Database Users

[i9003] Frustrated First Root

Starting off, I'm probably posting in the wrong section. Excuse my forum etiquette, but I need help with this because I'm insanely frustrated and in pain (Decided to learn how to exploit the android OS while recovering from my surgery).
So, if you've read past that first part and are still willing to help, thank you.
Moderators: If you absolutely need to move this post, please move it to a section where it will actually get attention and I can get an answer. Thanks.
Anyway, the breakdown of my problem is this;
I wanted to root my new day old Sprint CMDA Nexus S, I've never rooted anything android, and if anything the most I've done with a droid OS is installed it on my old iphone 2g.
So I did some googling and first thing to come up was this guide:
nexusshacks(dotcom)/nexus-s-hacks/how-to-root-nexus-s/
Now, usually I would do a bit more research, but because of the lack of blood in my body I'm doing dumb things, making bad decisions, whatever.
So obviously this guide doesn't work, even a quick skim of the comments shows that, I try to follow this guide-
I followed step "fastboot flash boot rootboot.img" then tried to reboot. It freezes at the google boot logo. This is where I start getting a bit nervous because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.
So I think "Well, if I jump over to someone elses tutorial and do that it should overwrite any "root"ing data I've tried to put into the device.
So I jump over to this:
androidadvices(dotcom)/root-sprint-nexus-gingerbread-235-update/3/
It has me install PDANet and it's frozen since on the installing PDAnet to your phone.
I just want to get my Nexus S back to original factory default so I can start fresh from there without a terrible guide.
Can someone please help me get there?
Thanks.
tl;dr:
Bad guide soft bricked my phone and I want to restore it to factory defaults

agnl said:
Starting off, I'm probably posting in the wrong section. Excuse my forum etiquette, but I need help with this because I'm insanely frustrated and in pain (Decided to learn how to exploit the android OS while recovering from my surgery).
So, if you've read past that first part and are still willing to help, thank you.
Moderators: If you absolutely need to move this post, please move it to a section where it will actually get attention and I can get an answer. Thanks.
Anyway, the breakdown of my problem is this;
I wanted to root my new day old Sprint CMDA Nexus S, I've never rooted anything android, and if anything the most I've done with a droid OS is installed it on my old iphone 2g.
So I did some googling and first thing to come up was this guide:
nexusshacks(dotcom)/nexus-s-hacks/how-to-root-nexus-s/
Now, usually I would do a bit more research, but because of the lack of blood in my body I'm doing dumb things, making bad decisions, whatever.
So obviously this guide doesn't work, even a quick skim of the comments shows that, I try to follow this guide-
I followed step "fastboot flash boot rootboot.img" then tried to reboot. It freezes at the google boot logo. This is where I start getting a bit nervous because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.
So I think "Well, if I jump over to someone elses tutorial and do that it should overwrite any "root"ing data I've tried to put into the device.
So I jump over to this:
androidadvices(dotcom)/root-sprint-nexus-gingerbread-235-update/3/
It has me install PDANet and it's frozen since on the installing PDAnet to your phone.
I just want to get my Nexus S back to original factory default so I can start fresh from there without a terrible guide.
Can someone please help me get there?
Thanks.
tl;dr:
Bad guide soft bricked my phone and I want to restore it to factory defaults
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I can see you need help but I am inclined to warn you instead. Stop. If you cannot figure out how to root the easiest phone to root then you shouldn't be messing around with your phone. You will end up screwing something up, won't know how to fix it, and come crying here for help. Do yourself some research before you go and ruin your phone.
Yes you posted in the wrong place.
There is a thread in this forum on how to root the nexus s 4g. Rooting is model specific. The T-Mobile Nexus s is different from the sprint, att, Rodgers, o2 etc.
Please please do some more research!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

Thanks for a reply, and I understand I dug a hole.
Now I need to get out of said hole, so if you had any directions of how to dig myself out, that'd be great.

if you can get into fastboot then you are still cool, if not you're gonna have to odin it. I dont actually know where the tar files are, Micheal posted it up but i think they deleted the thread. You should have came to xda first,we have one clicks.

actually rooting is the same across the board. same steps same everything... in fact the one click root version 1 would work on any and all of them, version 2 branches out a bit further due to that it installs cwm.
anyways boot into fastboot, download stock fastboot images from petes thread found here http://wonderly.com/bb/CRESPO4G/OEM/GRJ22IMAGES.zip and flash them all in fastboot.
youll be back on stock grj22 but youll at least be booting.. from there follow a guide for rooting this phone that has you flash cwm (not a prerooted kernel). or be lazy and use my one click root

