Related
Kinda new here and I've been searching Google for a good hour to no avail.
I have a Sprint HTC Hero with active service through Sprint that I'm looking to switch to a Page Plus phone number (just purchased a pre-activated Page Plus phone from a local gas station). Main goal is to get the Page Plus service working on the Hero with the Page Plus number as the number for it with text and calling functionality.
I've seen a couple threads where people have said that they flashed their CDMA Hero to a Page Plus ROM and have no problem using it. I cannot find a ROM anywhere that says it's strictly for Page Plus which is making me wonder: Can any ROM be used on Page Plus? And if so, does this mean I switch carriers (Sprint to Page Plus) using another method?
Any help or points into the right direction would be greatly appreciated. I know people often get flamed for "not searching before posting" but I would be eternally grateful for any help that any of you could provide me. Thanks!
Did you ever find an answer to this? I want to do the same thing.
Easiest way would be to go to page plus website and see if the phone can be ported over. If the phone is in a contract with Sprint still you probably wont get your number. I know you can get a locked verizon to page plus but i went through, mingo 1st.
From HowardForums concerning Sprint handsets to page plus:
* Sprint (and Sprint MVNO) handsets are by far, the most difficult. All handset are locked, The OTA activation is incompatible. The MMS system (Picture Mail) is incompatible. IMHO, these handsets are more or less for serious hackers only.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
change to the spc code to 000000, then manually program the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
danknee, I assume that by changing the spc code that during this process you are changing the esn code to the page plus phone's eventually correct?
The reason I ask is I may want to try this eventually on the new Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk plan. If I could get my Hero on there I might just do that. Or once the Evo comes out use the Hero to try putting it on there for my son...
I put a Sprint Samsung Instinct on PP using CDMA workshop. I kind of stumbled though it though. Howardforums is a good resource. I recall having to charge the spc, but definitely not the esn. Also, I had to use CDMA workshop to push a Verizon prl unto the. phone. When registering it with PP, I entered I had some other Samsung branded phone(done online).
I was able to use it as a phone but data & picture mails were not.
Good luck.
Changing the spc is just so you can get the phone to update ota. Same step you rake when flashing to cricket. I've done lots of wm phones to cricket. Mms is by far the biggest pain in the ass. From what I understand people have flashed the hero to cricket with working internet, but apps that use the internet do not work. Also, no mms. You will probably be looking at a similar situation here.
Solution
This is in fact quite simple. I recently did it myself. Google Kitty Wireless, and there is a page for manual programming. Download the PRL from that page, put it on your SD card, and click the phone. Type in ##prl# (Im pretty sure this is right, if not google, update prl) and find the file and update the PRL. This will flash your phone and make it use Verizon towers instead of sprint ones. Now that the easy part is done, use Kitty Wireless' activate page, add your ESN, and your phone is on PagePlus, you need to finish though by finish programming your phone.
Now, install aLogCat, phone, ##data#, veiw mode. Go to aLogCat, hit menu, pause, and scroll up to find the MSL code. Now go back, and instead of hitting view mode, hit edit, and type in the MSL code. This will allow you to finish programming it. Now go onto that manual programming page at kitty wireless and finish what they tell you to do.
Any more questions, Ill check back later and try to help.
HTC Hero(sprint) on pageplus
Data is definitely not working. Its an overkill to use HTC hero on pageplus for txt and voice only. I think the refference to "Serious hacker" earlier means making custom baseband firmware. The changes need to accomodate inputting pageplus settings. Or I wonder if anyone tried to load verizon eris baseband firmware on sprint hero.
A few days ago, I have done for activating my Sprint HTC Hero to PagePlus. I ported my phone number, so I didn't change my phone number but my carrier has been changed.. lol.
I posted the instruction to do it. Here you are.
forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=789751
Also, I got the information about how to make the phone working for data and MMS. I didn't try it because I don't need data. Wifi is around me mostly. If you need, tell me.
------------ I copied the instruction here ------------
I really appreciate you, TpyoKnig.
Now, FINALLY I activated my Sprint HTC Hero to PagePlus. I don't need to waste money for data plan (at least $30/mo). As TpyoKing helped me to activate it, let me post some information I have done for my Hero, in order to help those who want to activate Sprint HTC Hero to PagePlus. If you have any question, tell me. (I'm not a dealer for pageplus. so please don't give me any money.)
Here are what I've got. (I added my experience.)
1) thing you have to have is root for your phone, if you have that then great! Also you need to be running a NON-Froyo Rom (the froyo roms, I've tested thus far) are lacking EPST which will be used later to program the phone. --> My case, I installed NFX-Hero ROM. After I activated my phone to PagePlus, I'm running CM6 ROM. It works fine now.
2) Search the Market (Via WiFi) and download 'MSL reader'
3) Write down that MSL (will need it later)
4) reboot phone
5) download pageplus.prl from a web and put on root of SD card
6) on your phone pull up the dialer (hit the green button) and put in ##775# (##PRL#) and put in your MSL code you got earlier
7) select "update PRL", drop down "Folder" to "SD Card" and push down on your navigation ball and then long press the "menu" key to make your keyboard lower and select pageplus.prl then select "ok", then press your "menu" key and hit commit modification
8) phone will reboot (Congratulations you'r now on Verizon towers!)
