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Root About to order my N5 from Google.... now what

zandersig

zandersig

Android Enthusiast
Hi Guys, About to order my N5 from Google.... now what? Should I root it and get it fixed up before taking it to T-Mobile to have it turned on or what?

I have been an LG Connect user for the past 2 years and I am about to step into a whole new world and I am not sure what needs to be done so that I can be a superuser on the N5 and be able to install new ROMs, Titanium Backup, Partition the internal space and transfer all my stuff from my sd card to it, etc, etc....

Looks like I am going to have to do another learning curve and could really use some help.

Thanks a ton guys! My LG Connect finally played out last night and it's stuck in a boot loop and I have tried everything to fix it but I really think that it's fried...
 
"......should i root it and fix up....." only you can decide this. do you have to? no. should you? maybe or maybe not yet.
welcome to nexus world. in my opinion only you should familiarize yourself with pure android and get to know the phone, install usb drivers adb fastboot in your computer while waiting for the phone to arrive. also you should use the phone for couple of weeks to make sure everything working properly, no hardware problems are there etc. if there a necessity for RMA it should be done during this time.
that being said the first thing you should do after you take it out of the box is to unlock the bootloader (which wipes the phone deleting all user data) and leave it at that. this way you are ready to use the phone for couple of weeks to make sure everything is all right. when you are ready after that to root the phone, you read all the guides etc. you already have some data, apps, settings in place and you can go ahead and root it without fear of loosing your data. you can unlock the bootloader, setup, update the phone over wi-fi before even taking it to metropcs to activate no problem.
 
My advice is to root straight out of the box so you don't lose any data later. I ran the stock rom with some tweaks using xposed/gravity box but it wasn't too long before I upgraded to Dirty Unicorns (a great stock feeling rom with HEAPS of cool extra options and features) I recommend it :)
 
thisISjoel said:
My advice is to root straight out of the box so you don't lose any data later. I ran the stock rom with some tweaks using xposed/gravity box but it wasn't too long before I upgraded to Dirty Unicorns (a great stock feeling rom with HEAPS of cool extra options and features) I recommend it :)
Click to expand...
data deletion only occurs when unlocking the bootloader not rooting or installing recovery. as most users unlock install recovery root in succession by either manually (adb/fastboot) or 1-click-toolkit, they usually associate data deletion with rooting which is wrong. if we could install recovery and root without unlocking bootloader, oh we would definitely to avoid losing the data :)
thats why i suggested the more cautious route to unlock now and after everything checks out root later. this way he does not have to unroot and flash stock back in unfortunate case of RMA, just "fastboot oem lock"
 
Thanks guys, I ordered the N5 last night... :) I should be getting it this coming Thursday or Friday. Sorry it took so long to reply back I have been trying to get my crappy LG Connect to at least a somewhat working state.

So when it arrives.... I unlock the bootloader, take it to T-Mobile and get phone service and then in a few days if everything is good I can then Root the phone?

I imagine that there is a program somewhere on this fourm for the bootloader unlocker and also a rooting program?
 
zandersig said:
Thanks guys, I ordered the N5 last night... :) I should be getting it this coming Thursday or Friday. Sorry it took so long to reply back I have been trying to get my crappy LG Connect to at least a somewhat working state.

So when it arrives.... I unlock the bootloader, take it to T-Mobile and get phone service and then in a few days if everything is good I can then Root the phone?

I imagine that there is a program somewhere on this fourm for the bootloader unlocker and also a rooting program?
Click to expand...

Yep sounds like you got it.
I ran mine stock ROM/bootloader unlocked and custom recovery installed at first... Then I couldn't resist anymore and I flashed DU, a custom kernel and some other mods.

It's really up to you on what you want to do with your device. If you decide to to just unlock the bootloader first to get the data wipe out of the way and then install a custom recovery and root later or do it all at once and just get it out of the way is really up to you. Restoring the device back to stock is actually really simple if your familiar with adb/fastboot commands.

1. Unlock bootloader
2. Then when your ready... Install a custom recovery: Either CWM/CWMR or TWRP the choice is yours. I prefer TWRP just because of the added features and the built in EFS backup.
3. Root the device with SuperSU.

Rxpert83 wrote an excellent tutorial on unlocking the bootloader, installing recovery and rooting here - http://androidforums.com/nexus-5-all-things-root/790362-nexus-5-rooting-guide.html

There are tool kits that perform all of those functions for you. Although, I would really recommend that you do it manually like in Rxpert83 guide so that you become familiar with the device and how to navigate to the bootloader/fastboot and recovery. How to issue adb/fastboot commands and so forth. That way if something happens to go wrong at some point you'll have a better understanding and will know how to use these utilities to recover your N5.
 
congratz. you should go to the nexus 5 rooting section and start reading the sticky thread about rooting guide.
the hardest thing about rooting nexus is finding and installing the proper drivers :D. its that easy. although i suggest rooting it the proper way (adb/fastboot), if you feel you are not confident enough you can use cf-autoroot or some other 1-click-root toolkits and have it done. you may have to deal with some data loss that way and not have any details what you are doing.
 
Hey zandersig nice to see you hear after all this time like theses great people said just unlock the bootloader and root as soon as you get the phone which is what I did we can provide links or you can Google it and find everything you will ever need at the xda Nexus 5 page Welcome to the Nexus 5 family
 
I used cf-auto root. I rooted my optimus V a few years ago but it was a cheap phone and I didn't worry too much about messing it up. I didn't want to mess up my expensive N5.
 
Don't waste your time like I did. I didn't have mine rooted for over an hour and it took me 24hrs to get a custom ROM on it : D
 
If I unlock the boot loader and Root it will Google take it back (within my 15 day period) or will I have to reset it to the way I received it from Google?

@jlede Hey Man, nice to see u.... Yes I will have my phone tomorrow and will need some help.... I have the adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130522 on my laptop. That is the developer tools right? I would just like to unlock the boot loader and root it and install CWM or some other recovery program before I take it to T-Mobile to have it turned on. I really won't know how much I like it until I can get Titanium Backup on it and have it turned on to check out the sound quality. Problem is that I will only have 15 days from tomorrow to make sure that I really like it, after the 15 days it's mine for good. =]
 
zandersig said:
If I unlock the boot loader and Root it will Google take it back (within my 15 day period) or will I have to reset it to the way I received it from Google?

@jlede Hey Man, nice to see u.... Yes I will have my phone tomorrow and will need some help.... I have the adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130522 on my laptop. That is the developer tools right? I would just like to unlock the boot loader and root it and install CWM or some other recovery program before I take it to T-Mobile to have it turned on. I really won't know how much I like it until I can get Titanium Backup on it and have it turned on to check out the sound quality. Problem is that I will only have 15 days from tomorrow to make sure that I really like it, after the 15 days it's mine for good. =]
Click to expand...

If you have to send it back, you'll want to reset the tamper flag and unroot it.

All in all its about a 10 minute process if you've got the factory image pre-downloaded
https://developers.google.com/android/nexus/images
 
zandersig said:
If I unlock the boot loader and Root it will Google take it back (within my 15 day period) or will I have to reset it to the way I received it from Google?
Click to expand...

The nice thing about Google is that they really don't care if you root it or flash a custom ROM. This is the benefit of owning a developer device.

This is a direct email from Google -

Thank you for contacting Google!

Warranties and RMA are still covered *regardless* if a device was rooted.

We are not trying to prevent customers from unlocking the bootloader and installing a new operating system that allows for "rooting".

Android has always provided customers the ability to do that on Nexus devices, and encouraged other OEMs to do the same. So in that sense we are not against "rooting."

This being said, we can't guarantee full advertised/promised functionality if the source code for the Android OS has been modified as the functionality may have changed.
Click to expand...

