Help To root or not to root that is the question...

Eldarwen · Jan 23, 2013

Right, I'm a complete noob at modding anything software and therefor also terrified to make an error.

I love my phone (Galaxy S3 using android 4.0.4) but I hate some of the useless apps that I can't uninstall from my phone because the manufacturer decided they want it on there. What I also hate is that I can't move apps and pics etc to SD so my phone is stuffed to the limit but my sd card is picking it's nose. And I don't know whether rooting my device will help me fix these things and maybe (since I heard about jailbreaking providing more free apps which otherwise would have required payment) also expand my app world.

Does rooting really change the complete look of your phone? is it easy to undo if you're not happy with it? Will regular apps from google play be affected (I'm a Sims addict, shame on me hahaha)? What do you have to back-up? and will my phone stop bugging me whenever I try to dock it to my laptop (mtp sync crash)? And are the instructions you find on the internet universal or just for the USA (I live in The Netherlands and have a Dutch phone with Vodafone)

I know that's a lot of questions. But I'm ready to fix my phone since I now have the inssuficient data notice popping up every day no matter how much I uninstall.

Thank you for your time

SUroot · Jan 23, 2013

Eldarwen said:
(since I heard about jailbreaking providing more free apps which otherwise would have required payment) also expand my app world.

Jailbraking Iphones will allow people to steal apps from the developer. rooting does not do this (Luckily).

Discussion of piracy is not permitted here

Rooting is simply administrator access.

Eldarwen said:
Does rooting really change the complete look of your phone?

Root access is the Linux equivalent of a Windows Administrator account. It has nothing to do with the look and feel of the device. It just gives you access to areas of the phone you couldnt access previously.

Eldarwen said:
is it easy to undo if you're not happy with it?

You have to return it completely to stock by reinstalling official releases of the Samsung Android OS. There are guides to do it. You will need to do it to return it for warranty.

Eldarwen said:
Will regular apps from google play be affected (I'm a Sims addict, shame on me hahaha)?

Some apps wont run with root. Its a very tiny handful though. "Sky Go" is the only one I know of

Eldarwen said:
What do you have to back-up?

Whatever you want to keep. See my backup thread here:

http://androidforums.com/internatio...t/669118-info-my-backup-restore-routines.html

Eldarwen said:
and will my phone stop bugging me whenever I try to dock it to my laptop (mtp sync crash)?

No Idea. Probably a simple factory reset will? Not seen this.

Eldarwen said:
And are the instructions you find on the internet universal or just for the USA (I live in The Netherlands and have a Dutch phone with Vodafone)

There is a root subforum here for every version of the S3, each with the correct instructions. You probably have the international version if you're in Europe. There is a sticky thread there that will answer lots of questions.

Eldarwen said:
I know that's a lot of questions. But I'm ready to fix my phone since I now have the inssuficient data notice popping up every day no matter how much I uninstall.

If you install games, there are apps with root you can use to move your backend internal sdcard data to external SD card....

Here is what I use:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1410262

Mostly Harmless · Jan 23, 2013

By rooting the phone it allows you to install ROMs which can change the look and feel of the phones software (Touchwiz). But you can also do this by installing one of the many launchers in the play store.

SUroot · Jan 23, 2013

Mostly Harmless said:
By rooting the phone it allows you to install ROMs which can change the look and feel of the phones software (Touchwiz). But you can also do this by installing one of the many launchers in the play store.

Technically, all you need is Odin and a custom recovery to flash to get a custom ROM, however obviously the "rooting" process gives you that too

rossmathis · Jan 23, 2013

Rooting isn't so much the question for me. It's just do I want to install a custom ROM and risk the stability of the OS.

SUroot · Jan 23, 2013

It depends what you mean by "custom".

There are AOSP (Android Open Source Project) custom ROMs like Cyanogen that are closer to the pure android look and feel, or there are Samsung Touchwiz based custom ROMs that are as stable as official, if not more.

Gomjaba · Jan 23, 2013

By the way, if all you care about is the fact that stock apps are visible, then you can simply hide them without any new roms or rooting ... In your app drawer just hit the settings and scroll down, then you can hit "hide apps" and you are then able to select the apps you'd like to hide.

Of course they are still installed etc., but yuo don't see them any more

schneidr · Jan 23, 2013

Does hiding them disable them as TiBU does?

SUroot · Jan 23, 2013

schneidr said:
Does hiding them disable them as TiBU does?

No, it hides them from the app drawer. Some apps can be disabled via applications manager. Thats more like a TB "Freeze" but TB can freeze anything.

jackroo · Jan 23, 2013

I tried posting in the root forum and got no reply so I will try here: how do I root my Sprint Galaxy S3 4.1.1 using a Mac? Thank you

funkylogik · Jan 24, 2013

Op i noticed you said you cant move pics to external SD.
You can move all media inc' pics.. just use the MyFiles app.
Then set your camera to save pics to Ext Sd.
8mb pics use a lot of space mate.
im rooted but i just use the Ext Sd for media (vids, music and pics) and backups but then im not a big gamer. Good luck and only do what youre comfortable with

SUroot · Jan 24, 2013

jackroo said:
I tried posting in the root forum and got no reply so I will try here: how do I root my Sprint Galaxy S3 4.1.1 using a Mac? Thank you

Google tells me you don't.

You would be best getting access to s windows pc. There is a tool called heimdell or something which is the Mac equivalent of odin by whether it can root or not, who knows.

funkylogik · Jan 24, 2013

Ouch!
Is there NO way without a computer?

SUroot · Jan 24, 2013

On the International G3 (GT-i9300), You can "Root" using the exynos Abuse app, if you are older than XXELLA. Then you coudl use Mobile Odin to flash a custom recovery.

Of course, US variants don't have an Exynos CPU, so this won't work for them. There are too many differences in hardware and software for me to answer this question.

Thats why it really is best to keep these things in their own subforums. If no one answers, usually that means no one knows.

jackroo · Jan 24, 2013

SUroot, thank you for your the reply. I'll look into that for Mac. I always like reading your posts on here by the way. Very informative. Cheers!

Pappy35 · Jan 25, 2013

QBKing77 (on YouTube) has a number of video guides that will show you how to root your phone. That's how I got started. It's very easy. Once you have root you can create full system backups (the only real reason I did it) using TWRP or CWM (search here or at XDA to learn what those are). I prefer TWRP's touch interface.

I've got a flat-spot on my forehead from trying to do this with my Mac. Mac and Samsung don't play well together. Once I caved and used my wife's Windows laptop I was done in, like, 10 minutes. Unless you're into masochism, I would recommend you just find a Windows machine for the initial root. You can do everything else (ROM's, etc.) with the phone's data connection afterwards.

phonephreak32 · Jan 25, 2013

is this youtube video correct?

How To Root Your Samsung Galaxy s3 - Verizon 4.1.1 - YouTube

is it better to use odin or RootDebugFS?

is it better to use this method?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1762709

im a noob also and thinking about doing this to get rid of the bloatware crap.

SUroot · Jan 25, 2013

phonephreak32 said:
is this youtube video correct?

How To Root Your Samsung Galaxy s3 - Verizon 4.1.1 - YouTube

is it better to use odin or RootDebugFS?

is it better to use this method?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1762709

im a noob also and thinking about doing this to get rid of the bloatware crap.

It may be correct if you have a verizon usa phone but I didn't think you had

SUroot · Jan 25, 2013

Ok so you have the gt-i9300 you think? That is not verizon. You may notice there are root subforums at the top of this main forum. You need the international one. Everything you need is in the sticky thread

phonephreak32 · Jan 25, 2013

i do have a verizon usa phone

dagactor · Jan 25, 2013

Eldarwen said:
Right, I'm a complete noob at modding anything software and therefor also terrified to make an error.

I love my phone (Galaxy S3 using android 4.0.4) but I hate some of the useless apps that I can't uninstall from my phone because the manufacturer decided they want it on there. What I also hate is that I can't move apps and pics etc to SD so my phone is stuffed to the limit but my sd card is picking it's nose. And I don't know whether rooting my device will help me fix these things and maybe (since I heard about jailbreaking providing more free apps which otherwise would have required payment) also expand my app world.

Does rooting really change the complete look of your phone? is it easy to undo if you're not happy with it? Will regular apps from google play be affected (I'm a Sims addict, shame on me hahaha)? What do you have to back-up? and will my phone stop bugging me whenever I try to dock it to my laptop (mtp sync crash)? And are the instructions you find on the internet universal or just for the USA (I live in The Netherlands and have a Dutch phone with Vodafone)

I know that's a lot of questions. But I'm ready to fix my phone since I now have the inssuficient data notice popping up every day no matter how much I uninstall.

Thank you for your time

You can also go to "MANAGE APPS" then "ALL" and disable any of the bloatware you don't want to have running.

Help To root or not to root that is the question...

Lurker

Extreme Android User

Android Expert

Extreme Android User

Android Enthusiast

Extreme Android User

Android Enthusiast

Newbie

Extreme Android User

Android Enthusiast

share the love peeps ;)

Extreme Android User

share the love peeps ;)

Extreme Android User

Android Enthusiast

Well-Known Member

Member

Extreme Android User

Extreme Android User

Member

Newbie

BEST TECH IN 2023

Smartphones

Best Android Phones

Upcoming

Best iPhones

Upcoming

Tablets

Best Tablets

Upcoming

Laptops

Best Laptops

Upcoming

Televisions

Best TVs

Upcoming

Game Consoles

Best Game Consoles

Upcoming

Wearables

Best Wearables

Upcoming

Smart Home

Smart Home Tech

Upcoming

Similar threads