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Why root?

Being the xoom has sideload what other incentives are there to root? I have an atrix and thing of geting the xoom but w/o custom roms what does rooting do for you? And are there custom kernals if so what do those do thanx
Sent from my MB860 using XDA Premium App

I think the better question is Why not root?
Rooting brings backups, recovery, ownership of the system, customization, and the ability to run modified hulu flash

You don't HAVE to root.
My XOOM is running stock 3.1
I've unlocked my TouchPro2 which sometimes runs Android too, rooted my wife's CDMA Hero and her NOOK Color.
I'm not opposed to rooting my XOOM, I just don't have a NEED to right now.
Its fast enough for my games, google reader and XDA app, I don't need overclocking, and I prefer the longer battery life anyway.
32GB of storage is quite a bit, so I don't need the SD right now, don't have a SD card for it yet either.
All the other little bits of neat things here and there are cool, and would be fun to play with. I probably will root eventually, but isn't necessary right now.
Don't let all this talk of rooting make you think you HAVE to, you don't.
If there's something released that you just absolutely have to have, root then.
Rooting alone won't make unicorns appear or magical gnomes keep your house clean.
But should someone write an app for the gnomes to clean my house, you can guarantee my XOOM will be rooted lol

KYT said:
You don't HAVE to root.
My XOOM is running stock 3.1
I've unlocked my TouchPro2 which sometimes runs Android too, rooted my wife's CDMA Hero and her NOOK Color.
I'm not opposed to rooting my XOOM, I just don't have a NEED to right now.
Its fast enough for my games, google reader and XDA app, I don't need overclocking, and I prefer the longer battery life anyway.
32GB of storage is quite a bit, so I don't need the SD right now, don't have a SD card for it yet either.
All the other little bits of neat things here and there are cool, and would be fun to play with. I probably will root eventually, but isn't necessary right now.
Don't let all this talk of rooting make you think you HAVE to, you don't.
If there's something released that you just absolutely have to have, root then.
Rooting alone won't make unicorns appear or magical gnomes keep your house clean.
But should someone write an app for the gnomes to clean my house, you can guarantee my XOOM will be rooted lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am also running stock 3.1. Rooting gives you the ability to do several things with your system because when you are "root" in a *nix environment you have control of everything. You can overwrite files, you can delete files, you can install whatever you want and you can also easily break stuff.
The last part is where users get into trouble.
My advice is always going to be to save rooting for the technically inclined. If you're technically inclined and feel like you can competantly run amuck in your system go for it man there's a ton of fun stuff you can do. If you're the slightest bit leary that you might get something wrong, or don't want to install development tools, etc... stay stock.

cwizardtx said:
I am also running stock 3.1. Rooting gives you the ability to do several things with your system because when you are "root" in a *nix environment you have control of everything. You can overwrite files, you can delete files, you can install whatever you want and you can also easily break stuff.
The last part is where users get into trouble.
My advice is always going to be to save rooting for the technically inclined. If you're technically inclined and feel like you can competantly run amuck in your system go for it man there's a ton of fun stuff you can do. If you're the slightest bit leary that you might get something wrong, or don't want to install development tools, etc... stay stock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you manage to keep your nexus one stock? Lol
I for one have rooted every android device I owned I've never been a fan of stock either way its all up to you but my opinion is rooted >stock

bwcorvus said:
I think the better question is Why not root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because Google will be blocking movies (and I'll bet Netflix does, as well) on rooted devices. Which then leaves us stuck with how to do things like backup, customization, etc. without a rooted device...
eric

Personally... overclocking, underclocking, screenshot, adfree, Hulu, system backup, Titanium backup.

ericbergan said:
Because Google will be blocking movies (and I'll bet Netflix does, as well) on rooted devices. Which then leaves us stuck with how to do things like backup, customization, etc. without a rooted device...
eric
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Drm only hurts honest people...

