Develop Bugs

To root or not to root, that is the question

Please feel free to move this in another section if a mod feels like it's out of place.
I'm new to Android, but not new to HTC devices. I used to have a WM6.1 (later 6.5) HTC Fuze/Touch Pro. Part of the reason I preferred an HTC phone over a Samsung or other manufacturer is the XDA community.
That being said, I understand that rooting seems to be the equivalent of doing the hard SPL on WM which enables you to flash a custom ROM.
I also understand there was an OTA patch on the launch day that addressed the microSD card issue and the root vulnerability.
So I guess this is really a two part question - the only thing I'm interested in rooting for is free tethering (I don't really care if it's over wi-fi or USB cable, either is fine but I suppose I'd prefer wi-fi). As far as programs and all that, I'm happy with everything that is already on the phone.
I've also read that cooked ROMs "degrade" over time - is this true? And is it true for stock ROMs as well?
1. Is there a root that gets by the latest OTA update?
2. Other than wi-fi tethering and some other apps, what advantages does rooting have? I'd rather not totally **** my phone up... but if it's just as easy if not easier to root than it is to do a hard SPL, then PLEASE let me know. I feel dumb reading some of these "easy guides" for rooting and they don't answer all of my questions. For example, if any of the root methods bypasses the most recent OTA.
Perhaps there are more answers in the comments, but I don't want read that much while I'm at work. Yes, call me lazy if you want.
Many, many thanks in advance, and if someone wanted to write a pre-school level rooting guide with pics, that would be AWESOME and I'd be eternally indebted to you... that is if rooting gives me more hookups then just wi-fi tethering.

pekosROB said:
I've also read that cooked ROMs "degrade" over time - is this true? And is it true for stock ROMs as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know what you mean by the "degrade"... but if you're talking about ROM's not being maintained for their entire life cycle, that happens rarely here. Alll the Dev's here seem to maintain there ROM's very well, users send feedback in a variety of ways so that the ROM's are always up to date and customized with each new version. Stock ROM's are just that, stock. They don't usually get much customization and aren't maintained, because of the newer more customized ROM's that are put out by the Dev's.
pekosROB said:
1. Is there a root that gets by the latest OTA update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, you can use either the UnRevoked method or Toast's method -- I recommend using Toast's method as it will give you full root access.
pekosROB said:
2. Other than wi-fi tethering and some other apps, what advantages does rooting have? I'd rather not totally **** my phone up... but if it's just as easy if not easier to root than it is to do a hard SPL, then PLEASE let me know. I feel dumb reading some of these "easy guides" for rooting and they don't answer all of my questions. For example, if any of the root methods bypasses the most recent OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're someone that likes to overclock your phone, you now have that ability; on top of the other things you mentioned (tethering, customizable ROM's, etc). Also, rooting isn't very hard at all, just follow the directions as stated and you'll be good to go. If you really want a seamlessly (but limited) root hack -- you can use the UnRevoked method, which is a simple application that basically toggles root access for you on your phone. Toast's method is a bit more in depth, but if you have experience with hacking your phone, you'll be fine.
And yes, these root methods BYPASS! the most recent OTA.
pekosROB said:
Perhaps there are more answers in the comments, but I don't want read that much while I'm at work. Yes, call me lazy if you want.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indeed you are.
pekosROB said:
Many, many thanks in advance, and if someone wanted to write a pre-school level rooting guide with pics, that would be AWESOME and I'd be eternally indebted to you... that is if rooting gives me more hookups then just wi-fi tethering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are a couple of threads already featuring "How-To" root with pictures. Please look in the Android Development thread.

I did a root. The only real positive thing is the free wifi tethering. But you can do that w/ the unrevoked root which is mind numbingly easy.
The different ROMs aren't dramatically shocking exactly. When 2.2 is final and error free I will flash to that. Otherwise my phone works just fine.

pseudoremora said:
Yes, you can use either the UnRevoked method or Toast's method -- I recommend using Toast's method as it will give you full root access.
rutter9 said:
I did a root. The only real positive thing is the free wifi tethering. But you can do that w/ the unrevoked root which is mind numbingly easy.
The different ROMs aren't dramatically shocking exactly. When 2.2 is final and error free I will flash to that. Otherwise my phone works just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it sounds like I just need to look for the UnRevoked method since all I really care about is wifi tethering.
Has this been working with full 4G access as well? Not that it matters right now since I'm not in a 4G market, but soon hope to be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

pseudoremora said:
Yes, you can use either the UnRevoked method or Toast's method -- I recommend using Toast's method as it will give you full root access.
Oh yeah, and anything that backs up all the apps and settings and **** on my phone? Otherwise I'd have to write it all down the old fashion way... that's the main reason I don't wanna fully root, because I'm lazy and I doubt I'll use all the benefits... but then again... if i Could find something that backed everything up and my info, I'd be in heaven.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

pekosROB said:
Oh yeah, and anything that backs up all the apps and settings and **** on my phone? Otherwise I'd have to write it all down the old fashion way... that's the main reason I don't wanna fully root, because I'm lazy and I doubt I'll use all the benefits... but then again... if i Could find something that backed everything up and my info, I'd be in heaven.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In order to have the ability to backup everything on your phone, you can use Titanium Backup (it's in the Market; and you mighr need root -- use UnRevoked) or use Toast's method and be able to do Nandroid back ups, which would image your phone and save it, so you can restore it at a later date.

