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Well I finally got my G1 and dont have to use my Wing anymore. I got the unlimited G1 plan so im all set with that. Ive been lookin on the Development forums about rooting, and everything, but is it really worth it? There seems like theres alot I gotta do, and everything is getting updated fast, should I root my G1?
no, you should hack your Wing, now that you dont "need" it. Or go root, it just requires a little reading and some understanding of what you read. I am a noobenstein with android but I got it to work and have a few themes installed. The only thing you might not like is that OTA (over the air) updates wont work, so if they release cupcake wyou will prolly be waiting for it from here.
I have modded my Wing, but im going to get rid of it. That is my main concern with Rooting my G1, is the OTA updates
If you have no interest in themes or development theres no point in getting root and voiding the warranty. I would just play with the phone for a while and get used to it and then later decide whether here or not you want to root it.
you say you are concerned about OTA updates. What exactly are you concerned about?
rsfaze said:
you say you are concerned about OTA updates. What exactly are you concerned about?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question, but what I will be concerned about will depend on what is updated ota, but im sure what I use on my rooted G1 will be bettr than what is updated ota.
Ya rooting is easy. As I remember you from the Herald forums. Also with a rooted phone you can install a Jesus Freak Modded version of OTA updates. Finally as said before when an OTA update comes out Tmo-GooG don't just drop it on every market they "roll it out" so chances are you can probably get it here and flashed well before your "market area" is pushing the updates on to the G1s
diabolical28 said:
...of OTA updates. Finally as said before when an OTA update comes out Tmo-GooG don't just drop it on every market they "roll it out" so chances are you can probably get it here and flashed well before your "market area" is pushing the updates on to the G1s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like a big plus to me
I was undecided too - here's what swung it -
1 - Task Manager for root - this app in the market allows you to actually close apps that are running constantly in the background - it saves a LOT of battery and (to me it seems) makes the stuff you do run after a lot faster. Not to be confused with Power Manager, which can change display settings and stuff, but can't close any apps down.
2 - You can move the Market Cache (which grows like a mo fo) and the Browser Cache (Again with the growing) to your SD card quite easily using the terminal thingy. (Plus other Caches, but those are the two that made most difference for me )
I'm a total noob to Android and linux, but if you follow the clear instructions on here, it doesn't seem that hard and mostly is salvagable - Nothing too scary that can't be recovered from.
Daisy xxx
Current Benefits of Root
1. Multi-Touch Browser - Ipod like pinch/unpinch to zoom
2. Recovery from Bootloader (Think of it kind of like Windows F8 Safe mode)
3. Back-up from boot loader
4. Use of Task Manager (Root Only) - Shut Down Apps
5. Auto Rotate
6. Themes (Currently maybe 10-15 Themes, Check 'em out)
7. Cache to SD Card (Saves alot of Phone memory for application use)
8. Install to SD Card (Better than just cache-ing) Cons: little more tricky than cache-ing to SD Card, but not much, if you have gotten this far, then you can do it.
9. Install Debian (For true hacks that know how to use Linux)
10. Mod your Start up screens.
All of these things are just for starters. The Cupcake, IF and WHEN it comes out, will surely be hacked (Probably faster than you will get it over the air). All these things will likely be added or improved upon in future updates.
I definitely recommend thoroughly reading these forums, and then start small.
Good luck on your decision.
Ok, ive been convinced, looks like I will root my G1. But it seems like there are different ways to do it? What are the differences with these ways?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=442480
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=443797
http://www.webnetta.com/2009/01/02/t-mobile-g1-rc30-to-jfv13/
Also would I need to Hard SPL?
Ways to do it.
Basically all of the "ways" are the same. The differences are just whether your a Windows/Linux/Mac user.
You can Push stuff to your phone using USB. Its much like using the command line in DOS (C Prompt C:\). I prefer to just copy the files over and use the Astro Application (Available on Market). It lets you use the file system like Windows Explorer. You can copy and paste back and forth. The push sytem is a little safer to start in case you have any problems, but if you follow instructions exactly it shouldn't be a problem. There are even Video Tutorials and if you have any questions there is always someone here that can help.
As for HardSPL, yes you will end up with a SPL which is either Hard SPL RC30 ver. 1.41 Mod (Recommended version) , or Engineering MOD which is the version on the DEV phone, or the G1 Original SPL. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=455860
Basically its like this, you will revert back to the original RC29 Software version where the Root Loophole was before T-Mobile Closed it. Using Dreamng.ing you will then download Terminal Emulator from the Market. Type in Telnetd, you will then have Root. Then you will upgrade to JF ver. 1.41, No need to go through 1.31. Then you will be at the most recent Mod update.
