# Rooted a phone. Any suggestions on what else to do with it?



## Harsky (Jun 19, 2014)

I really wanted to get more Streetpass Miis so I went ahead and found a guide to root my phone and install the APK that allows more Miis from around the world to be added.

Now I'm wondering what else should I do with a rooted phone. I heard there was meant to be a really good adblocker that's only available for rooted devices. Also, is it possible to use an OTG cable on a rooted phone to play MKVs from a USB stick?


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## Sicklyboy (Jun 19, 2014)

Titanium backup, backup all of your apps and uninstall or freeze ones you don't use/bloatware (be careful you don't uninstall something vital)

Xposed Framework and browse through all of the modules available for it

If your phone doesn't natively support USB OTG, pick up an OTG cable, install StickMount and have fun

Greenify and Wakelock Detector to find rogue apps that have a lot of cpu wakelocks, could help battery life a little bit if there's something in there that's really bad.


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## gman666 (Jun 19, 2014)

Make your phone into a free wireless access point... Unless you have a strict data plan. Install custom roms like cyanogen. Also, cpu overvolting/undervolting and overclocking (gpu overclocks as well). Alot of other stuff like kernels, development, and more can be done with a rooted device.


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## Joe88 (Jun 19, 2014)

Lucky Patcher
Busybox
SuperSU
Adaway
Ftp server
Wifi kill
Faceniff
Gl tools
Router keygen
Freedom
Modded Google Play Store


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## nukeboy95 (Jun 19, 2014)

Install a custom rom, i recommend AOKP or SOKP 

Also you need to install ether TWRP or CMW recovery and make a back up in case something fucks up.


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## Harsky (Jun 19, 2014)

Thanks for the suggestions! I do have another newbie question. If Sony ever decides to release a new firmware that brings the phone to the next version of Android, does this mean the root will disappear or is it a case of, "do it once, have it forever?"


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## natkoden (Jun 19, 2014)

Install a custom recovery, then a custom rom. And maybe a custom kernel. What's your phone?

After that, I personally just install Greenify to block those damn facebook wakelocks and install BetterBatteryStats (free on xda, paid on Play Store but well worth the price) to monitor the battery drains.

Xposed Framework is also good.


I suggest you visit the corresponding sub-forum on xda. Great place.


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## mrtofu (Jun 19, 2014)

deleted


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## natkoden (Jun 19, 2014)

WatchGintama said:


> Install viper4android. Trust me, it makes your music sound 100x better if you use the right settings.


 
I always wanted to install that one. I used it a little bit when I had a stock rom but never with CM since I install a custom kernel that includes sound enhancements.

I'll give it a try right now.


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## air2004 (Jun 19, 2014)

I paid for xposed , and could never get it work ( not saying it doesn't ) but I may have to give it another try , the s4 kitkay update fucked up my phone on sprint , while I seem to have fixed my problem ( no thanks to sprint , but I did post on their forum ) I can no longer choose a roaming option .


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## Harsky (Jun 20, 2014)

natkoden said:


> Install a custom recovery, then a custom rom. And maybe a custom kernel. What's your phone?
> 
> After that, I personally just install Greenify to block those damn facebook wakelocks and install BetterBatteryStats (free on xda, paid on Play Store but well worth the price) to monitor the battery drains.
> 
> ...


 
Using Xperia Z.


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## natkoden (Jun 20, 2014)

Harsky said:


> Using Xperia Z.


 
wat

what are you doing with an unrooted phone then? Install a custom rom NAO


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## Harsky (Jun 20, 2014)

natkoden said:


> wat
> 
> what are you doing with an unrooted phone then? Install a custom rom NAO


 
At first I was a little paranoid that I might wreck it and not to mention that the guide to rooting it was super long before I discovered Towelroot. Also, I am still a newbie when it comes to bootloaders and custom roms. I've also stuck with stock Xperia Z because it does everything I want it to do for the moment.


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## natkoden (Jun 20, 2014)

Harsky said:


> At first I was a little paranoid that I might wreck it and not to mention that the guide to rooting it was super long before I discovered Towelroot. Also, I am still a newbie when it comes to bootloaders and custom roms. I've also stuck with stock Xperia Z because it does everything I want it to do for the moment.


 
I ignore the particular features of the stock rom, but a rooted and debloated phone will be much faster. Check xda and browse the different roms.

It's well worth it.


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## Harsky (Jun 20, 2014)

natkoden said:


> I ignore the particular features of the stock rom, but a rooted and debloated phone will be much faster. Check xda and browse the different roms.
> 
> It's well worth it.


 
Thanks but I was just wondering if I ever decide to update my phone to a new firmware, will it unroot my phone?


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## dragonblood9999 (Jun 20, 2014)

can anyone tell me where i can get a stable custom rom for my Samsung Galaxy ace 2 X(GT-S7560M)?
been trying to find one for a while
just tried towelroot and my phone just restarts with no root, like it crashes or something


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## natkoden (Jun 20, 2014)

Harsky said:


> Thanks but I was just wondering if I ever decide to update my phone to a new firmware, will it unroot my phone?


 
Most likely it wont.


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## Joe88 (Jun 20, 2014)

Ota updates will most likely not even work, they usually check for modifications to the system rom and stock bootloader and recovery
But ota updates will erase root and put recovery back to stock


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## natkoden (Jun 20, 2014)

Joe88 said:


> Ota updates will most likely not even work, they usually check for modifications to the system rom and stock bootloader and recovery
> But ota updates will erase root and put recovery back to stock


 
you sure? that's not the case with the S3, guess it's the same in all samsung devices


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## cracker (Jun 20, 2014)

SuperSU (if it wasn't installed by the root method you used)
A root capable file manager. Root Explorer is my personal choice but ES File Explorer is great too. 
CheatDroid and/or Game Hacker if you want to cheat
Boot Box if you want to change your boot animation

Advanced
AntTek App Manager/Explorer

...


