Rooting questions: Best rooting method? Best kernel?

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 09:56 AM

The only phone I have rooted is the Droid OE. Are there multiple ways to root the GNex? What is the best way? Who offers the best kernel?

I'm looking to bump up speed and performance. I also want the opportunity to return to stock for when Jelly bean is released so I can grab the OTA. Can anyone offer me helpful instructions? I appreciate it!

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

The only phone I have rooted is the Droid OE. Are there multiple ways to root the GNex? What is the best way? Who offers the best kernel?

I'm looking to bump up speed and performance. I also want the opportunity to return to stock for when Jelly bean is released so I can grab the OTA. Can anyone offer me helpful instructions? I appreciate it!

Pick a guide in our rooting forum

. All are straightforward and carefully laid out. Make sure to choose the one that suits you, ie what type of computer you have.

For kernel selections, each device is different. I prefer Franco, however.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

**2defmouze** · 06-24-2012, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

Pick a guide in our rooting forum

. All are straightforward and carefully laid out. Make sure to choose the one that suits you, ie what type of computer you have.

For kernel selections, each device is different. I prefer Franco, however.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

This.

You'll likely enjoy franco's kernel, most people do. Also will recommend AOKP for a ROM, its the gold standard these days. Tons of options, rock solid stablity, beats anything else out there.

And you should have no reason to flash back to stock to get the Jellybean OTA... Once the source code is put up it will be the base of all the respectable ROMs shortly, within a week or 2 (usually sooner but I'm giving them leeway since it should be a bigger upgrade than the previous 4.0.X ones, lol).. or you could wait 2-4 months for Verizon to approve and let you update

And DMM.. where'd your big signature go?

EDIT: just to say, if for some reason you wanted to, returning to stock from the images google publishes is easy as pie and takes about 3 minutes... so no matter what you do to this phone you can return to stock, lock the bootloader if you want, whatever in just a few simple steps.

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by 2defmouze

This.

You'll likely enjoy franco's kernel, most people do. Also will recommend AOKP for a ROM, its the gold standard these days. Tons of options, rock solid stablity, beats anything else out there.

And you should have no reason to flash back to stock to get the Jellybean OTA... Once the source code is put up it will be the base of all the respectable ROMs shortly, within a week or 2 (usually sooner but I'm giving them leeway since it should be a bigger upgrade than the previous 4.0.X ones, lol).. or you could wait 2-4 months for Verizon to approve and let you update

And DMM.. where'd your big signature go?

It's not visible? On tapa now, will investigate.

Edit: still there, signatures checked in options, yet nothing is showing. Hmmm.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 10:51 AM

I know they are available in the forums, it just seems like new ROMs and kernels are released frequently.

How fast should I kick up the juice once it's rooted? I don't want to burn it out, but I'd like to see my benchmarks visibly improve.

**greydarrah** · 06-24-2012, 10:54 AM

After you unlock and root, make a nandroid backup before you flash anything and save it. That's your stock ROM and will most likely take an OTA, though like 2def said, you'll probably be running the latest os months before it's released and wont even care about an OTA update.

Personally, I liked CyberWarriors unlock/root method. All the more popular ROMs run great. My fav is CMPLX V1, then Cyanogen nightly, then AOKP. My phone likes Franco's nightly kernel better than anything else (regardless of the ROM), but your phone could prefer something else.

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

I know they are available in the forums, it just seems like new ROMs and kernels are released frequently.

How fast should I kick up the juice once it's rooted? I don't want to burn it out, but I'd like to see my benchmarks visibly improve.

We have a few threads and we're all pretty good about updating them; there's also a chatter thread, which aside from other shenanigans, is a pretty decent font of flashing/rooting knowledge.

I kick up the juice relentlessly, but I'm a mad man. Normally I keep it at 1344 mhz but I also enjoy 1536 and the rarefied air of 1651 mhz.

**2defmouze** · 06-24-2012, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

We have a few threads and we're all pretty good about updating them; there's also a chatter thread, which aside from other shenanigans, is a pretty decent font of flashing/rooting knowledge.

I kick up the juice relentlessly, but I'm a mad man. Normally I keep it at 1344 mhz but I also enjoy 1536 and the rarefied air of 1651 mhz.

Knowledge/substance in the chatter thread? Blasphemy I say. I wouldn't stand for it.

