[Q] Support Tool Levels - XPERIA X10 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I've noticed that there are different levels of support tools and apps that a lot of the developers are using. I wonder if that is contributing to the varied results.
Would it be worth the effort to provide a package that all devolopers could use: such as ADB and JRE, AC-SWM; and certain apps like Superuser, BusyBox, TitaniumBackup; and root tools like Z4root and SuperOneClick.

Tony_C said:
Would it be worth the effort to provide a package that all devolopers could use: such as ADB and JRE, AC-SWM; and certain apps like Superuser, BusyBox, TitaniumBackup; and root tools like Z4root and SuperOneClick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't exactly call those "dev tools" imo.

Related

Z4Root works (for many)

Once you Nooter your Nook and do the SQLite apk install procedure, the easiest way to get root, is to install Z4Root.
I had to reboot twice after running it to get it to work...but it did work.
Others are reporting some other problems.
Discuss.....ready......GO!
does this mean theres a 1 click solution then? o.x;; if so i might have to try =X
Can someone explain why I would use this app? Don't I already have to root the nook to install it in the first place?
Jonbas said:
Can someone explain why I would use this app? Don't I already have to root the nook to install it in the first place?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
some useful apps ( like the soft menu app) require full root
Nooter does give you "full root". What does this app do?
Sent from my nook color using XDA App
edembowski said:
Nooter does give you "full root". What does this app do?
Sent from my nook color using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nooter gives you adb root access, but not su or the superuser whitelist app on the device. Thus, without using z4root or pushing su/superuser.apk to the device, apps that require root won't function properly (like Root Explorer/SetCPU/etc.)
OK, but that's an easy adb push. Let's be clear: you're talking about adding some support utilities only. nooter does give you full root. You can't get any more 'root' than a uid 0 shell.
To sum up: Nooter gives you access to a root shell. It does not, as of right now, allow you to run graphical programs that require root access. This requires installing the su utility, as well as the Superuser Whitelist program, both of which z4root accomplish.
Nooter's developer has said that he would like to add su and Superuser Whitelist installation to Nooter, however.
Tl;dr: right now, both Nooter and z4root are necessary for a 'full root', in the traditional Android sense.
If you've done the su and installed superuser.apk, is it still necessary to install z4root?
As far as I can tell, no.
I pushed SU to my NC but rootexplorer still doesn't have access to the data folder nor does it ask for root rights when opening. Pushing SU to my phone didn't do anything its just there like the other apps.
Is Z4Root necessary? Do you just push it to your NC then open it?

[Q] How does "Android Root" works ?

Hello XDA-Forum users,
I ask you a question: How does Android Root works ?
I mean, for example, How does it works in Nexus One ?
This would be an understanding question to know more about how I get root from my Phone (Nexus One, for example) from scratch, from sources.
upupupupupup
Rooting basics:
http://lifehacker.com/5342237/five-great-reasons-to-root-your-android-phone
For details on how to do it on your device, Google or use the forum search. Lots of rooting information that is device dependent out there.
It basically gives your phone permission to do almost anything. It is similar to giving a user in Windows Administrator rights. It is called super user. You can do many things such as removing unwanted apps and overclocking.
This is not what I mean, I asks for an explaining in which the question is "How the root is possible? What active the root ?" Probably a kernel exploit, or stuff like that, to understand the underground passage to take it, from an hack view.
So, How works a root utility (such SuperOneClick) to set gid to 0 ?
Valid question, I am also interested in learning this.
In other words, if I were to perform the rooting manually, where can I find such info?
And some of the question is why su must be in some diredctories, and can't be run from /data/local/tmp for example?
Someone can enlighten us?
diego.stamigni said:
Someone can enlighten us?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The general approach is taking advantage of bugs in the android OS
The process works something like this
User crafts some special data that contains a "payload" (the script/executable that we want to run)
User runs a system process that has root privileges and gets it to open the special data
The bug causes the system process to get confused by the data, and ends up running the embedded script
The embedded script runs with the same privileges as the system process, and thus can stuff that normal users aren't allowed to do (e.g. installs the SU app)
Commonly, things such as buffer overflows are used
So after gaining root access, which apps can run as root?
Or the user becomes root(as in desktop), and can run all types of apps?
Can root app(run as root) access everything?? Or app permission still applies?
Is it that system exploit is always used to run root apps?
can someone explain in technical details? not how to root.
are rooting programs open source??
What is the root procedure
Bayint Naung said:
So after gaining root access, which apps can run as root?
Or the user becomes root(as in desktop), and can run all types of apps?
Can root app(run as root) access everything?? Or app permission still applies?
Is it that system exploit is always used to run root apps?
can someone explain in technical details? not how to root.
are rooting programs open source??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi guys!
I have the same question and after searching and asking find this!
it is good!!
hope it works!
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...hat-are-the-pre-requisites-for-it-to-work-wha
also look at the suggestedpages at the right of this page!