From there you can just browse this website for all the tips and tricks associated with a rooted G1.
Hope this helps for starters.
Video for Moding.
http://androidcommunity.com/forums/f28/video-on-how-to-mod-jailbreak-get-root-from-g1-11598/
It sounds like you know what you're doing, but I'll offer my advice. Previous to the Android I'd flashed roms to a few WinMo devices. The first time is always the most nerve racking, but after that you see how easy it is and it's addictive.
Before I rooted and went to JF's 1.41 firmware I read all the modding threads that had instructions.. they're all pretty much the same thing, just said different ways. I wound up using the ones found here:
http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=Quick_Root (skip to "Downgrade to RC29")
Just make sure you have everything downloaded beforehand.
The only snag I ran into was that I couldn't get from RC29 to JFv1.41 the first few times, I kept getting a error saying that a file wasn't found in the update.zip file. Once I installed HardSPL this went away and everything has been peachy since.
The main reasons why I wanted root was custom boot splash screens and the Root Task Manager. Enabling auto-rotation is cool, but I find it anoying sometimes when viewing the device when I'm laying on my bed (it constantly switching on me!)
Thanks for all the help everyone, I read that I had to upgrade to JF v1.31 before going to JF v1.41 otherwise I will need to wipe, what will wiping do? Im guessing delete everything?
AsaSpades said:
Thanks for all the help everyone, I read that I had to upgrade to JF v1.31 before going to JF v1.41 otherwise I will need to wipe, what will wiping do? Im guessing delete everything?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it will get rid of your apps and data... however, there's an app in the market called MyBackup. The icon is a flotation ring. If you really don't want to re-install your apps you can use it to back everything up --- but really it's not THAT much of a hassle to install apps as you want to use them. I used it to back up my contacts, home screen icons, my bookmarks and my SMS messages.
A few things to remember about MyBackup:
If you restore your homescreen icons before you install the corresponding programs, you'll have a bunch of broken icons ... not earth shatter, but you'll be all "uhg, ****" afterwards.
Do not restore your google contacts using MyBackup. You will get duplicates on your phone that will then get passed on to your google account. If you do this (don't do this, trust me) do not remove the dupes using the phone -- remove them via google on the website itself. If you use the phone to do it you will no longer be able to sync contacts and you'll have to wipe all over again to fix it. It's much easier to just sycn your contacts to google anyway.
nolageek said:
Yes, it will get rid of your apps and data... however, there's an app in the market called MyBackup. The icon is a flotation ring. If you really don't want to re-install your apps you can use it to back everything up --- but really it's not THAT much of a hassle to install apps as you want to use them. I used it to back up my contacts, home screen icons, my bookmarks and my SMS messages.
A few things to remember about MyBackup:
If you restore your homescreen icons before you install the corresponding programs, you'll have a bunch of broken icons ... not earth shatter, but you'll be all "uhg, ****" afterwards.
Do not restore your google contacts using MyBackup. You will get duplicates on your phone that will then get passed on to your google account. If you do this (don't do this, trust me) do not remove the dupes using the phone -- remove them via google on the website itself. If you use the phone to do it you will no longer be able to sync contacts and you'll have to wipe all over again to fix it. It's much easier to just sycn your contacts to google anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, ill get to it now.
Can also use mybackup to backup system settings which is a time saver as well. Take your time on root steps and download everything before you get going. As far as root goes i wouldnt hesitate, you can always go back if needed.
Thanks every1, I have successfully rooted my G1, with no errors at all.
AsaSpades said:
Thanks every1, I have successfully rooted my G1, with no errors at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good deal man have fun!
Note: Rothnic has made a newer version of this, for the 12/23/10 3389 TnT firmware. See his post here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=885940
This is an alternate ROM, based on the original TnT release. As always -- USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Please read up on how to flash the device and also how to back out using the vanilla ROM, if needed. This ROM is not supported by VS customer support!
Note: This will also flash kernel/system, so be aware of this. I would also highly recommend that you wipe your user data AFTER you run the main update, as it tends to increase stability.
------------------------------------------------------------
Firmware based off TnT svn #13 kernel (TnT 1.0.1, build 2967):
Version 1.0.1a1 Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?wbr4spp1thzpys9
md5sum: eb6c4712c786bb856daaa62f81b65ad7
Updated on 12/5/2010
------------------------------------------------------------
Caveats and Issues - PLEASE READ AND BE AWARE
The same caveats apply to this, as with TnT Lite. Read that post for details: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842004
So what is this, as how is it different than TnT Lite 2.2.0?
