Database Users

Hero Rooting,Nandroid backup and warranty

Hi guys!
I have my Hero since December and I am more than happy with it.However,having used Custom ROMs on my Diamond and having seen all the amazing work that's been done with the Hero,I occasionally catch myself thinking that I am really stupid staying with the stock ROM and wanting to try something new,something "shiny".BUT!All my contacts,messages etc are in the Hero and it's my everyday phone.What's more,I don't want to void my warranty(not permanently and irreversibly that is),to put aside the fact that I already love it as it is!I just like change,like most of you here I assume.On my Diamond I must have changed more than 20 ROMs and not just one install for every ROM,but the updated versions of some etc.
I am still very skeptic on whether to root my Hero,so I want some questions answered if possible.
First off,what is Nandroid backup and what does it backup?Can I bring my phone back EXACTLY in the state it was?All stock,like nothing has happened!I don't care about losing root access on my phone,I only want to be able to undo any changes that I make.
And secondly,what chance of bricking my phone is there?I see most chefs recommending wiping.Is it something like MTTY for WinMo devices?
Thanks in advance!

Nandroid only backs up certain parts of the system; as of a few months ago, they don't include user apps, but do include all system apps and system settings.
If you want to make your phone stock again, flash an HTC official RUU update. I'm talking about the .exe, not a .zip cooked by anyone here - the RUU will rewrite every part of your phone, putting it back to a 100% fresh state.
Also, the only way I can think of that you can brick a Hero easily is interrupting a radio flash.

So there's no way to somehow backup my current ROM and bring it back?
If so I guess there's no rooting etc for me until I get my next handset...
Also,some say that,once the hero is updated to 2.1 by htc there will be no rooting,flashing and so on.True or what?

developing said:
Nandroid only backs up certain parts of the system; as of a few months ago, they don't include user apps, but do include all system apps and system settings....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Still working bang on here. Use apps2sd, do Nandroid+Ext backup and it restores everything exactly how it was.
EDIT.... Oh yeah,... Post in General or Q&A next time.

I am posting here because I,maybe later on,will come to issues concerning ROMs.Sorry however!
Anyway!I think I cannot use apps2sd,I am still using the stock 1.5 ROM and haven't rooted my phone yet.
But what do you mean saying that everythings goes back to how it was?Only programms or contacts,settings etc?
Sorry for the trouble I am causing you,I hope you understand!

Ok... first of all, you cannot nandroid backup before you root AFAIK, and the backup restores your phone to *exactly* the same state as it is when performing backup (including messages, phone contacts, apps, etc.). However, since you must have root to backup it will restore your phone with root, which means you will lose your warranty.
However, you can also backup most of your settings with apps on the market. You can sync contacts with google, so they will never get lost, backup apps and messages and then restore them without having to have root.
Also, in case, you want to use your warranty, you can always remove root, etc. with the stock .exe update. Then you'll have to restore apps and settings with whatever backup application you were using to backup them. So I don't think you'll have any problems with that.
And, as mentioned earlier, there is no chance for you to brick your phone by simply flashing roms. Only way is to flash wrong radio (for example CDMA radio on GSM hero) or to pull out the battery during radio flashing.

Nandroid backs up (almost) the entire state of your phone.
If you need to unroot then use an ruu (the exe) which are official HTC programs to get your entire phone back to stock.
With your warranty, it's only void if they know it's rooted, so if you use an ruu everything will be fine .
And if you don't decide to root then DO NOT flash the official update as you will (probably) not be able to root again.
if you want to root then I recommend www.roothtchero.co.uk it's a great guide to rooting your phone.

One more question.If I root my phone but don't flash a custom rom,can I do a Nandroid backup for my stock rom?

I am gonna root my phone via villianrom forum instructions..noob alert..do we HAVE to add radio RUU? or we can just root the phone. And thats it?
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Why root???

I have been in the cellphone scene for a while and done some iphone modding and dabbling in the android stuff. What is the point of rooting?? I know what the purpose of jailbreaking is. Is it the same basic concept?

More or less, yeah.
Install custom ROMs
Block ads
Modify system files (Remove stock apps, change fonts, etc)
And a lot more.

Sorry i didnt post why i put it in here. I am getting a vibrant on tuesday because i completely destroyed a mytouch 1.2 trying to root it. I wish there was a way to bring it back to life. I was wondering if rooting voids the warranty, I think i read i can reverse it. Is this true?

