Root A few questions about root

[TJC Funknuckle]

I am very new to this and have looked over alot of documentation and may have missed some of what im going to ask so sorry in advance. I plan on using unrevoked3 to attain root.

1. will i loose the apps I have purchased like ultra keyboard, and if not how do i recover them.
2. what about updates like the gingerbread update im sure is coming out, meaning how will i be able to update because i heard that once you root you can no longer get OTA updates.
3. how do you find, trust and load custom roms
4. and finally for now, how do you backup you phone so you can save the info on it in case of a crash or whatever.

Sorry by the way, im just in LOVE with my EVO and do not in anyway want to gimp it, so even at the risk of getting flamed i want to know so stuff.

 

[akazabam]

The only thing I would add to that is the list of all (or at least most) custom roms available:

HTC Supersonic/ROMs - XDA-Developers

 

[TJC Funknuckle]

ok might be the best question and hopefully the last.. there is always a drawback to things like this.... so what is it with rooting? I know about gaining free tethering which is a plus but dont know many others, hint hint.. and if there are any real drawbacks what are they

 

[akazabam]

ok might be the best question and hopefully the last.. there is always a drawback to things like this.... so what is it with rooting? I know about gaining free tethering which is a plus but dont know many others, hint hint.. and if there are any real drawbacks what are they

The rooting for dummies thread has a good list of why it's worth it (see the sections on root only apps and removing bloatware). You can also flash custom roms, which are generally built for different purposes, but expect better performance and better battery life.

As far as drawbacks are concerned, just know that there is always a possibility of bricking your phone, but depending on what you're doing, it's very unlikely unless you don't read steps carefully. The rooting process with unrevoked is considered safe, and just flashing mods and roms is not dangerous unless you don't create backups (and even then, it's unlikely that you can't get it working, though with some data loss). Also, you won't be able to install any official OTAs, but that's not a big deal. Often, rooted versions of most updates hit xda before the officials ones are released.

 

[TJC Funknuckle]

Thank you again,

are there any real big advantages to root besides the tether tho? I've had my Evo since launch and I think im one of one here in Johnstown Pa, that have it. Meaning I have no insight to anything. The warranty doesnt matter to me because I've had my phone since launch and have yet to have a problem so if thats it im set. I pimp this phone to everyone and got my son and my wife on androids also (hero) and have converted many many people... but im the only one to take the Evo plunge in a no 4g market now or probably ever

 

[flyjbaker]

1) you will not loose your purchased apps...just have to redownload them(or restore them via an app like Titanium Backup).
2)You should not accept an OTA while rooted!!! Like others have said, just wait until a dev incorporates the update into their ROM and then flash that ROM.
3)You can get a general since of the mainstream developers. ROMs like Myn's and Fresh are usually tight and perfectly stable...not a damn thing wrong with them. You will figure it out.
4)Once you are rooted you install a recovery method(or the method of rooting installs it for you). If you are going to flash a ROM then you do a backup via that recovery method. I think it will make more sense once you get there...

And generally, these mainstream ROMs work perfectly without issues. If there are issues, they are usually isolated to certain users...many times because they were too lazy to wipe their phone(ie follow proper procedures).

 

[flyjbaker]

n

BUT if you want to use HTC's ginger when it comes out then all you have to do is flash back to stock unroot and then you can enjoy stock ginger (this will most likely bock root thouth)

I want to reiterate this point. If you go back to stock just to receive an OTA, you could potentially be out of the root loop for months while the developers figure out an exploit for the new update....especially a big update like gingerbread....just a little FYI. You best bet is to flash a ROM that incorporates the new update. Any significant update pushed out by Sprint/HTC is usually followed(many times preceded) by an update from your favorite developer.

 

[TJC Funknuckle]

so since obviously im not going to be messing around with my phone much right away as far as customization except for the tether, would it just be a smart idea to wait for gingerbread and then root? that way i have a backup of an official gingerbread rom

 

[akazabam]

so since obviously im not going to be messing around with my phone much right away as far as customization except for the tether, would it just be a smart idea to wait for gingerbread and then root? that way i have a backup of an official gingerbread rom

There's really no way of knowing how long it will take for a root exploit to be available once gingerbread is available. You could be waiting quite a while if you do that. If you ever want to go to any stock rom after you root(and I'm sure this will include gingerbread), you can unroot and flash a RUU.

 

[frenchy714]

so since obviously im not going to be messing around with my phone much right away as far as customization except for the tether, would it just be a smart idea to wait for gingerbread and then root? that way i have a backup of an official gingerbread rom

I'm sure that there will be plenty of rom's/mods available that'll have gingerbread customizations or will be available with the gingerbread update incorporated w/in the rom. Like mentioned earlier, these updates usually come out before the official OTA comes out.....if you'd like to customize now, go for it!

 

[fmalcolmr]

well you can pick any ROM that you want, some feel like stock android, some have a sense feel and some are their own, with root there are not limitations, if you are rooted you have access to all the *root required apps* like shoot me that takes screenshots and things like that

[It is possible to take screen-shots without rooting. My Evo is unrooted and "shootme" works perfectly]

 

[wrapkgb]

so since obviously im not going to be messing around with my phone much right away as far as customization except for the tether, would it just be a smart idea to wait for gingerbread and then root? that way i have a backup of an official gingerbread rom

Prior to sprint/htc pushing out an ota (ie froyo or gingerbread) the devolopers will already have there hands on the update. Either from extracting it from the ruu or a leaked copy. Either way they will have gingerbread roms already available. So put it this way.. flashing a rom based off of android os 2.3 will be the same as accepting the official ota from sprint. There are only a few things that are included in a software update.. software, possibly a new radio, and possiby a new hboot. The roms will be based on the new software so your good there. If they do include a new radio, you just flash it as a rom so your good there. And the hboot doesn't matter. So either rooted or unrooted you will still get from point a to point b.

If you do unrooting it can take a while almost guaranteed to obtain a root exploit. When 2.2 came out it was a while before a stable rooting method was found.

 

[hortstu]

Maybe you asked this...

so since obviously im not going to be messing around with my phone much right away as far as customization except for the tether, would it just be a smart idea to wait for gingerbread and then root? that way i have a backup of an official gingerbread rom

just as fly posted this?

I want to reiterate this point. If you go back to stock just to receive an OTA, you could potentially be out of the root loop for months while the developers figure out an exploit for the new update....especially a big update like gingerbread....just a little FYI. You best bet is to flash a ROM that incorporates the new update. Any significant update pushed out by Sprint/HTC is usually followed(many times preceded) by an update from your favorite developer.

 

[flyjbaker]

so since obviously im not going to be messing around with my phone much right away as far as customization except for the tether, would it just be a smart idea to wait for gingerbread and then root? that way i have a backup of an official gingerbread rom

I do understand what you are getting at in this post. And your logic is flawed(I know this because I thought the same thing). You obviously think that you must have a stock ROM for a "backup". That is NOT the case. The only purpose of a backup is to recover your phone to a stable/safe state. "Stable/safe" means your phone is working just fine and you can do whatever you want once you get back to that point. "Stable/safe" does NOT equal stock(although it can be stock)!!! It means exactly what it means.

I hope that makes sense. TO put it very briefly and to the point....Your nandroid backup does NOT have to be a stock ROM. It SHOULD be a stable/safe ROM to recover back to. Like I said above, once you are there you can do absolutely ANYTHING you need to do....go back to stock....try again...unroot....whatever.