I see what you did there, "don't bother, get an IOS device that "just works". How, exactly, does this answer the posters question? Hint, it doesn't. Your other advice is pretty useful though.
My experience:
rooting Samsung Galaxy S2 and S4 (international S2, Canadian S4).
Depending on your model and version of android, you will need to follow different routes to get there. Towel root worked great on my S4 before I upgraded to the newest stock, it's no longer able to root the device. If you have an S4 and HAVEN'T gone to the newest stock (4.3? I can't remember) try towel root, it's simple and quick.
I'd suggest going over to cyanogen mod and looking through their forums. Most of it is tailored to their ROM, but the rooting process is consistent.
CAVEATS:
Do not do anything to your phone until you've at least backed it up with the stock software (samsung kies for Samsung phones). Either go into your phones settings, or if on samsung use the dial code to get all the baseband/kernel/radio versions to ensure you know what you are starting from.
I prefer clockwordMOD as custom recovery, follow the steps for that version (ensure you pick the right one for your build). This will give you a custom recovery firmware that will let you backup, restore, and load.zips.
Once you've confirmed clockword worked, take a full backup of everything and either store that on your internal memory, external SD card, or PC. I suggest on the phone itself to ensure you have no issues copying it back over if everything fails.
Some features might not work, you are best reading up on your phone before attempting anything. Some features for samsung phones don't work right on custom roms, like the LED indicator. It works on CM11, just really weird and not as it should. Any of the stock rom specific stuff will be lost too, though a few of these apps have been ported out and will work on most rooted phones.
Get used to the XDA forums, this is where you will find the steps and advice you need from rooting, installing a custom rom, or even compiling your own custom rom. Do not ask stupid questions or demand support, use this like a wiki, if you still can't find answers, then you should post in the appropriate forum thread.
Rootinig potentially voids your warranty, so before you push ahead, ensure you have the steps to "unroot" your device if needed (copy of the stock rom saved). Samsung stock roms are easy to find, can't speak for others.
If you are using a samsung phone, be aware of Knox, which causes all kinds of issues for rooting. It can be done, I did it on my S4 but went back to stock as I actually like a few of the samsung apps. Tripping knox security will not void your warranty, even though it says "knox warranty void" they do not even look at knox when dealing with warranty support. According to samsung support, they have a "don't ask don't tell" policy, and I know personally of a person sending back a bricked rooted phone and had it repaired no questions asked, covered under warranty by samsung.
Your carrier, if this phone was not bought outright, will have different opinions on that and will probably not support your phone if they see it's rooted (samsung tosses up a giant yellow exclamation point at boot once you've changed the firmware, go to xda and find "triangle away" unless you want to buy it from google play.)/end rant/begin short answer
No, you can not trust 100% code you didn't write yourself. I'd advise against installing "joe blows custom rom" and stick with roms/root that are in an active community looking at the codebase and updating. you are taking a risk, just like you are now using a webbrowser you didn't code, on an OS you didn't code and can't review the code, on a network you didn't configure or secure.
Ahh, good ole Slashdot, were people with absolutely no knowledge or understanding feel the need to post comments......
I'll give you this much, Rogers is the Canadian version of Comcast, that's a fact right down to the traffic shaping (and denials). I also agree the CRTC is a joke. But I'll take my "crappy" Bell Aliant connection that is unthrottled and unrestricted compared to ANY major US ISP.
Our handful of crooked corporations did the same BS the US carriers did, convinced the tax payers to subsidize their infrastructure upgrades (which never happened) and now they are scrambling. Bell has been on a major roll out finalizing their fiber network in my province, and offering pretty epic deals compared to any other competitors, including US ISPs. I have no monthly CAP, I don't know anyone who does. I torrent, I pirate, I stream, I take absolutely no measures to protect myself in that regard and have no complaints since, seriously, 2001.
How exactly is that helpful in anyway? "how can I replace iTunes? "...."don't use it in the first place". Congrats, you and those like you have made slashdot irrelevant, and a video-less YouTube. Christ the 3rd or forth comment is a racist one. Now tell me I'm gay and we can all walk away happy
You like every douche here crying over that, never once used that feature, did you? No of course not, it was a broken feature from the start, able to run 1 or 2 Linux distros without full hardware support, specifically graphics.
Get... the frakk... over it. Not a single comment here relates to the ps4. People like you make me sad, for you haven't a clue that you are a troll.
Well then, I guess Walmart will be liable for the mean things I say to fat people while they are in my way with. That would be the analog version of this insanity, no?
Slashdot Mirror
wow, totally lost all formatting there, enjoy the wall of text
I see what you did there, "don't bother, get an IOS device that "just works". How, exactly, does this answer the posters question? Hint, it doesn't. Your other advice is pretty useful though. My experience: rooting Samsung Galaxy S2 and S4 (international S2, Canadian S4). Depending on your model and version of android, you will need to follow different routes to get there. Towel root worked great on my S4 before I upgraded to the newest stock, it's no longer able to root the device. If you have an S4 and HAVEN'T gone to the newest stock (4.3? I can't remember) try towel root, it's simple and quick. I'd suggest going over to cyanogen mod and looking through their forums. Most of it is tailored to their ROM, but the rooting process is consistent. CAVEATS: Do not do anything to your phone until you've at least backed it up with the stock software (samsung kies for Samsung phones). Either go into your phones settings, or if on samsung use the dial code to get all the baseband/kernel/radio versions to ensure you know what you are starting from. I prefer clockwordMOD as custom recovery, follow the steps for that version (ensure you pick the right one for your build). This will give you a custom recovery firmware that will let you backup, restore, and load .zips.
Once you've confirmed clockword worked, take a full backup of everything and either store that on your internal memory, external SD card, or PC. I suggest on the phone itself to ensure you have no issues copying it back over if everything fails.
Some features might not work, you are best reading up on your phone before attempting anything. Some features for samsung phones don't work right on custom roms, like the LED indicator. It works on CM11, just really weird and not as it should. Any of the stock rom specific stuff will be lost too, though a few of these apps have been ported out and will work on most rooted phones.
Get used to the XDA forums, this is where you will find the steps and advice you need from rooting, installing a custom rom, or even compiling your own custom rom. Do not ask stupid questions or demand support, use this like a wiki, if you still can't find answers, then you should post in the appropriate forum thread.
Rootinig potentially voids your warranty, so before you push ahead, ensure you have the steps to "unroot" your device if needed (copy of the stock rom saved). Samsung stock roms are easy to find, can't speak for others.
If you are using a samsung phone, be aware of Knox, which causes all kinds of issues for rooting. It can be done, I did it on my S4 but went back to stock as I actually like a few of the samsung apps. Tripping knox security will not void your warranty, even though it says "knox warranty void" they do not even look at knox when dealing with warranty support. According to samsung support, they have a "don't ask don't tell" policy, and I know personally of a person sending back a bricked rooted phone and had it repaired no questions asked, covered under warranty by samsung.
Your carrier, if this phone was not bought outright, will have different opinions on that and will probably not support your phone if they see it's rooted (samsung tosses up a giant yellow exclamation point at boot once you've changed the firmware, go to xda and find "triangle away" unless you want to buy it from google play.) /end rant /begin short answer
No, you can not trust 100% code you didn't write yourself. I'd advise against installing "joe blows custom rom" and stick with roms/root that are in an active community looking at the codebase and updating. you are taking a risk, just like you are now using a webbrowser you didn't code, on an OS you didn't code and can't review the code, on a network you didn't configure or secure.
Not true, Samsung said Knox trigger will not void warranty, they have a don't ask don't tell rooting policy, Google it.
Ahh, good ole Slashdot, were people with absolutely no knowledge or understanding feel the need to post comments...... I'll give you this much, Rogers is the Canadian version of Comcast, that's a fact right down to the traffic shaping (and denials). I also agree the CRTC is a joke. But I'll take my "crappy" Bell Aliant connection that is unthrottled and unrestricted compared to ANY major US ISP. Our handful of crooked corporations did the same BS the US carriers did, convinced the tax payers to subsidize their infrastructure upgrades (which never happened) and now they are scrambling. Bell has been on a major roll out finalizing their fiber network in my province, and offering pretty epic deals compared to any other competitors, including US ISPs. I have no monthly CAP, I don't know anyone who does. I torrent, I pirate, I stream, I take absolutely no measures to protect myself in that regard and have no complaints since, seriously, 2001.
How do you comment without actually reading the article?
How exactly is that helpful in anyway? "how can I replace iTunes? " ...."don't use it in the first place". Congrats, you and those like you have made slashdot irrelevant, and a video-less YouTube. Christ the 3rd or forth comment is a racist one. Now tell me I'm gay and we can all walk away happy
You like every douche here crying over that, never once used that feature, did you? No of course not, it was a broken feature from the start, able to run 1 or 2 Linux distros without full hardware support, specifically graphics. Get... the frakk ... over it. Not a single comment here relates to the ps4. People like you make me sad, for you haven't a clue that you are a troll.
Well then, I guess Walmart will be liable for the mean things I say to fat people while they are in my way with. That would be the analog version of this insanity, no?