[Galaxy S6 General] BobbyHenceMcGee:
[QUOTE="djshotty, post: 62526855, member: 1263460"]Okay, how do you get the best out of a [b]SM-G920i[/b] Galaxy S6?

Firstly, may I just say [b]follow these instructions to the letter[/b] before coming to me with questions. I have spent the best part of five years tinkering with my own i9000, then a i9100, then a i9505. I've also done research across [B][COLOR="DarkOrange"]XDA-Developers[/COLOR][/B] and a number of other Android forums, taking in and compiling the very best information that actually works time and again.

[B]Rule Number One?[/B] Start afresh! The advice I give everyone regardless of what device you have is, Back the damn thing up first! It's called a [b][i]nandroid[/i][/b] backup, [URL="http://www.google.com/search?q=nandroid+backup"][COLOR="Blue"][B]Google[/B][/COLOR][/URL] it - and make sure you clean all traces of the old firmware out of your phone thoroughly with a full factory reset that includes a data/system/cache/Dalvik cache wipe. More often than not, the dramas people have when they get up and running on a newly flashed ROM (or, issues in restarting the device after a flash) can be directly attributed to remnants of the old ROM interfering with the new. This is especially so for flashing via Recovery. If you use Odin to flash a Stock firmware, it pretty much smashes its way over the top of whatever you've got installed, and gives you a fresh palate to work with. Main thing to remember is, Back up your device - all your photos and music, etc. - to your PC. The most important step? [COLOR="Red"][B]BACKUP YOUR DEVICE'S [i]EFS[/i] FOLDER!!![/B][/COLOR] This is a location where information pertaining to your device's IMEI ([b]I[/B]nternational [b]M[/B]obile-station [b]E[/B]quipment [b]I[/B]dentity) number are stored, and this folder can [i]sometimes[/i] be wiped when you flash a ROM. Read this excellent guide for a thorough explanation of the how's and why's of this very important piece of the Android puzzle (thanks to [b][color="DarkOrange"]Mr.W0lf[/b][/color])...

[URL="http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/general/tool-backup-restore-efs-partition-t3062487"][B]http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/general/tool-backup-restore-efs-partition-t3062487[/B][/URL]

Of course, it's much easier for any phone app. written for the purpose to do these backup tasks when the device is [b]rooted[/b], which is why I suggest doing it. My thoughts on OEM's controlling how us 'power-users' play with our expensive toys are straight to the point - I own it, I paid for it, I should be able to do whatever I like to it and run it how [b][i]I[/i][/b] see fit!
You'll find throughout XDA a number of device-specific threads and posts about how to gain root access to your device. One thing you'll definitely need is what's known as a 'rooted kernel'. The one just below can be used on any SM-G920i or SM-G925i running Lollipop 5.1.1, and if you have issues with what to do or how to do it, post a Help request on that thread (thanks to [b][color="DarkOrange"]g.lewarne[/b][/color])...

[URL="http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/samsung-galaxy-s-6--s-6-edge-unified-development/kernel-stockmod-kernel-t3100395"][B]http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/samsung-galaxy-s-6--s-6-edge-unified-development/kernel-stockmod-kernel-t3100395[/B][/URL]

The specific file you are looking for is under the heading [color="Red"]UniKernel v6-0001 ODIN FLASHABLE[/color]. Again, you use Odin to 'flash' that into your phone, in exactly the same way you flash the Stock ROM. I will stress this point: [b]IT WILL 'TRIP KNOX', and NO! There's NO RESETTING THAT TRIP COUNTER![/b] There's no way back from breaking Knox, so you do it at your own risk!
As of right now, the newest release of the Stock firmware for the SM-G920i is waiting for download at [URL="http://samsung-firmware.org/model/SM-G920I/"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"][B]Samsung-Firmware.org[/B][/color][/URL].
Grab the 1.54GB ZIP archive known as... [b][color="red"]Australian Stock Unbranded XSA Lollipop ROM (5.1.1)[/color][/b].
DO NOT grab the Optus (OPS) or Vodafone (VAU) one - or any other 'carrier-branded' firmware - unless you want to fill your device with rubbish and wait longer for a larger file to download. Create a New folder on your Windows Desktop, then (using WinRAR or 7ZIP) extract the contents of the ZIP you downloaded into that folder.
Next, go grab a nice little Windows program called [b]Odin[/b], available here...

[URL="http://www.samsungodindownload.com/odindownload/#.Vd5ZMPmqqko"][B]http://www.samsungodindownload.com/odindownload/#.Vd5ZMPmqqko[/B][/URL]

While you're there, grab the [b]Samsung USB drivers[/b] and the [b]ADB Fastboot Tool[/b], if you haven't got them already. Install them, and we'll move forward.
Odin is what you use to 'flash' the new firmware into your phone. The application is already pre-configured, so its a simple case of[list][*]start your phone in 'Download Mode',[*]start the app. on your PC,[*]connect the phone to the PC via USB,[*]click the [b]AP[/b] button on the app.,[*]navigate to where you extracted the G920IDVU2COGA_G920IXSA2COGA_G920IDVU2COGA_HOME.tar.md5 file,[*]click Open,[*]wait until the app. loads up the ROM, then[*]click Start[/list]There's plenty of advice and assistance available here on XDA about Odin, so I won't go full-tilt into details on how to use it, other than what I've written above. The flashing process does take a bit of time, and there's also a bit of a wait for the device to reach the first config screen. Patience is a virtue!
Next, go and find yourself a 'custom ROM'. The list of Original (Custom) ROMs for the SM-G92xx series that are shared here on XDA can be seen by following the link below...

[URL="http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/development"][B]http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/development[/B][/URL]

For custom ROMs that are '[i]outside the box[/i]' (so to speak), check out the thread below...

[URL="http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/orig-development"][B]http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s6/orig-development[/B][/URL]

If you have questions about the ROM itself, how to 'flash' the ROM, or anything else about that particular release, ask them of the ROM Chef in the thread where you got it from. They're the ones who cooked it, so they've already gone through the trials and errors and successes of getting their ROM working on your device, making them the best guys and gals to ask if you have dramas with the ROM. 99.9% of the time the ROM Chef's thread will have in the first couple of posts Instructions on How To Flash, FAQ's, known issues, etc.
Now, if you're having issues with carrier network connectivity, call quality, mobile internet etc., it could be either your network APN ([b][I]A[/I][/b]ccess [b][I]P[/I][/b]oint [B][I]N[/I][/B]ame) settings or your ROM's 'modem' package. APN settings are within the phone's Network setup menu. The best list of Australian carrier APN's I've found is at [B][URL="http://ausdroid.net/apns/"][color="Blue"]Ausdroid Forums[/color][/URL][/B]. Modems are a sort of '[I]try them until you get one you're happy with[/I]' kind of thing, and the best list of modems and bootloaders for the SM-G92xx Series is hosted by XDA's very own Legend Of The S6, [b][COLOR="DarkOrange"]edgarf28[/COLOR][/b] at...

[URL="http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=60112855&postcount=3"][B]http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=60112855&postcount=3[/B][/URL]

Hope that gets your device running smikko, and if you're that stuck you need a bit of special attention, [URL="http://xdaforums.com/member.php?u=1263460"][B][COLOR="Blue"]PM me[/COLOR][/B][/URL]. Lastly, make sure to click on the [B][I][COLOR="Red"]Thanks[/COLOR][/I][/B] button if you got help from this tutorial...[/QUOTE]

Someone donate to him please.. I would but I'm broke :p