9) Get PagePlus to activate phone (eg, contact a local dealer) , tell them you are manually programming a Sprint phone and give them the IMEI and that you need your MIN/MDN and SID. --> In my case, I purchased pageplus from Kittywireless.com. They promptly provide MIN/MDN and SID.
10) on your phone, pull up the dialer and dial ##YOUR6DIGITALMSL# , then select edit mode
11) change Mobile Directory Number (MDN=your new phone number from pageplus) to what is given to you by PP/dealer
12) change MSID to your MIN (Mobile Identification Number) as suplied by PP/Dealer
12) press menu
13) commit changes
I'm really happy.
It Does Work...
DATA and MMS do work I have a Hero on PagePlus and can do both. In fact I've also helped 3 others do that same .
http://www.bpcr.biz/buddy/Android.zip has instructions (not made by me) and APN backup and restore, and the correct APN file needed for PagePlus MMS. Also has instructions on howto get the data settings correct using QPST.
If you have any questions or need help when doing the process PM me or email me [email protected] and I'll contact you back ASAP
Thanks,
Buddy
Thanks guys, got the data working on pageplus using that tutorial.
NP
No Problem . I made it easy . took me a while to get it all working.
Thanks for the helpful information. I'm having some problems getting my Alltel HTC Hero cdma on Page Plus. If you have time, can you take a look at the question I posted as a thread? It's titled "prl update for page plus on alltel htc hero cdma".
Thanks
i am attempting to change my HTC Hero (Sprint) to PagePlus...does the device has to be already activated with sprint in order to work. (it is currently deactivated no serivce)
daskydivr said:
i am attempting to change my HTC Hero (Sprint) to PagePlus...does the device has to be already activated with sprint in order to work. (it is currently deactivated no serivce)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no it doesn't that is not a requirement. just follow the directions that I've linked to: http://www.bpcr.biz/buddy/Android.zip
I have a few questions for everyone. I currently have about a year left on my sprint contract. I am willing to buy it out and switch to page plus, but I would like to save money on the phones. With sprint I have 2 HTC Heros. If I can get them to work that would save a bit of $$.
Question about procedure: In the directions (in zip file) it says they are for EVO, will it still work on Hero? Next question, in the directions it says "THIS TUTURAL IS ASSUMING THAT YOU ARE ALREADY BASIC FLASHED!". What does that mean? Is that the basic rom? My Hero is rooted and running CM6. My wife's Hero is stock sprint (1.5 I think).
Question about numbers (if you know...if not no biggie): I want to port my numbers from sprint to page plus.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!
teedybeedy said:
Question about numbers (if you know...if not no biggie): I want to port my numbers from sprint to page plus.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There was supposed to be more to that: I want to port my numbers from sprint to page plus. Should I do the flashing to page plus procedure first, then call page plus and get them to activate it? Or is the flashing procedure something I do after I join page plus? All in all, I want to keep my phone numbers, they might be worth more to me than the phone
teedybeedy said:
There was supposed to be more to that: I want to port my numbers from sprint to page plus. Should I do the flashing to page plus procedure first, then call page plus and get them to activate it? Or is the flashing procedure something I do after I join page plus? All in all, I want to keep my phone numbers, they might be worth more to me than the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basic flash is what I've already outlined, in the previous page, loading the PRL and inputting your MDN/MIN to the phone , the rest of the tutorial is for acquired the beloved 3g and yes it can work on ANY HTC device, Hero/Evo
HTC Hero Sprint to PagePlus instructions
Does anyone still have the conversion instructions for Sprint HTC Hero handy? I'm trying to convert my HTC Hero from Sprint to PagePlus but this link does not work any more.
After a bit of work, I finally got my phone working the way I want. I basically tried to get the phone as clean as possible and removed the Motorola bloat.
- Phone no longer reboots itself.. at all.
- 20+ hours of battery is the norm, despite a good amount of use
- Very stable and responsive
Please note: I have the extended battery and use Launcher Pro. Freezing certain apps will stop the Motorola widgets, home screen, and apps from working properly.
1. Flashed the TBH SBF on to phone
2. Formatted SD card
3. Wiped the cache and partition
4. Rooted phone with z4 root
5. Installed Titanium Backup and froze apps
Apps frozen:
3G Mobile Hotspot 2.2.1
Amazon MP3
Backup Assistant 1.0
Backup Assistant 2.2.1
Battery Manager 1.1
City ID 1.0.30
com.motorola.photowidget 2.2.1
Files 2.2.1
Global Unplug 1.0
Help Center 2.2.1
InPocket 2.2.1
MediaShare 1.0.0
Messages 2.2.1
Messaging 2.2.1
News 2.2.1
NFS Shift 1.0
Print to Retail 1.0
Quick Contact 2.2.1
Skype mobile 1.0.0.2
Social Messaging 2.2.1
Social Messaging Service 2.2.1
Social Networking 2.2.1
Social Sharing 2.2.1
Social Status 2.2.1
Sticky Note 2.2.1
Sync Service 1.5.7
Task Manager 1.0
Toggle Widgets 2.2.1
Universal Inbox 2.2.1
Voice Commands
Voicemail 1.1
VZ Navigator
Weather 2.2.1
Yahoo Contacts 2.2.1
I really hate the fact this was all necessary. The original Droid was a great device, because it did not contain any bloatware. I've learned my lesson and will only buy Android devices without it, such as the Nexus series of phones. At least in the meantime, I can use a properly functioning device again.
