[Galaxy S I9000 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Soryuu:
Before I begin, I'd like to give a

MASSIVE

thank you to [MENTION=2229822]Neverendingxsin[/MENTION], who gave me the idea to create a thread like this, after reading his thread in the Verizon Galaxy S3 forums.

Also a big shout out to [MENTION=4586061]xsenman[/MENTION] who helped me get this thread up and running - without his help I don't think I could have got this thread started.

Android 6.0 - Marshmallow

Will we ever see Marshmallow land on the good old Galaxy S? Who knows... maybe a developer can work some real magic.

Android 5.0.2 and 5.1.1 - Lollipop

Back in June or July 2014, Google took the wraps off Android 5.0, nicknamed Lollipop. Lollipop is arguably the biggest update to Android since the Gingerbread -> ICS overhaul and brought with it a ton of new features and improvements. The biggest overhaul was the new Material Design UX language used across the entire system, providing an incredibly coherent and fluid experience with tons of eye-candy and animations. Dozens, even hundreds of smaller changes took place as well, such as how notifications were handled, status bar tinting, Smark Lock and so much more.

5.1.1 came at the start of 2015 and brought with it a lot of improvements over 5.0.2. Things such as improvements to Heads Up notifications and RAM management fixes made Lollipop just that little bit better.

Galaxy S 5.1.1 roms/kernels:

ParanoidAndroid 5.1 (alpha)

Omnirom 5.1

Coderom

Omni Kernel

Galaxy S Plus 5.1.1 roms/kernels:

Cyanogenmod 12

Resurrection RemixLP 5.5.5

AOSP rom (alpha)

InfinitiveOS

INTRODUCTION

I've frequented this forum for many, many years now and I've seen the same question being asked over and over again: "What rom should I choose?" The Galaxy S forum, even after 5 years, is still alive, and while the number of devs and roms has definitely decreased there are a select few devs still dedicated to developing for Samsung's 2010 flagship and its Plus sibling.

While I can't cover EVERY single user's wants and needs when selecting a rom, this thread is intended for users, both new and experienced, looking for a new or different rom to try.

So to start things off, just a

quick definition

of a rom by neverendingxsin:

DISCLAIMER: What you do after reading this thread is entirely in your hands. I am not to be held responsible if something goes horribly wrong with your phone - this is merely a guide to help you make a step.

By reading this thread and following through with your rom choice, you accept the above, and every other disclaimer relevant to your rom.

If you are new to this forum, I suggest you take a look at these brilliant guides written by other members, and give them thanks as well:

Frequently Asked Questions

Android Recovery Toolkit

Guide to flashing Gingerbread 2.3.6, then any custom rom

How to downgrade from any custom rom

TUTORIAL on how to unbrick, upgrade, flash and downgrade from Froyo to Kitkat

Also, for ongoing Kitkat discussion, take a look here: I9000 Kitkat Discussion and FAQ

Those threads will give you a good place to start, and all are very important if you want to have a safe and (mostly) error-free custom rom experience.

Every S Plus related section will begin in blue text like this.

So without further ado.

Chapter One: Stock roms

A bit of a refresher: the last official update for the Galaxy S was

Gingerbread 2.3.6

. This was the "Value Pack" which brought some Galaxy S2 features such as a new Swipe lockscreen, increased RAM, Face Unlock and a few other tidbits here and there.

The Galaxy S Plus is the same - it too, received a "Value Pack" containing the same features, based on Gingerbread 2.3.6.

All stock firmwares can be downloaded from Sammobile's firmware page. Type in I9000 or I9001 in the search box.

Section 1A - Stock, rooted roms

They are exactly as the title says - stock and rooted roms, nothing else. This can easily be done even without the need to use a computer; a nifty little app called Framaroot can root your phone in one click and reboot - and yes, it does work for the Galaxy S. While it may seem a bit pointless having a root-only stock rom, it allows you to have the benefit of root capabilities (Titanium Backup, Root Explorer etc) while keeping every other aspect of stock the same, and also allows users to tweak the rom exactly as they want.

Galaxy S Plus users can be rooted in the same way using Framaroot, or other appropriate methods.

Is this for me?

If you want to mess with a rom starting from scratch, or you just want root capabilities but nothing more, this is the rom for you.

