All About Android: Stock ROM & Custom ROM

Stock ROM

Stock ROM (firmware) is an operating system (OS) or software that already been installed by the manufacturer. It also can be also called as official Android version that was developed by GOOGLE Inc. The Stock ROM will occur automatically when you buy or update the smartphone.

What is firmware?

Read-only operating systems that stay firmly in place without been modified.

What is kernel?

Is a computer program that manages input and output request from software.

What is the use of Stock ROMs?

Flashing the Stock ROMs can be the solution to repair your phone when the phone is corrupted, soft brick or been harmed by viruses.

To flash the Stock ROMs you need

1. Flash tools like Odin

2. Stock ROM (usually the file extension will be (.md5)/(.tar) which means message-digest algorithm )

3. Phone USB Cable

4. And of course a computer.

Custom ROM

Custom ROMs are slightly different from Stock ROMs. Custom ROMs are altered or modified versions of Stock ROMs. Android is an open source project and it is available for everyone to download, tweak (adjust or tune), or reproduce (GOOGLE indirectly encourage). Usually developer(s) will change the Stock ROMs to Custom ROMs.

There are several Custom ROMs and the developers that are really famous and praised by development teams, such as:

CyanogenMod ( Steve Kondik and Team, Cyanogen Team)

MIUI (Xiaomi Tech)

Paranoid Android (Paranoid Android Team)

Android Open Kang Project (AOPK Team)

PAC ROM (Pac Man Android Team)

Why the developers try to change the Stock ROMs to Custom ROMs?

There are some phone models that cannot use or enjoy android version more than 2.0; so the developers will help to modify the OS for an advance version which will be usually more than 2.0 version.

One of the Smartphone is Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus GT-S7500.

Allows the user to enjoy the interface or programs that have been changed.

Advantages of Custom ROMs
1. The Graphical User Interface (GUI) will be better and also can be changed by the user.
2. Has the better performance and efficiency (use less memory)
3. Upgrading to a better or later version of Android
4. Ability to Install Apps to the SD card
5. User-friendly
6. Allows user to use application that cannot be used in Official Android versions

Disadvantages of Custom ROMs

1. The warranty of the phone will be void.

2. There will be a lot of bugs.

3. The battery will drain faster.

4. Sometimes the application will be not working and close by itself.

5. When flashing the Custom ROMs, you might brick or damage your phone.

How to flash/install the Custom ROMs?

Before you want to flash/install the Custom ROMs, 

you must have rooted the phone.

Rooting:

Is a process that allows users of smartphone, tablets that runs the Android operating system to attain privileged control (root access). It gives the ability or permission to replace system application, settings, run specialized apps that require administrator-level permissions. User can be in full control of the CPU and kernel (only knowledgeable users). After rooting the phone, you must install custom recovery like ClockWorkMod (CMW). It will help to create and restore images backups of your phone, install/flash the Custom ROMs using (zip) or (rar.) file, and to use other developer tools or application, partition your SD card, wipe Dalvik cache and battery stats and many more.

How to root a phone:

For rooting your phone you need:

1. Odin (flashing tool)

2. CMW package

3. SuperSU Package

4. BusyBox.zip

5. And your phone (make sure the packages is compatible for your phone)

ClockWorkMod

Then, you must be in recovery mode in your phone or

devices in order to install the Custom ROMs.

( Follow the Instructions).

SuperSU

Is the access to advanced management tool and requires rooted device. Some of the application need root device, so the SuperSU will access it.

Busybox

After rooting the device we need to install busybox. Busy box is a collection of powerful command-line tools which require root privileges. Usually will be in (.zip) format.

And that’s it the flashing of Custom ROM is done.

How to choose the right Custom ROMs:

1. Check whether how many bugs are there.

2. Check whether the Custom ROMs is compatible with your phone.

3. Read a lot about the Custom ROMs and the specifications and:-

4. Check whether the information you need is given by the developers.

You can learn how to do these by watching the videos that we have provided below. Enjoy ;)

Rooting a phone (Example using Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus)