Why Do We Root? (Then vs. Now)

[codesplice]

I suppose I should add a "I used to, but don't root at all anymore" option to the poll. I'll try to remember to do that in the morning!

Added a "I used to root, but now don't need to" option to the poll - and changed the wording of the "No root for me!" option to sort of match. Feel free to change votes if needed.

 

[dibblebill]

I've found that on my HTC m7, I no longer really need to root in order to use it how I've always wanted. My XPeria Z3 is also completely unrooted. My NVIDIA Shield Tablet, however, is rooted and unlocked for a few reasons, including app backups, SD card access, and adding controller support.

 

[Slug]

[...] I accidentally deleted the turboencabulator and now my dishwasher won't run."

Oh man, I've done that! It's a complete PITA but you can fix it by reversing the polarity of the neutron flow.

 

[dynomot]

@MichelleCooper

You haven't rooted yet? And there is me thinking I'd been helpful.

Seriously it is best to read up as much as possible, follow instructions to the letter and ask any questions before jumping in. That way you'll avoid the "joys" of boot loops, bricking and other problems.

Back on topic, I root for a custom Kernel, to either battery save or over clock depending on my current needs Xposed mods one or two other tweaks. Other than that I could happily live with stock.

 

[dynomot]

Oh man, I've done that! It's a complete PITA but you can fix it by reversing the polarity of the neutron flow.

Yes you need the original USB cable spliced with a quantum reticulating USB jig. And even then it had not been possible to do since 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.

 

[MichelleCooper]

Lol. Thats awesome.

 

[MichelleCooper]

The fact that you're reading and learning before attempting anything crazy tells me that you'll be just fine.

I worry about the members whose first post goes "Hi, I'm new to Android/rooting/the forum and I tried to root my Samsung Galaxy S 15 SE using some Youtube video about sharpening lawn mower blades but I accidentally deleted the turboencabulator and now my dishwasher won't run."

That is awesome. I love your humor.

 

[Unforgiven]

That is awesome. I love your humor.

He was quoting me ~glares at CS~ You promised you wouldn't tell people about that

I voted no longer root. I haven't rooted a device since my GNex as I can do what I want without root. Honestly, with drop box for my photos and SMS Backup+ for my messages, I really have little to lose datawise. Oh the irony that I have 3 devices that could be rooted in minutes as they are all designed for it.

 

[codesplice]

That is awesome. I love your humor.

I wish I could say that it was a joke and that no one ever posts a problem like that, but, well...

He was quoting me ~glares at CS~ You promised you wouldn't tell people about that

 

[Hadron]

I wish I could say that it was a joke and that no one ever posts a problem like that, but, well...

What's worse is the follow-up: you tell them what the problem is, give step-by-step instructions for getting out of the hole, and a day later the reply is "Is there a video?". Or if you are unlucky "I found this video for a different problem on a different device and tried that instead...".

Seriously though, if you make sure you understand the instructions before you start it's actually pretty safe.

 

[Unforgiven]

Seriously though, if you make sure you understand the instructions before you start it's actually pretty safe.

...and if at any time in the video or tutorial you are following you see something that differs from what you see on your device stop and ask.

 

[codesplice]

I meant to address this last night, but I was lazy/mobile

However, I still want control, proper backups, custom kernels, control, ROM options and control. I guess that while some people worry about voiding their warranty, I feel that until I've rooted, installed a custom recovery and bypassed any NAND security I'm just less able to fix things myself.

Root for fewer reasons. Codesplice hit on several of them, Hadron hit on another...more ability to fix problems. 2 points of adb access (assuming recovery) is perhaps the biggest reason I'll always want root + custom recovery.

I've always rooted for many of the reasons above, but will also throw in that I want to navigate and poke-around the system without restriction (i.e., file contents and structure).

I also think unlocking the bootloader is a close relative to rooting since, for me at least, it provides some recovery options not available with simple rooting.

You three (predictably) hit on another reason I like to root (and unlock, SA) - being able to bypass certain security features can make it a lot easier to recover from problems.

On a somewhat-related note, I always flash or muck about via fastboot/adb instead of any one-click toolkit; being familiar with those tools makes manually flashing individual file systems or moving files about a bit less scary when issues arise.

 

[MichelleCooper]

I just got another S4 to practice on. Once I know it's ok, I will then practice on my running one. The only thing I'm not sure if it will work is that it's not active. But it had the same provider at one time.

 

[dynomot]

Some great general rooting advice coming up here

My first Android phone was a Galaxy SII. It ran Gingerbread 2.3.6 out of the box and I thought it was the pinnacle of mobile technology. I rooted it after stumbling on these halowed fora looking for themes and wallpapers. I rooted it after reading how to more than once and having a YouTube video one tab in Firefox while @ironass' guide was on another while simultaneously using Odin on the PC. I was amazed how easy it actually was.

I discovered I actually understood what I was doing rather than just following instructions when I corrupted my EFS on my next phone, a Samsung Galaxy SIII and managed to sort it myself with a back up of an EFS folder from a different (if identical) Galaxy S3, a decent text editor, plenty of crossed fingers and a lot of luck. I edited it so it contained my IMEI, disabled the Md5 checksum and restored it. I was in last chance saloon here and it worked!

So while I don't particularly use "root" on my phone as much as I used to, I would always, always root any new device I ever get, because I can and it is mine and nothing should be "restricted"

 

[dynomot]

I just got another S4 to practice on. Once I know it's ok, I will then practice on my running one. The only thing I'm not sure if it will work is that it's not active. But it had the same provider at one time.

A phone doesn't have to be the same provider to be the same procedure to root etc as long as they are identical model numbers, they'll have the same CF rooting file and be identical. The only difference from different providers with the same model of device is the stock carrier branded firmware will be different. Other than that they are the same.

 

[MichelleCooper]

Thanks

 

[daffyducknj]

I began to root once I was convinced that it would work for me. My first rooted device was the LG Optimus V. I still have it, and it's still on the original battery! That thing could take a beating! I've used at least five different roms on that phone, including squid's KitKat rom. It's now settled back to Mirage's GB rom. I've also rooted two Kyoceras: the Rise and Event. I got the Event to replace the Rise, which I accidentally bricked to boot loop hell. From April of this year, until October, I had a rooted LG Optimus F3. For whatever reason, that one began overheating uncontrollably the last week of October. It slowed down so much that I had to ditch it. The micro SD card was fried, too!

My main reasons for rooting were to increase usable space, and have better control over backing up apps and settings. The only low level settings I ever tweaked were for 3G, wifi, and GPU.

I got my first tablet in August, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 7.0. I haven't had to root it as I have more than enough space to install the apps I want, thanks to app2sd coming back on KitKat. I have plenty of games I want to play on it, including Republique (the biggest of my bunch). The interface is a tad slow on that one, but perfectly functional. I also like the battery saving feature... I use that along with Greenify, which used to require root for full functionality. Greenify now runs well enough for me in unrooted mode.

My latest phone is the LG Tribute. It does lack space for bigger apps, but I've been able to fit the ones I actually use at least weekly on that phone. For that one, I've used web links to social sites like facebook, Google+, and twitter on the home screen, instead of installing their apps. I do have a few installed, including facebook messenger and Instagram. This phone actually has a better GPU than my tablet! Not bad for a $80 phone! For that alone I'd love to root it so I can make room to install more powerful games, but I'm happy playing most of those on the bigger tablet screen. I also have Greenify on this phone to help extend the 2100ma battery's life between charges. I could see Lollipop landing on this phone, but that might be more likely with the Tab 4.

