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[Q] Just got my Nexus S! Should I Root it?

Hi, I just got my Nexus S, this is my first Android device, I've been an iPhone user for the last 3 years.
So my question is:
should I root it right now?
or should I just play with stock Android for a while?
if root: what should I install/do with it?
Thanks.

wilee1928 said:
Hi, I just got my Nexus S, this is my first Android device, I've been an iPhone user for the last 3 years.
So my question is:
should I root it right now?
or should I just play with stock Android for a while?
if root: what should I install/do with it?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, there is no reason not to root it. If you root you can do whatever you want. I suggest you check out the different apps, roms, kernels, or mods you can get because there are far too many choices and different kinds of things you can do with root for anyone to tell you what or how should you use it.

kenvan19 said:
Well, there is no reason not to root it. If you root you can do whatever you want. I suggest you check out the different apps, roms, kernels, or mods you can get because there are far too many choices and different kinds of things you can do with root for anyone to tell you what or how should you use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i forgot another thing.
if i root it, is there a way to "unroot" it? just in case there is something wrong with the phone and needs repair (warranty).

wilee1928 said:
i forgot another thing.
if i root it, is there a way to "unroot" it? just in case there is something wrong with the phone and needs repair (warranty).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Making it seem untainted is as easy as flashing a stock rom and relocking the bootloader.

Always yes.
root.

I might suggest playing with the stock android for a bit first since this is your first android device. That way you can get acquainted and get a feel of what you want or expect from a custom rom or applications that require root.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Look around and see if of interest you then root.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Rooting gives you access to some incredibly powerful and useful applications that many of us can't live without.
There's really no reason not to root. It's stupid simple to do, and easily reversed with a few terminal commands to delete the su binary, busybox and its symlinks and the superuser.apk. I don't believe it's even an issue with warranty service. Google's endorsed rooting and hacking the phone (thanks kevnan for shoving that one down my throat again last night), and part of why they made it so easy to do.
Until recently, if you wanted to root, it was really a bad idea not to do it right away because the earlier methods (still) have you doing the fastboot oem unlock command, which will WIPE EVERYTHING on your phone, including all the stuff on your /sdcard (pictures, music, etc), and all your apps' data (like Angry Birds scores) that can't be backed up without root.
We've recently found a method that doesn't require you to wipe the phone, and is just as effective as the earlier methods (really all we're doing is skipping that oem unlock step), so it's not as time critical to root right away as it used to be.
Good luck with the phone; it's fantastic, even on stock ROMs (my choice to use), despite a few annoying quirks!
Sent from Safari browser because Chrome browser frequently won't cooperate with xda forums.

[Q] Suggestions for safe 'wiping'?

I bought a used XT925 today. While the previous owner did go to some trouble to clean it, it still has a bunch of apps and some settings that I really don't want. Also, as a privacy paranoiac, I'm worried that there may be something malicious (however slight the possibility).
The device is rooted and running JB 4.1.2. I would love to factory reset it but having read a few reports of people losing root or worse (here, here, here and here, to list just a few) that plan seems ill-advised.
I've been toying with trying to script some kind of fs compare against a fs from a rom, but I'm not sure if this is even feasible. So far the only other thing I can think of to do is uninstall all the apps and manually sift through and delete all the other junk in the filesystem.
Does anyone have any suggestions on returning my device to the most "virgin" state possible while retaining root?

triplexdoubledadevelopers said:
I bought a used XT925 today. While the previous owner did go to some trouble to clean it, it still has a bunch of apps and some settings that I really don't want. Also, as a privacy paranoiac, I'm worried that there may be something malicious (however slight the possibility).
The device is rooted and running JB 4.1.2. I would love to factory reset it but having read a few reports of people losing root or worse (here, here, here and here, to list just a few) that plan seems ill-advised.
I've been toying with trying to script some kind of fs compare against a fs from a rom, but I'm not sure if this is even feasible. So far the only other thing I can think of to do is uninstall all the apps and manually sift through and delete all the other junk in the filesystem.
Does anyone have any suggestions on returning my device to the most "virgin" state possible while retaining root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simplest way is to use RSD Lite to send your device back to stock 4.1.2 -- then you can use the recently posted root method to gain root back. It should take < 15 minutes to do, most of that spent flashing with RSDLite. It'll actually take longer to download all the ADB drivers, Moto drivers, etc -- if you don't have them already.

triplexdoubledadevelopers said:
I bought a used XT925 today. While the previous owner did go to some trouble to clean it, it still has a bunch of apps and some settings that I really don't want. Also, as a privacy paranoiac, I'm worried that there may be something malicious (however slight the possibility).
The device is rooted and running JB 4.1.2. I would love to factory reset it but having read a few reports of people losing root or worse (here, here, here and here, to list just a few) that plan seems ill-advised.
I've been toying with trying to script some kind of fs compare against a fs from a rom, but I'm not sure if this is even feasible. So far the only other thing I can think of to do is uninstall all the apps and manually sift through and delete all the other junk in the filesystem.
Does anyone have any suggestions on returning my device to the most "virgin" state possible while retaining root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats up,
Cpudan80 is right, your best bet is to flash stock 4.1.2, and to reroot. And it does take about 15 minutes if you don't already have drivers and stuff, but I can help you out, by linking you to my utility, which essentially does the heavy lifting of finding all of the programs and stuff, and puts it together into one convenient package.
Find it here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2241788

Cpudan80 said:
Simplest way is to use RSD Lite to send your device back to stock 4.1.2 -- then you can use the recently posted root method to gain root back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mr.Parkinson said:
Cpudan80 is right, your best bet is to flash stock 4.1.2, and to reroot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the replies! Would you link me to that root method, Cpudan80? All of the root methods I've been able to find say that you must flash 4.0 or CWM first in order to root, then protect root and upgrade to JB again. Is there a new better way which doesn't require downgrading?

triplexdoubledadevelopers said:
Thanks for the replies! Would you link me to that root method, Cpudan80? All of the root methods I've been able to find say that you must flash 4.0 or CWM first in order to root, then protect root and upgrade to JB again. Is there a new better way which doesn't require downgrading?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a thread on here somewhere -- but here's the thread I followed (after using RSDLite to go back to clean 4.1.2). No hard steps at all, just run a bat file - press enter and viola - you're rooted.
http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/topic/15208-root-motochopper-yet-another-android-root-exploit/

Cpudan80 said:
There's a thread on here somewhere -- but here's the thread I followed (after using RSDLite to go back to clean 4.1.2). No hard steps at all, just run a bat file - press enter and viola - you're rooted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amazing, thanks! I had seen that exploit at one point when I was considering getting an earlier RAZR version and was looking into how easy it was to root it. I thought that exploit didn't work with the XT925 since there was no link to it in the forum (and searches only revealed many tales of failed root attempts and downgrades). Thanks again!

[Q] Removing unistallable apps from stock ROM?

Hi
My Verizon S3 (SCH-i535) has been off contract for a few months now. I'm considering buying a new phone, but I think the S3 is still a pretty good phone. However, I would really like to customize it a little if I'm going to keep it.
It has the latest OTA update (4.4.2), so I understand I can't load custom ROM's. But I can root it if I'm not mistaken. If that's right what I would like to do it remove some of the apps that I don't want or have no need for, but aren't uninstallable.
So, my questions are, does root let me do this? If so, is it fairly straight forward to do? And, how do I find out what is safe to remove and what will break my phone?
I'm at the point where if I can't 'make it my own' (short of a custom ROM) I'm going to by an unlocked phone. Which hopefully will give me more control than this one .
Thanks,
Jon

Yes, you can remove "unremovable" apps with root. Use Titanium Backup or a file explorer with root access. You just need to be careful that you don't remove something critical for the phone to operate. I would highly recommend installing the unofficial Safestrap for our bootloader locked phones and make a backup of the rom before you remove anything.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app

roaddog665 said:
Yes, you can remove "unremovable" apps with root. Use Titanium Backup or a file explorer with root access. You just need to be careful that you don't remove something critical for the phone to operate. I would highly recommend installing the unofficial Safestrap for our bootloader locked phones and make a backup of the rom before you remove anything.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I had been planning on putting a few examples in the original post as examples. But when I went in the settings and looked at all the apps again (haven't poked around in there in a while) there were dozens. I couldn't decide which to list . So I guess I will have to be careful I don't go overboard.
I'm still trying to understand what Safestrap is, or does (although I did read some of the description). It sounds like even though we can't unlock the bootloader, and therefor replace the factory ROM, we can get the device to boot an alternate ROM stored on the SD card. I keep wondering if I have this right, it sounds a little odd. Or maybe not, I can't decide.