You sir are a class act. We need a ton more guys like you here at XDA
shabbypenguin said:
actually rooting is the same across the board. same steps same everything... in fact the one click root version 1 would work on any and all of them, version 2 branches out a bit further due to that it installs cwm.
anyways boot into fastboot, download stock fastboot images from petes thread found here http://wonderly.com/bb/CRESPO4G/OEM/GRJ22IMAGES.zip and flash them all in fastboot.
youll be back on stock grj22 but youll at least be booting.. from there follow a guide for rooting this phone that has you flash cwm (not a prerooted kernel). or be lazy and use my one click root
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

mikeyinid said:
You sir are a class act. We need a ton more guys like you here at XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

mikeyinid said:
You sir are a class act. We need a ton more guys like you here at XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol you give me way too much credit mikey but thanks for teh vote of confidence

why root

ok hi im a newbe i have a htc g2 about a year old just wanted to ask what is root and why would you want to do it can it help with things like making the back speaker loulder if it can i need to do it i love this phone but the speaker sucks thanks in advance

Its like a jailbreak. To get full control of the phone. With rooting, you can try different roms, mods, overclocking, better proformance ~ reception ~ battery life, ect.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

clamman said:
ok hi im a newbe i have a htc g2 about a year old just wanted to ask what is root and why would you want to do it can it help with things like making the back speaker loulder if it can i need to do it i love this phone but the speaker sucks thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can boost the volume of the back speaker with volume+ app (requires root), increase overall phone speed by flashing Cyanogen roms (CM7), and save battery life or speed up the phone dramatically by overclocking. Much more too that you will learn and find more useful after rooting your phone. Its worth it... trust me
ONE THING THOUGH... VERY IMPORTANT!
Do your research first. Don't just fly into it blindly. Know your risks and requirements and then follow the directions EXACTLY. It seems scary in a way but if you read carefully and follow it... you'll do fine! Good luck and hope to see you in the CM7 threads soon

sino8r said:
You can boost the volume of the back speaker with volume+ app (requires root), increase overall phone speed by flashing Cyanogen roms (CM7), and save battery life or speed up the phone dramatically by overclocking. Much more too that you will learn and find more useful after rooting your phone. Its worth it... trust me
ONE THING THOUGH... VERY IMPORTANT!
Do your research first. Don't just fly into it blindly. Know your risks and requirements and then follow the directions EXACTLY. It seems scary in a way but if you read carefully and follow it... you'll do fine! Good luck and hope to see you in the CM7 threads soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you very much i just did som reading on rooting and some of the ways say u can brick it can u suguest the best way to root thanks
p.s i have gingerbread update on this phone

Useful links
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=916431
wiki guide to rooting the g2/desire Z/Vision
http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/index.php?title=HTC_Vision
http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/index.php?title=Main_Page
Everything you need to know is found there

is there a easy way to root or whatis the best way dont forget im a newbe lol and i have gingerbread ota update on my phone also has any one used the volume+ app and noticed a big differance in volume?
thanks

Its a pain in the asre, but the best thing to do is spend as long as you can reading about the following:
ADB
Root benefits
Clockworkmod recovery
Rom manager
Bootloader/hboot
Of 5 phones I've rooted, this was the most complicated so read as much as possible.
Root itself is administrator rights to the whole file system. It is a linux term (android is based on linux). You can do a lot of damage but also, with a little knowledge, can have great control over the look and performance.
Ps. Flashing custom roms is addictive
Sent from my HTC Vision using xda premium

Google is your friend...
http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/top-10-reasons-to-root-your-android-phone-2/
http://www.androidauthority.com/rooting-for-dummies-a-beginners-guide-to-root-your-android-phone-or-tablet-10915/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elgz-hTw1Sc
And there isn't a "one click" method for our device, but the wiki is very thorough, and if you research a bit and follow the guide step by step, you should be happily rooted in no time.

