hey y'all
so over the christmas break i got a Nexus, and now I wanna root it
only thing is, i neither know how to do it or what exactly "rooting is. also, those terms like"kernel" mean little to me because I'm not the most tech-minded guy.
anything you can tell me about rooting, information etc? thanks~

Nexus S FAQ and Rooting Guides
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...hp?t=1067 813

Galaxy Nexus FAQ and Rooting Guides
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...hp?t=1338 442

a phone operating system is often locked up so that a user and the applications run by that user do not have access to system files.

While not exactly accurate, you can think of these root files as being similar to those hidden system files on a windows computer. What "rooting" your device does is give you and you applications "root" access to you phones file system. Whats root? Root is the very beginning of the file system.

Certain applications like VPN apps need root access in order to work. In addition, modifying system files or flashing (putting on another version of android) an entire new Android modded version requires root access. Without it you wouldnt be able to erase the files of the previous android version.

You are lucky in that you got the nexus as this is the developer phone and much easier than most to root. Keep in mind though that:
1) rooting is not needed for your average user base unless said user wishes to replace the stock android with a modified android (ex cyanogen mod).
2) rooting can (depending on the manufacturer) void the warranty on your device. I dont believe the nexus has this problem but it may.
3) if you want to just change the basic look and operation of your phone you can install another launcher. Example: I use launcher pro which has much more functionality and customization over stock android. Installing a launcher does not require root access and is a simple download off the marketplace.
4) As mentioned above the best place to look for any information on android or other phones is XDA Developers.

btw "kernel" is like the very core of an operating system. There are only a few kernels out there really. Windows has developed their own from scratch. Almost every other OS (like mac, android, linux) uses a derivative of the unix kernel.

Originally Posted by drpatel

hey y'all
so over the christmas break i got a Nexus, and now I wanna root it
only thing is, i neither know how to do it or what exactly "rooting is. also, those terms like"kernel" mean little to me because I'm not the most tech-minded guy.
anything you can tell me about rooting, information etc? thanks~

If you don't really understand what you're looking for in rooting, I recommend you go with the custom firmware known as 'CyanogenMod'. It's the biggest and most well supported for all phones right now. I've tried ROMs by other people, but a lot of the time they seem to have a lot of problems due to limited testing and maintenance by only one or two people.

Basically, what rooting allows you to do is run non-manufacturer code on your device. Typically, these are custom built kernels and custom ROMs. These ROMs usually add functionality beyond what the manufacturer put on the device (i.e. LED notifications or something like that). With newer devices, it's not really that big of a deal to root because you're likely running the newest android version anyway.

Rooting your phone really gets important when manufacturers drop support for your phone a year or two down the line. For example, the only reason people with the HTC Magic will be able to run Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS, newest version of Android) is because someone has taken a generic version of the ROM and made a custom version just for that phone. So rooting is your only real long term support option.

CyanogenMod's ROM is not out yet for your phone, but it's coming.

Originally Posted by qwerty91

a phone operating system is often locked up so that a user and the applications run by that user do not have access to system files.

While not exactly accurate, you can think of these root files as being similar to those hidden system files on a windows computer. What "rooting" your device does is give you and you applications "root" access to you phones file system. Whats root? Root is the very beginning of the file system.

Certain applications like VPN apps need root access in order to work. In addition, modifying system files or flashing (putting on another version of android) an entire new Android modded version requires root access. Without it you wouldnt be able to erase the files of the previous android version.

You are lucky in that you got the nexus as this is the developer phone and much easier than most to root. Keep in mind though that:
1) rooting is not needed for your average user base unless said user wishes to replace the stock android with a modified android (ex cyanogen mod).
2) rooting can (depending on the manufacturer) void the warranty on your device. I dont believe the nexus has this problem but it may.
3) if you want to just change the basic look and operation of your phone you can install another launcher. Example: I use launcher pro which has much more functionality and customization over stock android. Installing a launcher does not require root access and is a simple download off the marketplace.
4) As mentioned above the best place to look for any information on android or other phones is XDA Developers.

btw "kernel" is like the very core of an operating system. There are only a few kernels out there really. Windows has developed their own from scratch. Almost every other OS (like mac, android, linux) uses a derivative of the unix kernel.

