So unlocking the bootloader just allows you to install custom ROMS?
And rooting alows you to gain root access but do you need to unlock bootloader before you can root. Or can you just have the rooted kernel only and not bothering unlocking boot loader and staying on stock?
If you want to unlock bootloader and install custom rom do you have to be rooted or I guess custom rom will already included a rooted kernel?
Thanks!
The first part is correct. As to the second:
- you don't need to unlock bootloader before rooting, although you need to root to make use of an unlocked bootloader unless you intend to flash recovery through adb (I'm not sure if it works on the Infinity this way)
- you're not rooting the kernel, the kernel remains the same, all Linux/Android kernels have to allow root access, it's just that in stock firmware there is no "su" and rooting pushes it to your /system partition along with installing Superuser.apk (this one goes to data partition, as do other apps)
So basically you need to be rooted and unlocked to install custom ROM, but flashing any ROM or firmware will entirely or partially wipe your /system partition, where "su" is stored (nothing to do with the kernel). So you need to flash recovery from stock rooted ROM (stock firmware) and then most ROMs will have "su" included, so that you won't have to go through rooting process all over again with every ROM.
Hope this answers your doubts.
