[Q] Details regarding Unlocking Bootloader, Rooting and Deleting apps from rom

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yuri_feigin

New member
Jan 6, 2014
4
0
Hello,

I will really appreciate if you can help to understand few basic issues:

1) When rooting the phone, is the boot-loader must be unlocked? i.e., if I've rooted the phone successfully using some 3rd party utility, it means that the boot-loader was unlocked during the rooting process or it was unlocked in advanced?
2) If the answer to the first question is "yes" (i.e. bootloader must be unlocked before rooting), how it is possible that my data wasn't wiped after rooting? This means that the boot-loader was unlocked in advance? Or maybe the 3rd party application backed up the data before unlocking the boot-loader and than restored it?
3) I heard that in order to install SU, the stock-recovery must be changed to a custom one. Is it necessarily true?
4) How can I check which recovery is installed on the phone?
5) If the recovery is changed to a custom one, does it mean that I stop receive OTA?
6) Can I backup up the stock recovery before changing it? Or how can I know which one it is to search on the net?
7) Do applications, like Titanium, change the recovery upon installation?
8) How applications, like Titanium, move apps, that are not supposed to move in regular installation,from ROM to SD? Can it harm the performance of the app?
9) When deleting apps from ROM (System or Data) manually, do I need to delete other files or folders besides .apk files in system/app or data/app? Is there any cache or other data to delete?
10) Do I need (or should I in case of lack of space) clean some cache files from ROM? (Like Dalvik or others...) If yes, which ones and how?

Sorry for the long post, but It will really help me to understand all these issues, once and for all.
Thank you in advance!
 

Lgrootnoob

Senior Member
Oct 1, 2012
482
119
25
Dallas
Hello,

I will really appreciate if you can help to understand few basic issues:

1) When rooting the phone, is the boot-loader must be unlocked? i.e., if I've rooted the phone successfully using some 3rd party utility, it means that the boot-loader was unlocked during the rooting process or it was unlocked in advanced?
2) If the answer to the first question is "yes" (i.e. bootloader must be unlocked before rooting), how it is possible that my data wasn't wiped after rooting? This means that the boot-loader was unlocked in advance? Or maybe the 3rd party application backed up the data before unlocking the boot-loader and than restored it?
3) I heard that in order to install SU, the stock-recovery must be changed to a custom one. Is it necessarily true?
4) How can I check which recovery is installed on the phone?
5) If the recovery is changed to a custom one, does it mean that I stop receive OTA?
6) Can I backup up the stock recovery before changing it? Or how can I know which one it is to search on the net?
7) Do applications, like Titanium, change the recovery upon installation?
8) How applications, like Titanium, move apps, that are not supposed to move in regular installation,from ROM to SD? Can it harm the performance of the app?
9) When deleting apps from ROM (System or Data) manually, do I need to delete other files or folders besides .apk files in system/app or data/app? Is there any cache or other data to delete?
10) Do I need (or should I in case of lack of space) clean some cache files from ROM? (Like Dalvik or others...) If yes, which ones and how?

Sorry for the long post, but It will really help me to understand all these issues, once and for all.
Thank you in advance!

Im sorry but Ive already answered all of these questions and one in fact could take a good couple paragraphs to explain.
Maybe tonight I'll answer or you could check out xda university.
 

Irwenzhao

Senior Member
Nov 23, 2013
895
368
Singapore
Hello,

I will really appreciate if you can help to understand few basic issues:

1) When rooting the phone, is the boot-loader must be unlocked? i.e., if I've rooted the phone successfully using some 3rd party utility, it means that the boot-loader was unlocked during the rooting process or it was unlocked in advanced?
2) If the answer to the first question is "yes" (i.e. bootloader must be unlocked before rooting), how it is possible that my data wasn't wiped after rooting? This means that the boot-loader was unlocked in advance? Or maybe the 3rd party application backed up the data before unlocking the boot-loader and than restored it?
3) I heard that in order to install SU, the stock-recovery must be changed to a custom one. Is it necessarily true?
4) How can I check which recovery is installed on the phone?
5) If the recovery is changed to a custom one, does it mean that I stop receive OTA?
6) Can I backup up the stock recovery before changing it? Or how can I know which one it is to search on the net?
7) Do applications, like Titanium, change the recovery upon installation?
8) How applications, like Titanium, move apps, that are not supposed to move in regular installation,from ROM to SD? Can it harm the performance of the app?
9) When deleting apps from ROM (System or Data) manually, do I need to delete other files or folders besides .apk files in system/app or data/app? Is there any cache or other data to delete?
10) Do I need (or should I in case of lack of space) clean some cache files from ROM? (Like Dalvik or others...) If yes, which ones and how?

