[Verizon Galaxy Note 4 General] Zacharee1:
I frequent the JasmineROM and CyanogenMod threads in this forum and have noticed (and answered) many repeat questions: questions that have already been answered maybe a page or two back. I've noticed frustration in the answers to these questions (I've felt it myself), so I decided to start a new thread that will address the questions and provide the answers. It won't stop the questions from happening, but at least we can all just paste a link instead of writing the same paragraph over and over to people who don't seem to do any research.

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Here's the format I'll be using for the questions and answers. I'd really appreciate it if suggestions could follow it, but it isn't necessary at all.

[SIZE="4"][B]Q: LE QUESTION[/B][/SIZE]

[SIZE="3"][I]A: ZE ANSWER[/I][/SIZE]

Sorry for not adding this in earlier.

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(This may be in the wrong section, but I figured General would fit it best. Please move it if it's better somewhere else.)

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I know I'm going to forget to include quite a few things. If you've seen a repeat question, I believe (I don't know for sure :p) that replying to this post with at least the repeat question and then allowing me to edit it into this post will be a good way to go about this (I'll give credit with a name and link to the post).

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Without further ado, here's the "FAQ":

Q: How do I root my Note?

A: http://xdaforums.com/note-4-verizon/general/guide-noobs-guide-to-perm-root-twrp-t3360883

Q: How do I upgrade to the MM bootloader and modem?

A: http://xdaforums.com/note-4-verizon/development/howto-bootloader-unlock-upgrade-to-t3398144

Q: I have no WiFi after using the latest version of CyanogenMod, JasmineROM, PaulPizz or any other Marshmallow-based ROM.

A: Make sure you have upgraded the bootloader and modem to Marshmallow. Guide here.

Q: On CyanogenMod, I'm losing LTE and only getting 3G.

A: Reboot into Recovery and then back to System. It won't fix it permanently, but it will restore LTE for a while.

A2: Delete the StraightTalk APN from your APN settings. (Obviously, you shouldn't do this if you have StraightTalk.) (Not everyone has a problem with the ST APN, but I figure I'll put this here.)

Q: Screen rotation isn't working on JasmineROM 6 or 7.

A: Many people have reported that this is a result of debloating. Not everyone has the issue, but those who have say one they remove Facebook and DT Ignite (among others), screen rotation breaks.

Q: Bluetooth audio is stuttering in CyanogenMod 13.

A: The workaround for this is to enable Daydream. That will prevent the phone from going to sleep, but will display a dark background with a clock, allowing you to still get a fast charge. The problem with BT audio lies in a CyanogenMod change that caused some problems with Bluetooth discovery upon device wake. hsbadr is working on a new build with the fix incorporated.

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---- Thanks to [MENTION=2797617]douger1957[/MENTION] || Post ----

Q: I'm already on Marshmallow with a locked bootloader. Is there hope for me?

A: Yes. You need to downgrade to Lollipop first. Flash the full firmware (thanks, [MENTION=5868929]hsbadr[/MENTION]!) on ODIN. Make sure that auto reboot is unchecked. When you get a "pass" in ODIN, boot into recovery and do a factory reset, otherwise you could get a bootloop. It takes a while for the first boot... upwards to 15 minutes... so be patient. Then you can start to unlock the bootloader. The bootloader must be unlocked before you can root.

Q: What ROMs can I flash?

A: That's a tough one. If you have a Lollipop unlocked bootloader you can only flash a ROM based on a Lollipop bootloader. Often the developer of the ROM will put the base of his ROM in the title of the thread as the bootloader firmware name (ie N910VVRU2BPA1) is a Lollipop firmware. Otherwise, you'll find the information at the lower left corner of the opening post. If you don't know, ask in that thread.

Subsequently, you must have an unlocked Marshmallow bootloader in order to flash a Marshmallow bootloader based ROM.

Confusing the issue more is the fact that it's possible to have a Marshmallow ROM use a Lollipop bootloader.

You can find all of the ROMs that are specifically for the N910V Note 4 variant (Verizon) here.

Q: I hear there are ROMs for other Note 4 variants. What's up with that?

A: True deal. Some of the other variants, the international models specifically, have been unlocked for awhile and there's a thriving development community. You can find those ROMs here. You've gotta know some stuff before you can flash one of their ROMs.

1) Stick with ROMs developed for the N910F and N910G variants. The radios are closest to ours. Flash a ROM for another variant and you're now a test pilot.

2) The same rules apply to their ROMs: Lollipop bootloader on your phone? Lollipop based ROM. Same for Marshmallow.

3) You'll need to flash a data fix to make their ROMs work on the Verizon network. Further, you may need to flash a kernel to make wifi work. I had luck with the Oscar kernel when I tried the Noble ROM last week.

(Note by Zacharee1: I've only had luck with the data fix on TouchWiz ROMs. AOSP ROMs, like CyanogenMod and Resurrection Remix, have problems with the data fix, resulting in reduced performance and still no cellular.)

Q: I've gotta, gotta, gotta have wifi calling.

A: At this time, you're pretty much stuck with a stock based ROM like Jasmine or PaulPizz. [MENTION=5868929]hsbadr[/MENTION] is working on getting it to work on CM13 but I'm waiting for other issues with that ROM to clear up and I am not current on its features. You will not find it on any of the international based ROMs.

