• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root Droid x dilemma

S

swilson

Newbie
Hi, i am new to the forum, but i love the community here from the threads i have read and you all seem to be very knowledgeable and passionate for technology. So i will pose my question.

Even as a newcomer to my droid x and android, I have already found the weaknesses of motoblur and the obvious caving into profiteering in my new amazing phone. while the battery life is somewhat less than i am used to with a "dumb"phone, i love the features of the phone and the "open-source" factor of the device. However, i want to do more with it. i want to delete all of the crap and and make the phone truly my own. it feels cluttered and capitalistic.

So, i have researched rooting. I want to know if it is for me. I am of reasonable intelligence, i know my around a computer, but next to no coding (simple java only). I would like to get rid of simple things like nfl apps and that crap and the dumb sliding lock.

i am also aware that bricking my phone would be nearly catastrophic (family is strapped for cash).

So, do you think rooting is for me? Is there a way, if i decide to or chicken out, to completely restore my phone to the way it is right now? these are my main questions. thank you for reading i do appreciate your time.

I have read through rooler's guide. Seems like z4 is the way to go? im a little fuzzy about backups, as my above question shows.

update: how difficult is it to delete some system apps (blockbuster, amazon mp3, kindle, etc)? would this require serious dev knowledge or intense knowledge of linux?
 
rooting in and of itself does very little to your phone other than give you "super user" access and will allow you to do things like overclock, take screenshots, remove bloatware etc...

if all you are looking to do is stop some of that crap Verizon installs on your phone...

you can root with z4...download titanium backup and freeze those apps so they never run instead of actually removing them from the phone...

the chances of bricking your phone for good are pretty slim from what i've experienced...
 
Although I dont think you would have a problem,I have to say that I was all ready to advise you to go ahead and Root....until I read your strapped for cash....my motto is if you wanna play,you gotta pay....If I ruined my X,tomorrow Id pick up a used one,at my expense...If you NEED your phone,and cant afford to replace it,it doesnt make sense to void its warranty and risk it...not trying to put a damper on the fun,but looking at reality.You probably should have went with a used droid 1,I see them for 150.00 in great shape,no bloat,or blur.You could have rooted it,and took your chances with used ones readily available and cheap...
 
I'm of less than average intelligence and have rooted fine. You can always get out of it and restore and you have to greatly break huge rules in order to perma-brick. You'd be fine to proceed if you ask questions before you go.

We're here for you. :)
 
thank you all, very good points to think about.

i have a question, once i root, is there any magical "restore" button (i know this is painfully oversimplified) to restore my phone to guest privileges and to verizon's happy place? and if this is possible, will i be safe in taking my phone back into verizon for a checkup or whatnot without being persecuted? or is it an all-or-nothing game, where once you go in, warranties go to die?

also, if i was to begin the rooting prcess, what is the first step? i have bookmarked several guides like i mentioned, but they all seem so secretive and cryptic, i feel like i will screw something up. RoOoler's guide says to download RootMyX2 from SilentKill or whoever. is this fullproof? i dont mean to be lazy and feign allergy to the search function, it just all seems so cluttered and inexact.


ALSO: @Raw Dodge, thanks for the input, that is something to think about if something does go horribly wrong with my phone. i actually had never heard the term rooting until the day i bought my phone. but i am glad i got the x, i love it. just seems like it so restrained.
thank you
 
We all have to start somewhere. Yes you can unroot the phone which I will explain below and nobody will be able to tell.

First and foremost you want to make sure you are updated to the most recent version of android, it should be 2.3.340.

Now, you want z4root.Z4Root Will Root the DROID X 2.3.340 Update - Droid Life: A Droid Community Blog

It is by far the most simple way to root, and you want to get z4 root 1.3.0. You download the application to your computer (leave it zipped up).

Plug your phone into computer, click view files to the popup which will bring you to your sd card, drag z4root file onto your sd card anywhere you want (first thing that pops up when you view files is your sd card). Now disconnect your phone from your computer. In settings-applications check allow apps from unknown sources, and in development check usb debugging (though some day you dont have to).

Now you want to get astro file manager (free works), open it up and find z4root on your sd card where you put it, then install the file from your sd card. Now open up your app drawer and z4root should be there. Note: you can put the file anywhere on your sd card, you can put it in a folder if it will be easier to find.

