Root Fact or Fiction: Current Progress for the Droid X

[eulerphi8]

OK so there's been a lot of developments/disappointments with the Droid X and rooting roms, running custom roms, etc. I'm not an expert in this topic but I have been following this pretty closely, and it seems like some of I've read is contradictory. Can we therefore get the facts straight and know exactly where we are right now? I'd like to compile the progress that's been made both for our sake and for people new to the phone/platform.

Root Access
This is possible across all platforms (2.1, 2.2 leaked, and 2.2 OTA). The most universal procedure seems to be the Droid 2 exploit, which can be found over at Droid X. Also a full root guide can be found at http://androidforums.com/droid-x-al...t-guide-updated-4-09pm-est-sep-12-2010-a.html.

Applying Themes
Again possible on all Deodexed phones.
Instruction for deodexing can be found over at http://androidforums.com/droid-x-all-things-root/158274-how-manually-deodex-your-phone.html or you can just download a pre-Deodexed rom.
List of themes have been compiled by D13 over at http://androidforums.com/droid-x-all-things-root/167180-droid-x-roms-themes.html.

Roms
This is the part where I'm confused and would like some clarification. As I understand it, the roms that are being released now aren't full "roms." They're more of a tweaking of apps and replacing Blur apps, etc. Is this because Moto is signing their rom releases? How is cvpcs getting around this then? Is he still using a Moto release for his codebase? I thought he was starting from scratch though. What is preventing other people from doing this or is it because the locked bootloader is hindering developers?
Regardless the custom roms available now were compiled by D13 and are once again over at http://androidforums.com/droid-x-all-things-root/167180-droid-x-roms-themes.html.

Replacing the Bootloader/Kernel
This seems to be where we're stuck right now. However, it seems like the Milestone people have made some progress in this respect too using the kexec exploit that nenolod is now pursuing too. For a full recap of the progress on the Milestone there's a wiki at start [And Developers]. Basically they got a custom kernel to boot without radio access. Is there any inherent reason that's not possible though, i.e. is interfacing with the radio actually being locked somewhere or have the developers just not figured out a way yet? Although I don't want to be overly optimistic this is still quite a good start.
What are the gains of replacing the kernel other than overclocking anyway? I understand that future Android releases will require a new kernel that we won't have access to until Moto decides to release one, but honesty Gingerbread isn't coming until next year, so there's still plenty of time to figure out a way still.

I just don't see why so many people are jumping ship already. We have root access, semi-custom roms (?), and our phones can do basically anything that other android phones can do right now if not just as well then better than most phones. Am I missing something here or are people just against the principle of the locked bootloader? I agree that it sucks that Moto did this, but this might be something that we have to deal with from now on what with HTC also implementing a hardware rootkit on the G2.

Anyway there's a ton of questions right now, and I hope as I get answers that I can edit this post so that we can get a full picture of what is actually going on with the Droid X.

 

[D13]

I am giving it a week on deciding what to do. But yeah I am totally against Moto and everything they have done with the X. I mean they changed the keys so people who flash the sbf will get a brick

 

[raduray]

Personally, I'm good with root access. I can use Titanium Backup to freeze bloatware. I can do wireless hot spot. I can block ads. I can do bootstrap recovery. I can underclock based on criteria using SetCPU.

The only thing of interest that I cannot do is overclock, and I probably wouldn't do that anyway. What am I missing, other than the principle of the thing?

 

[OMJ]

Im not entirely jumping ship just getting another phone so I have something to tinker with.

That being said its not changing the kernel that has me frustrated with the DX. My frustration is not being able to change roms and I mean really change roms. No offense to any of the roms out there but there isnt much to them. I want a true aosp rom, cyanogenmod, miui, obsidian, or something else thats really blurless.

Obsidian is going to come to the DX eventually but with how much its taking to get it done how easy is it going to be to update or for others to reproduce with other roms? Btw CVPCS is the man and at this point the biggest hope we have for the DX.

Then there is the problem that you already mentioned that we will never get early releases of any kind without a leak that includes a kernel update. There is also the fact that if you took the OTA you only have a /system sbf available and there are a bunch of people out there with bricked phones and no chance of recovering them.

It just frustrating that this literally seems to have helped no body including themselves. Motorola has to be getting more returns since the OTA than they have with other phones and users cant do what they actually want with the phones.

