Hey there, since yesterday I'm a proud owner of this nice phone with android and as I'm crazy about tweaking and stuff I want to get the best out of my phone.
Question 1.
What can I achieve by getting Android 2.1 on my phone?
Question 2.
Is it possible to make a decent backup/flash backup of the branded stuff that comes with my phone? If yes how could I achieve this?
Question 3.
If it's possible to safely backup (to be able to keep waranty intact somewhat) can I get the upgrade for 2.1 NOW? Because I still don't have it (slow ass T-Mobile doing it by serial number or something)
Question 4.
Rooting, is it a good idea? What can I achieve with rooting my device (I know it gives me root access but what can I do further if I have root access?)
Question 5.
If I ever brick my device, is it still possible to get the original firmware on it?
Those are my questions for now :0 Hope you people can help!
jeffroiscool said:
Hey there, since yesterday I'm a proud owner of this nice phone with android and as I'm crazy about tweaking and stuff I want to get the best out of my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Question 1.
What can I achieve by getting Android 2.1 on my phone?
Better performance, A little better theme than 1.6, better touch response, better battery life, access to Android 2.x only apps, somewhat improved bluetooth, live wallpaper and few more..
Question 2.
Is it possible to make a decent backup/flash backup of the branded stuff that comes with my phone? If yes how could I achieve this?
Root your phone and use titanium backup..
Question 3.
If it's possible to safely backup (to be able to keep waranty intact somewhat) can I get the upgrade for 2.1 NOW? Because I still don't have it (slow ass T-Mobile doing it by serial number or something)
You can back up normal data (and also apps from market in android 2.1) like contacts, messages, settings etc through Se back and restore utility.
For backing up system apps, or upgrading to 2.1 out of turn, you need to root your phone, that will theoretically void your warranty.
Question 4.
Rooting, is it a good idea? What can I achieve with rooting my device (I know it gives me root access but what can I do further if I have root access?)
Wonderful idea, only if you are familiar with system tweaking and somewhat familiar with linux. And you are willing to take risks.
for example -
a) You can simply install some very useful root only apps like titanium backup, root explorer, app2sd etc to manage your phone contents.
risk associated: very low to moderate
b) you can even change basic framework and theme of your phone, remove bloatware that comes with phone and use terminal emulator to have (almost) full fledged linux console. etc
risk associated: Moderate to High
c) When it comes out, you can even get custom roms on your phone
risk associated: Very high to Fatal
Question 5.
If I ever brick my device, is it still possible to get the original firmware on it?
Depends on how bad the phone is messed up, at the end all depends on your knowledge of using the right methods and right tools.
If you can get the phone to recognized by SEUS/PC Companian/Flash tool you can (hopefully) repair/reflash it with firmware.
Hope it helps..
Yeah it helps, I'm not afraid to toy with my new phone and I do have linux experience. The only thing I want to be sure of is if I can reset everything in case of a brick or something if I ever need to send the phone back to Sony
So if I use the sony ericsson updater my phone gets fully restored to their stuff? (Well not if I edit my serial-number to get 2.1 quickly so theoraticly they can always find out I fiddled with it I guess.
So what I'm actually planning to do is:
1. Have a backup ready for the thing above
2. Get Android 2.1
3. Root Android 2.1
4. Remove safe to remove Bloatware
5. Get a custom theme going. As I'm seeing so far the HTC Theme was ported somewhat? I definiatly want a good homescreen. How 1.6 is now sucks.
6. Have a method of EASILY organizing all my applications I'm going to install after doing the above.
7. Install apps
8. Customize to taste.
So to get 2.1 now I would need to edit that serial which I can do if I get rooted first which probably requires Exploid because SuperOneClick was 2.0+?
Rooting 2.1 is SuperOneClick thingy.
Removing safe stuff with Titanium Backup.
Get that theme and start tweaking.
Finding good homescreen/launcher tools.
