• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root Rooting and Custom ROMs

Hello all. I have searched here and via Google searches about Rooting and custom ROMs. I still am not quite sure what any of it means. I know rooting allows access to things that you normally cannot do such as removing HTC and Sprint apps. Which I would LOVE to do. I mean, who the hell wants the stock widget anyway?

I have zero experience with any of this and am on the fence with rooting. I don't know what ROMs are or what they do. If anyone is patient enough to explain all of this to me, I appreciate it. If not, I will continue my search. Yes, I am a big N00b!
 
First off.. I would recommend heading over to the "All Things Root" thread (which is where you probably should have posted this, too). No problem though. We have mods who are excellent at moving things.

Now... the #1 thing to know about rooting is you need to read, read, read. to help narrow your reading and give you some direction, I will point you in the right direction.

First off...read http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-all-things-root/194918-rooting-dummies-extras.html
This will give you very good oversight into HOW to root and some of the things you can do once rooted. Read every single step that is included in that guide.. twice..at least.

I also recommend checking this out http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-all-things-root/129648-quick-intro-rooting-those-new-rooting.html
This will explain some of the benefits to rooting and also explain some of the vocabulary - like ROM.

After you have read the first posts in both of those reads and feel comfortable with what they are describing, feel free to ask any more questions you may have. There are quite a few of us around here that are pretty comfortable with rooting, so you will have a lot of support.

Lastly, I recommend rooting. I knew nothing about rooting a few months ago, but now I cannot imagine having this phone with it not rooted. Good luck and happy evoing.
 
Upvote 0
My biggest concern is killing my phone. I just don't have the time or money to be replacing my phone if rendered unusable. Still on the fence but will read all that has been provided to me. Thank you and I know this stuff has probably been asked 100,000,000 times over. I just can never get my questions answered when I search in forums. 50 pages of nothingness and I may stumble upon my exact question, ya know?
 
Upvote 0
My biggest concern is killing my phone. I just don't have the time or money to be replacing my phone if rendered unusable. Still on the fence but will read all that has been provided to me. Thank you and I know this stuff has probably been asked 100,000,000 times over. I just can never get my questions answered when I search in forums. 50 pages of nothingness and I may stumble upon my exact question, ya know?

There is no one that can guarantee you won't brick your phone. I was just at witz end with my bloated D2, and I have insurance just in case.
 
Upvote 0
A ROM is like an operating system or as someone else put it to me, a distro in linux terms. I guess OS is too broad a term since these are all "android" ROMs. However I imagine it is possible to build a windows or Ubuntu or even mac ROM and put it on an EVO. Anyway that's a simple explanation of a ROM.

You can root without putting a new ROM on your phone. That would be step 4 or 5 or something if you want to save all your apps and info. Root your device then worry about ROMs.

Good luck.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones