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Hi guys,
Im new to the Android scene, and thats because of the N1 got my nexus on order and should arrive shorty in the following week. Been reading the threads here over the last week or so, but alot of things aren't quite clear to me. Especially because im a Android noobie (previous WinMo )
Anyways reading about the Unlocking bootloader and Rooting the device seems pretty straight forward. I understand the consequences of each part and thus appears to be pretty easily done.
The things that i am unclear about are the addon packs and the things it comes bundled with?
- What are the current benefits from flashing these "addon" packs?
- They aren't ROM's just kind of expansion packs right? so no lost data after?
- Wtf is adb? lol i keep seeing it but no idea what it is, thus confusing for noobies like me.
- In cyanogens thread here it says backup using Nandroid, and when i find Nandroid in google i get this. But it says for G1? will it still work fine?
Thankyou for any answers as I believe you will help me to NOT mess up my new phone. I'm sure alot of other people would be thankful for your answers.
Thankyou again!
Hello,
First off welcome to Android, second, get the fire suit on for the "wrong forum" flames.
What are the current benefits from flashing these "addon" packs?
Not a *ton* but there is Tether and other goodies that you can start using.
- They aren't ROM's just kind of expansion packs right? so no lost data after?
Yes to 1st, and there will be lost data when you unlock the bootloader.. if you unocked the bootloader, and then used the phone for a week or so, THEN flashed this addon pack, then no data loss.- Wtf is adb? lol i keep seeing it but no idea what it is, thus confusing for noobies like me.
Android Debug Bridge... its used for debugging. lol....- In cyanogens thread here it says backup using Nandroid, and when i find Nandroid in google i get this. But it says for G1? will it still work fine?
No, the Nandroid backup will be an option AFTER you unlock the BL and install Amon_RA's Recovery image..
Good luck man!!
thanks for the reply.
I'm trying to gather as much as i can before i get the phone in my hands. Maybe because i want to start right away when i get hold of the phone lol You have enlightened me on many points.
I was just wondering also,
I've read about apps such as Nexus Torch and SetCPU which require rooting. Are these apps aquired simply after I unlock + root from the market place? because i read about reinstall su and similar.
Sorry for the noobiness, as i've mentioned im a android beginner and not too familiar with the terms used.
I just want to install some cool apps and convert those iphone users......(my gf )
No they're not required. Rooting is really only for the hardcore phone nerd (which is probably why you're on this site!) I personally am holding off on rooting my N1 until it's fully understood on if it can be re-locked etc. If this is your first Android phone I would recommend doing some reading around on the G1 forum and understand the full capabilities of rooting your device and some neat apps.
**edit
mis-read what you said. Those apps can be obtained from the "Makin Bacon" add on somewhere on this forum. Cyanogen posted it up.
SystmDcln said:
No they're not required. Rooting is really only for the hardcore phone nerd (which is probably why you're on this site!) I personally am holding off on rooting my N1 until it's fully understood on if it can be re-locked etc. If this is your first Android phone I would recommend doing some reading around on the G1 forum and understand the full capabilities of rooting your device and some neat apps.
**edit
mis-read what you said. Those apps can be obtained from the "Makin Bacon" add on somewhere on this forum. Cyanogen posted it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm doing the same thing as this guy. I'm super hardcore about customization so I have no doubt that I'll root my phone eventually but not quite yet. Things are still a bit too new and right now there really aren't that many reasons to root (outside of tethering support IMO). If you can live without tethering for a month, then you should wait to root.
welcome
addon packs do a few things to your phone. the biggest things, i think, are the busybox and the dropbear installations, and the tethering apps. some modders also like to "optimize" android too. whether or not it actually works, i can't personally tell, but i take their word for it.
busybox will allow you to run some common linux commands on your android (with a terminal app i guess...) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BusyBox
dropbear is an ssh server so that you can access the command line (and push files to your android) from your computer
tethering means share your cell connection with a computer to give your computer internet. i've used it in many airports, and it's sweet.
like the other dude said, the initial root will require a data wipe, but not the addons. i'm not sure if it's true for EVERY rom (i think it is) but when you first install a whole rom a wipe is required, but when upgrading to a newer version of the same rom no wipe is required. if you like to keep your sms and mms's then it's good to have some of these linux tools so you can move and replace the sms and mms databases manually.
adb is android debugging bridge. it's a part of the android sdk (software development kit) that google gives out for free and is meant to develop apps. with it you can plug your phone into your comp via USB and run all sorts of commands on it from your computer. droidexplorer is basically a GUI for the adb commands, so with ADB you can do all that droidexplorer can do. http://de.codeplex.com/
nandroid is kind of like "system restore" for android. you need to root the phone, then flash Amon_RA's recovery thingy (in one of the threads). once you're in recovery, you can create a nandroid backup (kind of like an image of your current android phone) that you can restore later. then restoring it is as simple as going back into recovery and clicking "restore".
m00moo said:
Hi guys,
Im new to the Android scene, and thats because of the N1 got my nexus on order and should arrive shorty in the following week. Been reading the threads here over the last week or so, but alot of things aren't quite clear to me. Especially because im a Android noobie (previous WinMo )
Anyways reading about the Unlocking bootloader and Rooting the device seems pretty straight forward. I understand the consequences of each part and thus appears to be pretty easily done.
The things that i am unclear about are the addon packs and the things it comes bundled with?
- What are the current benefits from flashing these "addon" packs?
- They aren't ROM's just kind of expansion packs right? so no lost data after?
- Wtf is adb? lol i keep seeing it but no idea what it is, thus confusing for noobies like me.
- In cyanogens thread here it says backup using Nandroid, and when i find Nandroid in google i get this. But it says for G1? will it still work fine?
Thankyou for any answers as I believe you will help me to NOT mess up my new phone. I'm sure alot of other people would be thankful for your answers.
Thankyou again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow thanks vmuch for the kind replies!
i feel like i understand the previous things i've read around in the forum alot more now!
So the question to root or not root, rooting the device would prob be the option for me as:
1) dont really want to do a wipe after a week or two
2) want cool apps such as SetCUP/Nexus Torch
One thing im wondering is whats this about paid apps and rooted devices in the market? After rooting some people cannot see paid apps or something?
Once again thankyou for the kind kind replies and i hope some other noobies like me are learning
If I buy an app (I'm thinking of the Exchange Calendar sync app) and then end up rooting and installing another ROM (say the EU ROM if it has multitouch) will I be able to get my purchased apps working again - or do you have to rebuy them?
If you buy an app it'll always show as purchased on the marketplace so you can redownload it - all the ones I bought on my G1 were still available when I setup the N1 for example.
m00moo said:
wow thanks vmuch for the kind replies!
i feel like i understand the previous things i've read around in the forum alot more now!
So the question to root or not root, rooting the device would prob be the option for me as:
1) dont really want to do a wipe after a week or two
2) want cool apps such as SetCUP/Nexus Torch
One thing im wondering is whats this about paid apps and rooted devices in the market? After rooting some people cannot see paid apps or something?
Once again thankyou for the kind kind replies and i hope some other noobies like me are learning
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wait to root. Right now it's still too unknown on the "ins and outs" of this phone. When I first started rooting on my G1 and MyTouch I wiped a lot while learning things about it. Research while you wait. An OTA is supposed to come out to fix some bugs, and nobody has released any ROMs anyways. And on paid apps, Google Checkout keeps a record of what you purchase, no matter how many times you wipe Market will always have them listed in the "Downloads" Tab as "Purchased" to re-download at no charge.
m00moo said:
wow thanks vmuch for the kind replies!
i feel like i understand the previous things i've read around in the forum alot more now!
So the question to root or not root, rooting the device would prob be the option for me as:
1) dont really want to do a wipe after a week or two
2) want cool apps such as SetCUP/Nexus Torch
One thing im wondering is whats this about paid apps and rooted devices in the market? After rooting some people cannot see paid apps or something?
Once again thankyou for the kind kind replies and i hope some other noobies like me are learning
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that happened to me. i think it has to do with the fact that i rooted and turned on my phone before i even put my simcard in. i opened the market and couldn't see "top paid apps" (though i could still search for apps and paid ones would show up). after i turned it off, then put my sim card in and turned it back on, no dice, still no top paid apps.
i reflashed nexusone-superboot-1.1.img with my sim card in this time (can't remember if i wiped. i think it required a wipe) and i turned it on with my sim and voila. paid apps. so it's definitely fixable if you run into that problem.
thanks again for the replies
Im pretty up for rooting upon recieving my handset which should be by wednesday the latest (no engraving), as i ordered on friday 8th. But being the first time im quite scared to do so lol especially on a brand new phone.
But as SystmDcIn said theres too much we don't know as of yet and slowly things are becoming more and more developed as we speak.
The main issue for me is using the phone 2 weeks in and then wiping it clean hopefully somebody will make some cool ROMS soon which include the "addons and goodies" so the process is made way more simple.
Thanks again guys! Well appreciated!
I would also agree with waiting to root. I dont see the benefits of SetCPU for the N1, cuz its already at 1ghz, if it was underclocked i would understand.
Orangeandblue302 said:
I would also agree with waiting to root. I dont see the benefits of SetCPU for the N1, cuz its already at 1ghz, if it was underclocked i would understand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use SetCPU to underclock the device in sleep mode.
I also underclock when I am not going to be using it for long periods.
Saves battery life.
true true, didnt think of it like that. most people want to overclock, i shouldnt assume. you know what happens when you assume lol.
It is a bit of a travesty to do it to this device. Its like putting a Beetle engine in a Porsche.
I can't always be near a charger, and until I can get a bigger battery that will give me more than seven hours, this is the solution.
this being my first android device i have spent hours on end on theses boards and on wiki's learning as much as i can about the phone and the platform... many of these basic questions that he asked i also had not 24 hours ago haha...
that being said, i think a lot of people are moving over to android so what if a thread got started that would answer basic questions that typically ever new user is going to have? ive yet to find a straight forward answer for half of the crap i have tried to find out and having it all in 1 place would be quite beneficial for people switching over... this could be moderated highly to keep it clean and in order?
a nice, straightforward, helpful community would be a nice touch to overtake some iphone shares
I see that you're from Hong Kong also- has your device shipped yet? I ordered mine on the 8th as well and it still shows not yet shipped. Was just wondering whether that's normal as most people state that the device shipped a day after ordering.
yamanote said:
I see that you're from Hong Kong also- has your device shipped yet? I ordered mine on the 8th as well and it still shows not yet shipped. Was just wondering whether that's normal as most people state that the device shipped a day after ordering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I am not really from Hong Kong lol I'm in fact from UK and Chinese. My Phone will be arriving early next week so whilst waiting, I am trying to learn as much as possible in case i damage my phone being a noob. lol
I agree with JHaste, i think due to the N1 and the upcoming HTC andoird devices. Alot of people will be moving over to Android in the coming 2-3 months. The questions i asked will be asked over and over and some kind of wiki,faq or android bible will be great. If anybody had the time and knowledge of basic rooting, unlocking and flashing could do such a thing it will be greatly appreciated
m00moo said:
thanks again for the replies
Im pretty up for rooting upon recieving my handset which should be by wednesday the latest (no engraving), as i ordered on friday 8th. But being the first time im quite scared to do so lol especially on a brand new phone.
But as SystmDcIn said theres too much we don't know as of yet and slowly things are becoming more and more developed as we speak.
The main issue for me is using the phone 2 weeks in and then wiping it clean hopefully somebody will make some cool ROMS soon which include the "addons and goodies" so the process is made way more simple.
Thanks again guys! Well appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think cyanogen's mod includes a backup app (titanium backup or somethin)...you'd be able to save all your data before you wiped it clean (but then you'd need the same backup app to restore it)
So first off, I'm new to Android, the MT4G is the first I will Android phone I will have have ever owned. I have been on Unlocked/Jailbroken iPhones for 2 years and I did the unlocks/jailbreaks myself. Now I'm sick of slow incompatible bands, anyways, I just got my MT4G, I have lots of questions.
Lots of questions, some easy, some... not so easy?
1. What's the main difference between perm root vs visionary? It seems like perm root is relatively difficult still and I don't want to risk bricking my phone...
2. What rom/kernel/firmware should I use? I've never dealt with so many variables when I was on the iPhone.
3. So I got "panel = 1", looks like I will try to get it replaced... Can I still play with my phone for the next few days, then get it backed up and when the "good" phone comes in, I can restore that backup? Therefore allowing me to keep all the stuff I did in the downtime of the new phone coming in.
Thank you in advanced!
DisturbedAle said:
So first off, I'm new to Android, the MT4G is the first I will Android phone I will have have ever owned. I have been on Unlocked/Jailbroken iPhones for 2 years and I did the unlocks/jailbreaks myself. Now I'm sick of slow incompatible bands, anyways, I just got my MT4G, I have lots of questions.
Lots of questions, some easy, some... not so easy?