[Q] what does rooting actually do ?

hi. i can't believe i'm the first person to ask this but i've searched as best i can through these forums, and on google, and cannot find a definitive answer. there are lots of pages giving high level descriptions of rooting a phone like "gives admin access", "allows access to the root filesystem", etc. but, when you root a phone, what actually happens ? does it simply make the "su" binary available so that apps can call it to access the root user ? eg. i've got a samsung galaxy s2, if i install an insecure kernel, then add su to /system/xbin, and then reinstall a stock kernel, is that technically a rooted phone ? this is actually what i did on my phone, although i installed superuser and busybox from the market after adding su. i am aware that there are various threads in the sgs2 forums on how to root, i'm just using my phone as an example, i'm just trying to understand generically what is meant when someone says a phone has been rooted. cheers.
Full control over your system
Ability to alter system files. You can replace many parts of the "Android Core" with this including:
Themes
Core apps (maps, calendar, clock etc)
Recovery image
Bootloader
Toolbox (linux binary that lets you execute simple linux commands like "ls") can be replaced with Busybox (slightly better option)
Boot images
Add linux binaries
Run special apps that need more control over the system
SuperUser (lets you approve or deny the use of root access to any program)
Task Manager For Root (Lets you kill apps that you otherwise could not kill)
Tether apps (like the one found at [android-wifi-tether.googlecode.com])
<there are more but I cannot think of any right now>
Backup your system
You can make a folder on your sdcard and backup all of your .apk files to your sdcard (helps if an author decides to "upgrade" you to a version that requires you to pay to use the version you just had)
Relocate your (browser/maps/market) cache to your /sdcard
Relocate your installed applications to your /sdcard
Reboot your phone from the terminal app easily (su <enter> reboot <enter>)
Copied and pasted from google... it is your friend.
thanks for the response however, i'm trying to understand what actually changes on the phone when you root it, rather than simply the benefits of rooting a phone.
Carrot Cruncher said:
thanks for the response however, i'm trying to understand what actually changes on the phone when you root it, rather than simply the benefits of rooting a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unrooted phone is like logging on as user in a computer. By rooting you have "administrative" rights, just like using sudo command in Ubuntu. Some binaries which are important in gaining administrative rights are installed in the phone.
sent from my nokia 3210
If you come from Windows, you're familiar with the Administrator account. A user that can do everything on the system, as opposed to other users than only have limited privileges. In Linux, that account is called "root". That's all there is to it. It's a user that can do everything on the system.
@Panos_dm: Actually, it's *not* like using sudo. Sudo gives elevated privileges to your existing user account, whereas "root" is a whole separate account.
Nope, sudo actually switches users
i'm a linux user and have been a linux admin in the past so understand the difference between su and sudo. sorry to sound pedantic but i'm still not clear on exactly what happens when you root a phone, i.e. what exactly happens during the rooting process ?
It opens your phone to a whole new array of possibilities.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium
Carrot Cruncher said:
but i'm still not clear on exactly what happens when you root a phone, i.e. what exactly happens during the rooting process ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a gist? The "su" binary and the Superuser.apk app get installed. Sometimes doing so requires exploiting a vulnerability via a trigger. Rageagainstthecage is a common trigger. I once had a link that explained what exactly rageagainstthecage does, but I don't have it anymore.
If you really want to know all the details, here's the script I used to root my Defy: http://pastebin.com/G3m9v4FQ
Hmm, I see the script contains a link to the explanation of what rageagainstthecage does. Cool.
many thanks for confirming my understanding of the process.

