Related
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
Okay, so I've got into the Android ecosystem with Nexus 5 as my first device, after ditching my iPhone 5S.
I wanted to root it, but have a few questions:
1) Will my 3rd-party apps get deleted [Phone Is Non-Contract if it helps]
2) Will I be getting OTA updates, like the upcoming Android KitKat 4.4.3?
3) Will my phone become slow/prone to viruses/malwares?
4) What are these "ROMs and Kernels" I'm hearing/seeing a lot, and which one is the best after a root?
deepak2001 said:
Okay, so I've got into the Android ecosystem with Nexus 5 as my first device, after ditching my iPhone 5S.
I wanted to root it, but have a few questions:
1) Will my 3rd-party apps get deleted [Phone Is Non-Contract if it helps]
2) Will I be getting OTA updates, like the upcoming Android KitKat 4.4.3?
3) Will my phone become slow/prone to viruses/malwares?
4) What are these "ROMs and Kernels" I'm hearing/seeing a lot, and which one is the best after a root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Better start reading first, read the first 4 threads in the General Section so you learn something about unlocking the bootloader. rooting, flashing, adb, custom recovery`s etc etc before you start doing stuff and ending up bricking your phone
deepak2001 said:
Okay, so I've got into the Android ecosystem with Nexus 5 as my first device, after ditching my iPhone 5S.
I wanted to root it, but have a few questions:
1) Will my 3rd-party apps get deleted [Phone Is Non-Contract if it helps]
2) Will I be getting OTA updates, like the upcoming Android KitKat 4.4.3?
3) Will my phone become slow/prone to viruses/malwares?
4) What are these "ROMs and Kernels" I'm hearing/seeing a lot, and which one is the best after a root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) Yes. Part of rooting is unlocking the bootloader which wipes all personal data from the phone.
2) Read here
3) Root has nothing to do with speed or performance. Its just elevated privileges. Its up to you what you choose to do with that. As for viruses, I have been rooted for a long long time and never come across any virus issues. The only times I've seen people get their phones infected is when they try to download pirated apps off sketchy, bootleg websites.
4) ROMs are basically the firmware/OS that runs on your phone. Kernels are what connect the software to hardware. There is no best rom/kernel. It a choice that you make for yourself.
deepak2001 said:
Okay, so I've got into the Android ecosystem with Nexus 5 as my first device, after ditching my iPhone 5S.
I wanted to root it, but have a few questions:
1) Will my 3rd-party apps get deleted [Phone Is Non-Contract if it helps]
2) Will I be getting OTA updates, like the upcoming Android KitKat 4.4.3?
3) Will my phone become slow/prone to viruses/malwares?
4) What are these "ROMs and Kernels" I'm hearing/seeing a lot, and which one is the best after a root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. It resets everything back to default the first time you unlock the bootloader.
2. You won't get OTA updates/they'll glitch, but it isn't hard to upgrade regardless through flashing the update (usually from XDA) rather than getting it OTA.
3. Common misconception, rooting does NOT make your phone slow, it simply allows access to your phone's root, which can possibly (not always) pave the way for malicious software asking for root access to your phone. You have to grant or deny root access for an application through SuperSU/Superuser so it's up to you to keep your phone safe.
4. ROMs are android builds, the one that comes with your phone is referred to as the stock ROM. Custom ROMs usually add a variety of new features/customization options to android, and sometimes increased performance (not always, sometimes worse). Kernels are the software/firmware that lets the system communicate with the hardware, and are a factor in battery life and performance, as well as (to some degree), personalization (eg swipe/tap2wake).
Edit: @Chromium beat me to it
Read through the threads for your phone. Make sure it's your specific phone model when modding. Another great idea is to watch YouTube Videos so you get a sort of hands on approach. YouTube really helped me out back in the day. Make sure you know what to do if something doesn't go as planned during the flashing process. Rooting & flashing custom roms is highly addictive and you may find yourself checking out XDA several times a day for the latest mods for your phone. Good luck and Godspeed!