1. What's the main difference between perm root vs visionary? It seems like perm root is relatively difficult still and I don't want to risk bricking my phone...
Visionary is only the first step to permroot, bit it's not difficult and you won't brick if you read all directions and follow them all to the letter. I personally recommend grankins guide, not the ultimate one, as it was the easiest for me to do.
2. What rom/kernel/firmware should I use? I've never dealt with so many variables when I was on the iPhone.
That's the great thing about android: you get to pick all these roms are amazing, it just depends on what features you're looking for.
3. So I got "panel = 1", looks like I will try to get it replaced... Can I still play with my phone for the next few days, then get it backed up and when the "good" phone comes in, I can restore that backup? Therefore allowing me to keep all the stuff I did in the downtime of the new phone coming in.
Theoretically, yes. Just nandroid backup once rooted and clockwork recovery is installed, and you should be able to resoree from that on your new phone once you root it.
Thank you in advanced!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any other questions, feel free to pm me or hit me up on Google talk (same username). And don't for get to hit thanks if this helped
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
Thanks! Going back to rom/kernel/firmware, is there a master list that allows me to compare them all?
DisturbedAle said:
Thanks! Going back to rom/kernel/firmware, is there a master list that allows me to compare them all?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, the resource Bible posted by tiger013 under the development section it should be up to date on all the latest roms , kernels and themes. It also contains the rooting guide I told you about, along with several others.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
Just do a little research and learn what things are. (IE: What a kernel is vs a ROM)
Then it gets a little easier when you learn the android terminology. Learn the basics, and you should be fine as well. Like getting ADB to recognize your phone.
Perhaps this has been answered on this forum, but I didnt see it in this section.
Beside being able to use AT&T SIM account, overclocking to get marginally better performance, and maybe use the gingerbread version of android.
What are the highlights of the advantages of rooting the MT4G with something like the CM7? Or there something better?
When I had a G1, there was some significant advantage since G1 wasn't getting an os update beyond 1.6.
But for MT4G, should I root and flash another rom on there?
If you have to ask whether you should root and flash, you shouldn't be doing it imho.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using XDA App
Read this and this. The rest is up to you. It's a nice phone either way.
I will go into this stating that rooting ones phone is not for everyone. and everyone shouldn't do it. but if you feel comfortable with ADB and simple commands then by all means for it. The only downfall to rooting your phone is if you do not follow directions you can/may brick you device. But if you take your time and read directions and make sure you understand everything then it's pretty harmless.
As far as advantages? better memory management, flashing fonts, flashing new ROMs, icon packs, tethering, the benefits far out weigh the cons.
But i will agree with the above poster.
If you are questioning if you should. I wouldn't do it, you pretty much need to know what your getting into. I've rooted my Phone and my wife's phone several times each. Mainly out of pure boredom and wanting something to do. The process is VERY simple to do, but you must follow directions.
this exactly
neidlinger said:
I will go into this stating that rooting ones phone is not for everyone. and everyone shouldn't do it. but if you feel comfortable with ADB and simple commands then by all means for it. The only downfall to rooting your phone is if you do not follow directions you can/may brick you device. But if you take your time and read directions and make sure you understand everything then it's pretty harmless.
As far as advantages? better memory management, flashing fonts, flashing new ROMs, icon packs, tethering, the benefits far out weigh the cons.
But i will agree with the above poster.
If you are questioning if you should. I wouldn't do it, you pretty much need to know what your getting into. I've rooted my Phone and my wife's phone several times each. Mainly out of pure boredom and wanting something to do. The process is VERY simple to do, but you must follow directions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
neidlinger said:
I will go into this stating that rooting ones phone is not for everyone. and everyone shouldn't do it. but if you feel comfortable with ADB and simple commands then by all means for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol not even needed anymore. I'm pretty solid with ADB, but I have yet to use it a single time with my Glacier.
does rooting this tab and isntalling a custom rom make a huge difrence as far as speed and battery life? im interrested in doing it, but want to make sure it is worth it...i know it always has been on my android phones...
thoughts?
Personally, I believe it to be an improvement. I'm running Paris v4 rom at the moment and it's exceptionally fast and smooth. I noticed lag when sliding between screens without the rom and it annoyed me enough to try Paris. I would never go back.
Rooting lets you fully use your Tab imho.
im a new owner too, and i wanna know does the rooting break the warrenty from the seller or can you unroot it if something happends to it ??
It can be unrooted. not sure on the warranty question.
dvigue said:
does rooting this tab and isntalling a custom rom make a huge difrence as far as speed and battery life? im interrested in doing it, but want to make sure it is worth it...i know it always has been on my android phones...
thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have always believed in staying stock until rooting and ROM'ing my G2x. The difference was more than night and day; more like the sun and the planet that was, Pluto. I took the plunge with my GTab 10.1 after going through hell with the stock OS. task650 and Phantom's "In Paris" v4 ROM will make you wonder why you didn't do it earlier!
Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium
You are doing your Tab & yourself injustice if you don't root it.
Having a Titanium Backup of your apps comes in handy & among other stuff.
This thread has the worst advice i've seen across the entire XDA-Developers website.
DO NOT ROOT UNLESS YOU HAVE A REASON TO ROOT
Rooting allows you to make administrative changes only. This means you have the ability to use it as you would a Linux computer.
You will not get a speed boost.
You will not get magic abilities.
You will gain the ability to completely destroy your tab.
You will gain the ability to run malicious apps to their full potential.
Do not root unless you have a reason to root.
AdamOutler said:
This thread has the worst advice i've seen across the entire XDA-Developers website.
DO NOT ROOT UNLESS YOU HAVE A REASON TO ROOT
Rooting allows you to make administrative changes only. This means you have the ability to use it as you would a Linux computer.
You will not get a speed boost.
You will not get magic abilities.
You will gain the ability to completely destroy your tab.
You will gain the ability to run malicious apps to their full potential.
Do not root unless you have a reason to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey here's a reason:
Installing a modded rom.
Hows that for a good reason?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using XDA App
AdamOutler said:
This thread has the worst advice i've seen across the entire XDA-Developers website.
DO NOT ROOT UNLESS YOU HAVE A REASON TO ROOT
Rooting allows you to make administrative changes only. This means you have the ability to use it as you would a Linux computer.
You will not get a speed boost.
You will not get magic abilities.
You will gain the ability to completely destroy your tab.
You will gain the ability to run malicious apps to their full potential.
Do not root unless you have a reason to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Starting a post with a general insult, writing in huge font, and giving no useful information. Over 2000 posts, called "recognized developer," and you're still trolling? Bad form, dude.
+1 for installing a custom ROM. Sure, anyone using these forums should know that rooting won't do any of this for you. But a custom ROM will...
Don't listen to anyone but yourself on this issue. Go to the development section and look over some of the ROMs posted and what they offer in terms of features/improvements. Then read some of the user reviews/comments in those threads, as well as any particular issues any of the ROMs are having. Then take a look at what you can do with root access that you can't without it.
Then I would say use your tab for a few days. If you feel yourself wanting to try out those ROMs or those things that need root, than do it. If your device makes you happy as is and you don't feel like doing it, than don't. That's the best advice anyone can give.
slack04 said:
Starting a post with a general insult, writing in huge font, and giving no useful information. Over 2000 posts, called "recognized developer," and you're still trolling? Bad form, dude.
+1 for installing a custom ROM. Sure, anyone using these forums should know that rooting won't do any of this for you. But a custom ROM will...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installing a custom ROM is a good reason, however this guy obviously has no clue what is or what it does.
Recommending that anyone "root" is totally bad information 100% bad information.
Bad information
You are doing your Tab & yourself injustice if you don't root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If someone EVER asks "Should I root"? The answer should ALWAYS be "no".
Remember this line: With great power, comes great responsibility.
Would you give a gun to someone who does not know how to use it? Root has the same potential to destroy your device as a gun has to kill you. Rooting just to "root" is ridiculously dangerous and should never be done.
How many times have you seen someone say "Hey, I've rooted my device, what cool apps can I run"? You don't root your device and then look for things to run.
If someone asks "Should I root my device" and has no reason, the answer is NO! under no circumstances should you root your device unless you have a reason you NEED root capabilities.
Gah... why don't you just tell him to run su;rm -rf / <<never run this.
AdamOutler said:
Gah... why don't you just tell him to run su;rm -rf / <<never run this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not real into Android Dev humor, but I know computers (Windows) almost inside and out. I take it this would be the Android version of the common joke "Delete System32"?
What exactly does that command do, if I may ask?
He clearly stated in the OP that he has rooted his previous android devices and put roms on them. He was specifically asking if he should with THIS device.
He was maybe wondering if the device is fast enough to not need a custom rom. The answer to his question:
No device is fast enough :-D
And definitely not this one.
i think I read some post that if you root your tablet that the android market place will not let you purchase movies ... not sure if that is still true or not
@OP: I've rooted some other devices and when I picked up this device I was unsure... I finally did it one day after reading and reading and reading and watching a video or two I rooted... I flashed the overcome 1.2.1 rom and it really made a noticeable difference in speed. This was my reason to root my device and its good enough for me and if I damage it then its my fault and I take the hit for it simple enough...
I was in your exact same position a couple weeks ago, try rooting it and flashing " in parisv4" youll love it. Night and day speed difference
Edited:I rooted my Gtab so that I can play Hulu and be able to take advantage of the custom roms tweaks like the ability to overclock/underclock. More quality apps on the market like juice defender, Titanium backup, wifikiller, wifitether and so much more when rooted. Yes if your just looking to change the look of your home screen then just go download a launcher. But sine I rooted its hard to go back to stock. Currently I'm using Bindroid v2.0
There's no "need" to root. Running ADW allows me to customize the look, and to be honest, I don't get screen lag. People want to run custom roms... great. Does it do anything other than let you feel more in control? Not really. As for Hulu, I don't find myself wanting to watch much that's on there. Now... if you had said HBOGO, that would be a different story.
AdamOutler said:
This thread has the worst advice i've seen across the entire XDA-Developers website.
DO NOT ROOT UNLESS YOU HAVE A REASON TO ROOT
Rooting allows you to make administrative changes only. This means you have the ability to use it as you would a Linux computer.
You will not get a speed boost.
You will not get magic abilities.
You will gain the ability to completely destroy your tab.
You will gain the ability to run malicious apps to their full potential.
Do not root unless you have a reason to root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1. Rooting is considered a toy. But it is very dangerous indeed... I have come acroos apps that can brick a device irreversibly. And, yeah, it voids the warranty, although you can unroot.
sent from my CM7 nokia 3210
I was running stock since end of July and then touchwiz... eventually I got bored and needed "a fix" in the form of rooting and custom rom =)
This is a fancy toy so once you get bored I would start looking into root/custom rom. Not before then.. Btw, Task650 & Phantoms In Paris v5 is a very nice rom to start with!
I know im rehashing allot of stuff already said and I apologize for that. But dev information can be overwhelming when you come late to the game like im doing now, just trying to sort this out in my head before my Fire arrives tomorrow. Not new to android, rooted and romed plenty of Android phones including a G2 so I know my way around the basics like adb and the like. I've just never seen so much talk about bricking as im seeing around these fire forums.
From everything im reading it seems pretty straight forward, you use KFU to root (should you perm root or temp at this point or does it matter?), flash FFF, then flash TWRP, and then just flash whatever rom you want, right? Is there something im missing, do kindles just randomly brick while doing this or do you have to do something wrong? Also, it sounds like the way FFF works as long as you have that flashed and you don't dink around with bootloader it should be impossible to brick no? And assuming this is true why doesn't everyone just flash FFF and be done with it, are there any drawbacks to running it?
Guess im just trying to figure out if these things are brick machines or are there just allot of new android folks around this device that aren't following the steps properly? I suppose I better make a factory cable just in case lol
Thanks for reading, any help you can give a Fire newb would be appreciated!
FinalJenemba said:
I know im rehashing allot of stuff already said and I apologize for that. But dev information can be overwhelming when you come late to the game like im doing now, just trying to sort this out in my head before my Fire arrives tomorrow. Not new to android, rooted and romed plenty of Android phones including a G2 so I know my way around the basics like adb and the like. I've just never seen so much talk about bricking as im seeing around these fire forums.
From everything im reading it seems pretty straight forward, you use KFU to root (should you perm root or temp at this point or does it matter?), flash FFF, then flash TWRP, and then just flash whatever rom you want, right? Is there something im missing, do kindles just randomly brick while doing this or do you have to do something wrong? Also, it sounds like the way FFF works as long as you have that flashed and you don't dink around with bootloader it should be impossible to brick no? And assuming this is true why doesn't everyone just flash FFF and be done with it, are there any drawbacks to running it?
Guess im just trying to figure out if these things are brick machines or are there just allot of new android folks around this device that aren't following the steps properly? I suppose I better make a factory cable just in case lol
Thanks for reading, any help you can give a Fire newb would be appreciated!
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No, they are actually pretty difficult to brick. A lot of the "brick" threads here are usually one of two things.
1) Users who can't get their devices to boot normally because they don't know how to change the bootmode.
2) KFU stops mid-way through some process and they are not familiar with the tools to reverse or finish the process.
By the sound of your post, you are ahead of the game and KFU will probably get in the way of where you want to go. You don't even have to root the KF if you are just going to flash a ROM. I suggest you skim this thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1552547
Post #2 will get your drivers installed and the bottom of post #3 has step-by-step directions on how to get your device ready to flash a ROM. I think that's all you're going to need.
EDIT: I forgot to answer your FFF question. Yes, if you have an intact FFF bootloader, you should always have a solid base from which to rebuild your system. You could basically wipe everything else out... as long as you have FFF, you can recover without having to do anything drastic. The only drawback I can think of is that it takes a little while longer to boot because it pauses for about 4 seconds while it temporarily gives you access to fastboot mode. IMHO, this is actually a huge plus because it means you can always get access to fastboot mode without a factory cable, so it's definitely worth the tradeoff.
Like said already, they aren't easy to brick.
What is a pain in the ass is getting the computer to recognize it correctly sometimes.
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
No, they are not very easy to brick. Most of the "bricks" are not permanent and quite easy to fix if you have some ideas of what is wrong and the methods of fixing it.
To actually brick it permanently so that there is no way to fix it without proper hardware tools is very hard and I believe that is very uncommon if you follow instructions and do everything with care.
Here's my very own anecdote of a false-brick panick:
It was my first day with a shining brand new kindle. I read on xda that KFU was the easiest way to get into the world of custom roms. So I downloaded it, followed the steps exactly and ended up with a kindle which won't boot. I was lost. I didn't know what went wrong, as is usually the case with such scenarios.
After a few hours of head-screatching and crash-coursing through these threads, I finally figured out the problem. KFU attempted to flash TWRP which was not properly downloaded. I think my internet connection must have dopped. But KFU thought the download was done and proceeded to flash anyway and long story short, I lost a precious few hours of my life but did gain heaps of experience in the process.
Lucky for me, FFF had been flashed earlier and I was able to recover my lovely kindle.
Moral: xda rocks! (may not be obvious from the story, but it's true)
Sent from my Amazon Kindle Fire using XDA
I've managed to permanently brick my device once but that was out of sheer stupidity and messing with partitions I didn't have any business messing with.
I'm not sure if it's failure to pay attention or some people don't want to take the time to learn what they are doing before doing it, but it simply amazes me how many people can't grasp the basics of how the Kindle Fire/Android works, even with one of the most comprehensive and easy to understand beginners guide I've seen.
As long as you understand that when adb/fastboot doesn't connect it's a driver issue, and you have a good understanding of the different bootmodes, with a little research you can fix 99.99999999% of the problems you'll encounter on the Kindle Fire.
Most of the problems you'll see are from Windows users (imagine that) because of Windows' lack of a good system for dealing with device drivers. And most of the rest are from just plain ignorance, refusal to learn, and trying to take the easy way out.
If you have problem, chances are 250 other people have had the same problem and a simple search will usually get you the answer you need. And while XDA's search function has a lot to be desired, Google's search function works quite well and should definitely be put to use. You'll be amazed by what you'll find just by putting "site:forum.xda-developers.com kindle fire" in front of your search criteria.
Thanks guys, you pretty much confirmed what I was thinking.
And thanks kinfauns, I did read your guide but totally missed post 3, that's pretty much all the info I need. I would much rather use ADB when the steps are that easy. I remember when the devs first got s-off on the G2 and the ADB/Terminal emulator steps and this looks allot more straightforward lol.
Just wanted to update to say that I got my Fire and got it rom'd. Nothing to it, kinfauns guide made it incredibly easy. If you can read you can root a Fire
Thanks again kinfauns!
FinalJenemba said:
If you can read you can root a Fire
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Such a simple concept, yet it alludes so many.
ha
Not gonna lie, it is kinda funny to watch so many people freak out...but I guess I was there once too.
ive rooted 5 kindles now.
3 of my own, as i had to return 2 because of a ghosting issues apparently from a bad batch that got out. Note to self (and by proxy, others), buy your kindle from Amazon instead of a 3rd party store. At least Amazon has great customer server.
was very easy, never had a single issue. Even returning them back to stock.