[Nexus 5 General] samersh72:
:cowboy:

Hello everyone, i see here to collect and post some known and maybe unknown tips and tricks with some important information, hoping this will be useful for noob users.

Any more tips, tricks and suggestions from users are always welcomed. And please feel free to make corrections for any wrong or missed information in this post ;)

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Preface:​

The Nexus 5 (codenamed Hammerhead) is a smartphone co-developed by Google and LG Electronics that runs the Android operating system. The successor to the Nexus 4, the device is the fifth smartphone in the Google Nexus series, a family of Android consumer devices marketed by Google and built by an original equipment manufacturer partner. The Nexus 5 was unveiled on 31 October 2013, and released in black and white colors (and lately in red) the same day for online purchase on Google Play, in selected countries.

The Nexus 5's hardware is similar to that of the LG G2, with a Snapdragon 800 system-on-chip (SoC), and a 4.95-inch 1080p display. The Nexus 5 is also the first device to feature version 4.4 of Android.

As of December 2013, a revised version of the Nexus 5 became available, featuring bigger speaker and microphone holes to allow louder audio, and better fitted buttons and SIM card tray.

Nexus 5 is the first Android device to ship with Android 4.4 "KitKat", which has a refreshed interface, improved performance, improved NFC support (such as the ability to emulate a smart card), a new "HDR+" camera shooting mode, native printing functionality, a screen recording utility, and other new and improved functionality.

The device also ships with Google Now Launcher, a redesigned home screen which allows users to quickly access Google Now on a dedicated page, and allows voice search to be activated on the home screen with a voice command.​

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OTA 4.4.3 (KTU84M)

OTA 4.4.4 (KTU84P)​

Below is a quick list of all the changes that Google has made with the Android 4.4.3 update and which are clearly visible on the Nexus 5:

-A tweaked Dialer app with a colored Action bar.

-People’s app now placeholder images are now similar to that one used by Gmail.

-Fix for mm-qcamera-daemon bug. (not been fixed properly, as reported by some users).

-The ability to pause a download of additional files required by large games on the Play Store.

-The hissing sound while recording videos on the Nexus 5 is fixed. However, there is now a strange echo in the recorded audio.

-Fix for LTE connection dropping bug.

-Lot of other under-the-hood camera, Bluetooth and other system related bug-fixes.

-LED notifications are still not working for missed calls.

-Fixes of some security issues, small changes to the Chromium web browser and WebView (4.4.4)

Source​

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Questions & Answers​

Q1)

Can i make a screen shot on stock firmware?

A

Yes you can! user doesn’t need to root the device or employ third-party apps just to take a photo of what's happening on screen. Taking a screenshot is simple, just press the volume down and power buttons together. The device will quickly take a snapshot of the screen and you will find it in your notifications.

Q2)

What is Barrel Roll?

A

As part of Google's regular antics, it had introduced a "barrel roll" trick for desktop browsers. Type "do a barrel roll" as a search term, and Google would demonstrate the power of modern browsers by flipping everything around on your screen. Your Android device can also do a barrel roll if you speak out the same command. Again, It's great fun to show off.

Q3)

How can i uninstall an app. without going to setting?

A

Long-pressing on an app within the app drawer pops up a couple of menus along the top of the screen. App Info gives you the boring technical stuff about how much memory it's taking up, or you can fling it off the other way to uninstall it.

Q4)

How can i go directly to the quick settings menu?

A

expand notification bar by sliding two fingers.

Q5)

How to control music from the lockscreen?

A

If you’re using Play Music you’ll see music controls and full screen album art on the lockscreen. You can skip tracks and pause in here, but you can also now scrub (skip within a song) through tracks by holding one of the music controls to get the track preview to pop up and then dragging the circle to where you want to play.

Q6)

How to add widgets to the lockscreen?

A

If you just slide left on the lockscreen you’ll see the option to add widgets, so you can glance at your email, or see the latest tweets, without having to unlock your Nexus 5. Remember that you’ll have to enable widgets via Settings > Security > Enable widgets first.

Q7)

What is inverted rendering?

A

Inverted rendering is a posh way of saying it makes the pages black and turns the text white, so it looks like you're reading the internet from 1997. It also supposedly saves battery, plus is easier on the eyes if you're reading in the dark. It's under the browser's settings tab, within the accessibility area - and there's a contrast slider, too.

Q8)

How can i reboot into safe mode?

A

Safe mode, the savior of so many Windows PCs! If you are experiencing a problem with your N5 and you want to determine whether it is being caused by a third-party app, long-press the power button, then long-press the Power off option. Choose OK to reboot in safe mode, which completely disables all third-party apps on your device. If the problem goes away when you’re in safe mode, you should reboot your device and start removing recently installed apps until the problem goes away.

