Hi all - just signed up. I'm receiving my 10 Monday. I have an Infinity and wanted to give the Nexus 10 shot as it seems like a great tablet. I'm not likely to root either one. Is there anything you all suggest to get the most out of the Nexus 10? I'm fairly new to the tablet world although have owned an android phone for several years.
Thanks!
Welcome and congrats! Here is a link someone started that shares your question.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2023608
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk HD
^ Great thread for starters but make sure and DO YOUR READING before you unlock and root your device -- or you will end up with a $400 makeshift frisbee disk. Unlocking your boot-loader/rooting is what makes android so much fun, I would recommend it
Derp: sounds you've rooted before, but I suppose the above statement still stands lol
TheEmpyre said:
^ Great thread for starters but make sure and DO YOUR READING before you unlock and root your device -- or you will end up with a $400 makeshift frisbee disk. Unlocking your boot-loader/rooting is what makes android so much fun, I would recommend it
Derp: sounds you've rooted before, but I suppose the above statement still stands lol
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Click to collapse
I did read that thread but as I said - I'm not likely to root...at least not right away.
stormricker said:
I did read that thread but as I said - I'm not likely to root...at least not right away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like quite a few people are unlocking / rooting and leaving the stock ROM which is likely what I will do. I like having the freedom that Root provides to install some apps etc.
Nexus 10 will be my first tablet also, so I'll be having quite a bit of fun for the first few weeks figuring out how exactly I will be using it
TheEmpyre said:
Sounds like quite a few people are unlocking / rooting and leaving the stock ROM which is likely what I will do. I like having the freedom that Root provides to install some apps etc.
Nexus 10 will be my first tablet also, so I'll be having quite a bit of fun for the first few weeks figuring out how exactly I will be using it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still a little nervous about the rooting process....and its risks. What exactly are the benefits?
stormricker said:
Still a little nervous about the rooting process....and its risks. What exactly are the benefits?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I've gathered, and from experience, I think the benefits of Root give the user a great deal more control of what goes on with his/her device -- that is, in part, what apps are accessing resources. For example, with my HTC One XL, I was able to install an app (which requires root access) that allows me to freeze apps while they are not in use -- launch them to unfreeze and use them when I need but when I'm not using, they aren't going to automatically run processes that drain my battery. I also installed a custom Kernel, and there is a root-required app that allows me to adjust my CPU frequencies and voltages to maximize battery life and performance.
I am relatively new to rooting devices, as I started in late October, but I can tell you that I have had a ton of fun doing it.
In any event, I really dont think rooting is that valuable to mainstream users if you ask me -- If you aren't looking into flashing custom ROMs or using special utilities/apps on your device then I wouldn't bother rooting/unlocking bootloader.
Since you asked risks I'll address that too: The risks are bricking (completely unusable) your device if you flash an incompatible ROM, but this is easily avoided by sticking only to flashing ROMs for the Nexus 10. You can also damage the components of your device if you overclock too much etc....Other risks are that ROMs are buggy sometimes despite the very hard work of the devs here (They are truly amazing here) but the bugs may take away from your experience potentially. There may be plenty of other risks but these are the ones I can think of so far.
I was completely unaware of root/unlock up until about 2 months ago and was completely new to the process. I was able to read great guides put together by the XDA community here that walked me through the process and I was successful in unlocking my One X and I now finally feel like I am getting the moneys worth out of my device that I payed good $$$ for.
stormricker said:
Still a little nervous about the rooting process....and its risks. What exactly are the benefits?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting is quick and painless if you use the Nexus 10 Toolkit available in the development section! My Galaxy Nexus also has a toolkit from the same dev, makes things SO much easier/quicker.
The risks of rooting are almost non-existent. Really, if the procedure doesn't work for you, nothing changes & you just won't have root permissions. I've personally never had anything bad happen, but I'm sure there is someone out there who has tried some sketchy method to root...the methods here are far from that, just read up and follow the instructions.
Benefits are basically the freedom to remove system apps and make backups of any of your apps. There are also a ton of root apps that allow you to customize your device the way you like it. With root, you get full control and the freedom to tinker.
Nexus devices are absolutley meant for consumers who don't root or unlock, but what is great about them is if you want to do either of the latter..it is much easier to do.
Also, I suggest you try and personally compare your N10 and Infinity before you read any of the general comparison threads. lol
Oh and welcome to the vanilla side of Android! :good:
- Mac
xIC-MACIx said:
Rooting is quick and painless if you use the Nexus 10 Toolkit available in the development section! My Galaxy Nexus also has a toolkit from the same dev, makes things SO much easier/quicker.
The risks of rooting are almost non-existent. Really, if the procedure doesn't work for you, nothing changes & you just won't have root permissions. I've personally never had anything bad happen, but I'm sure there is someone out there who has tried some sketchy method to root...the methods here are far from that, just read up and follow the instructions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Toolkits are a nice method for rooting for beginners, but (imo) it's better to learn how to flash (and do generally other stuff) without the need of a toolkit.
When I rooted my Nexus 10, I just unlocked the bootloader (manually with fastboot), restocked, installed custom recovery (TWRP; fastboot) and then flashed a SuperSU CWM-flashable package from recovery. I did a lot of messing around with flashing and stuff on my SGT7 and Nexus 7, so this wasn't really anything new or difficult at all. I started out with a toolkit on my Nexus 7, and found it very annoying after a while when trying to flash a custom recovery (generally took a while for the device to end up having to reboot and unlock, and if I already did unlock then I think the toolkit wouldn't continue on unless I selected another option, and then if drivers aren't installed properly (I switched between a few devices) then that can also cause the toolkit to mess up, drivers and adb would be outdated from the toolkit in-comparison to what Google offered, etc.).