I was in ur shoes a couple of weeks back, and I must tell you, rooting the phone is like breathing a new life into it. U will have endless possibilites to customize.
Anyways my two cents to the issue is to tell you that in other for you to root ur phone after the gingerbread update u will need to downgrade it back to froyo first, then u can then have ur pick of several rooted custom roms based on gingerbread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1178912
This link will help you downgrade. After which u can follow any other guides to flashing a custom rom.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

racoonowner said:
I was in ur shoes a couple of weeks back, and I must tell you, rooting the phone is like breathing a new life into it. U will have endless possibilites to customize.
Anyways my two cents to the issue is to tell you that in other for you to root ur phone after the gingerbread update u will need to downgrade it back to froyo first, then u can then have ur pick of several rooted custom roms based on gingerbread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1178912
This link will help you downgrade. After which u can follow any other guides to flashing a custom rom.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what did you use to root after?

clamman said:
what did you use to root after?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once you're on Froyo, this method (link below) is my suggestion. I used it a couple months back and it worked great... zero problems and it took all of 15 minutes. It uses gfree which is the preferred method according to the wiki... speaking of, the wiki offers a wealth of information. Bombadier linked it previously.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=928160

Thanks for leting him know, Ditamae. I couldn't tell him the new method since I rooted a year ago on Froyo... besides, it is quite confusing when a device is a year old, has had a ton of updates, and two different models of the device. I've actually bricked a device for those reasons before and its never fun. Especially when its your wifes phone lol! Even us who have been in the IT field for 10 years make mistakes

Lol!
sino8r said:
Thanks for leting him know, Ditamae. I couldn't tell him the new method since I rooted a year ago on Froyo... besides, it is quite confusing when a device is a year old, has had a ton of updates, and two different models of the device. I've actually bricked a device for those reasons before and its never fun. Especially when its your wifes phone lol! Even us who have been in the IT field for 10 years make mistakes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

sino8r said:
Thanks for leting him know, Ditamae. I couldn't tell him the new method since I rooted a year ago on Froyo... besides, it is quite confusing when a device is a year old, has had a ton of updates, and two different models of the device. I've actually bricked a device for those reasons before and its never fun. Especially when its your wifes phone lol! Even us who have been in the IT field for 10 years make mistakes
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For sure. The method I linked is actually a bit older and the OP doesn't appear to support it anymore (he didn't support it back when I rooted, but I read the entire thread). It worked perfectly for me and I've seen posts from users who downgraded from 2.3 and then had it success with it. I was even able to refer back to, a couple months after rooting, and flash the engineering hboot with no problems whatsoever. Too bad the guy isn't around to take credit for his guide.
Are you gonna try out the new stable CM? I kinda want to, but how can it be better than the nightlies? Stability? I feel like the nightlies are stable.

the latest stable is just build #225 so I just flash the nightly and keeping going with those. but yeah, nightlies for the past few months have been nothing but flawless
---------- Post added at 01:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:25 AM ----------
xandermpls said:
Lol!
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hahahhahaha! I know! I even was a cell tech for 5 years hehehehhe (i do PCs now)! I bricked many a phones in the past but they were easy to fix with the right tools. but bricking the old lady's phone is a BIG non no

The easiest way to root on froyo is by using z4 root or universal androot
You can also use the tool for the pc called superone click roo
Stewie just said that!

Awesome thread, exactly what I was looking for. Doing it this weekend. Thx
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Shadow_Android said:
The easiest way to root on froyo is by using z4 root or universal androot
You can also use the tool for the pc called superone click roo
Stewie just said that!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It might be the easiest, but I've heard of many users who've experienced problems using that method. I'm not knocking it, I'm just saying the wiki is probably the safest bet.

[Q] To custom rom or not to custom rom?

Hi all,
I see the android development section has a lot of goodies in there and i have had great experience with custom ROMs on my old Galaxy S1. But for the GN4. Is there any value addition to the stock ROM, in the custom builds so far?. Kindly share your feedback on the custom ROMs that you.
P.S: I haven't yet rooted the device (i know) ... can someone kindly send me the easiest way to do that as well.
Thanks a bunch for your time.

As far as rooting go just download the toolkit from the dev section follow the instructions on that thread.
And with the custom roms read the thread try them out every dev adds there own tweets. You can always go back to a backup
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk 2

Personally, I read through the pinned threads and unlocked my bootloader, flashed touch CWM and rooted my phone right after getting it. As for custom ROMs - I don't feel the slightest urge as the rom is imho perfect; although I was a keen flasher before I sold my Galaxy S II.

Custom ROM for N4 are very stable and smooth like stock, maybe even more smoother. More feature like editing nav bar and so on. Happy flashing
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks guys. definitely gona root the device, gona make a nand and try a couple of customs out as well.

ChrisHRocks said:
As far as rooting go just download the toolkit from the dev section follow the instructions on that thread.
And with the custom roms read the thread try them out every dev adds there own tweets. You can always go back to a backup
Sent from my E10i using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Highly advise against doing this. Prefer yarox method do it manually as you'll need to do fast boot and adb commands eventually. Just take the 20-25 minutes and learn how to do it now. It's very easy and they are stickied for a reason.
Toolkits are very dangerous. The shortcut isn't worth it.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

zephiK said:
Highly advise against doing this. Prefer yarox method do it manually as you'll need to do fast boot and adb commands eventually. Just take the 20-25 minutes and learn how to do it now. It's very easy and they are stickied for a reason.
Toolkits are very dangerous. The shortcut isn't worth it.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Never liked them!! Besides you don't learn anything using toolkits...

yyz71 said:
Never liked them!! Besides you don't learn anything using toolkits...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. It's not like you're learning useless crap that you wouldn't use.
In fact for anyone flashing anything on their phone and not knowing a plan b if something goes wrong is scary, then they start panicking and out of no where make a forum thread. Bricked phone??? Uh no man. Anyone bricking a nexus device doesn't deserve one to be honest. It's so hard to brick one because of fast boot factory stock images.
A simple 20-25 minute step by step guide. It pretty much carries you through it and is more important than that lecture you attend every Tuesday that chances are you'd fall asleep because the professor isn't enthusiastic with his studies
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

May I suggest using wug's nexus root toolkit. Safe and easy with just clicking your mouse. You will be amaze!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

droidmeup said:
May I suggest using wug's nexus root toolkit. Safe and easy with just clicking your mouse. You will be amaze!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Did you really just say that after what we just said?
It's easy using a toolkit but also very easy to screw up your phone because people using it are clueless and flash whatever links making their phone into a non boot able state.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1469909 is a great read on this topic.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

zephiK said:
No. Did you really just say that after what we just said?
It's easy using a toolkit but also very easy to screw up your phone because people using it are clueless and flash whatever links making their phone into a non boot able state.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1469909 is a great read on this topic.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But the thing is people can choose whatever method they want to root their phone. Old way using adb or the new step by step on screen instruction toolkit. I choose toolkit to root my n4 just to try it out. I was just amaze how wug's toolkit was so easy as it had on screen instructions every click. I don't see how newbies could brick using wug's toolkit. I don't really care what method people use.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

droidmeup said:
But the thing is people can choose whatever method they want to root their phone. Old way using adb or the new step by step on screen instruction toolkit. I choose toolkit to root my n4 just to try it out. I was just amaze how wug's toolkit was so easy as it had on screen instructions every click. I don't see how newbies could brick using wug's toolkit. I don't really care what method people use.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not the OLD way whatsoever. It's not newbies bricking their phones using the toolkit. It's what they do AFTERWARDS, go read the Q&A forums. Many of the problems coming out of threads are from users doing things that they don't understand because they lack the basic knowledge of the Android system with ADB & Fastboot (they mention toolkit in OP post). Some people rooted using the toolkit and they don't even know how to flash a flashable zip or even restore their phone back to stock because they want to send it in for a RMA.
Like I said in many threads, two methods,
1) Learn how to get from Point A to Point B by using a map and planning it out
2) Using a toolkit and have it get you from Point A to Point B without knowing how you got there.
Let's see what happens.
1) Since you planned it out and have a map beforehand using a step-by-step guide (its not hard) you can remap yourself on how to get there. What if you went to back half way because you forgot to pick up something at the store? You know how to get there
2) Toolkit... oh im at point B, i want to go to the supermarket at Point A.5, how do I get there? exactly. You don't know, you then proceed to ask questions on how to get there (in this case it would be Q&A forum on how to fix their phone because its not booting up).
By spending 20-25 minutes, people are aware of how fastboot works and how to restore their phone when its in a nonbootable state and not mistakenly say that their phone is bricked. This is XDA developers not XDA shortcuts
No one asked for your opinion on what method people used so I don't care that you don't care either?
Next time you should read the thread I posted before commenting. It has nothing to do with 'old ways' vs 'new ways.' If toolkit is the new way then oh man... we are in deep trouble.
Just like my two cases, he couldn't say it any better.
The people who are using these scripts aren't learning what is actually happening when they press 1 on their keyboard. Boom, their phone is unlocked, su-binaries and cwm recovery installed. Then, they flash a rom without creating a nandroid. What happens if something goes wrong and they didn't place any safety nets to help them? They post a thread saying their phone is bricked. People take time out of their day to help these people out, but since the user doesn't understand what the helper is talking about, they can't fix it.
Just last weekend I spent 30 minutes replying to a PM with step by step instructions how to flash stock images and including links to files and resources. The person replied back. Instead of fixing his phone himself, he said he "claimed his phone as stolen and will be getting sent a new one lol". WTF?! Not only is that morally wrong, it's also insurance fraud. And we wonder why carriers and OEM's are trying as hard as they can to lock down non-nexus phones.
Please, take the time to learn how to get yourself out of a mess before you are in a mess.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't constantly post in threads about "OH DONT USE A TOOLKIT ITS TOO EASY. go old fashion with command prompt" for no reason. I do it with a good reason and no one should ever endorse toolkits for this very reason. Learn how to do it, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know how to fastboot/adb when it's in a step-by-step tutorial. It's not hard to unlock a bootloader on a Nexus device. If it was a device with a difficult unlocking method through a exploit, then yes I would endorse a toolkit but for a Nexus its so easy to unlock.
1. set up ADB (do it once and you're SET for life on that computer.. dont have to do it again).
2. install ADB drivers http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1514942
3. boot into bootloader using combo keys
4. command prompt into fastboot -> fastboot oem unlock
5. fastboot flash recovery <whateverthenametherecoveryis>.img
6. DONE.

