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Root Nervous about Rooting

dorsetsav

dorsetsav

Well-Known Member
HI Guys,
Loving my Desire and loving all the tips, hints and help provided on this website.
I am quickly coming to the conclusion that as I spend most of my time uninstalling apps and managing my memory usage that I should bite the bullet and root my desire to free up its potential.
I have done lots of research, mostly through this website to be honest, and have read with great interest JohnnyBravo1000
 
Hurray!!! Someone who's done the right thing!!! :D

Yep, keep that RUU to hand. If you ever need to rebrand you can just flash that and jobs a goodun!!

In terms of rooting, use unrEVOked 3.21. Nice and easy, altohugh I would recommend using AmonRA as opposed to Clockwork Mod it defaults with as you have options to partition your SD card to larger than 512MB
 
Can I just add that with Clockworkmod recovery after rooting using unrevoked 3.21, there is a known issue that you get a boot loop after first recovery (nandroid) backup and to get around this is to restore the backup you had just taken.

Having never used AmonRA, cant say if this has the same issue.
 
I've personally never had an issue with AmonRA BUT I don't always backup unless its a ROM I've never used before. Not good practice but seeing as I go between stock and root quite frequently I can't always use a backup anyway :D
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I am going to try the following.
Take out existing sd card, put in a smaller one just for goldcard purposes. Make the goldcard and then put that and a CD containing the shipped ROM somewhere safe that the dog can
 
Clockworkmod will flash as default using unrevoked, so unless you are changing this to AmonRA as Eddy suggests, you can remove that step.

to change, you have to download AmonRA seperately and point Unrevoked to the file before you go through the root process.

Theres no harm in making your 16GB card a goldcard. Infact I would recommend it.

When flashing the rom, make sure to wipe data.
 
You only need to make a gold card if you plan or going to a different stock RUU than the o2 branded one. If you're only going to use custom ROMs then you don't technically need to make a GC. Good practice, though
 
EddyOS said:
You only need to make a gold card if you plan or going to a different stock RUU than the o2 branded one. If you're only going to use custom ROMs then you don't technically need to make a GC. Good practice, though
Click to expand...


Exactly. In case the O2 doesn't work for some reason, may need to use a generic RUU
 
Oh! See how naive am I!
In that case i will format the 16GB card then make it my goldcard. Will any of the subsequent data wipes clear the changes made to the card when making it into a Goldcard?
Whilst i'm showing my lack of knowledge, what it nandroid and Titanium?
Sorry for all the questions just dont want to do my normal thing and charge into things like a bull in a china shop!!
I really appreciate all the help.
 
Once a goldcard, pretty much always a goldcard from what we understand.

1) Titanium backup is a market application. It backs up all apps and settings. Basically anything on your /data partition.

2) Nandroid is a term for Backup via the recovery menu's. It backs up the entire NAND (/system, /Data, /Cache partitions). This is a snap shot of your device and you can restore it exactly (including rom) to the state it was in when you took it.
 
Thanks again Danfrance.
Is it safe to make a copy of these backups onto a PC. I know its a spectre of doom type scenario but if the SD card becomes corrupt then you loose everything!

Hopefully if my new SD card arrives in time and "her indoors" gives me a break from Christmas shopping then i might give this a go at teh weekend.

Fingers crossed.
 
Yes, you can copy them across, worth doing if you're the paranoid type. As I use very few apps I don't mind having to set my phone up from scratch
 
Thanks for the advice.

Having managed to totally screw my phone up when just installing an OTA update to Froyo I really dont want to go throught the pain of trying to get my phone replaced again!

Coming from an engineering proffesiion with the ethos of "measure twice, cut once" I just want to be sure I know what I am cutting and where.

Still feeling nervous about the whole process but hopefully when my new SD card turns up will have an idea what to do!

I'll let you know when I pluck up the courage to start! ha ha
 
the first few times you do these things the nerves and twitchy ring kicks in
after a few phone bootloops and wierd shenanigans you get used to it.
most things are recoverable
the 2 things that make me shit bricks is flashing radios and getting s-off as there "can be" no return from them
very rare tho
 
See just when you think you are starting to get your head around something a new term pops up!
Correct me please if I am wrong, but if I flash a ROM like Leedroid’s latest I should be ok with the current radio which does not get replaced as part of the flashing procedure?
What on earth is s-off?
 
Re LeeDroid, the xda thread shows he might have 2.2g out by this weekend.
Radio - doesn't get replaced by flashing a ROM but you may want to flash a new radio afterwards if you have any problems or think there will be a performance boost from it.
S-off - is turning off some extra security on the phone which allows more access. I asked the same question last week if you want to check my previous posts. I think the general advice was if you don't know what it is you probably don't need it.

I am not going to change the radio unless I have to and I don't believe I need s-off.
 
bartlet said:
Re LeeDroid, the xda thread shows he might have 2.2g out by this weekend.
Radio - doesn't get replaced by flashing most ROMs (ROMs that include Radios will state the Radio Version usually) but you may want to flash a new radio afterwards if you have any problems or think there will be a performance boost from it.
S-off - is turning off some extra security on the phone which allows more access. I asked the same question last week if you want to check my previous posts. I think the general advice was if you don't know what it is you probably don't need it.

I am not going to change the radio unless I have to and I don't believe I need s-off.
Click to expand...

Sorry Bartlet, edited slightly.
 
thanks again guys.
I think I might try to root at the weekend and then flash the current leedroid 2.2f as it seems to be a good stable rom.
Then if all goes well I might get adventurous and flash to the 2.2g in a few weeks time once I have recovered.
This of course all depends on the new SD card arriving. We've had a bit of snow in the uk so the whole country has ground to a halt and my new card is stuck in some royal mail sorting office somewhere...Joy!
 
Thanks Danfrance, however I feel there may be some pain headed my way in the various steps it will take me to actually get 2.2f onto the phone first!!!
 
Oh yes, its a learning experience. As long as you plan it out, are clear on what could happen and don't panic or do anything rash, it will be fine.

But no amount of reading will 100% prepare you for every eventuality until you have actually carried out the process.
 
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