Simply put, Toolkits might be nice in the beginning, but I wouldn't recommend relying on them forever If your only mission is to just root the device though, a toolkit can do that pretty painlessly.
espionage724 said:
Toolkits are a nice method for rooting for beginners, but (imo) it's better to learn how to flash (and do generally other stuff) without the need of a toolkit.
When I rooted my Nexus 10, I just unlocked the bootloader (manually with fastboot), restocked, installed custom recovery (TWRP; fastboot) and then flashed a SuperSU CWM-flashable package from recovery. I did a lot of messing around with flashing and stuff on my SGT7 and Nexus 7, so this wasn't really anything new or difficult at all. I started out with a toolkit on my Nexus 7, and found it very annoying after a while when trying to flash a custom recovery (generally took a while for the device to end up having to reboot and unlock, and if I already did unlock then I think the toolkit wouldn't continue on unless I selected another option, and then if drivers aren't installed properly (I switched between a few devices) then that can also cause the toolkit to mess up, drivers and adb would be outdated from the toolkit in-comparison to what Google offered, etc.).
Simply put, Toolkits might be nice in the beginning, but I wouldn't recommend relying on them forever If your only mission is to just root the device though, a toolkit can do that pretty painlessly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely agree with you on that one. My first Android device was a Infuse 4G. Every root and recovery procedure was absolutely manual. Not to mention most of the methods were hackjobs from the OG Galaxy S and required some extra coersing w/ Root Explorer and a terminal lol. Once I got my GNex, I could do anything I needed to do manually; I was actually rather shocked at how simple things were w/ a Nexus device.
Really though, I don't at all mind these toolkits, it might be important to learn what goes on behind the scripts, but lots of ppl here would have never attempted to tinker w/ android w/o some sort of script/batch automation. That said, i'm sure they cause quite a bit more traffic in the Q&A section when things to go wrong. lol
Thanks for all of the replies.
It should arrive today and I'll compare it with my Infinity first and then go from there.
Looking forward to know the N10
When I first received mine, I didnt think that I would recieve it till closer to the end of day, as stated with UPS. But it arrived at 10am! Hoping it happens the second time around for my replacement. Would love to have the whole day playing with it
Sent from my SPH-L710 using xda app-developers app
Related
Some months ago I rooted my Vibrant, and realized that was all I had done...rooted it. I had no idea where I was going after that point, so I unrooted and went about my day. I am taking a new approach, I would like some advice in rooting. Pros and cons (other than by rooting I have the chance of REALLY messing things up...i know that thanks.)
I would like to know what exactly rooting does for me, and if there are any articles anyone can point me to I would greatly appreciate the links.
ALSO I am dipping my toes into app development. the best way I could think to do so was with Google Labs App Inventor, but I think ive read that it limits you as far as developing and then sharing through the market, if someone could set me straight on that I would appreciate it, but this also goes in hand with rooting, I have read that alot of people who develop have rooted their phones.
I appreciate any help that you can give me.
Gore
Pro : Access to all the amazing ROMs this community has to offer.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Shortbus-Driver said:
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Click to collapse
well, that was helpful...thanks. next?
First off if u didnt want to deal with something u could tinker with u could of gotten a iphone but u didnt? Androids are open source so u can tweak it the way u want it to be, leave it stock or u can add themes to ur stock froyo and make it look like u want it to. But if u want to go all the way and realy make the phone live up to its potential u can root it and do so many amazing things with it once its opened to the power of the Superuser. U can make ur phone run so much faster and once it runs that fast and smooth ull wonder how u lived with that dull slowness of ur phone before. And dont forget all the cool colors u can add to ur phone that dont come with just stock, ginger red theme, high voltage blue and so many more. And then theres the mods that u get with ur phone that the brilliant developers port from other phones. Theres just too many reasons to root and none not to. now u know...LOL
Let me count the ways...
You can install applications that need root:
* AdFree - block in-application ads
* Titanium Backup - backup/restore applications AND their data, and with the paid version you can also backup to your dropbox account
* Root Explorer: Lets you manage files that aren't in your user partition, including the files for the annoyingly loud T-Mobile jingle that plays on boot. Sometimes you do need to start up your phone discreetly, without letting everyone in a 50m radius know you're a T-Mobile customer.
You can also UNinstall applications that you don't need. Don't want T-Mobile TV cluttering your applications list? Gone. Don't want Slacker Radio? Byebye.
Also, you can flash ROMs (or just kernels) that are much faster than the stock, unoptimized Samsung one. There is a thing called the Voodoo lagfix that makes your storage access cached, so applications aren't held up by slow writes when they need fast reads. Some also come with kernels that support Voodoo Sound which makes the audio output sound much better by increasing the sampling rate on the DAC and tying the DAC to the clock to reduce jitter. Definitely a must whether you're an audiophile with $10k cans or just plugging the phone into a sound system.
Let's see, what else. With root, you can also add on wifi tethering without having to shell out more money to use T-mobile's version. You can also install Clockwork Recovery and use it to make a complete backup of your phone, so in case you break it and get another one, just root it, install clockwork recovery, and restore the image and you're back to your old configuration.
So yeah... hopefully at least some of this stuff interests you. If not... well, yeah there's really no point in rooting.
Root becuse your mom told you not to
Not to be rude but if you don't know why you should root then you shouldn't.
OP, if you want an answer to your question, read my Vibrant Guide (why root) and then the Noob root (detailed steps) guide if you need help doing it.
If you read anything on this forum...and still cant figure it out...then give up...you'll never understand
OP, rooting is for those who are not 100% satisfied with there phones. Samsung has given us an amazing device, but fell short in delivering in some areas. Rooting helps us add more functionality & personalization options. If you are happy with the phone and no issues using the way Samsung gave you the phone. Then I do not see a reason for you to root. But if you are like one of us, Then you need to get on the Root train and follow the wonderful guide maintained by "s15274n".
Statutory Warning: Rooting & flashing an android device is a serious addiction. Might lead to serious domestic and or job related issues.
Why shouldn't you?
Unless you want to become a flash junkie with an obsessive need to mod, update, enhance or customize; jonesin’ to flash something every few days, suffering from withdrawals if you ever have to ODIN back to stock due to error (has yet to happen to me, though), scrounging XDA daily for your next hit, do not concern yourself with something like AOSP. Simply turn away and do not look back.
rooting your hpone basically gives you Admin privalages.
You can install custom apps and ROMs with awesome features!
nomadrider123 said:
Not to be rude but if you don't know why you should root then you shouldn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not to be rude but if you didn't have anything helpful to say then why say anything at all?
Thanks to most!
I thanked those who gave me some helpful advice. I do appreciate the insight. I guess i'll give this another crack.
By the By, with the exception of the handful of mildly entertaining comments, if you didnt have anything helpful to say, why say it? No one should discourage anybody from trying anything. Weighing my pros and cons was just a way to decide if its something I really wanted to mess with again.
SO again, thanks to all who did help, and thanks was given
^ I can't vouch for everyone, but the one you quoted I am confident didn't mean it negatively. Way too hard to decipher words on the Internet.
If you want additional features, you should root. If you are content, do not.
gorealmighty said:
not to be rude but if you didn't have anything helpful to say then why say anything at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thing was, nomad had a point. If you genuinely don't know why you should root--and a Vibrant, of all phones--you probably shouldn't. You mention the con of messing up the phone in your original post, and if you don't know the advantages of applying custom ROMs and kernels to the Vibrant, there's a decent chance you may well brick the device.
The Vibrant is a great phone, but tends to be so only after it's rooted and customized. Without the rooting and customization, there are problems with lag, gps, battery life, and myriad other functions.
By rooting and customizing, you're essentially updating the software in various ways that will help ameliorate those issues. My Vibrant was unusable to the point that I upgraded to a Nexus S. However, with the Nexus S, I got comfortable with rooting, unlocking bootloaders, adb, and flashing ROMs and kernels. It became rather routine.
It became routine enough, in fact, that I ended up going back to my Vibrant, because I was comfortable enough to experiment and attempt to make it better than it had been.
But if you don't know that you have to root to correct the lag, say, you may well be better off getting a more midrange Android phone that's more feature than super. You don't want to bork anything, after all.
Just do yourself a favor--understand that rooting and customizing are individual things, and that the forum is great for technical help but less so when you want to know things like which ROM is "best"; there's no such thing. If you root, play with the device, and play with the different ROMs. Give yourself a week where every day you use a different one so you can get a feel for which one's your favorite.
willentrekin said:
Thing was, nomad had a point. If you genuinely don't know why you should root--and a Vibrant, of all phones--you probably shouldn't. You mention the con of messing up the phone in your original post, and if you don't know the advantages of applying custom ROMs and kernels to the Vibrant, there's a decent chance you may well brick the device.
The Vibrant is a great phone, but tends to be so only after it's rooted and customized. Without the rooting and customization, there are problems with lag, gps, battery life, and myriad other functions.
By rooting and customizing, you're essentially updating the software in various ways that will help ameliorate those issues. My Vibrant was unusable to the point that I upgraded to a Nexus S. However, with the Nexus S, I got comfortable with rooting, unlocking bootloaders, adb, and flashing ROMs and kernels. It became rather routine.
It became routine enough, in fact, that I ended up going back to my Vibrant, because I was comfortable enough to experiment and attempt to make it better than it had been.
But if you don't know that you have to root to correct the lag, say, you may well be better off getting a more midrange Android phone that's more feature than super. You don't want to bork anything, after all.
Just do yourself a favor--understand that rooting and customizing are individual things, and that the forum is great for technical help but less so when you want to know things like which ROM is "best"; there's no such thing. If you root, play with the device, and play with the different ROMs. Give yourself a week where every day you use a different one so you can get a feel for which one's your favorite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
with the initial quote in mind, I understand. But thank you just the same because this is in fact the kind of feedback I was looking for. DID get my phone rooted btw, now im just fighting with rom manager. I'm on my way though
gorealmighty said:
with the initial quote in mind, I understand. But thank you just the same because this is in fact the kind of feedback I was looking for. DID get my phone rooted btw, now im just fighting with rom manager. I'm on my way though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well good luck with it. It's a totally fun, very empowering process. And XDA is the Android equivalent of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; the users here are so knowledgeable and helpful, there's no reason to panic, ever. Pretty much everything you do to your phone will be mostly harmless.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Ace, and am seriously considering rooting it.
I've done a fair bit of research on it, and have found a few very detailed tutorials on going through the process.
I'm just wondering how common it is, it seems most people on Android forums have rooted their devices, and I haven't really come across anyone who has managed to stuff it up.
