And every other step you need to transform and gain control of your stock ROM!

Given the fact that T-Mobile and Samsung have made it clear that the Galaxy S Vibrant will not receive Gingerbread, Honeycomb, ICS, or any other functionality update, I made the decision that it was finally time to root my beloved phone.

I didn’t want to root for the purpose of trying a ROM for any of the above OS’s. I merely figured that since there are not going to be any future updates to my phone, I’m basically on my own. And if I’m on my own then I can and should get rid of the TMo crap software that came pre-installed on my phone (and which can’t be uninstalled by any normal means).

Hopefully this process might also help make my phone operate a little faster and cleaner. And in general, the rooting process would give me full control over my own phone. But if you have ever rooted a device the experience can sometimes be challenging, even for tech-savvy folks like me.

There are lots of sites for advice and how-to’s on rooting your Android device, but most of these sites run you through the process in a way that assumes all will work perfectly the first time. There aren’t a lot that take you through the root process with at-hand solutions to many of the commonly reported errors.

I’ve just finished rooting my stock TMo Vibrant, fixing signature/Multi-CSC issues from the root process, installing and using Titanium Backup (TB) PRO to handle bloatware, and finally installing ROM Manager for the purpose of installing ClockworkMod Recovery (for creating and restoring backups of my current ROM). WHEW! And while it’s all fresh in my mind, I’m writing it all down to share the process with you so that it’s all in one convenient place.

Let’s Start With Rooting The Phone By Using Super Oneclick

After doing some reading in the XDA forums (http://forum.xda-developers.com) and a few other places, I wanted to try rooting with a one click option. There are many out there that are available for use. But the very first issue that plagued my rooting process was the incompatibility of many of these root installers with my home Win7 64bit pc.

I tried downloading and extracting various recommended solutions that use the “one click” functionality (Super Oneclick–various versions with and without drivers, Galaxy S One Click Root, and Vibrant One Click Root). I also downloaded and installed AIO Vibrant Toolbox, a program which also features a “one click” method for rooting a Vibrant once it has been installed on your pc.

What many posts on rooting never really mention with these methodologies is that you might have issues running the programs on a Win7 machine, which was my issue. Not all Win7 machines, but some. I downloaded the zip file for each with generally with no issue. * But once I tried to run the exe (best done via “Run As Administrator”), I got the following error message on virtually all of them:

“CLR Error: 80004005 The program will now terminate”

AIO Vibrant Toolbox wasn’t any better even though it was an installed program. It terminated as well.

(*NOTE: Anti-virus programs will mistake parts of the root zip files for Trojans, usually quarantining them after download. You are then left with the uncomfortable choice of turning off your anti-virus and taking that chance, or looking for another zip solution. I opted for the latter. Never take a chance with a Trojan!)

These errors messages did not show up on my work pc which is also Win7 64-bit. But that was no comfort as most of my root work was going to be done at home. After much searching on the internet, I read a random post that mentioned two helpful suggestions:

1) Use a rear or powered USB port, not a front port (because they often can’t power the root install sufficiently)
2) Use Super Oneclick v1.7 as opposed to any newer versions. The newer versions can cause problems with this particular Galaxy S root.

Two simple suggestions that made a world of difference! The root process worked smoothly afterward, and was finally a “success”.

Reminder – Remember to put your phone into USB Debugging mode for the root process, and don’t mount the external SD card when attached.

Along the way to “rooting” you might be confronted with messages about your Samsung drivers for your phone. You may see messages like these:

1) Device drivers not found
2) Samsung android USB composite device failed

A quick search on http://forum.xda-developers.com will yield updated drivers for your phone. The successful install of these drivers can also be a function of using the proper USB ports, as in the situation above. The installation of Samsung drivers failed on the front USB ports of my Dell. Success was again found using the rear ports. The main point here: use the rear ports (or powered USB ports) no matter how much of a pain it is maneuvering under your desk and behind your pc!

You’re Almost There…Kinda!