Remove bloatware that can't be normally uninstalled
Use apps that require root access such as:
-screenshot apps (like drocap2 or shootme)
-backup apps (like mybackup and titanium backup)
-file managers that have access to the whole phone (like Root Explorer or SUFBS)
-performance managers (like SetCPU and cachemate)
-and many more. . .
Add a more powerful recovery screen (like ClockworkMod Recovery) which can flash custom ROMs and create full backups of your system
Run custom ROMs (like the upcoming Galaxy S version of CyanogenMod 6 which is based on Froyo)
tgrantjr said:
Sorry i didnt post why i put it in here. I am getting a vibrant on tuesday because i completely destroyed a mytouch 1.2 trying to root it. I wish there was a way to bring it back to life. I was wondering if rooting voids the warranty, I think i read i can reverse it. Is this true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically yes, I think it does, but with method used to root the Vibrant, it is very easy to return it to its stock, unrooted condition. Plus, I've had to deal with T-Mobile and Asurion on three separate occasions with filing warranty/insurance claims on my G1 and my wife's G1, and I have never been asked if the phone was rooted and after sending in the defective or damaged phone they have never contacted me or charged me because they discovered the handset had been rooted.

How would you go about un-rooting the vibrant? I just got it on tuesday and am in love with it. I just want to get rid of the telenav and stuff, not really install any other apps. I have the sdk installed and everything, i think i just need the vibrant's drivers. After doing the root what commands can i use to uninstall telenav? Sorry im asking so many questions but im kinda new and dont want to destroy my phone. Thanks

Read the sticky.every question in this thread is answered

sorry I see that now. Thanks
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

[Q] advice what to do on new tab?

considering this is my 1st android, what should i do with the tab? step by step
lurking in this forum, i definitely want to root and be able upgrade firmware or to do anything in my tab
but what should i prepare? in the noob root for beginner, there's only explanation about rooting
can i save the original rom? what app to use? do i need to back up 1st? using what?
and can i upgrade the stock firmware to the jk1 without flashing it 1st to jj4? (since from what i read jj4 is full flash and jk1 is not, logically the stock firmware must be full flash also)
many thanks to those who can explain it in beginner's language
or maybe a couple of links would help
i already got the tutorial for the rooting process, so basically, what i need to do before rooting is what i need so i wont lose anything precious

I'd just start using it. Get some apps installed, see what you need/want/like to do with it, and if something you need/want/like to do is prevented by not having root access, then root it.
I'd say for the majority of Android users, there really is not much need to root, since Android lets you do so much right out of the box, unlike the competition that requires "jailbreaking" (God I hate that term) just to do simple **** like customizing.
Same goes with firmware. Unless you really enjoy the process of flashing and all that's associated with it, there's not always a clear need to do so. The only time I recommend somebody flash custom/leaked firmware for more than the fun-factor is if there's a problem in the current firmware that can only be fixed by flashing.
That said, this is XDA, which is all about custom ROMs and rooting and extracting more from a device than what the manufacturer shipped it with. Have at it.

jailbreaking lol, yeah, hate that
well something that bugs me is about the mobile browser view that some ppl actually advising rooting to be able to do that
hmm, what about what to do 1st if i actually want to root? any advice what to do and what app to use?

rooting on the Galaxy Tab is extremely simple:
1) Open the Market
2) Install and run 'z4root'
3) Hit the 'root' button' and wait
That's it.
Once you're done with that, one of the first things I'd suggest is to get AdFree installed and updated. It'll quite successfully block all those annoying ads.

i know about z4root, what i need to know is what i should do before rooting, like backing up the stock OS or data or app or anything like that, so i wouldnt regret having rooted my tab in case i flashed it with newest firmware like jk1

Rooting doesn't prevent flashing, or do any harm by itself, and when you flash, you wipe/reset the root.

oh, i see
so basically it just void my warranty and give me administator authorities like in windows?
thanks then

If you have to return your tab for any reason just reflash stock rom from whatever cell provider you got it from and the root is gone thus no breaking of the warranty

Yep, I rooted with z4root the other day. Was a piece of cake, although 1st attempt required a restart before it got going. 1st thing to install after that is Adblock.
Perfect.
Oh yeah, after that I installed titanium backup to get rid of the crappy gallery and replace it with the modded gallery 3rd form hi res zooming.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

What modded gallery are you talking about? I'd like to change the gallery because I hate the stock one!

uber n00b needs advice.

hello, i'm new here, new to androids as well, actually new to phone hacks in general. Ive jailbroken and unlocked iphones before (my wife has a 3gs 4.2.1 unlocked using with tmobile). but i have no XP with android,.... i'm thinking, rooting is like jailbreaking? i dunno really.. halp! please just give me the basics. like once I ummm, jailbreak my MT4G (hehe got the abbreviation from these forums) how can I modify it with like free apps and such, and the cool themes i see everybody showing off. please halp, please

rooting doesnt give free apps (or at least it didnt when i had a g1) your able to flash a new rom to your phone when you gain root, you can take off some bloatware that comes with certain phones, tweak settings and make stuff more customizable
it is like jailbreaking but i dont think android is against rooting like apple is against jailbreaking

thanks for the reply, so once I root it, can I apply some of the themes and apps mentioned on these forums? I saw a thread regarding apps for rooted devices. Is there a different "app store" once I root my device?