NEXUS 5
Hi all
i Just got my one plus one last week
it was amazing , it was snappy , the screen is gorgeous , and the CM is plain great , albeit many apps did find unresponding oddly enough
i've had many phones in the past that are not so great x10 mini , x8 , galaxy ace, galaxy nexus
all of which are miles away when compared to the one plus
and since they are so freaking lag i decided to root them and gave them root and changed their bootloader
but from one phone to the other all of them seems to die out in about 9 months after i root them , and i don;'t know what i did wrong , most of them are dead because i fried the motherboard or something
still why would you root the one plus when it's already so fast ? i am considering rooting mine but i am really scared i might kill it
First, rooting doesn't make it faster or slower. Also, it doesn't broke the phone neither now or in 12 month time.
Second, you need root for some in depth access on your phone, or some programs like Titanium Backup may require root to work.
Third, the rule of the thumb say, if you don't need it, don't do it!
greenify, adblock, titanium more than enough reasons to root.
I go by the old saying "If you have to ask, you'll never know"
Generally anyone who's asked me if they should root their phone, or install 3rd party firmware, my answer is no. It has to be something you want to do and something you're willing to accept the risk doing. I'm a flashaholic. I flash a new rom every few days, or update existing ROM i have. I'm never content with the status quo on my phone and devices and always play. I accept the risk of running into a situation where I go to make a call, watch a movie, or open a email and my phone locking up due to running bleeding edge untested code. Mind you I can always recover from bootloader and know how so I know I won't permanently screw a phone, just until I can flash a older rom, or recover with a PC. If you have to ask, it means you're not sure about what you're getting into. If you fall into this situation I would refrain from asking others and instead read around in the 1,000's of posts in this OnePlus forum and decide for yourself.
Not that being said, root is simple. It's a more of a "Set it and forget it" type of deal, at least until a OTA update arrives. Custom roms is where the aforementioned comes into play mostly. If you want to start getting into the Flashing world with Android its the place to start. Myself I read and read after I got my Galaxy S4, first real Android phone, and went straight to CyanogenMod with it. Skipped rooting.
WoodburyMan said:
Generally anyone who's asked me if they should root their phone, or install 3rd party firmware, my answer is no. It has to be something you want to do and something you're willing to accept the risk doing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He may not be aware of what can be accomplished with root access and find the profits interesting. He doesn't necessarily know if he wants to do if he doesn't know it exists/is possible.
I don't want to flame or anything, but since you've been around for almost 3 years, you should really know better.
Firstly, rooting does not fry your motherboard. Seriously, why would you think so?
The fact that your previous phones became slow after a short while is because you probably got them stuffed with bloatware and have not maintained your phone in a healthy way.
As to why you should root your phone,...
Well, most apps that help you maintain your phone and keep it as optimized as possible require root.
This kind of proves my previous point regarding the speed of your previous phones.
I would start reading some more and eventually you'll be able to answer your own question.
Good luck!
Well that's easy, if your not interested in using apps that need root access there's no use in rooting your device. It's nothing magic which will make your device fly or make a cup of coffee for you.
Why not?
It seems like every year it becomes harder and harder to root and now with lots of apps detecting root. Like Snapchat and super Mario run , and now Netflix can't be downloaded of Google play store if you're phone is rooted what are your thoughts do you believe root is dying?
carldw said:
It seems like every year it becomes harder and harder to root and now with lots of apps detecting root. Like Snapchat and super Mario run , and now Netflix can't be downloaded of Google play store if you're phone is rooted what are your thoughts do you believe root is dying?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah it's not dead. Just use magisk.
What you say is true about it becoming increasingly hard to root your device as time goes by (and in some cases less need for root) but if root is "dying" it wouldn't necessarily be for the reason you listed.
All of those apps are still easily usable with a rooted device provided you know what you're doing.
I'm on a rooted Galaxy s8+ and Netflix is still in the play store, I can use Snapchat just fine and I'm sure Mario wouldn't be an issue either.
