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

Forever Rootless?

jefboyardee

jefboyardee

Extreme Android User
As some of you know, I have proudly maintained my rootlessness for over two years, mostly due to brickophobia. Well, yesterday, bored enough to watch videos about how easy rooting is, I said the hell with it, I can always buy another phone. So, armed with that courage...

First, from my folder full of root-somedays, I tried How to Root the Huawei Ascend II (Straight Talk), using Poot. I followed its instructions step by step, but just like it mentioned, it couldn’t pass its root check because it didn’t see ‘su.’ Assuming that was superuser, I installed that and it still didn’t pass. So I uninstalled all of it, installed su first, then tried Poot, same non-result. Uninstalled again, try something else...

I went to the mothership and tried Rooting Your Ascend II. It also failed and also let me uninstall and move on to something else here that I’ve lost track of. It had me goof with my PC’s ADB settings, probably unecessarily, and that severed my holy USB connection. The only way to restore that, having spent another hour looking for an easy escape, was the dreaded Factory Reset. Then, of course, another two hours to get most everything back the way it was, but still not quite done.

It was a classic wasted day. I wound up right where I started and have to be grateful for that. I have a local acquaintance that has offered to root it for me, but outside of calling him, I don’t think I will ever bother to try this again. After all, I don’t know about you all, but I have never really needed to root my phone, have just wanted to out of spite for having my carrier fill most of my internal memory with junk.

There, that’s my Sunday Confession.
 
I hear that, buddy, and I am right there with you.
I don't feel that for my personal needs the risk is worth the reward.
I don't have any issues using my unrooted Android smartphones.
Got a kick out of your confession, though!:p
 
damewolf13 said:
I don't feel that for my personal needs the risk is worth the reward.
Click to expand...

I've felt the same way over my Android years.

While rooting has its many benefits, I don't want to risk screwing up a $300 (or more) device. But if I ever come across an older phone someone is getting rid of I might experiment with it.


jefboyardee said:
After all, I don’t know about you all, but I have never really needed to root my phone
Click to expand...

Nope, me neither.
 
Well, all I'll say is to each his/her own. Rooting isn't for everybody and I can respect that. Especially if you're not comfortable with it. Can't say the same for myself though.
 
:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

I'm not sure I ought to explain what 'rooting' is in Australia. Let it suffice to say that most of us don't root for our sporting heroes...
 
I can tell you this though, sorry to have to hear your confessional, but once you do root, you will see what it is all about, and the many options you have. Once root you will never go back, JMO

I agree though, if your not comfortable then you be best to hold off. Some phones are definitely easier to root then others depending on the popularity of the phone and the actual popularity of Devs. The more Devs on a device, then usually there are more ways to root and keep up with the development of the device. Also some of the manufacture don't want users rooting their device so they make it harder by locking down their bootloaders etc...
 
For me, there's been next to no problems, and I would say it has definitely been worth the "risk" although the main risk is when you're flashing radios (which is usually not necessary)
 
I almost think that I should factory reset first, to have a clean slate, then install superuser, then do the poot, then put everything back. But that won’t necessarily do anything but put me at square one again...
 
I haven't rooted either--for a variety of reasons. This usually generates shocked/stunned reactions. "WHAT?! That Linux nerd has un-rooted phones?!" Yep. :)

Prior to ordering my first Android phone, I was 100% sure that I would root it. From everything I'd read, it was a no-brainer that I would want my phone rooted. And then it arrived--and I started looking for instructions and files for rooting it, and came up with NOTHING but window$ stuff. :rolleyes: I was incredulous. I mean, really, a LINUX-based operating system that needs a window$ PC in order to root? :confused: I finally gave up.

Then I got my second Android phone, and my third. Ditto for the above experience. Nothing for Linux PCs.

BUT! In the meantime, I realized that I truly didn't care--or NEED to be rooted. Sure, I'd like to have the full suite of *nix commands available to me when I'm at a prompt on the phone, but other than that there really are no compelling reasons to root. I have not been limited in any way as far as what *I* do on my phones, so why bother?

I leave my geekiness to my computers, and use my phone to play games and do a few other things that don't need root.
 
I can't imagine not rooting my device. Some of the apps I use depend on it, and I can't stand the bloat crap carriers put on the device and the unneeded use of bandwidth and battery they can cause.


There are some that do not find the need to root, and/or are not comfortable doing it. That is fine, as it is not for everyone. The users of android powered devices vary to a wide degree, and each have their own uses and needs that they got the device for....
 
It's getting to the point when root is no longer necessary. Why do you root? to get more space, uninstall some apps to make phone faster, get rom, overclock. Well most new phones have more than enough space, usless apps no longer slow it down, standard rom has more than enough customizations, no lag so overclocking is not needed. So unless you are just into rooting, its getting really pointless.
 
unnamedny said:
It's getting to the point when root is no longer necessary. Why do you root? to get more space, uninstall some apps to make phone faster, get rom, overclock. Well most new phones have more than enough space, usless apps no longer slow it down, standard rom has more than enough customizations, no lag so overclocking is not needed. So unless you are just into rooting, its getting really pointless.
Click to expand...

