Database Users

[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!

Rooting and unlocking N7

So I am going to be getting a N7 for Christmas, and I was wondering, should I root and unlock the tab before even setting it up? And should I accept the 4.2.1 update before or after doing all this?
Outdated yet young Motorola Photon 4G

I just did mine today on nexus 4 and 7. I had to read everything carefully to find out this was the method that I find it was easy. Make sure you read everything first. Look at the video for 4 and it should be similar to 7 and instructions are provided in link as well. btw I rooted it on 4.2.1.
As rooting will factory reset your device, it will delete all your data. Make sure you backup first.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1766475

Do yourself a favor and learn to do it manually first before using toolkits. There is a lot of tutorials on doing so.http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1741395 Use fastboot to unlock device:
Command= fastboot OEM unlock
Select yes on your device to unlock boooader.
Install a custom recovery( I would reccomend twrp) and flash supersu zip and you are now rooted.
Need to go back to stock then this is great http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1907796
Yes toolkits do work but if things go wrong its good to know what to do.

Travisdroidx2 said:
Do yourself a favor and learn to do it manually first before using toolkits. There is a lot of tutorials on doing so. Use adb to unlock device:
Command= adb OEM unlock
Select yes on your device to unlock boooader.
Install a custom recovery and flash supersu zip and you are now rooted.
Need to go back to stock then this is great http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1907796
Yes toolkits do work but if things go wrong its good to know what to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had no intention of using a toolkit lol. Link to the best method to root/unlock?
Outdated yet young Motorola Photon 4G

Lol good deal added another link that you are looking for.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1741395

Travisdroidx2 said:
Lol good deal added another link that you are looking for.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1741395
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Answered my edit before I could post it. You read my mind!
Outdated yet young Motorola Photon 4G

Nexus 7 root and unlock.
Slender Troll said:
So I am going to be getting a N7 for Christmas, and I was wondering, should I root and unlock the tab before even setting it up? And should I accept the 4.2.1 update before or after doing all this?
Outdated yet young Motorola Photon 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my Nexus 7 about 2 weeks ago. I set it up then downloaded the jb 4.2.1 update. You will have to unlock before you root. I then downloaded Wugfresh Nexus 7 Tool kit to my computer. Very easy to follow instructions. The kit will take you through the steps on unlocking and rooting. There are videos on this procedure. I did not flash CWM and opted to flash TWRP. Excellent recovery system. I downloaded Goo manager app and you can install TWRP within the app. Very easy. You can then make nandroid backups and install custom roms. I am currently on Cyanogenmod 10.1 nightly.Cyanogenmod now has an updater within and it will search for new nightlys and also install them. Very easy. Hope this helps.

I do prefer twrp over cwm. And I was a long time cwm user before. You can fastboot the twrp.IMG file. And if you Fastboot twrp you will not have to rename .bak the stock recovery.
And yes you will want to unlock it and root it first thing since the unlock wipes the entire device.

What's the difference between CWM and TWRP?
Edit: Swipe was acting up.
Outdated yet young Motorola Photon 4G

In my opinion twrp gets more support and updates. Is way faster than cwm and you will never look back. Twrp is a great recovery.

Ok. So if/when I root the 7, I will be using a computer running windows xp, and I don't know how to install the correct files and where.
Outdated yet young Motorola Photon 4G

Hey, I'd like you to help me decide whether I should root my Nexus 7 or not. This is my first android device and I'm a complete 'noob.' Since then I've been reading about rooting continuously and I would've done it already but I'm a bit concerned. I don't want to lose my warranty and I'm aware that I can unroot the device to get my warranty back but what if something happens to the screen or the power button, or what if it bricks after losing battery power? (I read somewhere that this happened to him during night, the device ran out of juice and he couldn't turn it on ever again) Would I still be able to unroot it so I could return it for repair?
My other concern is about the rooting process itself. I've read that it's 99% safe with a toolkit but anything can go wrong. Is this 1% a big risk? Would I be able to unbrick it if something happened? Since I'm a noob my only reason to root my device is to be able to run memory editors like gamecih or something like that. Are the risks worth it?
Thank you for your answers.

BenFuF said:
Hey, I'd like you to help me decide whether I should root my Nexus 7 or not. This is my first android device and I'm a complete 'noob.' Since then I've been reading about rooting continuously and I would've done it already but I'm a bit concerned. I don't want to lose my warranty and I'm aware that I can unroot the device to get my warranty back but what if something happens to the screen or the power button, or what if it bricks after losing battery power? (I read somewhere that this happened to him during night, the device ran out of juice and he couldn't turn it on ever again) Would I still be able to unroot it so I could return it for repair?
My other concern is about the rooting process itself. I've read that it's 99% safe with a toolkit but anything can go wrong. Is this 1% a big risk? Would I be able to unbrick it if something happened? Since I'm a noob my only reason to root my device is to be able to run memory editors like gamecih or something like that. Are the risks worth it?
Thank you for your answers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In all honesty, a toolkit is almost completely unnecessary for the Nexus 7. You can do everything yourself in about 5 minutes. The thing about the Nexus 7 is that Google knew that people would try and do things with it, so they made it easy (How it should be with every device). One thing you should take into consideration when unlocking/rooting any device is "Why am I doing this?" If the answer is "Cuz I can!", you probably shouldn't. If you want to be able to use advanced apps that require root, go right ahead. Even if you are having performance problems, and just want to fix them by installing a new ROM after you unlock, go for it. If not, don't worry about it.

[Q] First time

Hello, I bought my Nexus 4 about a year ago and was always hesitant on trying to "root" it. I am completing new to this and have no idea what to do. The only thing I have come close to this sort of thing was jailbreaking an old iPhone. It was extremely straight forward, I download & install 'X' app. Reboot, app runs and I simply follow the instructions on screen (a series of button pressing). The Nexus 4 seems more complicated but with all the feedback, I'm really curious to see what can be done with a rooted android.
I've read through a few threads but I'm still unsure whether I've successfully completed each step properly. The mainly followed the "Ultimate Nexus 4 Root guide"
1. I installed the ADK onto my computer. (Have no touched the folder ever since)
2. Unlocked bootloader using the no-data-wipe method.
3. Done every step until the "install custom recovery"
It feels like most of the guides are a little outdated because I can't seem to fully follow each step. One example is when I was installing towelroot, the next step is supposed to reboot my device. However, the towelroot app itself indicated my device was succesfully rooted despite not having anything appear on my screen or my device restarting.
Basically, can anyone help/provide a step-by-step guide for a brainless monkey like myself? A video would be a lot better so I could pinpoint where my mistakes are exactly.

It's right that your phone is rooted now, with the latest version of Towelroot it's no longer necessary to reboot the device (afaik). If you want to have a step by step guide check out my guide on how to root the device without wiping data, you may find the link in the stickies

There are plenty of apps on the playstore to check if your N4 is rooted or still not, you can download and try this one https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.joeykrim.rootcheck

Installing OTA on rooted Yoga Book

Hello,
I am new to rooting. Several months back I rooted my yoga book using magisk. Root was great except that I couldn't install the Nougat update. And because I didn't think I needed it, I did not make a backup of the stock ROM.
I have tried to unroot the device using the magisk uninstaller. The OTA update still failed to install.
What path should I take to unroot my tablet so it can accept updates?
Thank you very much for any help.

I can confirm that re-flashing an older stock version is possible and restores the ability to install OTAs if you don't have a backup at hand.
C.f.: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/help/error-installing-recent-ota-update-help-t3615050
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA Labs

OT: was root worth the trip? What special things did you do with root?