Q9)

What does reset app. preferences means?

A

Android gives you loads of different options for each installed app, and on the whole this is a very good thing. Sometimes it can be a bad thing, though: you may find your phone playing up because a crucial app has been disabled, or you've changed the notifications for something important like emails. In the apps drawer, you'll find Reset app preferences under the settings. This resets all your apps on a global level, returning actions and data settings to their original levels.

Q10)

How to Use Emoji in the Android 4.4 KitKat Keyboard?

A

Emoji, Japanese pictographs and smileys commonly used to convey letters and words in electronic messages, are becoming more mainstream for smartphone users. Historically, Android users had to download a separate app from the app store and add it as a keyboard “language” in order to use emoji. With Android 4.4 KitKat, Google has built emoji into the default Android keyboard, making it easy to communicate with these pictorial tools.

- Open Google Hangouts.

- Tap “Send a Message” within a conversation.

- Tap the Smiley Face button in the bottom-right hand corner of the numeric keyboard.

- Tap the Icons in the black bar at the top of the emoji keyboard to scroll through different types of emoji. Each section has several pages of emoji to choose from.

- Tap an Emoji to add it to your message, then click send to transmit that emoji to your contact.

Q11)

I can not see messaging application?

A

Hangouts application, which now supports text messaging, is used as the default text messaging application.

Q12)

How to capture photos while recording?

A

The Nexus 5, like nearly any device capable of capturing video, has little trouble capturing still images while recording video. Simply tap the screen while recording a video to capture a photo, which your smartphone will then instantly save in your photo gallery as the camera continues to record.

Q13)

I can not see Developer Options in settings?

A

Google hide this option, to enable it just go to settings---->about phone, tap 7 times on "build number" and it will be shown in settings.

Q14)

What is ART runtime?

A

Android uses something called Dalvik to run apps. Dalvik works by compiling an app each time it is running, which minimizes installation times and disk usage, but also makes apps slower to start up. In Android 4.4, there’s now an alternative – ART.

ART instead compiles all apps before execution, allowing them to start more quickly and get things done faster, it can also improve battery life. ART is still experimental. You can try enabling it in Developer Options. If any app doesn’t work, it’s easy to switch back to Dalvik again.

Q15)

ADB can not recognize my N5. What should I do?

A

Download and install Android SDK, if you already have it on your PC just update tools and platform-tools. you must have latest ADB version. If you do not want to install Android SDK, download attached file.

Q16)

How can i make my N5 feel snappier?

A

By speeding up (or disabling) the animated fade-in effects you see when switching between tasks, you’ll see a boost in performance and faster screen transitions. Start by unhiding “Developer options” as described above. Once in “Developer options,” scroll down to the “Window animation scale” and “Transition animation scale” options and set both to .5x. You can even turn each of these off and transitioning between apps and pages will be almost instant. If you ever want to go back, remember the defaults for both of these settings are 1x.

Q17)

How can i improve my gaming graphics?

A

If you are a hard-core gamer, you probably already know what 4x anti-aliasing is. First, enable Developer Options as described above, then go to Settings and click on Developer Options and enable Force 4x MSAA. Multisample anti-aliasing (MSAA) is a technique used to improve image quality. Since the N5 has a GPU capable of supporting MSAA, this setting should make your graphics look more detailed when you are playing advanced games. Keep in mind this will also cause your GPU to work harder and your device may get hotter and consume more power than normal. It’s also possible that all games may not support this.

Q18)

I want to see "KitKat" on my screen, can i?

A

Yes you can, go to settings---->about phone tap quickly 4-5 times on android version, then touch and hold, you will see the KitKat logo.

Q19)

2 new sensors on my Nexus 5??

A

Android 4.4 supports two new types of sensors – step counters and step detectors. So far only two apps are optimized for the Nexus 5 Moves & Runtastic Pedometer.

Q20)

How can i customize my LED notifications?

A

A free app called Light Flow Lite allows you to take control of the colors of your notification LED. It also makes your N5 flash one color after another. This app allows you to set the notification color for over 250 applications and system events including missed calls, low battery, no signal, voice mail, calendar reminders, Gmail messages, email messages, SMS messages, MMS messages, Twitter notifications and more.

Q21)

How can i put my N5 in fastboot/recovery mode?

A

Turn off your phone, press and hold down Volume Down + Power button at the same time until fastboot (bootloader) mode (image of an Android with Start) appears then release the keys. Press volume up or down and select recovery by pressing power button. (For stock recovery, when you see an android logo with exclamation mark, press volume up to see the recovery menu).

Q22)

How can i put my N5 in download mode (for LG flashtool)?