Netflix currenty works on rooted devices. I can't see a logical reason why it would change either. But nothing the riaa does is really logical to me so who knows. But Netflix is streaming only so it is different than a 24hr rental service that you can actually download the file for offline viewing.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

PaulG1488 said:
How do you manage to keep your nexus one stock? Lol
I for one have rooted every android device I owned I've never been a fan of stock either way its all up to you but my opinion is rooted >stock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well actually I wouldn't mind rooting the Xoom or the Nexus one I just don't fiddle around with ROMs or kernels. Merely rooting the device all by itself is pretty safe and gets you a lot of things I guess.
I just had my Nexus repaired by HTC a couple weeks ago and they wiped it... even though I don't have all these fancy back up measures in place it took me all of 10 minutes to put the phone back the way it was.

ericbergan said:
Because Google will be blocking movies (and I'll bet Netflix does, as well) on rooted devices. Which then leaves us stuck with how to do things like backup, customization, etc. without a rooted device...
eric
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
doesn't bother me cos australia can't get movies anyway... i rooted to get more control (for system apps and stuff) and for otg stuff

because you can. root then unroot if you have to.
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

Yes there are custom kernels. These add SD card support and real micro USB otg hosting, including the ability to read thumb drives and hard drives. That to me was enough to root. I don't want to pollute my Xoom's disk space with 10gb of music and another 10 with movies. Google music beta solved the music and hot swaping USB solved everything else.

Is rooting worth it?

Hello, I have a Motorola Droid X, and was wondering if it was worth while to root it. My dad has a rooted phone, and I kind of think it's cool some if the stuff you can do. But, I don't think I totally understand rooting yet.
So because if this I'm wondering if there is anything that makes it worth rooting ? I've also seen some of the custom themes and stuff that you can get on a rooted phone. Do those make your battery life a lot shorter?
Thanks for any help I can get
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App

dritz33 said:
Hello, I have a Motorola Droid X, and was wondering if it was worth while to root it. My dad has a rooted phone, and I kind of think it's cool some if the stuff you can do. But, I don't think I totally understand rooting yet.
So because if this I'm wondering if there is anything that makes it worth rooting ? I've also seen some of the custom themes and stuff that you can get on a rooted phone. Do those make your battery life a lot shorter?
Thanks for any help I can get
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If root isn't worth it for you (depending on apps you are using and if you are a developer), then at least a custom recovery is. Making backups is quite an obsession, but can save u weeks of work.

show-p1984 said:
If root isn't worth it for you (depending on apps you are using and if you are a developer), then at least a custom recovery is. Making backups is quite an obsession, but can save u weeks of work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly is a custom recovery? Sorry I'm really new to this kind of stuff. I didn't even know you could change the homescreen until today and no, I'm definitely not a developer
So then what all can I do with rooting my phone then?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App

dritz33 said:
So then what all can I do with rooting my phone then?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
- Make screenshots.
- Run a firewall to keep apps offline that don't need internet but use it anyway.
- Control app permissions.
- Block ads.
- Tether your internet, even if your carrier doesn't support it.
- Make full backups of your data, apps,, and settings.
- Auto-sync your clock with a time server.
- Undervolt for longer battery life, overclock to make your phone faster.
And much more.

dritz33 said:
Hello, I have a Motorola Droid X, and was wondering if it was worth while to root it. My dad has a rooted phone, and I kind of think it's cool some if the stuff you can do. But, I don't think I totally understand rooting yet.
So because if this I'm wondering if there is anything that makes it worth rooting ? I've also seen some of the custom themes and stuff that you can get on a rooted phone. Do those make your battery life a lot shorter?
Thanks for any help I can get
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say YES! Personally its the Best thing I've ever done with my phone! Here's a few Incentives...
1.) Wireless Tether
2.) Increased Cpu Speed
3.) Better Battery Life
4.) Nandroid Backup
(Which basically Allows you to Fix Anything you may of messed up)
5.) New Custom Roms!!!

hi all, me to very new to this forum, and thought of asking questions regarding , what is rooting and what are the +vs of it. I get most from above replies thank you all for that, i have few more question.
1.) Does rooted phone UI will be stock version ?
2.) what may be possible -vs / disadvantages of rooting?
3.)what are Custom Roms, i see in many threads - yup am completely noob
thanks,
merin

dritz33 said:
What exactly is a custom recovery? Sorry I'm really new to this kind of stuff. I didn't even know you could change the homescreen until today and no, I'm definitely not a developer
So then what all can I do with rooting my phone then?
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
a custom recovery system is used to flash zip files that are not signed (correct me if im wrong)
i suck at explaining things.
in your case you will be using a bootstrapper (just think of it as a custom recovery system, dont get confused)
once you learn and read more and see the benefits then you can decide if rooting is an option you want.

