Hello everyone,
I am coming to Verizon from Sprint tomorrow or Thursday. I have a Galaxy Nexus being shipped to me right now from wirefly. Anyways, I am preparing by doing some research before my device arrives. First of all, I will be rooting the device eventually, but not likely right away. What I have determined is that in order to root, I need to unlock the bootloader, and when I do that the device will wipe. Is that correct?
I have also found two different toolkits that claim to do this for me, Wugfresh toolkit v 1.3 and mskip's toolkit v 5.2.
Should I use one of them over the other? I'm new to this type of rooting and I am trying to determine which one to use.
So, once I unlock the bootloader with either toolkit (and the phone is wiped) rooting at a later date WILL NOT wipe the phone again, is that also correct?
Thanks in advance for dealing with my noob questions.
Related
Hey guys, sorry if this has already been answered somewhere else but I couldn't find it anywhere.
I bought a Galaxy Nexus a couple weeks ago and am loving it (except for battery life) and am interested in rooting it. But I have a few questions first:
1. What is the difference between unlocking the bootloader and rooting a phone. I know what unlocking a bootloader is, but I don't know much about rooting.
2. If I unlock and root, will I still be able to get updates from Google directly wihtout issues? Like, will I get the 4.0.3 update whenever it comes out even if I'm rooted?
3. Will my warranty be voided if I unlock the bootloader?
4. And if I do root it, what ROMs do you guys suggest I use? Which ones are the smoothest in performance and give the best battery life and customizations etc?
5. There is a new unlock/root tool made for the SGN, shown here: droid-life.com /2012/01/04/simple-galaxy-nexus-lte-rootunlock-and-unrootre-lock-tool-released/
Is it as effective as unlocking and rooting manually or does it have some drawbacks since it does everything for you automatically? BTW, thanks to whoever made that tool.
I know these are dumb questions but I'm new at this, so please bear with me. Thanks for any help in advance!
Peesashiz said:
Hey guys, sorry if this has already been answered somewhere else but I couldn't find it anywhere.
I bought a Galaxy Nexus a couple weeks ago and am loving it (except for battery life) and am interested in rooting it. But I have a few questions first:
1. What is the difference between unlocking the bootloader and rooting a phone. I know what unlocking a bootloader is, but I don't know much about rooting.
2. If I unlock and root, will I still be able to get updates from Google directly wihtout issues? Like, will I get the 4.0.3 update whenever it comes out even if I'm rooted?
3. Will my warranty be voided if I unlock the bootloader?
4. And if I do root it, what ROMs do you guys suggest I use? Which ones are the smoothest in performance and give the best battery life and customizations etc?
5. There is a new unlock/root tool made for the SGN, shown here: droid-life.com /2012/01/04/simple-galaxy-nexus-lte-rootunlock-and-unrootre-lock-tool-released/
Is it as effective as unlocking and rooting manually or does it have some drawbacks since it does everything for you automatically? BTW, thanks to whoever made that tool.
I know these are dumb questions but I'm new at this, so please bear with me. Thanks for any help in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) I have an app called All About Root which should answer the majority of all basic questions and even some advanced technical ones regarding root.
2) Yes, if you're still on stock and dont change/modify any of the stock apk/framework files. Once the OTA update finishes, root access will be removed and a stock recovery will be reloaded. Will have to fastboot flash the custom recovery back and set the permissions back on root (permissions are a topic in All About Root)
3) Depends on who is covering the warranty or another way to put it, who/where/how device was purchased.
5) I would always recommend learning the manual method. Once you load the android-sdk, which is needed for many customizations, the unlock is a simple command and learning adb/fastboot will be very useful in the future for most operations.
Hope that helps! I'm sure others will chime in with their opinions and experiences to cover any gaps I might have missed. Good luck!
1) Unlocking allows you to modify the kernel and flash custom roms. Rooting allows you root access to the OS. Root is the equivalent of an admin in windows, but in the context of android it gives you write access to the full device. Basically it allows you to access lower level system functions (ie droidwall is a gui for iptables which is a firewall).
2)My understanding is that if you unlock and root, you'll be running a custom recovery (clockwork). I'm not sure if that means you won't see the OTA or if it'll just revert to stock or it may not work at all. Perhaps someone else can explain, but frankly when you get to #4 I don't see any reason why OTA updates are relevant.
3) I think the bootload can be relocked so even if it does void the warranty it can be reversed. Whether or not they can tell that it has been unlocked I don't know, and if they wanted to find a reason to deny a warranty I'm sure they could find one whether or not it's unlocked. I'd be surprised if they denied it though since the nexus devices are important because they can be unlocked.
4) I've used Axiom pretty much since the day after I got my phone. Most of them are all the same 4.0.3 core just various modifications to 'improve' the experience. The one other rom I'd look at is kang's because it's based on CM9. Kernels are another issue from there - I've liked both leankernel and franco's. Note that you should check out the forums over at rootzwiki as their dev area seems more active than around here. The kernel is the main source of battery and performance boosts.
5) I would recommend attempting it manually. The most difficult part imo is getting the drivers installed and the device recognized by adb. From there it's just executing a single line to unlocked. Unlocking will wipe your data. I'll say it again...unlocking will wipe your data. I used superboot myself, but if you're going to a custom rom then getting root access is really only needed temporarily to get clockwork installed - any custom rom has root access already. Here's a link to superboot. I *think* you just execute it from your computer (its a batch file) and it will root the device for you. I'm not sure if it installs clockworkmod so the first thing you should do after booting is download rom manager and reflash recovery to be sure. Then you can use clockworkmod to move to a rom.
Happy flashing.
Hi everyone,
I'm interested in rooting my phone and installing cm10 on it. I've read through all of the stickied posts, and watched the root/flashing videos, but things have changed since those videos came out and I'm having a hard time finding the correct answer.
My first question is regarding the use of Appdroids method of rooting. I'm using a Telus i747 and a windows PC, and am unsure whether I would be better off using his root method that does not trip the flash counter, or using the Snapdragon Toolkit, and using Triangle Away in the future if I ever need a warranty replacement.
Using the snapdragon Toolkit and TriangleAway later, will I be left with my warranty in tact? I'm assuming no traces of my rooting/flashing will be left over once I've used those two methods.
Second, in the Snapdragon Toolkit method, he mentioned that the canadian variant would be included in the future. I'm a canadian, but I'm using the i747, so in the future can I just always pretend that my phone is an AT&T phone and ignore the fact that there are canadian versions for certain root methods?
I understand that some of these have likely been answered in the past, but because I'm using a Telus phone, I've had a hard time finding all of my answers in the same place.
Thanks in advanced, and I'm excited to be a part of this community.
Not to bump or anything, but I'm really trying to figure this out before. I root tomorrow.
I've downloaded the stock Telus kernel with the root injected so I'm planning on using that method. Is there a large risk for failure using cmd to flash cwm onto the phone?
Just follow this guide directly: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1739426
most simplest and wont trip counter.
Also regarding the toolkit. All the variants are included but again, I would just flash using Robinson's method (above link) it's easy and works, better off than risking something you don't know.
Hey Guys,
I used the galaxy nexus root kit to unlock my bootloader and to root my phone (I didn't install a custom rom, I just used what was default on the program after backing up my phone)
Here are my questions:
1) will I receive the official OTA upgrade / be able to install it?
2) If I am able to will that re-lock the bootloader on my phone?
I'm pretty hesitant to install any custom rom of Jellybean since I've had problems with them in the past almost leading up to a bricked phone, so I just wanted to make sure that the OTA will come to my phone, and that it'll work after I being installing it.
Thanks!
~Mike
If I remember right, if you don't have a custom recovery installed, you should still be able to get the OTA.
hmmm well I know that there is clockworksmod on here, but nothing else. I know thats a recovery program... I wonder if I should just flash the google asop direct from google for my verizon nexus :\
My understanding of the matter is that once you are rooted with a custom recovery, you should steer clear of OTA updates. They can definitely break root and have the potential to hard brick the device. This information is from my experiences with an Evo, so things may be different with the Nexus. I've only had mine for a month or so and haven't done enough reading yet to say for certain. If you really want the OTA there is a one-click method to return to stock over in the development section. Haven't been in that thread yet, so I don't know what kind of success/failure rate it's getting. Just read the last couple of pages and you should have a pretty fair idea of how it's going. If it seems doubtful, there are also several excellent guides for doing it manually. efrant has a link to one in his sig I think. Hope this helps!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
The OTA won't auto-install if you have CWM recovery flashed. You can use CWM to flash the update manually, but it will never work automatically.
