Root New to Android...root questions

[timbreman]

I purchased my first smart phone recently. An android Virgin Mobile Optimus Elite. I definitely like the phone but am already curious about rooting the device. The only reason I want to do this is to overclock the cpu and hopefully make a few of the games I have run a bit smoother. So a few questions.

Is flashing the ROM necessary if all I want to do is overclock?
Will I lose any installed apps/games if I root?

Thanks and any additional comments or info I'm not yet aware of would also be appreciated!

 

[ArcDatum]

I purchased my first smart phone recently. An android Virgin Mobile Optimus Elite. I definitely like the phone but am already curious about rooting the device. The only reason I want to do this is to overclock the cpu and hopefully make a few of the games I have run a bit smoother. So a few questions.

Is flashing the ROM necessary if all I want to do is overclock?
Will I lose any installed apps/games if I root?

Thanks and any additional comments or info I'm not yet aware of would also be appreciated!

Don't quote me on this because I could be wrong. I do embedded systems stuff with ARM processors not necessarily with android but anywho; if what I've learnt from embedded systems applies here, you only need to change the kernel to change the clock frequencies. A 'rom' typically comes with a kernel and a root filesystem (referred as rootfs from here-on-out). If you were to use a NON interdependant kernel and rootfs then you can just change the kernel. BUT and this is a bit but, chances are you will have to use the kernel provided with the ROM or a kernel that was designed for that ROM. If you can find someone that built a custom kernel with different settings and the same compatibility as the guys at Samsung for example and you found a way to deploy the kernel then sure, you could do that. My advice is bite the bullet and install a special ROM if you want to try overclocking. You will especially want clockwork mod lol or something similar.

As for rooting. That depends. Rooting just involves you gaining admin rights to ur phone basically. If you use linux it's like getting sudo rights. If you have a phone with one of the super easy roots (the kind with loopholes that weren't closed up) then you can likely find someone with a method to root without doing anything to ur data etc. Again, don't quote me on this, it's been a while since I've rooted/flashed my galaxy s captivate.

I will say this for certain though. If you are overclocking/flashing/rooting, you must be prepared to lose all your data voluntarily or otherwise. In the worst cases, you ahve to be prepared to render ur phone unusable. I'm not trying to scare you, just things you should be aware of.

Edit: for anyone else looking at this post, it might be worth it for you to post your level of experience/confidence with these things. Things like understanding how your phone boots, how much about kernels/rootfs/roms/bootloaders you know.

 

[ocnbrze]

I purchased my first smart phone recently. An android Virgin Mobile Optimus Elite. I definitely like the phone but am already curious about rooting the device. The only reason I want to do this is to overclock the cpu and hopefully make a few of the games I have run a bit smoother. So a few questions.

Is flashing the ROM necessary if all I want to do is overclock?
Will I lose any installed apps/games if I root?

Thanks and any additional comments or info I'm not yet aware of would also be appreciated!

welcome to the forums!!!!!!!!

i moved you to the elite root forum

i do not have this device but i can answer some of the questions.

all you will need to do is flash a custom kernel in order to overclock the phone. a kernel is a go between the hardware and software of your phone. it is what determines the cpu speeds.

and as far as rooting your phone and loosing apps and data, this i do not know. however, all the rooting processes i have seen does wipe data, but i can't say for this device.

hopefully folks here can fill you in on the rest....good luck

 

[giantpune]

To add to this, you have to have an unlocked bootloader in order to use a custom kernel. It just so happens that the bootloader on the Optimus Elite isnt locked. But on quite a few other models, the manufacturer has it locked, and sometimes offers an official way to unlock it, but in the process, they can void your warranty.

As far as making the games run smoother/faster, I'd say on this model, overclocking isn't really going to do that much. Right out of the box, this phone can emulate n64 and psx without any issues, so I wouldn't worry too much about the cpu. The major cause of lag in many of the free games are the ads. When the game tries to load the ad, it chokes and hiccups. Get one of the root ad-blockers or get aps that aren't ad-supported and they'll run a lot better.

 

[Artine]

I purchased my first smart phone recently. An android Virgin Mobile Optimus Elite. I definitely like the phone but am already curious about rooting the device. The only reason I want to do this is to overclock the cpu and hopefully make a few of the games I have run a bit smoother. So a few questions.

Is flashing the ROM necessary if all I want to do is overclock?
Will I lose any installed apps/games if I root?

Thanks and any additional comments or info I'm not yet aware of would also be appreciated!