merin_83 said:
1.) Does rooted phone UI will be stock version ?
2.) what may be possible -vs / disadvantages of rooting?
3.)what are Custom Roms, i see in many threads - yup am completely noob
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Yes. Rooting gives you access to the system files and folders. It doesn't change anything else, unless you start changing things after you've rooted your phone.
2) Plenty of advantages. The only disadvantage is that rooted phones are not covered by warranty. You can get your warranty back by unrooting, but if something on your phones breaks that prevents you from unrooting you're out of luck.
3) Modified versions of Android. It's a bit like all the different versions of Linux for computers.

Definitely the best thing I have ever done to my Fascinate!

Thank you rogier666..
you explained everything...
Defiantly i want to root... But before that i guess i should do bit research on which version i should use O
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

Unbelievably worth it in my opinion!
It opens up a whole new world of possibilities and fine tuning. In addition to this, you can often talk to the people who develop some of the custom roms/features and receive direct support. Also, this scale of developing usually means any problems are corrected within a week (instead of within 4-6 months from the manufacturer). Having the ability to make nandroid backups (think of them as save states) is yet another wonderful feature.
Happy rooting!

dritz33 said:
Hello, I have a Motorola Droid X, and was wondering if it was worth while to root it. My dad has a rooted phone, and I kind of think it's cool some if the stuff you can do. But, I don't think I totally understand rooting yet.
So because if this I'm wondering if there is anything that makes it worth rooting ? I've also seen some of the custom themes and stuff that you can get on a rooted phone. Do those make your battery life a lot shorter?
Thanks for any help I can get
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't be Fooled by the Pessimists!
Rooting your phones the Most fun you can have with your Pants On!
Lol... Nah but Seriously its Definitely Worth it!
Sent from my wildheroc using XDA Premium App

No your battery life will not be shorter if you flash the correct way, make sure you have it fully charged then flash. After this you drain it all the way and then charge it all the way. Do it again (twice) then boot into recovery and wipe battery stats. I think this is correct, I may have the steps switched around and someone correct me if i am wrong. Overall, many custom roms actually give you better battery life.

To Root or Not To Root, That is the Question
The decision to root your phone is highly dependent on your personality and background.
For example, many people "just want it to work." This basically means that they don't care how it works, they just want to use the device as-advertised. They expect the device to give them what they pay for. Their priorities are elsewhere.
This gets a little more complicated because rooting is basically tearing down a wall that is hiding additional functionality. The complication comes from the person knowing the extra functionality is behind that wall and finding value in that extra functionality. The question of whether rooting is "useful" depends on how much value the person puts on that addition functionality (minus the potential headache of figuring out to root).
An example is tethering to access the internet with a laptop by connecting to the phone via wifi, USB, or other means. For tethering, service providers charge about $20-$30 which can be gotten for free with rooting + the appropriate apps. That's an obvious value. The cost is when the service provider decides to try to block that tethering which can be a headache trying to circumvent. There are also the moral implications...
Other reasons may be to
- learn the unknown -- who knows, you might try to make an app to do what you want to do and get paid. you could dig into the kernel and become an expert, you could start creating themes and become skilled at visual/UI design.
- control the bull$#!^ that your service provider is trying to feed you (media, ads, pay apps, etc). remove all those junk apps that they force upon you too.
- impress the ladies -- seriously, if you can get them facegoogle+ in a car on a road trip they may nod a googlyface in the future. nerd girls get their own by definition, don't try, just belong.

dritz33 said:
Hello, I have a Motorola Droid X, and was wondering if it was worth while to root it. My dad has a rooted phone, and I kind of think it's cool some if the stuff you can do. But, I don't think I totally understand rooting yet.
So because if this I'm wondering if there is anything that makes it worth rooting ? I've also seen some of the custom themes and stuff that you can get on a rooted phone. Do those make your battery life a lot shorter?
Thanks for any help I can get
Sent from my DROIDX using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My opinion is it depends on the particular device and what the root consists of. I have an Inspire 4G that I won't root because it just works too well as is and the root process is super-duper ugly and convoluted. However, I also have a Nexus S and, although it works perfectly fine without rooting, I have it root because the rooting process is simple and straightforward and the bootloader is open to being unlocked by a normal means rather than an ugly hack. And I only use root on my Nexus S to use certain apps that require root. I don't flash any other ROMs and I even allowed it to return to the original recovery image. Also I relocked the bootloader.
The only difference between my Nexus S and it's original state is the super-simple root. In fact, the only way to tell my Nexus S is different is to run an app that requires root. The app will work on mine and not on the original.

I wil do it olsow

+1 - well said
rogier666 said:
- Make screenshots.
- Run a firewall to keep apps offline that don't need internet but use it anyway.
- Control app permissions.
- Block ads.
- Tether your internet, even if your carrier doesn't support it.
- Make full backups of your data, apps,, and settings.
- Auto-sync your clock with a time server.
- Undervolt for longer battery life, overclock to make your phone faster.
And much more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Opinions on Rooting

OK I'm going to ask the million dollar question... Is rooting my Tab 7 Plus worth the risk? I understand it adds a lot of customization and more I'm sure. Is it worth the risk though? How likely am I to kill this thing/will bight me in the butt down the road.

Rooting your GT+ is totally harmless. What you do after you root your device may harm it. There are excellent applications that need root and that is why you want to do it. But at the same time if you are not sure of an application and give it root privileges, well is like giving a thief the key of your safe.
By the way, if you want to get rid of the root and are not too experienced, factory reset your device and the root is gone.
P_

Zadeis said:
OK I'm going to ask the million dollar question... Is rooting my Tab 7 Plus worth the risk? I understand it adds a lot of customization and more I'm sure. Is it worth the risk though? How likely am I to kill this thing/will bight me in the butt down the road.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a really difficult question to answer for anyone other than yourself. Rooting the tablet isn't as risky as modifying the engine in a car (which is a physical modification in most cases), but more risky than just installing (or uninstalling) an application.
Are you happy using the tablet as-is? If so, don't root it. Leave it alone. I honestly don't think a person SHOULD root the device just for the sake of rooting it.
If there's a specific reason why you want to, then go for it. However, learn as much as you can about what you are doing and what the risks are BEFORE you do it. Keep in mind that it's a slippery slope. First you root it, then you start installing recoveries, alternate firmware, different kernels, etc. It's VERY EASY to get caught up in all the tinkering. I can offer one bit of comfort: It's actually not that easy to completely brick a samsung device. As long as the bootloader is intact, you can always use ODIN to restore it to factory condition.
Good luck
Gary

Well thank you for the general knowledge. I think on it more and maybe throw a thought on here later after thinking on it more. I am happy with it as is but we'll see what happens as I am very new to the android environment. This is my first android based device I have ever owned/ used really.
The ONLY reason really pushing me to root it is the fact I have a GPS app on my TAB that doesn't install it's maps to the sd but actually to the main internal memory. That's irked me ever since I got it when I have a nice nearly empty 16GB SD card sitting inside my TAB.

Stupid question - is there a way to root the Samsung 7 yet revealed that doesn't involve a bootloader?
I would really hate to do anything that could mess up upgrading to ICS when it comes out, but I need to root to make the VPN do anything useful (like connect to our IPSec VPN with group authentication at work)
Right now I am stuck using VNC on my Samsung Epic 4G if I dont have my laptop handy and need to connect to my linux workspace. Needless to say, the experience using it on a cell phone is less than ideal.

All you have to do is flash a zip file using the existing recovery. All it does is add su. I don't know of any root that is simpler and safer than that.

IMO, rooting is a must and like the others have said, you need root to use backup apps and such. To me, it's a necessity.

vobguy said:
Stupid question - is there a way to root the Samsung 7 yet revealed that doesn't involve a bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting the SGT7+ does NOT touch the bootloader.
P_

[Q] Why Root?

If I am not interested in custom ROMS (at least for now), what are the advantages to rooting a tablet?
Does rooting still break some video streaming apps like google play videos?