Hey everyone. It has been a while since I have been around the rooting world... Since my D1 and DX days to be exact. So my question is this.. I have a GNEX Verizon That has the OTA to 4.1.1 JRO03O. I have downloaded Wugs Kit and the GNEX kit 7.8 . Neither one has an option to match my version of software. Sorry if this has been discussed before but can someone point me in the right direction. I would like to root and unlock the bootloader and then install CNA 3.6.6 . Thank you very much in advance for the help and direction.
the problem is the rootkit. dont use it. do it the right way, use fastboot or adb. its quicker/easier and youll learn how its done. or eventually youll be starting a thread titles "i bricked my gnex, help?". the basic steps via fastboot.. fastboot oem unlock, fastboot a custom recovery of choice, flash a custom rom or the su binaries in your new recovery, then reboot and profit. easy.
Here, have a look at this...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=23229558
ADB/Fastboot is the way to go.
Greetings XDA,
Ive recently got me a GN (yakju) (couldn't wait for N4) and wait to get updated to 4.2. Now i run 4.2 and i want to unlock its boot loader & root it.
Not yet interested of having new roms on it, im cool with its stock android BUT i need to get full control of my device and not being restricted on apps that don't need root.
In case you want to ask me WHY i just didn't follow any of the guides for rooting nexuses in the forum, the answer is because im not sure which is the best/easiest/newest/safest
Im not very familiar with such staff i want to make is as simple as it gets and avoid breaking my phone (if thats even possible).
So please can you assist me to take this first android steps ?
Thanks in advance
safest and easiest.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1529058
Hi, welcome to the GNex and the possibilities with it. I have had my GNex since Jan 2012 and it was rooted 2 weeks later. I'm sure if you search in XDA you find lots of help on rooting. However I started out with the www.galaxynexusforum.com forum and followed the unlocking and rooting by Wug.
Assuming you have a verizon GNex here is what you should follow
Wug's Nexus Root Toolkit v1.6.0 [Updated 11/26/12]
It is a nice tool installed on a windows pc or laptop and I have used it to do my GNex and also another one from a friend about 6 month after mine.
Works great and i think if you follow these thread you are rooted in no time.
Good luck
I have the GSM nexus.
Ok its unlocked now, preparing to root.
I just got 1 more final question, considering i will not flash any other rom or such, with my device ONLY unlocked & rooted, will i be able to get OTA updates from now on or i will have to flash myself ? (also do i need Custom Recovery ? what does it do ? )
equilibriumgr said:
Ok its unlocked now, preparing to root.
I just got 1 more final question, considering i will not flash any other rom or such, with my device ONLY unlocked & rooted, will i be able to get OTA updates from now on or i will have to flash myself ? (also do i need Custom Recovery ? what does it do ? )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You dont need a tool to unlock...you just need adb and fastboot.
Ensure ADB Debugging is enabled.
adb reboot bootloader
fastboot oem unlock
At this point you can push a custom recovery to your phone - I think there are recoveries now that support 4.2.
After flashing the custom recovery, boot into it and flash your superuser.zip
Lol...thats it.
I think you can still get OTA's but you will lose root. I suppose if the OTA was that important, you can relock the device (you will lose data) and then OTA up to the newest version and unlock again.
If you have a GSM device you are lucky, because the factory images are pretty plentiful. On Verizon CDMA we only have 4.1.1 (and because of this I only use 4.1.1 stock).
I had to relock and unroot on Tuesday because of a SIM card issue - didnt want Verizon knowing it was rooted. Came home and unlocked and rerooted all over again. Took about 10 minutes total.
After OTA 4.2.1 root is lost. Do i need to repeat the process to re-root ?
equilibriumgr said:
After OTA 4.2.1 root is lost. Do i need to repeat the process to re-root ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
rooting a nexus will always be the same steps.