You can check to see if you are successfully rooted by checking to see if Superuser is installed in your apps. It was there… whew. The next step was to install Titanium Backup so that I could have root control over my apps, allowing me to delete bloatware that was slowing my phone. I downloaded TB from the Market, opened it, tried to give it Superuser permissions, and was notified with an error message that permissions were unsuccessful because the phone was not rooted. WHAT???

More online research revealed that I had achieved a “soft root”, whereby you have successfully rooted your phone but you don’t have all root permissions because the install wasn’t complete. The solution? Basically you just have to keep doing it more than once. All steps of this process seem like they will take the first time if you do what you are supposed to do. But more often than not, you have to repeat your steps over and over to make sure that it takes. After two more Super Oneclick rooting attempts, TB finally gave me the thumbs up for root.

Some may say it’s not necessary, but I upgraded to TB PRO. It allows for more options and better functionality with the apps and system data on the phone. And really, at about 6 dollars it is more than worth the price. Heck, two Starbucks lattes will run you more than 8 or 9 bucks. So if I can get piece of mind with respect to app management on my newly-rooted phone, 6 bucks is more than worth it.

I immediately wanted to learn how to remove bloatware — and it’s amazingly difficult to find clear directions on doing so. After my backup of all apps and data, I went to the backup/restore tab and found the programs I wanted to get rid of. Many online users recommend “freezing” an app first to make sure that removing it won’t make your phone all wonky. So after “freezing” the offending apps (by pressing the menu button, selection batch, and then scrolling down to the appropriate section on freezing apps), I long-pressed the desired app and only saw one option for uninstalling via an exploit. I selected it and long story short, it failed. As the phone boots to stock recovery, this message popped up:

E:failed to verify whole-file signature
E:signature verification failed
Applying Multi-CSC Installing
Multi-CSC Installation Aborted

In simple terms, the rooting tool (Super Oneclick) doesn’t contain all of the necessary items for a complete root. A fix is needed for the invalid signature problem that will help you get to a full root state. Fortunately there are fixes out there you can find for this particular fix. Here are some helpful links:

http://androidforums.com/galaxy-s-all-things-root/278397-signature-verification-failed-installation-aborted-one-click-root.html

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1052991

Read the instructions for the fix on the first page, but get the correct file from the second page as the link for the fix from Dropbox is a little messed up in the first URL. The second URL has the correct link. Use the automatic method so that you don’t have to use the terminal emulator. If you are like me, this process has already given you more gray hairs than you would really like to admit. So take the easy route.

Run the install.bat file and you will be fine. When you reach stock recovery again remember to reinstall all packages. This will make sure that the fix is installed properly. I didn’t know that was needed and was wondering why the fix wasn’t taking initially. So I’m sharing this with you to head off your frustrations at the pass.

Getting Rid Of The Bloat

Check to make sure that you are fully rooted by opening TB. It will automatically take Superuser permissions from the first time you allowed it IF you are rooted. If not, it will tell you. And by now you should be rooted. Heading back to the bloatware, I was able to figure out that the “long press method” was not the correct one for uninstalling apps.

Once again, press the menu button (bottom left) and select batch. Scroll down and you will see a section for uninstalling apps. Select uninstall user and system apps, and make sure to DESELECT ALL before you do anything else. From there you can pick and choose the apps to uninstall, then “run the batch operation” to complete the task. Bye bye bloatware!

The last crucial step to complete now that your phone is rooted is to make sure that you have a backup of your current ROM and configuration. The backup you created using TB is only for apps and data. It is not a backup of your current stock ROM.

Nandroid backup works best for the purpose of backing up and restoring ROMs. And if you have done any previous rooting on an Android device, you will recognize that Nandroid is a function of ClockworkMod Recovery. Sigh. I know… frustration starts to set in as you realize that there is yet another necessary install needed for a totally successful root process ON TOP OF and AFTER everything else you have had to do. So what is the next step?