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## Joe88 (Jun 20, 2014)

natkoden said:


> you sure? that's not the case with the S3, guess it's the same in all samsung devices


I have the s3 and the same thing happened with it
I install custom roms now though on it instead with all of samsungs and verizons bloatware removed along with knox and the recovery partition


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## natkoden (Jun 20, 2014)

Joe88 said:


> I have the s3 and the same thing happened with it
> I install custom roms now though on it instead with all of samsungs and verizons bloatware removed along with knox and the recovery partition


 
If you root the stock rom that comes with it, you'll be able to download OTA updates, as far as I remember. Installinn a custom rom based on stock firmware will disable those updates.

I'm currently running CM11 M7 on my S3.


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## Joe88 (Jun 20, 2014)

not on mine, if you check in the settings tab in about phone/device
if you root there will be a flag set under device status which will read custom which in turn will prevent ota updates
and if you flash a rom or modify the bootloader with odin another flag with be set with flash counter and you will get a yellow triangle upon boot (easily fixed with triangle away though)


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## Harsky (Jun 20, 2014)

Well, I grabbed my first rooted app. I installed Adaway and it does what it says and blocks the ads from the free apps I downloaded but the problem I'm now having is that it doesn't block the ads that appear when I browse the internet on my Chrome browser. Am I missing something?

Edit: Found the culprit. Turns out the, "reduce data usage" in Chrome was enabled. Turned it off and everything works now!


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## gifi4 (Jun 20, 2014)

The Galaxy S3 camera shutter had no option to be turned off, that was the main reason I rooted...

Samba filesharing, grab it!
The Galaxy S3 also had no options for mass storage and instead, forced me to use MTP which I found to be buggy as hell, rooting allowed me to enabe mass storage.


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## BORTZ (Jun 20, 2014)

Xposed only works will if you have stock or a rom close to stock. I have no issues running stock and xposed, it makes things so much nicer. Also, Greenify, like others said, will really help keep your network connectivity down.


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## Duo8 (Jun 20, 2014)

I use App Ops since my phone doesn't have it.
And RootCloak because I want to try Z Launcher.
Also have ViPER4Android. This+Poweramp=Epic.

I used to have tons of root apps back when I was still using my old phone. Swapper, AdAway and stuff.


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## Harsky (Jun 20, 2014)

At the risk of getting a, "just google it" question, I really want to try the next step and get the Xperia Z as close to stock as possible. After looking at all the stuff that's running in the background that's been installed by Sony/Vodafone, I just want to nuke the whole thing and start fresh. Some questions:

1. As much as I want to jump straight into this, I want to know what's the steps to make sure that in the case of me messing everything up, I can restore the phone back to to "pre-rooted" days and pretend that I never tried out hacking it in the first place?
2. Out of all the things that Sony included, I really like their camera and I wish to keep it if I ever decide to install a vanilla custom rom. Is there a way to carry it over?
3. If Sony ever decides to update their firmware, will that affect anything to my hacked phone or will the OTA ignore me because I'm on a different firmware?


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## Duo8 (Jun 20, 2014)

Harsky said:


> At the risk of getting a, "just google it" question, I really want to try the next step and get the Xperia Z as close to stock as possible. After looking at all the stuff that's running in the background that's been installed by Sony/Vodafone, I just want to nuke the whole thing and start fresh. Some questions:
> 
> 1. As much as I want to jump straight into this, I want to know what's the steps to make sure that in the case of me messing everything up, I can restore the phone back to to "pre-rooted" days and pretend that I never tried out hacking it in the first place?
> 2. Out of all the things that Sony included, I really like their camera and I wish to keep it if I ever decide to install a vanilla custom rom. Is there a way to carry it over?
> 3. If Sony ever decides to update their firmware, will that affect anything to my hacked phone or will the OTA ignore me because I'm on a different firmware?


 
You should go to your device's XDA forum and read the FAQs there. I can't answer because it's different for each brand.
3. OTA most likely won't let you update because it will check for changes in system. That said, if it does ask, don't accept.


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## Zerousen (Jun 20, 2014)

Like everyone else says here, you should really check out the Xperia Z forums on XDA. They will be able to help you alot more, as most likely everyone there will have experience with your phone and its problems. Also, be sure to tell then whether you have a locked bootloader of an unlocked one, as that will make things much easier.


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## Harsky (Jun 21, 2014)

Am I right in thinking that supersu is just an app that makes sure no malicious apps are being installed? I tried installing it and it prevented adaway from working.


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## Sicklyboy (Jun 21, 2014)

SuperSU is a root permissions manager.  You'd open it, update your su binary through it after it asks, and then whenever an app asks for root permissions SuperSU will pop up a window asking whether you want to grant or deny it access, either permanently or for a set time interval.


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## Minox (Jun 21, 2014)

Sicklyboy said:


> SuperSU is a root permissions manager.  You'd open it, update your su binary through it after it asks, and then whenever an app asks for root permissions SuperSU will pop up a window asking whether you want to grant or deny it access, either permanently or for a set time interval.


It is indeed a root permissions manager, but it also supplies its own root binary which differs in a few areas compared to other root alternatives.


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