Its my perception too that root is becoming less popular though which is unfortunate because its such a powerful tool to fine tune every minute detail of your device to your liking. It gives you a level of control like no other so I'd hate to lose the option completely.
carldw said:
It seems like every year it becomes harder and harder to root and now with lots of apps detecting root. Like Snapchat and super Mario run , and now Netflix can't be downloaded of Google play store if you're phone is rooted what are your thoughts do you believe root is dying?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems like Everyone who has paid apps especially frown on it...so many people exploiting their work...so I understand to that extent only
I loved having absolute control over my device that I spent more than I could afford to have.
Problem is, well in my case it feels like service providers (carriers) stick it to the paying customer...who not only got #WalletRaped , we also have to follow their lousy ToS...so we are pissed and go find a way to save money by hacking paid apps...which really is stealing from someone...and they cry to Google who turns to the carriers and thus completes the cycle
sent from brand spanking new LG Stylo 3 (T-Mobile)
xXxNobodyxXx said:
Nah it's not dead. Just use magisk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't I have locked bootloader
Rooting is Dead ?. And the intent of rooting was and is not to steal apps it was for personal sercurity. To know who and what apps we're collecting information on you ?. Now any and all apps apps can do that with the blessings ? of Google and sad ? to say xda and other sites like them. They have all been bought. The way of the world. Now, open to attacks, but please start the conversation. We all know it's true ?. Money talks and BS walks!!!!!!!!
Now correct me if I'm wrong and I have been known to be wrong a few times but root is not completely dead yes they are finding more and more ways tree shrink that area and the programming that root hides so it makes it more and more difficult to be able to root a device. But I cannot remember where what thread I read it in so if anybody knows please share it for me but a certain somebody has found and is working on a way to hide root and part of our devices kernals once that is fully achieved it will be hard and a long time before they are able to find a way to stop the phones and certain apps detecting roor
Root is not dying. Right now, @topjohnwu the creator of Magisk, has found a way to root Android Q. Root will live on and new and new android versions will have vulnerability that users can root their devices. The difficulties will increase of course but not necessary impossible. Just need more time to find the perfect moment.
Hope everyone is well I've been away for so long I feel as though toot is dying myself. I joined this for I'm back in 2012 I believe in fact I had a Sprint Galaxy S3 and the minute I unlocked it I was an XDA just... It became my biggest hobby after a couple years I switch to Verizon and got in on the Nexus 6 and Nexus 6p game. I became very involved in me arise sound mod and met so many awesome people the amount of information I learned from 6 years rooting building ROMs and all sorts of things is priceless to me. I must have bricked seven brand new phones over the course of 5 years! The lately I cannot seem to get a phone where I can unlock the bootloader. I cannot get a Sprint phone devil allow me to unlock let alone root... I brought my pixel from Verizon to Sprint had it unlocked and rooted but could not get LTE over voice and it was just a mess. I still have my Nexus 6 and 6p in my opinion they're the most amazing phones ever. It seems now Verizon's even locking everything up.
I'm about to bail on Sprint can anybody else there give me advice on what carrier is still allowing unlocked bootloaders and has a large XDA following. I'm so sick of being a slave to my locked up phones!! I would love to hear as many opinions as I can possibly get I have a big purchaser on swappa, I would love a few of you skip please shoot me some phones that are unlockable and rootable and which carrier is the best for cooperation in this matter.
I've been thinking of T-Mobile but then again do I have to purchase a non-carrier phone? Any help would be much appreciated to get back in the game before I throw any more phones across the room and frustration. I'm finished with Sprint at this point at this time I believe... I get better reception and service with two soup cans and a string! Thank you in advance I'm sorry if this is not the right thread! I just never understood why companies have such a fit with developers here allowing us to customize our phones other than the fact the talent that belongs to this forum blows away the hacks that work for providers!
Hello, XDA Developers.