Thanks a lot for your post mate, it is really helpful.
Were you able to update your phone to the latest version? Did you have any issues updating ?
Thanks.
Even though I haven't had too many problems so far, I went in and froze everything on your list. I have gotten an occasional auto-reboot, so maybe this will help.
Can you explain what this is?
1. Flashed the TBH SBF on to phone
Thanks!
@elmemyself: Yes, the phone updated just fine.
@MrWilliams2: If your phone is rebooting by itself, try switching it back to Global if you currently have it set to CDMA. I never changed it to CDMA since wiping everything and I haven't had a single reboot in almost a week now.
TBH is Team Black Hat.. they are the ones that first released a valid SBF. The SBF is basically an image that will restore your phone back to it's factory settings. All of your current programs and settings will still be intact after you install the SBF because those reside in the cache and partition. You can choose to "wipe" them by booting your phone into Recovery Mode. I went this route to get my phone as clean as possible and so far it's paying off.
To get into Recovery Mode, turn off your phone. Hold 'R' and 'M' keys and turn on the phone. After the '!' comes up, press '@'. Follow the directions on screen.
One last note.. after you format SD card and wipe cache / partition, your phone is essentially factory reset. I highly recommend you turn Wifi on, if it isn't already. After entering my Google account settings, it automatically downloaded my Wifi settings and connected to my router. It then proceeded to download every app I had on my phone previously. If you aren't connected via WiFi, it will take a lot longer for your phone to re-download all those apps.
Good luck!
Thanks for this great information!
I've been holding off rooting my Pro (after using my rooted OG Droid for the past year), but will be rooting soon with the help of the info you've provided...
Sent from my DROID PRO using XDA App
A few questions
MANY thanks eus107709 for your wonderful guide! I'm sure MANY of us appreciate it and will be following it.
I have a few questions:
1) Why do we have to use the SBF at all? Why not just 'factory reset' the phone using the android/menu/settings option?
2) If we use the SBF, I hear we have to re-activate phone with Verizon. Is this true? I'm in the UK and don't have a verizon account (phone is unlocked). Will I be able to bypass activation?
3) How can I clear the micro-sd card of all my settings to start fresh? Will that also wipe any pictures and music I have on it?
4) By using this method, how (or will I) be able to upgrade the OS with future OS upgrades from Motorola and/or Verizon?
5) not directly related - as we know the phone is radio locked to verizon and unable to use with AT&T / T-Mobile in America. Is it possible to get it radio unlocked to use other bands? The reason I ask is: will I get better 'signal' / reception if I do this? I work in Central London often, where signal is top in the country, but often my 'H' radio bar only shows 2 out of 4. I expect it to be 4 being in London, or at the very least 3, but it never goes above 2 really. Could this be related to the 'locked radio'? I've seen this but can't find much info/feedback yet: see twitter and 'droidbandunlock'
Sorry for all the long-winded questions. Thanks in advance eus107709
I'll try to answer to the best of my knowledge, but I'm afraid I'm not qualified to comment on them all.
1) Why do we have to use the SBF at all? Why not just 'factory reset' the phone using the android/menu/settings option?
Many of us have rooted our phones and removed stock applications that we believe hinder the performance of the device. This prevents us from applying the system update provided by Motorola. I think, but am not positive, that "factory resetting" the phone via the menu options merely clears the cache but doesn't restore the removed apps.
2) If we use the SBF, I hear we have to re-activate phone with Verizon. Is this true? I'm in the UK and don't have a verizon account (phone is unlocked). Will I be able to bypass activation?
If you bought your phone in the United States, through Verizon, I'm pretty sure you need to call them to SIM unlock your phone to be used on a different carrier. They are generally willing to comply with your request if you're a customer in good standing or if you've purchased the phone at full retail value. I believe you generally only have to do this once, but maybe someone more experienced at this can confirm.
3) How can I clear the micro-sd card of all my settings to start fresh? Will that also wipe any pictures and music I have on it?
You can clear the micro-SD card by going to Settings -> SD Card -> Unmount SD card (takes a few seconds) -> Format SD Card.
The applications store program data and settings in the SD card which I like to clear when starting fresh. Uninstalled software often leaves residual data that will continue living on unless you manually delete them. It likely will never affect you, but I know this in the back of my mind and it bugs the hell out of me. I also worry about configuration files leftover from previous installations that will affect my newly installed ones (of the same program). The likelyhood of that being a problem is also very small, but ya never know and I like reducing the chances of things going wrong.
4) By using this method, how (or will I) be able to upgrade the OS with future OS upgrades from Motorola and/or Verizon?
Yes. The TBH SBF is a copy of the software on your phone as it was from Motorola. Rooting your phone by this method is not permanent and can be undone. Freezing the apps is also temporary and can be undone by "unfreezing". Bottom line: You aren't making any permanent changes to your phone. The SBF is a safety net, so even if we made drastic changes to our phone, we can install the SBF to start clean again. I'm more than willing to install new ROMs for our phone as they come out, but as of right now it's not an absolute necessity.
5) not directly related - as we know the phone is radio locked to verizon and unable to use with AT&T / T-Mobile in America. Is it possible to get it radio unlocked to use other bands? The reason I ask is: will I get better 'signal' / reception if I do this? I work in Central London often, where signal is top in the country, but often my 'H' radio bar only shows 2 out of 4. I expect it to be 4 being in London, or at the very least 3, but it never goes above 2 really. Could this be related to the 'locked radio'? I've seen this but can't find much info/feedback yet: see twitter and 'droidbandunlock'
I'm fairly certain "unlocking the radio" will not improve your reception in the UK, but I don't really know enough about how they are blocking US carriers.
Hope things are a little bit more clear!
need to z4 root
i need to z4 root
please take a link fo me
Thanks very much for your response my friend!
I appreciate your help on all things regardless of your background and experience.
Activating vs unlocking - phone is factory and/or verizon unlocked and that is permanent. Activating is different from unlocking where we register our phone with verizon. I thought I saw someone say using sbf requires re-activation, and that they were able to bypass it somehow.
I will probably backup my pics and music etc on my PC before formatting the sd card.
Btw, do you notice the battery life increase after freezing all the unnecessary software?
Please also share any other experiences you've had since cleaning up your phone.
Thanks again my friend.
Sent from my DROID PRO using XDA App
You're welcome, I'm glad to help!
Updating the SBF or factory resetting your phone will surely require activation, but that is easily done. Most of the time, your phone will automatically prompt you to activate which is denoted by a "ACTIVATE NOW" button. Otherwise, just dial *228. It usually doesn't take more than 10 seconds and is completely automated.
My battery life was never horrendous, BUT it wasn't consistent. There were times when my battery would seemingly drain leaving me with only 9-10 hours of usage. Please keep in mind that no matter what you remove, battery life will still not be amazing. It's a smartphone after-all, and if you're like me who is constantly making use of it, you're not going to go 2 days without a recharge.
There is a very good chance that if you've never used the Droid 1, Nexus, or G1 you may not consider it "useless software". Personally, I like using Android the way Google designed it. When I switch Android phones, I don't want to be switching between "Blur" (motorola), "Sense" (HTC), and whatever Samsung calls their UI overlay and apps.
Right now, it's the closest I can get the phone to the way Google intended. In terms of functionality, you will not notice anything much different. I highly recommend using either Launcher Pro or ADW Launcher. IMO, both are better than the Motorola home screen launcher and even Google's default.
I hope that in between the time you're tweaking the phone you get to actually enjoy it, because it is still a great experience
nice....curious tho
Thx for the post man. helped me to utilize titanium and decide on some things to freeze. now I have to go back in and choose some things to quit backing up lol. im currently looking up everything you have frozen to actually see what purpose it serves before I freeze it though. a question Im surprised hasn't been asked of ya. I wanted to ask ya about launcher pro though. what are the benefits? is it just more efficient or..? thanks again man
Just want to say thanks again!
And that launcher pro is not only brilliant to use, but also saved me loads of battery life!
It seems that motoblur uses a lot of battery with widgets etc.
With launcher pro my phone's extended battery shows 80% after 7 hours, whereas without it, and 7 hours later otherwise (using phone in same way!) I would have 60 or 70% left.
Highly recommend.
I will also use titanuim. Isnt it better to remove apps rather than freeze them?
Cheers!
Sent from my DROID PRO using XDA App
@budwiser0240
While most people use Titanium Backup for backup, I really only use it for freezing. As for "Backup Assistant", it's something that Motorola concocted and I refuse to use it. Google already automatically backs up what I need.
As for Launcher Pro or ADW, I feel it's runs more smoothly than the Motorola or Google homescreens. There are many things you can configure in LP and ADW, but I won't go into them here.. there's enough threads about them. To keep it simple, just use the default settings for now.
@hanybanoub
The biggest drain on your battery is probably those social networking widgets that come with the phone. The Motorola widgets and programs all seem to be poorly written software. If you want to use social networking widgets, maybe you can use the official ones from the Market.
Freezing the apps allows you to quickly unfreeze them if you need to. Motorola updates often requires those apps be present. Also, if you break the functionality of the phone by freezing/removing them, it's easier to fix. With the SBF available, it's not that big of a deal either way. You can always restore them.
Complete newbie to android
I am a complete newbie to the android system so if I could get some clarification . I've got my phone configured the way I like it with LauncherPro. I have not rooted yet but I am interested in using TitaniumBackup to freeze useless apps, especially cityID. A few questions then:
1. Does freezing all these apps effectively mean getting rid of MotoBlur? I am under the impression that MotoBlur runs in the background and LauncherPro simply runs over it?
2. Can I use z4root version 1.3.0? Will the unroot option work if I need to unroot or will I have to flash the TBH SBF to unroot?
3. Do I need to wipe anything prior to rooting and using Titanium backup or can I just do those two steps if I haven't rooted before?
4. Optional Question What sort of advantage do would a custom ROM give a phone like the Droid Pro versus rooting and freezing useless apps?
Thanks
@LeoBloom
1. MotoBlur runs deep.. you're only getting rid of some of it. Components of the original Android code aren't even included in the software, so you're still running Blur. When you run LauncherPro, the Motorola homescreen will not be running. The phone/contacts module, the gallery, the camera.. it's all Moto. Not all of it is terrible I suppose.. seems like many of the components are built off Android code, just modified (maybe someone can confirm this).
2. You should be able to unroot with 1.3.. never tried, but I do get the unroot button.
3. You don't have to wipe for either of those.
4. It depends on the custom ROM and the objective of the "chef". Some modders aim for Battery Life, some for speed, and some try to bring the phone back to being close to AOSP. Android Operating System Project is the source code that all Android phones are based off of, but unfortunately manufacturers like to deviate away from it by adding their own garbage.
Thanks
Thanks for the replies eus!
I have one more question regarding "nandroid" backups. From what I understand, if I mess something up, I don't have to flash the TBH SBF if I have a nandroid backup. I could instead use it to revert my phone to the way I had it before I started experimenting.
Are there any specific instructions beyond what is listed here:
androidforums DOT com/droid-pro-all-things-root/233471-droid-pro-bootstrap-clockwork-mod.html
(New users restriction, cannot post links)
Does anyone else have experience with this and can add something?
Sometimes I wish I had gotten a Droid X solely because of the number of guides already written for it... :S
Thx for the reply. definitely gonna check out launcher pro soon
eus107709 said:
@budwiser0240
While most people use Titanium Backup for backup, I really only use it for freezing. As for "Backup Assistant", it's something that Motorola concocted and I refuse to use it. Google already automatically backs up what I need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Backup Assistant is a verizon feature. It's available on all new verizon smartphones and is backed up your verizon account online.
Thanks for the list. I froze almost all the same things as you after installing the latest OTA update. seems to be working great.
I didn't freeze:
Social Messaging 2.2.1
Social Mess Serv 2.2.1
Social Net 2.2.1
Social Share 2.2.1
Social Status 2.2.1
I want to freeze most of these, but I really want to keep the linking between facebook, linkedin and my contacts. Anyone know which ones I can safely remove? I don't care about ANY of the other functionality associated with these. Plan to use the facebook app from marketplace. This app however doesn't link into your motorola contact like it does in ASOP
Unfortunately, the Facebook app will never be able to sync with your contacts because our phone uses Motorola's contact manager instead of the Android Source Code Project one (as you've mentioned). Perhaps you can look into installing the AOSP contact manager on the Droid Pro. I'm not sure if it's possible though, but it might be worth looking into.
I have no intention of ever running the "social" apps ever again, so can't help you there!
hello, i am new to the rooting scene and droid. i have the AT&T S4 and i would like to remove all this crap that AT&T loads on the phone. i would also like to know that if i root my S4 can i use my sdcard to install apps to since the default "8gb" might not be enough so i bought a 32gb sdcard. please advise, i don't even know if this is the purpose of rooting a phone or not, sorry it its a dumb question.
Thanks
Well you're not new to xda. This belongs in Q&A, not development.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
how do i move this to the correct area. i am not new to the forum new to droid. i many years ago i had a htc 6800 for verizon i used to "cook" roms for.
plwalsh88 said:
Well you're not new to xda. This belongs in Q&A, not development.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LilSnoop40 said:
how do i move this to the correct area. i am not new to the forum new to droid. i many years ago i had a htc 6800 for verizon i used to "cook" roms for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can click on the triangle in the upper right corner of the post, and report to a moderator for moving/maintenance. I already reported it for you.
Please read forum rules before posting
Questions and help issues go in Q&A
Thread moved
Thank you for your cooperation
Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
Development is only for developers to post work
LilSnoop40 said:
hello, i am new to the rooting scene and droid. i have the AT&T S4 and i would like to remove all this crap that AT&T loads on the phone. i would also like to know that if i root my S4 can i use my sdcard to install apps to since the default "8gb" might not be enough so i bought a 32gb sdcard. please advise, i don't even know if this is the purpose of rooting a phone or not, sorry it its a dumb question.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems nobody has answered this, only moved your thread around. ^_^
In short, rooting just allows you to do things to your phone that normally would be against the manufacturer's/carrier's intent. One such example would be to remove carrier-added bloatware that is otherwise not removable. I personally use root for the following:
Titanium Backup Pro: This would let me backup my apps AND data for each app. Google does a decent job at backing up most my apps, but if I "sideload" an app (install from a different source other than the Play Store), I can back it up also. Plus Google doesn't always backup the DATA part of an app, which can be important for me (e.g. an authenticator, or RSA token for work). In addition, TiBu also allows you to easily "freeze" the bloatware, which prohibits it from running or showing up anywhere. This is usually a better option than completely uninstalling it, because it's usually much easier to recover from de-bloating the wrong bloat.
AdFree: An advertisement blocker. Typically Root is required to do this properly, as it modifies the "hosts" file on your android. In the end, it overrides your phone's DNS such that when an app or webpage requests data from a known advertising website, the phone will redirect the request to "nothing", and the ad will not show. Use with discretion - some people frown upon this because they "lose" revenue from the ads that are not shown. I won't comment further, fearing I'll start a verbal war here.
Greenify: Allows you to put certain apps to sleep while they are not being actively used. I use it for Facebook Messenger, because I've found that if this app is allowed to run in the background, it kills my battery. I leave Facebook running in the background, so that I'll still get notifications of new FB messages. Seems to work out for me well.
"Some Tethering Applications or Methods": Some of the better ways to tether/hotspot from your phone will require root. Again, I'll leave this one lie. Personally, I rarely use it, but I've been in a bind before without internet access, and I've needed to use it. I don't want to lose my unlimited data with AT&T, so I really have no choice to add a tethering plan anymore. Regardless, it's nice to know I have it available as an emergency option.
While I could recommend the root, I also have to warn you that this will effectively void your Warranty. There's ways (read through the forums here) to "hide" the root, by using SuperSU instead. But just be forewarned.