jdnandroid said:
Thanks. I had been planning on putting a few examples in the original post as examples. But when I went in the settings and looked at all the apps again (haven't poked around in there in a while) there were dozens. I couldn't decide which to list . So I guess I will have to be careful I don't go overboard.
I'm still trying to understand what Safestrap is, or does (although I did read some of the description). It sounds like even though we can't unlock the bootloader, and therefor replace the factory ROM, we can get the device to boot an alternate ROM stored on the SD card. I keep wondering if I have this right, it sounds a little odd. Or maybe not, I can't decide.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, safestrap will let you run another rom, but it has to be based off of the stock 4.4.2 rom. I think there are 2 or 3. And the second rom will use the internal phone storage. So if you have the 16gb phone like I do, 2 roms don't leave much space. I just use safestrap as a custom recovery to make backups in case I screw something up and to flash a few things. I just use the stock rom and don't put a second one on. As far as what is safe to remove, if you find one you aren't sure of just Google it and you should be able to find out. There are several lists floating around. I usually disable them with titanium backup and leave them there, although a did remove a few so I could add some other apps to the system. They can't run when disabled so they aren't using ram or battery. If it has the android guy beside it, it is probably important! I think I have all the Samsung stuff and most of the Verizon disabled.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using XDA Free mobile app

Just root?

Hello everyone,
It has been a long time since I have done ROM's or anything on an android device.
I would like to just root my Pixel 2 - is it possible just to do this and not go through the unlocking and adding ROM's process?
I would like the phone to just function as normal, but I need to get access to some of the system junk on the phone.
I am actually in need of getting into the SQL-Lite Database and taking a look at some of the data in there.
I was reading today at work that I needed to root the phone in order to be able to see those files.
Thank you for any help you can provide!

Psywar28 said:
Hello everyone,
It has been a long time since I have done ROM's or anything on an android device.
I would like to just root my Pixel 2 - is it possible just to do this and not go through the unlocking and adding ROM's process?
I would like the phone to just function as normal, but I need to get access to some of the system junk on the phone.
I am actually in need of getting into the SQL-Lite Database and taking a look at some of the data in there.
I was reading today at work that I needed to root the phone in order to be able to see those files.
Thank you for any help you can provide!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, no. You have to unlock the bootloader to root your phone. Of course, this wipes the device clean. There's no issue with just rooting though afterwards. I've been rooted and unlocked for a good few months since I've owned this device. I just manually install updates each month using fastboot and OTA images.

is anyone interested in this?

I bought this phone and I don't know what to do with it

Update: I found the way to access the browser but I don't know what else to do with it, any ideas?

update 2: access to bluethooth obtained, can transfer files but not certain files, device not supported error when trying to receive APK files, can connect with devices like headphones, chromecast, etc.​

Gust45 said:
I bought this phone and I don't know what to do with it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You could try unlocking the bootloader and trying to install GrapheneOS or some other custom roms over Arcane if you're trying to make the phone usable. Is that what you're trying to do, or do you just want to mess around with Arcane?

Honkette1738 said:
You could try unlocking the bootloader and trying to install GrapheneOS or some other custom roms over Arcane if you're trying to make the phone usable. Is that what you're trying to do, or do you just want to mess around with Arcane?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
whatever would be fine, the phone still has its native applications such as the calculator that was used to access the ANOM chat and an appstore of which I had no knowledge, I am interested to know what can be done with this strange article

Honkette1738 said:
You could try unlocking the bootloader and trying to install GrapheneOS or some other custom roms over Arcane if you're trying to make the phone usable. Is that what you're trying to do, or do you just want to mess around with Arcane?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried to unlock the bootloader without success, I don't have much knowledge on the subject either, I only read the famous thread made by a user a few years ago, so some help would be good