 

[D13]

Im not entirely jumping ship just getting another phone so I have something to tinker with.

That being said its not changing the kernel that has me frustrated with the DX. My frustration is not being able to change roms and I mean really change roms. No offense to any of the roms out there but there isnt much to them. I want a true aosp rom, cyanogenmod, miui, obsidian, or something else thats really blurless.

Obsidian is going to come to the DX eventually but with how much its taking to get it done how easy is it going to be to update or for others to reproduce with other roms? Btw CVPCS is the man and at this point the biggest hope we have for the DX.

Then there is the problem that you already mentioned that we will never get early releases of any kind without a leak that includes a kernel update. There is also the fact that if you took the OTA you only have a /system sbf available and there are a bunch of people out there with bricked phones and no chance of recovering them.

It just frustrating that this literally seems to have helped no body including themselves. Motorola has to be getting more returns since the OTA than they have with other phones and users cant do what they actually want with the phones.

yeah, overall I am pretty disappointed over this whole situation.
this is what just happened on irc

[20:58] == D13_ [ad45b78f@gateway/web/freenode/ip.173.69.183.143] has joined #sholesunlock
[20:58] == OldNuc [~rich@204.11.180.190] has quit [Read error: Connection reset by peer]
[20:58] <@[mbm]> Druuseph: it's not being rewritten, problem is it's not written in the first place
[20:58] <Druuseph> Ah
[20:58] <@[mbm]> engadget and slashdot missed that detail and got the story wrong
[20:59] <TimeLincoln> ^ this is what i have been saying
[20:59] <@[mbm]> but it should be fun to see the press release that gets sent back now that everyone is bitching
[20:59] <Druuseph> In good news Angry Birds full version is out next week
[21:00] == n0yd [~n0yd@archlinux/user/n0yd] has quit [Ping timeout: 252 seconds]
[21:00] <@nenolod> the result is the same on droid-2 fwiw
[21:00] <@nenolod> i ported the milestone kexec stuff over to droid-2 and no radio
[21:00] == legacystar [~androirc@219.sub-97-160-58.myvzw.com] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:01] <@nenolod> if we could figure out what gets sent to the radio in the reboot process, it may make kexec more successful
[21:01] * [mbm] acts shocked and surprised
[21:01] <@[mbm]> you wrote code?
[21:02] <JoeTheGuest> oohh..
[21:02] <dfsf> anyone know much about the facinate and its dev scene? hows the battery life and do they have nand access so I can get a 2.2 rom?
[21:02] <TimeLincoln> what about killing the ril in the first kernel?
[21:02] <TimeLincoln> err first boot
[21:02] <TimeLincoln> dfsf, afaik, sgs is almost wide open
[21:03] == OldNuc [~rich@204.11.180.190] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:04] <dfsf> any idea why facinates are so dam cheap on ebay? also anybody have any knowlege on its battery life?
[21:05] <@[mbm]> jumping ship?
[21:05] <@nenolod> [mbm]: in this instance, no.
[21:05] <@nenolod> [mbm]: i just took the stuff from anddevelopers and rebuilt it against droid-2 kernel
[21:06] <Druuseph> My friend has one. Stock he said the battery sucks balls but he's done little tweaks here and there and got it about on par with a stock Droid 2
[21:06] <@nenolod> i like the music they have in the fascinate ad
[21:06] <@nenolod> wish i knew which remix it was
[21:06] == ff2 [~flyingfis@73.sub-97-22-144.myvzw.com] has quit [Ping timeout: 272 seconds]
[21:07] <@nenolod> my understanding however, is that the fascinate has no keyboard, thus disqualified
[21:07] <D13_> lol
[21:07] <@[mbm]> shazam
[21:08] <dfsf> any oem extended batteries for the fascinate... no led light is pretty ******ed though
[21:08] == OldNuc [~rich@204.11.180.190] has quit [Read error: Connection reset by peer]
[21:08] <@nenolod> [mbm]: point is, no radio
[21:08] <@nenolod>
[21:08] == OldNuc [~rich@204.11.180.190] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:09] == n0yd [~n0yd@13.sub-174-202-240.myvzw.com] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:09] == n0yd [~n0yd@13.sub-174-202-240.myvzw.com] has quit [Changing host]
[21:09] == n0yd [~n0yd@archlinux/user/n0yd] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:09] <toxman> guess that answered my earlier question to you mbm
[21:09] == Deodexed [~Deodexed@c-76-18-192-23.hsd1.fl.comcast.net] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:14] == n0yd [~n0yd@archlinux/user/n0yd] has quit [Ping timeout: 252 seconds]
[21:14] == nenolod changed the topic of #sholesunlock to: kexec works, but no radio.
[21:14] <@Beesley> im ok with that
[21:14] == Akirala [bee5ae58@gateway/web/freenode/ip.190.229.174.88] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:14] <@Beesley> ha
[21:14] <dfsf> better then nothing

 

[eulerphi8]

Again sorry for my ignorance but what is preventing ports of true aosp rom? Does cyanogenmod, etc. need to mess with the kernel? Or are developers just turned off by the locked bootloader?

As for the future, I still have hope for some type of hack for the bootloader. With the Milestone, Droid X, and Droid 2 all in the same situation, when one falls so will the others.

I have no idea about the business decision that moto is making, but in the end they must be benefiting somehow in their bottom line (or they think they are). Every company decision is economic and judging how successful Apple has been with such a closed approach and how HTC seems to be starting too, I wouldn't doubt this becoming the new norm unfortunately.

 

[OMJ]

Again sorry for my ignorance but what is preventing ports of true aosp rom? Does cyanogenmod, etc. need to mess with the kernel? Or are developers just turned off by the locked bootloader?

As for the future, I still have hope for some type of hack for the bootloader. With the Milestone, Droid X, and Droid 2 all in the same situation, when one falls so will the others.

I have no idea about the business decision that moto is making, but in the end they must be benefiting somehow in their bottom line (or they think they are). Every company decision is economic and judging how successful Apple has been with such a closed approach and how HTC seems to be starting too, I wouldn't doubt this becoming the new norm unfortunately.

I am not entirely sure what prevents aosp built roms from working but its not nearly as simple a process as it is on other phones.

In terms of the bootloader apple is more open than Moto. You can even restore your phone to stock with iTunes. Similar to the way we do with RSD Lite but its legit and supported by Apple instead of semi illegal and leaked.

 

[D13]

nenolod just said this on irc

[21:40] <@nenolod> so the challenge is this
[21:40] <@nenolod> figure out how to kexec and recover the BP
[21:41] <@nenolod> the BP i think has a hardware watchdog that causes it to reset, but i have no way of proving that
[21:41] <@nenolod> i think honestly at this point
[21:41] <@nenolod> it's better to get a different phone

 

[Piiman]

[21:33] <Druuseph> Ahh Motorola, the ways that you have found to *** us in the *** are so creative
[21:33] <dfsf> no way to emulate that?
[21:35] == blkblt412 [blkblt412@pool-173-69-123-74.aubnin.fios.verizon.net] has quit [Quit: Leaving]
[21:36] <dfsf> that was odd just looked at my phone and it went into bootloader didnt even touch it
[21:37] == Matt4542 [~matt@c-24-2-196-220.hsd1.ct.comcast.net] has joined #sholesunlock
[21:37] <dfsf> its like taunting me
[21:37] <Urufu_Shinjiro> Lol
[21:38] <Urufu_Shinjiro> Droid does, droid can be a dick ...
[21:38] <dfsf> just did it again think it has something to do with my faulty usb cable
[21:40] <@nenolod> so the challenge is this
[21:40] <@nenolod> figure out how to kexec and recover the BP
[21:41] <@nenolod> the BP i think has a hardware watchdog that causes it to reset, but i have no way of proving that
[21:41] <@nenolod> i think honestly at this point
[21:41] <@nenolod> it's better to get a different phone
[21:41] <Druuseph> Where's the fun in that?
[21:42] <NOTHINGness> How about a riot at Motorola's HQ
[21:42] <dfsf> ddos attack moto until they unlock!

 

[D13]

is there an echo in the room?

 

[eulerphi8]

True true, there is no excuse why there shouldn't be a way to go back to stock.

Yeah that's what I'm afraid of--that the implementation purposely blocks the radio from working. Let's hope that's not the case. But yeah this is kind of maddening. In terms of hardware, there's simply no phone on Verizon that can match the X. The Fascinate is a nice phone and has a better gpu and screen maybe but everything else about it just doesn't match the X. If anything, might as well wait until the next superphone comes out.

 

[Piiman]

True true, there is no excuse why there shouldn't be a way to go back to stock.

Yeah that's what I'm afraid of--that the implementation purposely blocks the radio from working. Let's hope that's not the case. But yeah this is kind of maddening. In terms of hardware, there's simply no phone on Verizon that can match the X. The Fascinate is a nice phone and has a better gpu and screen maybe but everything else about it just doesn't match the X. If anything, might as well wait until the next superphone comes out.

I'll ride out my contract with the X but will never buy Moto again (although p3 is reporting the Droid Pro is unlocked) They are too customer unfreindly if you ask me. And if the Droid Pro is unlocked I have to say WTF! But with the G2 having the new "put it back the way we sent it to you " chip this open business my be coming to an end.

 

[eulerphi8]

Yeah I see android splitting into "consumer phones" that are locked and "dev phones" like the N1. Unfortunately verizon isn't really known for being "open."

 

[v4npro]

I'm gonna have to ride out my contract on the X or maybe down the road use a family member upgrade.

As of now, I'm sticking with FlyX 0.1 until something else comes out. If nothing in a month or so, then going to OTA 2.2 I guess, root it and block bloat.

 

[MrDonBonJovi]

Anything can be hacked, its just a matter of how hard it is to figure out.

 

[SniperofFear]

If the Pro is unlocked, maybe Moto has learned their lesson? (Doubtful)

 

[acmonster]

I'm gonna have to ride out my contract on the X or maybe down the road use a family member upgrade.

As of now, I'm sticking with FlyX 0.1 until something else comes out. If nothing in a month or so, then going to OTA 2.2 I guess, root it and block bloat.

Check out Rubix. I went to it from FlyX and like it. it's alot leaner.

 

[OMJ]

If the Pro is unlocked, maybe Moto has learned their lesson? (Doubtful)

rumors from a long time ago were that the pro would be unlocked and it had something to do with having both cdma and gsm technologies. Something about having both made it so they couldnt lock it down. But this is just rumors from many months ago before we even knew what it looked like

 

[nitsuj17]

i think if you are happy with the x's speed, root, and semi-custom roms than the lack of kernels/overclock and aosp roms isnt a big deal.

on the other hand, for me my phone is more than a text/email/voice device its a source of fun and entertainment. flashing roms and kernels and overclocking is a lot of what has made my dinc fun. my x was frustrating me at the lack of being able to do this and when bootloader progress didnt pan out, I ebay-ed and sold it.

im not a samsung fan so i have no intention of moving laterally to the fascinate, so im just saving the money toward whatever htc has coming out thats over 4 inches in the future. i know a lot has been made of the g2 locked down, but it looks like that is a MUCH easier fix than a locked bootloader and could be done away with any day now.

ill always be thankful to the dx for getting me into android by being to big and cool to not ditch my blackberry for, but in the end i enjoy my incredible a lot more.

 

[D13]

on the other hand, for me my phone is more than a text/email/voice device its a source of fun and entertainment. flashing roms and kernels and overclocking is a lot of what has made my dinc fun. my x was frustrating me at the lack of being able to do this and when bootloader progress didnt pan out, I ebay-ed and sold it.

Totally agree, putting my X on ebay today when it gets here...brand new

Going along with the thread title

Fact:
Jeff is getting the Fascinate

 

[Outlaw71]

I was a Moto fan for years and years. I fled to Blackberry after getting a Motorola Q however. But once the Droid came out I was very happy to see them back in the game. So when my contract was up with my BB I jumped back into Moto waters and got the X. This is a great phone locked or unlocked, and it shows that Moto can build great equipment. But personally speaking, the lockdown is a slap in the face of consumers. And as has been said on here many times already, the only thing we can do that makes any difference to them at all is vote with our wallets. So this too will be my last Moto device unless they do a 180 and start being more user friendly. Now I'm wishing I would have bought the Nexus 1. Not because I think it's a better phone than the X out of the box, but because I have all the respect in the world for Google and their philosophies, expecially in contrast with Motorola.

Any word on a Nexus 2 or anything like that coming out of Google any time soon? I would problably sell my X to get something from them in a heartbeat right now. Even if it's a lateral move, I'm willing to put my money in someone else's pocket just for the sake of saying "I support you and your idea's' at this point. And it's not going to be Motorola's pocket.

 

[dabomb224]

Again sorry for my ignorance but what is preventing ports of true aosp rom? Does cyanogenmod, etc. need to mess with the kernel? Or are developers just turned off by the locked bootloader?

As for the future, I still have hope for some type of hack for the bootloader. With the Milestone, Droid X, and Droid 2 all in the same situation, when one falls so will the others.

I have no idea about the business decision that moto is making, but in the end they must be benefiting somehow in their bottom line (or they think they are). Every company decision is economic and judging how successful Apple has been with such a closed approach and how HTC seems to be starting too, I wouldn't doubt this becoming the new norm unfortunately.

Now that I stop and think about it, this whole locked bootloader thing was a frustratingly ingenious move on Moto's part. It goes beyond simply hindering the development community: by preventing us from flashing custom kernals, they can strictly enforce their phones' product lifecycles.

Want to update your phone to Gingerbread to keep it fresh and up to date? Too bad, you're stuck with a Froyo kernal and Moto won't be releasing any updates to help you. Oh darn, I guess now you have no choice but to upgrade to their latest phone.

I believe that this is the true purpose behind the locked bootloader: complete and absolute enforcement of their products' end of life dates. Notice that despite the release of the Droid X and Droid 2, many of their previous Droid customers felt that there was no need to upgrade. By overclocking their phones and installing battery optimized ROMS, they were able to keep their phones current (and will likely continue to do so) well after the so-called "end of life" of their phones. This, of course, hurts Moto's bottom line; thus, the locked bootloader was created. This effectively leaves you with 2 options: become obsolete in 6 months to a year (based on the amount of time it seems to take Google to release a major revision), or drop several hundred dollars on a new phone.

I might respect the genius behind it, but as far as I'm concerned, Motorola can go straight to hell.

 

[Piiman]

I was a Moto fan for years and years. I fled to Blackberry after getting a Motorola Q however. But once the Droid came out I was very happy to see them back in the game. So when my contract was up with my BB I jumped back into Moto waters and got the X. This is a great phone locked or unlocked, and it shows that Moto can build great equipment. But personally speaking, the lockdown is a slap in the face of consumers. And as has been said on here many times already, the only thing we can do that makes any difference to them at all is vote with our wallets. So this too will be my last Moto device unless they do a 180 and start being more user friendly. Now I'm wishing I would have bought the Nexus 1. Not because I think it's a better phone than the X out of the box, but because I have all the respect in the world for Google and their philosophies, expecially in contrast with Motorola.

Any word on a Nexus 2 or anything like that coming out of Google any time soon? I would problably sell my X to get something from them in a heartbeat right now. Even if it's a lateral move, I'm willing to put my money in someone else's pocket just for the sake of saying "I support you and your idea's' at this point. And it's not going to be Motorola's pocket.

It's not so much them locking the bootloader (I knew it going in) but how they have tried to stop the mod community. Unleashing the lawyers and changing the keys to render the 2.1 sbf into bricking device that has turned them off to me. If at all possible I won't buy any Moto product from this point on in my life.

 

[Piiman]

Now that I stop and think about it, this whole locked bootloader thing was a frustratingly ingenious move on Moto's part. It goes beyond simply hindering the development community: by preventing us from flashing custom kernals, they can strictly enforce their phones' product lifecycles.

Want to update your phone to Gingerbread to keep it fresh and up to date? Too bad, you're stuck with a Froyo kernal and Moto won't be releasing any updates to help you. Oh darn, I guess now you have no choice but to upgrade to their latest phone.

.

Well guess what ? When I do it won't be a moto device.

I might respect the genius behind it, but as far as I'm concerned, Motorola can go straight to hell

It's not genius its greed and I'm with you.
Are they so desperate for a few extra $$ that they have to target a small group of users?

 

[Outlaw71]

If at all possible I won't buy any Moto product from this point on in my life.

If at all possible? Haha, do you forsee a day when someone from Moto is going to take a family member hostage and send you a note that says, "if you ever want to see your grandmother again, you will buy the Droid 7"!!!!!