This is an alternate firmware based on the standard TnT release. It has the same features of TnT Lite 2.2.0, with the following differences:
- All the TnT apps are retained (including the homescreen)
- ADB is disabled and no adb remount, just like stock 1.0.1. (ADB can be turned on in Settings, if you need it)
- No adfree hosts file change
What I retained from TnT Lite 2.2.0 is the speed bump, the alternative launcher (if you want to use it), the xbin folder, the altered busybox for Titanium Backup, still rooted, and a few other things.
I had two reasons for building this. One, as a way for me to check on over-the-air updates for my own device, and also as an alternative for those of you who like the TnT homescreen / apps but wanted some of the advantages of the other mods. I don't plan on working on this mod too often, but it's here if you want it.
Instructions for use are the same as TnT Lite, please see that post for details.
roebeet said:
This is an alternate ROM, based on the original TnT release. As always -- USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Please read up on how to flash the device and also how to back out using the vanilla ROM, if needed. This ROM is not supported by VS customer support!
Note: This will also flash kernel/system, so be aware of this. I would also highly recommend that you wipe your user data AFTER you run the main update, as it tends to increase stability.
------------------------------------------------------------
Firmware based off TnT svn #13 kernel (TnT 1.0.1):
Version 1.0.1a1 Link: http://www.mediafire.com/?wbr4spp1thzpys9
md5sum: eb6c4712c786bb856daaa62f81b65ad7
Updated on 12/5/2010
------------------------------------------------------------
Caveats and Issues - PLEASE READ AND BE AWARE
The same caveats apply to this, as with TnT Lite. Read that post for details: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842004
So what is this, as how is it different than TnT Lite 2.2.0?
This is an alternate firmware based on the standard TnT release. It has the same features of TnT Lite 2.2.0, with the following differences:
- All the TnT apps are retained (including the homescreen)
- ADB is disabled and no adb remount, just like stock 1.0.1. (ADB can be turned on in Settings, if you need it)
- No adfree hosts file change
What I retained from TnT Lite 2.2.0 is the speed bump, the alternative launcher (if you want to use it), the xbin folder, the altered busybox for Titanium Backup, still rooted, and a few other things.
I had two reasons for building this. One, as a way for me to check on over-the-air updates for my own device, and also as an alternative for those of you who like the TnT homescreen / apps but wanted some of the advantages of the other mods. I don't plan on working on this mod too often, but it's here if you want it.
Instructions for use are the same as TnT Lite, please see that post for details.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will this work on top of cwm 0.8 and will it get the ota updates using cwm?
jfholijr said:
Will this work on top of cwm 0.8 and will it get the ota updates using cwm?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it should work fine. I actually tested the install with cwm .08.
I'd like to try this (I really liked the TnT homepage). Can I go straight from 2.2.0 lite or do I need to go back to original first? Market, Flash and Gapps still available on this one?
I did the upgrade straight over 2.2.0. I got an error at first but a factory reset fixed that (as in 2.2.0). Now I'm seeing Market, but no other Gapps. Am I missing a step?
Also getting a pop-up error that the Google Services Framework (process com.google.process.gapps) has stopped.
ckelly33 said:
I did the upgrade straight over 2.2.0. I got an error at first but a factory reset fixed that (as in 2.2.0). Now I'm seeing Market, but no other Gapps. Am I missing a step?
Also getting a pop-up error that the Google Services Framework (process com.google.process.gapps) has stopped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same error - run the Market fix (the link is in my TnT Lite thread) and it should correct that. At least it did for me.
Layering this on top of 2.2.0, or anything else, should work - this replaces the kernel/ramdisk/bootloader to close to TnT stock. It's basically 95% the same as a real 1.0.1 stock change , with the addition of root, Gapps, an alternative (but not replacement) launcher, and a few other things.
I think the TnT UI is faster than stock, but it could just be my imagination - I never really played with that homescreen all that much.
Thanks again roe. will give this a whirl just for kicks.
thanks, roebeet. I tried it. Quadrant score wasn't much lower (about 2350). Interface really is bad. The speed bump didn't help, but I wanted to give it a chance. It started dragging after about 30 minutes. I restored my backup to the latest tnt lite.
Any issues with any of these hacks 'dropping' previously downloaded programs?
ckelly33 said:
Any issues with any of these hacks 'dropping' previously downloaded programs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They shouldn't, but I would also suggest backing stuff up before any mod change (just in case). I've seen Angry Birds disappear on me at least once, and I could never pin down why. But, also keep in mind that I'm backing up and restoring very frequently.
roebeet said:
They shouldn't, but I would also suggest backing stuff up before any mod change (just in case). I've seen Angry Birds disappear on me at least once, and I could never pin down why. But, also keep in mind that I'm backing up and restoring very frequently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird, it was angry birds that disappeared on me too. As an angry birds addict, what are you using to back up? I HATE losing my place!
Thanks for this one.... I like it a lot. Do you think updates will break any of the extras?
ttk153 said:
Thanks for this one.... I like it a lot. Do you think updates will break any of the extras?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most definitely, going on their last update. They will erase /system and replace it, which are where all of these updates are.
I'm not worried -- if there's an update on the 19th, they're be a TnT Lite 3.0.0 shortly thereafter and this mod is not too difficult to recreate. To be honest, I'd have done it sooner except I wanted a relatively stable Lite version and I didn't know anyone really used the stock homescreen until recent posts, here.
ckelly33 said:
Weird, it was angry birds that disappeared on me too. As an angry birds addict, what are you using to back up? I HATE losing my place!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium Backup, which is something I tested in this particular mod. Angry Birds data backups are the reason why I started using it.
Thanks for this Roe. As a complete noob, I was a bit nervous doing this, but it's really easy and absolutely works like a charm. SO SO SO much better than the stock. Not only is it unbelievably faster, it doesn't crash as much as the stock rom does lol! I have to say I'm seriously disappointed with Viewsonic, as the crap they have layered over the awesome hardware pretty much guarantees that this will be an overall flop.
I will post a word of warning. About a day after I put tnt lite on the first time I suddenly couldn't boot. About halfway through the boot sequence it would just go dead. I tried reflashing but got nothing. Tried reflashing to vanilla stock and suddenly could barely get past the viewsonic splash screen. Tried rebooting again and couldn't even get that far, and started to panic that I had bricked my tablet. As my frustration mounted I started looking for the original box to pack it up in and suddenly something occurred to me and I plugged it in.
It booted up fine after that. Proving once again that user error is the greatest obstacle to any piece of hardware or software.
Seriously tnt lite has made this little unit my go-to when on the go. Thanks for all your hard work!
When I open contacts with this one, I get a 'Sorry! The application Contacts (process.com.tapntap.contacts) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.
Any advice?
BTW, Roebeet, thanks so much for your hard work!
ckelly33 said:
When I open contacts with this one, I get a 'Sorry! The application Contacts (process.com.tapntap.contacts) has stopped unexpectedly. Please try again.
Any advice?
BTW, Roebeet, thanks so much for your hard work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hadn't see that one. Did you try a user data wipe? Maybe there's some old mod setting remnant in there that it's looking for? Just a guess.
Tried to reinstall TnT first but it wouldn't start the process so I went back to 2.2.0 and then back again to 1.0.1 w/EF. I got the error again (that's when I first messaged).
I've done both a factory data reset and formatted (AFTER reflashing the entire thing). Just finished all of that and got it again! DANG!
Even tried treat is as the market and stop the service and wipe the data with Ttianium. I have not idea why that works with Market but it does not work with contacts!
nevermind...I'm an idiot!
I also have the contacts crash. Has anybody fixed this issue. Other than this, everything worked great Ben got a 2437 on Quadrant.
Ok, my wife got an NC and at first she loved it, then the more she started messing around with it, the more she noticed it would freeze occasionally here and there. I suggested going the custom rom route and overclocking, but before I started the process wanted to make sure a couple of things.
1. After reading it seems like if you want to run a custom rom, it MUST be run from the sd card? Is this correct? Or is it possible to run it from the emmc?
2. After installing custom roms, will she still be able to access her library? Can she re-download the stuff she had previously? I'm not sure how all this works yet tbh, lol... (I would assume yes, but we all know what assuming does )
3. I saw something where people were install the custom rom to the sd, but still running the stock on the emmc, why?
Thanks in advance for all your help!
-Erik
burritoboy9984 said:
Ok, my wife got an NC and at first she loved it, then the more she started messing around with it, the more she noticed it would freeze occasionally here and there. I suggested going the custom rom route and overclocking, but before I started the process wanted to make sure a couple of things.
1. After reading it seems like if you want to run a custom rom, it MUST be run from the sd card? Is this correct? Or is it possible to run it from the emmc?