pseudoremora said:
In order to have the ability to backup everything on your phone, you can use Titanium Backup (it's in the Market; and you mighr need root -- use UnRevoked) or use Toast's method and be able to do Nandroid back ups, which would image your phone and save it, so you can restore it at a later date.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it sounds like my best option is to use unrevoked in order to use Titanium Backup and then after that save the backup on the SD card and use toast's method to get full access, use titanium backup to recall info, and then use nandroid from there on out? Sounds like a lot of work - but at least I don't have to redownload and enter all my info in everything again.

pekosROB said:
So it sounds like my best option is to use unrevoked in order to use Titanium Backup and then after that save the backup on the SD card and
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Skip this ^ part, it's redundant with the next part.
use toast's method to get full access, use titanium backup to recall info, and then use nandroid from there on out? Sounds like a lot of work - but at least I don't have to redownload and enter all my info in everything again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit: nevermind, forgot you wanted to back it all up prior to full root.

pekosROB said:
So it sounds like my best option is to use unrevoked in order to use Titanium Backup and then after that save the backup on the SD card and use toast's method to get full access, use titanium backup to recall info, and then use nandroid from there on out? Sounds like a lot of work - but at least I don't have to redownload and enter all my info in everything again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No No No.
You don't even have to worry about backing up your phone before rooting; there is a stock RUU image that will allow you to bring your phone back to factory default settings if you happen to screw up anything during rooting your phone or if you just want to go back to Stock period.
I would just root your phone using Toast's method, its really not that hard. If you want to tether and be able to backup your phone; having a full root access hack is preferred, plus then you have the ability to customize your phone with new themes, kernels, etc... and you may say you don't want to do that; but believe me you will.
Also, in regards to "recalling info" -- what do you mean? Since you're new to Android, i'll tell you that Google manages all your information for you. Your contacts, you Email, your apps, etc. If you move to another phone, your contacts and your Email will come with you. When you first get your phone, you have to sign in with a Gmail account, that account houses all your information for the phone and as such also keeps tracks of all your contacts and what not. Titanium Backup isn't really needed, if you're worried about losing information or whatever initially before rooting, then sure -- use it. Otherwise, if you already have all your information associated with your Gmail account that's being used by the phone, then I'd just root and after you've rooted, then do a Nandroid backup.

Jye75 said:
Skip this ^ part, it's redundant with the next part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I thought doing a full root wipes your device clean? I'm trying to back it up before doing Toast's root in order to not have to configure everything again (Besides phone settings).

pekosROB said:
But I thought doing a full root wipes your device clean? I'm trying to back it up before doing Toast's root in order to not have to configure everything again (Besides phone settings).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I edited my post... forgot about that.

pseudoremora said:
Also, in regards to "recalling info" -- what do you mean? Since you're new to Android, i'll tell you that Google manages all your information for you. Your contacts, you Email, your apps, etc. If you move to another phone, your contacts and your Email will come with you. When you first get your phone, you have to sign in with a Gmail account, that account houses all your information for the phone and as such also keeps tracks of all your contacts and what not. Titanium Backup isn't really needed, if you're worried about losing information or whatever initially before rooting, then sure -- use it. Otherwise, if you already have all your information associated with your Gmail account that's being used by the phone, then I'd just root and after you've rooted, then do a Nandroid backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Recalling info" means website logins, eBuddy accounts, settings for particular programs, my checkbook program with all the info in it.
I understand a lot of programs put **** on the SDcard, but will the actual programs that I've downloaded to the phone still be there? Rooting doesn't require a hard reset unless you mess up the process?
I understand the contacts and email - I'm not worried about that. Since I'm such a dedicated Gmail user I wanted to get into Android.

pekosROB said:
"Recalling info" means website logins, eBuddy accounts, settings for particular programs, my checkbook program with all the info in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't do any of that, I wipe my cache and history, just because. But I would presume Titanium backup would take care of this, I've never needed to use Titanium, so I don't know.
pekosROB said:
I understand a lot of programs put **** on the SDcard, but will the actual programs that I've downloaded to the phone still be there? Rooting doesn't require a hard reset unless you mess up the process?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Currently the programs will not be there. Froyo 2.2 should allow for this to happen though. Our phones are currently running Android 2.1 and Toast's method will wipe everything on the phone when you begin the rooting process (so yes, its a "hard reset").

Here is an awesome question and answer blog to root or not to root. Good read for the noobs!
http://www.androidcentral.com/rooting-it-me-some-qa

I come from a similar background as you, WinMo to Android. I will say the current options after rooting are limited. I went ahead and did it, and honestly the only thing I feel happened was I spent hours reconfiguring my home screens and settings/apps. The phone doesn't feel any faster and it doesn't have any new capabilities.
I appreciate the time the people put into ROMs and rooting and I know its hard work, its just too early to get a lot of tangible benefits.
If I could I would go back, I would just use UnrEVOked (I did for a few days). It's your stock ROM with the ability to tether. That's all most people would really want right now anyways.

Breakthecycle2 said:
Here is an awesome question and answer blog to root or not to root. Good read for the noobs!
http://www.androidcentral.com/rooting-it-me-some-qa
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks!
Pops_G said:
I come from a similar background as you, WinMo to Android. I will say the current options after rooting are limited. I went ahead and did it, and honestly the only thing I feel happened was I spent hours reconfiguring my home screens and settings/apps. The phone doesn't feel any faster and it doesn't have any new capabilities.
I appreciate the time the people put into ROMs and rooting and I know its hard work, its just too early to get a lot of tangible benefits.
If I could I would go back, I would just use UnrEVOked (I did for a few days). It's your stock ROM with the ability to tether. That's all most people would really want right now anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I might just stick with UnrEVOked then. Do I just search for a tether app on the marketplace that says "root required"?
pseudoremora said:
I don't do any of that, I wipe my cache and history, just because. But I would presume Titanium backup would take care of this, I've never needed to use Titanium, so I don't know.
Currently the programs will not be there. Froyo 2.2 should allow for this to happen though. Our phones are currently running Android 2.1 and Toast's method will wipe everything on the phone when you begin the rooting process (so yes, its a "hard reset").
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, so will the Sprint TV program and that kinda stuff be back? Because it sounds like it'll wipe it back to factory settings, allow for root access, but it'll still have the default programs when I'm done rooting that came with the phone out of the box?
Sorry, I am a total noob at Android Rooting. But I can hard SPL and flash cooked ROMs on WM all day long... haha pathetic.
XDA members ARE THE ****! :-D

pekosROB said:
OK, so will the Sprint TV program and that kinda stuff be back? Because it sounds like it'll wipe it back to factory settings, allow for root access, but it'll still have the default programs when I'm done rooting that came with the phone out of the box?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. That's exactly what will happen. You'll have a stock, rooted phone, which you can now install a custom recovery image onto (The recovery image is how you would make backups of your phone, install custom themes, ROM's, wipe your phone, etc).
pekosROB said:
Sorry, I am a total noob at Android Rooting. But I can hard SPL and flash cooked ROMs on WM all day long... haha pathetic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's understandable, everyone here at some point or another was a "noob", but that changes quickly!

pseudoremora said:
Yes. That's exactly what will happen. You'll have a stock, rooted phone, which you can now install a custom recovery image onto (The recovery image is how you would make backups of your phone, install custom themes, ROM's, wipe your phone, etc).
It's understandable, everyone here at some point or another was a "noob", but that changes quickly!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm doing this at work and want to make it as stress free as possible...
I'm looking at the Rooting instructions by Toast, and I've noticed it says to not accept any OTAs once you root. So is there a chance my microSD card will not work? Or has this issue been resolved/updated?
Here is the link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=690762
or this one? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=685835
Once I root with the PC36IMG, do I then immediately have to install a ROM like this to get it back to stock?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=693980
But only after doing the Recovery? I think I got this figured out about 75%... heh

pekosROB said:
I'm doing this at work and want to make it as stress free as possible...
I'm looking at the Rooting instructions by Toast, and I've noticed it says to not accept any OTAs once you root. So is there a chance my microSD card will not work? Or has this issue been resolved/updated?
Here is the link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=690762
or this one? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=685835
Once I root with the PC36IMG, do I then immediately have to install a ROM like this to get it back to stock?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=693980
But only after doing the Recovery? I think I got this figured out about 75%... heh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright,
You need to follow the steps in THIS thread first. This is the first part of rooting your Evo using Toast's method. The first part will allow you to gain only about 50% root access and you'll also be able to use Amon_RA's recovery to make a Nandroid backup and flash a custom ROM; but hold off on that until you've completed the next step, continue reading...
Then you need to follow Toast's SECOND part of the rooting process, this process will complete the root hack altogether. This second part will give you full root access on every partition on the phone (which was missing in part 1). After you complete this second part, you can NOW install a custom ROM, recovery, etc.
So, basically, do the first part -- after you've completed it, do the second part... the second part will look similar to the first, but download all the new files and follow the directions as written! You'll see that the last step in the second part will instruct you to install Amon_RA's recovery image, do that. After that's done, you now have:
1. Full root access
2. A Custom recovery image (Amon_RA's)
3. You can make a Nandroid back up
4. Can install/flash custom ROM's
5. Tether
6. Etc.
To boot into recovery mode, do as follows:
1. Turn of your phone -- hold the power button, choose power off.
2. Press Volume Down + Power, until you see a white bootloading screen, using your Volume rocker keys (up and down), choose recovery.. then to select "recovery", click the Power button. Your phone will reboot, and go into recovery. This is where you can make a Nandroid backup and flash custom ROM's. Follow the instructions in recovery to navigate around it.
Also, as far as flashing custom ROM's goes, please look at this link
This is the Wiki page for all the current ROM's that have been made for the Evo.
If you get stuck or need anymore help -- continue asking questions; but please also look at this before doing so.

pseudoremora said:
Alright,
You need to follow the steps in THIS thread first. This is the first part of rooting your Evo using Toast's method. The first part will allow you to gain only about 50% root access and you'll also be able to use Amon_RA's recovery to make a Nandroid backup and flash a custom ROM; but hold off on that until you've completed the next step, continue reading...
Then you need to follow Toast's SECOND part of the rooting process, this process will complete the root hack altogether. This second part will give you full root access on every partition on the phone (which was missing in part 1). After you complete this second part, you can NOW install a custom ROM, recovery, etc.
So, basically, do the first part -- after you've completed it, do the second part... the second part will look similar to the first, but download all the new files and follow the directions as written! You'll see that the last step in the second part will instruct you to install Amon_RA's recovery image, do that. After that's done, you now have:
1. Full root access
2. A Custom recovery image (Amon_RA's)
3. You can make a Nandroid back up
4. Can install/flash custom ROM's
5. Tether
6. Etc.
To boot into recovery mode, do as follows:
1. Turn of your phone -- hold the power button, choose power off.
2. Press Volume Down + Power, until you see a white bootloading screen, using your Volume rocker keys (up and down), choose recovery.. then to select "recovery", click the Power button. Your phone will reboot, and go into recovery. This is where you can make a Nandroid backup and flash custom ROM's. Follow the instructions in recovery to navigate around it.
Also, as far as flashing custom ROM's goes, please look at this link
This is the Wiki page for all the current ROM's that have been made for the Evo.
If you get stuck or need anymore help -- continue asking questions; but please also look at this before doing so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sweet, thanks. I've already gotten the first part of the root access done, I'm just on that part where I have rename the file on the card.

[Q] Newbie questions about DHD rooting and memory

Hi,
I'd be really grateful to anyone who can answer my newbie questions.
I'm looking to follow the guide to downgrade my non-network-branded (i.e. sim-free) Desire HD, so I can permanently root it. Then I intend to follow the other guide so I can still update to the latest official release. My primary requirement for rooting is just so I can make complete backups of my phone's state in future. Though I'll probably play about with other community ROMs too!
Sorry if answers to my questions are elsewhere, and feel free just to point if that's the case. I've searched but haven't found definitive answers. Knowing these things will increase my understanding. Although I'm used to tinkering with things a little am in no way a programmer and my last phone was a Nokia E65!
1) Please can someone list the different parts of the phone's memories, including which are impossible to write over and which are. E.g. my understanding is:
--One flash chip with:
- 'bootloader', which to me sounds like a PC's BIOS or the kind of app you can boot into on a standard desktop PC when choosing which OS to boot into;
- factory image partition;
- separate partition for over the air updates;
- 1GB partition for user-writeable memory for things like apps installed on the phone, contacts, etc.
--Physically separate 'radio' chip that can be overwritten (I don't understand the difference between this and the OS though)
--RAM;
--microSD card.
2) After following the two guides mentioned above, will I still be able to receive over the air HTC updates in future? And if not, does that mean I'd be relying on the community to make available any official updates? I bought my DHD through an official UK retailer.
3) After following the two guides mentioned above, will it still be possible to restore my phone to its factory state in future, e.g. for resale or sending back to HTC, so everything that we unlock ('eng s-off', 'radio s-off', etc., which fries my brain right now) is locked again? If so, can a guide to this process be linked to?
4) I understand it's possible to switch between custom ROMs easily. When this is done, does that mean all system settings, such as phone contacts and app settings are also switched, or are these settings written to a different part of the phone memory?
I'll be sure to thank (and donate) for your time. Many thanks in advance as well!

Hi, I just bought the DHD 3 weeks ago and it is still difficult to understand to understand all this android stuff sometimes
1) I was a little lost at the beginning too, I don't know if this is what you are looking for but this is what I understood.
There are 4 flashable "things" :
- ROM OS (android OS)
- Linux Kernel (linux kernel)
- ROM radio (another ROM that manage ONLY the hardware stuff like 3G, Wi-Fi, bluetooth, GPS...)
- bootloader (exactly like a bios) and contains a recovery menu (that can be flashed by clockworkmod for example)
The ROM radio seems independant and you can flashed it separatly from the other it doesn't bother. The last versions improve battery life or GPS startup etc...
The ROM OS (android) need to be flashed with the kernel otherwise you can have some problem (wi-fi or data network that doesn't work anymore...).
S-Off means security off and it is necessary to do it if you want to write a new recovery on the bootloader or flash a new radio ROM...
Ther is two kind of S-Off but I'm not sure of the meaning so I let you watch about it.
When you install through the official ways :
1 OTA : You need to have the official recovery from the bootloader otherwise it will NOT work (no OTA with clockworkmod)
If your phone is network-branded you need a goldcard here and/or superCID (I don't really understand here lol)
After the installation I think you keep the S-Off but you're not root anymore.
2 RUU : It will install/reinstall everything (ROM OS, kernel, ROM radio and bootloader).
It is even capable of reseting your CID (your not concerned here because your phone is non-network-branded)
If think you loose the S-Off (or ENG S-Off -> SHIPS S-Off), you're not root anymore...
If you want to keep S-OFF, SuperCID and ClockWorkMod you need to :
1 flash the ROM OS through the ClockWorkMod recovery -> update.zip (you can give it the OTA file .zip, it will only flash the ROM OS)
2 flash the kernel manualy with fastboot (you can also use the boot.img contain in your OTA file)
3 flash the ROM radio (there is the excellent tuto here on XDA about this)
2) OTA will not be possible if you want to use clockworkmod. I was a little anxious about that too at the beginning! But you can find the official
ROMS REALLY easily on XDA probably before your provider send it to you. And when you do everything manually, you can CHOOSE wich radio ROM you want,
you can do backup REALLY quickly with clockworkmod and you can come back (things you can't do if you use OTA)... The last point that confort me
in doing all of this is that you can download OTA but not install it to pick up the ROMs inside and the kernel ! I did it last week and my phone
is now running the two ROMS that was contained in the OTA file AND the kernel. This is why I'm not worried anymore.
3) I never tried to restore my phone to its exact factory settings but I think you can...
4) I don't really now. In my case, I decided to use Google for my contact too, so when I flash, a few minutes later I have all my contacts
I hope my english is not too bad for explainations like this

Hi poumpoum,
Firstly, thanks so much for taking the time to help. Your English is ten times better than my Française! If you've a PayPal account you'd like to Personal Message me, or just the name of your preferred charity, I'd like to say a little thanks that way too.
Okay: so I understand that doing these cool things to my phone means I won't be able to update it over the air. You've convinced me this isn't a problem because any updates find their way to the community.
I'm also convinced I can restore my phone completely to factory defaults due to this thread (the thread's for a different region but the principle still stands).
Thanks for clarifying the radio ROM shares the same physical chip as all the other memory (including the RAM actually, I found this out).
This thread also explained some of the jargon to me.

You're welcome

Htc One X brick?

Hi guys.
I flash the fullscreen mode with cmw recovery, and when the system was reebot it stop to a boot screen (white with HTC One written).
I tried to lock bootloader and installing RUU, but it say me who phone is not plug on the pc.
I tried to wipe cache/dalvik/etc etc but I'm not able to restart my phone.
Anyone can help me?

I just try to "fastboot erase cache" and "fastboot reboot-bootloader"...but nothing.

..you need to learn to make a backup in recovery first, when you dont have that much experience yet.
Which rom you was using? The stock or a custom one?
relocking bootloader and try flashing a RUU was completly overkill.
You just need the original android.policy, which was overwritten by flashing the mod you tried to get running.
I'm sure someone can provide a flashable zip for that...just ask in teh thread of the mod.
If you got your rom runnning again, esnure to make a backup in recovery. On that way you can always restore your working rom.
...and btw: brick = cant turn device on

j4n87 said:
..you need to learn to make a backup in recovery first, when you dont have that much experience yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I learn it yesterday evening, I don't forget to do it next time.
Now I'm trying to flash the RUU, before I didn't enter in fastboot.
Installing complete.........
anxiety....
...it work.

Yeah I had the same issue after installing the full screen patch too. Thankfully I'd done a Nandroid backup just after I rooted so I just did that. Would have installed a custom Rom otherwise
Sent from my Desire HD running Virtuous Affinity Sense 3.5

j4n87 said:
..you need to learn to make a backup in recovery first, when you dont have that much experience yet.
Which rom you was using? The stock or a custom one?
relocking bootloader and try flashing a RUU was completly overkill.
You just need the original android.policy, which was overwritten by flashing the mod you tried to get running.
I'm sure someone can provide a flashable zip for that...just ask in teh thread of the mod.
If you got your rom runnning again, esnure to make a backup in recovery. On that way you can always restore your working rom.
...and btw: brick = cant turn device on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I'm completely new to Android and just upgraded myself from my 3GS to the One X (and what an upgrade at that!). However I'm a bit dissatisfied with the Sense interface and would like to flash it with either vanilla or some cool unofficial rom.
The problem is I'm scared to death of bricking it. Especially since a friend of mine had told me the usual method of being sure you won't get a bricked phone is to simple change the rom on your SD-card. It would seem things get a little trickier when you don't have an SD though.
How does this backup in recovery work? Will it be making a backup of everything on my phone now and place it in backup? Will this ensure a corrupt rom image or whatever won't brick my phone?
From what I understand a launch from recovery is completely separate from the rest of the system, so unless you've broken the memory card (in which case I guess your screwed anyway) it shouldn't be possible to brick the phone should it?

kaminix said:
Hi, I'm completely new to Android and just upgraded myself from my 3GS to the One X (and what an upgrade at that!). However I'm a bit dissatisfied with the Sense interface and would like to flash it with either vanilla or some cool unofficial rom.
The problem is I'm scared to death of bricking it. Especially since a friend of mine had told me the usual method of being sure you won't get a bricked phone is to simple change the rom on your SD-card. It would seem things get a little trickier when you don't have an SD though.
How does this backup in recovery work? Will it be making a backup of everything on my phone now and place it in backup? Will this ensure a corrupt rom image or whatever won't brick my phone?
From what I understand a launch from recovery is completely separate from the rest of the system, so unless you've broken the memory card (in which case I guess your screwed anyway) it shouldn't be possible to brick the phone should it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what you are looking to flash would be called "aosp"...android open source project, this means pure, unadulterated android from Google. At present time there are no aosp roms for the hox. They all have the HTC sense interface. Be patient. I'm sure this device will get a lot of attention from the dev community and we will have plenty of aosp roms to choose from in the near future.
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium

nooomoto said:
what you are looking to flash would be called "aosp"...android open source project, this means pure, unadulterated android from Google. At present time there are no aosp roms for the hox. They all have the HTC sense interface. Be patient. I'm sure this device will get a lot of attention from the dev community and we will have plenty of aosp roms to choose from in the near future.
Sent from my Xoom using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, yes. This is indeed what I'm looking for. Thanks, guess I'll just wait a little longer then.

my too sgs2 hard bricked becuase one for wrong bootloader and other for synah rc 3.6 kernal, so i bought one x and now lets see......will this work or not?

You have to make sure your RUU is for the same network and country and is newer then your current RUU or the CID will block it

[Q] HELP!! Have I bricked my new device!? SO WORRIED!!

Hey guys,
I'm kinda new to the HTC/Android world, found this community a damn good place to find support.. But now I've hit a road block.
Basically, I've been eager to root from day 1 of getting my first htc handset, I came across from jailbreak and loved the fact of customizability with Android.
So I had the Google play edition(I think, all geared towards Google) running Kit Kat 4.4.4. Love it, big Google user so this all tied together lovely.
Here is the Situation.
I found a video on youtube, cannot provide URL as I'm in work at the moment, but it was root guide from scratch. Fresh windows OS, seemingly a phone fresh out the box.. you get the idea.
I used the Hasoon2000 tool to root the device. Installed ADB etc on my pc, signed up as a a dev, got the Key for device, sent in and received my .bin file. I got up to actually rooting my device, well pleased and happy. Using TWRP via Hasoon2000.
But here is where **** hits the fan.
The device needed to update, It took me back to 4.4.2 but Im unsure on how to get back to most up to date OS and keep the root.
But when I reboot to install this, it goes into TWRP. no other way around this.
Queried this on another forum, decided to continue to be patient... but no replies, in the mean time I restored my apps and have a fiddle, see what the root function can do for myself.
I installed "Freedom 1.0.6" and a program called "Market Share"- Hate iAP, some games are ridiculously priced for the smallest of things, I just wanted to sandbox plague inc. ;(
Now the device is stuck in a boot loop, phone starts up, see the home screen for a bout 40 seconds/ one minute.. Some times I unlock the device and it goes back to flash screen then.. others I boot an app and its slides away once more.
This happened close to 15x before I left for work this morning and I imagine its just going to repeat this and run the battery - I tried to stop this loop by going into TWRP and possibly choosing to boot system this way may of stopped it.. but when I was on the boot screen with those options.. It said Tampered at top of screen and S-On- which has scared me quite a bit..
What the hell has happened!?
I'm desperate to know and don't want to have this damn thing bricked! Please help.. try explain like I'm 5, as said I'm new to a lot of this! >.<

first off, if the screen comes on, its not bricked.
esenfur said:
But here is where **** hits the fan.
The device needed to update, It took me back to 4.4.2 but Im unsure on how to get back to most up to date OS and keep the root.
But when I reboot to install this, it goes into TWRP. no other way around this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mean you accepted an official OTA? I think that is what you are saying. You should not be accepting OTAs on a phone that has been bootloader unlocked, custom recovery, etc. unless you know exactly what you are doing and what the result will be (which is clearly not the case).
Stock recovery is needed to install an OTA. That is why it keeps going to TWRP, then it doesn't find stock recovery and reboots, hence the loop you are stuck in. Try to find the OTA file and delete it.

redpoint73 said:
first off, if the screen comes on, its not bricked.
Do you mean you accepted an official OTA? I think that is what you are saying. You should not be accepting OTAs on a phone that has been bootloader unlocked, custom recovery, etc. unless you know exactly what you are doing and what the result will be (which is clearly not the case).
Stock recovery is needed to install an OTA. That is why it keeps going to TWRP, then it doesn't find stock recovery and reboots, hence the loop you are stuck in. Try to find the OTA file and delete it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for fast response.
Official OTA - being that the phone its self said "Update the OS" - I just accepted this, hit download and began install as a reboot- didnt spot implications. As said, noob, followed a tut. If it highlighted DO NOT UPDATE or.. IF U WANT UPDATE NOW FOLLOW THIS- Great, but nothing of the sort?
Is the OTA file basically the .exe for the OS- so find it and delete it.. although I dont have enough time to navigate and establish where the file actually is located!
Or do you have any links to tutorials I could possibly follow?
Side note- when this loop started I deleted

esenfur said:
Or do you have any links to tutorials I could possibly follow?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is really your main issue. By following a YouTube video and using a Toolkit, you've failed to actually learn anything or gain any real understanding or knowledge. Do yourself a favor and ditch the tutorials and videos (and toolkit for that matter) and do it the old fashioned way . . . by reading. Videos and step-by-step guides do you no good when things go south (as you've now discovered). And with the prior proper knowledge (usually not gained by following tutorials) this whole mess probably would have never happened in the first place.
A cardinal rule of Android phone modding: DO NOT accept/download/install OTAs (official OS updates) on a modded device unless you know what you are doing, and what the result will be. If in any doubt, simply DO NOT do it.
esenfur said:
Is the OTA file basically the .exe for the OS- so find it and delete it.. although I dont have enough time to navigate and establish where the file actually is located!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.exe file is Windows specific. You are looking for a zip file, and it typically starts with "OTA". Don't remember where its saved to, so you will have to search for it. If you can't keep the phone running long enough to do so, mount the memory on your computer and search that way.
Deleting the OTA file worked for me on a past device, although one M8 user in the same position said deleting the file didn't get him out of the loop. Flashing your ROM again, or wiping the internal memory (backup any important personal data first) might be options for you.

redpoint73 said:
you've failed to actually learn anything or gain any real understanding or knowledge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive seen quite a fair few ratings for Hasoon2000 and decided to go with it..
redpoint73 said:
Videos and step-by-step guides do you no good when things go south (as you've now discovered).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agreed.. theres FAR much more I need to learn.. its scary haha.
redpoint73 said:
DO NOT accept/download/install OTAs (official OS updates)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
taken on board. I know with my jailbreaks in past it has been a pain, assumed Android would be alot more stable to over write- due to functionality of OS and unlocked features.
I was being generic when I said .exe- basically the installer..
I returned from work to see phone stopped looping.. i could stop the install and deleted the file ASAP.. but now what.. Phone is still bugging me to update, lost the root(got a checker).. so whats the correct procedure!?

I am confused to what you are trying to accomplish at this point, is it to install a OTA, or a recovery? What exactly is going down here?
Me personally to take an OTA is to relock bootloader, install stock recovery, and make sure CID matches. I am S-Off so bootloader means very little, but you can unlock and relock at will when you are S-Off. You will not lose S-Off accepting an OTA.

Try to re-flash the ROM, with stok ROM, using TWRP and clean install. It should work.

hack14u said:
I am confused to what you are trying to accomplish at this point, is it to install a OTA, or a recovery? What exactly is going down here?
Me personally to take an OTA is to relock bootloader, install stock recovery, and make sure CID matches. I am S-Off so bootloader means very little, but you can unlock and relock at will when you are S-Off. You will not lose S-Off accepting an OTA.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am trying to update the phone, root and then some..
What file am I looking for and how do I flash a ROM on a M8

esenfur said:
I am trying to update the phone, root and then some..
What file am I looking for and how do I flash a ROM on a M8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all once the bootloader is unlocked you don't have to relock it to get OTA.
As I undersand you have done the following:
1) Unlock using HTCDev-Method
2) flashed a custom revocery (TWRP in your case)
3) flashed a supersu too!?
To install the OTA means loosing root acces. Thus you have to re-root it after the OTA is done. The other problem ist that STOCK OTAs don't work with a custom recovery. Meaning you would have to flash a stock recovery first, install the OTA second (as long as you didn't change anything an just root), and re-root third.
Let's have a look which stock recovery you would need:
1) reboot to bootloader
2) connect the phone to you PC and open cmd in you adb/fastboot folder
3) enter "fastboot getvar all"
4) paste this information here (but DELETE the IMEI and SERIAL NUMBER before posting!!)
As soon as we know which stock recovery you need we will go on.

esenfur said:
Ive seen quite a fair few ratings for Hasoon2000 and decided to go with it..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not saying there is anything "wrong" with the toolkit, per se. For the most part, it does what its intended to do.
But it also shortcuts the learning process, and facilitates folks rooting the phone without gaining the proper knowledge. This is a dangerous thing.
This is just my opinion. But I strongly believe it. If you can't accomplish these things without a toolkit, you shouldn't be rooting your phone in the first place.
Others use the toolkits, and love them. They are more than entitled to have their own opinion. But when things go south, the toolkits aren't going to help; and those folks don't have the proper knowledge and they come running here. So you tell me what is the "best" way to root the phone?
esenfur said:
I was being generic when I said .exe- basically the installer..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already figured this was probably the case. But I found it better to provide the exact information on what file to delete; rather than leaving it open to the possibility of you and/or others being misinformed.
esenfur said:
Phone is still bugging me to update, lost the root(got a checker).. so whats the correct procedure!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you still have TWRP installed, so just flash SU or SuperSU to gain root.
After that, you can use Titanium Backup or similar app to find the update process and freeze it, to stop the update notifications.
Don't remember the exact process (this is where searching and reading comes in for you) but its something like "drm..." or "updater".