Once your in z4root click permanent root (there will be an unroot option still). It should take a minute or so then the phone will reboot.This may take two tries, if it gets stuck on “Running exploit in order to obtain root access…” for more than five minutes, you may have to do a battery pull. Do this again and it should work. Your phone should reboot.

Now your rooted, look for superuser in the app drawer to confirm.



After this you can get droid boostrapper and create a full nandroid backup, therefore if anything ever happens to your phone, you mess it up a with a rom or something you can always go back to that save state.
 
I'm going to be rooting my daughter's new X over this weekend. She has Android 2.2.1. Can I use the Z-root file associated with the above link to root Android 2.2.1?

If not, how do I update her X to 2.3.340? (isn't that Gingerbread?)

Thanks!!
 
djkeller3 said:
I'm going to be rooting my daughter's new X over this weekend. She has Android 2.2.1. Can I use the Z-root file associated with the above link to root Android 2.2.1?

If not, how do I update her X to 2.3.340? (isn't that Gingerbread?)

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

See this thread - maderstcok - OTA 2.3.340 update.zip - and read it thoroughly. If you follow his step by step instructions, you will have v2.3.340 on your unrooted phone. If she's already rooted, the application of this update will un-root her. But that's OK, because you can download z4Root v. 1.30 from here - [APP] z4root - xda-developers - which is easy as pie to use. It will root her phone, and you're ready to add Droid X Bootstrap, which you can find here - Droid X Recovery Bootstrap - Android - or on the developer's site, for free. Once you install it, and follow the directions *carefully* and completely, then you're ready to do whatever you wish. You'll have a DX with the latest software that's rooted and ready to install roms or whatever.

Good luck!

-Mike
 
djkeller3 said:
I'm going to be rooting my daughter's new X over this weekend. She has Android 2.2.1. Can I use the Z-root file associated with the above link to root Android 2.2.1?

If not, how do I update her X to 2.3.340? (isn't that Gingerbread?)

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Updating her phone is simple. Just go into app drawer -settings - about phone - then look for system update. It should update you to the most current version which is 2.3.340. You can verify by checking in about phone at the at the firmware version.

Then you would root the phone. You can do the above method I just think its simpler to do it OTA (over the air ie phone not connected to anything)
 
mac, thank you so much.

i assume once i am rooted i will find resources for removing the things i wish to?

i am running the new 2.3 system.

The unrooting option: is that built into z4? where does it restore my phone to?

the restore point? is this fullproof?

This sounds simple enough, I am still just nervous haha. But those instructions help, thank you mac, just a few more questions

thank you all
 
swilson said:
mac, thank you so much.

i assume once i am rooted i will find resources for removing the things i wish to?

i am running the new 2.3 system.

The unrooting option: is that built into z4? where does it restore my phone to?

the restore point? is this fullproof?

This sounds simple enough, I am still just nervous haha. But those instructions help, thank you mac, just a few more questions

thank you all
Click to expand...

Once you are rooted you can download titanium backup which will allow you backup all apps and data (under batch), or if you wish freeze apps that you dont use.

Me personally, I would go with a ROM like Apex or liberty which will do most of that for you. I would go with apex being new to it all, it is very noob friendly keeps a lot of the blur and applications you are accustomed to.

Unrooting should be available once you open z4root after you have rooted the application. I am guessing where the root option once was will be replaced with unroot.

Once you root you want to use bootstrapper like I mentioned. Is it fullproof? Well I have heard of some people occasionally having problems, but for me it has worked perfectly. Just do the following:

You download boostrapper (couple bucks). Install it, open it click bootstrap recovery, it should then say success (meaning it got permission), then click reboot recovery. Volume keys to move up and down, back arrow key for back, and camera photo button for select.

you want to navigate to backup/ restore. Then tell it you want to do a backup and it will go through the process and it will say backing up on the screen and then it will say success. Then simply go back, and select reboot system.

Your backup will be saved with a filename that is the date. So for simplicity write that date down somewhere and that it was your stock rooted x. I have heard of some people having problems restoring cause they renamed it something else.

If you want to restore this save at anytime you go into bootstrap do the same process except you will click restore, then it will show you your saves and you want the one with the date the day you did it.

Also anytime a future update comes out, you will want to restore to that stock only rooted save state to apply the update OTA. You might lose root, but hopefully you still have the program on your computer and you can just re root and be on your merry way. Although its not guaranteed z4 will work in a future update, but Im sure the guys around here will figure out something in that event.

I love helping people, and I have got the impression some people around here arn't the best at explaining the instructions in normal people terms so I try to fill that gap LOL.