@zephik
You've inspired me. I don't have my N4 yet but just got my 7 for Christmas. I'm going to pop it back to stock and redo the whole process manually.
I knew I was taking the lazy way out, you have guilted me into doing it properly as you said you learn nothing from a toolkit. Lol
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

ChrisHRocks said:
@zephik
You've inspired me. I don't have my N4 yet but just got my 7 for Christmas. I'm going to pop it back to stock and redo the whole process manually.
I knew I was taking the lazy way out, you have guilted me into doing it properly as you said you learn nothing from a toolkit. Lol
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to know that I can do a kind of a change. If you need any further assistance or questions ahead of time, feel free to PM me.
Honestly, I'm not doing it to be a bad guy or to waste people's time. If it wasn't important, then I wouldn't stress how imperative ADB & Fastboot are to ANY device, but particularly towards Nexus devices. Fastboot isn't present in all devices, other devices such as Samsung Galaxy etc etc use Odin (Samsung's Firmware Flasher) which is the same thing but its more GUI friendly but it can still cause bricks and fastboot is easier in my opinion.
Just like what franco said,
Why would something happen? This kernel won't brick anything, a Nexus is pretty unbrickable unless someone is very dumb or simply a hardware bug ****s the device up. If anyone bricks this device or any Nexus I'll award him idiot of the year trophy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is REALLY REALLY difficult to brick a Nexus device, and I'm not surprised that it does happen to people because they use the toolkit and aren't aware of what they're doing. It's like solving a math problem, what's the point in getting spoon fed the answer? Just work it out. Except for Nexus devices, you don't even have to work it out!!! all you do is read a GUIDE that one person spent time on writing up. At least have the decency on reading it. You read it, and you do the step, then proceed until you're at the end. It's not difficult, and you get to know what you're doing it and why you are doing it.
People do things and their phone cant boot up but can access bootloader mode. They don't even know how to fastboot flash and then post a thread in Q&A forum saying their phone is bricked.
And you don't have to redo the 7 process lol. Manually unlocking bootloader is one thing and then knowing how to flash is the easy part.
Even the ghetto guide I posted a couple posts above works for any nexus device.
1. set up ADB environment (google sdk) basically get fastboot binary.. if you want ADB you'll need the adb.exe binary
2. install drivers http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1514942
3. bootloader mode
4. fastboot oem unlock
5. unlock the phone on screen using vol keys
6. fastboot flash whatever.img [put in same folder as fastboot.exe]
7. done. you successfully flashed a 3rd-party recovery. now just put a zip file on the sdcard when android starts
8. receovery, wipe factory/dalvik/cache
9. flash rom,gapps(optional depending what rom), kernel (optional)
10. congrats you flashed a rom and kernel.

@zephiK. Thanks for the expert advice. I used Samsung S1 in the past and never used adb, was scared of it. I took your advice. Followed the guide and got rooted, the adb way. I have to admit. It was pretty satisfying to know what i was doing. Thanks again to everyone here.

