To Root or Not to Root?

[AshleyBDG]

So hello again. Now I've got new problems. So yesterday I upgraded to 1.0.1 and then autonootered through my phone and downloaded a bunch of apps and had the wallpaper changed, and things were starting to make sense to me, the apps were working and everything. So then I tried to do backup and guard against the updates, by doing the (How to) clockworkmod recovery directions. Well my computer wouldn't recognize the ROM download, it downloaded, but then when I tried to do anything with it from my downloads to put it on my sd card it just gave me an error message. So I got stuck there. So I turned off my wifi just in case and went to bed, now today I woke it up and it was ok, my mother wanted to see my new NC so I turned the wifi on, and it went and rebooted on me. I didn't know what was going on, I had to reregister and everything. So I assumed they got to me with the 1.1 update, but when I look in my information it still says I'm at 1.0.1. But my root is kinda gone. ALL my apps are gone and in my extras I still have the market, and tools and superuser, but it wants me to connect to my google account again, so I tried that and it says it's wrong, so I don't know what's going on. My cool wallpaper is gone though and I'm back to the original N homepage. So how did I lose my root if I'm still at 1.0.1? I'm so confused..... and getting frustrated. I couldn't figure out the CWR yesterday so if I re-root is there any other way to protect my root against updates other than that? I need a very basic step by step like the rooting video I watched, and I can't figure out how to do it without that. When doing the CWR I downloaded the ROM download, and the CWR app to my pc, but I need more of a step by step to write it to my sd card I've never done this stuff before. Thanks to anyone that can help.

 

[rogand]

Hi all,

OK, I'll be working on that (backup/rom-mngr/clockthingie etc) this evening later on. But assuming I get my rooted 1.1 on there, what's to keep the powers-at-be at BN (hereafter referred to as 'the nookwork' or 'the force') from pushing a regular 1.1.0 over my rooted version? Or is the system smart enough to say: "Oh, this is not the droid we're looking for - since it's already 1.1.0)
I do NOT want to be the droid they're looking for.

 

[gadgetrants]

Hey Ashley,

You might wait for vic (darmeen), Rico, and others to chime in, but I'd suggest starting the process over:

- wipe and deregister your Nook (Flash back to clean stock ROM - nookDevs)
- register at B&N
- update to 1.0.1 (do you have the B&N "sideload" zip file?)
- autonoot
- get ClockworkMod installed and working

It's a hassle, huh? But it will probably be less time than figuring out what problem is...and then doing the same thing anyway.

-Matt

 

[gadgetrants]

Hi all,

OK, I'll be working on that (backup/rom-mngr/clockthingie etc) this evening later on. But assuming I get my rooted 1.1 on there, what's to keep the powers-at-be at BN (hereafter referred to as 'the nookwork' or 'the force') from pushing a regular 1.1.0 over my rooted version? Or is the system smart enough to say: "Oh, this is not the droid we're looking for - since it's already 1.1.0)
I do NOT want to be the droid they're looking for.

Roger, I think a consensus is forming here that by installing ROM Manager, it will block OTA (over the air) installation of 1.1.0. Anyway, that's the way it's works on my Droid and so far my Nook is free of the pest.

-Matt

 

[rogand]

Good evening folks. OK, I drug those files over and dumped them in the SDcard's root.
I can go to the Nook's Library|My Files |Memory-Card ... and see that the required files exist on the nook, but I don't know what makes them 'install' as opposed to just sit there. I need to quit working on this thing when I have't slept much

thanks
roger

 

[gadgetrants]

Good evening folks. OK, I drug those files over and dumped them in the SDcard's root.
I can go to the Nook's Library|My Files |Memory-Card ... and see that the required files exist on the nook, but I don't know what makes them 'install' as opposed to just sit there. I need to quit working on this thing when I have't slept much

thanks
roger

Roger, can you update us on where you're at...can't remember if you're still stock 1.0.0, or if you updated to 1.0.1. If the latter, did you autonoot? If you've "done everything" and now you're ready to install ROM Manager, we can point you toward the next step.

Vic, I just thought of something tricky: imagine that Roger has a fully rooted 1.0.1 Nook, but wants to avoid turning on wifi. The problem I see is without a file manager (Astro, Titanium, etc.) he can't install any apps from his sdcard. And he can't use Market because wifi is off. So how can he install ROM Manager? The only solution I see in that case is to do it through ADB, but that may create a new set of steps to work through!

-Matt

 

[darmeen]

Vic, I just thought of something tricky: imagine that Roger has a fully rooted 1.0.1 Nook, but wants to avoid turning on wifi. The problem I see is without a file manager (Astro, Titanium, etc.) he can't install any apps from his sdcard. And he can't use Market because wifi is off. So how can he install ROM Manager? The only solution I see in that case is to do it through ADB, but that may create a new set of steps to work through!

-Matt

If he doesn't want to use ADB, the only way would be to fire up wifi long enough to get astro or super manager on there.