Rooting in this case means gaining root access. "root", as a lot of people would know, is the superuser of a linux system. It can do anything with any file.

So while you're right about "root" being the beginning of the file system, it's different in this case.

To OP: You don't really need root if you don't know what it is or what the consequences are. People root just to get rid of ads but they don't really realize that an app with root access can do everything in addition to editing the hosts file. Read up on the internet if you're interested in rooting and ask yourself why.

Custom ROMs...again, ask yourself why exactly you want a custom Rom. Just because it has a tiny feature doesn't mean it's going to be super stable. Most ROMs out there (including CyanogenMod) aren't bug free so it's nicer to stay with stock instead of wondering if the bug also exists in stock.

Be careful not to brick your phone!

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of (bricking my phone). any way to avoid this?

There is no one fool proof method for rooting. Your always taking a risk albeit a small one if your just rooting.

Why are you rooting your phone? If your unsure I'd do some more reading on XDA before following through. I find most people who ask me to root their phone and to toss on CM7 want to go back to stock the next week because they find its not stable enough and they run into problems....

Originally Posted by blackdragon

Be careful not to brick your phone!

Contrary to popular belief, it's incredibly hard to brick an Android phone. I have a Samsung Spica that's had almost everything happen to it (including me taking out the cable while it was flashing among other things).

Noobs deleting the partition that holds their IMEI used to be more common, but that's just because they didn't read the instructions (which usually have the warning in bold to not check the "Erase ESN" option)

- Source: A flashed-to-hell Samsung Spica

Download Mode is one of the best ways to ensure that users will always have a way to flash their phone back to life.

Yeah, I don't see a reason to root newish phone, especially one that can get ICS.

This is also why I don't like to get phones with 2-3 year contract, since I like to switch phones when new OS comes out.

I agree with what others have said here. I have been using an Android (2.3.5) phone the past few months and have yet to find a reason to root my phone.

Unlike the iPhone, a stock Android phone already lets you customize the user interface, and you can download new 'skins' by getting new launchers. Also, Android lets you install non-market apps without rooting (such as pirated apps, 3rd-party apps, etc.).

Rooting a phone can also void your warranty. Personally, I would only root a phone if there was a very specific feature in a custom ROM that I really wanted, or to overclock/underclock the phone.

Originally Posted by Afzal

Contrary to popular belief, it's incredibly hard to brick an Android phone. I have a Samsung Spica that's had almost everything happen to it (including me taking out the cable while it was flashing among other things).

Noobs deleting the partition that holds their IMEI used to be more common, but that's just because they didn't read the instructions (which usually have the warning in bold to not check the "Erase ESN" option)

- Source: A flashed-to-hell Samsung Spica

Download Mode is one of the best ways to ensure that users will always have a way to flash their phone back to life.

Not really. If you are flashing a rom and fiddle while its flashing, it will brick. Likewise if you use a wrong type of rom, it could bring.

Originally Posted by blackdragon

Not really. If you are flashing a rom and fiddle while its flashing, it will brick. Likewise if you use a wrong type of rom, it could bring.

Brick*
Does anyone know a good website where to download Android apps? Is there a website similar to what Installous does for iOS?

Originally Posted by herBs

Brick*
Does anyone know a good website where to download Android apps? Is there a website similar to what Installous does for iOS?

Are you asking how to gain access to paid applications without having to pay? Hmmmm?

you can use www.market.android.co m and as long as your google account is tied to your phone you can remotely start the app downloading process

also, rooting is really a way to get to the down and dirty inside parts of a phone, such as superuser and its various nifty tricks, cpu/ram/gpu frequency and some highly customizable features from tasker/titanium backup/ CWM

if i can recommend ANYTHING, its that you really understand what you want

if you want to use your phone to its absolute fullest potential, go on ahead and root

but if you're one of 90+% average user, stick with stock, especially on a nexus device since it will get ICS over the air soon (OTA)