EDIT: Here's the link to the thread with the video - How to Root & Remove Unlock Icon & Unroot
First thing's first; learn correct terminology. The Galaxy S4 is certainly not a Droid phone. "Droid" is a term used by Verizon to attempt to label and unify their line of Android phones. "Android" is the name of Google's open-source mobile OS.
LilSnoop40, I got your private message, but I'm going to post some stuff here on this thread for everyone to see, just in case there are others that need some help with the rooting as well. Here goes:
The actual part of rooting your device is not too difficult using "Motochopper". The hardest part is just getting ADB setup and your phone recognized in ADB. For the Motochopper root and a basic outline of how to do the root, see this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2252248
Some recommendations:
- Be sure the phone is in USB Debugging mode. You'll have to enable the Developer options first. Let me know if you need help with this part. IT involves repeatedly clicking something in Settings to enable Dev options, and then there's just a checkbox to check after that to enable the debugging mode. This is "Step 3" in that thread I linked.
- Be sure you have the latest samsung drivers for your phone. There's a few threads around here that have JUST the drivers, and not the whole Samsung Kies software package (completely unnecessary!). If you can't find them, I'll see if I can search around and provide a link. This is "Step 2" of the thread.
- If you're in Debugging Mode, the drivers should also being installed for the "ADB device" - I forget the actual name of it, but it's a device on your computer that says something about ADB. This will only appear when you have the phone in debugging mode of course.
- super-important: When you run the root/hack/motochopper thing, you'll be prompted on your device to allow the ADB connection. It will say something about accepting a certificate or something like that. If you don't respond in 10 seconds, it will deny it, and the root will fail. This is "step 6" on the thread I linked.
Also, if you manage to do all this successfully, you'll see that the root was successful, and you'll have a new app on your phone: Superuser. This new app is what allows you to approve root access by other applications (more-or-less). A side-effect of having this app installed will be that the system will detect the presence of root, and when you boot your phone, it will show an open padlock and "custom". If you follow my basic instructions in this post, you can get rid of that.
Feel free to ask for any clarifications, etc. I'll try to be as helpful as possible.
First android phone I've owned since coming from years of iPhones, does the recent update that I downloaded affect the ability to root the device? I keep seeing people talking about versions but I don't see the numbers that they are saying so not sure what to look at, or if it matters at all? Will this work on any quadcore S4?
Skattered said:
First android phone I've owned since coming from years of iPhones, does the recent update that I downloaded affect the ability to root the device? I keep seeing people talking about versions but I don't see the numbers that they are saying so not sure what to look at, or if it matters at all? Will this work on any quadcore S4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Short answer: No, the update won't affect your ability to root.
What carrier do you have? For the basic model number, you can read the label that's under your battery. The AT&T version, for example, will read: "SGH-I337". You can also get very specific information about your phone, the model number, build number, etc. bu doing the following: Go to Settings -> More... (The "Build number" is probably the numbers your looking for.)
If I'm not mistaken, the Motochopper root works on all I337 models?
Okay sweet, it is a 1337 (guess the signature tells me that too) and its on at&t
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
I read the blog post on XDA about getting rid of Google on an android phone.
http://www.xda-developers.com/setting-up-android-marshmallow-without-google/#comment
It started with install TWRP. I know what it is, but just had a problem with it on a Nexus 4 running CM 10. I could not get to it through recovery. Finally had to install Clockwork Mod, and that got me to where I needed to go to put 12.1 on the Nexus. I had gotten both from Play. Is there a better download for TWRP elsewhere? and a good wiki? (I do read everything)
I've had problems with Play, I have an Oppo and Google told me some of my apps would not run. BULL! i repurchased from Amazon and they ran just fine. Google has also insisted that some of my wifi only tablets belonged to my carrier.
I can't get Carbon to run - tried everything possible and no joy. Can TWRP run a backup if you aren't rooted? I didn't root the Oppo. You could turn everything off so rooting was not necessary.
I've ordered the Moto X Pure, and since I don't use Google for anything except apps, I have no contacts, sms or other goodies stored there.
I don't want to, either. There's other cloud services besides Google. I also have friends that despise Google. They buy a phone and only use what the carrier offers. They just leave phone stock and don't want their names in Google's database via emails. The carriers update the phones. I also don't use Gmail. The account is mostly just to give out to spammers and to buy apps.
If I'm paying for a private mail service, I don't see why Google should get the info.
I'm concerned about the contact list.
Will TWRP help? and which 3rd party is best?
Thanks
I use a fairly fast phone for certain apps. All are reference and I like having them on the phone. All my info is at my fingertips. These apps will not run on anything but a smart phone. I also always buy unlocked phones. TMO is switching bands and the Oppo doesn't have the newer ones that I want to try.
I'd prefer to give the phone a chance, but if I get too annoyed, I'll root it.
I see the info here has improved - it's no longer in phone shorthand where you have to look up all the shortcuts.
Hi All
Soon to be retiring my trusted rooted Samsung S7 Edge I have had for nearly 30 months for a new S20.
I have been rooting my androids for over 10 years now but am thinking that when it comes to the S20 I no longer wish to root. The reason is the security of the device is pretty high on my agenda and unfortuntely I dont get the time nowadays to keep my phone up to date via the unconventional means.
I have use few rooted apps over the years such as Titanium backup and few apps within Magisk such as the Youtube Vanced (no ADS) and also viper4android.