I joined this forum yesterday, and to be honest, I am a complete Android noob. I got my first Android phone around 6 months ago, and, as you know thanks to the title of this thread, it was a Google Pixel 2, a solid way to dip my toes into Android for the first time, especially after being an Apple sheep for many years in the past. Anyway, I found my interest in rooting coming from me wanting to install a custom icon pack to my Pixel Launcher. I found Pixel Launcher Mods, but discovered it required root. I learned what rooting was, and how to do it. That's not the problem, though.
I've heard tons on what rooting can do negatively to your phone, but using a Google-branded phone, I'm not worried in the least about getting my phone bricked nor am I worried about blowing my warranty (since Google doesn't take away warranty due to rooting). What I am worried about is security.
I use many apps on my phone which are very personal and important, like my AMEX app, Google Pay, and PayPal. Knowing that rooting is risky in the security department, I'm very nervous to make the jump due to exposing those very applications and all of that sensitive information.
I've heard that installing Magisk and TWRP somehow keeps me safe from this kind of risk, but I don't quite understand how. I really need to understand why and how Magisk keeps me safe before I root, since I know that if I don't, I'll have insane paranoia in the back of my head, which will completely ruin my experience rooting.
I've also heard that Netflix and apps similar to it simply do not function. I am a Netflix subscriber and sometimes watch on my phone, so this is kind of concerning for me. Apparently Magisk comes to the rescue again, but I still don't know why!
One other thing (second last one, I promise) I heard was that I can get purchases in the Google Play store for free. If someone can leave a link for me on how I can do that, it would be pretty awesome.
The fourth and final 'thing' as I've been calling them, is that I won't get OTA updates. With some of my own research, I found that I actually do get these updates, however, they break my root. I've heard of things like OTA RootKeeper, but when I looked it up, all I found were forum posts from 2012, which had me slightly worried. This coupled with the fact that Android P was coming out so soon had me bear the question: update or wait?
Thank you so much if you took the time to read this long and confusing thread. I tried to lay it out in the least confusing way as possible. As you can see, I'm really new to all of this, and it would be great if you guys could help me out and answer some of the questions above.
Take care! I look forward to your responses.
- Arrow008
First of all: Good choice and welcome to the community.
1. I can't exactly tell you how Magisk would keep you safe but I can tell you that it is always in your hands to keep your device and data safe. What I mean by that is that you should use your brain while using your phone. Don't download any "fancy apps" which promise to make your battery last longer or something like that. Don't click any shady links etc.
After all you are not more vulnerable just due to rooting but apps could do more harm.
2. Netflix or other apps will work with "Magisk Hide" which is built in feature of Magisk.
3. You are talking about illegal warez which are not allowed on XDA. Anyways apps cost between 1 - 5 $ and are often on sale. So there should not be any need to tinker with warez.
4. There is a guide here to keep Root with Magisk even on OTA. But for this to work you don't have to have TWRP flashed to your device (at least that's what I think).
EDIT: I'm using different Android phones since 2011 and always rooted them and didn't ever have any problems with security.
Arrow008 said:
Hello, XDA Developers.
I joined this forum yesterday, and to be honest, I am a complete Android noob. I got my first Android phone around 6 months ago, and, as you know thanks to the title of this thread, it was a Google Pixel 2, a solid way to dip my toes into Android for the first time, especially after being an Apple sheep for many years in the past. Anyway, I found my interest in rooting coming from me wanting to install a custom icon pack to my Pixel Launcher. I found Pixel Launcher Mods, but discovered it required root. I learned what rooting was, and how to do it. That's not the problem, though.
I've heard tons on what rooting can do negatively to your phone, but using a Google-branded phone, I'm not worried in the least about getting my phone bricked nor am I worried about blowing my warranty (since Google doesn't take away warranty due to rooting). What I am worried about is security.
I use many apps on my phone which are very personal and important, like my AMEX app, Google Pay, and PayPal. Knowing that rooting is risky in the security department, I'm very nervous to make the jump due to exposing those very applications and all of that sensitive information.
