Database Users

Root questions

I know if you root you lose your warrenty, but my question is will you still be able to get an insurance replacement? Or is that also void? If you still can get an insurance replacement I don't see a reason not to root. I know for the Fuze I would just have to reinstall the factory rom, does this work the same way on android?
Also if I root and flash a new rom onto my nexus one, will I lose all the apps i bought? I really don't want to have to buy them all again.

Moved as not Android Development.

No, the apps you buy are synced with your google account so when you sign back in then you can redownload them.
About insurance, just give it some water damage or something and claim that. Root status or not shouldn't void it.

First off, thank you for your reply.
So my purchased downloads should appear under the downloads tab in the market after I finish flashing a new rom?
Also, just to make sure I have this process down right (trying hard not to brick my phone so please forgive my noobness to andriod, I got so used to WM phones)
First I need to make sure i have all the proper USB drivers.
Next I have to root my phone found in the following link which will wipe my phone also? http://theunlockr.com/2010/01/02/how-to-root-the-nexus-one/
Then I can flash CM 5.0.2 following his first time flash instructions found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=623496
I assume this has the recent OTA update already built with in the rom.
Finally I can then install the black bar (reason for doing any of this) found here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=617336
It says it just has the framework so I really don't know what to do yet, but I'm figuring after I go through this process it will make more sense by then?
I see on some places that it would be a good idea to use nandriod before I root, but when I read the nandroid description it says the phone has to be alreayd rooted. So I'm assuming this would be a waste of time for now?
Is there any way to back up my messages, bookmarks, etc. before I root? If I just have to kiss them good bye I'd understand, but just trying to make sure before I do it.

on most of the things you are correct, the black bar mod, you just flash in recovery after you flash the rom.
technically you can nandroid before you root, unlocking your bootloader and rooting are two separate things. After you unlock your bootloader and flash the recovery image to it, you are not technically rooted and can use the recovery image to make a nandroid of your unrooted phone.
there are a few backup apps in the market for various things. I know there are a few sms backup apps, but am not so sure about bookmarks.
you have the idea of what to do down though

[Q] Droid X 2.2 Rooted....now what?

Hey I know this is a noob question but I just rooted my 2.2 X and I want to install custom ROMs but have no idea where to start. I already downloaded Rom Manager and Titanium backup but don't know where to go from there. Total noob with all the lingo also. The internet isn't very helpful in this and I don't want to brick my phone. Any step-by-step instructions on what to do next? Thanks!

It was much easier on my nexus one I don't even bother with installing custom roms on the droid x
Only thing I do is rename all the bloat packages to .bak and use launcher pro
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App

Pitnefor said:
It was much easier on my nexus one I don't even bother with installing custom roms on the droid x
Only thing I do is rename all the bloat packages to .bak and use launcher pro
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA App
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agreed, plus get "wireless tether for root users" from the market.
add a theme
adding a rom is like having someone do the renaming and adding a theme at once for you.
o and you cant brick your phone, unless you did the Over The Air update then try and flash the 2.1 sbf if on 2.2 only use 2.2

bad4u6669 said:
agreed, plus get "wireless tether for root users" from the market.
add a theme
adding a rom is like having someone do the renaming and adding a theme at once for you.
o and you cant brick your phone, unless you did the Over The Air update then try and flash the 2.1 sbf if on 2.2 only use 2.2
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Got my X... updated OTA 2.2.. rooted... what is the one thing I DO NOT WANT TO DO? to keep from bricking my phone

chrisanderin said:
Got my X... updated OTA 2.2.. rooted... what is the one thing I DO NOT WANT TO DO? to keep from bricking my phone
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Do not use the 2.1 SBF to re-flash your phone.
If you are not doing any 'mods', this will never be an issue. The SBF is used to re-flash the phone to an 'out of the box' state and can generally save you from file system mistakes, etc.
However, the 2.2 OTA made subtle changes to the bootloader that prevents the 2.1 flash from working. It has been reported to 'brick' phones.
Not to fear though, a partial 2.2 SBF has been released. If something bad happened, you could most likely use that SBF to recover. However, since it isn't a full SBF, there are still some possibilities (however minor) of messing things up bad enough that you couldn't recover.

Zaphod-Beeblebrox said:
Do not use the 2.1 SBF to re-flash your phone.
If you are not doing any 'mods', this will never be an issue. The SBF is used to re-flash the phone to an 'out of the box' state and can generally save you from file system mistakes, etc.
However, the 2.2 OTA made subtle changes to the bootloader that prevents the 2.1 flash from working. It has been reported to 'brick' phones.
Not to fear though, a partial 2.2 SBF has been released. If something bad happened, you could most likely use that SBF to recover. However, since it isn't a full SBF, there are still some possibilities (however minor) of messing things up bad enough that you couldn't recover.
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Is there anything I need to do RIGHT NOW before playing around in case that would happen?