I didn't know much at all about a month ago, and in that month I feel a lot more comfortable with the device and it has really turned into a new beast with a root and a ROM. The whole thing is very rewarding IMO.
 
by nature, i am a worrier...

Has anyone tried MyBackup? the root version seems free..

So tell me if i understand this correctly:
When i root, i am unlocking superuser access. Once i make a backup at that point, it will copy all settings, apps, ALL data, everything. So even if i put some dumb ROM on there or something, i can revert to that point right after rooting. And then if i want, i can relinquish my superuser access and everything will be back to how it is right now?

Also, what is the difference between titanium backup, mybackup, and bootstrapper? and do i need all or one or what?

one more thing--why does bootstrapper back up in recovery? does it save EVERYTHING?

thank you again for your time mac

-sWilson

ADDITION: i have seen many people saying that a "quick boot" app and other easy rebooting apps as must-haves. why is this? will i have to reboot my phone a lot...? thanks
 
When you root, you are literally just saying "I can do whatever I want." You can root and then do nothing and your phone won't be different at all. When you use Bootstrapper, if just puts your phone in to recovery mode - where you make backups and install ROMs. A Boostrapper backup is EVERYTHING exactly the way it is on your phone. A full phone image. If anything happens, and you can get in to recovery, you are set.

If you choose to unroot your phone, no one will ever know it's been rooted. It just goes back to normal - assuming you didn't delete anything.

Boostrapper is a photo of your device to a T. Titanium backs up apps and app data.

And, let's not forget, if you do mess up your phone past the point of recovery, you can flash the SBF and get it back to stock - completely. No root, no silly apps, no ROMs, nothing - just like it came out of the box with all the Verizon nonsense.

Bottom line: There is very little risk in doing it. Follow directions, make backups, and you will be fine.
 
I have a question about ROMs... which ROM (compatible with Droid X) is most like CyanogenMod?

I rooted my OG Droid year before last, and currently my Droid Incredible. I've flashed just about everything onto my OG that would run on it and liked and enjoyed many of them, and really loved a few... especially CyanogenMod, my favorite of all.

The reason I like CyanogenMod is because of all the additional *goodies* that come with it that most ROMs either didn't have, or were able to add later via the CyanogenMod team. Also, CyanogenMod runs off a plain vanilla stock Android base which can be customized, but does not contain any manufacturer-added firmware such as MotoBlur or Sense.

If there is anything out there like that for the X, I'd appreciate the direction. Thanks!!
 
djkeller, not to be rude, but you could easliy start your own thread and have your questions answered much faster that way from heavier traffic.

constantine, thank you for the reassurance. Hopefully one day i will know what "flashing the sbf" means haha, sounds like something from a wocka flocka flame song. I plan to start tonight so i will keep this thread on my mind. Wish me luck and i will be back to ask more questions i'm sure.

Actually, now that i think of it, i will ask one now: how would i, once rooted of course, disable the sliding (fake iphone) lock but keep the ability to use the pin, password, and pattern lock? i have read something about adding .bak to a filename or something? thanks

more questions coming soon stay tuned.:D
 
swilson said:
djkeller, not to be rude, but you could easliy start your own thread and have your questions answered much faster that way from heavier traffic.

constantine, thank you for the reassurance. Hopefully one day i will know what "flashing the sbf" means haha, sounds like something from a wocka flocka flame song. I plan to start tonight so i will keep this thread on my mind. Wish me luck and i will be back to ask more questions i'm sure.

Actually, now that i think of it, i will ask one now: how would i, once rooted of course, disable the sliding (fake iphone) lock but keep the ability to use the pin, password, and pattern lock? i have read something about adding .bak to a filename or something? thanks

more questions coming soon stay tuned.:D
Click to expand...

Yes, you are being rude to be sure, but you also have a good point; however I was only directing my question to those with whom I was already conversing, but feel free to ask all the irrelevant questions you want!
 
ok guys settle down. swilson, while you are justified in not wanting your thread being jacked, a pm with a less aggressive tone might have served the situation better.

dj, the term for this situation is called hijacking a thread. Someone starts a thread asking a question and someone else comes in and asks another question or starts a different conversation off topic from the OP. It is frowned upon, but could have been handled better. If you do have a question for the general public, feel free to start your own thread, if you have a question or comment for a specific individual you can always pm them.

lets all get along and keep this a friendly place m'kay! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom