[Q] root without downloading whole ROM

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arpruss

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2010
907
433
pruss.mobi
Is there a way I can root without downloading a whole rooted ROM? I don't want to do that for copyright reasons.

I searched and couldn't find an up-to-date insecure kernel for the E4GT (there is a ClockworkMod one from last year, but I expect that's too old). Since kernels are under GPL, modifying and re-distributing them (with source) is fair game.

p.s. I don't want this thread to switch to a discussion of the legal issues with copying and modifying the stock ROM. It may not be a big deal to many people, but I want to keep within the law as best I can.
 

timmetal6669

Inactive Recognized Developer
Apr 15, 2012
2,761
2,029
Redlands CA
Moto G7
Ya man head over to the developers section and download the e4gauto.bat file. That will auto root you from the existing rom you're on. It updates whatever stock kernel you have with a rooted stock kernel with CWM. from eg30 kernel to fd16 i think. Just make sure you have the drivers for your phone and plug it into the usb of your pc and go into applications on your phone to make sure you have usb debugging checks and accept files from unknown sources checked. Make sure your phone is not in usb mode and follow the prompts of the batch file. when it finishes running it will r boot your phone and you will have root and a custom recovery to flash roms with.
 
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playya

Senior Member
Jan 12, 2007
6,873
2,514
Florida
Is there a way I can root without downloading a whole rooted ROM? I don't want to do that for copyright reasons.

I searched and couldn't find an up-to-date insecure kernel for the E4GT (there is a ClockworkMod one from last year, but I expect that's too old). Since kernels are under GPL, modifying and re-distributing them (with source) is fair game.

p.s. I don't want this thread to switch to a discussion of the legal issues with copying and modifying the stock ROM. It may not be a big deal to many people, but I want to keep within the law as best I can.

What rom version do you have I believe its EL13 or lower sfhubs method does not require a rom to be downloaded...

Edit: sorry started this post 10 minutes ago and just saw responses... then your answer is No
 

sfhub

Senior Member
Oct 23, 2008
5,350
7,231
Based on your previous thread, you want your *initial* root to
1) avoid yellow triangle
2) avoid flash count
3) avoid using rooted ROM
4) root a ROM where there is no existing exploit

This is not possible.

If you are willing to concede on 1&2, then just ODIN flash any GB-based kernel repacked with CWM. They will work with any GB-based ROM. It will trigger the yellow triangle and increase your flash count. You will need to reset those by other means if you care about it. Either USB jig or upgrade to ICS and use Triangle Away.
 

arpruss

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2010
907
433
pruss.mobi
Based on your previous thread, you want your *initial* root to
1) avoid yellow triangle
2) avoid flash count
3) avoid using rooted ROM
4) root a ROM where there is no existing exploit

This is not possible.

If you are willing to concede on 1&2, then just ODIN flash any GB-based kernel repacked with CWM. They will work with any GB-based ROM.

Thanks!

I actually don't care about 1, and I am willing to concede on 2, now that my 14-day in-store return period is almost over and I'm pretty happy with the phone (except maybe for a pinkish tinge along the middle section of the phone with the brightness turned very low with ScreenDim), which is why I asked this in a new thread.

I assume nobody has had any problems with flash-count and warranty service?

Where can I get an appropriate, safe, non-bricking GB-based kernel repacked with CWM?

Can I use Odin to back up the original kernel and restore it after rooting?
 

sfhub

Senior Member
Oct 23, 2008
5,350
7,231
I assume nobody has had any problems with flash-count and warranty service?
Most of the time no problem, but sometimes yes. Depends on who you get.

Where can I get an appropriate, safe, non-bricking GB-based kernel repacked with CWM?
Use this:
http://chris41g.devphone.org/index.php?dir=EpicTouch/Stock+Repack/EL26/

Can I use Odin to back up the original kernel and restore it after rooting?
ODIN doesn't do backups. Your stock kernel is available in the Auto Root package (Option C) or in the Individual Components Reference Section (2nd Post) of the appropriate ODIN OneClick thread in my signature, provided here for your convenience:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23478866&postcount=869
 

arpruss

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2010
907
433
pruss.mobi
Most of the time no problem, but sometimes yes. Depends on who you get.

Does the jig work to reset flash count on 2.3.6? One site that sells jigs says it only does that on 2.3.4 and below.

ODIN doesn't do backups. Your stock kernel is available in the Auto Root package (Option C) or in the Individual Components Reference Section (2nd Post) of the appropriate ODIN OneClick thread in my signature, provided here for your convenience:

http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=23478866&postcount=869

Thanks!

Presumably, I can also build it from source. :)
 

Robbzilla

Senior Member
May 12, 2010
180
28
Thanks!

I actually don't care about 1, and I am willing to concede on 2, now that my 14-day in-store return period is almost over and I'm pretty happy with the phone (except maybe for a pinkish tinge along the middle section of the phone with the brightness turned very low with ScreenDim), which is why I asked this in a new thread.

I assume nobody has had any problems with flash-count and warranty service?

Where can I get an appropriate, safe, non-bricking GB-based kernel repacked with CWM?

Can I use Odin to back up the original kernel and restore it after rooting?

Go Spend $2 on ebay for a USB Jig. Best two bucks I ever spent.
 

arpruss

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2010
907
433
pruss.mobi
By the way, I had a quick look at Samsung's official warranty information, and it says nothing about it being voided by rooting or other unauthorized modifications. Of course, it exempts "defects or damage resulting from improper testing, operation, maintenance, installation, service, or adjustment not furnished or approved by SAMSUNG", but that's only applicable when the damage results from rooting.

