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Thinking about rooting and looking for input first

bigtex19

bigtex19

Android Enthusiast
i have grown bored with the stock set up with my dx and have tried go launcher and that held my interest for a little while. the thought of rooting came into my head but im afraid of bricking my phone and having to pay retail for another one. i was just wanting to get some input on the pros and cons of rooting to help with my decision. all input is welcome!
 
Well, you've actually got several options and paths to take.

You can "just" root (i.e., with Z4root) which is pretty safe since it'll just install the su program, busybox, and the SuperUser app. This will allow you play with root-only apps (wi-fi tethering, drocap2/Shootme, Root Explorer, etc.). This is pretty-much your base-level, basic rooting and is pretty vanilla and safe.

Some other slightly more risky behavior with this root-only capability include build.prop editing, removing or freezing apps, etc. A little scary if you haven't adequately covered yourself with either being very careful, having made Nandroid backups, or having the proper .sbf files ready and available. I believe you could do some (slight) overclocking too, but now you are getting into things that are a little more risky.

The next step beyond this would be custom ROMs and themes, but these would require Koush's bootstap, ROM Manager, etc.

Since my DX is my day-to-day phone, I have not (yet) monkeyed with removing apps, overclocking, installing bootstap, ROM Manager, or installing custom ROMs or themes. There's lots of other great folks on this forum than can help guide you with specifics regarding these things that I continue to read and follow with great interest.

Cheers!
 
The best possible answer I can give you is to READ. Read everything. I was reluctant also, but I just started reading. Especially the Root sections. Know what your getting into but do not panic, Backup everything. I rooted, then bootstraped, now I have Darkslide's 4.2 custom rom on my phone and I love it. Whatever you do, dont panic. First time I ROM'd, I got stuck in a boot loop because I didnt read the "Do not use" with this ROM warning, but i figured out how to put it back together correctly and off I go. Also, if you get to the point you want to ROM, check them all out via pictures, I think ROM's are about visual appearance first. Read, visualize and go. There are some exceptional minds in these forum's. Dont be afraid to ask.
 
Just rooting your phone isn't really dangerous at all. It's as simple as finding z4root and using it.
If you want to do cutom rom's then I would recommend asking people in the Root forum, as they are extremely helpful.

Also, you'll hear the horror stories but if you are careful and slow, especially when it's your first time doing it, your phone will be fine. It is extremely hard to actually brick your phone, as in the only ones I've heard of have been developer's phones.
 
so ROMs are what give the phone all the custom looks? because thats more what i am interested in than anything
 
RoOoLeR's Guide ROOT / UNROOT / BACKUP / ROM / SBF / OVERCLOCK

Sorry to pimp another forum, but this guide (which may be posted somewhere on this site) walks you through the basics very well, and explains things very thoroughly. I have been reading this forum for months, and finally pulled trigger, using this guide, on Sunday. I rooted with z4, installed bootstrap, rom mngr, etc. I went with Liberty 1.5 for a ROM, and it's like a whole new phone. Think of a ROM like you think of moto's BLUR, but actually useful. And on steroids. The toolbox included offers a lot of 1 click customization options, and different themes as well. I use the Nex theme, and they literally customize everything according to the theme (market, browser, notification tab, etc.) As everyone has said, read up. And remember, the most important step in rooting is creating a BACKUP!
 
Here are some pics of the theme for an idea of what I mean. I use GO launcher for the icons, and my LCD density is at 210 (done very easily through the Liberty toolbox.) As you can see, the themes go pretty deep. I love the icons in the browser and gmail quick menus, even the power bar widget looks cool. Liberty without GO on top has a gingerbread launcher, which looks great, though I prefer the icon style with GO.

CAP2011021613531.jpg

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CAP201102161352.jpg
 
Not that much customizing(changing the looks) can be done with rooting than you can do with a Launcher, unless I am very mistaken.

If you ROM just make sure EVERYTHING is backed up. I lost my phone contacts going to the Liberty ROM but got them back going back to the stock ROM and using Verizon back up. But don't rely on Verizon's back up for custom ROMs.
 
bigtex19 said:
so ROMs are what give the phone all the custom looks? because thats more what i am interested in than anything
Click to expand...

Roms and Themes are what give the custom look. On a Droid X, due to the constraints of the locked bootloader, the distinction between roms and themes is somewhat blurred. In effect, Droid X roms are closer to themes than on say a Droid 1 or an HTC Incredible (my other two phones).

Yes, that's the area you're looking for - where the good stuff is. :)

-Mike
 
Yeah rooting and ROMing will change the feel of your DX, but not so much the look. Themes are what you're after.
 
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