[Samsung Galaxy S 5 Unified Development] dataslanger:
MY VERDICT- Bugs galore, should I go back to crDroid w/ Nougat 7.1.2?

After doing a full wipe and starting clean with crDroid 4.6 (klte, per this thread) and having used it for more than a month now, I am in the position to report on bugs I've experienced and whether or not I intend on keeping it installed on my S5 or to wipe it and put the Nougat 7.1.2 crDroid build back on.

The verdict? More than likely going to create a TWRP backup to freeze it in time, copy the backup to my computer, wipe clean and install the older crDroid w/ Nougat.

Here's a quick rundown on the bugs and crashes I experienced quite frequently. First, my setup is a Galaxy S5 "klte" (naturally) using Walmart's "Straight Talk" (AT&T) service. Latest Samsung hardware / modem firmware; crDroid 4.6, MindTheGapps (smallest copy), and latest Magisk.

The kernel used isn't the stock one with the package - and yes I'm aware of the note on this post regarding support with other kernels - although the one I downloaded was more stable than the stock one for me. I am using "Tuned Kernel" for Galaxy S5 based on boeffla-kernel-4.1-CM14.1-g900f. Without it, the system was pretty sluggish and prone to all manners of system lock-ups and slow-downs. The kernel was recommended by another user here in the forum. Please still listen to my experience, as these occurred somewhat with the stock kernel for me (although I didn't get long to test it, because of how horrible the performance is); to be fair I had dirty flashed when running the stock kernel and then clean flashed when installing the boeffla. But either way, we proceed...

Over-all I really like the system. I bought my S5 on eBay with TWRP, crDroid Nougat 7.1.2 and Magisk pre-installed. I found this upgrade and went for it. Being heavily dissatisfied with the performance, I restored my Nougat and then was told about the modified boeffla kernel along with a clean flash. While snappy and responsive, and full of options especially when combined with Magisk's plugins, there are some things I cannot get past and make it unusable for the long term.

BUG - CELLULAR VOICE/DATA CUTS OUT SEVERAL TIMES AN HOUR

Periodically, and I found this happening mostly when I was NOT on a telephone call, the icon indicating cellular connectivity (voice & data) would go "empty" and I would be unable to make a phone call being instead told that I could only use emergency dialing. I do not have interval information for this, but it seems to catch my eye now and then and I see the empty icon. Or, of course, I find out when I go to dial a contact. I did not have this issue prior to upgrading the crDroid ROM. Being a cell phone from which I need to make phone calls, you can imagine that I find this the most irritating of all.

BUG - YOUTUBE "VANCED" CRASHING WHEN APP SWAPPING

I have the "Vanced" Youtube package installed via Magisk. This blocks advertisements and allows playing Youtube content in the background when switching applications along with Picture-in-Picture (PIP) and, after first installing crDroid, was great. However now I am unable to swap without the Youtube application outright crashing immediately after switch. I am not sure why it decided to manifest itself after a period of time, but it did. This does not happen all the time, primarily when I am not switching to a different application via the status bar pull-down with notifications at top to switch to another app (I'm not sure what it's called). If I am simply pressing the big physical button on the phone to switch back to the desktop often the Youtube Vanced PIP will play and all is well; again it's mostly when I switch to an app like a messenger or some other app that is notifying me of updates via the pulldown.

BUG - APP CRASHING AFTER QUESTION REGARDING ACCESS TO PHONE FEATURES

When an application hasn't been previously granted access to certain actions, such as just now as I write this with Chrome needing "Data and Photo Storage" to save files to the disk, the application will exit (presumably crashed) after I either grant or deny access. In the case of Chrome just moving on and doing the file save to the Downloads directory, it crashed after I gave it permission to access the filesystem and save its data. This happens with every application and with every prompt about permissions that it hadn't originally asked for which is often the case when I side-load/side-install via adb and didn't install in Google Play where it asks at install time.

BUG - APPLICATION LAUNCHER CRASHING

I am not sure if this is crDroid's fault or not, as I do not run the default app launcher but instead "P9 Launcher" for that sweet Android 9 Pie interface, but many times when switching back to the desktop I find that the launcher is reloading indicating that it crashed. It happens many times along with Youtube Vanced. I think I do recall the default doing this as well but I haven't tested lately. I just recall it not doing this under the old crDroid with Nougat.

BUG - Proximity Detection is Glitchy

The phone believes it is not at my cheek/head/ear and enables the screen, allowing my cheek and ear to press buttons such as FLASHLIGHT, SPEAKER, keys on the numeric keypad if displayed, hang-up, MUTE, etc. This problem didn't occur with the Nougat 7.1.2 but does with the latest Oreo crDroid so I don't believe it's the hardware. It seems to happen at when my phone is held at slight angles to my ear.

There are several other recurring bugs such as the sound ceasing to work until reboot, other unexplained crashes, inconsistencies, etc.

SO - are these bugs crDroid, are they due to the "tuned" kernel, a mix of both? Anyone else experiencing this? Anyone else have any input? I know the tuned / boeffla kernel has a different OOM killer, different priorities / scheduling, and many other modifications.

I would be willing to try this with the stock kernel again if anyone has any advice. Can anyone think of what causes this issue with the cellular connection? It's very, very irritating.

Thank you!