U can tweak ur tablet n make it faster...u take charge of it... But this tablet is fast already ...also u can remove any app that comes on tablet that cant be removable
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

There are no custom ROMs avail for the 300 yet anyways.
However, I have rooted mine and it was well worth the little effort to do it.
Definately beaing able to "de-bloat" the tab is a huge advantage.
Also, you can over-clock the CPU and run apps that require SU permission.
If your comfortable with rooting, its definately a good move.

Blocking adverts and backups at the moment

My #1 reason for rooting is AdFree. No more pesky ads in apps.

ksbarnz said:
My #1 reason for rooting is AdFree. No more pesky ads in apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using which app?!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

Raul69.atl said:
Using which app?!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
adfree from the market

Tethering requires root ?
I have root on my phone - Droid A854 - but I can't get the Transformer to connect. It sees the network when I use Barnacle - basically Barnacle creates a wifi access point- but it won't connect. My transformer is stock with the 26 update - not rooted. The other possible methods are to use the stock tethering through USB cable - but no go either. Can't seem to get any traction has anybody successfully tethered their tf300 to a phone.

kjwaugh said:
I have root on my phone - Droid A854 - but I can't get the Transformer to connect. It sees the network when I use Barnacle - basically Barnacle creates a wifi access point- but it won't connect. My transformer is stock with the 26 update - not rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have just tested my Samsung Galaxy S2 with CM9 and Wifi tether and all works fine without any issues. So I would start looking at your phone? Maybe test another device to see if that works?

kjwaugh said:
I have root on my phone - Droid A854 - but I can't get the Transformer to connect. It sees the network when I use Barnacle - basically Barnacle creates a wifi access point- but it won't connect. My transformer is stock with the 26 update - not rooted. The other possible methods are to use the stock tethering through USB cable - but no go either. Can't seem to get any traction has anybody successfully tethered their tf300 to a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use cm7 on my droid x with WiFi tether and this tablet works fine connecting to it.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using XDA Premium HD app

I use my lg revolution under lg optimus s on the app and it works
Sent from my VS910 4G using xda premium

stock rooted Droid Charge connects fine and no issues.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using XDA

I was hoping
What I was hoping to hear was that the wireless issues are known or that the tablet had to be rooted, or perhaps one program works and one clearly does not. Please let me know what programs are being successfully used - or if you are tethering with USB or wireless. I guess I need to collect what it working and what is not. Your input is greatly appreciated.

I've used the stock Android Wi-Fi tether in MIUI and successfully connected to my tablet.

I have a SGSII rooted and running Darksides ICS Beta 3 ROM. Using Mobile hotspot everything connected, updated, and downloaded fine to my TF300T. I think it's possibly your phone man, sorry. Good luck.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda premium

Just to take full advantage or mod with rom toolbox ,etc
Sent from my GT-I9001 using xda premium

Sixaxis Controller and Titanium Backup were enough to warrant rooting here, but then I also found LUKS Manager, which is useful if you need encrypted archives.
Overall really the reason to root is that it gives you more control over your tablet. It should in my opinion be default on all devices, but unfortunately telcos would rather not give Average Joe this much power to circumvent things like tether costs.

The reason root isn't default has nothing to do with tethering. Rooting is a huge security risk. There's a reason a lot of Linux distributions completely disable the root account. Root means COMPLETE CONTROL. Anyone with access to your phone while it's rooted (and that doesn't have to be physical access; your tablet or phone is connected to a giant network of potential hackers at any given moment) can do anything they want with it. Did you encrypt your device to protect your information? Doesn't matter when you're running as the root user - you're still ****ed. Maybe Mr. Hacker Man wants to delete /etc/fstab. Say goodbye to your booting device. Maybe he wants to delete your phone apk. No more phone calls for you. He can do whatever he wants to do.
I think you get the point. And no, none of those scenarios are likely to happen, but they're definitely possible with a rooted device, and that's important to know.
Just for perspective, both my phone and tablet are rooted. I'm not saying you shouldn't root. I'm saying you have to understand the potential risks, and I'm saying that phones and tablets should NOT be rooted by default.
Edit: When did XDA start the profanity filter? I don't remember being censored before.

