Android rooting is the process of allowing users of smartphones, tablets, and other devices running the Android mobile operating system to attain privileged control (known as "root access") within Android's subsystem. Rooting is often performed with the goal of overcoming limitations that carriers and hardware manufacturers put on some devices, resulting in the ability to alter or replace system applications and settings, run specialized apps that require administrator-level permissions, or perform other operations that are otherwise inaccessible to a normal Android user. Rooting is similar to jailbreaking devices running the Apple iOS operating system. On Android, rooting can also facilitate the complete removal and replacement of the device's operating system, usually with a more recent release of its current operating system.
Rooting enables all the user-installed applications to run privileged commands that are typically unavailable to the devices in their stock configuration. Rooting is required for more advanced and potentially dangerous operations including modifying or deleting system files, removing carrier- or manufacturer-installed applications, and low-level access to the hardware itself (rebooting, controlling status lights, or recalibrating touch inputs.) A typical rooting installation also installs the Superuser application, which supervises applications that are granted root or superuser rights.
A secondary operation, unlocking the device's bootloader verification, is required to remove or replace the installed Operating System.
In contrast to iOS jailbreaking, rooting is not needed to run applications distributed outside of the Google Play Store, sometimes referred to as "sideloading". The Android OS supports this feature natively in two ways: through the "Unknown sources" option in the Settings menu and through the Android Debug Bridge
Process:
The process of rooting varies widely by device, but usually includes exploiting a security weakness in the firmware of the device, and then copying the su binary to a location in the current process's PATH (e.g. /system/xbin/su) and granting it executable permissions with the chmod command. A supervisor application like SuperUser or SuperSU can regulate and log elevated permission requests from other applications. Many guides, tutorials, and automatic processes exist for popular Android devices facilitating a fast and easy rooting process
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Why would you want to root your phone?
Rooting an Android smartphone comes with a number of major benefits. Most hardware manufacturers place major restrictions on their Android operating systems. For example, companies like Samsung
will only allow users to download certain apps, and some users might not like the virtual keyboards included on Motorola or HTC devices.Other people simply want to install cool new apps.
Rooting Android will give users access to all of these benefits and more. Here are some of the most popular reasons why people choose to root their Android devices:
Awesome new apps: Some apps are only available on rooted Android devices. Unfortunately, many of these apps are extremely cool. For example, an app called AdFree blocks all incoming advertisements on your Android smartphone or tablet. And an app called SetCPU will automatically control the CPU usage of your device, vastly increasing its battery life. From new themes to wireless tethering and more, people love rooting Android because of the awesome new apps available.
Custom ROMs: Custom ROMs allow users to completely change the interface of their Android smartphone or tablet. While default Android interfaces aren’t necessarily bad, many users prefer the free-form usability of popular custom ROMs like CyanogenMod or MIUI. These custom ROMs can make your Android smartphone or tablet look exceptionally cool.
Full control over your system: The term ‘rooting’ comes from the fact that users have full control over the ‘root’ of their system. Instead of being restricted from editing essential system files and other data, Android users now have full control over their system. This means you can edit core apps, install new themes, execute commands, and perform all sorts of other special tasks.
Install apps on your SD card: Your Android device only has a limited amount of space. If you want to maximize the amount of space on your device, then you might have tried to install new apps onto your SD card. Unfortunately, most Android builds prevent you from doing this. After rooting your Android device, you’ll find this problem to be a thing of the past. You can now install apps on your SD card, which means more space for your important files.
Faster performance: Most Android devices are already pretty fast. But rooting your Android phone can make them even faster. Some custom ROMs are specifically designed for speed, which means faster transitions between apps, faster internet speeds, and all sorts of other performance-related benefits.
New virtual keyboards: If you don’t like typing on your Android’s virtual keyboard, then rooting your Android device can fix that problem. There are dozens of new virtual keyboards available. Since you can only edit the keyboard by accessing the core files of your device, rooting your Android allows you to easily install these keyboards.
Longer battery life: If you’re disappointed with the battery life of your Android device, then don’t worry - rooting Android can fix that problem. There are plenty of apps that allow you to maximize the battery life of your device. You don’t even have to sacrifice performance in order to preserve your battery life!
Because you can: Android phones and tablets are exceptionally powerful. When you’re stuck with the default operating system, you’re not using your device to its full potential. Somebody else is telling you how to use your phone, and that means you don’t have the freedom to use your phone the way you want. After rooting your Android phone or tablet, you will break free of the chains on your device and use the hardware to its full potential.