Get my apps again (Appbrain ftw)
jeffroiscool said:
So to get 2.1 now I would need to edit that serial which I can do if I get rooted first which probably requires Exploid because SuperOneClick was 2.0+?
Rooting 2.1 is SuperOneClick thingy.
Removing safe stuff with Titanium Backup.
Get that theme and start tweaking.
Finding good homescreen/launcher tools.
Get my apps again (Appbrain ftw)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, you can use generic product code, or generic build.prop you can even find generic FW with flashtool on this forum.
PS: for 1.6 rooting Exploid works wonders..
I'm currently on a rooted stock 2.1...06.
i can't seem to find the Google Maps in the market.
my maps' version is at 4.4, but it says on appbrain that the latest is 5.3.1 for all android versions...
http://www.appbrain.com/app/google-maps/com.google.android.apps.maps
how can i update this?
i already tried searching for it, but found nothing.
also could not find gtalk and gmail...
any ideas?
try different os
Hey,
you can use different os like froyo final by owian or gingerbread 13, as your phone is already rooted. Try froyo u will really enjoy it, as i did ;-)
Related
i finally rooted my phone, ive been hearing lots of stuff about rooting your phone being a great way to explore your phone.
1. what does it really do?
2. whats cool features can i do to the rooted phone?
3. what do i do now that im rooted?
(if i post this in the wrong section im sorry)
Unix based systems run files based on permissions. If you don't have permission, you can't do certain things. Rooting gives you root access i.e. gives you superuser permission i.e. you have access to system files.
Some apps require that level of access to change things. That's pretty much it.
are there any useful apps i should know about?
Titanium Backup lets you create backups of all applications and settings. The awesome thing is, rather than just download the game onto a new phone (or a restored old one) and start over, you can install on multiple phones, bringing the applications right back to where you started.
This is a must have application for anyone doing mods to their phone.
Umm... well I can think of others but those don't directly relate to the Atrix... there are screen shot apps,...
But you can install ROMs and kernels after routing as well.
Rooted/ROM Captivate (For Sale)
Rooted Atrix
Look, I know that some of these questions may have been already answered , but others probably not. I'm not a lazy one... I've looked up on the internet already but some of them are kinda too specific.
I've never rooted a phone or a tablet before and this is my first android device.
I know that rooting can be dangerous, but i wanted to use the transformer prime to take handwritten notes using adonit jot stylus. As far as I know, in order to be able to properly write with it, you need to use this app: touchscreentune
Unfortunedly, the app requires root access. Note that I tried by myself to write with the adonit in my transformer and the results were not good.
So it looks like I need to root, but i dont need any custom roms, etc..Just the minimum enought to get that app working. I heard that there is a few clicks tool to do this easily.
I'm not experienced when it comes to mobile devices. On the other hand, i'm a computer science/engineering student and i'm at least "experienced" in what comes to computers .
So you know my problem and you know my background as a computer/tablet user. Now help me, please:
1. In a scale from 1 to 100, how risky do you think it is rooting for me?
2. If I root my tablet it voids warranty. If i unroot it, is there any traces left? i.e Will i be able to use the warranty after a root-unroot? (What do think is the probability of loosing warranty after root and unroot?)
3. Does the tool (viperMOD ?) work with the most recent android and firmware versions (I think yes, but just to make sure)
4.Do you think my reasons to root are legit and do you advice me to root?
5.Can you point me an updated tutorial (I've seen many tutorials but I don't know if they are updated) on rooting the prime?
6.If i change the touch screen setting and then unroot, will it keep the settings?
I know that they are a lot of questions, so if you only know the answer to some of them, please reply... I will appreciate it a lot.
Well, thanks, and btw hi xda developers forum and sorry for my english.
And I want root my prime! But I'm noob and I'm afraid to do this. I need root prime for CPU Clock to 1.6ghz and i need root for apps! Help
1. 1.... not a big deal...root it.
2. Probably will if you send it in with it rooted. You can unroot with Viper.
3. viper works with all of them.