Before I make this decision can anyone convince me that rooting is still the way to go and I can do it without taking up too much of my time? I can already see there is some rooted builds already available. Is it even more dificult to perform the root process with the newer phones? I assume Knox won't work and other similar apps which rely on a unrooted phone or are there ways around this?
Any advice on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
On Samsung devices rooting allows you to debloat the phone a lot, which on my Galaxy S8 improved performances and battery peformances A LOT (it was a fast as the bloated S9+ of my parents on daily usage)
Also it allows you to install apps such as Viper4Android as you said, also it allows me to backup my WHOLE phone so that if any **** happens I can just restore everything.
The update process is fairly easy when it works, just download the updated zip and flash it via TWRP, however except some issues which would require you to reinstall, everything. sometimes with custom roms.
On my side as soon as a good custom rom is here, I will root it and go to a custom rom.
Also the rooting process doesn't take too much time, I'd say 1 hour if you encounter no problem, and yes knox features won't work tho I don't use any of them so.
Personally, rooting isn't near as great as it use to be. Adblock can be done via VPN or through private DNS. Music sounds just as good without Viper. Performance and battery life are incredible. You can uninstall anything via adb. Only thing I wish we could do without root is backup everything as well as titanium does.
Kind of similar situation here... I also used s7, rooted and flashed every device since android 2.1, and guess what - my s20 is still in factory condition
I'm not sure how long it will last, but for now I'm managing to find replacement for most things I got used to, without root. If i got bored some day, I might root it, but for now I'm enjoying it as it is :angel:
Same here. I'm enjoying my root free s20+
Haven't rooted since note 2.. Even on my s7 and note 8.. Except had to root my note 8 when samsung decided to lock usage of dual sim with sdcard. Before that I modded my simcard (remove the simcard from the plastic card, file off few mm off my sdcard and stick the simcard chip on the microsd card) on s7 and note 8 that allows me to have dual sim.
When samsung updated my note 8 to one ui, they locked dual simcard function when they detect the sdcard. So had to root my note 8.
Now that the s20 allows dual sim (1 sim and 1 esim) and sdcard, there really isn't a reason to root the phone anymore, well for me that is..
Having rooted phones with magisk is just horrible. Had to reset the phone every time there is an update (prerooted custom rom, dr ketans rom) and sometimes magisk just doesn't hide root properly. It fails sometimes then i have to update magisk..
Sent from my SM-G985F using Tapatalk
I'm wondering the same, and did root my S20+. It was painful and it half work: Google Pay and Netflix no longer work. And I did use Magisk Hide to no avail. Now when I sell it it Google Pay might work, but Samsung Pay will not (didn't verify).
Nowadays I found a way to do a lot of things without root. With a little PC app I unlock a lot of features and it makes root far less mandatory. So I mainly root to test my apps. For my daily device I no longer intend to root it.
Dont take this the wrong way but i am really curious. What are the pros for rooting phones, especially $1000+ phones, in 2020?
I dont remember the last phone i rooted. I wanna say my Nexus 5 but really cant recall.
Could you please share which pc app you are using, I'd like to try it.
Thanks
3c said:
I'm wondering the same, and did root my S20+. It was painful and it half work: Google Pay and Netflix no longer work. And I did use Magisk Hide to no avail. Now when I sell it it Google Pay might work, but Samsung Pay will not (didn't verify).
Nowadays I found a way to do a lot of things without root. With a little PC app I unlock a lot of features and it makes root far less mandatory. So I mainly root to test my apps. For my daily device I no longer intend to root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
crows said:
Could you please share which pc app you are using, I'd like to try it.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's this app: https://3c71.com/3cc
You'll need to use one of my apps which is able to take advantage of it transparently. It's pretty recent and still work in progress. I have to check every features one by one to know which one works with this method. Recently added disabling app (and their individual components) and force-stop. Just that is pretty awesome IMO . Allows debloating a device painlessly.
It will also enable app data backup in the future. Limited to apps which have authorized data backup by Google framework.
I'm so excited since I discovered all the things that could be done that way.
Im downloading now, when you say use one of your apps, what do you mean app on phone?
3c said:
It's this app: https://3c71.com/3cc
You'll need to use one of my apps which is able to take advantage of it transparently. It's pretty recent and still work in progress. I have to check every features one by one to know which one works with this method. Recently added disabling app (and their individual components) and force-stop. Just that is pretty awesome IMO . Allows debloating a device painlessly.
It will also enable app data backup in the future. Limited to apps which have authorized data backup by Google framework.
I'm so excited since I discovered all the things that could be done that way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
crows said:
Im downloading now, when you say use one of your apps, what do you mean app on phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, an app on phone. You'll get links for them and more details when you start the companion app. For now only toolbox allows disabling (called freezing) apps, but there's an app coming soon for app management alone that will have that.
Does it allow to edit root files such as CSC files?
3c said:
Yes, an app on phone. You'll get links for them and more details when you start the companion app. For now only toolbox allows disabling (called freezing) apps, but there's an app coming soon for app management alone that will have that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
crows said:
Does it allow to edit root files such as CSC files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't give root access, but only gives access to "dev" features that you can do with ADB.
jojos38 said:
On Samsung devices rooting allows you to debloat the phone a lot, which on my Galaxy S8 improved performances and battery peformances A LOT (it was a fast as the bloated S9+ of my parents on daily usage)
Also it allows you to install apps such as Viper4Android as you said, also it allows me to backup my WHOLE phone so that if any **** happens I can just restore everything.
