Root Linux Mint, and will this solve my problems?

[sunnymw]

I am currently running Linux Mint / Maya on my desktop.

I have the original Evo with Android 2.3.5 baseband 2.15.00.12.19, I am pretty sure HBOOT is either 2.17 or 2.18 (can check in a moment).

I'm new to this, so an idiot's guide is welcome. If the standard guide that is posted also works for Mint, I'm all for that!

My phone has lately become a total nightmare. It takes several minutes to load my messaging app and send messages. It takes 4-5 times of attempting to make a phone call before one goes through (either because of errors, lag, busy signal, or just nothing happening). My battery life has tanked to nothing (and no apps are showing under the battery information screen)... I can go through a battery in 2 hours or less of talk time. 4, maybe 5, in standby. My charger port is broken (yes, rooting won't fix that I know) and on the verge of not working at all. I've had this phone since December and it has been my only lifeline, as I haven't had internet or a PC at all for nearly 2 years.

I don't mind losing all my information. I'm switching to a new 32GB card from my 16 anyway and have to move it all over manually. Just need my contacts, which I have already backed up to Google.

I'm going to admit here that while I'm pretty technically inclined, I have little understanding of the root process other than what I'm basically doing. Do I root my phone first, then load CyanogenMod or an equivalent? I just need something simple, but customizable, and I need it to WORK. I don't want it to take 3 minutes to make 1 phone call .

Please help a newb get started, before I take this Evo out back and use it for target practice! :banghead: and go buy an iPhone

 

[Mikestony]

I am currently running Linux Mint / Maya on my desktop.

I have the original Evo with Android 2.3.5 baseband 2.15.00.12.19, I am pretty sure HBOOT is either 2.17 or 2.18 (can check in a moment).

I'm new to this, so an idiot's guide is welcome. If the standard guide that is posted also works for Mint, I'm all for that!

My phone has lately become a total nightmare. It takes several minutes to load my messaging app and send messages. It takes 4-5 times of attempting to make a phone call before one goes through (either because of errors, lag, busy signal, or just nothing happening). My battery life has tanked to nothing (and no apps are showing under the battery information screen)... I can go through a battery in 2 hours or less of talk time. 4, maybe 5, in standby. My charger port is broken (yes, rooting won't fix that I know) and on the verge of not working at all. I've had this phone since December and it has been my only lifeline, as I haven't had internet or a PC at all for nearly 2 years.

I don't mind losing all my information. I'm switching to a new 32GB card from my 16 anyway and have to move it all over manually. Just need my contacts, which I have already backed up to Google.

I'm going to admit here that while I'm pretty technically inclined, I have little understanding of the root process other than what I'm basically doing. Do I root my phone first, then load CyanogenMod or an equivalent? I just need something simple, but customizable, and I need it to WORK. I don't want it to take 3 minutes to make 1 phone call .

Please help a newb get started, before I take this Evo out back and use it for target practice! :banghead: and go buy an iPhone

Hello!
If the guide you were looking at was this one,
http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-all...-rooting-gingerbread-2-3-5-dummies-guide.html
then, that is the guide to follow
As far as Linux/mint, I cant help you there, sorry.
And as far as your charging port being nearly broken, you will need that port to plug phone in during the htcdev unlocking method etc.
Can you still plug in phone and mount it as disc drive to transfer things to/from sd card/computer?
And also, your problems lately, could it be a tower issue? As in, poor reception and when phone is constantly looking for a signal, your battery life will suffer greatly....
Can you post what your bootloader screen says?
Pull battery, then put battery back in, then while holding the volume down button, push power....the screen that comes up is your bootloader screen and that screen will list info you/us will need to begin the rooting process..
Hope I answered some questions for you anyways...ask more if you need to!

 

[sunnymw]

I can still plug it in to charge/mount as HD, I just have to hold my leg JUST SO, spin around 3 times, and do the macarena as I plug it in.

HBOOT is 2.18.0001

That is the guide I found, I just need to know if it will work with Linux Mint or not

Tower, oddly enough, has been better than ever since I've moved. 4-5 bars versus 0-1/roaming in my old house. But, Sprint claims my phone has been having issues "communicating effectively with the tower". My boyfriend's Evo Shift has the same issue (far LESS frequently than I do) so maybe it is on their end. I also can't send picture messages, and receiving them is 50/50 if that.

LMK what other info you need in order to help you help me.

Thanks!

 

[Mikestony]

I can still plug it in to charge/mount as HD, I just have to hold my leg JUST SO, spin around 3 times, and do the macarena as I plug it in.

HBOOT is 2.18.0001

That is the guide I found, I just need to know if it will work with Linux Mint or not

Tower, oddly enough, has been better than ever since I've moved. 4-5 bars versus 0-1/roaming in my old house. But, Sprint claims my phone has been having issues "communicating effectively with the tower". My boyfriend's Evo Shift has the same issue (far LESS frequently than I do) so maybe it is on their end. I also can't send picture messages, and receiving them is 50/50 if that.

LMK what other info you need in order to help you help me.

Thanks!

Just this info we need to get you started:

Can you post what your bootloader screen says?
Pull battery, then put battery back in, then while holding the volume down button, push power....the screen that comes up is your bootloader screen and that screen will list info you/us will need to begin the rooting process..
Hope I answered some questions for you anyways...ask more if you need to!

Has Sprint have you reprovision (?) your phone? As in, did they reset the phone or help you out in any way to get the phone to communicate better?
Have you tried a factory reset?
Not sure if rooting (albeit the best thing to do to a phone imho!) will help with your signal issues but from what you posted in your first post, you have the current radios
Have you updated prl and pri to see if that helps?
And again, I know absolutely nothing about Linux and how to use that type of os to root.

 

[sunnymw]

They had me update the profile and PRL, said it would fix my picture messaging problem and also my tower issues. It did neither.

I just did a factory reset of the phone anyhow, as I wanted to start with a clean slate.

 

[Mikestony]

They had me update the profile and PRL, said it would fix my picture messaging problem and also my tower issues. It did neither.

I just did a factory reset of the phone anyhow, as I wanted to start with a clean slate.

Well, perhaps that might help, but if you decide to root (nudge nudge), just follow the guide I linked and ask anything about anything that may be unclear k?

 

[sunnymw]

Will do, thanks. I'll have to find a Windows PC to do it as both my PCs have Linux on them here.