Rooting for Dummies

[mrtonk]

I have a Thunderbolt as my first Android device. I previously owned a Palm Pre and a Windows 6.5 Omnia. I was able to follow instructions exactly to create the Frankenpre 2.1 ROM for the Palm and I flashed a number of ROMs for the Omnia, all of which really just involved clicking a few onscreen buttons. I have read a few of these threads regarding Autoroot and whatnot, and they all seem to involve something called ADB and reminders to install updated radios without really explaining how to do it. Is there a "1) Click this, then 2) Type this, then 3) Click that........13) You're finished! Enjoy your new Bolt!" kind of guide somewhere? Please help. I'm tired of waiting for HTC and Verizon to fix their issues and I keep reading about how awesome BAMF 3.0 is. I do have the manual MR2 update installed, but I do still reboot 1-2 times per day. Help!

 

[fatboy97]

Root and changing ROM are two very different things.... however you do need to root your phone before you change ROMs.

First, root your phone... you should read the sticky thread that Cory wrote about using ADB... it is very easy, but you should read it before you attempt to do it.

Next you should check out [Guide] Upgrade to GB Sense Rom+Radio from Froyo.. it's a good guide for beginners. I used it to flash my first ROM... I used ROM Manager and found a great guide as a sticky in this forum as well.

There is a lot of reading and understanding how these different things work.

 

[mrtonk]

Thank you. So is it 1) Root phone; 2) Flash radio; and 3) Flash Rom, or do I have 2 and 3 out of order?

 

[SoDev]

I prefer radio before rom, but I don't believe it matters really.

Thank you. So is it 1) Root phone; 2) Create nandroid backup (link); 3) Flash radio; and 4) Flash Rom, or do I have 2 and 3 out of order?

Fixed.

 

[mrtonk]

I have MyBackup....what are the advantages to using nandroid?

 

[fatboy97]

nandroid backup... at least the one I use is part of ROM Manager... it makes it very easy to create backups of your ROM image... in case you need to go back to an older or different ROM version... check out the ROM Manager sticky thread at the top of this forum.

 

[SoDev]

I have MyBackup....what are the advantages to using nandroid?

My Backup just backs up apps and settings stuff. A nandroid is like an exact ghost copy of you phone. So if you mess anything up or things get wacky you can install your backup and your phone will be restored to a previous wroking state. Don't sleep on it. Nandroids are a life saver. I try to create one every couple days.

 

[mrtonk]

So...with my level of experience....do you recommend this:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...ocedure-how-root-thunderbolt-adb-windows.html (instructions are very clear)

or this:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...unroot-windows-updated-5-20-w-mr1-update.html
?

After one of those two methods, I'm assuming I should do this:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...7-guide-upgrade-gb-sense-rom-radio-froyo.html. Right?

 

[mrtonk]

Hmm....I couldn't find Nandroid in the Market. I did see a thread on XDA about it, but it seems to be a collection of tools?

 

[SoDev]

So...with my level of experience....do you recommend this:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...ocedure-how-root-thunderbolt-adb-windows.html (instructions are very clear)

That.

Read this guide about nandroid backups....you should do this...

http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...ocedure-how-root-thunderbolt-adb-windows.html

Then this...

http://forum.androidcentral.com/thu...-backup-restore-install-roms-thunderbolt.html

Then get into installing radios and roms.

 

[Christopherg]

Another new HTC Thunderbolt (coming from a jailbroken iphone . . .though not the same?)

Anyway - with all this rooting, is there any truth to verizon trying to catch and catching people by looking at those who ignore updates? etc?

What about rooted tethering?

 

[MRW1215]

I find myself being slightly interested in rooting my phone, but I've never really done anything like this before, so I can't help but be a bit concerned that I'd break something, and I really don't want to screw up my phone. Are the risks pretty minimal? Like, how likely is it that something will go wrong, or break, or something?

Also, is there any way to back up apps, data, game saves, etc. before rooting? I've been using my phone for about three months now, so I have quite a bit already on there, and the idea of having to wipe everything and start all over is a bit disappointing...

Lastly, I'm using the official 2750 mAH extended battery; *if* I decide to try rooting, should I go back to the stock battery until the process is completed, just so I don't damage my extended battery?