[Q] Superuser Permissions - how to add new app - Streak 5 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi,
I have the app "superuser permissions" on my rooted Dell Streak.
Some apps request superuser permission and when they request, I can add them to the allowed apps list.
But some apps do not request permission.
How can I add superuser permission to those apps ?
For example, there is a web server named PAW. I want to run it on port 80 which requires root.
However, I can't add that to the list...
Also, some file managers do not request permission. How can I make them root ?

Hi mrmrmrmr
Well if an app doesn't request superuser permissions obviously it means it doesn't have that functionality in it so you can't just add it to it just by granting it permission it just doesn't work like that.
Again with File Managers they need to be written to need Root access and be granted permission you can't just grant them access as again thats just not how it works take Astro a great file manager but it doesn't have root access because it's not designed to do that. If you want a File manger with Root access that will on first use request superuser permission you need to look at Root Explorer that will do what you want as thats what it has been built to do.
But i would advise exercising extreme caution when doing anything with Root access as changing or deleting something without understanding exactly what you are doing can have seriously bad consequences. Seeing as you have asked these two questions i would really question if you should go messing around in Root unless you are really sure you know what you are doing or able or prepared to fix any mistakes you may make.
Marc

thank you for the clarifying post and the warnings.
well, actually being a user of Linux based OSs for more than 15 years, I know what "root" user is and what it can do.
I just didn't know how Android applications gain root access. (Thought they would all use it if somehow they were granted)
Now, for the filemanager , I'll install root explorer as you recommend.
But for the PAW webserver:
This application is listening on port 8080 by default.
For listeningon port 80 , it says it needs root access on the documentation.
But I couldn't find how to give root access.
Any idea ?

@mrmrmrmr
Well it sounds like you have a far better and greater knowledge and understanding then i do as prior to Android i have had no exposure to a Linux based OS. Although i believe Android is slightly different but sorry but i have no idea about the Web sever stuff as thats just not my thing at all and wouldn't know where to even start with it.
Marc

thank you Dogmann.
anyone else whou could give an idea ?

I tried the PAW webserver, and it didn't work for me either when i set it to port 80 - even though I have root access. I would suggest sending the developer an email, because that functionality is obviously broken.
An alternative would be to get iptables working (it's not installed on my device!) and run:
iptables -t nat -I PREROUTING --dport 8080 -m
state --state NEW -p tcp --sync -j DNAT --to
127.0.0.1:80
(got that from google: http://www.google.com/search?q=local+port+forwarding)

Dogmann said:
Hi mrmrmrmr
Well if an app doesn't request superuser permissions obviously it means it doesn't have that functionality in it so you can't just add it to it just by granting it permission it just doesn't work like that.
Again with File Managers they need to be written to need Root access and be granted permission you can't just grant them access as again thats just not how it works take Astro a great file manager but it doesn't have root access because it's not designed to do that. If you want a File manger with Root access that will on first use request superuser permission you need to look at Root Explorer that will do what you want as thats what it has been built to do.
But i would advise exercising extreme caution when doing anything with Root access as changing or deleting something without understanding exactly what you are doing can have seriously bad consequences. Seeing as you have asked these two questions i would really question if you should go messing around in Root unless you are really sure you know what you are doing or able or prepared to fix any mistakes you may make.
Marc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you thank you thank you and again tanks thanks thanks

what if you want to add ROM Manager or grant permission to it but ROM Manager won't ask for the permission?

ROM Manager doesn't currently work on the Streak. This might explain it not asking for permissions.

I have the same problem!
When I typed "updatebb" in emulator, it said "permisson denied". But the emulator didn't ask the permisson! So how can I give permission to it?

Related

[Q] How does "Android Root" works ?