Section 1B - Modified stock roms

These kinds of roms are roms that take the stock rom as a base but then change many aspects of it, starting from visual aspects right down to the very core of the system with optimisation tweaks and scripts. Some apps or libs found on the stock roms are removed as they are considered "bloatware" - apps that aren't useful and only take up space. As well as this, often apps are replaced with others - whether it may be the launcher or some other system apps. They are designed to provide improved performance over the stock rom provided by Samsung.

One that is still being updated is davidmore's DMore rom, which changes both the look and feel of Gingerbread.

Some other examples include:

MesoROM

SauROM Projekt

Gamerzrom Ninja V11

Galaxian V6

For S Plus users, here are a few examples:

Crybernation 1.0.1

Broodrom RC5

GIGABREAD+

BlazR™ Zen Edition

And many more from there - you get the idea here.

Is this for me?

Often these kinds of roms offer a plethora of features or customisations while improving the speed and the performance of Gingerbread. You'll have the stability of stock mixed in with some visual or under-the-hood tweaking and customisation.

Chapter Two: AOSP roms

AOSP stands for Android Open Source Project, the name given to the whole Android project.

What you won't find in AOSP roms:

Things such as the camera app, the contacts or messaging app, the music or video player, FM radio and 3G video calling from Touchwiz all won't be present, as these all depend on the frameworks used in Touchwiz.

Known issues in AOSP roms:

It seems to be quite rare, but for some users the screen turns blue, right through to the recovery. For a solution, take a look at this thread written up by [MENTION=5157668]need4steer[/MENTION].

Ever wanted the newest Android version, or want to feel like you own a Nexus? Keep on reading.

The format of this section will be a bit different than before, as there are literally TONS of custom AOSP roms out there.

Section 1 - Cyanogenmod

Oh, Cyanogenmod. The name is synonymous with Android as a whole - ANYONE who is into Android modding or developing will know the name well. Their roms are build straight from the latest sources from Google, and they throw in their own modifications in such as Power Toggles and Cell Broadcasts, for countries that support it. Their vision? Providing the perfect Android experience one could have.

Before we continue, here are a few terms you may need to know (especially if you are new):

Nightly builds are built, well... nightly. They are daily builds and while mostly stable, can have some bugs or problems. If you're planning on going with Nightlies,

don't

expect a perfect experience 100% of the time. Yesterday's nightly might be fantastic, today's one might not be your cup of tea.

Release candidate, or RC builds only come around when a new version of Cyanogenmod is about to be released. They are essentially the "finishing touches" of a CM version, and are usually pretty stable as always. They lead up to...

Stable builds. Stable builds are builds that will usually not be updated any further, and are perfectly stable to be used as reliable daily drivers. Often after stable builds, nightly builds of that particular Android/CM version are frozen as they do not need to be updated any further.

Currently, the official maintainer of Cyanogenmod for the Galaxy S is pawitp, and we have:

CM7.2 (Gingerbread 2.3.7) [STABLE]

CM9 (ICS 4.0.4) [STABLE]

CM10 (Jelly Bean 4.1.2) [STABLE]

CM10.1 (Jelly Bean 4.2.2) [STABLE]

CM10.2 (Jelly Bean 4.3.1) [STABLE]

CM11 (Kitkat 4.4.4) [NIGHTLY]

S Plus users, for some reason, never got official CM support. However devs were quick to build the latest and greatest, and they're here below:

CM7.2 (Gingerbread 2.3.7)

CM9 (ICS 4.0.4)

CM10 (Jelly Bean 4.1.2)

CM10.1 (Jelly Bean 4.2.2)

CM10.2 (Jelly Bean 4.3.1)

CM11 (Kitkat 4.4)

Is this for me?

Cyanogenmod is the "go-to" rom for many users. If you're looking for a great stock Android experience without too much other stuff thrown in, this is for you.

Section 1A - Cyanogenmod-based roms

These roms are roms based off Cyanogenmod code and often either make tweaks to it or add/remove certain apps or files. This creates an "enhanced" CM experience, and it is up to the developer what they add or remove or change. Bugs from these roms should not be submitted to Cyanogenmod's official bug tracker as they won't be looked into - instead, leave a message in the thread.

Some of these kinds of roms include:

kasper_h's Mackay Rom (there are also 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 versions)

Mackay ICS (CM9 based)

rodman01's CM-based rom

S Plus users, here are a few examples:

EHNDROIX V (there are also 4.3 and 4.2 versions)

DarkCM

Is this for me?

If you're looking for that same stock Android experience and like having those extra added things, these roms are for you. Please take the time to read through the developer's warnings or bugs list so you are aware of what to expect.

Section 2 - AOKP (Android Open Kang Project)

]AOKP was formed as a reaction against CM moving towards a more "clean" feel with CM9, instead of offering the level of customisation that they had in the days of CM7. Because of this, AOKP allows users to customise just about every visual aspect of their rom and how it behaves, bringing in features like Ribbons and custom status bar behaviour and tweaks.

Currently there is no official maintainer for AOKP for the Galaxy S - the official list is actually very small - but there are unofficial builds, such as:

AOKP Milestone 2 (4.2.2)

AOKP Milestone 1 (4.1.2)

AOKP Milestone 6 (ICS 4.0.4)

S Plus users, here's an AOKP build based off Android 4.1.2:

AOKP Release 1

Is this for me?

AOKP brought a lot of the features you see in roms that allow heavy customisation. If you want that stock Android experience but also like having heavy customisation capability, then this is for you. Read the OP of each one, and turn your swagger on.

Section 3 - Paranoid Android

Paranoid Android is another popular custom rom, especially amongst Nexus users. They are built off the same Google source code as CM is, but their take on it is completely different. They introduced what is known as

Hybrid UI

, which allows the user to select either a phone, phablet or tablet display mode for each individual app. This means that for example, you can allow your Dialer app to display like a phone but your browser to display as if it was on a tablet. They also brought other popular new features such as Halo, the multi-tasking window popup and PIE controls, an alternative to hardware and software keys.

Currently the official maintainer is SferaDev, and the two official versions are:

Paranoid Android 3.69 (JB 4.2.2)

Paranoid Android 4 (KK 4.4.4) (PA 3.99, based off JB 4.3, can be found in the same thread)

S Plus users, here's one based off Kitkat 4.4.2: ParanoidAndroid 4.0[WIP]

Also, another based on JB 4.3: ParanoidAndroid 3.99

Is this for me?

Paranoid Android brings with it its own unique set of features that have been used in countless other roms. If you like what you hear, or you want pure AOSP goodness, this is for you - #stayparanoid.

Section 4 - Omni

Omni has quickly garnered much attention and is backed by some top-notch devs famous for their work here. While it is still in early stages, Omni promises a lot of new and radical features to change how stock Android should feel; the most notable example being their implementation of Multi-Window, much similar to Samsung's iteration of it. High hopes exist for Omni, a rom which has no doubt excited the rom scene and brought something new to the table.

For the Galaxy S, both kasper_h and SferaDev have been working on Omni:

Omnirom 4.4 ALPHA

OmniRom 4.3.1

S Plus users, here's one based off JB 4.3: Omni ALPHA[WIP]

Is this for me?

Omni is another vision on what a perfect, free Android experience should feel like. If you're pretty excited for the features Omni has or will bring, and want an alternative to CM or other roms, this rom is for you.

Section 4A - Omni-derived roms

With Omni's almost meteoric rise in popularity, there are bound to be more and more roms that use Omni as a base over Cyanogenmod. These will be similar in concept to the CM-based roms - roms that take Omni as a base and add smaller tweaks and additions as the developer sees fit.

Currently there is Mackay OMNI, based on 4.4.4.

Is this for me?

Similar story here - if you want that little bit extra from Omni, and you like the little additions the developer throws in, this will be for you. Check the OP for bugs and notices and the like.

Section 5 - MIUI

Trust me - MIUI is Android. Its just a LOT different to stock Android. MIUI completely redesigns the Android experience, changing everything like custom toggles in the notification shade, the camera app, messaging and overall, the core experience. It has its own theme engine as well (themes must be designed specifically for MIUI if they are to work on the rom) and also has lockscreen themes that allow you to change how you unlock your lockscreen.

The Galaxy S doesn't have any official builds, although there have been a few ports:

MIUI 4.2.2

MIUI 2.3.7

S Plus users, some MIUI based off JB 4.2.2: MIUI v5[WIP]

Is this for me?

Anyone wanting something a lot different from stock Android should definitely have a look at MIUI. It also adds a bit of colour to Android - MIUI is heavily based on visuals, which just might be up your alley.

