Options for my TF201 (rooting/custom Rom)

Hiya there. I'm pretty much inexperienced fiddling with my Android devices and have been using them as they come. As a owner and a daily user of my TF201 I'm starting to hope for more stability and performance to the device.

I'm currently running stock ROM that has been updated to 4.1.1 (as it is as far as Asus will support it, if I have understood correctly).

I started my first Android fiddling by trying to unlock the device, not noticing that the Unlocker app that Asus provided is only for ICS. Nevertheless, now my device states that it is unlocked when it boots, up but I do not have the root priviledges. I have understood that this is caused by the JB update and could be fixed for example with motochopper, but I havent tried it yet.

So I currently have presumably unlocked bootloader on a fully functional non-root device and I am asking for tips on the next course of action. What I would want is running a custom rom that would be stable enough to use it daily that would be better than the stock I currently have. Cyanogenmod looks good enough, but didn't quite get the grasp if there is a working stable build that I could use. Mostly because I'm already on JB.

I thank you in advance for any suggestions you might have.

Welcome to the forum. I've added the text in brackets to your thread title and moved it to the TF201 Rom section. ;)

Look in the Transformer Prime ROMs forum, particularly at the http://www.transformerforums.com/for...1-sep-8-a.html thread.

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Originally Posted by LikesCookies

Look in the Transformer Prime ROMs forum, particularly at the http://www.transformerforums.com/for...1-sep-8-a.html thread.

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We don't currently have a guide written specifically for the tf201. The process for installing these ROMs are more complicated on the tf201 than the 300/700. The problem is that developers develop ROMs to work on tf201s which run a special bootloader which makes the device "think" it is a tf300. Then you are able to run all the tf300 ROMs and some other ROMs as well.


Since we dont have a guide in this forum, I recommend the guide written in the 4th post of this thread on xda http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2773812. I also recommend reading my tf300 guide (in my signature) or droidbound's tf700 guide on this site to understand the concepts a bit better.

Once you ha e competed the steps in that 4th post, you can install any ROM published by sbdags (CROMI-X, CROMBi-kk, and ZOMBi-X) all three are some if the best around and you will be amazed by the improvement.

This is probably a lot to take in so the best thing to do is to take the process one small step at a time and ask a lot of questions.
There is a thread in this section called "cyanogenmod" in which we were able to walk another user through the exact same process. It is a lengthy thread but it would be very helpful in addition to the above mentioned guides.

Thank you LikesCookies and Gtanner00. Those links will surely help, especially now that I found the said "Cyanogenmod" thread (http://www.transformerforums.com/for...anogenmod.html).

I must admit that I am somewhat hesitant meddling with Android since I have no experience in that. That being said I will probably require some aid, or at least time so that I don't do anything too hastily. I imagine that if I indeed start meddling with it, I will keep this thread posted on my progress.

Current situation:
- Did a factory reset to the device (Stock 4.1.1 Rom)
- Unlocked with Asus Unlock tool (even if it is for ICS). This resulted in the "Device is unlocked" text, but no root priviledges that I suspect is caused by the JB update.
- Installed Android SDK and Asus Sync (mostly because that was easiest way of getting up to date USB drivers for the device)
- Succesfully rooted the device using Kingo ROOT.

After this I followed few steps from a thread on Xda-dev ([Guide] Best performance you can get without… | Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime | XDA Forums)
- completed 1. (Get rid of bloat) and 6. (Install Pimp My Rom)
- Installed RAM Booster and Greenify.

While I meddled with my newfound power of rooting I ran AnTuTu Benchmark on several occasions, just to see if I see some change and if my memory serves me right I got the benchmark total from around ~17800 points to 18090. Alot of optimizing could still be done to the Stock ROM, but at this point I decided to take a breather and head off to bed. Now the tablet does seems somewhat faster and more stable but naturally this is no where near it could go with a custom rom.

This leaves me to a point where I wonder if I have the stones to go for the custom rom route and with my luck end up with a 500€ paperweight. :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brenon

This leaves me to a point where I wonder if I have the stones to go for the custom rom route and with my luck end up with a 500€ paperweight. :D

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This is the reason I haven't tried installing a new ROM. I use my TF201 a lot and I just don't have the money to replace it if I screw up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LikesCookies

This is the reason I haven't tried installing a new ROM. I use my TF201 a lot and I just don't have the money to replace it if I screw up.

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This is very true. There is a lot of investment in the first part of the process. I would say that there is almost no risk if the process is done correctly. In fact since you have a custom recovery you are actually in a better position to save your device should something go wrong.

However if done incorrectly, the process can brick your tablet.

I usually recommend custom ROMs more often to those who have a second device and want to experiment.

Congratulations for getting so far on your own.
Should you choose to continue, you will find that getting root for you device was redundant since everything is done over fastboot.

Came across this recently
ROM★★★TF201 KitKat 4.4.4-C… | Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime | XDA Forums
Crombi rom kitkat 4.4.4
I've been running it for a few weeks now and have no issues.
I'd be happy to help in any way I can.