But as Rxpert83 said... If you feel more comfortable It literally only takes 5 -10 min to restore back to stock/relock the bootloader and rest the tamper flag.
For a RMA or returning it to LG and or possibly T-Mobile and Sprint is a completely different story.. The device must be returned to stock image, unroofed, bootloader relocked and the tamper flag reset.
 
i think just to keep the fuss to the minimum just unlock the bootloader as i said before and leave it at that for 15 days and or till everything checks out.
 
UPS just left my house! My N5 is charging right now! Woo Hoo!

So, do I root it first or put a recovery app on it like CWM or TWRP?

Thanks guys for all the help! :)
 
just to remind you,
always get the latest version of software ie. 2.7.00 for twrp and 1.93.zip for supersu etc.
 
@xdrc45

Okay so far I have downloaded

#1 sdk-tools (which is 3.82 mb)

#2 openrecovery-twrp-2.7.0.0-hammerhead.img (is this imgage file only supposed to be 12.9 mb?)

#3 UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.65.zip (0.98 mb)


Now I am about to get into unlocking the boot loader...

Don't I need the Windows Drivers for the Nexus 5? Where can I grab those at? It doesn't say to get them in the guide you linked for me?


This also scares me "Yes, indeed. If for some reason your EFS gets corrupted or deleted and you don't have a backup, then your device will not connect to a carrier ever again and it CANNOT be fixed" How do I get to that so I can back it up?

TIA!
 
zandersig said:
@xdrc45

Okay so far I have downloaded

#1 sdk-tools (which is 3.82 mb)

#2 openrecovery-twrp-2.7.0.0-hammerhead.img (is this imgage file only supposed to be 12.9 mb?)

#3 UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.65.zip (0.98 mb)


Now I am about to get into unlocking the boot loader...

Don't I need the Windows Drivers for the Nexus 5? Where can I grab those at? It doesn't say to get them in the guide you linked for me?


This also scares me "Yes, indeed. If for some reason your EFS gets corrupted or deleted and you don't have a backup, then your device will not connect to a carrier ever again and it CANNOT be fixed" How do I get to that so I can back it up?

TIA!
Click to expand...

If you need help with adb and drivers take a look here -
Diagnosing USB Driver and ADB issues in Wind… | Google Nexus 5 | xda-developers

Before you begin, connect your N5 to your PC and enable the N5 in all USB modes... MTP, PTP and USB debugging and allow all the proper drivers to install.
There are also "universal naked drivers" available if you have driver issues. Meaning your N5 isn't detected in one of the USB modes.

As far as efs backup goes you will be OK from the start of things. Once you have everything done... Unlocked bootloader/recovery/root all done you can boot into TWRP and perform a nandroid backup and perform a seperate efs backup and then save a copy of the efs backup to your PC. There's nothing really to worry about at this point. You will will just want those backups before you start flashing custom ROMs.
 
Back when I first joined the forums I found out about rooting the same night I ended up rooted. :D

Its really not that scary. This phone is way easier to do than most, and google provides us with everything we need in case something goes wrong.

And you've got a great set of peers here to help walk you through anything. Its always best to ask any question you have before attempting. We'll be here to help :)
 
akmsr said:
get the latest supersu version 1.94 from SuperSU Download
recovery file is 12.9 MB
have you decided to just unlock or go all the way?
Click to expand...


Yeah, I am going to go all the way. ;-)

Thanks for the link!

I would have figured that the recovery image would be bigger than 12.9 mb?

Is there another download somewhere for a full recovery? With my LG Connect the vv5.bin was 301 mb....?


Yes, everyone on this site has been great at helping me and it is very, very, very much appreciated! Dan rooted vv5 on my LG Connect and I gave him 10 bucks or so for doing that because no one else could get vv5 rooted :D

I am going to download that updated SU zip file and eat supper, my N5 is still charging so it will be tonight or tomorrow before I start on it (probably tonight cause I can't wait... hehehe)
 
Nope, thats the full size of the recovery, thats all thats needed. :thumbup:

301MB sounds more like a full ROM or factory image. Every manufacturer does things a little differently though, and I've never had an LG phone done "their way" (ie non-nexus), so I could be wrong
 
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