To start, [edit]the cliq is not a gsm phone and[edit] even thought it is very simular to the backflip, they are different. Rooting has to do with the programing of the phone and not the hardware. The cliq has different programing than the backlflip. For example the Backflip in China (same backflip as the US called the Motus) has been rooted yet that root method does not work on the Backflip. So even when you have the same phone but with different programing, you need a different root method. Chances are we will not see a root until 2.1 is released and it will be only for 2.1. Unless motorola feels nice enough to release/leak the locked files needed for root; but I doubt that will happen .

 

I'm not planning on flashing a different ROM, so I don;t really care on that part since the 2.1 that is going to come out from AT&T will be pretty solid. However I want root so I can put the apps on my SD and not on the phone, delete the AT&T bloat apps and a few other tweeks (overclock and other performance changes). I hope we get root, we'll see. If I knew how to I most likley would have bricked my phone a few times trying.

 

The Cliq is a GSM phone.

 

Sorry I forgot the cliq was on t-mobile which is GSM; thought it was verizon. I am working with the guy that rooted the backflip, but cannot release his work since the tools he has belongs to motorola (legal issues there). From my understanding the difference is the 1st root of the cliq was there becasue part of the ramdld was not locked correctly; so that exploit was used to root the cliq. The exploit was killed when the cliq was updated, however becasue the original ramdld exploit was there, the devs were able to use the old explit to work around the fix. The issue is the backflip has the fix from day one, and there is no way yet to work around it like you can on the cliq.

 

Im still learning but here is what I understand (any dev, please correct me if I am wrong) to root the phone we need to make an update.zip file (the system image and related updates). No problem right? Well the issue is the update needs to be signed with programming keys (like a coding signature) that tells the phone the update is official; well it is like guessing someone's SSN# without ever meeting them; very very hard. The cliq was root because someone was able to find the needed file (don't know the details) and use that. Well the file for the Backflip has not been found. Here is to having my fingures crossed

 

Well without those special keys we don't have an update file that will work. It has to be compiled and then signed so the phone will accept it. Getting the keys is the extreamly hard part. Once we have the keys we just unlock/add su to the update.zip and we are basically good to go.

 

3 ways; Either the files are hacked (by someone with hex disassembly knowledge; which is like looking for a golden straw in a football field full of hay), someone finds the needed files on the web (also not going to happen), or they get leaked, which is also a fat chance.

The process to get the keys is a very, very difficult one that usually takes a lot of luck. A great area to look is in the root area for the cliq in this forum. There is a lot there that will help to explain how rooting is done and works

 

sorry if im digging up a dead thread here.... ive recently purchased one of these phones im pretty good at hex editing and disassembly (i work with snort and wireshark alot for work as in on a daily basis) , what im wondering is what Motorola tools is this guy using? i mean basically if you could get some hex dumps or even read any of the programming keys should be in there, im just trying to find what i need to look at the hex on this phone, something like back in the razor days with the seam editor or some kind of moto tools suite? personally im willing to dig through hex for the next week or so to find it.

 

My guess is it's a ZKT key between the chipset and the rom... well that's how I would do it.

 

Since the Droid X came out with 2.2 I receiced an update to my Backflip. I am frustrated as to when we will get the 2.1 upgrade. Does this last update DL'ed automatically to our phone have any parts of the 2.1 OS included in it? Any word on when it will be available? I read on google that moto and google are planning to possibly release 2.2 to Cliq and Backflip users. Will this open up rooting for the Backflip?

 

The Backflip has been rooted