Total newb about to root my Fascinate, confirming steps, thanks!

[flogger11]

My fascinate is on its way, just confirming the proper way to root this baby while dumping Bing and dropping Google in its place. Plus I want to get some of the bloatware off.

My first question I am unable to find an answer for is how do I know if I have 32 or 64 bit? I have a six month old hp laptop, blueray, hdmi, Windows 7, would I be 64 bit?

UPDATE:
To see if your computer is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows, do the following:

1.Open System by clicking the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, and then clicking System.

2.Under System, you can view the system type.



What is up with Titanium Backup? Do I need it?



ADW or Launcher? Free versions please for now...

UPDATE: Went with LauncherPro Plus... for $2.99, come on, why not.


To root my phone, just follow the instructions at this link?

YouTube - AccessoryGeeks: Samsung Fascinate Root How to / Walk Through



Then follow this to get Google up and running?

http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-fascinate-google-search-fix



How will the eventual 2.2 OS cause problems with my rooted phone?


Exactly what is safe to remove from my phone, anything in this list I should keep? I found a link in the forum to remove all these in one shot...

http://forum.androidcentral.com/fascinate-roms-hacks/34208-apps-safe-remove-once-rooted.html

Blockbuster: Blockbuster_Stub_v0_2_build_12-unsigned-signed.apk
Subscription based (2.99 per month) app that displays city & state information for incoming calls: CityID_1.0.27_vzw.sch.i500_12118-release.apk
Bing Search App: I500_BingSearchAndroid_07152010.apk
My Verizon account information app: I500_MyVerizon_05202010.apk
Need for Speed Limited demo version: NFSSInstallerSamsungEmbed_1.1.64.apk
Amazon Kindle: redding-7648-signed-zipped.apk
Skype: Skype_mobile.1.0.0.19.live.apk
App that links to download and install Tetris: TetrisInstallerSamsungEMBED.apk
VCast ringtones app: i500_VCASTTones_QA_060310_1436.apk
VCast video app: VCastVideo.apk
VCast music app: VCastMusic.apk
VZNavigator: vnav_4.7.0.258_i500_rel_PROD_signed.apk
Write & Go: WriteandGo.apk
Verizon Instant Messaging Client: Final_Schi500_3.0.3.3_07262010.apk
All Samsung Widgets

LiveWallpapers.apk
LiveWallpapers.odex
LiveWallpapersPicker.apk
LiveWallpapersPicker.odex
MagicSmokeWallpapers.apk
MagicSmokeWallpapers.odex
All TATLiveWallpapers & ODEX files.

Thank you soooooo much for the help, I just wanted to get all the info on one page and confirm the process before I messed up my new phone!

Mike

 

[Bryant.Villada]

.

you got it. Good job doing the research for yourself, however this could potentially make it much easier for new Samsung Fascinate owners. May be worth a sticky.

 

[flogger11]

you got it. Good job doing the research for yourself, however this could potentially make it much easier for new Samsung Fascinate owners. May be worth a sticky.

Thanks! Any chance on helping with a few of my questions? Its really appreciated!

 

[Gitykins]

My first question I am unable to find an answer for is how do I know if I have 32 or 64 bit? I have a six month old hp laptop, blueray, hdmi, Windows 7, would I be 64 bit?

Truthfully, if you don't know, you have 32 bit. But check just to make sure.

What is up with Titanium Backup? Do I need it?

You should use it to freeze bloatware if you decide to do ti yourself, but otherwise use nandroid backups with clockwork.

ADW or Launcher? Free versions please for now...

Use LauncherPro. It's much better. The only things you'll miss with the unpaid version are LPP widgets and resizing widgets.

To root my phone, just follow the instructions at this link?

YouTube - AccessoryGeeks: Samsung Fascinate Root How to / Walk Through

Sure, that looks fine.

Then follow this to get Google up and running?

http://www.androidcentral.com/verizon-fascinate-google-search-fix

Same thing.

How will the eventual 2.2 OS cause problems with my rooted phone?

You can just reflash the stock kernel and restore to a nandroid backup, and then you'll be safe to upgrade

Exactly what is safe to remove from my phone, anything in this list I should keep? I found a link in the forum to remove all these in one shot...

http://forum.androidcentral.com/fascinate-roms-hacks/34208-apps-safe-remove-once-rooted.html

All of that stuff is absolute **** and you can remove it. However, I'd recommend flashing this ROM with clockwork so that you don't have to do it yourself:

[ROM] Super Clean DI01 + AOSP apps - xda-developers

Also, check out Voodoo. It's a great thing for your phone and greatly increses the speed of the phone overall.

[RELEASE] Voodoo (v0.2) ext4 lagfix for Fascinate! - xda-developers

 

[flogger11]

^^So do a Nandroid backup to my SDcard before I do any mods at all? Pre-root? And what do you mean back up with "clockwork"? Thanks so much, dumb questions Im sure but hey, its my first droid...

 

[Gitykins]

Haha and it's not even a droid.

You will install clockwork after rooting by doing this:

Clockworkmod installation how to for windows / *nix - xda-developers

In clockwork you can make nandroid backups, with are backups of your system folder (basically everything stock) and your data folder (market apps and other user data). It basically gives you full backup of all settings and things on your phone before you do something that may potentially mess up your phone. It runs inside the original recovery mode that the phone ships with so that you can always access it. And you would make this after being root.

Inside clockwork, you can flash ROM's and kernel to overclock your phone or remove bloatware or use Voodoo. If something goes wrong, you can just use clockwork to reflash a stock kernel that you should always keep on your sdcard and restore to a nandroid backup that you had made prior.

Chances are that you will never need to do any of this and that your phone will be running smoothly the whole time. They're just precautions.

 

[flogger11]

"its not even a droid" oops, was digging around about the DX and boned it, lol!

 

[flogger11]

Got my SF today, about to root it and dump the crap, wish me luck!