Easiest way to ROOT Stock 2.1

[Royal2000H]

Hey,

My brother has a stock 2.1 phone. Never been rooted/unrooted on 2.0.1.

What's the easiest way to get his phone rooted without losing data?

From what I understand, the full SBF file with RSDLite will give him rooted 2.0.1 but all his data will be wiped. The stripped SBF file that just flashes SPRecovery will leave him on unrooted 2.1. He can then flash a rom that has 2.1 root. Must he wipe data/cache? Or is he allowed to keep it since he's on 2.1 already.

If he must/should wipe. Is there a way to root without installing a rom? Then he could use Titanium Backup to backup all his SMS and apps and then install a spiffy rom if he wants.

Thanks,
Roy

[christim]

Basically you root, replace the default bootloader with sprecovery (or clockwork) make a nandroid recovery backup of your current setup and then apply the rom of your choice.

That lets you install Titanium before installing the rom.

With the backup made you can try installing the rom without wiping cache and data and if it works you are good to go. If not you just restore what you backed up, and wipe next time before flashing the rom.

[ufearme3]

I found that this is the easiest way... I'm not a rooting expert, but I rooted, backed up and installed a whole new ROM within 20 minutes!

Root Step 1 Flashing SPRecovery SBF to Stock 2.1 | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

Root Step 2 Video: Installing a Custom ROM Using SPRecovery | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

This last one is for setting up the overclocking... not sure if this part is right, but the two above are spot on!

Root Step 3 Video: Upgrading a ROM and Using SetCPU | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

[Royal2000H]

I found that this is the easiest way... I'm not a rooting expert, but I rooted, backed up and installed a whole new ROM within 20 minutes!

Root Step 1 Flashing SPRecovery SBF to Stock 2.1 | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

Root Step 2 Video: Installing a Custom ROM Using SPRecovery | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

This last one is for setting up the overclocking... not sure if this part is right, but the two above are spot on!

Root Step 3 Video: Upgrading a ROM and Using SetCPU | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

Don't you wipe data in step 2?

[Royal2000H]

Basically you root, replace the default bootloader with sprecovery (or clockwork) make a nandroid recovery backup of your current setup and then apply the rom of your choice.

Thanks for your response christim. What's your method for rooting? I can do what ufearme3 said. But, again, that makes me wipe, no?

[teddyearp]

@ Royal2000h: Yes, the stripped .sbf file does not wipe out your data, puts the SPRecovery on your phone, and leaves it ready to use SPR to install a (SPR only) nandroid backup style ROM on the phone. If it is a ESE81/ESE53~2.1 based ROM, you "shouldn't" have to wipe data/cache, however I haven't gone all the way down this road and written a full guide for it yet, so I am speculating a bit.

OOPs, somebody else posted as well, but if you want to get to a stock rooted ESE81 2.1 we need to get just the su binary and Superuser.apk on to the phone properly and/or in SPR nandroid backup/restore fashion.

[ufearme3]

I found that this is the easiest way... I'm not a rooting expert, but I rooted, backed up and installed a whole new ROM within 20 minutes!

Root Step 1 Flashing SPRecovery SBF to Stock 2.1 | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

Root Step 2 Video: Installing a Custom ROM Using SPRecovery | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

This last one is for setting up the overclocking... not sure if this part is right, but the two above are spot on!

Root Step 3 Video: Upgrading a ROM and Using SetCPU | Droid Life: A Motorola Droid Blog

Don't you wipe data in step 2?

Yes you have to wipe data, but only after using sprecovery to make a nandroid back up of your stock setup. Be sure NOT to put any spaces in your back file name!! Actually, I did the above steps, ran JRummy's Cyangeon rom for a while and something went wrong and I screwed my phone entirely! So I ran the backup from the sprecovery and I was back up and running in about 5 minutes, didn't miss a beat!

[christim]

Basically you root, replace the default bootloader with sprecovery (or clockwork) make a nandroid recovery backup of your current setup and then apply the rom of your choice.

Thanks for your response christim. What's your method for rooting? I can do what ufearme3 said. But, again, that makes me wipe, no?

ahh, I see the issue. If the SBF with sprecovery for 2.1 isn't root then you can't use Titanium as that is a root only tool.

I don't know if MyBackup Pro is a root only tool or not.

With sprecovery installed the phone can still have a recovery file created before flashing the rom, and you can try not wiping data.

Astro lets you at least back up all of the files you have downloaded to the SDcard so you can easily reinstall them on the new rom. You'd be missing the settings of apps not stored on the card though.

What is the data you guys are concerned about losing?

[christim]

Yes you have to wipe data, but only after using sprecovery to make a nandroid back up of your stock setup. .......So I ran the backup from the sprecovery and I was back up and running in about 5 minutes, didn't miss a beat!

backups make life so much easier!

[Royal2000H]

@ Royal2000h: Yes, the stripped .sbf file does not wipe out your data, puts the SPRecovery on your phone, and leaves it ready to use SPR to install a (SPR only) nandroid backup style ROM on the phone. If it is a ESE81/ESE53~2.1 based ROM, you "shouldn't" have to wipe data/cache, however I haven't gone all the way down this road and written a full guide for it yet, so I am speculating a bit.

OOPs, somebody else posted as well, but if you want to get to a stock rooted ESE81 2.1 we need to get just the su binary and Superuser.apk on to the phone properly and/or in SPR nandroid backup/restore fashion.

Getting SPRecovery seems like the easy step.
So I guess the question becomes, whats easiest way to get the su binary and Superuser.apk on his phone?
I know you can do it with adb. But I'm looking for an easier way for him to do it.
Can you use the easy droidmod app? Or does that require the full 2.0.1 installed?

Yes you have to wipe data, but only after using sprecovery to make a nandroid back up of your stock setup. Be sure NOT to put any spaces in your back file name!! Actually, I did the above steps, ran JRummy's Cyangeon rom for a while and something went wrong and I screwed my phone entirely! So I ran the backup from the sprecovery and I was back up and running in about 5 minutes, didn't miss a beat!

True, he will be able to make a nandroid backup. But that backup will only be useful in situations like yours where he needs to go back. If all goes well with the rom, he still won't have any of his SMS messages.