4. I advice you to root, theres plenty of apps that require it and you'll feel cool.
5. Use vipermod. best easy root there is. (if you installed asussync, make sure you kill it on your comp)
6. probably not as it asks everytime you unlock screen for permission
Why root:
1. Change bootanimation
2. you'll be ready when roms and kernels are released
3. you'll be able to install a recovery, so you'll have more control of your device, so if anything EVER happens you can make a backup and restore it
4. You can overlock to 1.5ghz or 1.6ghz (stock is 1.3ghz)
5. Very coop apps like Ram Manager or Task Control need root
6. You can install Ubuntu/Backtrack and actually use Ubuntu (currently only chroot)
7. You can install mods like change the icons ect. (not adviseable until we get a recovery)
8. If you ever wanted to sell your prime, the fact that its rooted (or hacked) it would be more valuable)
9. so many more...
10. so many more more
BTW, if you want to return it, and you want to unroot it, you can. Just make sure every unroot it the SuperApp is not there. If it still is, theres plenty of tutorials to do it. you'll need adb though. (learn adb, simple commands to control your phone from the pc)
you can always just wait till roms come out. you'll be more enticed to do it then.
With the viper unroot the superuser app remains there?
I have slastop instaled in my computer. Ill make sure it isnt open when i root.
Im not interested in roms. But being able to run ubuntu would be cool. But it would be much better if it was native.
One thing im wondering is if the tablet has a hardware problem and i cant turn it on, then i wouldnt be able to unroot, would i?
ive never tried it but it should remain there.
not splashtop im talking about the AsusSync.
Im sure native will be available once the unlocker tool is released...any second.... (announced by february)
chances are nothing will happen like that, unless you start to edit stuff
hasnt happened to me, and i know it has to someone that edit their build.prop
Is there any site or source on the web that provides downloads of old versions of Android Market apps? This would be for apps that are now updated or no longer available on the Market? I am looking for a site similar to "OldVersion.com" which has some old/classic PC software (but this would be something for android apps instead)?
Thanks if anyone knows of a source or sites.
CustomShortcut gone?
The app that I am looking for in the above post was a free one called CustomShortcut APK. I now have it on one of my two phones (the other phone had it but was lost and replaced). I have tried looking for a developer page for this app but no luck as everything seems to point back to android market as the source link for download.
Does anyone know of a way or source for me to get this APK back on my other phone? Is there a way to copy it from one phone to the other? I am assuming that it was removed from the market because it may not be compatible with ICS but I am not running ICS. The application was made by appli.club.
Are you rooted? If so use root explorer to look for the .apk in the /system/app folder and copy or email it to the other phone and install it.
85gallon said:
Are you rooted? If so use root explorer to look for the .apk in the /system/app folder and copy or email it to the other phone and install it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No sadly I am not rooted. Is that how this could be done? I have an HTC phone (Sensation) and I like my "sense" gui. Don't want to wipe it out by rooting (that is what would happen, right?) If access to the apk is possible with rooting, then I guess my question would be, does anyone else here have CustomCut on their rooted phone? (Or possibly know of any website that would have those apk's available for download). I would be willing to pay if someone would take the time to send me a replacement copy.
just google for any app you want like this:
"title" "versionnumber" "apk" "download"
for example:
android market 2.9 apk download
mojosingle said:
No sadly I am not rooted. Is that how this could be done? I have an HTC phone (Sensation) and I like my "sense" gui. Don't want to wipe it out by rooting (that is what would happen, right?) If access to the apk is possible with rooting, then I guess my question would be, does anyone else here have CustomCut on their rooted phone? (Or possibly know of any website that would have those apk's available for download). I would be willing to pay if someone would take the time to send me a replacement copy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting will not wipe out your phone or change it other than giving you super user privileges. That way you will have access to get to the system apps folder.
I notice apktop keeps old versions around. But part of the reason I like Titanium backup is because I have a fail safe if a new update to an app is bad, as I can just restore from the last backup the older version.
