Root What does it mean to root your phone?

[kookahdoo]

???

 

[GDroid]

This will give you some idea: What is root? -- definition by The Linux Information Project (LINFO)

..unlock the hidden powers of your Droid - Root Today!

 

[messenger13]

The short answer: To go you root access ... in other words ... access to system files you normally do not have access to.

 

[kookahdoo]

Sort of like registry edits?

 

[GDroid]

Sort of like registry edits?

Yeah, sorta. Proceed with care when rooting as you would do when making registry changes on a PC.

 

[messenger13]

Sort of like registry edits?

At the risk of being argumentative...

Actually, I'd say, "No, not like registry edits.". Anyone who can type "regedit" in the Run command window can get into the registry. Microsoft allows us to change registry settings as we desire.

Rooting a DROID allows us to have access to basically ALL of the system files at the O/S level. And with that access, theoretically one could make things happen that Verizon didn't intend to happen. Apps for certain phones could work with our DROID, for instance.

 

[kookahdoo]

Cool...I'll have to look into it more....thanks for the replies.

 

[nmasson]

I googled it and...well...google brought me here.

 

[GoldenHollywood]

does anyone a reliable person/place that would be willing to do this for me? i have no technical skills. suggestions?

 

[thaDroidz]

honestly I just finally rooted last week. Months of researching in the every thing rooted sub -forum.
If your not wiling to take the "technical" jump into rooting and just pay someone to do it, then I would suggest not to.

Once rooted ROMs/Theme flashing becomes addictive. Yu dont wanna pay someone everytime you need a "fix" do ya. I rooted last week, have ROM'ed twice and themed 4or5 times. Oh and I forgot KERNELS... LMFAO

A rooted phone will not be covered on your warranty, but the awesome DEV have found a fairly easy yet "technical" process of returning to your phones stock status, leaving Verizon blind to the fact that you were ever rooted. YOU WILL NEED to be able to understand the UNROOTING process if the phone requires warranty coverage.

 

[gnath9]

I feel its a sign of the times .... nobody wants to "research" any more ... its too time consuming.
Once again I will say this ... Rooting is for people who have a strong desire to learn the process to gain the ability to tweak thier phones to do what they desire. Any body can root but, It takes an enthusiast to create a top notch running set up. All of this does consume a lot of time untill you get it down. This may be why we say its so easy to do all the time. For us, it really is that easy but, we have paid our dues and have spent hours, days and weeks or even months to achieve this level of understanding. And it is this understanding that allows us to take on ventures without fear, cuz we know we can always fix what ever we break.
I spent months learning and researching before I even attempted all this madness ... lol ... I knew alot about windows PC's but not a clue about android. So if rooting is what anyone out there desires it really is easy ... all you got to do is read every thread ever posted about the subject on this site. Read all the help me threads where people were stuck and someone talked them thru it and resolved thier issue.

So to answer the OP's question ... What does it mean to root your phone? ... become a padawan and with time you too will learn to be a Jedi Master

 

[breadnatty08]

Is it me or SUPER old threads have been brought back from the dead more often lately?

 

[gnath9]

Is it me or SUPER old threads have been brought back from the dead more often lately?

lol .... I didnt even notice the OP's original date It must be getting slow around here lately. I really need to pay more attention

 

[johnlgalt]

For all intents and purposes, let's get back to basics.

just about every device covered here at AF has its own section called All Things Root as a sub forum - including here.

See Droid - All Things Root - Android Forums for a good place to get started, but even better than that now is he sticky in the main forum, with links to all sorts of posts through out the forums.

In the case of the Motorola DROID, the sticky is located at http://androidforums.com/motorola-d...id-guide-updated-01-30-bst-aug-31-2010-a.html

Inside is the topic http://androidforums.com/droid-all-things-root/136508-guide-all-things-root-related.html as well as lost of other posts for you to read up on.

So, now that all this has been done in the last couple of days, let's sit back and enjoy ourselves and just point new users to this informative sticky, 'K?

 

[case1212]

???

most info on rooting tells you how and not why. And they use terms that means nothing to the novice who is trying to learn the whys and not just the hows.

Someone can show me how to add synthetic oil to my car without telling me why I should or should not.

 

[johnlgalt]

From http://androidforums.com/droid-all-things-root/136508-guide-all-things-root-related.html

What you need to know first:


Benefits of Rooting



Okay, so you know “how” to Root your phone… but why do it? What exactly can you get out of a Droid that has been rooted?

Well, aside from being cool and geeky, there are a few real benefits. Think of you Droid as a supercar. If you drive it only in subdivision streets, you aren’t really pushing it to its capabilities. However, if you take it to a track or maybe the Autobahn, you can open her up and unleash its power. Obtaining root is like taking your car to the Autobahn, except nerdier!

Enough of the analogies! Show me what I can do.

Most people want to root their phones for one reason: loading custom ROMs. A ROM, when it is applied to smartphone operating systems, is a fully customized image that alters the function and form of the device. For instance, a ROM could be a port of the HTC SenseUI found on Android phones like the Eris and the Hero. A person with root could potentially take this port, if made available, and put it on their Droid. At this time, there are no real custom ROMs for the Droid, though advancements are being made every week.

Another benefit of obtaining Root is the use of Root-only applications. Some applications require Superuser permissions in order to operate. You can think of “Superuser” as a limitless administrative role for the Android OS. It is given full control over what can be done on the software level. Superuser requires Root, and thus, so do certain apps. You can download Terminal apps which allow you to enter Android OS code to communicate with the system, Drocap2 which can take screengrabs anywhere on the phone, Adfree which disables advertisements on the web and in other apps, etc… There are many very cool programs being created specific to Root users!