So that's it for now... I'd love root for the Tribute, but it's not a high requirement for me anymore. Nice to have devices that run relatively well out of the box! I can at least change the launchers if I wanted to, but the Tribute has the same basic one that the G3 uses, which is great. Someday, if I can afford contract service, I'll probably use nothing but the Nexus devices.

 

[fdbryant3]

I generally root my devices to take advantage of certain apps. Funny thing is I recently upgraded to a OnePlus One and couldn't even remember which apps I was rooted for except one (that displays your Wifi password as a QR code). So I didn't root the phone since I have always given the advice don't root unless you have a reason to. Anyway one night my phone went into a boot loop, so I started hunting around for fixes. Most of them started with "If your phone is rooted......". I eventually found one that didn't require root. As soon as I got the phone up and running - I rooted it.

Now if I could just remember some of the other apps I had it rooted for. Oh yeah a big one was so I could install CyanogenMod so I could run Voice+, which is now built in to my phone and I use Hangouts for messaging anyway. Had one or two others but that was the big one.

 

[dubdiablo77]

I've rooted every device I've had just for the right to alter what I could.. or to have a more unique device or out of necessity (storage).. Now I have a new device which I Can't root now ...I have learned to deal and find some workarounds for what I want to do...there are alot more of those then there used to be.. So I can live atleast until there's a root.. Not so bad

 

[lunatic59]

The first device I rooted was my bicycle when I was 10 and rode it into my mother's rose bushes. Okay, technically it was the bushes and I UProoted them.

I lost my root virginity to a Nexus One in the back seat of ... my office. Most of the reasons to root back then have been covered. Like CS, Scary, et. al. i am a tinkerer and like things set up exactly as I want them. Root gave me the ability to nandroid (saved my butt on numerous occasions) and then get into the system files to see "I wonder what will happen if I do *this*?"

I have three reasons to root my Nexus 6. To remove the stupid OEM partition and get rid of that annoying AT&T startup sound. (I also take the dealer plates off my cars ... i have no problem being a mobile billboard, but they better pay me for advertising for them.) ... to tweak my build.prop a little to remove the AT&T nonsense and finally have access to the entire file system. I always find myself answering questions about where certain files are located, etc. and without root access, i sometimes can't find them.

Never really concerned me, though. I've been a Linux guy since Red Hat was something you had to download and compile yourself ... and they used to give away hats (I still have two of them ).

 

[funkylogik]

Well for me it's mainly because I have a legacy phone abandoned at jellybean so I need custom recovery to flash custom roms. Root I suppose I mainly "need" for titanium as I don't have a PC to use helium.
My other device, nexus 7 (2012), ive kept rooted and haven't even tried lollipop on (i dont own a pc) and I wanna wait for a 5.0 custom rom with features... The main reason being Expanded Desktop.. I hate having a statusbar always showing and far prefer pie control over nav bar.
If I had a more modern device, I'd MAYBE consider keeping it fully stock for at least a while.
The reasons to root are definitely lessening

 

[MLSS]

The fact that you're reading and learning before attempting anything crazy tells me that you'll be just fine.

I worry about the members whose first post goes "Hi, I'm new to Android/rooting/the forum and I tried to root my Samsung Galaxy S 15 SE using some Youtube video about sharpening lawn mower blades but I accidentally deleted the turboencabulator and now my dishwasher won't run."

lmao..........

 

[MLSS]

Oh man, I've done that! It's a complete PITA but you can fix it by reversing the polarity of the neutron flow.

NOW YOU TELL ME!?! [emoji12]

 

[codesplice]

I noticed three folks voted "I root for more reasons than previously", but I don't think we've heard from them yet. I'm genuinely curious to know what the additional reasons for root may be.

So how about it, @ironass @Texas501 and @TrevorX5J9 ? Won't you please come share with the class?

 

[Zokula]

Greenify, removing bloatware, xposed, ad-blockers and firewall software, titanium backup. I would not buy a Android phone if I knew I could not root it.