2. After installing custom roms, will she still be able to access her library? Can she re-download the stuff she had previously? I'm not sure how all this works yet tbh, lol... (I would assume yes, but we all know what assuming does )
3. I saw something where people were install the custom rom to the sd, but still running the stock on the emmc, why?
Thanks in advance for all your help!
-Erik
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. False, I would reccomend running from the eemc if you won't miss the stock ui
2. I do not know as after I opened up my nook I installed cm7 to my eemc hopefully someone else can help you here
3. Eh, some people like the stock reading experience I guess. You could run stock from a SD card if you still want to keep it around.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
burritoboy9984 said:
Ok, my wife got an NC and at first she loved it, then the more she started messing around with it, the more she noticed it would freeze occasionally here and there. I suggested going the custom rom route and overclocking, but before I started the process wanted to make sure a couple of things.
1. After reading it seems like if you want to run a custom rom, it MUST be run from the sd card? Is this correct? Or is it possible to run it from the emmc?
2. After installing custom roms, will she still be able to access her library? Can she re-download the stuff she had previously? I'm not sure how all this works yet tbh, lol... (I would assume yes, but we all know what assuming does )
3. I saw something where people were install the custom rom to the sd, but still running the stock on the emmc, why?
Thanks in advance for all your help!
-Erik
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1.It's not necessary to run it in the emmc, but it is RECOMMENDED provided that you're willing to lose the STOCK ROM.
2.She can't access her library IF the custom ROM has been installed in the emmc, but if it was installed in the sd, she can. What she'll need to do is just boot the nook without the SD in it.
3.Yup. It's because theywant to retain being able to use the regular stock ROM, which of course has access to B&N's market for books and apps. But now, it's possible to install the stock ROM in the sd.
Ok, so if she wants access to her library she has to use the stock rom PERIOD, right? Any tips on making the stock rom freeze up less? Is it safe just rooting and overclocking the stock rom?
-Erik
burritoboy9984 said:
Ok, so if she wants access to her library she has to use the stock rom PERIOD, right? Any tips on making the stock rom freeze up less? Is it safe just rooting and overclocking the stock rom?
-Erik
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES. If the library's a MUST for her, then you can just root the stock rom (so you can install market apps) and flash dalingrin's kernel to overclock it (which would significantly speed up the nook and lessen freezes).
I am running CM7 from emmc and have access to all my Barnes and Noble books through the Nook app from market, if that is what you mean. There are a few children's books that may not work with the Nook app and I am given to understand some magazine subscriptions might be unavailable but it is not a problem for me.
Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk
All yours questions have been answered by others so I just chip in my experience.
1. If you run CM7 off uSD card, using Nook App will be much better.
2. If you run CM7 from eMMC and want to use Nook App, you MUST have an external uSD card plugged in anyway. W/o the card, it won't work properly.
3. Even with the Nook app running, I believe you will lose some features that stock Froyo offered such audio book?
les02jen17 said:
YES. If the library's a MUST for her, then you can just root the stock rom (so you can install market apps) and flash dalingrin's kernel to overclock it (which would significantly speed up the nook and lessen freezes).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is not correct. If her library is of the books that she has downloaded from B&N that library is always available. When she signs in with the Nook Android app the library will sync and she can re-download any book she previously purchased from B&N.
HEY GUYS
i have just brought my son the xperia play for his birthday sunday.
and before he gets it i want to set it up to work the best it can so i would like to know please is there anything i should know or do to get the best out the phone for him. like updates software that should be added or anything like this that you can recommend.
also how.where is the best place to download the games from or is this all done via the phone,
thank you for all and any help
sut1576 said:
HEY GUYS
i have just brought my son the xperia play for his birthday sunday.
and before he gets it i want to set it up to work the best it can so i would like to know please is there anything i should know or do to get the best out the phone for him. like updates software that should be added or anything like this that you can recommend.
also how.where is the best place to download the games from or is this all done via the phone,
thank you for all and any help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well first thing you probably would want to do is root the phone and get rid of all the bloatware. It will speed up the phone a bunch, then move dalvik cache and that will increase internal memory quite a bit(its pretty pathetic internal memory) and also move as many apps as you can to sd card which will give you a bit more memory. On the gaming issue there are lots of emulators on the market available and games too. Plus you can use the fun& downloads app which is basically a direct source for most of the games. Sorry for no links but just head over to development section and you will find how to do the dalvik cache moving, rooting and everything you'll need to get that baby running the way you want it. Hope this helps you out a bit. Have fun
Sent from my R800a using XDA App
thank you for the info look slike i have a fair bit of reading to do lol.
but again thanks
I would like to ad some info.