thanks
zephiK said:
It's not the OLD way whatsoever. It's not newbies bricking their phones using the toolkit. It's what they do AFTERWARDS, go read the Q&A forums. Many of the problems coming out of threads are from users doing things that they don't understand because they lack the basic knowledge of the Android system with ADB & Fastboot (they mention toolkit in OP post). Some people rooted using the toolkit and they don't even know how to flash a flashable zip or even restore their phone back to stock because they want to send it in for a RMA.
Like I said in many threads, two methods,
1) Learn how to get from Point A to Point B by using a map and planning it out
2) Using a toolkit and have it get you from Point A to Point B without knowing how you got there.
Let's see what happens.
1) Since you planned it out and have a map beforehand using a step-by-step guide (its not hard) you can remap yourself on how to get there. What if you went to back half way because you forgot to pick up something at the store? You know how to get there
2) Toolkit... oh im at point B, i want to go to the supermarket at Point A.5, how do I get there? exactly. You don't know, you then proceed to ask questions on how to get there (in this case it would be Q&A forum on how to fix their phone because its not booting up).
By spending 20-25 minutes, people are aware of how fastboot works and how to restore their phone when its in a nonbootable state and not mistakenly say that their phone is bricked. This is XDA developers not XDA shortcuts
No one asked for your opinion on what method people used so I don't care that you don't care either?
Next time you should read the thread I posted before commenting. It has nothing to do with 'old ways' vs 'new ways.' If toolkit is the new way then oh man... we are in deep trouble.
Just like my two cases, he couldn't say it any better.
I don't constantly post in threads about "OH DONT USE A TOOLKIT ITS TOO EASY. go old fashion with command prompt" for no reason. I do it with a good reason and no one should ever endorse toolkits for this very reason. Learn how to do it, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know how to fastboot/adb when it's in a step-by-step tutorial. It's not hard to unlock a bootloader on a Nexus device. If it was a device with a difficult unlocking method through a exploit, then yes I would endorse a toolkit but for a Nexus its so easy to unlock.
1. set up ADB (do it once and you're SET for life on that computer.. dont have to do it again).
2. install ADB drivers http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1514942
3. boot into bootloader using combo keys
4. command prompt into fastboot -> fastboot oem unlock
5. fastboot flash recovery <whateverthenametherecoveryis>.img
6. DONE.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
wow. good post. thanks a lot!

Is wallet working on all to Roms? Sorry to butt in this thread..

malikusmanrasheed said:
@zephiK. Thanks for the expert advice. I used Samsung S1 in the past and never used adb, was scared of it. I took your advice. Followed the guide and got rooted, the adb way. I have to admit. It was pretty satisfying to know what i was doing. Thanks again to everyone here.
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Not a expert advice by any means. Just been around for a long time so I observe the commonalities between all users. I just really dislike it when people say or recommend things when really they don't know anything. Not saying I'm perfect by any means, but people need to stop being so cocky on the forums acting like they know everything. Instead of trying to defend themselves, ask questions on why I feel this way or whatever.
That's what forums are all about right? That's what XDA is all about. Spreading information. Not clicking a button that spoon feeds you something and you don't know how or why it's like that.
If someone gave you a car with one click (toolkit), what's the point in having a car if you can't drive it? (Toolkit) do you expect to click one button and the car drives you from home to where you need to be and back? What happens if it doesn't work? You ask questions on how to do this and th at.
You have to go through the procedure of learning how to use it. If you learn from the beginning (like I said, it's not hard, if it was then it's understandable about a toolkit) then it'll be a breeze. When I first got started, I was a lurker on XDA, I didn't post. All I did was read. I didn't have toolkits, I had to telnet my G1 to obtain root access through a exploit that took 40-55 minutes, one mess up and I would of bricked my phone and i had to do it with my hands, that's a scary thought knowing that you can't go back once you started. People nowadays should be grateful that unlocking bootloaders aren't as difficult anymore but yet people still feel the need to use a toolkit when it already is simple.
wow. good post. thanks a lot!
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I didn't post it. That guy did. Definitely a great read and pretty much what I always believed in when I saw a toolkit. Should be banned from the forums but eh, who am I to call the shots
Is wallet working on all to Roms? Sorry to butt in this thread..
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Yes Google Wallet works on any ROM as well as kernel. It says incompatible because you're rooted but it should work regardless of that text on the top of the app. Flash away!
Edit: May 5, 2009: http://androidandme.com/2009/05/beg...r-rooting-your-android-g1-to-install-cupcake/
August 17, 2009: http://androidandme.com/2009/08/news/how-to-root-a-t-mobile-g1-and-mytouch-3g-android-phone/
First guide one of the first rooting methods. August 17 is sort of one clickish but you still had to do a lot of things to get through it. So as you can see, it's not spoon fed to you, compare that to what you have to do now. Tell me that unlocking the Nexus bootloader is hard after reading all that ... it isn't.

@zephiK Can you link me to where it shows me how to root, and install CWM? Please
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

xxMAGICxx said:
@zephiK Can you link me to where it shows me how to root, and install CWM? Please
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2019273
I actually prefer TWRP over CWM. Your preference though.
Both can be found in Android Development Forum.

Can only boot into Bootloader

My phone wont boot! It only boots into the bootloader and recovery I have CWM installed please help me!