One of the richest abilities given to Root users is scripting and customization. Given a mix of apps, the SDK, and scripts, Root users can change the way their phone feels and operates. Things like skinning every aspect of the OS, upgrading features that aren’t yet released, and creating all new functionality altogether could not be possible without Root. There is so much capability at such an early phase (remember, the Droid was first rooted only a few weeks ago), it’s an awesome time to be a part of the Root community. There will be groundbreaking discoveries and releases that will completely change the way you think about your Droid.

Rooting your phone is a fun, educational, and useful way of getting the most out of your device. But as always, there are risks involved every step of the way. Just be smart and careful, and don’t get ahead of yourself. I created this site as a guide for the average Joe, but even a plain-English guide can seem daunting for the more advanced operations. You need to keep in mind that by Rooting your Droid, you are most definitely going against the Verizon TOS and will be breaking your warranty. Though there are ways to revert back to a completely Root-free device, I can’t assure you this will not get you into trouble in the future.

I think that covers this topic rather nicely. And it pretty much answers exactly what you asked for - and what the OP asked for 8 months ago.

 

[UBRocked]

most info on rooting tells you how and not why. And they use terms that means nothing to the novice who is trying to learn the whys and not just the hows.

Someone can show me how to add synthetic oil to my car without telling me why I should or should not.

I'll add to this and keep it in simple terms. Do you ever see something with your phone wondered "why did they do it like that?"

Example: YouTube videos automatically play in low quality mode and then you have to manually go into the settings and enable HQ video. My thought is "why would you want to watch the non-HQ video?". It's not a big deal if you are going to watch one video...but after 2 or 3 times of going in and enabling the HQ...you may find yourself a little frustrated.

Most custom ROMs have YouTube videos to play automatically in HQ so all you need to do is hit play. That is just one small example...different ROMs offer different levels of speed, functionality, and customization.

 

[GoldenHollywood]

LOL some strong feelings about rooting here. ok here's my problem, it's not that i want or not want to learn how to root my phone. it's more that i dont have good luck with technology in general when it comes to trying these things. i only want to root the phone because the screen no longer works. seems to have short circuited. i was hoping someone would have a way to connect my droid to a monitor, root it for me onto the SD card, so i can put it all onto a new phone. warranty is never any use to me as it is. i've since learned that connecting my droid to a monitor may not be a possibility either. does anyone know if this is true? am i just totally screwed? all i want is to get the information off of the internal memory. otherwise, i'll leave the actual fixing in other more capable hands.

 

[rhanduf]

im a 17 year old also interested on rooting my phone problems is i dont know how and do I need a pc or can just do it in here on the phone other thing I've been looking for movies to watch here on my phone its an android zio
I know a few pages but they all need flashplayer.
Can someone help me find a flashplayer easy to download on the phone please.....

 

[skilaufen]

im a 17 year old also interested on rooting my phone problems is i dont know how and do I need a pc or can just do it in here on the phone other thing I've been looking for movies to watch here on my phone its an android zio
I know a few pages but they all need flashplayer.
Can someone help me find a flashplayer easy to download on the phone please.....

Welcome to the forum. I can't tell you how to get root on a zio since I have a droid. This is actually a thread in the Droid section. You may want to repost in the section specific to your phone for a better and quicker reply.

http://androidforums.com/zio-all-things-root/

To get flash player you need to be running a ROM that is ver. 2.2 called Froyo on you phone (don't know what version the zio has as stock).

 

[SusanBMc]

Thank you, I'm wondering, which app is best for tethering my motorola android phone to us and NOT have to use a usb, just make it a Hotspot? Thank you, susan If you could answer me at my susan.b.mccarter g mail account that would be great.

 

[skilaufen]

Thank you, I'm wondering, which app is best for tethering my motorola android phone to us and NOT have to use a usb, just make it a Hotspot? Thank you, susan If you could answer me at my susan.b.mccarter g mail account that would be great.

Hey there welcome to the forums. First you never want to post your email or else you can get slammed with spam and such. You can remove it through edit.

As for wireless tethering you need to be rooted to use the two main apps for it (barnacle and wireless tether). That is unless you have a phone and carrier that supports it for a monthly fee.

 

[SusanBMc]

honestly I just finally rooted last week. Months of researching in the every thing rooted sub -forum.
If your not wiling to take the "technical" jump into rooting and just pay someone to do it, then I would suggest not to.

Once rooted ROMs/Theme flashing becomes addictive. Yu dont wanna pay someone everytime you need a "fix" do ya. I rooted last week, have ROM'ed twice and themed 4or5 times. Oh and I forgot KERNELS... LMFAO

A rooted phone will not be covered on your warranty, but the awesome DEV have found a fairly easy yet "technical" process of returning to your phones stock status, leaving Verizon blind to the fact that you were ever rooted. YOU WILL NEED to be able to understand the UNROOTING process if the phone requires warranty coverage.

is there a simple answer to making my phone a hot spot by tethering without a usb cord? Thank you

 

[skilaufen]

is there a simple answer to making my phone a hot spot by tethering without a usb cord? Thank you

A simple answer requires that I know several things:

1. What kind of Motorola Android phone do you have?
2. Is your phone rooted?
3. Who is your phone service provider?

Answer those three questions and I can give you a simple answer.

 

[rave2610]

Can any one please post what is mean by rooting. what are the benefits by rooting a device and ant documents regarding rooting a device.