Section 6 - Pure AOSP

For some people, nothing beats pure AOSP. Sure, you have Cyanogenmod, AOKP, PA, Omni and others, but some people may find that they add too many unneccessary things to stock Anroid or they want a totally clean experience, mimicking the Nexus line perfectly.

Some examples:

Supernexus 4.0 (4.3 and 4.2 versions are available as well)

S Plus users, here's an AOSP build of ICS 4.0.4.

Is this for me?

Sometimes the bare-bones experience of true AOSP can't be beaten, and often these kinds of roms are great for performance because they have nothing weighing them down. This might be for you.

Section 7 - Everything Else

Because there are just too many AOSP-based roms for me to list here, I've decided to list them in four "umbrella" groups that describe them best.

Section 7A - Function over form

These roms emphasise speed and performance. They are based on providing the ultimate smooth experience and pushing the performance capabilities of the S to the absolute limit. This may include applying optimising scripts for RAM management or battery life or removing apps or files deemed unneccesary, such as LiveWallpapers. Don't expect the same level of customisation that you find in Cyanogenmod, because that's not the main focus here. The devs of these roms want either unrivalled smoothness or unmatched gaming performance.

Some popular examples include:

Gamerzrom

CyanAOSP (4.3 and 4.2 versions are available)

Sexynogenmod (for those wanting a 4.1.2 base)

ElectROM (for those wanting ICS 4.0.4)

Is this for me?

For all those speed-freaks out there or just those people wanting an ultra-smooth experience, the above are definitely for you. As usual, take the time to read through and see if any bugs are present.

Section 7B - Customiseable to no end

These roms are quite opposite to those above - they focus on giving you the ability to customise just about every single aspect of Android, going from your whole system theme right down to how your device vibrates when you receive a notification from certain people. While functionality and stability is still a key point in these roms, they are focused on giving you the freedom of being able to theme and change things to your heart's content. They may also include features from other roms.

Some examples include:

Spirit Rom, which is a fairly new release

Resurrection REMIX

Carbon

C-Rom

Dirty Unicorns (Omni based) (4.3.1 also available)

PAC-ROM (4.3 builds should also be available in the same thread)

S Plus users, here are a few links for you as well:

Carbon 4.4.2

PAC-ROM 4.4.2

Is this for me?

These roms allow you to have your phone exactly how you want it. They merge features of CM, AOKP and PA to allow you to change every part of it. If you like what you hear, these kinds of roms are for you - check out the links above to get started.

Section 7C - Finding a balance

Some roms incorporate features found in other roms but at the same time aim to deliver top-notch performance and usability. What you get is a rom that allows you to customise Android how you want it, while not sacrificing the performance or speed. This may mean that not as many options are offered, but at least you still have pretty good speed for daily use.

Some examples include:

SlimKat (SlimBean 4.3, 4.2, 4.1 and SlimICS 4.0.4 is available as well)

Helly Bean (4.2 and 4.1 are available as well)

Liquidsmooth 3.2 (unofficial) (4.3.1 version available as well)

Illusion (4.2 is available as well)

S Plus users, here's one link I've found for SlimKat (unofficial beta)

Is this for me?

If you like having some level of customiseable freedom but you don't want to sacrifice good performance, these roms are definitely for you. As usual, check for any bugs present.

Section 7D - UI-based goodness

Some users like the idea of creating an experience that replicates the newest version of Touchwiz like on the Galaxy S4/Note 3 or like the Xperia Z1's UI. These kinds of roms try to emulate an OEM's stock rom found on their devices, and has a themed system and even ported apps such as launchers and other unique apps, like Sony's Walkman. The aim, of course, is stability while emulating a completely different feel to AOSP Android.

Some examples include:

Touchwiz Fusion Rom (based off CM11)

Project Seaspray (Touchwiz UI) (4.3.1 and 4.1.2 versions are available in the same thread)

RemICS-JB (4.1 and 4.0.4 versions are available)

Cyber-SGS4

Xperian UI

Cyber-Xperia

S Plus users, here are a few for you:

XOSP rom

RemICS-JB

Is this for me?

If you've always wanted a newer version of a UI or just want something different, these are for you.

~~~~~~~~~~

If you want me to add something, please let me know!

And while I'm usually not one to explicitly ask, if you found this thread useful/like this thread please

use the Thanks button!

I hope that this thread helps in making it easier for users for selecting a rom that they want and like. Even helping one person is more than enough :D

Any feedback, please leave a comment :D

And, as a final disclaimer/warning: