Root What is rooting? And why?

DMAC23

Lurker
Sorry for asking a question that's probably been asked a million times, but i'm lost on this whole rooting thing.
 

Outlaw71

Android Expert
Don't worry, I was miffed about this for months before I finally did some research on the subject.

When you buy a laptop (or any computer), you are the super user, which they refer to as the administrator. That means you have control over what programs can be added and deleted from that computer. You can set up guest accounts on your computer so that other people may use it, but they have very limited control over what goes on with it.

When you purchase most Android devices (except for Nexus), you are the guest account on the phone, you have very little control over what can be removed (basically nothing that you yourself didn't add). When you root your Android you gain super user (or administrative) status.

Which means, now you're in the drivers seat!
 
Thats one way to put it but incorrect, in simple term root is your permission base structure. All the permission on local host are granted from root (uID0:root). SU is actually Switch User which is vairent and misunderstood as Super User but it applies due to not manually doing SUDO. Always trust *nix guy :p
 

Outlaw71

Android Expert
Thats one way to put it but incorrect, in simple term root is your permission base structure. All the permission on local host are granted from root (uID0:root). SU is actually Switch User which is vairent and misunderstood as Super User but it applies due to not manually doing SUDO. Always trust *nix guy :p


Trust me, he'll understand the language I used easier.


Lmao. :D
 
I know LOL I am not doubting that but I had to correct you as being *nix mastaaa (had Sr Unix Admin on my W2 once :p). I seen people rooting device lol then asking question whats next, seen so many of those type of threads user is like "now what" so we say why did you root if you didn't have reason. LOL people are like "I thought its something you do after you get your phone" its shocking :O

Here I am troubleshooting this custom kernel and had to manully install clockworkmod 3.0.0.0 via console with flash image and recovery and still can't get the dev.htc kernel to work. Might look into it later I feel sleepy from all those wipe cache, davliks... flashed rom like 50times just to test this.
 

Outlaw71

Android Expert
Yeah I still rememeber when I thought rooting sped up the phone, got rid of all the bugs, and cooked super for you all at the same time.

While I admit you know way more about all the specifics, what you said didn't even compute in my little brain, and I've been rooted for 6 months! Lol... I just try to explain in laymans terms what the practicality of rooting is (for most of us anyway), which is to 86 some of those pesky programs and apps they don't want, and add some they do want that require root.

If they have no interest in doing either, then they'll probably forget all about doing it.
 

DMAC23

Lurker
Thread starter
Ok thanks guys... I think lol. And another term im not liking the sound of is bricking my phone. I'm sure that's what it sounds like right? So what are some apps that I could only get having a rooted phone?
 

old.blue

Well-Known Member
NOW I understand root and why to root. I would love to get rid of someof the "bloatware" that came om my DX and use something like Titanium Backup to do just that.

Does rooting your phone void the warranty? Can you re-root (?) afterwards if you need to if you have to return the phone for some reason?
 

jlewis74

Well-Known Member
I am pretty sure you can un-root, but I am a noob as well. I used Z4root and it has a built in unroot button.

I have just rooted today myself but I have not applied a Custom Rom yet. I did backup, and install the things I would need if I did.
 
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