Root Am I Rooted?

[arkwright]

Yesterday I tried to root my Desire using Revoked. Everything went smoothly until the final step which required me to install 'update.zip'

Despite numerous attempts, I kept getting an error and being told unstallation had failed.

I gave up at this point and decided I was to dumb to carry out such a complex procedure.

However, out of curiosity I downloaded a 'root checker' app and it said I was rooted. I then downloaded 2 more 'root checker' apps and one said I was rooted and the other said I wasn't.

I then downloaded Titanium Back Up and was able to back up some apps I randomly chose.

Finally,I do have something called 'Superuser Permissions' in my app list.

Can anyone tell me with the information I've supplied whether or not I'm rooted and if I am, is the 'update.zip. essential if it hasn't installed correctly?

Many thanks

 

[Hadron]

If you can run Titanium then you are rooted.

But I don't understand the bit about "update.zip". Unrevoked is a one-click tool, no extra step needed. If you used Revolutionary instead then that does require flashing a file to complete rooting, but it wouldn't be called "update.zip" unless you renamed it (and there's no reason to do that).

 

[arkwright]

If you can run Titanium then you are rooted.

But I don't understand the bit about "update.zip". Unrevoked is a one-click tool, no extra step needed. If you used Revolutionary instead then that does require flashing a file to complete rooting, but it wouldn't be called "update.zip" unless you renamed it (and there's no reason to do that).

Hi, thanks for the reply. I definitely used unrevoked and as part of the instructions on it's site it told me to download a file that it provided a link to, then rename the file 'update.zip' and install the file from my sd card through recovery. That's the part that I haven't been able to complete.

 

[Hadron]

Hmm, I can't see that on their site. Can you provide a link?

You can flash any zip through recovery without renaming to "update.zip" - it's usually only very old instructions that tell you to do that.

 

[arkwright]

Hmm, I can't see that on their site. Can you provide a link?

You can flash any zip through recovery without renaming to "update.zip" - it's usually only very old instructions that tell you to do that.

Here's the link Hadron

How to Root HTC Desire and Update it to 4.2 JellyBean Cyanogenmod

 

[Hadron]

Thanks. OK, that's not the unrevoked team's site, which is why I couldn't see it, and from the name on the page I don't believe the author is a member of the unrevoked team.

I understand what it's about now. That "update.zip" was "unrevoked forever". This is a tool to give S-Off to some CDMA HTC handsets. So that should work with the CDMA Desire (Bravo_C), but won't work with the more common GSM Desire (Bravo). That's why it didn't install, and if you have a GSM phone it's a good thing it didn't!

If you want S-Off, revolutionary is the recommended tool these days, though as you are already rooted you could use alpharev if you preferred. S-Off is not essential, so I'd get used to root first.

As I said earlier, there is no need to rename a zip to "update.zip" in order to flash it via recovery - there is a "select zip from sd card" option in the recovery.

I'm a bit disappointed that that site included a step that only works on some Desires but didn't mention this fact - it implies that they don't know that there are 2 variants with the same name, which implies they don't have very wide experience of supporting Desire owners

 

[arkwright]

Thanks Hadron, you've been a great help.

Another question if I may.

Do I have to install a custom ROm to be able to use A2SD.

My main reason for rooting is simply to get over the limited storage the Desire is infamous for. I'm happy with the phone in most other aspects, would just like to add a few more apps and widgets without my memory running low.

 

[Hadron]

If you mean the "custom" way of doing it, using an extra partition on the sd card with an ext3 or ext4 filesystem, then unfortunately I think you do. The reason is that these solutions use a script that runs when you start the phone, and I'm pretty sure that the stock ROM doesn't support init.d scripts.

If you want to try without a custom ROM, you could try the following:

* partition your card (you'll need this anyway). There's a "root memory faq" in the All Things Root Guide sticky post, which should explain some of this. We recommend GParted as the partitioning tool, but if you used 4Ext recovery (probably not, as that guide won't have mentioned it) that does a reasonable job of partitioning. CWM can partition, but you'll probably end up with misaligned partitions which slows write speeds.

