Apps ADB noob help.

[snapcase]

Hope this is the right forum for this, but here goes.

I'm trying to get started with using ADB. I can start adb shell in the command prompt (using windows xp btw), and can see the directory I'm in (ls).

However, I can't really use any other commands... at all. My command lines start with $ not # (from what I read I gather that's to do with access level). If I type devices I get "devices: permission denied", likewise with "adb devices". I can cd, but for example if I "cd data" and then type "ls" I get "opendir failed, Permission denied". Also I tried "adb root" and again "adb: permission denied" is the return message.

Googling the problem gave me threads on other forums with advice like right after running adb shell using "su" or "adb root" and various different orders for putting in different commands, all of which give me permission denied.

So... wtf am I missing? I haven't been able to find anything online that actually helps. I've found plenty that implies that simple commands like "devices" should work and give me a readout of connected devices, but it doesn't.

 

[Deleted User]

What are you trying to do, just get a feel for using the shell? If that's the case, then it's easiest to set up a virtual device and use the shell on that (I assume from the permissions issues that you're trying to use a shell on your actual device). That will give you a lot more freedom and take away any worry that you could break anything important.

 

[cp1]

adb devices will work. Just don't type it in the phone shell, you type it on your computer.

Most of your phone is locked down to provide you security. Could you imagine plugging your phone into a computer that has some virus that downloads all your personal information off the phone? If you root your phone it can happen though. So if you're into that go root, just be careful where you use your phone.

There are some places you can access, you should be able to cd /sdcard and you could see some unsecured folders that other programs have put there. But mainly except for changing the startup screen animation there's not much to do besides install / uninstall apps without root.

As Ian said you can do whatever you want with the emulator.