Edit: Here is what the auto-nooter does:

Installs su and Superuser.apk
Installs Busybox
Installs Softkeys 3.0.0
Installs NookColor Tools (To Enable Non-Market Installs)
Installs Calendar and Calculator.
Installs Android Market, Gmail, Youtube
Enable Multi-touch for Android Apps
Enables Live Wallpapers
Enables Android Market and Gmail.
App Auto Install (Open up NooterFiles from sdcard drop in /data/app)

Notice the last item...it appears there is a way he might back able to do this through Windows with the NC plugged in

 

[rogand]

Hi Matt,
You've guessed exactly where I'm at, and what my current problem is, and confirmed for me what I suspected last night, that I was stuck w/o a file manager of some sort.
I'm at a side-loaded-and-then-auto-rooted.

Vic, this is what I was afraid of, and why I'd inquired about ADB a few posts back. Thought it might come to this. Thanks for the explanation of what auto-nooter does.
I'm not ADB adverse, and feel I probably ought to have the capability for things such as this anyway. Not sure when I"ll get that figured, as it's a busy day at the office.

All comments welcome, and thanks.

 

[rogand]

another thought: anyone know what IP address (or website or other identifiier) that the OTAupdates emanate from? I'm pretty sure I could block them (temporarily) at my router or firewall, thus allowing me marketplace access to get a file manager, but avoiding the updates.

Anyone know?

 

[darmeen]

I say risk open the market and get ready to search for astro, then turn on wifi, do your search, download astro, and turn off wifi. You can turn the wifi on and off with a quick tap on the clock and battery icon in the notification tray.

 

[rogand]

seriously considering that. Knowing of the quick on/off method you mentioned above helps. Astro it is.
Not sure how quick it will be, as I assume I have to take time to associate my google account etc first, but will probably give it a go.
Right now, I'm in the middle of installing the Java DevKit needed for the Android DevKit needed for ADB, so I'm going to go ahead and let that play out before I switch gears. Oh, and apparently Eclipse. If you haven't done any sw dev for 5 years or so, there's a LOT to download just to get an adb connection. Wow.

 

[darmeen]

I don't have my cable with me here at the office, but can you access the system/app folder if you are plugged into the pc? If so, I believe you could drop the apk for astro in there and it would install automatically (which was the mention from the XDA thread for auto-nooter about "App Auto Install")

Can someone verify this...I feel bad for Roger, and it would be good to know for future members that run into the same problem.

 

[rogand]

H Vic,

I tried that, but it's either not visible, or requires some specific combination of //s \\s, or some other directives to see it. I can see myfiles and various folders (empty on the nook side, and with various things I dropped in on the sdcard side) but not anything called system or apps or similar up in the root of either.

Please don't feel bad, and know I'm glad to have the help. I'm really only pursuing so vigorously, because I'm very sure I'm not the only one who is going to stumble into this scenario. I sure wish I could figure the source of the updates and block them on my router for a while. That would be a easy fix, if only we knew that IP or site or whatever.

In the meantime, I'm about done doing on the legwork on possibly getting adb working. Adding the ADT plugin to Eclipse now which will supposedly let me do the java stuff needed to connect. >4 hours of downloading and installing, and counting

 

[AshleyBDG]

I've just been avoiding this, lol. I guess there's no point in rooting if I can't do the CWR then right? I'm tempted to give up. I've not rerooted yes since I lost my root yesterday, because I'm afraid I'll just lose it again without having the CWR to block updates. When I tried to do the How to for the CWR, I downloaded the rom and the CWR to my computer from the provided links, but got a little lost after that. I'm not sure how to get them onto my SD card I guess. Probably pretty basic for you guys, but I tried to do it and got an error message so I assume I was doing it wrong. Can anyone give me a step by step just for that beginning part of the (how to) CWR thread. I can follow the step by step after that because it looks like a pretty easy process with the steps and the pics and everything. But I need step by step instructions for even the basic stuff.

 

[rogand]

@Ashley. I tend to agree that rooting w/o a stop-the-OTA is not of great value. Getting the images onto the SD card is not bad. Either use and SD card reader on your PC, or better yet, get it rooted, for now, and then just put the SD card in the nook and connect it to your PC and simply drag them over onto whatever drive letter your Nook shows up as. After that, installing ROM-mngr and CWR w/o being connected via wireless (and risking a forced 1.1 update) is tough. That's where I'm stuck right now. I'll be trying some things myself this eve, as well as continuing to listen to the other peoples' kind help. It appears you and I, among others, stepped in at just the wrong time, where we get to go through the normal learning curve, plus, all the little hiccups that happen right after a new release. I bet, had we happened to have bought our nooks a month later, this would all be pretty smooth. Gotta love the steep learning curve. The one thing I haven't considered for a while, and will go back and read up on tonight, is whether I am capable of learning to root manually (vs autonooter) in which case I could just let 1.1.0 happen, and then go root her manually. One of the things I'll tryto explore this eve. Good, luck, and hang in there.