So, pros and cons?
why you should root it:
1. you can pretty much customize every part of your phone (software-wise obviously). while rooting does not do the actual customization, it opens you up to a variety of options (when rooted, you can flash roms and kernels that can significantly increase performance and/or battery life; not to mention all of the themes that you can apply, a good place to start would be here)
2. because you can (this may sound stupid but i believe this is true; i think android phones are meant to be rooted )
why you shouldn't root it:
1. you will lose the warranty that came with your phone
2. you can mess up your phone if you do not know what you are doing (when i say this, i am talking about messing with system files, not following the directions when you apply a modification; of course, this would not be a problem as long as you pay close attention to what you are doing)
in my opinion, i think you should
sweetnsour said:
...
because you can (this may sound stupid but i believe this is true; i think android phones are meant to be rooted )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, that's why I'm looking at doing it, I guess I just want to here from a few users first hand on their experiences with it before I go through with it...
root, root
I would recomend that you root your device. I did my first root to the phone I am using now and I am glad I did, I am able to remove a lot of the carrier bloatware that slows the phone down. Now it runs faster. As the other post said you void your warrenty when you root and if you do not follow instructions you can brick your phone. Anyhow take the plunge and root it you will be glad you did.
todd_10 said:
I have a Samsung Galaxy Ace, and am seriously considering rooting it.
I've done a fair bit of research on it, and have found a few very detailed tutorials on going through the process.
I'm just wondering how common it is, it seems most people on Android forums have rooted their devices, and I haven't really come across anyone who has managed to stuff it up.
So, pros and cons?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Without root is boring
With root is always somekind action
But of course is last desicion yours!!!
Regards!
Taavi
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk
todd_10 said:
I have a Samsung Galaxy Ace, and am seriously considering rooting it.
I've done a fair bit of research on it, and have found a few very detailed tutorials on going through the process.
I'm just wondering how common it is, it seems most people on Android forums have rooted their devices, and I haven't really come across anyone who has managed to stuff it up.
So, pros and cons?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know the feeling man, just upgraded to an android galaxy mini from my htc gene, that tough little bastard served me well for two years before it succumbed. Was thinking of rooting but you know how it is with new phone jitters, am not ready to start cutting into its software setup just yet. I'll take my time getting used to this platform before rooting. My reasons for rooting would mainly be to upgrade to gingerbread and delete the stock apps that came with the phone that I barely use like opera 5 -since I use opera 6- and also to be able to overclock the cpu to around 800mhz. Does anyone here think this could improve mkv playback for 480p videos? I can't figure out why mkv videos are such a pain to deal with. What is it about the container that makes it quite a challenge to android
any way to delete stock apps i don't use at all without the root? i own an xperia ray but there is nothing happening for this phone considering rooting.
Kyrius said:
any way to delete stock apps i don't use at all without the root? i own an xperia ray but there is nothing happening for this phone considering rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Problably NO!
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk
Should I root Nexus S?
porcupineli said:
Should I root Nexus S?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its your free opinion
Regards!
Taavi
Sent from my MT15i using Tapatalk
its up to you
porcupineli said:
Should I root Nexus S?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1 UNLOCK many features of the phone - root
2 is the warranity over ? - root
3 want a new rom? - root
4 want to feel like having a new phone ? - root
5 nothing from the above ? - no root
vinylakos said:
1 UNLOCK many features of the phone - root
2 is the warranity over ? - root
3 want a new rom? - root
4 want to feel like having a new phone ? - root
5 nothing from the above ? - no root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe. Love this. It's like taking a symptom survey provided by some pharmaceutical company. Pretty comprehensive and straightforward checklist, I'd say.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk
I was in your place but after rooting my htc desire i just cant stop having fun with it
Seems everyone tends to lean towards rooting, I think I might spend a couple more weeks getting familiar with my phone, then go through with it
I have just bought my first android phone a week ago and I'm wondering if I should root or not. Based on everyone's thoughts I really think rooting is the best option specialy because my courrier modded the phones rom with a lot of bulls**t that I can't delete
But first I got some questions to ask:
1. If I install another rom on my phone will it remain rooted? Ex. After installing CM7 the phone will remain rooted? Also if I decide to go back to factory rom will it still remain rooted?
2. Is there any way to "unroot" it? In case I need to contact the warranty I could "unroot" and send it back?
Onipotente said:
I have just bought my first android phone a week ago and I'm wondering if I should root or not. Based on everyone's thoughts I really think rooting is the best option specialy because my courrier modded the phones rom with a lot of bulls**t that I can't delete
But first I got some questions to ask:
1. If I install another rom on my phone will it remain rooted? Ex. After installing CM7 the phone will remain rooted? Also if I decide to go back to factory rom will it still remain rooted?
2. Is there any way to "unroot" it? In case I need to contact the warranty I could "unroot" and send it back?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes, yes, and yes.
2. Yes, but that procedure is more complicated. I'll defer the technical explanation to someone less noobish than I am.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk
So, does anyone here know a good place to have a look at some of the better roms available?
todd_10 said:
So, does anyone here know a good place to have a look at some of the better roms available?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You kinda just have to look around, because everyone likes something different...plus you have to keep in mind that ROMs are specific to the phone. If you like a plain vanilla Android experience, Cyanogenmod (currently #7) is extremely popular. It's a little too bare-bones for my taste, but many people love it. If you have an HTC phone, like I do, and you like HTC Sense but hate how bloated it is, there are tons of custom roms out there based on Sense. Just be careful, again, that you download a ROM for your phone model. I have an HTC Sensation, and I use LeeDroid's Sensational ROM. Some others to check out might be InsertCoin and Revolution HD, but there are tons out there.