I have this situation before,what i do is find the right stock recovery and flash..after ota done flash back custom recovery..?

esenfur said:
I am trying to update the phone, root and then some..
What file am I looking for and how do I flash a ROM on a M8
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At this point after seeing this, I would suggest you take some time and start reading. All of your answers are here in the forums. Knowledge is power and within the pages of this site you will find everything you need.
To take the OTA find a stock recovery, to flash ROM's find the one you like and flash via your favorite recovery.

[Q]Need help flashing CM12 on XM SS

After countless hours of searching over all related posts I am still confused and pretty much intimidated on the flashing aspect. From all my searching expeditions till now I managed to outline some of the points but I don't know how to move forward with them. Also I am concerned with the possibilities of getting the device unresponsive just because of my stupidity, want to gain full knowledge before going forward with the process.
So as per my findings, for installing a CFW like CM12, I require the following things,
1. Unlocked Bootloader.
The Bootloader on my XM SS can be unlocked, I did a check on that but the thing that's bugging me is the occurrence of bootloop.
Question for this point: What is the proper method to unlock the bootloader?
2. Rooted phone.
This is the step that has confused me from the beginning. Some posts mention that rooting is essential requirement to get a fully functional CFW and in some posts there is a not a single mention for the requirement of a rooted phone.
Question for this point: Is rooting essential? What is the best step by step method that you use to root your device?
3. Back up data.
I read somewhere that unlocking the bootloader erases some of the important information like the IMEI number, DRM keys and other important stuff? Also the importance of backing up data like contacts and other stuff externally.
Question for this point: How to do a proper backup? How to go on backing up contacts, whatsapp databases etc?
4. Installing a custom recovery?
Honestly I am totally confused with this topic. What does custom recovery actually do? Best custom recover for CM12?
Question for this point: How to select and install a custom recovery?
5. Adb, Fastboot drivers.
Is it essential to actually download the full adb package that google provides to develop android apps? And are fastboot drivers available for windows 8.1? Will the phone management software provided by Sony work as a driver?
Question for this point: ADB, Fastboot driver installation?
6. Flashing the CM12.
The most important step in the whole process? How to go on with this step so as to successfully flash the firmware? Restoring the backed up data?
Question for this point: Steps to properly flash the CM12?
7. Link2SD, App2SD?
Which one will you suggest and how to go on installing it?
I know that most of you will find it bothersome to answer so many questions in a single go but I intend this topic to be a guiding thread for noobs like me who are beginners that want to flash some CFW on their devices.
So all the posts that you make are really appreciated! Please link in the posts that you think will answer the questions in layman terms for everyone to understand.
Thanks for taking your time to read this thread
Have a good day! :fingers-crossed:

Can anyone please help? :crying:

1. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2484622 Follow everything he said, while using some common sense. Just to avoid you in doing so much research on some common problems I faced, :
i) If any errors occur, just close flashtool and re-open it, even if the errors continue to happen, just close and open flashtool again.
ii) You will experience bootloop and the end of the procedure, so just flash the tft http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2779412
2. Just stay rooted, better safe than sorry Here's the guide: http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-m/general/towel-root-steps-to-root-t2789990 Understand the procedure first then continue.
3. You can export your contacts into your sim card tho, just open up the telephony app and go to contacts and open up the option or menu thingy in it (I think the icon was a 3 dot to access the options menu) and you'll see the Export/Import tab on it. You know what to do after this After root, I suggest getting the app Titanium Backup, really helpful. If possible, after the backup, move the folder to the sdcard, so it will never be lost (or to your pc, much safer).
4. Custom recovery.. well, I'm no expert but just think it this way, you're life saver when you do something wrong to your phone (and that it can still turn on, but couldn't get pass the boot animation) and provided that you had made a Nandroid backup before(a system backup). It can restore your phone back to the last time you've backuped it. This one for Stock 4.3 http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-m/development/recovery-philz-touch-6-41-6-xm-dual-t2795778 and this one for afteryou've installed CM12 http://forum.xda-developers.com/xpe...very-cwm-twrp-recoveries-custom-roms-t3016507
5. I'm not sure on this one, sorry:crying: ADB drivers and the fastboot drivers installed automatically for me:silly:
6. I think this video would be a bit helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkNu0tiNro8
7. I don't know on this, I never used them. Soz :C
All the best:fingers-crossed: though my advice would be to stay Rooted for awhile before unlocking the bootloader, so you'd at least familiarize yourself with the terms that'll you'll most probably face.

The fastboot driver from google didnt work for me, use the ones from the sony bootloader unlock site. For win8.1 you need to disable signature verification to install them.

Thank you so much @AndyPhoenix9879
You are a lifesaver! I was finally able to flash CM2.1 on my Xperia M