Root Two questions---root without activating, restore apps/system data?

[atrain2324]

After giving up on saving my old Optimus V, I went ahead and called VM and they have a replacement unit that'll be in my hands sometime today! I wouldn't be shocked if it had someone else's MSID and ESN numbers on it and that it's running 2.2.2 and that new radio firmware...

I got two questions.

1. Can you root the device without activating first?
2. This is related to the first. The reason I want to root it first is to delete the bloatware, install Link2SD and then install Titanium Backup and restore my apps and data (I backed up everything). Can you do that, or is it not good to overwrite say, the existing edition of Gmail with the one in my backups because it's a system app?

Any feedback, advice and/or suggestions would be great!

 

[kwknott]

After giving up on saving my old Optimus V, I went ahead and called VM and they have a replacement unit that'll be in my hands sometime today! I wouldn't be shocked if it had someone else's MSID and ESN numbers on it and that it's running 2.2.2 and that new radio firmware...

I got two questions.

1. Can you root the device without activating first?
2. This is related to the first. The reason I want to root it first is to delete the bloatware, install Link2SD and then install Titanium Backup and restore my apps and data (I backed up everything). Can you do that, or is it not good to overwrite say, the existing edition of Gmail with the one in my backups because it's a system app?

Any feedback, advice and/or suggestions would be great!

Yes you can root the device before activating it but if you are going to be activating it at a later date you will need to be on the stock rom or one of the Froyo based custom roms (Harmonia or Resurrected Bumblebee) because the gingerbread based rom's don't have the activation app.

It is never a good idea to restore a backup of a system app or it's data. I would wait till you activate phone or put it on wifi and let the system apps update through the market.

 

[brotherswing]

Also Android gives you the option of backing up the data of Google system apps to the cloud, and will restore themselves after you sign into your Google account after a fresh flash.

 

[benslgdroid]

You should activate before your root just sign in to google with your current account and like brother said it will restore everything for each Google app to the information it was last time it synced.

 

[atrain2324]

Done. I did everything I needed to do. I tried to undo dalvik-cache integration into ROM from Titanium Backup Pro and now I am stuck in the Android boot loop.

I am obviously rooted, still on stock ROM. I can access the Android stock recovery.

What do I do?

 

[atrain2324]

forgot. i rooted using gingerbreak 1.2. i have froyo 2.2.2 and do not have the new VM firmware either.

 

[Phatninja55]

forgot. i rooted using gingerbreak 1.2. i have froyo 2.2.2 and do not have the new VM firmware either.

You could apply the new update, to fix the boot loop. Then you could root it and install a recovery with gordita root.

 

[brotherswing]

That could introduce other issues. Do you plan on sticking with the stock Rom? If so, then it's a good plan. If you want to go with custom firmware (like BACKside or Harmonia) then just flash the new Rom, clear dalvik and cache, and you're done.

 

[atrain2324]

You could apply the new update, to fix the boot loop. Then you could root it and install a recovery with gordita root.

I thought the new update would brick phones already rooted with Gingerbreak 1.2?

I will consider it at a later time, but in the meantime, I would like to be able to get my phone back and running again without hopefully having to reapply slightly dated backups from TU on my external hard drive.

Would a factory reset work though inside the stock recovery.

I never installed a custom recovery, I am content at the moment to having a rooted stock ROM for now (until CM9 goes GB) and I am able to get into stock recovery with the key combination.

 

[atrain2324]

That could introduce other issues. Do you plan on sticking with the stock Rom? If so, then it's a good plan. If you want to go with custom firmware (like BACKside or Harmonia) then just flash the new Rom, clear dalvik and cache, and you're done.

That is affirmative. I would like to keep things as is before I undid sys integration of the dalvik-cache, which I won't do ever again.

 

[atrain2324]

essentially i would like to kick it off by being able to get past the loop and resume doing whatever i was doing with my V before that in-hindsight boneheaded move. I would hate to have to call VM and again and have Sprint send me another refurbished unit from Indianapolis...

 

[AndyOpie150]

Let's hope we can get you problem fixed. I sure wouldn't want you to go and do something dishonest.