Moving dalvik cache on the newest firmware build (2.3.4) is not recomended cuz the cache partition is sized down to a 100mb and can cause you not to be able to download from market as dalvik cache would fill it up to much and leave to little free space.
Haven't tried it myself, just some info i read here in the play subforum i would like to share.
Regards Dousan...
What model is the xplay you bought? R800i? As long as your phone is not the R800x you can follow the guide here. Which will give you root then just see this thread for what bloat is safe to remove from the phone.
If you uninstall the apps after rooting then you will not be able to ota update to the latest fw since ota requires all the bloat still on the phone. If you freeze the bloat rather than uninstall it still gives you the same effect uninstalling them would (faster boot up e.t.c) but still allows you to receive the latest updates. If you follow the guide above to gain root then ota update you will be on the latest software SE has released.
No need to move the dalvik cache, i have not moved it and i still have enough internal memory to spare.
You can still grab Yongzh's emulators for free from here. Other than that the android market has everything you could want.
wow thank you for all that info Mozza2k11,
a few questions thou if you dont mind. how do i know what version i have i dont know if its the 800i or 800x.
my phone is on contract to T-mobile can i still root the phone? after reading your comments i think if i can do all this i will just freeze the apps instead of removing so the phone wil still update.
what is rooting yoru phone?
thanks
sut1576 said:
wow thank you for all that info Mozza2k11,
a few questions thou if you dont mind. how do i know what version i have i dont know if its the 800i or 800x.
my phone is on contract to T-mobile can i still root the phone? after reading your comments i think if i can do all this i will just freeze the apps instead of removing so the phone wil still update.
what is rooting yoru phone?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have t-mobile its not the x. My advice is this though. Unless your interested in tinkering with your sons phone all the time / think he would have fun tinkering. Don't root it. While root can give you incresed functionality, it can and will however break functions on the phone from time to time.
This is something you'll need to be aware of.
Of course, if you do. Have fun, cause its awesome!
Sent from my R800x using xda premium
sut1576 said:
wow thank you for all that info Mozza2k11,
a few questions thou if you dont mind. how do i know what version i have i dont know if its the 800i or 800x.
my phone is on contract to T-mobile can i still root the phone? after reading your comments i think if i can do all this i will just freeze the apps instead of removing so the phone wil still update.
what is rooting yoru phone?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If when on the home screen you press the menu key (3rd from the left) then go > Settings > About phone. Its says model number (in my case R800i).
Rooting your phone gives you admin rights basically the same as you would get on a pc (allowing you to access to all files). Once rooted you can use apps you normally could not have such as titanium backup, adfree (blocks pop up, ads in free games its very handy) e.t.c
You can root any xplay with the guide i posted in my last post execpt the r800x, it doesnt matter what carrier you are on.
Tbh mate i dont know how old your son is or if he is into modifiying his phone. If you just run the ota update (settings > about phone > software update) or use pc companion and get the latest software on. He should be good to go for now. This was my first android phone and i didnt root my phone till i had it for a month or so and it still worked great.
If you decide to root the phone look @ my posts in this thread mainly the one towards the bottom for an easier to follow guide.
thank you so much for your help.
i have been told by a friend to install " snappz market " is this good idea or should i stay away from it. must be honest not to sure what it is
if i root the phone so it runs faster by removing some of the crap am i right in thinking i cant ota update? but if i freeze the crap i dont want/use then i will still get the same performance increase and still be able to update?
so if im understanding correct it make sense to just freeze all instead of remove nothing,
sorry if im asking newbie questions
Never even heard of snappz market. Id just stick with android market it has everything you could need.
You cannot ota update if you uninstall the bloat (remove it fully from the phone). If you freeze the bloat it stops it from running but is still hidden on the phone and allows you to ota update. Once an update is out just unfreeze the bloat, run the ota and then refreeze what you had frozen before.
I freeze all the bloat i dont want running now (from the safe apps to remove list). I previously uninstalled them and when the update came out it would not apply so i had to reinstall the software on my phone. Wiping all my apps, game saves e.t.c.
So freezing bloat saves you from having to reinstall the software to get back the stuff you might have uninstalled. Plus you get the benefits of the bloat not running, better battery life e.t.c
I recently rooted/installed CleanROM for my S4, but now I have some basic questions regarding what actually happened in the process and how I could improve it. (First smartphone, first Android).