Well, what if you can't afford the latest and greatest when it comes to phones? What if you want to give your older phone a bit more longevity by keeping up performance wise with the newer phones? What if you don't like stock Android? I could probably list more reasons but that should be more than enough.
 
I wouldn't say that it is pointless. My device has plenty of power and space and I don't over clock it, but there are other reasons for rooting, with one of them being carrier blocked apps. Although I don't use it, I had a friend with the same phone and because his ROM was Boost labeled the Bing app was blocked (not supported by carrier), yet I could get it being Sprint labeled.
 
I have a galaxy s4 and have been contemplating a root. But, I honestly don't think I'll ever need to, coming from an iPhone 4 this beast does anything I need it to. Laziness is also a big factor...
 
I think that, if you rooted previous devices, you're much more inclined to root subsequent ones whether or not it's actually necessary. It's habit-forming. :)

p.s. thread moved to Android Lounge to get a wider audience.
 
Well I buy all my Androids on fleabay. Only use MVNOs no mainline carriers. I do a little research on Phonescoop & look at what they're selling for. Then I come here & XDA seeing about rootiness. I get less & less scared about rooting. But I just changed from a Droid X2 to an Atrix 2. I was panicked for a day or two. LOL. So far I've rooted an Eris, Incredible, Droid X, Droid X2 & now an Atrix 2. I stopped using custom ROMs though. And I don't uninstall preinstalled apps or system apps I just freeze them now.
 
I'm starting to agree with a lot of folks around here that since 4.0+, phones really don't need to be rooted and ROM'd like they used to.
However, that being said, there's a few things that I would like to do with my phone which require root (TiBu, Nandroids, wifi hotspot etc). And, with getting a phone filled with bloat as my S3 is, it just makes sense to get rid of it. Looking at new ones like the HTC One and Note 3, they seem to be getting it. I would likely root either should I purchase one, but the modifications would be far less than my OG Droid days. :)
 
You guys have phones that..... aren't....rooted?!?!? :eek: :confused: :eek:


Rooting is the very first thing I do a soon as I get a phone in hand. Won't own one without it.
 
Even as a matter of principal, any phone geek should unlock root access because we can and because its rediculous that we even have to do it in a sneaky way instead of just flipping a switch in dev options :D imo :beer:
 
I have never rooted for any of the reasons the non rooted users seem to think are the reasons for root.

I don't delete pre-installed apps and I don't over clock.

I root for command line access, titanium backup, moving my own ringtones and notifications to /system, changing my boot animation or at least silencing it, and in the case of the Note 2; all apps in multi-view.

I unlock the bootloader because the developers add features to their ROMs that I think should be put there by Google.
 
Rxpert83 said:
You guys have phones that..... aren't....rooted?!?!? :eek: :confused: :eek:


Rooting is the very first thing I do a soon as I get a phone in hand. Won't own one without it.
Click to expand...
Just curious, do you only have Linux computers available to you, and/or did you root your phones using Linux computers?

I honestly haven't even thought about rooting my Atrix 2 lately. I gave up when I first got it and could find nothing for rooting on Linux computers. I have no idea if there are such things available now, but if others here have been able to root their phones from Linux then I may take another look.
 
unnamedny said:
It's getting to the point when root is no longer necessary. Why do you root? to get more space, uninstall some apps to make phone faster, get rom, overclock. Well most new phones have more than enough space, usless apps no longer slow it down, standard rom has more than enough customizations, no lag so overclocking is not needed. So unless you are just into rooting, its getting really pointless.
Click to expand...

This is how I feel. My first Android was the Huawei Ascend, and it needed help just to function properly. Pathetic amount of memory, 600 mhz processor, and stuck on 2.1. Skipped over Froyo to CM7 Gingerbread with Darktremor's App2SD that put all of the app on SD card, and overclocked the processor a bit. It was still slow as hell, but useable. The Huawei Mercury was much nicer, a midrange GB phone with 1.4ghz single core processor. Still runs smooth and does anything I would need it to do. I rooted it because it was so easy using Poot, but really only used it for Ad Free. My GS3 I haven't even rooted, the bloat argument is outdated when you can disable and hide the offending apps in a junk folder. You don't even see them. Rooting and flashing ROMs was fun when I was trying to squeeze every last drop of performance from my junk phone, but for most modern, even mid level phones, it's not really necessary anymore. Biggest upgrade to me from the Mercury to the S3 is the big beautiful screen.
Not that there's anything wrong with tinkering if that's what you're into. It just seems like there's no such thing as a bug free custom ROM. They always seem to have that one last thing that never gets fixed before the developer moves on to something else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom