I've been considering rooting my phone at some point. I read in one post that the new OTA update might make rooting impossible. Is this true?
As a follow up question- Seems from the forum posts that some people end up with various problems after flashing. Is it really worth rooting and flashing? What are the most important advantages and improvements?
Thanks
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
Dude just root your phone. Having complete control over your device is reason enough to do it. Some programs don't even work without it. Rooting is simple too btw with Unrevoked3. Make sure to get unrevoked3 because unrevoked forever will void any chance at a warrenty claim.
I'm a total noobie to rooting and flashing so please excuse me if I have this wrong.
I would be fine waiting for the official OTA update and then rooting and flashing a cooked ROM but I read on some posts that rooting may not be possible after the update. The advice seems to be to run unrevokedforever to get "s-off" and gain permanent root access. My biggest concern with this is voiding my warranty. I already had to return one of these for a bad speaker.
Can I just refuse the OTA until unrevoked gets s-on?
Before you do any rooting; consider the reason you want to root your phone. If you want official OTA updates then don't bother. IF you want to have the freedom and take on the responsibility of doing whatever you want to your phone and the consequences of not fully understanding what you're doing, then root your phone.
Rooting is not for everyone, decide what you want from your phone first, then consider what you'll gain from having root.
You can re-root your phone, but like anything else it carries risks, be ready to buy a new phone for $600 when you blow this one up. Then you are ready to root for certain.
Good advice DIC. I certainly don't want to shell out the dollars for a new phone. My main reasons for rooting and flashing would be:
- Better battery life
- wifi tethering
- having control for reasons I might realize later
- fun
Will the OTA update address the first 2 issues?
Will rooting still be possible after the OTA? If so I can just enjoy the benefits of that and then root and flash if I still want to.
Rooting after the 2.2 OTA
I ran across some older Unrevoked comments that were in the vein that all of their exploits had been plugged in the 2.2 OTA so finding new ones might take time. That was a few weeks ago so who knows what they have now. So if you accept the 2.2 OTA without the S-OFF mod, then you will have to wait for Unrevoked 4(?) to find a new exploit.
S-OFF on the other hand will let you accept any official, locked down update, load you own recovery (ClockworkMod) and from there load su/Superuser.apk.
I happen to be a Linux developer, so I'm interested in unlocking the phone so I can understand the lower levels (below the Android java machine). But I am also cautious, so I would prefer to start with stock and mod the system in bits and pieces as I need and understand it.
S-OFF on the other hand will let you accept any official, locked down update, load you own recovery (ClockworkMod) and from there load su/Superuser.apk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So are you saying you recommend applying forever and s-off now before accepting the OTA update?
As a "cautious" linux developer what have you done with your phone at this point?
I think I will root the phone with unrevoked3 and just install wireless tethering from the app store for now.
I would also like to update the radio for better performance. I read I can only update to 2.05 without applying s-off and that it can brick my phone if I install it twice. Is this a good idea?
If the official OTA shows up can I run it on a rooted phone? I assume I can. More importantly, do I want to?
marcmarshall said:
So are you saying you recommend applying forever and s-off now before accepting the OTA update?
As a "cautious" linux developer what have you done with your phone at this point?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I applied the S-OFF mod specifically because I want to use stock as a starting point rather than relying upon a rebuilt or reconstructed MOD from someone else. Not that I don't trust the developers - they do a lot of great work. But with so many files flying around and very little source code behind those mods, I rather build the pieces myself (as much as is feasible). Koush has a lot of his work available on github, for example, and you can see exactly how he goes about replacing a kernel. I've also been able to recompile the kernel from the HTC released sources - now if I can find the configuration files that the Hydra Kernel developer uses, then I can roll my own kernels - again from stock sources.
To address your second question - I've done a network port scan on my phone to identify open TCP or UDP ports and found an unidentified UDP port listening. I posted a thread and some deductive reasoning from other XDA users narrowed down the source to the new Chrome to Phone feature. I'll be able to verify this after the stock 2.2 OTA comes through, but the phone is really a little Linux system under the Java machine that "traps" most of the Android apps. Root privilege bypasses the Android security and the hardware security (NAND lock) and could allow a "root" only app to install something under the hood. The phones are trapped in Verizon's network, so they are hard to get to, but the standard firewall (iptableS) is down by default.
So as Spiderman's Uncle Ben says, "With great power comes great responsibility". If you root your phone, but do not compile your own apps/mods from source, then you must rely upon the integrity of the community and file sharing systems for the mods that you install. S-OFF will let you install stock images and then as a minimum you need a replacement recovery (ClockworkMod) and the superuser package. But from there, you can work as you see fit.
It may benefit the community to have some form of central "Modding integrity verification" system for example where source codes, update zips and md5sums are fully documented so that if you pull down a mod from a file sharing site, then you have a good idea that the file is from the original developer. Then if the developer is good with changelogs and source, the user can feel reasonably good as to the integrity what's running on the phone. It would slow down innovation however.
I like the way you think Starfire. Last night I rooted with Unrevoked3, no s-off. I've only added a few root only apps and removed a couple bloats so far. I'm concerned about not being able to root after the OTA update so I think I will stop worrying so much and apply Unrevoked forever, update the radio, and apply the leaked or a custom ROM.
I like Sense and I would like a kernal with the adaptive cpu clocking, or whatever it is called, so I can improve battery life. Any suggestions?
Thanks much............mm
If you wait for the official ota its gonna be a while until a developer group like unrevoked finds a way to root it. If you want wifi tethering and froyo now I suggest rooting.
youtube.com/user/mejdam
^has several guides on how to root upgrade to baseband 2.05 and downgrade back to stock. Most roms can run on 2.05. If you want to extend battery life I suggest installing a hydra kernal that is undervolted or kingxkernal (if you want more control in oc). Also only way to get true wifi tethering for free is through rooting.
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
marcmarshall said:
I like the way you think Starfire. Last night I rooted with Unrevoked3, no s-off. I've only added a few root only apps and removed a couple bloats so far. I'm concerned about not being able to root after the OTA update so I think I will stop worrying so much and apply Unrevoked forever, update the radio, and apply the leaked or a custom ROM.
I like Sense and I would like a kernal with the adaptive cpu clocking, or whatever it is called, so I can improve battery life. Any suggestions?
Thanks much............mm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I played with SkyRaider 2.2 Sense and liked it a lot. 2.5.2 sounds even better although I have not tried it because (1) I have my phone S-OFF, rooted stock 2.1 with the stock 605.2 recovery waiting a few more days for the OTA and (2) there was a lot of back and forth with boot loops, sound fixes, Hulu fixes, etc. so I'm letting it settle out a bit. The SkyRaider dev does a great job with extras and themes available through ROM Manager. If the OTA takes too much longer, I may give that one a shot again - and keep looking under the hood.
I think I will play a little wait and see also. I was also leaning to skyraider based on what I had read. I might use it and then patch this kernal http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=760050&highlight=cpu+rom+battery . It is optimized for battery usage. I need to do some homework about it though to see if Skyraider is not already using the same optimization and that it is stable.
Thanks!
Related
It seems there is a lot of questions regarding the EVO, root and more--so in an effort to clean up redundancy, I'll make an attempt to answer many questions in this thread. I'll touch on a number of important points initially, then you can fire away with questions which I'll (do my best) to answer.
If you have a question, you should read this thread before asking, as it may very well be answered here. If you don't see it, ask away!
Is the EVO GSM-compatible? Can I use it with Verizon?
Short answer: No. The EVO is CDMA-only, and does not contain a SIM card slot. You can try to get Verizon to accept the EVO on their network, but doing so will require you to first convince a representative to do so, which has been virtually unheard of (Sprint and Verizon, despite using the same CDMA technology, maintain HEX ID white lists for phones, and if your phone doesn't match, they can't activate it in their system.)
If you're on Verizon, I'd advise you to consider the Incredible, or wait for the Shadow.
What is 'Root'?
Root access (in linux/unix terms) is the equivalent of being an Administrator in Windows. Without being 'Root', or 'Administrator', what you can and cannot do is severely hampered. You are essentially using a 'Guest' account, with 'Guest' priveledges. This means that whatever HTC/Sprint/Etc. has deemed appropriate for 'Guest' users is all you have access to.
So why do I (or we) want Root access?
Having Root access means we can do whatever we please to our phones. As I said above, this gives us Administrator rights to add, delete, or do as we please to our devices. Without Root, you are forced to do (and use) whatever software Sprint/HTC want you to use.
Can you give us some examples?
Yes. With Root, you can flash a build of Android that someone else has created and/or customized. You can update/reskin your device as you please, add or remove software at your liking, and tether free of Sprint's surcharge. Additionally, without Root, you'll have to wait for Sprint and HTC to release updates for the EVO (which could be months..) with Root, you can load a build as the developers produce it.
Froyo will most certainly arrive (in time), but what about Gingerbread (2.3)? Whatever comes after (2.4)? There is no guarantee that Sprint and HTC will support the EVO that far out. The developers who have this phone, however, most certainly will.
I'm going to have my EVO for at least two years, and I plan on migrating and updating my device to the latest version of Android regardless of what other customers/users who do not have Root access are able to do.
...But there's a risk in getting Root, right?
Yes, there's a risk of bricking your phone, and however minimal that risk is, it needs to be stated. Your best friend is knowledge, so read carefully, read again, and follow directions. You're already here on XDA, you'll be just fine.
I'm concerned that the developer's builds of Android Eclair 2.1 and/or Froyo aren't fully functional, or we won't have the same functionality after Rooting.
Patience. Functionality is dependent on having a Kernel that supports all the technology on the device; an OS to run with that Kernel that supports all of the technology on the device, and the device itself. We have the device and the Kernel, we're just waiting on an official AOSP Froyo release.
If that doesn't make sense, consider this: HTC heavily modified Eclair to support technology like tethering, 4G, front and rear cameras, HDMI, etc. They had to modify it manually because support for it wasn't available in Eclair, but it IS available in Froyo.
In time, everything on the EVO will be fully functional in Froyo.
Where's Froyo?
Google will make Froyo available on AOSP when prepared to do so. Until then, the latest release of Android is Eclair 2.1r1. Again, Eclair doesn't support everything the EVO has to offer, so until Froyo is available, some items may not come to fruition in the developer community (4G access, tethering, etc. as examples.)
Wait a minute, can't I run Froyo from an SDK build?
Yes, you can--but an SDK (Software Development Kit) build is essentially OS files torn from the emulator in the SDK. This may or may not contain all of Froyo's end-result code, and may not be completely indicative of what a final release of Froyo will be like. It IS very useful for testing and tinkering, and isn't necessarily even a bad build to use on a day-to-day basis, as long as you understand it's limitations. When you're reading threads about functionality for a Froyo SDK build for the EVO, now you'll hopefully have a better idea as to why that functionality is limited right now.
I hate Sense UI! What can I do? Can we remove it? Can we replace the modified applications?
You can disable Sense, but you can't remove it (unless you're Root and can replace the OS entirely, that is.) Sense is deeply integrated into the core of Android in the release HTC and Sprint provide, so much so that certain applications (People, Messages, Internet) cannot be "undone" short of (again) replacing the ROM. You can disable the widgets, and replace the launcher (ADW Launcher is a solid alternative), but at the end of the day, Sense is so tightly coupled with the EVO stock ROM that you can't completely remove/replace or restore the original Android system files.
This is another good argument for wanting Root access.
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Nice work.
is there a good tutorial somewhere on how to root in Ubuntu...this is my first droid phone, coming over from winMo
dahray02 said:
is there a good tutorial somewhere on how to root in Ubuntu...this is my first droid phone, coming over from winMo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do a search for adb ubuntu
the sdk for ubuntu is at google's android site.
First, thanks for taking the time to post a good compilation for some beginners like myself.
This is my first android phone, however I have been following the progression of the OS for some time.
As you stated above,
"With Root, you can flash a build of Android that someone else has created and/or customized."
I have seen on other forums, such as the hero forums, that there are several different choices for custom roms. I tried to see what the main "features" were but they seemed a little too technical for me at this point.
What are the main differences between different custom roms in terms of how they function or what they do differently, aside from OS versions?
Also, I do see that certain roms indicate they have the Sense UI turned off or tuned down. For someone who has only used stock roms which have sense already on, what does a reduced/disabled version of sense look like?
Thanks again!
I read that the Sprint OTA update that fixes the SD card issue breaks the first exploit for root, but that the Unrevoked exploit can still root even if the OTA exploit has been applied. Since I'm having SD card issues, I wanted to go ahead and accept the OTA update I initially declined. I tried the option to check for a firmware update, and it says there are none for me. I also tried the HTC software update, and it says I was already up to date. Does this mean the update got applied somehow already? Is there a way I can tell? Am I doing the wrong thing to try to force the update? My phone says "Firmware version 2.1-update1". But I'm still having SD card issues.
I'm also wondering if this thing can be unrooted, in case I need Sprint to handle it.
Thanks Shidell...much needed!!!
I am interested in a future update to froyo 2.2 w/ its new features, removing a few stock sprint apks and mainly, replacing the painful htc sense with AOSP. I much prefer the new AOSP launcher and 3d app drawer. UNTIL THEN, i would probably just like to remove some apks and add in some that may not be allowed from sprint (google nav? usb tether? etc) and maybe disable sense (like above).
What do you recommend? Toast Root, unrevoked sticky apk? Should i wait to root altogether?? Do i need to avoid future OTA's etc? or would rooting now be the way to go to protect future root options?? i just don't know what to do!
Thanks for your thread! Can't wait to utilize the evo in all its glory!! My vogue just couldn't cut it anymore.
Can we get this stickied? It's great info to refer to for all people (new or just new to android)
RN-Dude said:
I read that the Sprint OTA update that fixes the SD card issue breaks the first exploit for root, but that the Unrevoked exploit can still root even if the OTA exploit has been applied. Since I'm having SD card issues, I wanted to go ahead and accept the OTA update I initially declined. I tried the option to check for a firmware update, and it says there are none for me. I also tried the HTC software update, and it says I was already up to date. Does this mean the update got applied somehow already? Is there a way I can tell? Am I doing the wrong thing to try to force the update? My phone says "Firmware version 2.1-update1". But I'm still having SD card issues.
I'm also wondering if this thing can be unrooted, in case I need Sprint to handle it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to "unroot":
http://geekfor.me/evo/ruu/evo_ruu_1326511/
This is an exe that just flashes the phone back to the way it was when it was shipped (you'll lose all your data on the device, but your SD card should be untouched).
Also, to check for the update, you want to look under the Menu>Settings>About Phone>Software Info>Software Number
The OTA changed the last digit from a .1 to a .6.
Hope that helps!
sticky???
agreed, sticky please???? that would be great
MichaelWestin said:
First, thanks for taking the time to post a good compilation for some beginners like myself.
This is my first android phone, however I have been following the progression of the OS for some time.
As you stated above,
"With Root, you can flash a build of Android that someone else has created and/or customized."
I have seen on other forums, such as the hero forums, that there are several different choices for custom roms. I tried to see what the main "features" were but they seemed a little too technical for me at this point.
What are the main differences between different custom roms in terms of how they function or what they do differently, aside from OS versions?
Also, I do see that certain roms indicate they have the Sense UI turned off or tuned down. For someone who has only used stock roms which have sense already on, what does a reduced/disabled version of sense look like?
Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In regard to rooting and ROM customization, one primary difference (always) is that you have root access, so that's something to keep in mind. From there, the differences usually include what version of Android you're using (Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, etc.) and then what software packages are included.
"Sense UI", for example, is HTC's skin for the Android OS. "MotoBlur" is Motorola's skin, and Samsung has their own variant, as do others. This is a lot like customizing Windows; it'd be like changing the background, the system sounds, and the way Windows appear/look. Skinning is akin to theming. Attached is a picture example.
Note that different skins/themes sometimes include more than just visuals; Sense UI, for example, replaces the default MMS and Contacts applications with HTC's variants, as well as replacing the default system keyboard application. How much is customized is up to the manufacturer.
adeyo said:
I am interested in a future update to froyo 2.2 w/ its new features, removing a few stock sprint apks and mainly, replacing the painful htc sense with AOSP. I much prefer the new AOSP launcher and 3d app drawer. UNTIL THEN, i would probably just like to remove some apks and add in some that may not be allowed from sprint (google nav? usb tether? etc) and maybe disable sense (like above).
What do you recommend? Toast Root, unrevoked sticky apk? Should i wait to root altogether?? Do i need to avoid future OTA's etc? or would rooting now be the way to go to protect future root options?? i just don't know what to do!
Thanks for your thread! Can't wait to utilize the evo in all its glory!! My vogue just couldn't cut it anymore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd suggest using Toast's method. The process is straightforward, and will allow you to achieve root access. From there, you can flash the ROM of your choice--be it Toast's Fr0y0 build, or an alternative ROM from another member. Toast also links to a Stock-ROM that's been modified for root access. This will give you the same experience as your phone was default, but with root access. This also means that you can uninstall certain applications, like Sprint TV, should you desire to do so.
However, you'll still be stuck using other Sense UI applications, like contacts and MMS, which I don't really care for. It's just life right now.
Froyo should (hypothetically) be made available soon, and then everyone with any iota of knowledge is going to be working frantically to build a full, feature-complete ROM with everything working (and then some), including tethering, HDMI out, full GPS/Wifi/Bluetooth/4G support, etc.
My recommendation? Root now using Toast's method, be wary (and read about) any updates before you perform them, and experiment with a few ROMs before Froyo is made available. Prep yourself now for Froyo and it'll be smooth sailing once it's available.
Nice thread
-------------------------------------
Sent from EVO
flipzmode?
Shidell said:
Toast also links to a Stock-ROM that's been modified for root access. This will give you the same experience as your phone was default, but with root access. This also means that you can uninstall certain applications, like Sprint TV, should you desire to do so...
However, you'll still be stuck using other Sense UI applications, like contacts and MMS, which I don't really care for. It's just life right now...
My recommendation? Root now using Toast's method...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. So "toasts link stock rom", is that flipzmode's rom you are referring to? And that will give me the same exact experience as i have now, except for with root so if i want to modify SenseUI or some sprint apks i can? (i don't want anything to be removed or changed already, i just want to protect root for future when froyo comes out for our device with everything working).
2. and what does it mean when toast says: "you will need to wipe data and dalvic cache before flashing this." How do i do this?
Thanks!!
nand unlocking?
What is the significance of the nand unlocking? if we can already root, what extra does this allow us to do?
Greetings all,
My Evo is still at 1.47 after foolishly taking the OTA update, and I haven't yet re-rooted it after the exploit was discovered. I want to upgrade to 2.2, but I am hesitant to do so after all the warnings from last time about taking OTA updates.
I really am not interested in a custom ROMs all that much, as I prefer stability and I want my 4G to work correctly.
With that said, I do want to keep my future options open. So, with that in mind, how should I first proceed?
I don't care about losing my apps and data, etc. I will reload.
- Should I follow the tutorials to first fully unlock the NAND?
- If so, can I then apply the official 2.2 update over the air?
- If I do that, and I have unlocked the NAND, can I revert to rock stock later?
- Is there a way (kitchen?) to keep the stock ROM and just remove some apps?
Thanks for the guidance, just want to proceed cautiously.
-Rob
robroy90 said:
Greetings all,
My Evo is still at 1.47 after foolishly taking the OTA update, and I haven't yet re-rooted it after the exploit was discovered. I want to upgrade to 2.2, but I am hesitant to do so after all the warnings from last time about taking OTA updates.
I really am not interested in a custom ROMs all that much, as I prefer stability and I want my 4G to work correctly.
With that said, I do want to keep my future options open. So, with that in mind, how should I first proceed?
I don't care about losing my apps and data, etc. I will reload.
- Should I follow the tutorials to first fully unlock the NAND?
- If so, can I then apply the official 2.2 update over the air?
- If I do that, and I have unlocked the NAND, can I revert to rock stock later?
- Is there a way (kitchen?) to keep the stock ROM and just remove some apps?
Thanks for the guidance, just want to proceed cautiously.
-Rob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DO NOT UPGRADE/UPDATE, do a full root then flash any of the Froyo/2.2 ROM's already rooted
most of the release roms have 4g working as well as are very stable. I bet if you tried any of the custom roms you would be suprised. I have very few issues with the custom roms i have used (mainly fresh and dc). As i need my phone everyday for work and am a very heavy user because of it i can tell you hat you will probably be fine with any of the big custom roms (cm6 excluded if you need 4g)
Now on to the question if you root and then take the OTA you are basically jsut wasting time as it will unroot your phone. Your best bet is to root the phone and then if you dont want a custom rom find the stock rooted 2.2 rom in the dev section and flash that. it is the stock room except it doesnt override your root. nothing else is done to it.
This would allow you to have froyo on as close to the ota as possible while not killing your ability to root or taking away your root.
This. I'm lost along with all of the other users who applied the OTA to 2.2 (I have the leaked version). Once I get root again I will never unroot, ever. Flash this ROM (Post ID: 740520, can't post links yet), it's the rooted OTA ROM for 2.2. Keep your NAND, keep your root... having official software means you're stuck with terrible "official" support from HTC and Sprint.
Best of luck.
By the question you can tell that i'm rather inexperienced at this, but a buddy of mine(who has a Droid on VZW) and i were debating whether or not doing an OTA update after you root would cause you to loose your ability to root forever.
I guess it's different on both devices, but he contends that he could unroot his droid, which is running a custom 2.2 ROM, install an OTA update, decide he doesn't like it, then just go back to a 2.1 RUU from VZW or Motorola, and then re-root.
Everything i have read here about the EVO indicates that if i am already rooted, and i accept an OTA update, then i will never be able to root again. Does never, really mean never? Or is it just mean that i won't be able to root using the current methods to root the phone?
What if i had never rooted and then accepted the OTA 2.2 from sprint that may be coming this week, would i then be able to root?
What exactly does the update do to remove the ability to get /root access to the phone? Something with the bootloader, HBOOT, or what?
Thanks for the information. Hopefully, this will settle this question for my friend and I.
Chris
OTA updates typically break any existing root methods, and disable any current root access.
Some OTA's also update the phone in a manner which prevents older official roms (that have working roots) from being reinstalled.
At that point, you have an updated rom with known roots removed, that can't be rolled back, so the only option is to wait until another root exploit is found and released. Which may or may not happen depending on the device and whoever is working on it.
Hope that helps.
You can take and accept as many updates as you want....you just have to modify that update by replacing the new hboot with the engineering one.....that way you can freely flash zip files
HTC is tricksy and they dont let you roll back after the OTA. Motorolla may not have this so your friend may in fact be able to roll back to 2.1 (however he may be misinformed as well).
To root basically they find a bug to exploit that allows us to gain access as a root user. when the OTA updates come out 99% of the time they will fix this bug. HTCat least blocks roll backs so now you are on a new version of the software that you can not go backwards and the bug to root is no longer there.
While there are normally other bugs that can be exploited to get root it is possible that there isnt one or that if there is no one can find it. if they cant find it then it could remove your ability to root permanently.
snandlal said:
You can take and accept as many updates as you want....you just have to modify that update by replacing the new hboot with the engineering one.....that way you can freely flash zip files
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
while true accepting an OTA will not give you the chance to do this for most.
ok, that explains things a little better. thanks.
I'm new to all of this as well. My EVO has already been updated OTA by a Sprint employee while I was purchasing the phone. From what I've read it looks like I'm SOL until someone cracks 2.2. One quick question though... How long did it take people to be able to root the first software on the EVO's?
Hey guys!
I just recently gotten T-mobile's G2! I already got it unlocked by paying $8 to get the unlock code .
Soo, I have been doing a lot of reading regarding rooting, perm and temp, android , etc! I was a iphone 3GS user, so I don't have that much experience or any at all with android.
What is OTA? Does it mean "over the air" update?!
I am interested in rooting my g2. I checked the wiki out. However, there are couple of things I am not sure of.
First of all, what does stock rom mean? Is it like the original android 2.2 (fyro)? that is unmodified by T-mobile and other such carriers?
Did my G2 come with stock rom? or came with T-mobile's stock rom?
Also, I did update my G2 via "OTA" i suppose. How do I know I have the latest OTA? I am really confused about this part. I have checked various threads about it, but they were not able to clarify it for me.
Any links that would explain it, would greatly help me!
thank you guys & gals for help and replying !
Just asked this question
1. http://theunlockr.com/2010/10/20/how-to-root-the-t-mobile-g2-htc-vision-visionary-method/
2. http://theunlockr.com/2010/11/30/how-to-gain-permanent-root-and-s-off-on-the-t-mobile-g2-htc-vision/
3. (Optional Custom ROM) http://theunlockr.com/2010/11/30/how-to-load-a-custom-rom-on-the-t-mobile-g2-htc-vision/
Watch the videos most helpful. Also OTA is over the air update that for offical updates t-mobile pushes out.
You know you've got the latest OTA when no more show up
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 running Cyanogenmod.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=android+root
Sent from a Western Union telegram.
blackknightavalon said:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=android+root
Sent from a Western Union telegram.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha that makes me laugh every time I see it
There's a lot of great reasons to root, but a lot of great reasons also to stay with stock (like warranty). You DON'T need root to use an unlocked handset with another carrier. Just the APNs for that carrier (see Android manual for how to add one).
So, that said, the XDA wiki under HTC Vision has a lot of great info on rooting and SuperCID and custom ROMs, as does Cyanogen's site.
Stock ROM basically means "official" or "pre-loaded" ROM -- the one that the phone came with.
But before you begin anything I strongly encourage you to Google what "root" means on Linux and what it allows you to do, and ask yourself if you really need root before you start trying to get it on your G2. If you're not a hacker and just plan on using apps from the market you probably don't need it anyway. But I'll leave that decision up to you.
Thank you for all your insightful replies!
Yes, I have read regarding rooting and linux . I am sort of an hacker , since I've worked on iphone stuff.
Thanks for the links. I will have a look at them! I appreciate all your efforts.
Ok you need to set up an androidsdk environment. You need jdk for it to work. And while not necessary putting the tools directory for the sdk in the path definitely saves a lot of typing copying and pasting.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
LimitsX said:
I just recently gotten T-mobile's G2!
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Congratulations!
I already got it unlocked by paying $8 to get the unlock code .
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$8 isn't too but but you didn't need to spend that, the recommended method for obtaining root has an (optional) side effect of unlocking the phone. You will see this referred to as the "gfree" method.
What is OTA? Does it mean "over the air" update?!
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Yes OTA means "Over The Air" when your carrier sends an update for your phone over the cellular airwaves it's an OTA update. These updates are official an only designed for the stock ROM.
First of all, what does stock rom mean? Is it like the original android 2.2 (fyro)? that is unmodified by T-mobile and other such carriers?
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A "Stock ROM" is simply the ROM that came installed on your phone, any phones updated by an OTA update could also be considered to be running a stock ROM. Generally it refers to the OS version your carrier and manufacturer want/expect you to have. This is opposed to a "Custom ROM" which is a customized version of Android, there are a number of different custom ROMs for the G2 each with their own features and capabilities.
Did my G2 come with stock rom? or came with T-mobile's stock rom?
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Every phone comes with a stock ROM, by definition.
Also, I did update my G2 via "OTA" i suppose. How do I know I have the latest OTA? I am really confused about this part. I have checked various threads about it, but they were not able to clarify it for me.
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When a new OTA update is released, it takes a little while for the update to reach all the devices. There hasn't been a new OTA for the G2 in a while and AFAIK there has only been one so far. I would expect that if you just got your phone you would have received an OTA update within a day or two, and now would be up to date. As long as you are running a stock ROM you will receive new OTAs as they are released, if you root your phone but maintain the stock ROM (the state my own G2 is in right now) you would generally want to avoid installing any OTA because the update could cause you to lose root without the ability to get it back (if the OTA fixes the security hole that allowed root to be obtained)
Regarding temp vs permanent root. When the G2 first came out people had a hard time obtaining root, They first obtained "temp root" which persisted until the phone was rebooted. With a temp root any changes you make will be gone the next time you reboot your phone, because security settings of the phone prevent those changes from actually being committed to the phone. For example if you temp root your phone and remove the built in PhotoBucket application you will see that the app is back when you reboot next. Eventually they discovered how to obtain "permanent root" which will allow you to keep your root access across reboots and allows you to make permanent changes to your phone. An essential part of permanent root is defeating the security settings that prevent permanent changes to the phones memory. It should be noted that you first need to get temp root before you can get permanent root.
Just regarding the gfree method.... it does work quite well. But it did introduce a few unexpected quirks to my G2. I went back to all stock configs and decided I didn't need root so badly afterall. But it was nice to know how easy it was to do such a thing on a phone considered at one time to be unrootable.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
I don't get it....
I have been rooting and customizing since my Droid 1. In all that time over several devices...there was never a need to un-root and take an OTA...that was not soon made available through Dev's that could be flash via customer recovery, or pushed via ADB.
But I keep reading how all these HTC One users are doing just that.
I got my One on Thursday from VZW store, and it was still running 1.10.605.8. I figured that once s-off and rooted I could flash any new radios/modems...and the ROMs would take care of the rest...so no need to update to 1.10.605.15.
Currently running EclipticOne with the 1.10.605.15 radios.
Am I wrong? Is there something I missed?
Thanks,
I think it's the amount of people who are new to the process of how to handle taking updates when they're S-Off/Unlocked Bootloader/Rooted. The only way they've ever known to do Android updates is taking OTA's. They're new to the paradigm of manually updating radios, hboot, and /system.
It can't be stressed enough that OTA's are designed for completely stock, untouched devices. OTA's aren't made with hacks in mind, nor will they ever be, nor should they be.
If you want to go S-OFF, unlock the bootloader, install a custom recovery, and get root, you have to be willing to take on some of the extra responsibilities that come along with it. One of those is forfeiting a normal OTA process. OTA's will, at the very least, remove root. You're going to have to boot to recovery to reinstall superuser so you might as well just do all the updates manually.
Really just a matter of preference and what you are after. This is the first phone I have owned that I am content running stock, other than a few apps that require root. It's actually faster for me to take the OTA and reflash custom recovery/supersu which are already on my computer than to wait for someone to upload the goods.The end result is the same, just different ways of getting there, none better than the other.
xenakis said:
Really just a matter of preference and what you are after. This is the first phone I have owned that I am content running stock, other than a few apps that require root. It's actually faster for me to take the OTA and reflash custom recovery/supersu which are already on my computer than to wait for someone to upload the goods.The end result is the same, just different ways of getting there, none better than the other.
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I could be wrong but if you take an ota and expect to retain root and s-off every time, you might be in for a surprise. im pretty sure certain updates have been pushed that relocked bootloaders and removed s-off.
MJL99 said:
I could be wrong but if you take an ota and expect to retain root and s-off every time, you might be in for a surprise. im pretty sure certain updates have been pushed that relocked bootloaders and removed s-off.
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It was my understanding S-OFF stays on/off (whatever) no matter what OTA you take.
Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk
Though folks often warn that an OTA may remove s-off, I have never seen evidence of one doing this and could not find any posts on XDA or anywhere else about this happening. And while it is technically feasible for an OTA to remove s-off, I can't imagine any phone maker or carrier doing so. More important for them is patching known exploits, which if you already have s-off is not an issue since the exploit was only needed to get you s-off, not to keep you there.
Obviously, this wouldn't be the first time that I am wrong and welcome anyone to post a link to an example of an OTA undoing s-off. I'm only here to learn and if you keep me from screwing up my phone, I'll thank you!