Happy flashing! Let us know what you end up trying and how you like it.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk
ROOT. You will go through the process and if you read and follow every step correctly, you will ask yourself "thats it?" it really is the best thing you can do for your phone. If you want more battery life-- root. If you want simplicity-- root. If you want the latest version of Android (which really makes a difference in overall user experience)--root. Hell, if you want to have something that looks like an iPhone--root.
Go for it. Make sure to read and if you are comfortable with it do it and you will be glad you did.
ive read the thread in the general forum for noobs.
but i still dont quite understand all these things and what purpose they serve.
im SUPER new with all this stuff. so my apologies.
could someone help a brother out?
what is your question specifically?
just curious about what they are and do basically.
kevinallen4325 said:
ive read the thread in the general forum for noobs.
but i still dont quite understand all these things and what purpose they serve.
im SUPER new with all this stuff. so my apologies.
could someone help a brother out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll try and help.
First you must ROOT your phone. This basically grants you access/permission to FIDDLE with a lot of things you can't normally. I use the word *fiddle* loosley, meaning you can install root tools (like overclock) custom Roms, change system settings, flash themes... the list goes on. It's kind of like the equivalent to "jailbreaking"
Rooting is the "first and foremost"... basically do this first. and all other things follow.
kevinallen4325 said:
just curious about what they are and do basically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the sticky in the main forum really is a good place to start, as all these terms are defined there:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1483113
As well as step-by-step instructions how to root. That should get you started!
ok so root first. got it. would any of this benefit my phone in anyway? or is it mainly just to put custom themes and such on?
kevinallen4325 said:
ok so root first. got it. would any of this benefit my phone in anyway? or is it mainly just to put custom themes and such on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is much more than that. I wrote this out before, so I will copy it again:
People have problems when rooted because they are not careful or do not know what they are doing. Rooting gives you (to put in Windows terms) full Administrator rights to your phone. With this right comes responsibility, so you must be careful and do research. This is why rooting also voids the warranty. The phone is now open for the user to do whatever they want, and circumvent any restrictions put on the phone by the manufacturer (including those in place to prevent harm to the device). But like a computer with Admin rights, rooting allows you to install any application, any "OS theme", and tweak the hardware to do what YOU want with it, not what the manufacturer wants.
So please be sure to READ READ READ all you can before you start!!! You don't want a $600 phone coaster. Just browse the forums for a couple weeks and learn from the posts.
kevinallen4325 said:
ok so root first. got it. would any of this benefit my phone in anyway? or is it mainly just to put custom themes and such on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends what you consider a benefit. Sure..theming can be a benefit, but rooting provides the gateway to address any negative or less than ideal aspects of a device. For instance, The Note has been perceived as being somewhat laggy. So rooting allows you to free up system resources by eliminating unneeded bloatware that you can't remove if you remain stock. Also the lagginess has been addressed by overclocking, modding and building kernels that do specific things and of course making custom roms. The Note is still very early in the developmental process, so many things to improve the user experience of the device will become available over the course of time....but it all starts with being rooted.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note LTE™
kevinallen4325 said:
ok so root first. got it. would any of this benefit my phone in anyway? or is it mainly just to put custom themes and such on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android isn't like iOS. I had an iPhone for four years before my Note and I know where you coming from. What the other guy was saying is that rooting can be viewed similar to jailbreaking, but it is kind of completely different. You don't need to be rooted to use themes (or most of the stuff on Cydia). Rooting allows you to back up apps, flash custom ROMs, etc. Otherwise, you most likely don't need root.
tbran said:
It depends what you consider a benefit. Sure..theming can be a benefit, but rooting provides the gateway to address any negative or less than ideal aspects of a device. For instance, The Note has been perceived as being somewhat laggy. So rooting allows you to free up system resources by eliminating unneeded bloatware that you can't remove if you remain stock. Also the lagginess has been addressed by overclocking, modding and building kernels that do specific things and of course making custom roms. The Note is still very early in the developmental process, so many things to improve the user experience of the device will become available over the course of time....but it all starts with being rooted.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note LTE™
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if i were to root it and do whatever else would that affect the notes ability to update itself when the time comes?
like if i were to put some custom rom or whatever on it and lets say ics came out (lulz) would it still be able to update to it, and would it basically remove everything i did to it
kevinallen4325 said:
if i were to root it and do whatever else would that affect the notes ability to update itself when the time comes?
like if i were to put some custom rom or whatever on it and lets say ics came out (lulz) would it still be able to update to it, and would it basically remove everything i did to it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me, if you go the root and custom rom way, you will never install an official update. not because you can't, but because it will be leaked and debloated months before it is official.
i installed saurom. with and ics theme. i like it alot. but i cant get into setcpu or any program that requires root access. which is kind of an issue. no one else seems to be having that as an issue.
I rooted my Note a couple days ago and am still trying to figure out the benefits of doing so. I guess just spend time reading through this forum for the answers. That's what I am doing, but so far I see no benefit at all. The phone does all I want it to do so far. Maybe I am missing something.
Also, When i run quadrant, the scores are consistently lower after rooting the device then they were before. Not sure why though.
You are correct that the Note and newer phones may need no help. Not like two years ago. But, the big advantage to rooting even if you don't want to flash roms is Titanium Backup for app mgt and nandroids or full image backups--imho. The other like mentioned is earlier os releases. I have had ICS on my N1 for quite awhile and is still not on most new phones.
Ken
kevinallen4325 said:
i installed saurom. with and ics theme. i like it alot. but i cant get into setcpu or any program that requires root access. which is kind of an issue. no one else seems to be having that as an issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are sure you are rooted, a dialog box with a little Android head wearing an eyepatch will pop up asking if you want to allow the application to have root access. You must allow it here.
ok, i have a question, should i root my lg thirve (lg optimus one) just because i want to go from stock froyo to gingerbread made by cyanogen-mod.
thats all i would want, because my phone is not getting the update, and to get gingerbread i would need to root.
so should i do this, what are the dangers of it, i mean will my phone be vulnerable to dangerous things, will it break or mess up in any way?
No dangers, really. But yes, root. If you are interested in overclocking, tweaking, and installing any app that requires root (just search "root" on market and see what goodies come up), you should root, no questions asked. I highly recommend CyanogenMod as there are so many additional and useful features and it is pre-rooted (obviously). If you don't like modding or experimenting, then stick to the stock ROM.
I gotta be honest with you, when I first landed on the Android world I made myself that very same questions over and over again, until one day I said "what the heck!" and done it.
To be truth, isn't that big of a deal, rotting isn't difficult and isn't bad, you just gotta be carefully about what you do because you'r having access to the System folder, so you can really harm your phone, but if you don't mess up with it, you have nothing to worry about.
Some apps need root access because they use the system folder to make changes, so don't simply install any app that request you so, just those that are known and that you need.
So, in conclusion, Root your device, just don't go on the system folder and make changes if you have no idea what you'r doing.
Root is good and healthy to your phone. It gives you more freedom on using your phone. Really, it lets you do a lot more things that you can't do it on an unrooted stock ROM.
Most of us did that before, and it wont harm you phone's health provided that you don't root/unroot too many times in a week (it is similar to what my parents told me when I am still young and innocent)
Rooting process in most cases wont brick your phone unless you are trying to flash a rooted ROM without knowing it.
But anyway, if you want to try something new, you need to take the risk. And don't blame on others when you bricked your own phone. Maybe you can search on youtube videos or websites for those step by step rooting guides for your phone.
feenius danger
Yes.. root its worth it.. Speeds up your device by removing unnecessary crap, can customize the look much more, rather easy to do.. Just follow a guide on here and good luck .
YES!!!!!!!
rooting you phone adds infinitely more possibilities, and makes your phone a lot faster
also, cyanogen-mod is an amazing ROM,
go ahead, give it a try,
JUST REMEMBER BACK UP EVERYTHING BEFORE FLASHING CYANOGEN-MOD
good luck
dosage1 said:
Yes.. root its worth it.. Speeds up your device by removing unnecessary crap, can customize the look much more, rather easy to do.. Just follow a guide on here and good luck .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's right, there a quite a few (a ton!) sites describing the benefits of it:
http://www.androidcentral.com/root
http://www.appsgeyser.com/blog/2012/03/20/should-i-root-my-android-phone/
http://www.androidpit.com/en/android/forum/thread/403299/So-what-exactly-is-rooting-and-is-it-for-me
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/top-10-reasons-to-root-your-android-phone-2/
The only thing I recommend is that you know what you're doing. If thats not the status: In the forums are a lot of posts
Definitely go for it.
The optimus one especially benefits from rooting/applying a new, better rom.
Don't root and unroot your phone too many times.Thats the caution,otherwise as said it gives you more control over your hardware than unrooted phone.
Sent from my LG-P350 using XDA
Gaining full control of your device is a big advantage. In addition to this some really useful apps just run with root.
ricky1001 said:
Don't root and unroot your phone too many times.Thats the caution,otherwise as said it gives you more control over your hardware than unrooted phone.
Sent from my LG-P350 using XDA
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Click to collapse
Actually, if that were true, ROM developers would have long given up and we wouldn't have any of the awesome ROMs floating around out there today. There's absolutely nothing wrong with rooting and unrooting repeatedly, as long you follow the correct procedure every time. Although why anyone would do that stumps me. Either you like your phone rooted, or not.
@singular9:
First off, "upgrade" is a very subjective term. Are you certain the ROM you're looking at will give you significant advantages over the one your phone's running now? While I don't doubt that the people behind the CM ROM for your phone are doing some brilliant work, always assume that something may go wrong. (Unlike Apple, other phone manufacturers source their hardware from all sorts of different places. Two phones, same model may have differently branded components.) If something DOES go wrong, are you prepared to undergo the arduous process that unbricking a phone will involve?
I'd say root your phone if - and ONLY IF:
1. You're a careful person who will read instructions and follow them to the letter, in the order they were set;
2. You're prepared to read up on what "root" is, what the terms used are, and accept that your "upgrade" may not quite offer you the benefits you were looking for (whatever they are, as you didn't specify)
If you're okay with the above, then yeah, I guess I'd say go ahead. My phone's rooted - I love it, and loved every step of the journey I took to root it.
terradune said:
Actually, if that were true, ROM developers would have long given up and we wouldn't have any of the awesome ROMs floating around out there today. There's absolutely nothing wrong with rooting and unrooting repeatedly, as long you follow the correct procedure every time. Although why anyone would do that stumps me. Either you like your phone rooted, or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha, it is a joke dude, don't take it seriously. I don't see any reason for unrooting android unless you are preparing to send the phone back for warranty or get it repaired by its manufacturer and tell them : "ohh, I dunno what happened, it just stop working by it self this morning".
Cheers!
Root is the better way to take totally control of your phone !
Absolutely yes!
Yes U should, but read each instructions carefully before u root ur device.
.
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Hi all. I am hoping for some very basic advice. I got a Kindle HDX 7 a few days ago. I have not connected it to wifi yet to avoid automatic updating of the firmware. When I go to settings>device>system update it tells me that my current firmware version is 13.3.0.5 installed on Jul, 30, 2013. From all I have read that is a good thing if I want to root my device.
The big question I have is if I actually should?
In a perfect scenario I could just replace the fire OS with a normal version of Android and not have any hassles. But I have heard that could play hell with battery life and I haven't actually found a good guide on how to do that safely with a KF HDX, so back to just rooting.
-Is there a comprehensive tutorial on how to root my device with it's current settings? I have looked but it is difficult to judge what is old/outdated information and what still works.
-How safe is this aka. how likely am I to brick my device just by rooting it (I'm a tech savvy user, but I wouldn't dare delve deeper than that) and how buggy are rooted devices if at all?
-How would I keep my device from upgrading automatically after rooting?
-Isn't the point of upgrades also to plug security holes that would compromise personal data? How would that work with never upgrading?
I would appreciate if the experienced rooters amongst you could advise me on this. Thank you!
Welcome. It is nice to see these questions asked before you have broken your device, as opposed to after. While I am by no means an expert, here are a few answers to get the ball rolling.
snorklm said:
In a perfect scenario I could just replace the fire OS with a normal version of Android and not have any hassles. But I have heard that could play hell with battery life and I haven't actually found a good guide on how to do that safely with a KF HDX, so back to just rooting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is entirely doable, not all builds are buggy.
snorklm said:
Is there a comprehensive tutorial on how to root my device with it's current settings? I have looked but it is difficult to judge what is old/outdated information and what still works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not completely, but since root is what you are after currently, go to the dev section and check out the roundup on the rooting tool. Read through the posts.
However, it is simple for you to root. You can go to towelroot and do it that way. Regardless, I suggest reading the dev threads to see some of the other options. Also, there is some good info in the rollback, now what? Threads in this section.
snorklm said:
How safe is this aka. how likely am I to brick my device just by rooting it (I'm a tech savvy user, but I wouldn't dare delve deeper than that) and how buggy are rooted devices if at all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All it does is give you the option of allowing root permissions to an app. Root in it of itself is perfectly harmless. It won't change the function of the device at all if you do not utilize this new power. However, if an app (or you), change the wrong file, it could be devastating.
snorklm said:
How would I keep my device from upgrading automatically after rooting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some block updates threads. Probably the easiest is to use the kindle fire xposed plugin (I think that still works). Be careful with xposed. It does allow you to make changes which can make your device unstable.
snorklm said:
Isn't the point of upgrades also to plug security holes that would compromise personal data? How would that work with never upgrading?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, and achieving root access is looked at as a security hole by Amazon. You also will be missing out on new "Features." This could include KitKat. Although, you can flash the new software with TWRP which if done correctly will be stable, but that will require a lot more reading. It is really only the custom builds which are unstable. They are buggy because they are not quite finished. Head over to the dev section to find out more. In the end, it all comes down to what you plan to do with it, and how much you plan to learn along the way.
Good luck,
Leko
Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk
Hi Snorklm - welcome to the forums. The title of your post made my day
If you haven't already read through the response from Leko. Hits all the important points and mirrors what I was going to write (beat me to the punch).
Some additional thoughts:
- Be sure to block OTAs before connecting to WiFi. Your options will become much more restricted if Amazon pushes an update.
- I prefer HDX Toolkit to block OTAs. Xposed is great (I use many modules) but does carry some minor risks as Leko mentioned. Note HDX toolkit requires a tethered connection (standard USB cable is fine) along with installation of Kindle drivers on the host machine.
- While a bit more involved I suggest you consider installing TWRP which will provide more robust recovery options should something go wrong. It is very easy to do given your current firmware level. Life without TWRP (or similar recovery) is like driving without a seatbelt.
- I have been using ggow's excellent implementation of the Nexus ROM. Rock solid and functional. The only minor downside is its Jellybean roots. ggrow is currently working on bringing newer variants to the table; Lollipop seems likely at some point. CM11 and CM12 are also available (or being worked on) but have some minor issues that may or may not matter to you.
I know you were hoping for a step-by-step tutorial. While that may become reality someday I suggest you spend an evening reading through the forums before deciding on a course of action. Yup, a ton of information is old/confusing but there is no one right answer for everyone. Ask questions along the way. Lots of folks are happy/willing to help if you've done your homework.
Good luck!
lekofraggle said:
Welcome. It is nice to see these questions asked before you have broken your device, as opposed to after. While I am by no means an expert, here are a few answers to get the ball rolling.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the overview and answering my questions! I'm still iffy on the whole process but I'm going to do some reading before I decide if this is for me .
Davey126 said:
Some additional thoughts:
- Be sure to block OTAs before connecting to WiFi. Your options will become much more restricted if Amazon pushes an update.
- I prefer HDX Toolkit to block OTAs. Xposed is great (I use many modules) but does carry some minor risks as Leko mentioned. Note HDX toolkit requires a tethered connection (standard USB cable is fine) along with installation of Kindle drivers on the host machine.