im just getting back to android after having the hd2 for 4 months and a lot may have changed
but when i rooted the g1 there was apps that were labeled as only use if you have root access, so yes there are (were) certain apps that could only be used if you have root but it was the same app store, i remember the cyanogenmod app and it would update the theme with the click of a button
and yeah after root you could do the roms that are in those threads

VDubLife said:
thanks for the reply, so once I root it, can I apply some of the themes and apps mentioned on these forums? I saw a thread regarding apps for rooted devices. Is there a different "app store" once I root my device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only 1 market for apps. Some apps are for rooted devices, some (most) are not. The main difference between a rooted device is that you will be able too have full access of you're phone and flash roms. But if you have no clue what you're doing you can cause some serious damage to your phone (brick).
Sent from my HTC Glacier

yup just be very careful when flashing new roms and themes. dont flash anything until you make a nandroid backup too. i have a very simple saying when doin anything to your own phone: "if it feels wrong, it is wrong" and if you have any questions when doing something always ask for help. because most likely someone on here has already made a mistake that you might be doin and save you alot of headaches lol once you gain root access, everything is cake

Please post questions in Q&A section.

mftek said:
The main difference between a rooted device is that you will be able too have full access of you're phone and flash roms. But if you have no clue what you're doing you can cause some serious damage to your phone (brick).
Sent from my HTC Glacier
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to clarify, rooting your phone alone does not give you the capability to make Nandroid backups and/or flash ROMs. Rooting gives you root access to otherwise locked down system folders. Making backups and flashing ROMs require the presence of a custom recovery image (like Clockwork recovery).
To the OP; READ, READ, READ! Read as much as you can (and search) before attempting to root your phone. There's a lot of info in these forums that will get you through but you HAVE TO READ and have good confidence in what you're doing. Once you're ready, root, then flash Clockwork recovery, then install Titanium Backup. Use Titanium to make backups of your apps (including system apps). Use Clockwork to make a (Nandroid) backup of the phone's internal drive chip. Once that's done you can move on to flashing ROMs with the ability to get things back to normal if something doesn't work right. Good luck!

Great advice folks, thanks so much. I am permarooted with s=off! w00t, already made a nandroid backup using clockwork... so time to have some fun! Please help with the following questions:
1.) Are there any directories of all ROMs available for our phone?
2.) Will all droid ROMs work? or are they phone specific?
3.) Do I need to keep USB Debugging on?
4.) Do I need to keep the files on my SD card after I've already installed them? (ie: root folder [the one from the rooting guided], and application .apk files)
Thanks! great forum

updating from rooted 2.2

Apologies if this is a noob question. I didn't see any obvious answer to this, and I'm guessing I"m not the only one to question this.
I have a rooted stock 2.2, rooted with Unrevoked3. Now that there's a root exploit for GB, I'm trying to make sense of what I need to do to get the OTA installed.
Reading through the Unrevoked site, it looks like I need to find the appropriate .img first to restore me back to original? And Unrevoked's site directed me back here, but i didn't see where to find the correct file.
Second, I assume, and correct me if I'm wrong, that I simply copy the correct .img file back to my phone (which directory?) and boot up into recover to restore? At that point, i'll be able to get and update with the OTA?
-Brian

Why not flash a stock rooted GB ROM?
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

That would certainly be the easiest solution, but i'd rather go OTA for a couple reasons:
1) while absolutely nothing against the great work the devs have done, I've gone back and forth on this and really end up wanting to keep mine stock (with a lot of sprint crap-ware frozen)
2) and a more direct reason for my question in the first place, this isn't just for my own phone, which i don't mind "hacking" with as much, but also for a coworker's phone I've rooted, the wife's (don't want to mess too much with hers) and even the in-law's two phones.
3) least required reason, I have very little actual use for Root, especially on the other listed phones, but the primary requirements on why i've rooted theirs is for wireless tethering and freezing of crapware.

1) while absolutely nothing against the great work the devs have done, I've gone back and forth on this and really end up wanting to keep mine stock (with a lot of sprint crap-ware frozen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm, the stock rooted roms are exactly that: stock, but rooted. Everything is still there.
2) and a more direct reason for my question in the first place, this isn't just for my own phone, which i don't mind "hacking" with as much, but also for a coworker's phone I've rooted, the wife's (don't want to mess too much with hers) and even the in-law's two phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Again, flashing a stock rooted rom is NO different than taking the ota, except you will stay rooted and will not have to re-root.
3) least required reason, I have very little actual use for Root, especially on the other listed phones, but the primary requirements on why i've rooted theirs is for wireless tethering and freezing of crapware.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, well if you don't need root, then take the ota and you will be unrooted.

Ok, fair points. So which rom(s) would be the original stock roms with nothing but Root added?

They would be in the threads that say Stock ROMs