Sorry for the long post, but It will really help me to understand all these issues, once and for all.
Thank you in advance!

1) To my knowledge, yep. (Not much experience with locked bootloaders, sorry!)
2) But then again, different phones have different bootloaders, they might work In different ways.
3) Nope. Most (if not all) root tools install SU without custom recovery.
4) when your phone is powered-off, press Vol up, home and power button (this depends on your phone, this is Samsung standard, what phone are u using?
5) Go to download mode, (Vol down, home and power button, again Samsung standard) and check if: System Status: Official. If yes, OTAs can be taken. If System Status: Custom, you cant take OTAs.
6) U most probably can. Use Online Nandroid Backup, free from Google play store, and backup recovery only. That should work.
7) No.
8) Depends on the app.
9) Again, depends on the app.
10) Cache and dalvik cache can be wiped from recovery. The custom recovery will do it for u. Wiping dalvik cache from recovery won't be useful, as it recreates itself on reboot.

No problem with the long post, always glad to help :)

Smack that thanks button if I helped!
Note 2 LTE powered by Illusion ROM and Plasma Kernel.
Sent from dat small country called Singapore.
 

yuri_feigin

New member
Jan 6, 2014
4
0
Thank You

Im sorry but Ive already answered all of these questions and one in fact could take a good couple paragraphs to explain.
Maybe tonight I'll answer or you could check out xda university.

I would really appreciate if you could answer, or refer me to the correct paragraph in XDA university or give a me a link to your previous answers.
Thank you very much.
 

yuri_feigin

New member
Jan 6, 2014
4
0
1) To my knowledge, yep. (Not much experience with locked bootloaders, sorry!)
2) But then again, different phones have different bootloaders, they might work In different ways.
3) Nope. Most (if not all) root tools install SU without custom recovery.
4) when your phone is powered-off, press Vol up, home and power button (this depends on your phone, this is Samsung standard, what phone are u using?
5) Go to download mode, (Vol down, home and power button, again Samsung standard) and check if: System Status: Official. If yes, OTAs can be taken. If System Status: Custom, you cant take OTAs.
6) U most probably can. Use Online Nandroid Backup, free from Google play store, and backup recovery only. That should work.
7) No.
8) Depends on the app.
9) Again, depends on the app.
10) Cache and dalvik cache can be wiped from recovery. The custom recovery will do it for u. Wiping dalvik cache from recovery won't be useful, as it recreates itself on reboot.

No problem with the long post, always glad to help :)

Smack that thanks button if I helped!
Note 2 LTE powered by Illusion ROM and Plasma Kernel.
Sent from dat small country called Singapore.


Thank You for your help.

Regarding the last issue: if I wipe the cache, something bad can happen to the applications ot their data? I mean, should I do it only when flashi rom or is it healthy to do it in a while in order to clean unnecessary files?
 

Lgrootnoob

Senior Member
Oct 1, 2012
482
119
25
Dallas
Thank You for your help.

Regarding the last issue: if I wipe the cache, something bad can happen to the applications ot their data? I mean, should I do it only when flashi rom or is it healthy to do it in a while in order to clean unnecessary files?

The cache is actually a temporary section of the disk that does not contain any application cachery but things along the lines of software upgrade files. It is only wiped merely to make sure there is space for other mod's temp storage.

The data partition contains the data for yourr applications and the 'cache' as you see in settings for apps is for imagery and stuff so regardless if that is removed it wont matter.

The dalvik cache is compiled bytecode for the dalvik vm for each app. (Look up Java vm to get an idea of what I mean and then look up odexing and deodexing on xda university)

Here is some info on the thread http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48151745#post48151745
 
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yuri_feigin

New member
Jan 6, 2014
4
0
The cache is actually a temporary section of the disk that does not contain any application cachery but things along the lines of software upgrade files. It is only wiped merely to make sure there is space for other mod's temp storage.

The data partition contains the data for yourr applications and the 'cache' as you see in settings for apps is for imagery and stuff so regardless if that is removed it wont matter.

The dalvik cache is compiled bytecode for the dalvik vm for each app. (Look up Java vm to get an idea of what I mean and then look up odexing and deodexing on xda university)

Here is some info on the thread http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48151745#post48151745

Thanks a lot!