A

Turn off your phone, hold volume up and plug your usb cable into pc while holding the volume button.

Q23)

How to wirelessly charge my N5?

A

In case you didn’t know already, the Nexus 5 comes equipped for charge wirelessly right out of the box. Consider purchasing a magnetic Wireless Charger to utilize the feature, and if bought, place the smartphone directly atop the device for wireless charging.

Q24)

My N5 screen is turning on by itself, what is happening?

A

It is caused by an application, usually by live wallpapers, try to find it and delete it, or install an antivirus app., there is a lot of antivirus apps available (avast, eset, ....). Personally i recommend Dr.Web Anti-virus, scan, delete, wipe cache and dalvik (optional).

Q25)

sometimes i lose packet data, i reboot my N5 to enable packet data again?

A

There is no need to turn your phone off and on to re-enable packet data, just long press on power button, enable airplane mode for 3-5 seconds then disable it.

Q26)

I rooted my N5, what to do next?

A

It is recommended to make a nandroid backup immediately.

Q27)

I rooted my N5, made a nandroid backup, but i can not find my backup folder?

A

If you used cwm recovery, with any root manager, enable root option, your backup folder is located in data/media/clockworkmod or mnt/shell/emulated/clockwordmod.

If you used TWRP, your backup is located in sdcard/twrp/backups/serial number.

Q28)

The kernel does not support "Sweep2Wake" or "DoubleTap2Wake", is there a solution?

A

change the kernel, or install intellicover application.

Q29)

Do i need to wipe cache partition when flashing a new custom rom?

A

No, there is no need to wipe cache, because when you wipe data/factory reset, cache is wiped automatically. i see to wipe cache and dalvik after flashing a new custom rom.

Q30)

Do i need to wipe cache partition before flashing a new Kernel?

A

No, there is no need to wipe cache, boot partition has nothing to do with cache.

Q31)

What about my N5 storage?

A

See [MENTION=2872010]rootSU[/MENTION] thread.

Q32)

My N5 won't start, i can not get into fastboot mode, only i can get into download mode?

A

Take a look here.

Q33)

What is the easiest way to install driver?

A

Take a look here.

Q34)

How to install driver on window 8?

A

See [MENTION=1566190]efrant[/MENTION] post.

Q35)

How can i flash stock image on my N5?

A

See [MENTION=4346614]abaaaabbbb63[/MENTION] thread.

Q36)

How to properly post a kernel bug (LAST_KMSG)?

A

See [MENTION=4545027]ciprianruse88[/MENTION] thread.

Q37)

What is the best kernel/Rom for my N5?

A

There is no something called "best kernel/Rom". You must try many kernels/Rom and decide what suit your rom and your need.

Q38)

What is the difference between D820 & D821?

A

Things are almost identical. You'll find the same spec sheet for the screen, processor, RAM, sensors, Wifi and everything else. All indications are that both the D820 and D821 run the exact same software build as well. The only tangible difference between the two models is mobile network bands. D820 for North America, D821 for the rest of the world.

Q39)

What is the difference between CAF & AOSP?

A

Actually, there are two main baselines for support of Qualcomm devices:

-CodeAurora (CAF) - These are Qualcomm's reference sources for their platform. This is what they provide to OEMs, and what nearly all OEMs base their software off of. As a result - nearly all non-Nexus devices are running kernels/display HALs/etc. that are derived from a CAF baseline.

-Google's software baseline, or AOSP - Usually when Google starts working on a new Android version, they'll fork from CAF at the beginning. Very often Google will be adding "new" features specific to the new Android version, while Qualcomm will continue with performance enhancements and bugfixes against the "old" baseline.

*So when a new Android revision comes out, you have two baselines: CAF which is usually "ahead" in performance but "behind" in features, and AOSP which is the opposite.

Starting with 4.3, CM started mixing code between CAF and AOSP. They put some CAF features/capabilities into their baselines for AOSP-supported devices (Nexus devices), and started putting AOSP patches into their baselines for CAF devices.

Beware when flashing custom kernels. A CAF based kernel is not compatible with AOSP based Rom and vice versa.​

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Rooting:​

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. Rooting is similar to jailbreaking devices running the Apple iOS operating system. 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. Rooting enables all the user-installed applications to run privileged commands that are typically unavailable to the devices in their stock configuration.

Legality:

The Free Software Foundation Europe argues that it is legal to root or flash any device. According to the European Directive 1999/44/CE, replacing the original operating system with another does not void the statutory warranty that covers the hardware of the device for two years unless the seller can prove that the modification caused the defect.

On July 26, 2010, the United States announced a new exemption making it officially legal to root a device and run unauthorized third-party applications, as well as the ability to unlock any cell phone for use on multiple carriers.

Safety:

I Have always said that the person should learn the Android OS before rooting. It is a good idea to have an idea of what rooting is doing and what it will affect. I would say spend your time really learning the OS which is not a small task. Then, if you still feel like it, go ahead and root. While rooting can help you learn many things about your device, it also can reap very bad consequences, such as:

-Bricking your phone (or in an easier way to explain, making your phone a pretty paper weight).

-Corrupting core files.

-Stopping OTA updates from going to your phone.

-Voiding phone warranty.

-Have your phone open to malicious software and applications that can do serious harm to your phone.

As you can see, it can reap very negative things. I have read/seen people who have literally had to buy brand new phones because they tried the latest and greatest rom. Rooting is essentially something that you must take at your own risk & caution. Generally, if you follow exactly the procedure of rooting made by developers, you will be more likely on the safe side.

Root process:

See [MENTION=4883664]Chromium[/MENTION] thread.

What to do after rooting?:

1) make a nandroid backup via custom recovery 2) backup efs partition (save your IMEI and NV_DATA):

Install "terminal emulator" from play store, open it and type the following (enter after each line):

su
dd if=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/modemst1 of=/sdcard/efs1.img
dd if=/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/modemst2 of=/sdcard/efs2.img

Then copy/move efs.img to a safe place on your pc.​

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Problems can happen:​

-Stuck into a Bootloop:

Bootloops are mainly caused by system files interfering with each others which cause instability and/or crash at the boot sequence. so what to do??

Long press on power button then press volume down together, boot into recovery, wipe cache and dalvik, reboot. If not, format data, reboot. if not restore your backup (supposing that you did a nandroid backup before). if you don't have a backup to restore, flash any custom rom from your sdcard after formatting system & data & cache. If you don't have a custom rom in your sdcard, push one from your pc using adb (supposed that you have adb file or sdk on your pc): boot into recovery, connect your phone to the computer open command prompt where your custom rom is present and write the following command then hit enter:

adb devices
adb push name_of_rom.zip /sdcard/

Then

adb reboot recovery

once done, go to your phone and install the rom.zip from recovery, reboot.

Or you can use "adb sideload" command: boot into recovery, choose "install zip from sideload", connect your phone to the computer open command prompt where your custom rom is present and write the following command then hit enter:

adb devices
adb sideload name_of_rom.zip

If none of above methods works, then flash stock image for your N5 using fastboot commands here.

-N5 is quietly dead:

If your phone did not respond to anything, it won't turn on, can not boot into fastboot or download mode, black screen, try holding power button for 30 seconds, if not, you need another motherboard.​

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N5 secret codes:​

*#*#4636#*#* Testing menu(Phone, Battery & Wifi Info, Usage Statistics).

*#06# MEID number(Display's your IMEI).

*#*#2432546#*#* Checkin(Manually check for System Updates).

*#*#8255#*#* For Google Talk service monitoring.

*#*#786#*#* Hard Reset(Wipes/Resets Data/Profile & internal storage!) (think before you do it! no warning, no go back).

*#*#1234#*#* or *#*#7873778#*#* Open superuser application.

*#123# then press dial. Shows you if you are in your home network or not (only across networks in USA/Canada).​

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Recommendations:​

-Too loud wallpapers may sometimes disturb the look of your home screen and make the icons quite invisible, simple or a less-colored wallpapers are always suggested as to be the best choice. But your choice is what matters.

- Use only essential widgets on your home screen - each widget consumes memory and processing power which can slow down your phone.

- Uninstall apps that you don't use - after awhile your phone can get cluttered as some Apps are designed to always run in the background. If you rarely use an App, then uninstall it to free up memory and CPU resource.

- It is best to avoid task killers such as Advanced Task Killer. Android is designed to automatically pre-load certain applications, even if you don't load them yourself. If it starts to run low on memory, it will smartly unload the oldest running apps automatically. Manually killing tasks will only mean they get loaded in memory again. Task killers can make the phone slow, laggy, or drain battery life more quickly.

- Always use latest CWM or latest TWRP recoveries.

- Disable USB debugging when it is not in use. Leaving USB debugging enabled makes your phone vulnerable (e.g. lock pattern can be reset).

- Avoid putting your N5 in direct sunlight, it may affect touch screen & your battery performance.

- Learn how to use ADB & FASTBOOT commands instead of using toolkits, the last could not function properly.

- Check rom/kernel.zip md5 before flashing if it is convenient.

- Always update applications, if available, for better performance.

- Make a backup of your data, applications, contacts...always ready to restore from your computer.

- Read, read and read before you mess with your N5.

- Always be sure that you are flashing the right thing for your N5 variant.

- If you do not know what you are doing, so don't do it ;).​

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