I've never encountered a Linux distro that disables root, and I've tried a bunch. Android's rooting is more aking to enabling sudo than anything else. You're not running as root for most of the time, you're simply allowed to elevate privileges when necessary, just like most distros offer.
Yes it can be a security risk, but then so is connecting to the Internet or downloading an app. It'd certainly be possible to offer an official and convenient channel to root your device, as opposed to having to use exploits or long-winded processes and risk bricking your device for some of them.
The chances of a nefarious hacker attempting to brick your device are negligible. I'd be much more worried about an insecure banking app leaking data or passwords being left as plain-text, but those can be read with or without root as long as the hacker has access in some way (usually a Trojan horse app or 0-day exploit).
And also, you'd be surprised by how much power telcos can have. One of the prime reasons phone users root is because tethering is disabled (it's such a useful feature!) and they don't want to pay extortionate fees just to use a feature that's default for Android.

That's all true, but my point is just that root should not be enabled by default. Ideally, the manufacturers would provide a way to root along with information about Linux and the way root works for the average user's sake. Unfortunately, even if they did that, the average user is "the average user" because he or she would rather not read about how Linux works, otherwise he or she would have already learned about Linux while researching Android phones, and the docs wouldn't be necessary. As it stands in the real world, the only thing the average user knows about root is that they can tether for free. They don't understand the risks or even that there are risks. This is why malware on Android has the potential to wreak havoc.
As for the tethering specifically, it would obviously be more helpful if it was just enabled by default without having to root. But, since the cell networks must extort insane amounts of money from users to use data for which they are already paying, that won't ever happen.
And as for distributions disabling root, I've used several that did so, but the only one I can remember offhand is the one I currently use, Crunchbang. The only way to perform root operations is through sudo, which is fine with me. I had heard it was a growing trend, but I don't believe the major distros like Debian, Slackware, and Fedora have adopted it.

To Root, or not to Root?

Right, I'm getting sick of waiting for the official JellyBean update for my S2, will it be worth it for me to root the fone myself? If so, how do I go about doing it?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app

Yes it is worth it. Check the international s2 forums and search it up.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app

Yes it's definately worth it to root. A little risky at first but if you get rooted, your home free and will be loading custom roms almost daily. Many apps will only run on rooted phone. Go for it!

mr
yes it`s worth it.so you can install custom roms.good luck.

It's only "worth it" if you have a reason to.
It's like... "is it worth buying a 30 gallon aquarium for $10" ? Sure, if you actually want a 30 gallon aquarium, it would be - but if you don't, it's just going to sit there unused and taking up space (and in the case of root access, opening up potential vulnerability).
Some people are flash-happy, but I only update mine maybe every few weeks because it's kind of a pain. And I only rooted and flashed a custom ROM on my tablet because it's no longer supported by the manufacturer - meaning a custom ROM was the ONLY way to get updates. I rooted my phone because I wanted to install Google Wallet and that required some work-arounds since my carrier is blocking it.
If you get into unofficial ROMs of updated Android versions, unless it's a leak, there are often problems - various things won't work, bugs, et cetera. It can still be fun, but don't expect it to be perfect.
Find something that you want to do with your device that requires root access and then worry about it.

Banksy1892 said:
Right, I'm getting sick of waiting for the official JellyBean update for my S2, will it be worth it for me to root the fone myself? If so, how do I go about doing it?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you own an Android device, chances are you’ve probably heard of the term “rooting” or “rooted.” If you have and are wondering if it’s for you, this post is perfect, as we break down the major pros and cons of rooting your Android smartphone.
Before we go any further though, what exactly is “rooting”? Rooting refers to gaining access to the "root" user or command prompt of your Android phone. Root access gives users full access to the device and allows for other low-level tasks to be run. Rooting an Android phone is similar to "jail breaking" an iPhone or the "unlocking" of a Windows Phone.
When you root your Android device, you gain access to the entire file system, with full admin rights. You can customize your own boot image, create a full backup of your phone, or install a full-blown Linux distro. Basically, you can do whatever you want.
So, should you root your phone? For me, the answer to that question is a resounding yes, but before you decide, read on to see our list of the major pros and cons of rooting.
Pros of Rooting
Some of the best reasons to root your Android phone include:
1. "Tethering" your 4G/3G internet connection to a laptop computer or tablet via USB cable, Hotspot or Bluetooth. While I don’t recommend this, you will essentially be able to tether for free without paying your carrier a fee.
2. Installing custom themes, mods, and ROMS. This is probably the reason most people root their phone. The ability to deeply customize your own device and upgrade software is very appealing to a lot of rooters.
3. Backing up all the data and apps on the device.
4. The ability to install any application or game, including those "blocked" or Tegra-only games.
5. The ability to underclock the processor to conserve power. This is huge for a lot of people as Android devices are real battery hogs. I have been able to squeeze out days of battery life on a medium-sized battery by underclocking, which is pretty significant.
6. The ability to remove bloatware from your carrier-branded Android device. We all know that carriers love putting quite a bit of crap on their phones and rooting is one way to get rid of it.
Cons of Rooting
Some of the major reasons not to root your Android device include:
1. If the rooting process fails you may permanently "brick" your phone, rendering it unusable for anything other than, well, a brick. Basically, your phone will be useless.
2. Rooting your phone typically voids any manufacturer and carrier warranties. This is pretty crappy, honestly, but some OEMs won't cover certain things. It is really up to the manufacturer. You could lose out big, though, if something major breaks and you have to pay the full repair price.
3. Other drawbacks are more specific to what is done after the device is rooted, such as burning out your smartphone CPU due to overclocking, wearing out the SD card prematurely and burning out pixels in the screen. Additionally, the potential monetary costs that your carrier might apply if they see you've downloaded several gigs of data to your laptop could be big.
4. Rooting usually causes general instability of your Android smartphone. This is a given, as you are basically beta testing modifications and ROMS before they become daily drivers. Expect great performance, but a lot of bugs.
So, is Rooting really for You?
If you're a hacker or tinkerer and don’t mind bugs, I’d say yes. If you’re not, I’d say hold off and make sure it’s really what you want. You must remember that with most phones, once you root, you can’t go back. It is very difficult, in most cases, to completely reset your device to factory conditions, which is definitely something to consider before you decide.
However, if you’re like me--happy with your device as is, but just love pushing the envelope--I'd say wait until your warranty expires. After your warranty runs up, which is usually a year after purchase, there is really nothing to lose.
If you have any additional pros or cons to rooting, leave them in the comment below.

If your warranty is over, definitely root.
Galaxy s2 is a pretty safe and easy device to flash. No need to mess with bootloaders and all. There are many guides in the forum, check them out. If something does go wrong, you will most probably find the solution in this forum itself.
You might might end up waiting indefinitely for the official update for your country from samsung. Flashing it yourself will keep you up to date.
But its time consuming if you are new to all this. There is a LOT to read. I know because I was there. It was after a lot of reading that I felt confident enough to root my phone. But now I flash a little bit to often!
Try a custom ROM based on the latest official samsung. I use NeatROM Lite 4.3, based on LSD. Stable, fast and bloatware free. There are a lot of them, pick the one that suits your need. Or if you're feeling adventurous, try most of them like I did!

Help With Rooting My Verizon Galaxy S3
I Am New To Rooting And I Would Like To Know If It's At All Possible To Install Android 4.2 On My Verizon Galaxy S3, I Feel My Phone Is Very Sluggish And I Would Like To Uninstall All The Bloatware On The Phone. Any Positive Help Would Be Greatly Appreciated Thanks In Advance!

Root
I was feeling the same way on my Atrix HD. Now i am glad i did it, its worth doing, you have greater access to apps, programs, and other things. IT was also simple to me.
#newbie

Harley Malvado said:
I Am New To Rooting And I Would Like To Know If It's At All Possible To Install Android 4.2 On My Verizon Galaxy S3, I Feel My Phone Is Very Sluggish And I Would Like To Uninstall All The Bloatware On The Phone. Any Positive Help Would Be Greatly Appreciated Thanks In Advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google is your friend, try using it.

Root!!!! I rooted my s2 the first day of having it. Best thing ever. I only update every 2 months or so, make sure bugs are out. I am on ga10 right now which 4.1.2. Even did it to the wife's phone. Original software is not good and slow updates. I am planning on rooting whatever new I get.

definetely root, because with root you can use many hidden capabilities like reverse tethering, free wifi tethering and so on