Back up the contents of the card completely before partitioning, as it will almost certainly wipe them. Make sure you get "hidden" files (names starting with "." as well). If you've ever moved an app to sd you will have a .android_secure folder, so whether you copy that or not would be a good test of whether you have everything.

To play really safe, take a backup from recovery (a "nandroid" backup) and make sure you get that backed up to PC (if you have ClockworkMod recovery it will be in a folder called clockworkmod/backup on the sd card). Then if you were to lose apps moved to sd you can restore them from that. Run Titanium Backup first as well, then copy everything to PC.

* Having partitioned the card (and copied contents back), try installing an app called Link2SD from the Play Store. If that works, and still works after a reboot, then you are OK. If it doesn't work, or if the apps aren't moved after a reboot (I'd try moving just a couple) then you do need a custom ROM.

Of course, if you are interested in custom ROMs just take a nandroid of your current ROM, a Titanium backup of everything (make sure you include backups of call logs and texts in XML format and have contacts properly backed up), then do a factory reset and install the custom ROM. If you don't like it, restore the nandroid and you are back to where you started

One warning: if you are using ClockworkMod recovery, there is sometimes a glitch the first time you make a nandroid backup and the phone won't boot afterwards. The fix is to go back into recovery and restore the backup you just make. It only happens the first time - just a weird little thing that sometimes happens.

Sorry, that's a bit of a brain dump, but I need to go offline for a while now

 

[arkwright]

Holy cow...

You may as well have written everything in Greek. Thanks for taking the time to try and explain, but suddenly buying a new phone seems infinately more desirable...

 

[Hadron]

Yeah, I said it was a brain dump!

Best is to do it step by step. Read the root memory faq I mentioned, and see if that makes sense by itself. Don't worry about the other stuff just yet. I took weeks absorbing everything that I wrote in minutes just there

Well, I say don't worry about the other stuff. Do take a backup from recovery (a "nandroid" backup) before actually changing the system in any way - and if you have trouble booting after taking that backup (happens occasionally), just restore the backup. But reading first.

 

[arkwright]

Ok...

I've done the nandroid back up and I've done the Titanium back up. Do I still need to manually back up my SD card to my PC before I try to flash a new ROM?

 

[Hadron]

Before flashing a ROM, no. Only if you are going to partition the card, as that erases the card (a normal factory reset should not).

Did you make sure that messages and call logs are backed up as XML? Titanium has 2 formats for doing message backups, and the standard one doesn't transfer between ROMs. In Titanium's backup list you'll see "messages (SMS & MMS)") and the word XML (vertically), in yellow, and similar for "call log". Make sure both of those have backups made.

Also contacts: if they aren't all synced with Google, export them from the contacts app ("People" HTC call it as I remember), which will save them as vcard files on sd.

The reason for doing this double checking is that you need to do a factory reset before changing ROMs. This is because system data are usually not compatible between different ROMs (so don't try to restore system settings to a new ROM). Call logs, contacts and messages are part of the data of system apps, and restoring them can cause problems. Google or vcard backups of contacts, and the XML backups of call logs and messages, are compatible between different ROMs, so I like to make sure these are done before changing ROM.

Since you have a nandroid, if there is any problem you can just restore that and try again

User apps and data you can restore fine to a new ROM, it's just anything that might include system settings that's risky.

 

[arkwright]

Just to clarify, when I restore from Titanium after flashing a new ROM, I need to exclude system settings?

If this is the case, how do I identify what are system settings in my Titanium Back Up?

 

[Hadron]

The easy way is if you have batch operations (may be a feature of the Pro version only - I've used that so long that I forget). Then you can just batch restore user apps & their data, and separately restore the XML backups.

Otherwise, the colour of the app name in the backup list is a good indicator. User apps are white, XML backups yellow. Both of those are fine. System apps are red - probably best avoided. System settings are green.

 

[Rxpert83]

The easy way is if you have batch operations (may be a feature of the Pro version only - I've used that so long that I forget). Then you can just batch restore user apps & their data, and separately restore the XML backups.

Otherwise, the colour of the app name in the backup list is a good indicator. User apps are white, XML backups yellow. Both of those are fine. System apps are red - probably best avoided. System settings are green.

Yep, batch is paid only

 

[arkwright]

The easy way is if you have batch operations (may be a feature of the Pro version only - I've used that so long that I forget). Then you can just batch restore user apps & their data, and separately restore the XML backups.

Otherwise, the colour of the app name in the backup list is a good indicator. User apps are white, XML backups yellow. Both of those are fine. System apps are red - probably best avoided. System settings are green.

I don;t have the Pro version but it did allow me to do a batch back up. What it won't allow me to do is back up XML without the pro version.

I'm not too concerned about that as I'm really not bothered if I retrieve messages and call logs, so unless it's critical to back up and restore these then I'll let them disappear.

When I did the batch back up, I chose apps and data, but when I look at the list that presents itself when you open Titanium, it shows all the red and green apps you describe as being backed up as well. Is it easy to exclude them from a restore when I have to?

Again many thanks for your help and patience Hadron...

 

[Hadron]

It's easy to exclude from a restore. Obviously so if you have to restore individually, but even with batch you just go through the list and untick them before running the batch job.

There are other apps that can back up messages etc in the Play Store, so if you want you could just install one of those.

 

[arkwright]

Ok....

I'm going to flash a new ROM later today when I get home from work.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks

 

[arkwright]

Well that went pretty well....

Flashed a new rom and my phone still works, which was an unexpected bonus.

Now to my final problem. I've tried to partition my SD card in order to install A2SD.

I've tried doing it through recovery and managed to format the card, but I'm having no joy with the next step. Instructions tell me to go to 'advanced' and select 'partition sd' but I don't have that option in advanced.

Don;t know what to do now, so any help much appreciated.

 

[nicka3200]

There is guide in the root guide thread which will tell you how to do it with gparted which is the recommended method.

If you are s-off you could install 4ext recovery which will do it for you. Other recoveries tend not to do a great job of partitioning anyway.

 

[arkwright]

Thanks for the advice nicka, but unfortunately despite following the guide as you suggested I'm still unable to partition my SD card.

I installed Gparted onto a usb stick as instructed using Tuxboot, but when I go to recovery and 'mount usb' nothing happens when I actually attach my usb to my phone.

I tried partitioning my SD card with Mini Tool Partition and it seemed to partition successfully, but when I then try to install a2sd I keep getting error messages. Also tried with Link2Sd but still no luck.

It's getting to be a bit of a pain in the ass, because the only reason I went through the trouble of rooting my phone and flashing a new ROM was to be able to install pretty much everything on the SD card as the Desire as I'm sure you're aware has crap internal memory.

 

[nicka3200]

Minitool is rubbish & will only cause you problems.

Is your phone S-Off?

Boot into fastboot (from off press power while holding back) then connect to your PC. Does the PC recogniose the "Fastboot Device"?

 

[arkwright]

Minitool is rubbish & will only cause you problems.

Is your phone S-Off?

Boot into fastboot (from off press power while holding back) then connect to your PC. Does the PC recogniose the "Fastboot Device"?

Ok, when I boot into fastboot and connect to my PC, 'fastboot' on the phone changes to 'fastboot usb' but I can't find my phone in 'my computer'

Does that make sense?

 

[nicka3200]

If you have fastboot usb then I'm fairly sure that the PC is recognising gthe phone. I suggest you follow this guide from step 4 to run revolutionary & gain S-Off. Remember to say no to their recovery.

Having gained S-Off follow this guide to install 4EXT recovery. 4EXT will do a reliable job of partitioning SD for you. I suggest you start the partitioning process from scratch using 4EXT.

 

[arkwright]

If you have fastboot usb then I'm fairly sure that the PC is recognising gthe phone. I suggest you follow this guide from step 4 to run revolutionary & gain S-Off. Remember to say no to their recovery.

Having gained S-Off follow this guide to install 4EXT recovery. 4EXT will do a reliable job of partitioning SD for you. I suggest you start the partitioning process from scratch using 4EXT.

Still no joy. I've downloaded 'revolutionary' Unzipped it and run it and a small windows opens saying 'waiting for device'

My phone is connected via usb but clearly not being found.