If all you want to do is overclock - no. Just flash giantpune's kernel through ClockWorkMod, and you'll be good to go. However, there are nigh-innumerable advantages to having a custom ROM, in addition to a simple kernel change (which is what allows you to overclock - a custom kernel). Simply overclocking helps the phone a little bit, but other changes made in custom ROMs such as changing the dalvik vm heapsize, etc., can impact gaming and overall smoothness largely - and these are done through various methods (editing the build.prop, init.d scripts, etc.).

As such, with numerous other behind-the-scenes improvements (especially concerning battery life, potentially up to 60 or more hours as opposed to an average of 12 for this device is quite appealing), there is little reason to not flash a custom ROM, but to each their own of course. A good ROM doesn't alter your data, or what you're doing, it just improves how Android handles all of what you're doing, making it more efficient, and more capable, and, ideally, consuming less energy to perform what you tell it to - but being able to perform everything you tell it to, and more if need be.

If you were to flash either a custom kernel (like giantpune's), or a ROM, you will not lose your data unless you yourself intentionally format/erase your data.

As far as any worries go about bricking your device, for all foreseeable things that you would do to your device you do not need to worry about bricking it - make a Nandroid backup before you make any changes, and if one of those changes bricks the phone, reboot into recovery and restore from your Nandroid backup and you'll be back on your feet in no time.

For the LG Optimus Elite, all of this and more is documented in noob-friendly syntax at the following URL: http://androidforums.com/elite-all-things-root/620742-faq-guide-clockworkmod-optimus-elite.html

To add to this, you have to have an unlocked bootloader in order to use a custom kernel. It just so happens that the bootloader on the Optimus Elite isnt locked. But on quite a few other models, the manufacturer has it locked, and sometimes offers an official way to unlock it, but in the process, they can void your warranty.

As far as making the games run smoother/faster, I'd say on this model, overclocking isn't really going to do that much. Right out of the box, this phone can emulate n64 and psx without any issues, so I wouldn't worry too much about the cpu. The major cause of lag in many of the free games are the ads. When the game tries to load the ad, it chokes and hiccups. Get one of the root ad-blockers or get aps that aren't ad-supported and they'll run a lot better.

I second that. All of it, in fact.

 

[timbreman]

If all you want to do is overclock - no. Just flash giantpune's kernel through ClockWorkMod, and you'll be good to go. However, there are nigh-innumerable advantages to having a custom ROM, in addition to a simple kernel change (which is what allows you to overclock - a custom kernel). Simply overclocking helps the phone a little bit, but other changes made in custom ROMs such as changing the dalvik vm heapsize, etc., can impact gaming and overall smoothness largely - and these are done through various methods (editing the build.prop, init.d scripts, etc.).

As such, with numerous other behind-the-scenes improvements (especially concerning battery life, potentially up to 60 or more hours as opposed to an average of 12 for this device is quite appealing), there is little reason to not format a custom ROM, but to each their own of course. A good ROM doesn't alter your data, or what you're doing, it just improves how Android handles all of what you're doing, making it more efficient, and more capable, and, ideally, consuming less energy to perform what you tell it to - but being able to perform everything you tell it to, and more if need be.

If you were to flash either a custom kernel (like giantpune's), or a ROM, you will not lose your data unless you yourself intentionally format/erase your data.

As far as any worries go about bricking your device, for all foreseeable things that you would do to your device you do not need to worry about bricking it - make a Nandroid backup before you make any changes, and if one of those changes bricks the phone, reboot into recovery and restore from your Nandroid backup and you'll be back on your feet in no time.

For the LG Optimus Elite, all of this and more is documented in noob-friendly syntax at the following URL: http://androidforums.com/elite-all-things-root/620742-faq-guide-clockworkmod-optimus-elite.html



I second that. All of it, in fact.

Up to 60 hours of battery life?? You have my attention sir tell me more!
I'm not much of a coder so forgive me as I'm not familiar with "dalvik vm heapsize". My coding experience is html and css and that's literally it. lol

The problem I've had with smoothness of games is with Granny Smith and Mini Moto Racers chopping occasionally. They are both purchased games so no ads are present.

Thanks for the link as well I will check it out!

 

[HaTrEd360]

If you root with the .apk method you will NOT lose any data at all. Same for installing CWM the .apk way, then downloading a kernel, and flashing it using CWM. :]

 

[Artine]

If you root with the .apk method you will NOT lose any data at all. Same for installing CWM the .apk way, then downloading a kernel, and flashing it using CWM. :]

You shouldn't lose data the other ways either