If you can get into fastboot, simply follow this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312

Yarox said:
If you can get into fastboot, simply follow this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312
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Is using a Toolkit inadvisable?

Not unless you want to learn how android tinkering really works.
Toolkits are just more difficult to get out of trouble of. You'll then have to learn how to tinker anyway so why not learn that first?
If you follow efrant's guides you will have come a long way.

Vangelis13 said:
Not unless you want to learn how android tinkering really works.
Toolkits are just more difficult to get out of trouble of. You'll then have to learn how to tinker anyway so why not learn that first?
If you follow efrant's guides you will have come a long way.
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Thing is I'm in a hotel at 5:30am trying to fix my phone! I tried using a toolkit to flash stock google files and it didnt work I received a bunch of errors. I am now downloading a stock ROM hopefully will be able to push the files to it then flash like that. I honestly just want my phone up and running again.

Google pulled the factory images so Toolkit probably can't download them.
You can download image file from here
http://www.randomphantasmagoria.com/firmware/nexus-4/occam/
To toolkit or not to toolkit is your own choice
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Raphael17 said:
Thing is I'm in a hotel at 5:30am trying to fix my phone! I tried using a toolkit to flash stock google files and it didnt work I received a bunch of errors. I am now downloading a stock ROM hopefully will be able to push the files to it then flash like that. I honestly just want my phone up and running again.
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Don't use a toolkit man. You're already in enough trouble and I can't post enough how imperative it is to know these things. There are so many user errors made because people are flashing and doing things without knowing what's going on.
I feel that toolkit is just awful. It's letting people cheat. Flashing roms and kernels are a reward you get for passing the test on doing a simple fast boot oem unlock and then flashing a recovery.
Just do what the people above said in regards to efrants guide. Follow it step by step and you'll be back on stock rom.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

zephiK said:
Don't use a toolkit man. You're already in enough trouble and I can't post enough how imperative it is to know these things. There are so many user errors made because people are flashing and doing things without knowing what's going on.
I feel that toolkit is just awful. It's letting people cheat. Flashing roms and kernels are a reward you get for passing the test on doing a simple fast boot oem unlock and then flashing a recovery.
Just do what the people above said in regards to efrants guide. Follow it step by step and you'll be back on stock rom.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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The problem is people don't want to spend five minutes learning the easiest fastboot commands in the world and just want everything done for them.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

zephiK said:
Don't use a toolkit man. You're already in enough trouble and I can't post enough how imperative it is to know these things. There are so many user errors made because people are flashing and doing things without knowing what's going on.
I feel that toolkit is just awful. It's letting people cheat. Flashing roms and kernels are a reward you get for passing the test on doing a simple fast boot oem unlock and then flashing a recovery.
Just do what the people above said in regards to efrants guide. Follow it step by step and you'll be back on stock rom.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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joshnichols189 said:
The problem is people don't want to spend five minutes learning the easiest fastboot commands in the world and just want everything done for them.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
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I feel like I need to re-post my "Toolkit" thread on the N4 board soon...

joshnichols189 said:
The problem is people don't want to spend five minutes learning the easiest fastboot commands in the world and just want everything done for them.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
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Then the other problem comes when they come in the forums and starts complaining on why their phone didn't boot up. Or they stupidly send in a RMA request pretending that they don't know what happened to their phone.
If people can't spend those 5 minutes learning a simple command, not even learning it but preparing the environment for fastboot. Which is so easy because you follow a step by step, it's a checklist for what you need to do. Then they shouldn't be flashing anything. If they have the time to look for a rom and kernel then they have the time to do that fastboot.
Eventually they will have to do it so they should stop avoiding the inevitable and learn it before they do it. But I'm sure there's a percentage out there who doesn't and uses the toolkit without ever getting into problems but I'm sure a number of them are quite rare.
@el daddy: yeah I saw that thread on gn. Quite nice and I always felt that way just never made a post about it (actually just talked about it right above about rma... Refers back to your non Nexus point on why they're more strict) I'd say go for it man. Can't stress this enough, wish that toolkit would just be banned but it won't be.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

My Nexus 4 is on the way. Please guide the newbie :D

This is be the first time for me to use a high end smartphone.
May I know what are the things I should do with my new baby?
Things like Dos and Donts before anything bad happen. A list of must have useful apps and description will be much appreciated.
Thanks!
PS. I heard Titanium backup is best to keep your phone safe. Any comments?