I have few more questions, please:

1) So what will be the best way to clear the cache partition? Only from recovery? Even from stock recovery?
Is there any other way, like a feature in some application or can I delete it manually?
2) Regarding the data partition, I guess I can go each application and clear its cache and/or data from application manager... Is there a better way? By away, if I delete the data of application (not the cache), I loose all the configuration and personal data. What I mean by "cleaning" is to erase some false data that remained by mistake, not to remove the necessary data of the apps. It is especially important for apps installed on ROM. What will be the best way?
3) Is sometimes remains unnecessary junk data in Dalvik Cache? If yes, how to remove it? (not the all Dalvik Cache)?

4) By away, what is the best way to check whether my bootloader is unlocked and to check which recovery is installed? (custom/stock)
5) If I want to mess with the start-up task manager, using some ROM application - what are the "receivers" that are connected to the apps? what is the difference between disabling an app/task/service and disabling receivers?
6) What is the difference between recovery boot mode and bootloader boot mode? When do I need to use the bootloader mode?
6) And another question, with your permission, is what kind of backups are exist beside nandroid? ADB is a backup? Do they back up all the ROM? I guess I will need a custom recovery to restore those backups.
 

Lgrootnoob

Senior Member
Oct 1, 2012
482
119
25
Dallas
Thanks a lot!

I have few more questions, please:

1) So what will be the best way to clear the cache partition? Only from recovery? Even from stock recovery?
Is there any other way, like a feature in some application or can I delete it manually?
2) Regarding the data partition, I guess I can go each application and clear its cache and/or data from application manager... Is there a better way? By away, if I delete the data of application (not the cache), I loose all the configuration and personal data. What I mean by "cleaning" is to erase some false data that remained by mistake, not to remove the necessary data of the apps. It is especially important for apps installed on ROM. What will be the best way?
3) Is sometimes remains unnecessary junk data in Dalvik Cache? If yes, how to remove it? (not the all Dalvik Cache)?

4) By away, what is the best way to check whether my bootloader is unlocked and to check which recovery is installed? (custom/stock)
5) If I want to mess with the start-up task manager, using some ROM application - what are the "receivers" that are connected to the apps? what is the difference between disabling an app/task/service and disabling receivers?
6) What is the difference between recovery boot mode and bootloader boot mode? When do I need to use the bootloader mode?
7) And another question, with your permission, is what kind of backups are exist beside nandroid? ADB is a backup? Do they back up all the ROM? I guess I will need a custom recovery to restore those backups.

1: Only recovery.

2: "Cleaning" is not possible So the application manager is the only way and yes it would basically reset an application if you delete its data.

3: Its not necessary but can save space for more apps to be installed if you have removed apps manually or with titanium backup. However if you have uninstalled with the app manager in the settings app then the dex files in the dalvik cache are automatically removed. "Unnecessary junk", I have exactly what you are looking for: use Titanium backup's feature in the menu to remove unsused dalvik cache elements and integrate system dalvik into rom. (In the same section when you press the menu button)

4: What phone? (This is neccessary because of the variation in phones.)

5: The only legitimate way of stopping tasks is to disable the intent of the task(I think that is the reciever :confused: ). To do this you could use Autostarts from the Play store or you could use the Bootmanager Xposed module. Don't use any task manager unless you want problems. Disabling an app in settings would actually completely freeze the application meaning you could also not start it manually and it wouldnt be started at boot.

6: The bootloader loads recovery or Android. The bootloader is usable depending on the features given by your phone manufacturer. You would know the difference when you use recovery and if you have a Nexus device when you are in bootloader mode. Samsung devices have Download mode which is technically part of the bootloader and allows you to load custom software such as recovery, data partition, system partition etc.

7: You will use recovery to backup/restore.(I don't think that there is any other way because you are using the data that you are backing up or restoring if you didi it while you were running android. Adb cannot backup either but you could pull a recovery backup with adb from the sd card. Adb has a sideload feature for loading software in recovery with your computer. Again I need your phone model.

It seems you seek info on recovery and backing up, This will help a lot: http://xda-university.com/as-a-user/android-dictionary Specifically the Nandroid and Recovery section.

I will be more than happy to expand on any of these topics.
 
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    Thank You for your help.

    Regarding the last issue: if I wipe the cache, something bad can happen to the applications ot their data? I mean, should I do it only when flashi rom or is it healthy to do it in a while in order to clean unnecessary files?

    The cache is actually a temporary section of the disk that does not contain any application cachery but things along the lines of software upgrade files. It is only wiped merely to make sure there is space for other mod's temp storage.

    The data partition contains the data for yourr applications and the 'cache' as you see in settings for apps is for imagery and stuff so regardless if that is removed it wont matter.

    The dalvik cache is compiled bytecode for the dalvik vm for each app. (Look up Java vm to get an idea of what I mean and then look up odexing and deodexing on xda university)

    Here is some info on the thread http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48151745#post48151745