Rooting my Razr HD

[maxt_63]

Hello Android community!
I am new to Android, my Razr HD being my first Android phone. I buddy of mine who is a tech genius (who is also an Apple fanboy) told me about rooting my phone. After researching, I have learned the pro's of rooting, especially for my phone because the Razr HD's have lots of bloatware. In reality, the main function I will be using the root for is pairing a SIXAXIS controller so that I can play MC4, Dead Trigger, Deadzone, etc. with a controller.I'm not fully aware of the cons. Here are some of my questions:
-I have read that doing OTA updates when the phone is rooted messes it up. Is an OTA just the standard software update? (exuse my n00b questions I have only been an Android user for a month) How can this be avoided? What are the steps to avoid it?
-How can I make sure I dont brick my phone?
-Is there a safe root out for the Razr HD?
-Will I have to re-root my phone after each update?
-What are the major cons of rooting?

Thanks so much.

Max.

 

[Dreamliner330]

http://forums.androidcentral.com/droid-razr-hd/219074-guide-root-load-jb-razr-hd-hd-maxx.html

That thread has the best step by step rooting guide I've seen yet. I'd recommend following the Jelly Bean steps too, you may as well.

OTA stands for "Over The Air" and are the updates Verizon pushes out to the phones. They do one of these updates pretty rarely maybe 2 or 3 times in the entire phone life cycle. Typically an OTA update will undo the root, so its best to wait until it is available on the forums.

For the RAZR HD, there is a current OTA available for bugfixes and there is another coming soon for Jelly Bean. The link I provided above includes the Jelly Bean update if you follow the second section.

Just read the steps once, and follow the directions CAREFULLY, read each line twice and don't go to fast. That's how mistakes happen.

Best of luck.

 

[maxt_63]

So do you know of any steps to unroot the RAZR HD? I'm probably not going to install the jb leak.just because I'm an Android noob and I don't wanna mess with that stuff. As far as I know, OTA updates cancel your root, so in that case should I unroot, than root again? Or does the Rootkeeper Voodoo thing protect the root?

 

[Dreamliner330]

I think the Voodoo root keeper protects it, bit I'm not sure. Personally I'm not the first one to do these things, I usually wait until there is a guide and its pretty much idiot proof.

If the root goes smoothly I'd really recommend JB, its virtually no different from the steps you'll need to take then the OTA update is officially out.

 

[maxt_63]

I think the Voodoo root keeper protects it, bit I'm not sure. Personally I'm not the first one to do these things, I usually wait until there is a guide and its pretty much idiot proof.

If the root goes smoothly I'd really recommend JB, its virtually no different from the steps you'll need to take then the OTA update is officially out.

Alright well thanks for all your help man! Now I feel comfortable rooting. Just ONE more question: You dont have to update your root method when a new one comes out, do you? Can you just keep the same root the whole time or do you need to update the root everytime there is a new method?

 

[Dreamliner330]

Root is like picking a lock. Once its open your set. Methods are just that, methods.

Just don't OTA after root (or the JB update without following the instructions) or it relocks it.

 

[maxt_63]

So if I get OTA Voodoo Rootkeeper and follow those steps, can I then successfully update with my root still there? I saw a video of a guy using that app and he OTA updated, and his root was still there.

 

[Dreamliner330]

^Just follow the steps in that thread, both sections. Updates are extremely infrequent. When/if a new update comes along (After Jellybean, it will be a long time) just check in on the forums for another download link. Use the forums as your source for updates going forward and you wont have any troubles.

Simple.