Root confused about s-on and s-off

[OldDogEyes]

I am confused about what it means to achieve S on or S off and what that means to the root process?

Also, what role does HTCs official unlocker play in the process? Weren't people rooting before that came out?

Lastly, I want to reformat my SD card while rooting. Can I just copy the data off of it (game saves, etc) and then copy them back later or do I have to use something like Titanium backup?

Do I have to be rooted to do a nand backup?

Thanks...

 

[theTrashcanMan]

I am confused about what it means to achieve S on or S off and what that means to the root process?

It has to do with the security of the phone. S-on =unrooted, s-off = rooted

Also, what role does HTCs official unlocker play in the process? Weren't people rooting before that came out?

It makes the rooting process easier, I've never used it, but I would guess it's more secure. Also, I wonder if using it means that HTC and Sprint know you're rooted and voids your warranty?

Lastly, I want to reformat my SD card while rooting. Can I just copy the data off of it (game saves, etc) and then copy them back later or do I have to use something like Titanium backup?

yes

Do I have to be rooted to do a nand backup?

yes

Thanks...

you're welcome


edit: If you're thinking about rooting, read...a lot. When you think you know what you're doing read it again just to make sure and then ask questions here. Titanium back-up is really good once you root but before rooting MyBackup works pretty good in keeping all your stuff. Unfortunately, when you root you will lose everything that you don't back up, but once you root you can use NANDroids and titanium backup to never have to deal with it again.

 

[ocnbrze]

I am confused about what it means to achieve S on or S off and what that means to the root process?

Also, what role does HTCs official unlocker play in the process? Weren't people rooting before that came out?

Lastly, I want to reformat my SD card while rooting. Can I just copy the data off of it (game saves, etc) and then copy them back later or do I have to use something like Titanium backup?

Do I have to be rooted to do a nand backup?

Thanks...

well getting s-off was key to rooting the evo in the past. but htc has given us a backdoor way to keep your security on but still be able to make changes to your system partitions without having to turn your securities off. this is actually a good thing if you think of it. your phone is less likely to get anything bad by having your security on. but the backdoor way is slightly more complicated compared to previous ways of rooting before.

with each new ota htc (as well as other phone manufacturers) have locked the bootloader which has made it harder on devs to find an exploit. and with each new ota finding an exploit gets harder and harder to find. it took the devs when gingerbread (2.3.3) first came out, about 3-4 months before they were able to find an exploit. so by having htc unlock the bootloader, they have made it possible to root your phone. the only thing that you cannot do is flash any updated radios. however, if you are on 2.3.5 (hboot 2.18) then you will have all of the current radios so there is no worries on that.

titanium backup is used mainly to backup apps and its data. it is not used to back anything on the sd card. easiest way is to just copy and paste your card into a folder on your computer. and i would wait until you are rooted first then use titanium backup to save your apps and data and then reformat the card.

 

[d4rk13l4de]

yea i was just about to post that my rooted evo still says s-on

 

[Rxpert83]

HTC's method is NOT easier than prvious methods. Another reason why you should never accept an Ota if planning to root
The older methods used to take 15-20mins once you got tuibgs downloaded but its much more involved now.

 

[MizzouBrent]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you exclusively use the HTC dev tool to flash updates, you have to be tethered to a computer in order to flash don't you? I guess we can assume that there are great devs out there who can crack any bootloader, and that still may happen for newer HTC devices like the Evo LTE but what if it takes like 6 months? What if they roll out an update that ends up never getting exploited? I'd rather go with something that I know is going to be unlocked for the duration of the time that I have the phone. Samsung will likely be the manufacturer of my next phone. Either the Nexus or the GS3. The E4GT has a TON of dev support and I would consider that, but Kansas City is on the list of cities slated for the first LTE rollout, so I'd be foolish to get a wimax phone.

 

[alishanjerry]

do i have to get an s-off before i root my phone i have ARHD 6.3.3 for my phone

 

[ocnbrze]

do i have to get an s-off before i root my phone i have ARHD 6.3.3 for my phone

s-off these days are not as important as it used to be. htc has given us a backdoor so that we can get a custom recovery which gives us the ability to flash most things like any other rooted phone. not sure what arhd is though.

just read the http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-all...-rooting-gingerbread-2-3-5-dummies-guide.html for more info.


edit: oh yeah, welcome to the forums!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dustwun77]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you exclusively use the HTC dev tool to flash updates, you have to be tethered to a computer in order to flash don't you? I guess we can assume that there are great devs out there who can crack any bootloader, and that still may happen for newer HTC devices like the Evo LTE but what if it takes like 6 months? What if they roll out an update that ends up never getting exploited? I'd rather go with something that I know is going to be unlocked for the duration of the time that I have the phone. Samsung will likely be the manufacturer of my next phone. Either the Nexus or the GS3. The E4GT has a TON of dev support and I would consider that, but Kansas City is on the list of cities slated for the first LTE rollout, so I'd be foolish to get a wimax phone.

I heard that, they did and OTA for the LTE and really shut things down for folk who weren't already s-off.

I am already in with my phone, but I am starting to see more and more what you are talking about going forward.

 

[Rxpert83]

There will always be a root method for HTC devices, they just want to make sure you don't royally screw up the device by not allowing you to flash radios and similar things. It's great for noobs to rooting, but a hinderance to people who are experienced.

S-off is nice, but not really needed.

Granted, I s-off'd mine within the hour of finding out it was available and haven't looked back.

Never take an ota. Never.

 

[dustwun77]

Last I read, it appeared that they had put further limits on what one could do with just an unlocked bootloader.

Same story, last I heard, CapnThrowback had accepted the ota to see if he could work around it and hasn't been able to yet. I realize figuring that stuff out is half the fun for some but what a pain in the neck. I had the Evo for a few months before Revolutionary. Thing is, I accepted the ota that locked it before I even knew I shouldn't.

I have enjoyed the HTC phones, but it is amazing the difference in attitude the companies have towards the root question. i can see where it could affect the decision as to which phone to get.

have to balance the depth of support the device will get, of course.

 

[Rxpert83]

Last I read, it appeared that they had put further limits on what one could do with just an unlocked bootloader.

Same story, last I heard, CapnThrowback had accepted the ota to see if he could work around it and hasn't been able to yet. I realize figuring that stuff out is half the fun for some but what a pain in the neck. I had the Evo for a few months before Revolutionary. Thing is, I accepted the ota that locked it before I even knew I shouldn't.

I have enjoyed the HTC phones, but it is amazing the difference in attitude the companies have towards the root question. i can see where it could affect the decision as to which phone to get.

have to balance the depth of support the device will get, of course.

If your referring to the LTEVO, then yes, with the first hboot you could flash whatever you wanted to in recovery. With the newer hboot it appears as if its the same as the unlocked OG EVO where you can't flash splash screens or radios in recovery, and possibly like the 3d where you can't flash kernels. There are always workarounds though.

HTC doesn't know what theyre up against

 

[madandroid]

Thanks, this is very useful info, I rooted my phone as a noob not knowing what to but follow some instructions. But this helps to know what everything means. I hope to learn more but it seemed to work for me.

 

[ocnbrze]

Thanks, this is very useful info, I rooted my phone as a noob not knowing what to but follow some instructions. But this helps to know what everything means. I hope to learn more but it seemed to work for me.

Welcome to the forums!!!!!!!!!!
Please feel free to ask any questions.

 

[CapThrowback]

If your referring to the LTEVO, then yes, with the first hboot you could flash whatever you wanted to in recovery. With the newer hboot it appears as if its the same as the unlocked OG EVO where you can't flash splash screens or radios in recovery, and possibly like the 3d where you can't flash kernels. There are always workarounds though.

HTC doesn't know what theyre up against

I'm still working on getting S-OFF, btw. I'm working with a One X dev to try and get LazyPanda working. There was also some talk of intentionally bricking in Linux long enough to write to /dev/block/mmcblk0p12 (HBOOT) to change the version number so that it can be downgraded.

So yeah, the OG is easy compared to dealing with that. S-OFF or S-ON, the OG bootloader still provides much more freedom.

 

[maxnix]

S off basically allows the owner to do anything programatically.