what is rooting?

[ggp]

I've seen posts on how, but don't understand what rooting is. Been anxiously awaiting the first VZW android phones, so am now trying to quickly immerse myself.

 

[dmodert66]

I am in the same boat (waiting for Android, Droid, VZW)...

As to rooting, from my rudimentary knowledge, I think it is making the phone into sort of a "developer" mode. This would allow changes to the UI, etc...I could be completely wrong though, so someone else please chime in!

 

[Ramshackle]

Taken from the Cyanogen Wiki CyanogenMod Wiki



Most carriers "lock" their handsets to discourage customers from taking their handset and moving to another carrier. Carriers also depend on "exclusivity" agreements to encourage users to switch to their plans so they can use a particular handset (e.g., Apple's iPhone on the AT&T network). To use the handset on another carrier's network it would be necessary to "unlock" the handset. This is done with a code based on the IMEI of the handset that can be provided by your carrier or firms on the internet that are slightly more reliable than west African ebay bidders. Unlocking is not possible with CyanogenMod or any other Android replacement.
Furthermore, they may impose software limitations to prevent using the handset in a manner that might undercut their voice plans (e.g., Skype, Google Voice), or putting strain on the data network (e.g., tethering, streaming video). The way to get around this is to acquire 'root' (i.e. Administrator) access on the device, so you can install/modify/fix/break anything you want.

 

[CRPercodani]

Root doesn't unlock your phone for other carriers. It gives you super user access aka SU. It will allow you to flash custom ROMs and themes. Some apps require root to work properly.

 

[ggp]

thanks! Is this something easy to do, or for amateurs, does it make it easy to break your phone?

 

[CRPercodani]

It is pretty simple, I mean when I first got my G1 I was a bit intimidated, but I just kept reading about it and finally took the plunge. All said it took me under a hour (haha I made some mistakes) and by then end I was rooted and running a much faster version of Android.

But yes it is always possible to brick your phone, although if you can read and understand basic explanations you shouldn't have any trouble.

 

[Ramshackle]

Just think VERY CAREFULLY first. Do you really need to root your phone? I understand why G1 owners do it for a speed boost but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[CRPercodani]

That's true, but it also allows you to install apps to your SD card. And flash custom ROMs when they are available. I don't plan on rooting my Droid for a month or 2, plus I have to wait for someone to figure out how to. For a basic user I don't think its really necessary but if you want to get the most out of your phone then yea.

 

[The Reverend Gridlock]

hmmmm, there is a real good reason with g1's that were already mentioned. there are numerous reasons but from where you guys are looking with the droid, it might be a while till somebody finds out how to root it, the mytouch took a few months and with all pervious rooted phones being htc, i think you are gonna have awhile to wait

 

[Brian]

another way for noobs to understand root is public and private access. anything you can change/delete has public access, but for the built in ringtones and apps like amazon mp3 are stored under private access and require admin credentials which is where SU comes in. rooting allows you to use the phone to the full extent the hardware provides instead of being locked out by the carrier or any other reason. tethering, apps to sd, swapper, multitouch, set cpu clock, and various other nerd stuff. lots of files are stored under private for good reason if you dont know what it is you probably shouldnt mess with it or your phone could brick. noobs should leave root to the geeks and people who have geek friends

 

[Luuk]

Hi,

I bought my Hero unlocked and sim free. Does that mean I do not have to root my phone? Secondly, how DOES one root a phone?

Luuk

 

[RuiMilk]

Hi,

I bought my Hero unlocked and sim free. Does that mean I do not have to root my phone? Secondly, how DOES one root a phone?

Luuk

Same question here!

Kind regards

 

[tikiral]

Rooting directions vary from phone to phone, but a good place to start would be the Android Development forums at XDA-Developers (.com).

In and of itself, root only gives you access to secured parts of the phone, just like if you're using using Windows and you have to click that little Run As Administrator prompt. Basically it's a system developed a long while back that keeps the regular day to day operations from being able to have too negative an impact on the rest of the system.

The positive thing about root is everything it then allows you to do further on down the line including custom apps, configurations and even OS'.

Here's a nice little Wiki article that gives a little more detail:
Why Root - Android Wiki

 

[Luuk]

Thanks that helps, but it doesn't answer my first question. Is it necessary to root an unlocked phone and how can I discover whether it is necessary?

Luuk

 

[Cellmate]

Luuk,

You may have already gotten your answer but I post this one from another site.

"an "unlocked" phone just means it is sim unlocked and you can use it with other GSM cariers. Just pop in a different cariers sim and you can use the phone on their network.

It does not have anything to do with modding a phone. So if you would like to mod your phone with new roms and what not, root is still required for most situations."

 

[Brian]

Hi,

I bought my Hero unlocked and sim free. Does that mean I do not have to root my phone? Secondly, how DOES one root a phone?

Luuk

the 'lock" on the phone just says that it will only accept the sim card of a specific carrier...cdma phones dont really unlock, they flash the carrier information onto your phone to change carriers. unlocking a gsm phone just makes it able to accept any gsm sim card.

rooting is just a command that allows (3rd party) software to exploit the capabilities of your hardware even though the carrier or society wants the functionality hidden.

 

[Haizum74]

Well Rooting here in Australia means something TOTALLY different to what it seems to on here and around the world


In Australia, if i was 'rooting' my phone i would be considered a deviant!

Means the same in the UK too

 

[hondabomdc5]

so i think i rooted my phone. but im not sure. Back when there was the talk about the 2.0.1 update coming out, i was to impatient to wait for it, so i manually put it on my phone instead of waiting for the OTA update, so does this mean that im rooted?/?

 

[Brian]

so i think i rooted my phone. but im not sure. Back when there was the talk about the 2.0.1 update coming out, i was to impatient to wait for it, so i manually put it on my phone instead of waiting for the OTA update, so does this mean that im rooted?/?

no...just impatient like me

 

[mojo510]

i have a motorola devour and everytime i turn it off i lose everything on the phone, like contacts....i think i need to reprogram my phone but i dont know how that works.

 

[fabler]

Hello guys,

I've some questions regarding rooting. I've a unlocked version of N1.

What are the benefits of rooting if I've a unlocked N1?
If I root N1, does it mean that my warranty will get void?
Once the phone is rooted, can I switch back to non-rooted mode?

Thanks,

 

[Fav40]

I tried to use unrevoked and Sprint blocked my install .

 

[strong20safety]

From what I understand, "rooting" is just like the term "jailbreak" used to hack the iPod Touch for custom themes and what not, correct?

My Droid X should be fresh from the mail tomorrow afternoon and I'm looking to root it just for the unique themes and wallpapers.. other than that, I have no idea what "ROMS" are or any of that other stuff, so it would be cool if someone could make a newbie thread for all of us new Droid users

 

[colin4unow]

Hi Guys.
to root or unroot your phone in one easy click visit [APP] [ROOT] 1-click root for N1 (Latest ver: 1.6.1) - xda-developers

the thanks for this info goes to crash27 not me.

Hope this helps

Colin

 

[amonfog]

it's all kinda easy...
imagine your fathers pc:
you can log in as a user, your father may have allowed you to install stuff. but hey the c:/windows/ folder is locked and you can't screw up the computer.

android works on linux.
linux has the following system:
user
admin user
super user

as a regular android user you are an "admin user". you can install stuff, update, make the screen shiny and just work on it.

super users can screw up the kernel, over clock the processors (and overheat them by accident), get more sound from the speakers by "over clocking" that to, replace the system with another one, etc.

this has something to do with the security of the phone and the security of specific folders (with the most important folder called "ROOT").
like my android milestone is protected in two ways:
1: the phone's "bios" (protects the phone from weird changes and combines all devices in your phone to a working system)
2: the phones ROOT (contains all info on how the phone should work)

the bios must be cracked to make changes in the system (like ROOTing) some nerds do this and post "backups" of this system to xda-developers.
hackers/programmers make changes to specific files to remove the lock on SU (superuser) and post these in this backups.

SU-acces allows you to do things that are not supposed to work like sharing your 3G-connection to wifi. this is blocked till 2.1 because phone carriers din't like that. now with the 2.2 update it becomes legal). or change the folder where your apps are installed from phone memory to the SD card(once again in the 2.2 update they fixed this).

But, as you can think with your brains. Rooted systems can be broken by the most stupidest terminal commands (since you can just command the phone to blow itself lituraly), or even when you delete a file from the ROOT folder by accident. bricking the phone becomes very easy. that's why phone sellers won't help you as soon as they notice you were using a ROOTED phone.

you can test if your phone is rooted by downloading a small app called "terminal emulator" and filling in the code:
SU
this (SuperUser) command, means that you tell the terminal that you want to start changing important stuff and you need all acces possible.

If the system is rooted you are presented by a # after you click the Enter(return) button on your keyboard.
if the system isn't rooted you are presented by the text "No acces" or something like it.

Rooting is only cool for people who: build their own systems, want to be their 1G phone (very old phone) a bit faster, or just want to prank to their friends on how they ruined their phones (and how much money they have to buy a new one).

Rooting is not cool for people who: know nothing of terminals and linux systems, are no developers for google, have brains, want to keep their phone carriers friendly,experience that in a pocket they can accidently push buttons and people who want to use their phone the best way possible (it costed manufacturers loads of time to adjust the system in such a way that the phone works the best, why would you screw that up?).

hope this solves the big question about Rooting.

but for those people that only read the last line:
rooting is giving yourself acces to the folder called ROOT, where the system get's it's knowledge on how many volts it should send to the different parts of your phone, and how everything in your phone should work. a good thinking (wo)man wouln't concider rooting for even a second!