To Root Or Not To Root

[MikeB]

I ended up buying an unlock code online and unlocked it. But I found another reason to root. I had installed Avast on it about a year ago when I was testing several anti-theft apps. I didn't like it and removed it. But I still get notifications to upgrade it even though the app is gone. When I put in another SIM the Avast anti-theft alarm starts blasting and I have to put in a PIN (thankfully remember it) to stop it. Otherwise I'm locked out of my phone. Turns out Avast leaves some hidden files in hidden directories that can only be seen and removed with Root Explorer or some other file manager with root access. I'm reading that developers will be going away from this root crap and making access more available as needed by the owners. Seems like a good idea. Hard to imagine buying a computer with Windows OS and not having full access to manage it unless you hacked it and voided the warranty.  

[frosty (chris)]

Gee Mike, you need a reason to root, I only have to look at a pretty lady, always enough reason, :dance:

[MikeB]

I didn't want to screw up my phone so I decided to use my Tab 2 tablet as a guinea pig and rooted it, installed CWM, Titanium Backup, and tried a couple different "unofficial" KitKat 4.42 roms that are specifically for the device. All the firmware and utilities I used are specific to the Tab 2 (GT-P3100). If I restore either (or both) data and system files via CWM I get a bunch of errors that the UIDs are mismatched and different apps don't start. I didn't reinstall Titanium because you have to re-root, reinstall the Pro key; seems too much trouble and, from what I'm reading, the CWM and Titanium backups are for the specific ROMs and can't be overlaid on a new ROM w/o a lot of problems. Then how do you restore the apps and data? Anyone successfully do this?

[Jollygoodfellow]

I didn't want to screw up my phone so I decided to use my Tab 2 tablet as a guinea pig and rooted it, installed CWM, Titanium Backup, and tried a couple different "unofficial" KitKat 4.42 roms that are specifically for the device. All the firmware and utilities I used are specific to the Tab 2 (GT-P3100). If I restore either (or both) data and system files via CWM I get a bunch of errors that the UIDs are mismatched and different apps don't start. I didn't reinstall Titanium because you have to re-root, reinstall the Pro key; seems too much trouble and, from what I'm reading, the CWM and Titanium backups are for the specific ROMs and can't be overlaid on a new ROM w/o a lot of problems. Then how do you restore the apps and data? Anyone successfully do this?

 

 

Wow that sounds complicated. I think you're rooted.  :)

[sjp52]

The only thing I can suggest is to find a forum based on the make of your tablet or a forum based on the program you installed and do a search for your problem

[MikeB]

Thanks, I have done that. There is a lot bad and conflicting advice on tech forums, like "try this, try that", and you end up creating more problems. And many of the people who know what they're talking about are arrogant. I'm just curious at this point because I was able to restore the tablet back to exactly where it was before I did everything, except the over-the-air software updates no longer work because it's been modified. But there are other ways to do that and it only affects OS updates, not apps. I rooted and installed some of the good root apps on my phone but I'm going to stick with the stock rom. I learned a lot, mainly that no matter how much you read, it's a good idea to practice first.

[i am bob]

That's why my apartments always look like a computer store repair shop... I wonder what happens if I do this... ?

Sent from my SM-T210R using Tapatalk

[robert k]

One reason to root is so you can switch internal storage with the external SDcard so even a cheap phone with a 32 GB SDcard has 29GB or so for app storage and you don't have to transfer pictures and video unless you want to get the most out of that 2 GB that used to be internal storage. :)

 

I guess it would work the same on a tablet where I am surprised that they go up in price $50 to $100 from 16GB to 32GB and from 32GB to 64GB. :thumbsup:

Edited April 19, 2014 by robert k

[MikeB]

Robert, I found a lot of good reasons to root, the main one being you can install a custom recovery and restore everything very quickly if things go sideways. That's the single best thing I have found with Android. You can also use Titanium Backup, ROM Manager, Root Explorer and a lot of other great utilities. It's mind boggling that in order to use these utilities to manage your device you have to "root" and not only void the manufacturer's warranty but render the device unable to receive OTA software and and firmware updates because "your device has been modified".   

[robert k]

If I am not satisfied with the operating system as is, I'm not going to buy it so updates are probably moot. I don't need two finger gestures, one finger has always been good enough! :hystery: From all I have heard, it's the updates that are causing most of the problems. I think one is better off buying a phone after it has been out for a year or two that gets good reveiws on the operating system and then NOT letting it update. Whenever they get the bugs out of a system they scrap it and start over. I just want a mature version of an operating system and someone else can have the latest, greatest bug filled system, if they can't get enough bugs, they can try custom roms.

 

My current phone is rooted, came from the seller that way. It also has alot of Chinese on it which is not a problem for me but I will try to get the international stock rom to put on it......when I'm not depending on it as my primary phone. My model of phone does not get OTA updates anyway, you have to download them from Huawei and load them on the phone.

Edited April 20, 2014 by robert k