What to do after Rooting ?

A presentation given at a rooting workshop at IIT Delhi

Transcript

1. Now that you are rooted … What next ???
2. Disk Partition : Unrooted /boot Kernel partition, executed at boot Cannot be overwritten /system Can be read by all apps and users Cannot be written to by anyone /cache Can be written to by apps (for temp storage) Cannot be cleared without factory reset /userdata Apps can write to own folder (/data/data/appname) Apps/Users cannot read anything /recovery Recovery partition, executed at recovery-boot Cannot be overwritten
3. Disk Partition : Rooted /boot Overwrite with your own custom kernel /system Delete/modify system apps Inject your apps in to /system /cache Can be cleared whenever you want to Refreshing of cache can make system faster /userdata Full read access to /data partition Change/backup/restore data of any app selectively /recovery Overwrite with your own custom recovery (TWRP & CWM are some popular recoveries)
4. Some must have 'root apps'
5. Titanium Backup One of the most popular app data backup/restore apps on market. Save your game data or your whatsapp messages even accross a system format. Clear data of an app selectively without doing a factory reset of the phone. Shift an user-installed app to /system Disable OEM installed bloat apps.
6. LED Control Apps Get complete control over LED notifications Set custom colors, blink speeds for separate apps, or for a group of apps Set different LED notification styles according to time of day. Some popular apps : - * LED Light Flow * Notifications ++
7. Greenify! Greenify is an app manager tool that lets you "Greenify" an app and is unlike the "Hibernation" tool featured by many other apps. A Greenify-ed app is in a state of hibernation state and unable to access system resources, bandwidth, or run background processes. However, Greenify allows you to run an app normally in the foreground when explicitly called by the user without any extra fuss. Just don't greenify your alarm clock or messenger!
8. Custom Recoveries
9. ClockWorkMod Recovery Developed by famous CyanogenMod developer Koushik 'Koush' Dutta. Replaces the default recovery present on the device Allows formatting of any partition, formatting of sdcards to any filesystem (fat/ntfs/ext) Flashing of custom ROMs, kernels Complete backup 'image' of the whole system and userdata partition. And restore the same.
10. TeamWin Recovery Project TWRP is called by many as Android Recovery on Steroids. It provides all functionalities of CWM Recovery, and some more. You can selective backup/restore certain partitions. The recovery has an inbuilt file manager too. Biggest draw : This recovery has a fully touch driven UI and complete themable.
11. Supercharge your Phone !
12. Supercharger V6 by zeppelinrox Possibly the most famous root script for android phones. Reduces the Android 'OOM' and 'minfree' parameters Makes multitasking on old and sloppy hardware (single core, 1ghz) phones possible. Get it via google search : google.com/search?q=supercharger+v6
13. Custom Kernels : Wings for your phone A custom kernel may allow you to : - • Overclock the CPU • Underclock the CPU volatages • Use different I/O schedulers • Use different CPU Governors • Modify GPU parameters • Tweak performance in other various ways
14. Custom Kernels : Precautions While custom kernels can promise to do wonders to your phone, try to keep in mind that excessively pushing your device beyond limits is not a bright idea. Each CPU is different. Some might not handle overclock gracefully. If your phone heats up or shuts down randomly, do NOT overclock/undervolt. A custom kernel is not the Holy Grail or the answer to the million dollar question always. It could be that your hardware just cannot perform any more than it does.
15. A world beyond rooting
16. Own your phone Own your phone Android is an open source Operating System. Android is an open source Operating System. This opens the door to the most obvious step – customize the OS itself This opens the door to the most obvious step – customize the OS itself There are two kinds of customizations : There are two kinds of customizations : a) 'modding' the stock firmware that the OEM installs on the phone a) 'modding' the stock firmware that the OEM installs on the phone b) customizing the android source code and building it for the phone b) customizing the android source code and building it for the phone While rooting is sufficient to run a modded stock ROM, unlocking or While rooting is sufficient to run a modded stock ROM, unlocking or hacking of the bootloader is essential to be able to run a custom ROM hacking of the bootloader is essential to be able to run a custom ROM build from source (mostly but not always). build from source (mostly but not always).
17. Modded Stock OS : Pros Modded Stock OS : Pros • Since based on a OEM-built ROM, all hardware is guaranteed Since based on a OEM-built ROM, all hardware is guaranteed to work. to work. • Hacks less into low level codes, so has comparatively lower Hacks less into low level codes, so has comparatively lower risks of running. risks of running. • Proprietary OEM-developed functionality (eg. HTC Zoe, Proprietary OEM-developed functionality (eg. HTC Zoe, Samsung Galaxy S4 gimmicks, Sony's social integration Samsung Galaxy S4 gimmicks, Sony's social integration softwares) are preserved. softwares) are preserved. • Does not need custom built kernel, thus bootloader Does not need custom built kernel, thus bootloader unlocking is not needed. unlocking is not needed.
18. Modded Stock OS : Cons Modded Stock OS : Cons • Cannot go beyond the latest Android version that the OEM Cannot go beyond the latest Android version that the OEM has released for the device. has released for the device. • Cannot 'get more out of' the system hardwares. Cannot 'get more out of' the system hardwares. • Would look more or less like the OEM skin Would look more or less like the OEM skin
19. Custom Android OS : Pros Custom Android OS : Pros • Build from the latest Android source code. Thus run android Build from the latest Android source code. Thus run android 4.3.1 on three year old HTC Desire or Xperia X10 Galaxy S. 4.3.1 on three year old HTC Desire or Xperia X10 Galaxy S. • Complete customizability of the framework thus allowing you Complete customizability of the framework thus allowing you to do literally 'whatever you want to do' with the OS to do literally 'whatever you want to do' with the OS • Themeability support – two identical phones running the Themeability support – two identical phones running the exact same OS can be made to look very different from each exact same OS can be made to look very different from each other. other. • Ability to 'get more out of' hardware. eg. Enabling LTE on Ability to 'get more out of' hardware. eg. Enabling LTE on Nexus 4, enabling FM Radio on HTC Desire/Nexus One Nexus 4, enabling FM Radio on HTC Desire/Nexus One
20. Custom Android OS : Cons Custom Android OS : Cons • Development takes time. Alphas and beta builds for a long Development takes time. Alphas and beta builds for a long time. time. • Complicated hardware like camera takes time to develop Complicated hardware like camera takes time to develop drivers for, and may not perform as well as it does on stock drivers for, and may not perform as well as it does on stock ROMs ROMs • Deep level hardware codes are touched hence has Deep level hardware codes are touched hence has comparatively more risks involved comparatively more risks involved • Proprietary functions of the OEM would not work (either Proprietary functions of the OEM would not work (either cannot be developed or license issues) cannot be developed or license issues)