to add more to this. Rooting just means you are accessing the top most
directory of your phone's storage. Think of it as the administrator
directory. You are normally granted user status with one exception.
When installing an app, you must grant permissions for it to use any
services. What happens then if an app gets installed into the root
directory, it now has access to everything including things it didn't
ask for. Think of it this way. Think of a inverted tree. Everything
starts at the root. Off the root are branches, off of these branches
are more branches and so on until you reach the last level or leaves. A
leaf can't access another leaf nor the branch it is connected to. The
branch can only access the branches coming off it and the subsequent
leaves. It can't access other branches not connected to it, nor can it
access the branch it comes from. This means that you can only access
branches and leaves below you. At the root, there is nothing above you,
all branches come from you, so you have access to everything.
if your desire to root is to get an updated, newer, version of
android, check with the manufacturer of your phone to see if they have
already done so for your model and how to get the update. Samsung does
send over the air updates but this isn't always the case. They might
require a download to your computer to update your ROM. Sometimes you
can unlock the boot loader from the menu I told you about, other times
you will need to download a software patch from your manufacturer for
this and sometimes, you will need to work around this. The rooting
application you find and choose will give you instructions on doing all
this. After rooting, then you can find the mod you want, I suggest
doing this first since no sense rooting or granting yourself full
administrative privileges if there is no custom ROM available. Since
Samsung has upgraded the Galaxy s II on other carriers but not the Epic,
it could be how sprint is requiring it to be done. I suggest contacting
Samsung and asking them if and when your Epic will get the update as
Sprint may not know.
I hope that this explains rooting in general and also a little bit more
on how to do it with your Epic.
Good luck.
On 7/18/2012 6:10 AM, Dusty Tague wrote:
First let me explain about rooting. All rooting your phone means is
that you get access to the root directory/folder of your phone. For
security reasons this is locked so you don't normally see it. This is
locked by default in your phone's boot loader, the piece of firmware
that controls the boot up process. In order to root, you need to
unlock the boot loader If allowed and requires following the
manufacturers instructions to do so. Once unlocked you will either
have to run another application to accomplish this or if the unlock
and root are in the same application, have it done. Now that you have
rooted, you are less secure since now the apps have access too. Now
that you have rooted it, what can you do. You can remove the
bloatware that comes with your phone, freeing up space and possibly
getting rid of apps you can't or won't ever use. Note: be careful
here because even though you can't use the app yourself, other apps
and the OS may, and you will damage your phone. Another thing you can
now do is to install a custom Rom, like ICE Cream Sandwich or soon,
jelly Bean. You have to use the custom ROM specifically designed for
your phone. I have a Cliq2 and though the Droid2 is a similar phone,
there are enough differences to make that ROM unusable. In fact,
another phone is internally more similar in its boot loader that
people need to port from it and then modify the ROM for the
differences to get it to work. This means that those owning an s II
that wish to install a custom ROM shouldn't do so unless that custom
Rom says that it is designed with that particular phone in mind.
Before rooting and definitely before flashing the ROM, Installing the
new custom Rom, find an application to backup your phone's existing
ROM so you can recover it in the event you accidentally "brick" your
phone or if the custom ROM doesn't perform to your liking. In most
cases a "bricked" phone can still be restored as long as you can get
to the recovery menu and you have a backup of the ROM and can do so.
A custom ROM is also called a mod and is what you will often see it
referred to. There are many of these custom mods out there and the
trick is to find the best one. The gold standard is produced by the
Cyanogen community and often additions to its mods make it into the
next Android Releases. These mods are free. You will need some
sighted assistance since one of the steps is to bring up a menu that
is generally not accessible to screen readers. This menu is different
than any other you have accessed before and depending on the phone
requires you to simultaneously press the power button and either the
volume keys or tapping home and holding both for five seconds or until
the menu comes up. Then with the volume keys you navigate to the menu
item you will need. Also, even if accessible at first. Most ROM or
mods require wiping your data or do it in the course of installation,
speech won't be available anyway, at least until the new Rom boots and
you can turn on the built-in Talk Back screen reader. This might not
be a problem if every time you access this menu, it speaks to you, but
it is a precaution you won't regret. If there are any more questions
I can answer for you, please feel free to ask.
Good luck and happy Modding,
Dusty
On 7/17/2012 5:56 PM, Chris Stewart wrote:
Hi folks,
I talked to a guy at my local sprint store, and he said that, since he
knows me, he would not void my warrantee if anything happened after I
rooted my phone. With that being said, can a blind person do this
independently? Also, since the main reason I want to do it is to get
ICS, is ICS free? I am using a Samsung Epic Galaxy S II 4G--still
trying to figure out which of those words is an adjective and which a
noun--and I'm wondering if it will run ICS smoothly. Please help!
Thanks in advance.
Chris Stewart
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