Can I root without unlocking the bootloader?

[greydarrah]

I want to root so that I can use Titanium Backup and hopefully tether. As I understand it (please correct me if I'm wrong) the only reason to unlock the bootloader is to install custom ROMs, which I have no desire to do at this time, and I really don't want to wipe my device anyway. So, can you just root and leave the bootloader locked?

If so, are there any relatively simple methods for rooting yet?

 

[NewAge]

You must unlock the bootloader to root. At least for now. There may be a root method without unlocking later, but I doubt it. Just unlock it. Takes a couple minutes as long as you have fastboot and adb set up.

 

[greydarrah]

You must unlock the bootloader to root. At least for now. There may be a root method without unlocking later, but I doubt it. Just unlock it. Takes a couple minutes as long as you have fastboot and adb set up.

Do you know why this is? My previous Android devices (motorola) were able to be rooted without unlocking the bootloader. Of coarse the bootloader count NOT be unlocked. I just can't begin to express how sick I am of wiping phones and setting them up again. It used to fun, but that was a few years and 20 or 30 wipings ago. I sometimes feel like I need to quit my full time job so that I can make time to keep my phone running the way the I want. That's not intended to be a slam on the GN, just on wiping devices in general.

 

[NewAge]

Its because Motorola Devices have Locked bootloaders, with the exception of the OG Droid, and Xoom. Others like Atrix can be unlocked with a hack from Euro version.

Yes it does suck that it wipes, but you should only have to unlock it ONCE. Then yeah the installation of ROMs may wipe, but with the cloud and other services, it makes the pain less.

 

[greydarrah]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I just don't understand why you have to unlock the bootloader to root the phone. I know that motorola's have a locked bootloader, but if you can root them while leaving it locked, why can't you root the GN the same way. I do realize that everyone wants to unlock the bootloader so they can install custom ROMs/kernals, but I don't want to put CM9 on my phone for now. I just want to root and use Titanium. Is this not possible, or do people just not normally do it this way?

 

[digitalslacker]

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I just don't understand why you have to unlock the bootloader to root the phone. I know that motorola's have a locked bootloader, but if you can root them while leaving it locked, why can't you root the GN the same way. I do realize that everyone wants to unlock the bootloader so they can install custom ROMs/kernals, but I don't want to put CM9 on my phone for now. I just want to root and use Titanium. Is this not possible, or do people just not normally do it this way?

With MOTO devices, root was achieved through a hack. Devs found unique methods to get around the measures put in place by MOTO to lock the phone down.

That isn't how it's supposed to work. Even if, in the case of most MOTO devices, it meant achieving root without the inconvenience of having to wipe the phone.

The act of unlocking the bootloader wipes the phone, rooting does not. The general advice is that if you think you every want to root, unlock right after you get the phone. It's simple process and the device is wiped before you've gone through the process of setting up the device.

Wiping phones isn't fun but you only have to do it once, then you are unlocked and good to go.

 

[greydarrah]

Then sadly, I'm guess I'm going to skip it for now. I love Android, and I really love Google, but this inability to back up data and apps without root is the platforms biggest downfall.

But I still LOVE this phone.

 

[digitalslacker]

Then sadly, I'm guess I'm going to skip it for now. I love Android, and I really love Google, but this inability to back up data and apps without root is the platforms biggest downfall.

But I still LOVE this phone.

That's why it was suggested early on, even before the release, that if you ever plan to root you unlock the bootloader first thing. The more you use that phone, the more data you'll end up losing when/if you decide to root...

 

[Ricky Babalu]

Then sadly, I'm guess I'm going to skip it for now. I love Android, and I really love Google, but this inability to back up data and apps without root is the platforms biggest downfall.

But I still LOVE this phone.

My advice would be to do it now. I suspect you will want these 2 items eventually. I too am looking to put TB + Something else when it becomes functional. So better to do it now, before you get your phone set up the way you like.

 

[DaPoets]

unlock it now... don't wait.

 

[svtdragon]

Just wanted to chime in since this seems to be the first google result.

Progress has been made on rooting without wiping the device, via a Linux kernel exploit. Check out saurik's mempodroid.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

I'd also like to chime in... you don't need to root to unlock tethering.
just download "Tethering Widget" by Hi-Develop. Place the widget on any homescreen. Works like a champ. I have an unlocked bootloader I did on day 1, but have yet to root... 'cause i haven't found a reason to yet. Everything I needed root for on the thunderbolt I can do without root on this device.

 

[davey11]

Didn't you start the thread about aokp, and say you're running codename rom?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

Didn't you start the thread about aokp, and say you're running codename rom?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Who? Me? no, never run a ROM on my nexus. If its directed to someone else... then ignore my comment.

 

[davey11]

Who? Me? no, never run a ROM on my nexus. If its directed to someone else... then ignore my comment.

Sorry, no, I meant the op, greydarrah.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

[jpprice]

Sorry, no, I meant the op, greydarrah.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

Yeah he said he was in another thread. I don't understand this thread

 

[davey11]

Geez, I just looked at when this thread was started, and I guess greydarrah has moved on to greener pastures.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

[greydarrah]

Didn't you start the thread about aokp, and say you're running codename rom?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

I started the AOKP thread after I stumbled upon the ROM on RootzWiki, only to ask if anyone here was using it and how it ran. Just out of curiosity because no one here had mentioned it and it has a huge following over there. THEN, someone suggested that a mod make it an official ROM thread (again because no one else here had a thread about it going), and the mod did so, leaving me as the thread creator and looking like I was the ROMs advocate. I've never even flashed the ROM, though it seems to be a good one. Right now I'm running codename and am very happy with it...but i might try out AOKP one day.

Geez, I just looked at when this thread was started, and I guess greydarrah has moved on to greener pastures.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

This thread is very old...from back when we all first got our GN's. I had only owned Motorola's until then and didn't understand why I had to unlock the bootloader to root. Seems like eons ago now...and a pretty stupid thread now. I have no idea why somebody elected to revive it today.

 

[davey11]

Ya sorry grey,
It's that I'm posting from the phone and just didn't notice the date. Anyway we know ur a flasher nowadays.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Blue Tapatalk

 

[jpprice]

Ya sorry grey,
It's that I'm posting from the phone and just didn't notice the date. Anyway we know ur a flasher nowadays.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Xparent Blue Tapatalk

Yeah I didn't notice this either. Zombie thread.