UCE HAMOCIDE said:
Hey I know this is a noob question but I just rooted my 2.2 X and I want to install custom ROMs but have no idea where to start. I already downloaded Rom Manager and Titanium backup but don't know where to go from there. Total noob with all the lingo also. The internet isn't very helpful in this and I don't want to brick my phone. Any step-by-step instructions on what to do next? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have ROM manager, you should have access to the most frequently used ROM's for the Dx. I recommend installing Koush's bootstrap recovery so you can make a backup of you phone in the event A) something doesn't go right, B) you don't like the ROM/Theme and want to go back.
I personally have the Dx with the OTA 2.2. update, rooted, and using the BigDxSerenity Red theme:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=766645
Bignadad, elecga, and acidbath are some great contributors to XDA and their work is amazing. Definitely recommend checking out the thread above and reading through it. If you use their stuff, be sure to give them some thanks! They do a great job of contributing to the android community.

as long as you are rooted and have purchased titanium backup you can do whatever you want really. i would also purchase root explorer. also make sure you are renaming files to .bak or .old or whatever your choice may be that way if you mess something up you can just restore it and not go online to forums and say hey does anyone have the blockbuster apk file (just an example)? you can use the wireless tether as well it works great if you are in the car with your pc or some other place not offering wireless. also when you download and install rom manager, go to the market and download the droid x bootstrapper and install the clockwork recovery. you must have both bootstrapper and rom manager to easily and quickly install clockwork from rom manager. so you spend about 10 or so dollars and you can do whatever you want to your phone for the most part. also another way to not brick your phone would be to make a post here in the forums if youre thinking about doing something crazy or unorthodox. other then that enjoy the phone

[Q] To brick or not to brick

Noob question... If i install clockwork recovery and do a nand backup, will i be able to restore my phone, no matter what i do to it (software-wise) or can i still brick it?
Im new to rooting and mods and im looking for a way out of trouble if i screw things up.

once you are done with the rooting process, and have clockwork installed as your recovery - it is very very difficult to brick your phone.
if you are dealing with the standard roms here - there is almost no way you can really screw up, to a point where you can't just go back to a functioning nandroid backup.
for further security - i copy my nandroids backups to PC, so if the sdcard ever gets toasted or corrupted - I will still have a good recovery image.

From what I hear you gotta do something really really stupid to brick your phone. If anything I think it's the rooting process that can brick your phone since there's no nandroid yet or if you don't do a proper procedure during a rom flash. Unrevoked makes it painless and easy. I suggest running Ubuntu then rooting because I had trouble with windows. Follow the guides and you're set =)
Edit: Here's the guide I used. Very easy and painless. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=741824

really the only way i can see you bricking the phone is if you screw up flashing the recovery/radio or boot image.

Ok so if the power goes out when im flashing my phone its lost right? Even if i have my nand backup. And what about the warranty? If i flash back to my original backup and unroot, will anyone be able to tell i've been messing with my phone?

I don't know that "unrooting" is as easy as just removing the superuser app, and flashing back a stock recovery image. The best way to unroot - is to flash an RUU stock image (which includes the stock recovery, and unrooted system image)
you can find the stock at&t RUU from shipped-roms.com under "liberty"

dexmix said:
I don't know that "unrooting" is as easy as just removing the superuser app, and flashing back a stock recovery image. The best way to unroot - is to flash an RUU stock image (which includes the stock recovery, and unrooted system image)
you can find the stock at&t RUU from shipped-roms.com under "liberty"
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So dumbing this back down to superNoob level, you're saying that I could root my phone and then put it back the way it was later so that AT&T/HTC would be none the wiser?

911jason said:
So dumbing this back down to superNoob level, you're saying that I could root my phone and then put it back the way it was later so that AT&T/HTC would be none the wiser?
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Click to collapse
yes.... you can go back to the un-rooted state at any time.... it is quite easy... i have tested this... it took me about five minutes to un-root my phone with the HTC RUU ... everything was stock with all the dang bloat ware and no root .... i then re-rooted and put a nandroid back up on that i made just before un-rooting...

[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!

[Q] New Phone and Re-Rooting

So I'm going to be getting a new phone here soon (the replacement is in the mail, the power button shorted out on this one) so I'm going to need to re-root and stuff. My question is kinda stupid. I'm assuming if I make a full backup of my phone right now and flash it on the new phone, it's not going to do the rooting stuff, right?
Like I said, stupid question but it's all software in my head so I wanna make sure before I go through the whole rooting process and such xP

If you backup is rooted, then when you restore it's also rooted.

Lennyz1988 said:
If you backup is rooted, then when you restore it's also rooted.
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Awesome! I thought I might have to go through the whole root process to make anything work. Thank you!!