1. Is flashing the exact equivalent of installing a kernel/ROM/app in a recovery like TeamWin that is zipped in an SD card? All I did was select my zipped file and install--the guide says to use GooManager but I never used it. Also, does updating TWRP, kernel, or ROM (same application/kernel/ROM, but newer version) require that you delete the old ZIP, copy over the new ZIP, then install it? Is there a cleaner method (I feel that since we have to wipe to prevent old files from interfering with new ROM that maybe parts of the old version of a ROM may be redundant or may interfere with the new ROM?
2. Is there a way I can save the phone settings when dealing with one ROM and transferring these settings to another ROM? I really don't want to spend 20 minutes to go through all the settings and change it to my liking every time I install a new ROM.
3. With TWRP I could backup the entire ROM and also be able to install that backup ROM if I don't like the new ROM installed? What does Titanium Backup offer in regards to this aside from backing up app data and the ability freeze/uninstall system apps?
4. Does Titanium Backup leave any residual files? I see other apps designed to uninstall system apps and Titanium Backup seems like an all-in-one jack of all trades.
5. I thought I wiped everything and to me, that sounds like reformatting the entire drive. I only wiped system, boot, and data though (good enough for ROMs, according to what I've read). I was surprised when I saw my videos that I had already backed up to my PC accessible on the phone. Should I just wipe literally everything (I assume it would be cleaner) like cache, preload, EFS, modem, recovery, etc.? Will wiping literally everything be like reformatting my phone (since my phone was not reformatted because my personal videos was still there when I installed my custom ROM? If I were to install completely different ROMs cleanly and wanted to keep my personal files, I would only need to wipe system, data, and boot?
4. Do I have to use CASUAL again to install an updated TWRP?
5. Does backing up a ROM also backup its root? I'm going to assume this is a dumb question and the answer is no. I'm also guessing I have to block OTA updates from AT&T to ensure I keep my root. How would I go about doing this? Also, would my phone be "safe" if I stick to my ROM (no updates or anything) for 4+ years? I'm asking this as an extreme case because I feel like I'm missing out on AT&T security updates that could protect my phone and also I don't think the developer my ROM (CleanROM) will do frequent updates).
6. I had problems with my computer not being able to recognize my phone and my SD card in the phone after I wiped everything and before I installed a ROM. I literally had to take the SD card from the phone and use an SD card reader to transfer my custom ROM/loki then put it back into the phone. Was I missing a driver?
7. What are some must-have apps a newly rooted user would want?
8. I read that you only need 1 EFS backup and you don't need to back it up every time you are going to install a custom ROM. Can I get a confirmation?
9. What does Goo Manager do and would I want it?
10. Is it essential that I keep up to date with news about my custom ROM/phone to ensure my phone is secured?
**Not Root/ROM related--Is swiping an app away from the Recent Apps List (long-press home button) the equivalent of killing an app? I use the Recent Apps List often but I don't want to go about swiping apps away if means it is killing it, since I read that killing apps are bad and actually drains battery life. Also, is there a mod that lets you access the Recent Apps List by long-pressing the menu one? I only see a mod that kills the app if you long-press it.
Also, any ROMs you guys can recommend me that is like CleanROM? It has to be TW-based because I use multi-windows. Basically, I want a stable, popular (popular ones tend to be more frequently updated, which is important because there are often bugs in custom ROMs), and optimized/debloated ROM (as debloated as possible, I rather use my own large list of apps than pre-installed ones). I was looking at GoldenEye but I'm not sure.
Thanks. I'm hoping for many responses as I have more questions to ask but not a lot of free time (I will check back on this thread every several hours until there are no more responses on the thread.
Hey there! Here is my take on at least some of your questions. I am not a super pro, but I will try not to give you any wrong info.
1. The zip files that are still out on your SD card are just the install files for whatever you are flashing. They won't be cleaned up automatically and you will need to delete them yourself if you want them gone. That being said I would recommend leaving the previous version's zip out there in case you need to back out of the new version.
2. If by phone settings you mean all of the settings in the various option menus baked into the ROM it is best to redo those when switching between ROMs. Many ROMs add and take away options and add whole new option sections so you will want to go through those and set things to your liking. Another option is to use a launcher like Nova Launcher that lets you back up its settings and restore them which is a big chunk of the things I change when going to a new ROM. Some people may have a different opinion on this one.
3. Yes if you make a backup in a recovery like TWRP and then restore from it it will be like you never flashed the other ROM. Titanium backup does what you say and also can backup individual Apps themselves and restore them.
4. Once you have a recovery installed you should not have to go through the hoops you went through to get it there to update it. Check the thread for the recovery for upgrade instructions.
5. Your SD card will not be wiped when you wipe system or data. There is also the internal "sdcard" that if I recall is not wiped when you do a standard wipe which will keep things like pics and videos between flashes.
6. So you were trying to access the phone storage/SD card while it was in recovery? I have never had much luck with that. I always just make sure I have all of the files I will need to install the new ROM moved over before I wipe it. That being said if you have the right driver it might be possible.
7. Titanium Backup, a file explorer that can leverage Root access like Root Explorer, maybe something like Greenify (I think it takes Root). Other than that check out the thread in the Apps/Themes subforum where people list their top 5 apps.
8. Pass (but I think what you heard/read is right)
9. Goo Manager can let you know if there is updated version of your ROM or what other ROMs are available for your device and download them. It can also be used to install a recovery. Personally I don't use it and just check ROM threads for updates if the ROM doesn't offer OTA updates.
10. I rarely see mention of security fixes/features in custom ROMs so I don't think you need to stay on top of threads for that reason. With that said, if security is crazy super important to you then a custom ROM might not be your best bet. Even though source code is available for most if not all of them that doesn't mean someone has gone through the code looking for security flaws (or even malicious code).
11. You can test this yourself. Go into the "Apps" section of the options and look at what Apps are running then swipe one away and check again. Personally I would go ahead and swipe away Apps as needed since that is a core Android feature. I haven't seen a mod for what you are asking.
12. The other two TW-based ROMs I have used are Goldeneye and Alpha. Both are good, but I am using Alpha now due to its higher degree of customization. Goldeneye hasn't been updated in a month or so, Alpha is being updated regularly at the moment.
---------- Post added at 08:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 PM ----------
Here is the link to the thread where people list out their top 5 apps!
Nice post, very good help...serious...
Incredibly helpful, thanks. I will post more questions if I have here, kind of busy at the moment.
Question:
What is the best way to detect whether a third-party app has a keylogger? I read from an article that it is incredibly easy for someone to put a keylogger on an app. Is Avast Mobile Security and Antivirus capable/overkill for this job? Also, I was worried that Avast may actually be bad because it would deteriorate (wear and tear on the SSD of the phone) through all the scannings? Or am I completely wrong? If I am wrong, I'm guessing it's because an antivirus only reads your files and therefore does not wear down a SSD (I'm not even sure if this is right).
mindstormer said:
Question:
What is the best way to detect whether a third-party app has a keylogger? I read from an article that it is incredibly easy for someone to put a keylogger on an app. Is Avast Mobile Security and Antivirus capable/overkill for this job? Also, I was worried that Avast may actually be bad because it would deteriorate (wear and tear on the SSD of the phone) through all the scannings? Or am I completely wrong? If I am wrong, I'm guessing it's because an antivirus only reads your files and therefore does not wear down a SSD (I'm not even sure if this is right).
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You can read a SSD all day long, that doesn't wear it out. Writing to a SSD will cause wear, not reading. I'm thinking that most antivirus apps can find that kind of stuff, but don't download from unknown sources or those you don't trust. Even Google Play has some shady stuff. I would recommend researching an app on Google if you have any doubts about it. I'm sure it can be done, but I really doubt any of your friends know how to reprogram one of your apps to have a keylogger, plus I wouldn't let them use my phone in the first place.
To answer your questions:
1. Antivirus doesn't wear anything out, it just puts load on your system.
2. Most antivirus apps should detect apps like the ones your talking about.
agent929 said:
You can read a SSD all day long, that doesn't wear it out. Writing to a SSD will cause wear, not reading. I'm thinking that most antivirus apps can find that kind of stuff, but don't download from unknown sources or those you don't trust. Even Google Play has some shady stuff. I would recommend researching an app on Google if you have any doubts about it. I'm sure it can be done, but I really doubt any of your friends know how to reprogram one of your apps to have a keylogger, plus I wouldn't let them use my phone in the first place.
To answer your questions:
1. Antivirus doesn't wear anything out, it just puts load on your system.
2. Most antivirus apps should detect apps like the ones your talking about.
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Thanks for the confirmation.
Another question for anyone:
Clean Master found the folder of an app that I installed on a precious ROM, so I not wipe the device cleanly. I though wiping system, boot, and data was enough--what was I missing, or should I have checked everything to be wiped on TeamWin Recovery?
Are you sure its not coming from your SD card?
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