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:09 AM

YouTube seems to have good instructional stuff. So, stick with Franco for a kernel? Any other tips? Should I use Cyan?

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

YouTube seems to have good instructional stuff. So, stick with Franco for a kernel? Any other tips? Should I use Cyan?

Try them all and choose the one you like. If you have a Mac, we have a Mac guide. If a Windows PC, we have a Windows guide + a "toolkit" that will do everything for you. Be sure to follow the instructions.

A general guide to root/flashing is my Don't Panic guide, which may or may not help you. I suggest it regardless

**2defmouze** · 06-24-2012, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

Try them all and choose the one you like. If you have a Mac, we have a Mac guide. If a Windows PC, we have a Windows guide + a "toolkit" that will do everything for you. Be sure to follow the instructions.

A general guide to root/flashing is my Don't Panic guide, which may or may not help you. I suggest it regardless

Lmao truth in marketing at its finest

**tcapote** · 06-24-2012, 11:23 AM

I used Wug's Galaxy Nexus Root Toolkit http://forums.androidcentral.com/ver...-6-5-12-a.html unlock/root method about a month ago. First time rooter. Easy as pie!
I am running the CM9 nightlies, and just started with the Franco kernels. I am VERY happy! not looking back!

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:29 AM

Thanks guys. How long should this process take me? I'm using a Dell with Modzilla btw.

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

Thanks guys. How long should this process take me? I'm using a Dell with Modzilla btw.

If you use Wug's? Like 10 minutes. It'll walk you through it. The longest part of that process is making sure the drivers are installed/configured.

Another thing--please, please, please back up all of your stuff beforehand. If you have pictures, upload them, transfer them, do whatever you need to do in order to save them and ensure that you have them after this process. Unlocking will wipe everything, including the internal/faux SDcard.

So back it up

.

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

Try them all and choose the one you like. If you have a Mac, we have a Mac guide. If a Windows PC, we have a Windows guide + a "toolkit" that will do everything for you. Be sure to follow the instructions.

A general guide to root/flashing is my Don't Panic guide, which may or may not help you. I suggest it regardless

Where can I find that?

**tcapote** · 06-24-2012, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

Where can I find that?

You can find everything you need at http://forums.androidcentral.com/ver...ng-roms-hacks/

Back up first!

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

Where can I find that?

What? Wug's Toolkit? Fellow colleague tcapote linked it.

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

What? Wug's Toolkit? Fellow colleague tcapote linked it.

I'll take you up on your offer. I really appreciate it man.

EDIT: Wug's it it.

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

I'll take you up on your offer. I really appreciate it man.

EDIT: Wug's it it.

lol no problemo. I'll be on, so if you run into craziness let me know. Check that thread out and read the latest 2-3 pages as well. It's always good to do your homework

.

**tcapote** · 06-24-2012, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

Where can I find that?

An be sure you download the right roms for your phone:

Samsung Galaxy Nexus (toro), the "toro" or Verizon Wireless CDMA and LTE variant of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus (toroplus), the "toroplus" or Sprint CDMA and LTE variant of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus (maguro), the "maguro" or GSM and HSPA variant of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

lol no problemo. I'll be on, so if you run into craziness let me know. Check that thread out and read the latest 2-3 pages as well. It's always good to do your homework

.

GnexRootToolkit.v1.4.sfx.exe[Mirror 1][Mirror 2]

Do I download "Mirror1," "Mirror2," or both?

**tcapote** · 06-24-2012, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

GnexRootToolkit.v1.4.sfx.exe[Mirror 1][Mirror 2]

Do I download "Mirror1," "Mirror2," or both?

either will work, just one of them.

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:54 AM

So I accidentally downloaded both, went to Koush, and it's a forum. What do I do now?

**dmmarck** · 06-24-2012, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Murph5150

So I accidentally downloaded both, went to Koush, and it's a forum. What do I do now?

Do you have at least one of the .exe's? Just load that as normal. He has multiple links just in case one server/site goes down.

Koush = developer of CWM Recovery and ROM Manager.

**Murph5150** · 06-24-2012, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by dmmarck

Do you have at least one of the .exe's? Just load that as normal. He has multiple links just in case one server/site goes down.

Koush = developer of CWM Recovery and ROM Manager.

Yup, got at least one. His "help link" is down, so I may be asking more questions than I should lol. Now what should I be doing?