addonsu
You only need Magisk if you want your phone to appear not rooted as is required by some applications. I've never needed it.
Changing your kernel is absolutely not required. I've never done it.
I might have missed some other pieces of information, but in recent versions of Android some other root-related tools stopped working, most notably the XPosed framework that enables a lot of useful tweaks via GravityBox.
The Magisk version of XPosed was the only way I was able to get it back, so if you're like me and can't stand to use a phone without the GravityBox radial menu, it might still be worth getting Magisk just for the sake of XPosed.
Oh wow, I didn't know about addonsu. I think I prefer that now over Magisk. Thanks for mentioning it!
I know this is a pretty old thread, but as @Crespyl said newer versions of Android have started detecting the classic root methods (which I'm pretty sure "addonsu") and flagging your device as rooted, preventing you from getting some apps from the store (ie: Netflix). Magisk bypasses those checks and is the only way I had (at least a couple of months ago, not sure if that's still the case) to be rooted and still have access to Netflix from the play store (you can still just grab the .apk files from somewhere and install them though).
As someone who hasn't tinkered with custom ROMS for Android in some time, I personally always follow guides from XDA forums.... for the 5X this seems to be the way to go:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-5x/general/guides-how-to-guides-beginners-t3206930
My advice is start slow: Follow the guide listed to get the unlocked bootloader, custom recovery, and root (they use SuperSu). Then flash your ROM (LineageOS in this case). Then use the ROM for a bit and make sure it is to your liking before flashing a custom kernel on top of it.
If you're going to flash a ROM, why would you need to root beforehand? That seems completely superfluous.
Thanks for the guide! This seems like a pretty good place for me to start. Mentions some things I was unaware of.
In case you are still considering Copperhead OS, it appears to have imploded.
It's what I already have, hence the interest in other ROMs. Though not the sole reason for me switching.
Sorry, I misread what you wrote.
iirc nexus root tool would be the easiest way to flash the kernels/roms
I think that's about right. Installing a custom ROM on my phone though I didn't even think about the kernel.