Busybox

My DX2 has been rooted using the Motorola One Click Root. Superuser is installed. Is busybox also installed during the root process?
I was reading something or other the other day about some customization that I was thinking of doing, but it stated that I should have busybox installed. So I didn't move forward with whatever it was doing because I wasn't sure busybox was installed on my phone during the root process.
Related...
What does busybox do or what is it used for?
Busybox is basically a pared down version of a bunch of common *nix utilities in one download. It's used so that you can easily install the command line functionality you need for scripts and applications without needing to manage and maintain a bunch of different utilities that have extraneous capabilities.

Difference between cf-root and galaxy s3 toolkit rooting method?

So there are two populair methods of rooting the galaxy s3:
- The Samsung galaxy s3 toolkit
- Chainfire's CF-ROOT
My questions are as follows:
What are the technical differences between the two rooting methods?
Do the methods have any drawbacks? (cf-root for example is incompatible with rommanager)
disclaimer:
I am not interested in what you think is the best method, I want to know the technical differences between the two methods used.
I know that the toolkit itself is not a rooting method, it does however include 4 different methods you can use, I am referring to those.
The toolkit uses cfroot I think. Not sure if it's as up to date as the latest cfroot via Odin. They both work well enough. There is no other method I know of. And I haven't had any drawbacks.
That's all I can say really
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Also The toolkit uses Odin too. It has other options and clear instructions. Drivers. Modems etc so this would be the best option for an casual user.
Latest cfroot via Odin is probably your best option if u know what your doing
But it's up to you mate, it doesn't really need analyzing so deeply...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
slking1989 said:
But it's up to you mate, it doesn't really need analyzing so deeply...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it is personal but I like to know or at least have a general idea of what I am doing to my phone. So yes it does
Tnx for the reply
Anyone else who can give me some more insight?
Unfortunately I don't have an answer for you, but I also am interested in the answer to your question..
I think certain methods of rooting use SuperSU (is this the CF one?) and then another method uses Superuser. I think both install busybox (that seems to be the same?)
In my experience, using the Superuser.apk app was faster than SuperSU..
I don't even have the Busybox app installed (but I am sure my phone has busybox, so this also confuses me??)
CF root gets the job done in 20-25 seconds. It installs superSU, busybox and cwm recovery. I would allways recommend rooting with CF Root over the Toolkit.
But that`s my opinion off course
gee2012 said:
CF root gets the job done in 20-25 seconds. It installs superSU, busybox and cwm recovery. I would allways recommend rooting with CF Root over the Toolkit.
But that`s my opinion off course
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes go with the CFroot if u just want to root ur phone.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
'K, I'll bite. I'm not going to give an overall recommendation - at the end of day, they both install an APK and put a new binary in /system/xbin.
Note: I used CF-Root to root my phone. When I talk about how the the toolkit does what it does, I'm basing my words on this image. I've seen the things in that image before, even though I haven't used the toolkit. This also means that my toolkit observations may not be entirely accurate but it's a batch script, anyway; you can just read through it and find out how it works. I'm also primarily a Windows user, but I used to use GNU/Linux quite a bit to write programs for a phone that I once had.
Rooting is, when broken down, the installation of a "su" binary installed to /system/xbin, that is owned by root and carries the setuid flag. This flag is important as the Linux kernel will then run the process whenever it's invoked as the person who owns it, root. This process can then, in turn, start other programs and they inherit the user ID (something like this - I'm taking my time reading TLPI...) so they are then running as root. There's also a "manager" app (Superuser or SuperSU) that will be installed; this app is talked to by the su binary (through the Android Binder AFAIK, though Superuser's source is available so if you really wanted to find out you could read that) to see, for example, if the program that is invoking "su" is allowed to do so. CF-Root installs the SuperSU apk to /system/app, which means that it survives factory resets. The toolkit, from a quick look at the Superuser ZIP in its folder and its batch file, also installs the Superuser apk to /system/app. When sideloading apps or installing from the Google Play Store, they usually get installed to /data/app.
Not all "su" implementations for Android need a manager app, I've seen implementations where su does not place restrictions on who is allowed to run it; uid=0 for everyone without discrimination! (Yes, that also includes you, Super Smilies Pack 3000 with boob smilies) Thankfully, neither the toolkit nor CF-Root do this. I lie a little. Superuser's su binary will automatically reject any request to become root if the Superuser.apk is not installed but SuperSU's su binary will automatically accept all requests to become root if the SuperSU apk is not installed. Personally, I prefer SuperSU's behaviour as there have been too many times with my old phones where I'd have to sign into Google Play after wiping /data just to install the Superuser APK when all I wanted was to run a simple command.
ext* filesystems along with other *NIX filesystems have the concept of file permissions, a concept shared by other *NIX filesystems. In order to actually place this su binary owned by root into a folder owned by root, you need to be root. (Actually, the folder is also owned by the shell group so a user which is a member of that group could do it too, but they wouldn't be able to set the all-important setuid flag as they're not the user root [perhaps a member of group root could do it but I don't know]) Usually, exploits in other programs running/can run as root or in the kernel are searched for so that you can temporarily root in order to install the su binary correctly. The GSIII (with the exception of Verizon's) has an unlocked bootloader, though, so programmers don't need to search for any of these: it's able to flash unofficial, unsigned recoveries and kernels.
CF-Root does this:
* it flashes a new CWM-based recovery in the recovery partition of the phone. If you've seen the stock Android recovery, you'll know that it just can't match the features of CWM. The important thing about CWM is that it runs as root, just like the stock recovery, but it also lets you place any file anywhere on the phone without requiring that the the ZIP file containing the files are not signed with a Samsung private key. Remember what I said about file permissions?
* there's also a param.bin file. I don't know anything about this file, but I suspect it's flashed to get the phone to boot up into recovery mode the next time it's started so that CWM runs before anything else
* it also flashes the cache partition (I'm not sure whether it overwrites or appends as I don't know how [and probably never will] know how ODIN works with two ZIP files: SuperSU, which contains the su binary, the SuperSU apk and a script that is run by CWM to set the required permissions on the su binary among other things, and the CWM app which lets you tell the recovery what actions you want it to perform in Android without having to navigate through the awkward interface of CWM itself. While I don't know how to do this myself, CWM recovery can be told to automatically run commands from an external source. I'm not talking about random websites on the Internet, but (I think) through files that have to be placed somewhere by root. This is what apps like the CWM app and ROM Manager do. This is also what CF-Root does to tell the recovery that the next time it's booted that it should install both the CWM ZIP and SuperSU ZIP. That's it in the case of CF-Root: you now have a phone with the two files required for root access, and a CWM recovery and an app to control it.
The toolkit:
(I only talk about the "insecure boot" options as I imagine the recovery option does something similar to the above and do remember that I haven't used the toolkit to root my phone so some assumptions are made. I also assume you know what ADB is as I won't be explaining it)
* it gets you to flash a kernel image with a patched adbd that runs as root, so adb on your computer, in turn, is able to place files anywhere on the phone's /. File permissions make it so you can't just place adbd in its expected place (/sbin) as any user and /sbin is also mounted on a ramdisk part of the flashable kernel image so it would be replaced on the next reboot, anyway.
* When the phone is running again with the new kernel, it then tells adb (now running as root) to push the Superuser APK and the su binary into their rightful place and sets the correct permisions on the su binary so that it runs as root
* if you've told it to install busybox, busybox is pushed and a bunch of symlinks for all the applets that BusyBox supports are set up
CF-Root installs, naturally, Chainfire's SuperSu whereas the toolkit installs Superuser. I much prefer SuperSU (and I bought a pro license for Superuser long before I did for SuperSu). Superuser's interface is much better than SuperSU's and it's also open-source but I find that SuperSU works much quicker for me (Root Explorer actually popped up a message on my sister's freshly-flashed Xperia Arc S saying that Superuser can be slow if Superuser hasn't granted it root access quick enough - I've never encountered that on my Huawei U8800pro with SuperSU which has pretty much the same specs as the Xperia) and it can also log the commands an app is running as root if you're suspicious of an application.
