[Q] Use of S-off?

Aug 2, 2010
45
7
0
Hello all, I've been a long time lurker around here, and I first want to thank all the devs for all their hard work in making this such a great device. In anticipation of a fully working ICS build in the near future, is there anything I need to do before flashing an ICS ROM? I'm currently running CM7 with HBOOT 0.57 with S-On. Do I need to get S-off in order to flash ICS, or can I just flash it as I would any new Gingerbread ROM? Also, what other, if any, benefit is there to obtaining S-off?
 

DanGeorges

Senior Member
Apr 14, 2009
717
86
0
Cleveland
you are using CM7 but with S-On? i thought before rooting the phone, we need to s-off the first?
Rooting does not require to remove security (s-off).

S-off allows you to flash recoveries, hboots, radios via fastboot, which I think is classed as being safer than via recovery.

It also allows you write access to system while android is booted.
 
Aug 2, 2010
45
7
0
you are using CM7 but with S-On? i thought before rooting the phone, we need to s-off the first?
I originally had the old version of Froyo (or was it Eclair?) that came with the phone. This was before an update that made S-on prevent the installation of CWM. Back then, I was able to use the Unrevoked method to root and install clockwork recovery. I can't remember all the details, but needless to say, S-on with HBOOT 0.57 back then did not prevent root, CWM, or the flashing of ROMs, and possibly kernels. I've flashed new CM7 ROMs up to one that was stable and after the gps was fixed, so everything works fine. I believe I'm running CM nightly 184.

This is why I'm wondering if the installation process if different for CM9 than for CM7. I don't know if S-On will interfere with the new version of android.

Edit: Here is the thread for unrevoked that I followed way back when. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=788737
 
Last edited:
Aug 2, 2010
45
7
0
Rooting does not require to remove security (s-off).

S-off allows you to flash recoveries, hboots, radios via fastboot, which I think is classed as being safer than via recovery.

It also allows you write access to system while android is booted.
Sorry for my noobishness, but does this mean I can still flash an ICS ROM through my usual way in recovery? I remember reading somewhere that the flashing process for ICS is slightly different than Gingerbread ROMs. Also, I don't really care about being able to write to the system directory unless that has some advantage that I am unaware of.
 

DanGeorges

Senior Member
Apr 14, 2009
717
86
0
Cleveland
Sorry for my noobishness, but does this mean I can still flash an ICS ROM through my usual way in recovery? I remember reading somewhere that the flashing process for ICS is slightly different than Gingerbread ROMs. Also, I don't really care about being able to write to the system directory unless that has some advantage that I am unaware of.
Yes - you should be able to flash ICS without s-off.
 
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