(Note by Zacharee1: WiFi calling still does not work on CM. I have hopes for it in the future, but I may be moving to T-Mobile, where I'll probably have it anyway, so I won't be current on this either.)

Q: What are some tips about choosing and flashing custom ROMs on my Note?

A: Read these tips:

1) Find a ROM that interests you and has the features you can't live without. Most ROM developers are pretty thorough in the opening post or so regarding what you can expect.

2) Read the thread cover to cover. But Douger, some of those threads have hundreds upon hundreds of pages. Why? Because you'll know what issues others have had with the ROM and you'll find possible workarounds. You'll find out whether or not there are any showstoppers that'll keep you from using it as a daily driver.

3) Before you flash anything, do a full nandroid backup. In TWRP, check off all of the blocks. If crap blows up in your face, you can be using the phone again in about ten minutes of recovery time. Otherwise, you can spend hours setting the phone up again after flashing a ROM again.

4) Speaking of spending hours, plan on it. If you don't have the time, wait till you do because you;

5) Need to do a full wipe. That means data, system, cache and ART/Dalvik. Often when flashing ROMs, things don't get cleaned out properly, and artifacts will remain. Most ROM developers will include the instruction to wipe, which brings us to the next point;

5) Follow the directions exactly. Do not freelance unless you know what you are doing. That means flashing kernels, modems, bootloaders, etc. Follow the instructions in the order they are presented. If you don't understand any of the instructions, don't proceed until you do.

6) Perform a factory reset after flashing a new ROM but before booting.

7) Before rooting, I strongly suggest that you move anything you have stored on internal storage such as pictures or music, off the phone. Before you flash your first ROM, format the internal storage. The root process involves Chinese software and if you're not one who keeps up with the news, the Chinese are notorious hackers. Make sure you get all of the cooties off your phone.

8) It takes a long time for a phone to fully boot once you've flashed a ROM. Usually, it's over in about ten minutes but twenty minutes isn't unheard of. Be patient and resist the urge to pull the battery.

9) If you can get into recovery and download modes, you did not "brick" your phone. Contain your panic and think things out. The best advice I can give is to try to get back to the last time things worked.

Q: How do I know whether to use ODIN or flash in recovery?

The developer will usually tell you. But, if the file you're flashing has a ".tar" or ".md5" extension, it's flashed in ODIN. Often that file is zipped (extension ".7z") and needs to be unzipped. If the file has a .zip extension it's flashed in recovery.

Q: What is Odin?

A: Not the Norse god in this case. http://xdaforums.com/galaxy-s3/themes-apps/27-08-2013-odin-3-09-odin-1-85-versions-t2189539

Q: What is TWRP?

A: TWRP is what's known as a custom recovery, which is what allows you (for the most part) to flash custom ROMs and packages to your phone. Each build of TWRP is device-specific. Make sure you downloaded the correct version for your device. http://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-install-twrp/

Q: What should I do if I'm having an issue with the ROM?

A: PLEASE don't just complain that something isn't working. See if you can fix it yourself; maybe it was something you installed or changed? If it's not unique to you or even a clean flash doesn't fix it, then you should look into providing some logs for the dev. Check out LogCat. Ask the developer how they want the log delivered.

Don't complain if you dirty flashed the ROM (meaning you didn't wipe /system and /data before flashing -- leaving internal storage and SD card alone is perfectly fine). While it's possible your issue is something wrong with the ROM, the developer will just ignore you. Also don't lie about having done a clean flash. It's pointless, and the developer can probably tell from any logs you provide that you actually dirty flashed. It's not fair to others if you take up their time by helping you try to fix a problem that can be solved by flashing the ROM the way it was meant to be flashed.

Q: Things on my screen are too small/large.

[SIZE="3"[I]A: You can actually change what's known as the DPI. Here's a method for that for the Note 4 on TouchWiz: [url]http://xdaforums.com/note-4-verizon/development/solution-dpi-change-camera-dialer-t3422699[/url][/I][/SIZE]

[SIZE="4"]Q: I really like the ROM I'm using. Is there something I can do to help the developer out?

A: Luckily for you (and the dev), there is. Many developers will have a DONATE button in the sidebar on their posts. Remember, this is the only way most of them get anything from what they do. Developing these ROMs is usually done as a hobby, and considerable time and effort are put into producing something for you to use on your phone.

If you can't donate (or don't want to -- it's understandable), hit the THANKS button on the developer's posts. It's a nice gesture that shows you are interested in their work and that you would like to see more.

Q: What's this Xposed thingy I've heard about?

A: Xposed is a framework that allows almost unlimited customization and feature unlocking. As such, it is not something to play with lightly. This is the forum devoted to Xposed. This is where you'll find the framework, installers, and the modules.

[MENTION=3562083]wanam[/MENTION] has done much of the development for Samsung phones. Here's where you'll find his work. Since his is made especially for Samsung ROMs, I strongly recommend sticking with his base until you're more comfortable with using Xposed.

Q: There are so many downloads for Xposed. Which one do I use?

A: As always, RTFT (read the f'ing thread). However, here's a shortcut. Note 4 phones are ARM. Version 86 is current. Use that for AOSP based ROMs. Use the "alt" version for TouchWiz based ROMs. You need both the framework and the installer.

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It's not very much so far (it's hard to come up with this on the spot), but I hope you'll all help out by posting the other frequent questions you see around these forums.