You'll notice that ADB still runs as a normal user with CF-Root. You can use Chainfire's adbd Insecure app which will replace /sbin/adbd everytime the phone is started with his patched adbd which always runs as root, or you can just flash one of the many kernels available that already include a patched /sbin/adbd.
CF-Root also does not install BusyBox. You can grab one of the installers from the Play Store but what I do personally is kang a CM9 nightly build for the I9300 and take the META-INF folder and the /system/xbin/busybox binary and strip out most of the lines in the update-script leaving only the lines that mount, extract and create the symlinks for busybox and place the result in a new ZIP which is then flashed with CWM.
Your "cf-root for example is incompatible with rommanager" gripe is easily solved - just flash another recovery. CF-Root just packages a CWM Recovery, an app to control CWM and SuperSU. CF-Root itself is not a resident component, but the recovery and SuperSU etc. are, if that makes sense.
qwerty12 said:
A long story with a lot of interesting and valuable information
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tnx! This is precisely what I have been looking for! A lot of the information I already found in seperate pieces but this made it click in my head. I used cf-root to root the phone and am currently deciding if I want to work with the included tools and cwm recovery or flash CWM touch
I got a busybox installer from the market and it works like a charm (Well Titanium backup seems to do its job anyway).
I must say I think was over analyzing this a bit since I owned a HTC desire before this phone where rooting has a lot more risks involved and a lot more steps.
The only advantage i can see to using toolkit is it will get updated quicker and it has loads of other options. If you just want to Root and flash a Rom cf root is way to go
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
creesch said:
Tnx! This is precisely what I have been looking for! A lot of the information I already found in seperate pieces but this made it click in my head. I used cf-root to root the phone and am currently deciding if I want to work with the included tools and cwm recovery or flash CWM touch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad it helped
I must say I think was over analyzing this a bit since I owned a HTC desire before this phone where rooting has a lot more risks involved and a lot more steps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, HTC's locked bootloaders and the S-ON/S-OFF rubbish is one of the reasons I decided to skip the One X and go for the Galaxy S3.
creesch said:
I must say I think was over analyzing this a bit since I owned a HTC desire before this phone where rooting has a lot more risks involved and a lot more steps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its fair to say that unlike many people on this forum you did your research. Searched.. and asked a valid question. Whereas the majority of people just ask questions without being bothered to figure it out themselves. So thanks. Over analyzing? Maybe a little... but its better than flashing any old thing like many other have done and continue to do. Big thanks to qwerty who has filled me in on some useful info also.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
You should have thanked him tho maaan
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
creesch said:
Tnx! This is precisely what I have been looking for! A lot of the information I already found in seperate pieces but this made it click in my head. I used cf-root to root the phone and am currently deciding if I want to work with the included tools and cwm recovery or flash CWM touch
I got a busybox installer from the market and it works like a charm (Well Titanium backup seems to do its job anyway).
I must say I think was over analyzing this a bit since I owned a HTC desire before this phone where rooting has a lot more risks involved and a lot more steps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stick with 5.x.x.x recovery, touch(6.x.x.x) has some instability issues afaik
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
slaphead20 said:
Stick with 5.x.x.x recovery, touch(6.x.x.x) has some instability issues afaik
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright well since it was only the touch aspect that made me consider it i'll leave it just like it is
Hey guys
Hey guys i have the internationa galaxy s3 running 4.1.2, i haven't done anything to my phone yet and im about to root it is the boot loader unlcoked and if not how do i unlock it :good:, could someone please help me:crying::crying: and give me clear instructions and links please :fingers-crossed: thanks you so much,
BTw i know this is the wrong thread but i cant find the right one, thanks alot guys
regards nick

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