Flippy498 said:
I can confirm that re-flashing an older stock version is possible and restores the ability to install OTAs if you don't have a backup at hand.
C.f.: https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/help/error-installing-recent-ota-update-help-t3615050
Sent from my HTC One M9 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great! I had looked at that post but was unsure what action to take. I downloaded the YB1-X90F_USR_S000196_1611040312_WW06_BP_ROW-flashfiles.zip from the link you posted. Should I follow MarkAllen's instructions in the previous reply to unzip the folder and used fastboot commands to flash the ROM?

s01q said:
OT: was root worth the trip? What special things did you do with root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me it was not worth the trip.
I rooted to be able to uninstall NoteSaver because it had an incredibly frustrating glitch when switching to handwriting mode. Several OTA updates did not fix the issue, so I felt great fixing it myself. I didn't use root for anything else. Overall, the time spent troubleshooting and researching was too much. I use the Yoga Book at university to take notes and it was very hard to find time to try to unroot the tablet and get Nougat. I never bricked the device but I spend many hours resetting it.
If I used root to do something more interesting and had more time to play around, sure it might be worth it.

SonofdAr said:
Should I follow MarkAllen's instructions in the previous reply to unzip the folder and used fastboot commands to flash the ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You probably might want to lock the bootloader at the end before you execute the continue command.
Code:
fastboot flashing lock
And it might happen that you face an error while flashing that oemvars bootloader_policy-oemvars.txt. I couldn't find out why that happened and ignoring it seems to be harmless.
As soon as the system started you need to skip the whole first setup and to restore the country code as explained by MarkAllen. Otherwise you might need to re-start from the beginning after installing an OTA.
General info for people that didn't root their yoga book and just want to re-flash the stock system: You'll need the info from this thread since chances are high that you face problems with the usb drivers.

SonofdAr said:
For me it was not worth the trip.
I rooted to be able to uninstall NoteSaver because it had an incredibly frustrating glitch when switching to handwriting mode. Several OTA updates did not fix the issue, so I felt great fixing it myself. I didn't use root for anything else. Overall, the time spent troubleshooting and researching was too much. I use the Yoga Book at university to take notes and it was very hard to find time to try to unroot the tablet and get Nougat. I never bricked the device but I spend many hours resetting it.
If I used root to do something more interesting and had more time to play around, sure it might be worth it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for getting rid of that window adb could have done the trick.
since there is no better rom around, I guess rooting is waste of time - for this device

Flippy498 said:
You probably might want to lock the bootloader at the end before you execute the continue command.
Code:
fastboot flashing lock
And it might happen that you face an error while flashing that oemvars bootloader_policy-oemvars.txt. I couldn't find out why that happened and ignoring it seems to be harmless.
As soon as the system started you need to skip the whole first setup and to restore the country code as explained by MarkAllen. Otherwise you might need to re-start from the beginning after installing an OTA.
General info for people that didn't root their yoga book and just want to re-flash the stock system: You'll need the info from this thread since chances are high that you face problems with the usb drivers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much! Could you just give me better instructions on how to restore the country code? These are the instructions MarkAllen linked to:
you need to input country code to enable keyboard. There are several steps as below :
a) Open ‘’contacts’’ app, create a new local contact ” test”
b) Click search button at contact
c) Input ####6020# code into search bar
d) Browser the country code list, then chose country code you want to use, such as US
e) Then DUT will reboot
How to I skip the whole first setup to get to the contacts app?

Those are exactly the steps you need to follow. It might take some seconds till the new window with the list of all available country codes shows up.
Just use the skip button on the bottom-right of the screen during the setup.

Flippy498 said:
Those are exactly the steps you need to follow. It might take some seconds till the new window with the list of all available country codes shows up.
Just use the skip button on the bottom-right of the screen during the setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! The first OTA update installed without a hitch and hopefully it's smooth sailing from here.
I appreciate the excellent technical support!

s01q said:
for getting rid of that window adb could have done the trick.
since there is no better rom around, I guess rooting is waste of time - for this device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can you use adb to get rid of the window?

c.f. https://forum.xda-developers.com/yoga-book/help/android-fix-to-preview-pop-switching-to-t3669261

Samsung Galaxy S5 900-A Rooting

Hello out there.
I purchased an in box Samsung Galaxy S5 900A from At&t on Ebay. I purchased this phone because I knew that it was volte compatible with the phase out happening this month with old phones not compatible with volte. I use this phone with straighttalk and I am satisfied with it. The thing I discovered though is that I could not upgrade this phone from Android 5.0 to anything higher because I was not an ATT customer so these ota updates were pretty much out of my reach. I then stumbled onto this forum knowing that i needed to root my phone to continue. I followed the following guide which I will add here but please excuse me if I am doing it incorrectly:
Rooting the G900A
*Note for Mods: if you could sticky this thread that would be great, I think its really helpful
NO THIS DOES NOT WORK ON THE G870A
Updated with even newer-er method on 03/04/2017
DISCLAIMER:
Code:
Your warranty is now void. I nor XDA is responsible for the effects this may have on your device or your life, whether that be bricking, loss of data, combustion, nuclear war, or the election of businessmen as President (wait what).
Remember, its not root that puts your device in danger, its how you use it.
If you don't know what a locked bootloader is, or think that Chainfire is a new video game, you shouldn't be here, go read a little about Android and the Galaxy S5 before continuing
So let's begin:
What You'll Need:
This *experimental* firmware: https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=745425885120704448 (Thanks @NavSad !)
The SuperSU APK, Towelroot, and FlashFire, all available from this zip: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673368273298935990 Mirror
This modified "from-noship" pre-rooted OF3: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673368273298933039
What To Do:
Step 1: Goin' Wayy Down
Use ODIN to flash the experimental firmware.
MASTER CAUTION: This will wipe ALL data on the device!! Backup your stuff before proceeding. I nor XDA is responsible for loss of your memes!
Simply flash the .TAR.MD5 file in the zip using the AP slot in ODIN, and then wait for the phone to boot (which is literally all of 10 seconds).
Step 2: Our Old Friend
After the OS is installed, go to the file manager and install Flashfire, SuperSU, and TowelRoot.
Run towelroot. Simply hit "make it ra1n" and 3 seconds later you'll have the root binaries installed.
Now open the SuperSU app and hit "new user", let it do its thing and then update the SU binaries (don't worry, its safe to reboot!)
At this point you've got root! Now, let's get back to the present!
Step 3: Back to the Future!
Open FlashFire, grant it root access, and flash the modified OF3 with these settings:
Mount /system read/write
A wipe isn't required, but it is recommended (if you do wipe, make sure to put that card B E F O R E the flash zip/ota card!)
Hit "flash", let it flash, reboot, and load.
Guess what? You're done! That's right, you've done all the steps!! Simpler than before, right?
The OLD Method:
This method is not recommended and is only here for historical purposes.
Thanks @NavSad, @DejaVuAgain, and everyone else for their help and hard work!
Last edited: Dec 4, 2017
Twitter @AptLogic_XDA | Former Android ROM Dev | Aviator, Student, Developer.
Need Assistance Fast? discord.gg/Android | Contact me directly on Discord: The Munsta#1106
I have done everything to the letter up to the start of step 3 but am uncertain what series of events I need to complete first. At the end of step two it states to update the binaries. I did that, but I did it "Normally" and not through TWRP. Was that the correct thing to do? When it comes to flashfire, I am uncertain what I need to set to what. I am unsure what correlates with mount/system read/write in relationship to this app. Am i doing this flash process with flashfire, rebooting and then using odin to flash the prerooted os3? I am confused as hell and am scared to death that I am going to screw my phone up. All i want is my phone to be unrooted, which is done and a way to complete this process with my phone looking somewhat like it did before. Right now, it's in a working limbo state, albeit with limited features. My phone is currently on version 4.4.2, Baseband G900AUCU44OF1, Kernel 3.4.0-2166968
Thank you.