85gallon said:
Rooting will not wipe out your phone or change it other than giving you super user privileges. That way you will have access to get to the system apps folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I am not really too concerned about it wiping out my phone, but I thought I had read many posts here talking about once you root your phone the native skin from the manufacturer is eliminated (for HTC that would be the "Sense" user interface). Can you please confirm? Is this not true? HTC Sense will remain exactly the same after rooting my phone?
The other thing that has made me cautious is that my phone runs perfectly now and I see so many threads on the xda boards here and over at various android forums that start off with "My ____ app is not working right since I rooted...." Just a little daunting for a newbie like myself.
spunker88 said:
I notice apktop keeps old versions around. But part of the reason I like Titanium backup is because I have a fail safe if a new update to an app is bad, as I can just restore from the last backup the older version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for the site suggestion. I have been trying to search for the CustomShortcut APK over there but no luck ...so far (the site search is not that easy to use). I have even tried to seach the site externally using google but, unfortunately, still no luck.
Wait for someone else to confirm on the htc, but nothing changed on my droidx. I just had superuser privs. All of the "this app quit working" is when people flash custom roms. You don't do that when you just root. But you have to be rooted in order to do things like that. Lol.
Rooting gives you the power to do that if you want to.
When I rooted my droidx, I did it just so I could have the power to do other things if I wanted. I am still on factory rom. But I am able to get to parts of the phone that are off limits if I wasnt rooted. I made it where I could tether, later I got rid of bloatware, etc.
85gallon said:
Wait for someone else to confirm on the htc, but nothing changed on my droidx. I just had superuser privs. All of the "this app quit working" is when people flash custom roms. You don't do that when you just root. But you have to be rooted in order to do things like that. Lol.
Rooting gives you the power to do that if you want to.
When I rooted my droidx, I did it just so I could have the power to do other things if I wanted. I am still on factory rom. But I am able to get to parts of the phone that are off limits if I wasnt rooted. I made it where I could tether, later I got rid of bloatware, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks once again for the reply. Now that you mention it, I remember reading the terminology "flashed" rom and thought they were similar or the same thing as rooting. One other question, once a phone is in a rooted state, if I was to go in and copy the APK for my replacement phone and put it on there could I then "unroot" lol ...sorry if this is not a word... so that my phone was no longer open? I had read somewhere (perhaps I heard it on a TWIT or Android podcast) that when your phone is in root state that anyone (ie: potentially bad software) has easier access to your phone's vunerable areas.
mojosingle said:
Thanks once again for the reply. Now that you mention it, I remember reading the terminology "flashed" rom and thought they were similar or the same thing as rooting. One other question, once a phone is in a rooted state, if I was to go in and copy the APK for my replacement phone and put it on there could I then "unroot" lol ...sorry if this is not a word... so that my phone was no longer open? I had read somewhere (perhaps I heard it on a TWIT or Android podcast) that when your phone is in root state that anyone (ie: potentially bad software) has easier access to your phone's vunerable areas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes you can unroot. As for easy access after you are rooted to vulnerable areas, they can only get access if you let them. If an app wants super user privileges, you will get a pop up from su(the super user apk) telling you that some app is wanting privileges. You can grant or deny access. The only things on my phone that have ever given me a pop up are things that i downloaded and know need su access. Wifi tether, root explorer, adfree, etc.
I have found a site that keeps older version of an android app. It's called Android Drawer.
Hope it helps
Hello all,
let me present my self as a beginner in the world of Android.
It has come an Star A3 to my hands, with Android 4.0 and among all great things of IceCream, few Chinese apps I want to get rid of
the phone is rooted (well, one headache less)
I have flash the recovery 592zn.com_recovery_Star_A3_MT6573.img with Mobileuncle tools (included in the mobile originally) and done a Boot/System/Data/Cache Nandroid backup
Apps I want to eliminate :
Baidu input (and add the standard input keyboard)
own Chinese launcher (I have already install LauncherPro, but I would love to get rid of the Chinese one completely)
UC xxxxx (some Chinese browser)
Root Explorer (Chinese version, to be able to install the English one)
ICS 4.0 (also Chinese version)
a Chinese flash-light
a Chinese dark/light switch screen
a Chinese version of the configuration menu
so, basically to keep a clean Android
so, where I have to look for help on how to do that ??
what short of help / tutorial am I looking for ?
I have installed:
http://www.ltr-data.se/opencode.html/#ImDisk
to be able to mount the nandroid img files in windows7-x64
but I can't see anything, it ask me to format the unit (?)
similar with Daemon Tools .
any help will be greatly appreciated.
thanks in advance.
InTheater
My advice since you're rooted is install Titanium Backup and use it to uninstall everything you don't want. It's a root app that can get rid of virtually anything.
Seeing as you have a nandroid backup, in the unlikely case that the device won't boot at all without one or more of those apps, you can just restore the backup you have.
SifJar said:
My advice since you're rooted is install Titanium Backup and use it to uninstall everything you don't want. It's a root app that can get rid of virtually anything.
Seeing as you have a nandroid backup, in the unlikely case that the device won't boot at all without one or more of those apps, you can just restore the backup you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Beautiful, it works like a charm !!
I have been able to get rid off all Chinese stuff
thanks
Star A3 for dummies
Hello
Ok I have searched for hours (as the video asked) and I cannot find an "android for dummies" guide. I dont know what a "root" is or what "titanium" is... so I may have found the correct forum - but I just don't understand it.
So the problem is this:
I bought a touch screen DualSim Android 2.3 GPS 3G MTK6573 Phone Star A3.
It arrived today BUT it has some chinese programmes on it (that I would like to clear) and I cannot seem to download any additional apps for it.
google.play wont work (apparently it doesnt support the device)
It has a few basic apps - but nothing wild or that I guess can't be re-downloaded again.
What would you recommend I do - do I wipe it and install something new or what. and if so please can someone explain it to me in small "for dummy" steps
I am not sure what else I need to tell you to give you abetter pic, but ideally I'd like this phone to work on the google apps system (or can you point me to where I can get similar apps)
On the "about phone" the
android version is 2.3.5
Kernel version is 2.6.35.7
I would really appreciate any help you can give me
Thanks
My first advice would be to try and achieve root on the phone. This should be relatively easy on a Chinese phone, most don't have great security.
Basically, "root" means to get increased permissions on the phone. There are certain files and actions on the phone that normally you can't do. With root, you can. Think of it as somewhat like logging into a computer as an Administrator rather than a standard user.
"getting root" basically means installing a hack to let apps on your phone do more than they could otherwise e.g. uninstall preinstalled apps.
To "root" your phone, you can use a tool like SuperOneClick or UnlockRoot. For both, you follow a few instructions, plug in your phone and click "Root" in the program, it'll work out the best way to do it for your phone and do it.
Once that is all done, there is a guide here for getting Google Apps (e.g. Play Store) working on unsupported devices: https://senk9.wordpress.com/2010/12...ogle-apps-gapps-on-your-android-device-phone/
Once you get Play Store working, Titanium Backup is an app you can install from there. Using root, it can uninstall any app you want.
Be careful with all this, if you're not you could break your phone.
educated dummy
Thank you so much! - and such a fast reply too!!!
I really apprecate your patience in explaining this all to me.
It sounds relatively straight forward - I will have a look at those progs and link you suggest tomorrow.
Obviously I dont want to break the phone either, then it would be more useless then it is already
Fingers crossed - will let you know how I get on.
Hi all,
Watched the video so I thought I would tag onto this thread instead of starting a new one.
Just bought a cheap star a3 dual sim android phone. This my foray into android phones and I am having some weird issues. Just a first note I have just rooted the phone but these issues where here before and after rooting. The A3 is a htc sensation clone i believe when my other half who has a htc desire tries to call the phone the phone goes straight into answer phone and rejects the call, she is on giff gaff in the uk and i have tried both a 3 network and orange sim and it happens on both. There is some weird chinese security software that I trying get remove but its seems very stubbon. Anyone any ideas. Ps battery life is awfull i only seem to get 6 hours from full to dead without hardly any use. Maybe I have loads running but unsure what I need to keep running.
Please help.
I have the star a3
Google play works perfectly. If you PM me, I am happy to send you the apk file for google play.
since you are rooted, I strongly suggest you get root explorer installed so you can go through and remove all the chinese apps.
Make sure you remove "himarket" its a big battery hog.
To the person who says their calls go straight to voicemail, remember this is a dual sim dual *standby* if you are using 2g or 3g cell data on one sim then the other sim cannot make or receive calls.
Also, there is no ICS for the Star A3, its just a skin on top of Gingerbread to make it look like ICS, if you go to settings, about phone and look, the version number will be 2.3.4 or 2.3.5 which means its gingerbread (if you really do have 4.0.1 ICS I would love to get a copy of the ROM for it!)
I'm still waiting for my SI number to come up, and I'm starting to get a little impatient. I'm considering going ahead and using flashtool, but if I go to that much trouble, why not just go ahead and root?
Here is the reason for my question: I rooted my x10mp to upgrade to 2.2 since there weren't going to be any more official updates. That gave me some capabilities (like apps2sd) that weren't available on 2.1.
So, what can I gain by rooting my 2011 xmp?
dave
bigdfmartin said:
I'm still waiting for my SI number to come up, and I'm starting to get a little impatient. I'm considering going ahead and using flashtool, but if I go to that much trouble, why not just go ahead and root?
Here is the reason for my question: I rooted my x10mp to upgrade to 2.2 since there weren't going to be any more official updates. That gave me some capabilities (like apps2sd) that weren't available on 2.1.
So, what can I gain by rooting my xmp?
dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are your phone x10 mini pro or xperia mini pro?
xmp is the one that getting ics not x10mp :silly:
btw to answer your root question. nothing really.
i only root just to use v6supercharger, market enabler to install some apps that cant be installed "this item cannot be installed in your country" (because i live outside US), titanium backup, and link2sd for moving apps/data/cache to sd. thats about it.
My old phone is the x10 minipro. My current phone is the 2011 minipro. Edited my first post for clarity, thanks.
dave
probably not
of course, this depends what you want to do with your phone... imho, if you have not decided to root your device for other reasons then it is not worth to root it for getting ICS: If you use stock ROM + a small amount of other apps and feel happy about it you probably don"t need root. ICS would give you a little icing on that gingerbread
IMO, definitely YES!
Definitely, it's worth!
Just root, no other mods, to just install some useful apps and achieve control over which you bought: your connections (droidwall...), your CPU and battery (cputuner...), backup (titanium...), adblocking (adaway...), autostart (autorun manager...), or just VIEW how is your system made (root explorer...).
I played with all of that stuff on my x10mp, but I don't really play with this phone as much. I forgot about adblock, though. That's a good enough reason to root for me. Thanks!
dave
Well
Well
You will be able to do a lot of things
u can remove unwanted system apps (i use AntTek app manager)
u can modify system files
u can use apps that needs root (like root browser ,market enablers ,etc)
if you find yourself in need to do any of the above
then root
otherwise don't
it doesn't make a lot of difference
specially if you are on ICS
Got my XMP rooted and flashed to ICS. Took me a couple of hours to do it, but part of that time was spent figuring out my antivirus software on the computer. Ran a repair with PCC and lost root, so I had to do it over again, which took me about 45 minutes. Thought I'd try to run a repair on SUS, but I was afraid I'd wipe out root again, so I skipped that step.
Got some root-only apps, reinstalled most of my old apps, did some housecleaning. Everything looks good and it seems to run just fine. Now I just need to do the same for my girlfriend's XMP.
Just a couple of things: I lost my calendar info with the upgrade, though I tried to back up everything. Also, I'm wondering about skipping the repair with SUS or PCC.
dave
If you like to tinker with stuff then go for it.