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Root Rerooting? starting over?

H

hortstu

Android Enthusiast
I rooted my phone but only partially. S is still on, Nand is not unlocked, and it works, rooted apps work, but somethings not quite right. I want to return to factory and start the process over. Actually I'd like to get all the software updated too.

So here are my questions.

1. How do I get back to factory settings and wipe the phone? I don't just want to unroot. I want to get it back to like it was out of the box? Is there a clean and easy way to do this?

2. I'm having trouble when I sync my contacts. For some reason the Evo is getting overwritten by gmail, and the is where I enter the updated info. Is there another way to save this?

3. I use app brain so I don't think there are any issues with the apps. Am I wrong?

4. If I return to stock unrooted factory settings, then do all the latest software updates, then reroot, is there anything that will stop me or are all the latest updates currently rootable?

5. Since I can't do a Nandroid backup I imagine the best way to get my device the way I like it after this would be to take some screen shots and use them when the time comes? Am I wrong? Is there an easier way?

6. Am I missing something I should be backing up? Already took care of all my pics, movies, and music.

Thanks for any help.
Mike
 
Really? No replies. Can someone that's on top of this stuff hook me up? Even just links will help. I have searched. I've spent hours on this site trying to nail this stuff down but there are so many useless threads to wade through that it feels like I'm just spinning my wheels. If anyone out there has young kids, and a full time job, they know how tough it can be to set aside hours for figuring this stuff out. It means sacrificing sleep.

Any help will be immensely appreciated.
 
Alright. I think you just asked a lot of stuff and people don't have the time in the middle of the day to type out a long reply....and by the sound of it, you know exactly what I mean. I will give it a shot but you gotta do one thing for me before I dive in. Download Terminal Emulator in the market. Open it. You should be "greeted" with a $.....type "su" without the quotes and then hit return/enter. If the prompt turns into a # then you are rooted. If it remains a $ you are not. I am not convinced you are even rooted. What root apps work?

My short answer would be to unroot via the method in Matlock's Rooting for Dummies thread. There is also a 2 step method as well....they may be one and the same.

PS...I am able to help because I only have a part time job and no kids.....a really good part time job though...:-)
 
flyjbaker said:
Alright. I think you just asked a lot of stuff and people don't have the time in the middle of the day to type out a long reply....
Click to expand...

exactly why I haven't responded yet ...I noticed the thread last night but wasn't going to respond with such a lengthy answer on the phone while sitting in the movie theater lol

1. follow the steps in rooting for dummies or in how to unroot over at xda
2. explain further...your gmail contacts will always sync unless you turn this off at menu.settings.accounts and sync.gmail. uncheck contacts or save the contacts you wish not to synce as "phone" contacts (requires addition of each one individually)
3. app brain will back up your apps, but not the data associated with them (game saves etc) check into titanium backup or mybackup for more features
4. possibly not. don't worry about the ota updates...follow the root for dummies thread and flash a rom that ALREADY has all of the updates incorporated into it
5. you are right (unless you use above backup options, which may or may not work based on your root status)
6. txt messages? that's really all I can think of

in a situation like this you might also consider finding someone local to you more familiar with this type of thing that could lend a hand
 
hortstu said:
I rooted my phone but only partially. S is still on, Nand is not unlocked, and it works, rooted apps work, but somethings not quite right. I want to return to factory and start the process over. Actually I'd like to get all the software updated too.

So here are my questions.

1. How do I get back to factory settings and wipe the phone? I don't just want to unroot. I want to get it back to like it was out of the box? Is there a clean and easy way to do this?

2. I'm having trouble when I sync my contacts. For some reason the Evo is getting overwritten by gmail, and the is where I enter the updated info. Is there another way to save this?

3. I use app brain so I don't think there are any issues with the apps. Am I wrong?

4. If I return to stock unrooted factory settings, then do all the latest software updates, then reroot, is there anything that will stop me or are all the latest updates currently rootable?

5. Since I can't do a Nandroid backup I imagine the best way to get my device the way I like it after this would be to take some screen shots and use them when the time comes? Am I wrong? Is there an easier way?

6. Am I missing something I should be backing up? Already took care of all my pics, movies, and music.

Thanks for any help.
Mike
Click to expand...

Why do you want to start from scratch? Once your rooted you are rooted. Second I find it hard to believe you have really even search. These are basic questions. With that said here you go...

1. Go to recovery and select wipe. Then select wipe data. Then wipe cache. Then wipe dalvik.
2. Backing up your contacts is the safest way to go to make sure you get everything back.
3. -
4. There is no need to unroot to update anything. The only thing that has been updated is the software versions. No prl or radio updates, so flash a rom based off of the new software and bam you are updated.
5.There is absolutely no reason for you to have s-on. Flash unrevoked forever so s is set off. Then you can actually back up your phone.
6. All you really need to back up are contacts with Gmail and apps with app brain. Everything else is on your SD card.

I suggest you read up in the rooting for dummies thread. There is a lot of info that you would benefit from.
 
Alright. I think you just asked a lot of stuff and people don't have the time in the middle of the day to type out a long reply....and by the sound of it, you know exactly what I mean.
Click to expand...

Yes, I know. But since my thread was viewed 50 times I was hoping for a little something. At least to keep it on the front page.

I will give it a shot but you gotta do one thing for me before I dive in. Download Terminal Emulator in the market.
Click to expand...

Already got it.

Open it. You should be "greeted" with a $.....type "su" without the quotes and then hit return/enter. If the prompt turns into a # then you are rooted.

Yes I got the # prompt.

If it remains a $ you are not. I am not convinced you are even rooted. What root apps work?
Click to expand...

So far shoot me is the only one I've used but I downloaded the free version of ROM manager and Ti backup.

My short answer would be to unroot via the method in Matlock's Rooting for Dummies thread. There is also a 2 step method as well....they may be one and the same.
Click to expand...

Will unrooting delete anything on my phone? Or will I just be unrooted?

PS...I am able to help because I only have a part time job and no kids.....a really good part time job though...:-)
Click to expand...

Well I'm happy for you and I appreciate you taking the time to help.

Thanks,
mike
 
Mr. ed said:
2. explain further...your gmail contacts will always sync unless you turn this off at menu.settings.accounts and sync.gmail. uncheck contacts or save the contacts you wish not to synce as "phone" contacts (requires addition of each one individually)
Click to expand...

Yeah I've had "auto sync" off since all my contacts got screwed up. Is there a way to make sure the Evo overwrites gmail. I don't really want a sync.

3. app brain will back up your apps, but not the data associated with them (game saves etc) check into titanium backup or mybackup for more features
Click to expand...

I can live with that.

6. txt messages? that's really all I can think of
Click to expand...

Yeah I don't delete these frequently enough anyway.
 
kgb said:
Why do you want to start from scratch? Once your rooted you are rooted.
Click to expand...

Like I said in my first post, I rooted but only partially. I don't have S off or Nand unlocked. I can't do a nandroid backup. I figure the easiest thing to do would be unroot and reroot.

Second I find it hard to believe you have really even search. These are basic questions. With that said here you go...

1. I'm asking because I didn't find any posts that verify this assumption to be true. Most people are unrooting to bring their phone to sprint. I'm unrooting because I want full root. I figure someone on here, like ed, would say " no don't unroot! Just do abcde..." or "yes you're right unroot then reroot...

2. I also haven't found anything on here about google contacts screwing up the contact list on the device and how to get around that... but if you have a link I'd appreciate it.

1 and 4. I've seen plenty on unrooting but not going back to out of the box
Click to expand...

4. I know from reading on here a few weeks ago that there was no way to root if you updated to 2.2 I assume that changed, but don't want to accept any updates while I'm unrooted if they will stop me from rooting. While a search might turn up this info, what terms would get me these results? How many posts would I have to go through to find the specific info I'm looking for.

5 and 6 your right. I probably could have found those quickly through a search.

Otherwise I believe my situation is slightly unique and a search would be tough.

1. Go to recovery and select wipe. Then select wipe data. Then wipe cache. Then wipe dalvik.
Click to expand...

Thanks that will get me back to out of the box evo?

2. Backing up your contacts is the safest way to go to make sure you get everything back.
Click to expand...

I've exported a copy to my SD and then backed up my entire sd to my computer. Will I be able to restore from that so I don't have to mess with google.

4. There is no need to unroot to update anything. The only thing that has been updated is the software versions. No prl or radio updates, so flash a rom based off of the new software and bam you are updated.
Click to expand...

OK The unroot is more or less to get a proper root. Do I need to wipe everything in order properly flash a rom? Like you explain in step 1?

5.There is absolutely no reason for you to have s-on. Flash unrevoked forever so s is set off. Then you can actually back up your phone.
Click to expand...

Are you saying I can do this with out unrooting? I know I don't want s on. It's just the result of the f't up way I rooted.

6. All you really need to back up are contacts with Gmail and apps with app brain. Everything else is on your SD card.
Click to expand...

Thank you that's a giant relief.

I suggest you read up in the rooting for dummies thread. There is a lot of info that you would benefit from.
 
mr ed said:
manually enter your contacts as "phone" not gmail contacts
Click to expand...

What difference would this make? I can keep it from syncing with gmail. It would be more convenient if I could get them to sync properly. How would I backup the "phone" contacts? Just export them to sd?
 
mainly #4....2.2 has been rootable for quite a while now....the new 3.30 hboot is not

at this point I think further discussion is just making things more confusing.... it seems all the info has been posted up for you now roll with it and fix the phone the way you want

:D


hortstu said:
What difference would this make? I can keep it from syncing with gmail. It would be more convenient if I could get them to sync properly. How would I backup the "phone" contacts? Just export them to sd?
Click to expand...

This is where things are getting confusing...I understood an earlier post of yours that YOU DO NOT want to sync your contacts with gmail

phone contacts will not sync with gmail, only gmail contacts will sync
 
If I may ask what method did you use to root? And if you are only partially rooted s-on, then flashing unrevoked forever will then give you full root s-off. Trust me when I tell you this, we are all here to help. But not knowing how you rooted leaves us all to guessing. I am trying to save you some steps by not having to unroot if you don't have to.
 
If I may ask what method did you use to root? And if you are only partially rooted s-on, then flashing unrevoked forever will then give you full root s-off. Trust me when I tell you this, we are all here to help. But not knowing how you rooted leaves us all to guessing. I am trying to save you some steps by not having to unroot if you don't have to.
Click to expand...

Of course! I used a method that was compatible with a linux OS. I used toasts method but got hung up on something half way through... not remembering what it was at this point.

I appreciate all of your help thanks.
 
Well considering you don't remember what part you got hung up on your safest better like you said from the beginning would be just unroot and start over. Lol back to square one! This time if I were you just give unrevoked a shot.. way simple and compatible with Linux!
 
OK I've been reading the thread about unrooting. I never used unrevoked before so apparently I can start at step 8.

I'm comfortable with everything except step 9.

Connect via USB. There is an option for this in both Amon RA and Clockwork.
Click to expand...
I don't have any of these ROMs. I'm completely stock. I was reading through the thread and someone got stuck in a boot loop that resulted from having no ROM at all. Do I have to worry about this? Do I need to install a new ROM before I do this?

Also I'm running 2.1 and it seems everyone in this thread is 2.2
 
Excuse my ignorance. That explains why I can't get the clockwork mod to work. recovery won't work with s-on? Thanks.
 
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