- While a bit more involved I suggest you consider installing TWRP which will provide more robust recovery options should something go wrong. It is very easy to do given your current firmware level. Life without TWRP (or similar recovery) is like driving without a seatbelt.
- I have been using ggow's excellent implementation of the Nexus ROM. Rock solid and functional. The only minor downside is its Jellybean roots. ggrow is currently working on bringing newer variants to the table; Lollipop seems likely at some point. CM11 and CM12 are also available (or being worked on) but have some minor issues that may or may not matter to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I'm especially grateful that you name-dropped some specific recommendations because it gives me a starting point to research. I have already read about TWRP (though as of yet I have no idea how to install it) and I will definitely take a look at HDX Toolkit.
I am probably going to try rooting while keeping an eye on the stock Android variant. I'm not sure if I'm ever going to be brave/clever enough to dare try that though. Bricking my device would seriously make me cry .
I have one more question about the Firmware versions (well, I probably have several, but this is the only one I remember right now.) I have seen somewhere on this forum that you can also upgrade the amazon firmware manually until you have the version you want instead of getting pushed to the newest one from amazon itself. Is that correct? If yes, which is the best version to stop on while still being able to root and keeping the option of stock Android open? I ask because I would like to strike a balance between a reasonably upgraded OS and one I still can do stuff with without getting nannied by amazon.
Here is where I recomend you start reading.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2986004
This is the link for the thor twrp.
Here is how a normal device works.
You gain root permissions, and then if you mess up, you jump into a recovery and fix things. You probably (definitely) will lose some data, but you learn, curse, and move on with your life.
However, the bootloader of the Kindle hdx is locked. This means that if you cannot boot right, and you cannot get to recovery, you have a 200 paperweight.
Now, on the old firmware, brilliant people found a way to unlock (sort of) the bootloader. So, you have a pretty universal reset switch. This is why the recommendation is there to grab twrp. It really is helpful if you have a hankering to tinker. In reality there is less of a risk of bricking the device with it. Once you have it, then you can update to the newest firmware (in theory) if you do so the right way, you still keep twrp.
Now, if you want root and do not care about the safety belt, update to 13.4.5.2 and root it, but block updates.
But know, you lose the option of twrp at that point.
I hope this helps.
~Leko
Sent from my KFTHWI using Tapatalk
Edit: whether you go the easy route, and choose towelroot (just google it or go to towelroot.com for that route), the more involved twrp, or something in between, I highly recommend you learn what adb is and how to use it. The hdx toolkit comes with the drivers and it is not too difficult to use, but it is essential if you get into a sticky situation. Here is the toolkit link.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2665683
lekofraggle said:
I hope this helps.
~Leko
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this helps. Thank you! :good:
lekofraggle said:
Now, if you want root and do not care about the safety belt, update to 13.4.5.2 and root it, but block updates.
But know, you lose the option of twrp at that point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@snorklm - you can go up to 13.3.2.6, secure root and still retain the option to later install TWRP and a different ROM without having to engage Amazon for a downgrade (you will still have to roll your device back to an earlier FW before installing TWRP but you can do this yourself). Note the 13.3.x.x series is based on the previous version of Fire OS (which in turn is based on Jellybean) but it remains perfectly serviceable. A lot is happening with more recent Amazon firmwares which ultimately may allow other ROMs and recoveries to be installed without having to downgrade to 13.3.x.x. Keep an eye on the forums.
Thanks for starting this topic snorklm. I was thinking in the same way whether it's worth to get it rooted or not.
I don't mind about the warranty as I think I will not break my Kindle Fire some how, just care about the services from Amazon Prime.
Actually I already contact Amazon service to roll back to version 3.2.5 and I'm waiting for the instruction email. My plan is going to root it, play around with the device then if something doesn't satisfy me, I will do un-root.
Would anyone show us the real advantages of rooting Kindle Fire here? As far as I know basic users just root their device to install Google Play Store which can be done on other un-rooted ones (like the method of Imma Wake) I still like Amazon service for Movies streaming so I'm a bit confused of what to do next, keep update it accordingly or give Rooting a try
Please share more your stories here.
Thank you
leoclark said:
Thanks for starting this topic snorklm. I was thinking in the same way whether it's worth to get it rooted or not.
Would anyone show us the real advantages of rooting Kindle Fire here?
Thank you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ran with 3.2.6 (rooted) for nearly a year before installing a different ROM. I was able to obtain most apps from either the Amazon store or 1Moble. The primary reason I rooted was to squash various Amazon services that launch at boot and consume resources in the background (CPU, memory, battery). Goodreads, FreeTime and numerous communication services to name a few. I also wanted to install Xposed for a few modules I find especially handy and block OTAs to retain maximum flexibility. I side loaded many gapps but never installed the play store and associated services. Also Opera (never liked Silk). I retained my Prime privileges and for the most part enjoyed the mostly stock tablet as Amazon intended. Ultimately I began to miss some purchased apps not available elsewhere and longed for Apex or Nova. Other launchers can be made to run on Fire OS but the experience isn't as fluid. There is also something to be said about having a fairly consistent UI across my various Android devices.
While Fire OS isn't horrible I recommend rooting (when possible) and blocking OTAs to maximize current/future options As others have pointed out the act of rooting generally does not introduce instability unless the method used to exploit a vulnerability has side effects or the conditions for root are not fully met. There are some risks as you now have the power to brick your device. SuperSU (or similar privilege manager) is your friend and should keep you out of trouble if used judiciously.