I've heard that installing Magisk and TWRP somehow keeps me safe from this kind of risk, but I don't quite understand how. I really need to understand why and how Magisk keeps me safe before I root, since I know that if I don't, I'll have insane paranoia in the back of my head, which will completely ruin my experience rooting.
I've also heard that Netflix and apps similar to it simply do not function. I am a Netflix subscriber and sometimes watch on my phone, so this is kind of concerning for me. Apparently Magisk comes to the rescue again, but I still don't know why!
One other thing (second last one, I promise) I heard was that I can get purchases in the Google Play store for free. If someone can leave a link for me on how I can do that, it would be pretty awesome.
The fourth and final 'thing' as I've been calling them, is that I won't get OTA updates. With some of my own research, I found that I actually do get these updates, however, they break my root. I've heard of things like OTA RootKeeper, but when I looked it up, all I found were forum posts from 2012, which had me slightly worried. This coupled with the fact that Android P was coming out so soon had me bear the question: update or wait?
Thank you so much if you took the time to read this long and confusing thread. I tried to lay it out in the least confusing way as possible. As you can see, I'm really new to all of this, and it would be great if you guys could help me out and answer some of the questions above.
Take care! I look forward to your responses.
- Arrow008
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would also like to welcome you to the community. Good choice crossing over from Apple and you made a great choice as far as phones go. Xda is a grea place to start and there are amazing people on here that can help you get to where you want to be.
Some background on myself, I have owned an android phone since 2010 and have rooted every android phone I've had since then. Root is the way to go and it opens so many doors for android devices.
1. Don't let a security risk scare you away from rooting, as long as you are smart with your device then you will be ok. You heard right in that Magisk keeps you safe when rooting. Magisk implements security protocols that allow our devices to pass safteynet checks. Safteynet is what android uses to tell apps that your device is secure and hasn't been tempered with. Things like Google Pay use safteynet checks in order to function. Some apps also won't function if it detects Magisk on your device. This is simply because the app knows your device is rooted and doesn't want to function as it knows it has been tampered with. Magisk has a feature called magiskhide that hides itself from certain apps being able to see it. So that, in a nutshell, is how Magisk tricks your device into thinking it hasn't been tampered with. Magisk also prevents apps from getting root acces to your phones that you don't want to authorize. Everytime an app initially requests root access, Magisk will prompt you with a popup asking if you would like to authorize said access.
2. As far as security goes. Google releases security patches once a month for our devices. if you run a custom ROM then most devs will incorporate these updates in to their ROMs and push them out to users. So when you root, your device will no longer update OTA, you must do it yourself. Even if you run stock Google firmware, you must still manually push updates to your phone (plenty of guides on how to do this). As long as you stay on the most recent Google security patch, then you have nothing to be afraid of.
3. Free apps. Yes, there are illegal markets out there that upload stolen apps but these come with a high security risk and are not allowed to be discussed on Xda. When you install apps from markets like these you run a high security risk. Some apps are made to look like other apps and have different permissions and can have access to parts of your phone that you don't know about. I would never recommend installing apps from markets like these. Stick to the Play Store and support the devs.
4. Like I said in #2, you will not get OTA updates anymore since you are rooted. Yes, in the past with other devices, some devs have come out with apps that allow OTA while maintaining root, as of right now there is not such thing for our phones. Manually pushing updates to our phones is not hard with TWRP. TWRP allows you to backup everything, wipe everything, and install new ROMs/updates. When you install a new ROM it will wipe everything as far as your os goes but will not wipe your storage (pics, music, files) So when you update a new ROM I highly recommend you get an app called Titanium Backup. TB will backup all your apps+data, that way when you install a new ROM/update, all you have to do is restore the apps with TB and its like nothing changed. It can even backup things like call history, texts, wallpaper selection, wifi passwords, etc. Definitely a must have for rooted devices.
Dive in, get involved, but please do your research before just spouting off questions in this q+a thread. People are here to help you but 9/10 times your question has probably already been answered. Read the rules of Xda and happy rooting.