Buying Bionic tomorrow, root/backup plans

[KTamez]

This may be a stupid question(s), this is my 3rd Android device I'll be working with, but I have never rooted my others(Droid X and Incredible), and am planning to get the Bionic in the AM.

My plan is to pull out of the box, root, and backup with Ti Backup Pro, immediately. I'll freeze some bloatware (nothing crazy, just the obvious stuff that isn't gonna hurt anything to dissappear. Might change the boot animation, nothing too crazy though.

I hear guys saying they won't root before an SBF is available. Whats the difference? If I have a backup, I can go back to stock right? I guess I understand if you're going crazy customizing stuff, FUBAR/Brick the phone, SBF might be the only hope.

Now when an OTA update is available, I have to manually apply this update correct? (obviously I wouldn't want to). Just want to make sure the update just doesn't start on its own (I did the GB update on Droid X, but I don't remember if I had to go into the settings/about phone/etc to manually update).

If root can be done on that update, can I just go back to that "brand new out of the box" new backup I first made? Probably save that backup in a couple places so even if the SD card screws up I still have it.

I know I put alot of general questions in one rambling post, but anyone have any thoughts/corrections?

 

[scottguest11]

should work just fine as long as its on the sd card you can go back any time your ready

 

[Dukeuni]

I am also interested in this. I guess I just need to snoop around the forums some more to learn more. I want to do what the OP is talking about- root the phone, back-up the phone, then freeze some of the bloatware, and hopefully get the tethering to work. Nothing else at this time.

Is that going to affect how I receive updates or anything else? I am not planning on any custom ROMs at this time or anything like that.

 

[Stang68]

I thought root was achieved already. Is this not the case?

 

[TeeSquar]

I guess I view having the SBF as a safety net to go back to stock. I believe, right now, there is no SBF for the Bionic so once you root, that is it.

Let's say the first update out for the Bionic fixes some as of yet unknown problem that is a real pain in the ass and adds some killer enhancements, but it also closes the root exploit ... P3Droid has mentioned that that may be the case for the upcoming D3 update. I would figure if Moto does that for the D3, the Bionic would be next. Now you are left with keeping the release level software with root or updating to get the fixes/enhancements, but losing root ability.

Right now my need for root is to run Titanium, which will allow app+data backups/restores PLUS freezing the bloat. I'll probably wait a bit to keep my options open, but if the bloat is too much of a bother, I may go ahead with the root. Hoping the Dev community can nail down an SBF.

 

[KTamez]

I guess I view having the SBF as a safety net to go back to stock. I believe, right now, there is no SBF for the Bionic so once you root, that is it.

Let's say the first update out for the Bionic fixes some as of yet unknown problem that is a real pain in the ass and adds some killer enhancements, but it also closes the root exploit ... P3Droid has mentioned that that may be the case for the upcoming D3 update. I would figure if Moto does that for the D3, the Bionic would be next. Now you are left with keeping the release level software with root or updating to get the fixes/enhancements, but losing root ability.

Right now my need for root is to run Titanium, which will allow app+data backups/restores PLUS freezing the bloat. I'll probably wait a bit to keep my options open, but if the bloat is too much of a bother, I may go ahead with the root. Hoping the Dev community can nail down an SBF.

Can you not get OTA updates just going to the original backup using Titanium and/or wiping the phone?

 

[TeeSquar]

Can you not get OTA updates just going to the original backup using Titanium and/or wiping the phone?

You should be able to get OTAs even on a rooted phone. Note that I'm only speaking from my experiences with my Eris.

I would make a Nand backup of my ROM before I would try other ROMs. It was basically a software image of the complete phone. That way, if I screwed the phone up I could go into the recovery console and restore my previous ROM ... restoring completely overwrites everything.

I believe Titanium only backs up Apps and their data, not the whole operating system ... I could be wrong here.

OTA updates, at least on my Eris, would overwrite the system and deroot the phone. The issue is that Moto MAY have found a way to close the exploit that was used on the D3 (and likely Bionic)to gain root and will include it in the next update.