Nexusaint said:
This is be the first time for me to use a high end smartphone.
May I know what are the things I should do with my new baby?
Things like Dos and Donts before anything bad happen. A list of must have useful apps and description will be much appreciated.
Thanks!
PS. I heard Titanium backup is best to keep your phone safe. Any comments?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Men titanium its a backup program,wich kind of safe are you saying?
To falls a good case,and to bad flash and things like that i recommend a lot of reading before flashing!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010338

Do NOT FLASH any Nexus 7 kernel into your Nexus 4. One fella here already bricked a NEXUS device (Nexus device are very difficult to brick to how open they are).
Other than that, do whatever you want with the phone. It's an Android, and it's a Nexus.

zevim2005 said:
Men titanium its a backup program,wich kind of safe are you saying?
To falls a good case,and to bad flash and things like that i recommend a lot of reading before flashing!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010338
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Click to collapse
PoisonWolf said:
Do NOT FLASH any Nexus 7 kernel into your Nexus 4. One fella here already bricked a NEXUS device (Nexus device are very difficult to brick to how open they are).
Other than that, do whatever you want with the phone. It's an Android, and it's a Nexus.
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Click to collapse
Hi, zevim and poisionwolf,
Safe as in in case corrupt or lost of data, I can restore my phone. Thanks for the links.
I dont really know what to do with thte phone. Is it necessary to root for Nexus 4? Got major improvement for battery life and performance?

Nexusaint said:
Hi, zevim and poisionwolf,
Safe as in in case corrupt or lost of data, I can restore my phone. Thanks for the links.
I dont really know what to do with thte phone. Is it necessary to root for Nexus 4? Got major improvement for battery life and performance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're new to the whole android scene....I strongly recommend that you just use the phone as you got it for 2 months FIRST.
While that's going on, read up through the forums, etc.
Just use it as it is first. =)

Id say the first thing you should do is get a case or a back film protector.
Then just read carefully if you want to start flashing. Read read and read again.

First few things to do with your phone
1. Charge it
2. Turn it on
3. Set up
4. Download apps you might need from play store (this will change over time )
5. Its a phone ffs use it as it is for few weeks. See what you like and what you don't. If you don't like something check if there is an app FIRST that will solve your problem . If you can't find an app think if its worth messing with the phone for one single tweak, unless you have found few things that bug you .
Stock android is nearly perfect and can do most/all of the things for normal user. Even customisation doesn't require root in most cases
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Unlock the bootloader before you do anything on the phone. Unlocking it wipes all data, so best to do it when there's nothing on there anyway. Then it leaves you open to easily root in the future.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

Buy a case. No need for a screen protector.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Don't use a toolkit.

steviewevie said:
Unlock the bootloader before you do anything on the phone. Unlocking it wipes all data, so best to do it when there's nothing on there anyway. Then it leaves you open to easily root in the future.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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Thanks guys for all the suggestions.
I read a bit about the bootloader. Unlocking it so that I can use fastboot is it? What are the specific benefits?

zephiK said:
Don't use a toolkit.
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Click to collapse
why? I checked several topics and the easy way to root is using toolkit afaik.

Nexusaint said:
why? I checked several topics and the easy way to root is using toolkit afaik.
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Click to collapse
Because you don't learn anything. If something goes wrong you'll have no idea how to fix it. If you want more info, check my signature.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

El Daddy said:
Because you don't learn anything. If something goes wrong you'll have no idea how to fix it. If you want more info, check my signature.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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Listen to this guy.

estallings15 said:
Listen to this guy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im with you
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

El Daddy said:
Because you don't learn anything. If something goes wrong you'll have no idea how to fix it. If you want more info, check my signature.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
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Click to collapse
thanks sensei. will heed ur advice.

Total noob and you are telling him to root ?
When he ****s up something you will tell him off for not reading ....
He doesn't even know what fastboot is ....
To OP
Do not root do not mod or anything that might mess up your phone.
Use it as is in that time read read read .
When you learn/know what fast boot ,adb, boot loader and other stuff is than come back
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

zephiK said:
Don't use a toolkit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So how do you root the phone to flash custom ROMs?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

MattSkeet said:
Total noob and you are telling him to root ?
When he ****s up something you will tell him off for not reading ....
He doesn't even know what fastboot is ....
To OP
Do not root do not mod or anything that might mess up your phone.
Use it as is in that time read read read .
When you learn/know what fast boot ,adb, boot loader and other stuff is than come back
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Chill out, you've got a point but there's no need for the language..

Crisisx1 said:
So how do you root the phone to flash custom ROMs?
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
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Click to collapse
Easiest way I find it to either flash a custom recovery, or just boot from one and flash superSU.zip.