Root Clear some things up for me...Please

[RELiG]

Ok my knowledge about Androids and everything along with rooting is scattered all over the place. I have some noobish questions as well as some more advanced questions. Im pretty good with everything at the technology level, I just need to fill in the blanks. Some of the questions are gonna be obvious, just answer what you now. Im trying to make comparisons to computers so I can grasp whats going on. I dont like going into things blind.

1) What is Froyo or Gingerbread? Operating systems?
Kind of like Windows vs Mac or Linux?

2) What is a ROM? Like Windows ME, Vista, 7 etc?

3) Does 'flash' mean more or less installing?

4) How can you tell if you have Froyo or Gingerbread on your phone?

5) If I was going to root my new X2 would it matter if its Froyo or Gingerbread?

6) Are they calling it Gingerbreak because it comes pre rooted?

7) If there are various ways to root, what is the determining factor of which you should go with?


I look at some of these threads and it seems like EVERYONE is running something different, so then it just confuses me. I dont know which I should be reading up on. I dont like reading that much as lol so I definitely dont wanna be reading up on things that dont pertain to me.

Sorry for all the questions, I just didnt wanna make 3 or 4 different threads. Thanks for any/all help!

 

[Frisco]

Welcome to the forums, RELiG.

I understand how daunting all of the terminology can be when encountered in the context of use rather than instruction/definition; we were all there once.

Here's the "nooooooby guide":

http://androidforums.com/droid-x2-all-things-root/407972-newbie-start-point.html right here in this X2 All Things Root sub-forum where I've moved your question. Please click and read in there a lot.

Users will chime in with the nuances of it all, but quickly:

The Froyo/Ginderbread/IceCreamSandwich, etc versions of the Android Operating System are basically evolved/updated versions. The differences are subtle and noticeable in ways that experienced Android users see better than folks new to our OS.

"ROM" literally means, "Read Only Memory," but for users and root users in particular it means a package of system files and apps, etc which is customized by a developer. Most, but not all, ROMs need a rooted device to be flashed/installed.

"Flashing" and installing are so close to the same thing that it's probably best to consider them the same until you're geeky enough to understand the differences.

The OS version on an Android device is listed, among other parameters, in the menu > about phone (or about device in the case of a tablet) list.

Rooting a new X2 back to Froyo is not advised normally, as it is an earlier version of Android. But some do that to achieve purposes of customization or to have it suitable to receive an evolved update (in which case the rooted Froyo would be unrooted until the update/OTA appeared or was flashed from a ROM or other file). There are a lot of variations and situations wrt to this.

Gingerbreak is a root method/file system.

Root methods are "all over the place" with the X2, as you've likely noticed. I prefer the "One Click Root" method/file originally provided for another phone: the Droid 3 (http://androidforums.com/droid-x2-all-things-root/428316-droid-3-one-click-root-2-3-4-ota.html). But that's just me. You'll see opinions and logic and disagreement among experts on this.

Good luck. Have fun!

 

[RELiG]

thanks for your help. Im trying to figure out what I have on my phone. I went to settings>about phone....but I cant determine which I have?


It says-
System Version: 1.3.232.MB870.Verizon.en.Us
Android Version: 2.3.3

 

[Scur]

thanks for your help. Im trying to figure out what I have on my phone. I went to settings>about phone....but I cant determine which I have?


It says-
System Version: 1.3.232.MB870.Verizon.en.Us
Android Version: 2.3.3

Cupcake = Android 1.5
Donut = Android 1.6
Eclair = Android 2.0 & 2.1
Froyo = Android 2.2.2
Gingerbread = Android 2.3.x
Honeycomb = Android 3.x (for Android tablets)
Ice Cream Sandwich = Android 4.x (about to come out)