The update process is fairly easy when it works, just download the updated zip and flash it via TWRP, however except some issues which would require you to reinstall, everything. sometimes with custom roms.
On my side as soon as a good custom rom is here, I will root it and go to a custom rom.
Also the rooting process doesn't take too much time, I'd say 1 hour if you encounter no problem, and yes knox features won't work tho I don't use any of them so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can debloat using ADB....
3c said:
I'm wondering the same, and did root my S20+. It was painful and it half work: Google Pay and Netflix no longer work. And I did use Magisk Hide to no avail. Now when I sell it it Google Pay might work, but Samsung Pay will not (didn't verify).
Nowadays I found a way to do a lot of things without root. With a little PC app I unlock a lot of features and it makes root far less mandatory. So I mainly root to test my apps. For my daily device I no longer intend to root it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download magisk hide prop to fix that google pay issue. Now hide all google pay in magisk. I have a rooted s20+ exynos with working gpay.
ranjb said:
Hi All
Soon to be retiring my trusted rooted Samsung S7 Edge I have had for nearly 30 months for a new S20.
I have been rooting my androids for over 10 years now but am thinking that when it comes to the S20 I no longer wish to root. The reason is the security of the device is pretty high on my agenda and unfortuntely I dont get the time nowadays to keep my phone up to date via the unconventional means.
I have use few rooted apps over the years such as Titanium backup and few apps within Magisk such as the Youtube Vanced (no ADS) and also viper4android.
Before I make this decision can anyone convince me that rooting is still payg way to go and I can do it without taking up too much of my time? I can already see there is some rooted builds already available. Is it even more dificult to perform the root process with the newer phones? I assume Knox won't work and other similar apps which rely on a unrooted phone or are there ways around this?
Any advice on this would be appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly the same situation ; Now it's possible to delete & / or disable so many apps i don't feel the need to root.
You don't need to be rooted to use YouTube Vanced , ive installed it already! But.... Viper4Android is a huge benefit for an audiophile (I had the LG G8 ThinQ , can't root it , sent it back , A Quad DAC with V4A ??)
Knox & warranty for me are the hindrances , apparently depending on your nation warranties must be adhered to by manufacturers if hardware fails even if you manipulate the software.
Titanium backup has carried me since my Sony Xperia z3 plus , i have old versions of apps like SwiftKey before Microsoft purchased it.
I'll probably root in a few months when things are more stable , i don't use Samsung pay or secure folders so.... Literally down to warranty reasons as this s20+ 5G (I don't need 5g , either 4G is so fast) is expensive, never thought I'd get a phone like this (suppose its a computer really)
An exposed module called LTE Only (There's other variants) is also useful as this phone sometimes opts for 5bars of h+ over 3 bars of 4g , so annoying that LTE only isn't standard given you can call over VoLTE & still receive texts
---------- Post added at 02:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:00 AM ----------
Djapatos said:
Dont take this the wrong way but i am really curious. What are the pros for rooting phones, especially $1000+ phones, in 2020?
I dont remember the last phone i rooted. I wanna say my Nexus 5 but really cant recall.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends what you like or don't like.
I hate the Notion that the microphone gets activated by apps whenever the algorithm is triggered , rooted phoned allow the easy manipulation of app permissions - not that I've anything to hide it's just creepy , I don't use alexa or Google (whatever it's called) or bixby voice.
Essentially rooting your phone allows absolute manipulation of the system.
My S8 is rooted & has now employed a smashed screen , I thoroughly enjoy rooting but its actually to long winded for me now.
I don't think I've ever rooted & installed a rom once & left it , there's always wiping , reflashing , updating TWRP , updating roms , returning to stock to receive official firmware updates then reflashing updated rom
Ugghh as I write I think I've convinced myself. Rooting maybe dead for me. Being an audiophile / music maker I'd now only root an LG V or G phone as V4A & the incredible quad DAC is a heavenly combination for my ears
I stopped rooting years ago. It's just not worth it for most users.
Changed my mind , ended up rooting the phone (The adverts tipped me over the edge - seriously annoying).
debloated alot , disabled even more & can backup using titanium backup if i ever need to restart etc (quicker than / & i don't use cloud transfer).
i had to reflash after disabling too much & realised my data wasn't lost when flashing HOME_CSC rather than CSC which deletes everything (i know I'm preaching to the choir) which made me realise that updating this rooted s20+ is actually very easy.
jojos38 said:
On Samsung devices rooting allows you to debloat the phone a lot, which on my Galaxy S8 improved performances and battery peformances A LOT (it was a fast as the bloated S9+ of my parents on daily usage)
Also it allows you to install apps such as Viper4Android as you said, also it allows me to backup my WHOLE phone so that if any **** happens I can just restore everything.
The update process is fairly easy when it works, just download the updated zip and flash it via TWRP, however except some issues which would require you to reinstall, everything. sometimes with custom roms.
On my side as soon as a good custom rom is here, I will root it and go to a custom rom.
Also the rooting process doesn't take too much time, I'd say 1 hour if you encounter no problem, and yes knox features won't work tho I don't use any of them so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need root to debloat a phone. Just ADB. I removed nearly everything Samsung soon as I got the phone.