Hello XDA-Forum users,
I ask you a question: How does Android Root works ?
I mean, for example, How does it works in Nexus One ?
This would be an understanding question to know more about how I get root from my Phone (Nexus One, for example) from scratch, from sources.
upupupupupup
Rooting basics:
http://lifehacker.com/5342237/five-great-reasons-to-root-your-android-phone
For details on how to do it on your device, Google or use the forum search. Lots of rooting information that is device dependent out there.
It basically gives your phone permission to do almost anything. It is similar to giving a user in Windows Administrator rights. It is called super user. You can do many things such as removing unwanted apps and overclocking.
This is not what I mean, I asks for an explaining in which the question is "How the root is possible? What active the root ?" Probably a kernel exploit, or stuff like that, to understand the underground passage to take it, from an hack view.
So, How works a root utility (such SuperOneClick) to set gid to 0 ?
Valid question, I am also interested in learning this.
In other words, if I were to perform the rooting manually, where can I find such info?
And some of the question is why su must be in some diredctories, and can't be run from /data/local/tmp for example?
Someone can enlighten us?
diego.stamigni said:
Someone can enlighten us?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The general approach is taking advantage of bugs in the android OS
The process works something like this
User crafts some special data that contains a "payload" (the script/executable that we want to run)
User runs a system process that has root privileges and gets it to open the special data
The bug causes the system process to get confused by the data, and ends up running the embedded script
The embedded script runs with the same privileges as the system process, and thus can stuff that normal users aren't allowed to do (e.g. installs the SU app)
Commonly, things such as buffer overflows are used
So after gaining root access, which apps can run as root?
Or the user becomes root(as in desktop), and can run all types of apps?
Can root app(run as root) access everything?? Or app permission still applies?
Is it that system exploit is always used to run root apps?
can someone explain in technical details? not how to root.
are rooting programs open source??
What is the root procedure
Bayint Naung said:
So after gaining root access, which apps can run as root?
Or the user becomes root(as in desktop), and can run all types of apps?
Can root app(run as root) access everything?? Or app permission still applies?
Is it that system exploit is always used to run root apps?
can someone explain in technical details? not how to root.
are rooting programs open source??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi guys!
I have the same question and after searching and asking find this!
it is good!!
hope it works!
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...hat-are-the-pre-requisites-for-it-to-work-wha
also look at the suggestedpages at the right of this page!

[Q] Am I Root?

I installed Z4 mod and ran it and it says my g-tab is rooted. I have read that custom ROMS are pre-rooted. In my limited linux experience - being root gives you total control over the machine. I ran Terminal Emulator and cd / to get me to the top of the file structure. I tried to mkdir test and I was denied because the file system is read only. Next I went into the system folder because a lot of stuff in there looks familiar. I again tried mkdir test and was denied because the file system is read only. It would seem that to be root I would need a password and Z4 didn't offer to give me one or let me set it. Thinking further, I wonder if the file system is mounted for read only and that is why I can't create a new directory. When I am running the rom (Vegan) I can write there (understanding that I am writing to the sdcard that is mounted - presumably with RW access. So, what is all this rooting talk about then? What is the purpose of being root if you still do not have access to the file system?
You need Superuser.apk, as well. Think of Superuser as similar to Windows UAC, and rooting as making yourself an administrator. Even though you have root (admin) access, UAC (Supeuser.apk) still needs to let you through.
You also need "root aware" apps. Perfect example is Titanium Backup and that's usually my "litmus test" for verifying if I really have root or not on a device.
yup, in my limited rooting experience (droid1 and gtablet), after the process, there was always a new icon in the app tray entitled "superuser". i didnt have to install it separately, it showed up after the rooting process. if you don't have the superuser app, im betting the root process was unsuccessful.
my memory tells me i had some problems with z4root rooting my tablet, and i had to do it a few times before it actually worked. that was back in december tho, so i dont know if the current version of z4 is different than the one i used, and if so, if kinks were worked out...
so yeah, i probably helped none.
I always though z4root and Superuser were kind of a package deal.
I use them on my Cowon D3, as Cowon completely locks down their recovery process. boo to that.
rodzero,
With z4root you install it first. Then, you install a file manager program like "Root
Explorer" and when it comes up you click to "Allow" it. After that, you can go in
through Root Explorer and create and change R/O to R/W as needed. Same same
with Titanium Backup, once you have "allowed" it you can do what you need
to with the program.
Rev
More Investigation.
Thanks for the fast responses! I do have Superuser installed and it pops up from time to time when an app wants su access. Using terminal emulator, I worked my way into and what do I find but su! I ran su and got was granted su rights in the terminal. I felt pretty smug so I headed into the etc folder thinking I would make a simple change to the hosts file just to see if I could do it. I'm used to using nano in Ubuntu but no nano here. I tried vi (which I really don't know how to use) and I got some strange display but I don't think it was an editor. So, for the sake of closing the loop - if I wanted to edit the hosts file and add a new host - how would I do it. The Terminal Emulator now seems to be in the list to be granted su whenever I type it in. I know how to move around the file system. What kind of text editor would I invoke to actually alter the file? OK.... I went and downloaded TED and worked my way back to the hosts file, added a line but TED doesn't have su rights to save the file. So it looks like su exists but I don't see how to run an app in su mode except for terminal where I can invoke it by a text command. What's the missing piece to get TED to ask for su access?
Just a guess, but TED need to ask for elevation of privileges. It's probably an app issue.

[Q] what does rooting actually do ?

hi. i can't believe i'm the first person to ask this but i've searched as best i can through these forums, and on google, and cannot find a definitive answer. there are lots of pages giving high level descriptions of rooting a phone like "gives admin access", "allows access to the root filesystem", etc. but, when you root a phone, what actually happens ? does it simply make the "su" binary available so that apps can call it to access the root user ? eg. i've got a samsung galaxy s2, if i install an insecure kernel, then add su to /system/xbin, and then reinstall a stock kernel, is that technically a rooted phone ? this is actually what i did on my phone, although i installed superuser and busybox from the market after adding su. i am aware that there are various threads in the sgs2 forums on how to root, i'm just using my phone as an example, i'm just trying to understand generically what is meant when someone says a phone has been rooted. cheers.
Full control over your system
Ability to alter system files. You can replace many parts of the "Android Core" with this including:
Themes
Core apps (maps, calendar, clock etc)
Recovery image
Bootloader
Toolbox (linux binary that lets you execute simple linux commands like "ls") can be replaced with Busybox (slightly better option)
Boot images
Add linux binaries
Run special apps that need more control over the system
SuperUser (lets you approve or deny the use of root access to any program)
Task Manager For Root (Lets you kill apps that you otherwise could not kill)
Tether apps (like the one found at [android-wifi-tether.googlecode.com])
<there are more but I cannot think of any right now>
Backup your system
You can make a folder on your sdcard and backup all of your .apk files to your sdcard (helps if an author decides to "upgrade" you to a version that requires you to pay to use the version you just had)
Relocate your (browser/maps/market) cache to your /sdcard
Relocate your installed applications to your /sdcard
Reboot your phone from the terminal app easily (su <enter> reboot <enter>)
Copied and pasted from google... it is your friend.
thanks for the response however, i'm trying to understand what actually changes on the phone when you root it, rather than simply the benefits of rooting a phone.
Carrot Cruncher said:
thanks for the response however, i'm trying to understand what actually changes on the phone when you root it, rather than simply the benefits of rooting a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unrooted phone is like logging on as user in a computer. By rooting you have "administrative" rights, just like using sudo command in Ubuntu. Some binaries which are important in gaining administrative rights are installed in the phone.
sent from my nokia 3210
If you come from Windows, you're familiar with the Administrator account. A user that can do everything on the system, as opposed to other users than only have limited privileges. In Linux, that account is called "root". That's all there is to it. It's a user that can do everything on the system.
@Panos_dm: Actually, it's *not* like using sudo. Sudo gives elevated privileges to your existing user account, whereas "root" is a whole separate account.
Nope, sudo actually switches users
i'm a linux user and have been a linux admin in the past so understand the difference between su and sudo. sorry to sound pedantic but i'm still not clear on exactly what happens when you root a phone, i.e. what exactly happens during the rooting process ?
It opens your phone to a whole new array of possibilities.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium
Carrot Cruncher said:
but i'm still not clear on exactly what happens when you root a phone, i.e. what exactly happens during the rooting process ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a gist? The "su" binary and the Superuser.apk app get installed. Sometimes doing so requires exploiting a vulnerability via a trigger. Rageagainstthecage is a common trigger. I once had a link that explained what exactly rageagainstthecage does, but I don't have it anymore.
If you really want to know all the details, here's the script I used to root my Defy: http://pastebin.com/G3m9v4FQ
Hmm, I see the script contains a link to the explanation of what rageagainstthecage does. Cool.
many thanks for confirming my understanding of the process.

[Q] How does rooting work?

I'm sure the answer to this question is somewhere there, but I cannot find it. There is plenty of information on how to root your phone or tablet, but not on how the root works on Android.
When I work on my Linux box I usually use a "normal", limited user. Only when I need to install something, I switch to superuser, or root, using "su" or "sudo".What happens on a rooted Android? Do all apps run with root privileges all the time? Or rather some sort of "su" command is unlocked, and an app can access it when required. Can I give and revoke superuser powers to an app?
It is always safer to run all programs or apps with limited privileges, so when they misbehave, the risk to system integrity is minimal. If everything runs in root mode, it might just spectacularly crash one day.
In this context, how does adaway work? Does it start with the system, sitting in the background and using its root privileges to intercept and filter incoming HTTP packages? If I understand this correctly, it should then work with any browser?
Sorry for asking several questions in one topic, but I'd appreciate if someone could briefly explain the whole thing.
There is a superuser app, which seems to be doing the same job as gksu does on a linux desktop. Apps can request root, you can allow/deny. If you use the shell, su works as normal (just no password) - but connectbot needs to be given root privileges in order for this to succeed.

Is there anyway to just give root permission to any app thought adb without rooting ?

Hey developers, I respect your hard work you put in making things happen in Android. I used app called 'custom navbar' which require permission from adb to run.
I was wondering if there is anyway to give other root require apps permission through adb to make changes in system, so you don't have to root your phone to run them?
It might sound crazy but I think it would be awesome to have such option.
Please let me know.
Thank you ?

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