Of course, Sprint does have the authority to cut off one's service for rooting (or for any other thing they see fit).
 

sfhub

Senior Member
Oct 23, 2008
5,350
7,231
Does the jig work to reset flash count on 2.3.6? One site that sells jigs says it only does that on 2.3.4 and below.
Has nothing to do with Android ROM version. It has to do with your bootloader version. If your phone came with EK02 or EL29, jig will not reset stats, but will get you to ODIN download mode. You'll need to flash EG30/31 bootloader to restore functionality. Look in the wiki if you need it.
 

arpruss

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2010
907
433
pruss.mobi
Has nothing to do with Android ROM version. It has to do with your bootloader version. If your phone came with EK02 or EL29, jig will not reset stats, but will get you to ODIN download mode. You'll need to flash EG30/31 bootloader to restore functionality. Look in the wiki if you need it.

Ah, but that then runs into my pickiness about copyright, because presumably the bootloader is copyrighted by Samsung, and is not under the GPL. :-(

Well, maybe I just need to take my risk about warranty.
 

sfhub

Senior Member
Oct 23, 2008
5,350
7,231
There can be a difference between what the warranty says (or what is enforceable) and what your real-life experience is.

That is why I said most of the time no problem, but sometimes yes. The people you communicate with are humans and they don't always interpret the same set of rules the same way.

What is written is theoretically what you would eventually end up with, either right from the beginning or after some amount of back-and-forth.

This is just to let you have the information so you can make your own informed decision.
 

kingdazy

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2010
1,752
758
Olympia
How true.

Has anybody had their service with Sprint cut off over rooting?

I have personally never once heard of this actually happening, not over rooting alone. (over things that are achieved through rooting, like excessive tethering/data usage/forced roaming, yes)
And in fact, I've very rarely heard of sprint enforcing warr issues over it either, as long as one is smart.

(edit) I'm actually curious about your aversion to copyright issues and using custom ROMs?
(more edit) ah, didn't read your "ps". ;) never mind, even though I'm still fascinated.

Sent from my calculator watch.
 
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arpruss

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2010
907
433
pruss.mobi
After further investigation, it looks like I can't find a fully legal and safe way to root.

I thought that installing an insecure kernel would do the job. But unfortunately the initramfs inside the zImage includes, in addition to the GPL Linux kernel itself, Samsung-copyrighted non-GPL code, such as redbend_ua, various Samsung-copyrighted image files and customized .rc scripts. So it looks like I can't legally download an insecure kernel.

I could build one myself, copying the files that will go into initramfs from my phone, and modifying to make it insecure.

But the problem is that this is unsafe, as I will have no way of restoring the stock kernel if I screw up in building the kernel, since there does not appear to be any legally available download of the stock kernel anywhere. (Check FUS doesn't seem capable of downloading EL29, but in any case in the US there are legal issues--DMCA--with Check FUS's decryption.) And without root, I cannot simply dump the kernel from the device using dd--if I could, that would solve the problem.

So, here's my question: Does anyone know any legal way of restoring the stock EL29 kernel (i.e., without downloading the stock firmware from an unauthorized location)?

This is really frustrating. I am not a lawyer, but it looks like one needs to be one to figure out how to root a device properly. Of course, I expect people think I am nitpicking. (But then again, I am a professional nitpicker in my day job.)
 
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j_shelton1988

Senior Member
Jan 15, 2011
510
103
May i ask what is the reason for wanting to go through all this hassle to root your phone "legally"?

Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
 
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Epix4G

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2011
2,665
1,028
phoenix
After further investigation, it looks like I can't find a fully legal and safe way to root.

I thought that installing an insecure kernel would do the job. But unfortunately the initramfs inside the zImage includes, in addition to the GPL Linux kernel itself, Samsung-copyrighted non-GPL code, such as redbend_ua, various Samsung-copyrighted image files and customized .rc scripts. So it looks like I can't legally download an insecure kernel.

I could build one myself, copying the files that will go into initramfs from my phone, and modifying to make it insecure.

But the problem is that this is unsafe, as I will have no way of restoring the stock kernel if I screw up in building the kernel, since there does not appear to be any legally available download of the stock kernel anywhere. (Check FUS doesn't seem capable of downloading EL29, but in any case in the US there are legal issues--DMCA--with Check FUS's decryption.) And without root, I cannot simply dump the kernel from the device using dd--if I could, that would solve the problem.

So, here's my question: Does anyone know any legal way of restoring the stock EL29 kernel (i.e., without downloading the stock firmware from an unauthorized location)?

This is really frustrating. I am not a lawyer, but it looks like one needs to be one to figure out how to root a device properly. Of course, I expect people think I am nitpicking. (But then again, I am a professional nitpicker in my day job.)

Yes download it strait from Samsung as they have to post the firmware online as its open source...
https://opensource.samsung.com/index.jsp;jsessionid=FF0EE2E3CBD55BC19F669F0AC57CBFC8
Scroll down to sph-d710 there you can get it from them but technically everything in Android is OPEn source except the drivers....
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
 

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    Well I guess I'm going to hell for rooting according to that logic. Who's coming with me? :D

    Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk
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    There is a way, but your name has to be shabbypenguin.