For all of these reasons, Android rooting is becoming popular with users all over the world. If you’re ready to safely and easily start using your Android to its full potential, download One Click Root. or unlockroot
or download the rooting software compatible with your device.
Is it dangerous? Will it break my phone? Will it void my warranty?
It can be, It might, and Yes. By not allowing access to the superuser account, the manufacturer and your carrier have basically protected you from doing things that change the system and make it unusable. All it takes is one wrong keystroke to turn your shiny new Android phone into a plastic and metal brick with no connection. Most times this is recoverable, but not always. You have to decide how capable you feel you are, and how well written the instructions you’ve found seem to be. Nobody will blame you if you decide against the risk, especially your cell carrier. All major carriers and manufacturers plainly state that altering or using unapproved software voids your warranty, and rooting falls into that category. While that seems a bit harsh, they need to be able to support the products they sell. For that to happen, they need to know exactly what’s running and what it’s doing.
Apps that run as root need a little further consideration. You need to have a level of trust in the person who wrote the app first and foremost. Does the developer have other software available? Do the user comments (for Market apps) have anything that raises a red flag? Do the requested permissions seem a little odd? These are all questions you need to think about before you allow something to run as root. For a further level of security, think about installing an application that warns you anytime something tries to run as root. SuperUser Whitelist (Android Market link) is a great little app that does exactly that. If you decide to go on and root, ask users with the same device as you for a link to a version of SuperUser Whitelist that works with your firmware. Once installed, anytime something wants to run as root, the app intercepts and asks if you would like to allow it. You’re given the choice to accept, decline, or grant the app in question full privileges each time it runs.
One last thing to touch on here. Many custom ROMs include some sort of SSH server. This can be a wonderful tool, or it can get you in hot water. This is what caused the whole “Rick-Roll” episode with the latest iPhone jailbreak. The server sits and waits for an outside connection, and if that connection provides the right password full control of the device is turned over. In the case of the iPhone, users never bothered to change the default SSH password for root. A clever (or devious) group of users simply scanned for servers listening on the correct port, then attempted to sign in as root with the default password. Lesson learned, but this is easy to prevent. Ask other users of the ROM or firmware you’re thinking of flashing if there is a server listening, and if so how to disable it or change the default password.
Top 4 custom ROMs
Get your custom roms from this providers.
Undoubtedly the most popular ROM around, CyanogenMod (pronounced sigh-AN-oh-jen-mod), is a customized, aftermarket, open-source firmware distribution for Android devices. The project is based on Android's open-source version AOSP and has a huge community supporting it.
CyanogenMod 6, which was the first release of this firmware, was based on Android 2.2 Froyo and was released in 2010. Later, many new versions came up with the latest being CyanogenMod 9, which is based on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). Cyanogen offers features like native theming support, FLAC support, OpenVPN client, support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB tethering, CPU over-clocking and many other features that are missing in the vanilla or the manufacturer's version of Android.
As of today, there have been over 3.1 million installs of CyanogenMod.
Pronounced Me You I, MIUI is an aftermarket firmware for Android-based phones made by Chinese mobile phone company Xiaomi Tech. Despite being closed-source, MIUI has achieved immense popularity thanks to its distinctive look and amazing features. The custom ROM features a heavily modified UI that is kind of a cross between Samsung's TouchWiz UI and Apple iOS. Though not a complete iPhone rip off, keen observers will find many similarities in both the operating systems. Features included in MIUI are toggles for notification pull-down, improved music, gallery, and camera, and a gorgeous-looking phone dialer.
MIUI is based on Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) and CyanogenMod 9 and includes some extra applications to enhance its functionality. One of the most popular ones in the stock app is MITalk, which is a Blackberry Messenger Clone along with other applications.
Android Open Kang Project is another great custom ROM distribution for your Android device. Though it is quite similar to the aforementioned CyanogenMod ROM, it does offer some features that make it stand out. With support for add-ons and other customizations, AOKP isn't simply a Cyanogen-alternative.
SlimROM is a lightweight ROM for Android that gives you all the basic features without any bloat. Designed to keep things to the bare minimum, SlimROM brings some great new tweaks and add-ons to your phone. The latest version of the firmware is SlimBean, which is based off of Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean).
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