ROM Manager To The Rescue

Install the free ROM Manager from the Market and you will be good to go. This app allows you to flash CWM Recovery as well as mount various ROMs on your phone. After installing the app (and declining the various offers that pop up), press “Flash ClockworkMod Recovery” at the top of the menu. It will cause the phone to reboot. And CWM will be downloaded…but not installed. To install after reboot, open ROM Manager and now select Reboot into Recovery. It will challenge you with a question on whether you really want to do this or not. Say Yes.

Important: This is another one of those places where it’s not intuitively obvious what to do for CWM Recovery.
When I first rebooted into recovery I didn’t see any changes from my stock recovery menu…because there were none. What I needed to do (which I found in yet another forum posting) was again to select Reinstall all packages. CWM had been downloaded and was ready to install… this would do so.

Happily, the phone went into Clockwork recovery immediately after “Reinstall all packages” . If it wasn’t clear earlier, use the volume buttons toggle up (or down) to select backup/restore.  You can then implement your selection by pressing the power button on the right side of the phone. On the next screen select backup, and then let it do its’ thing. It may take a while to complete, but will be well worth the time and effort if you have any future problems.

The Entire Process Is Finally Complete

So there you have it. In a nutshell, here were my steps:

1. Samsung drivers
2. Super Oneclick v 1.7
3. E. Signature fix
4. Titanium Backup PRO
5. ROM Manager (free version)

Use the rear USB ports or powered USB ports for the phone connection. Phone should be in USB debugging mode, and external SD card should not be mounted. For each process, it may take up to 2 or 3 attempts for successful completion. So keep trying after the first FAIL message. When applicable, “Reinstall All Packages” to make sure that downloaded files are actually installed.

And lastly, if absolutely nothing works correctly for you, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE use Google for help. Many others have successfully worked through all of the problems you might encounter that aren’t listed here. Actively use Google to help find solutions to any problems, using the exact error messages shown and adding in your phone type. You will be amazed by the depth of experience out there that can help you.

Above all else, keep up a good attitude. Rooting might be a pain in the ass while you are doing it, but it’s for a greater purpose. My four days of rooting have now given me a phone that is FREE from all the bloatware that bugged me for the past two years. And soon I’m sure I will experiment with a different ROM. But for now I’m just happy that I have my phone, my way. After all, if they (TMo and Samsung) aren’t going to make our phones better, we can do so for ourselves.

Good luck.

I am now the proud learned of Asus tablet. My previous tablet was a Viewsonic G Tablet. It was decent, but only performed it’s best once it was rooted. The last ROM i was using was CM7. It did well for me until new updates to my apps started to bog it down, then there were force closes galore. Widgets would cause errors and go away. If too much power drained from the unit it would lose all day and time settings.

The final straw came with the new Android market update. The update is automatic so you can’t stop it or say no. And when you go to the Market to update apps, it immediately force closes… meaning you can’t update apps or anything. It was only after all of these difficulties that I realixed I really needed a ‘real’ tablet with a real OS, not a tablet functioning with a phone OS!

Enter my new Asus! A friend at work had one and I really liked what I saw as I talked to him about his.

I did some checking online and the specs looked great. Comparable to my G Tablet and the Xoom, but slightly better than the Galaxy Tab. It has a good amount of ports which the Galaxy Tab does not. It also has sd card support.. always a good thing.

The biggest selling point came when he let me take for a bit so I could try it out. The screen looked really great indoors, but I wanted to test it out. My G Tablet had a decent screen when you looked at it straight on, but was pretty awful as soon as the viewing angle changed. It was also pretty awful when hit with direct light, indoors or outdoors. Polarized sunglasses also made it unreadable. These things don’t seem important until you realize that you can only use tablet in certain places and at certain times. Who needs that kind of restriction?

I went outside with his tablet and the great screen resolution I had viewed indoors was fairly undiminished outdoors in either shade or direct sun. The screen was equally readable outdoors with a nice bright picture, even while wearing my polarized sunglasses.

The tablet is also pretty lightweight and easy to hold in one hand while you use the touch screen with the other. The XOOM is awful in this respect because it’s so heavy. The G Tablet was slightly better but still pretty weighty. The Transformer is really manageable. And the textured surface on the backside keeps it from slipping in your hand.

Basically, the unit pretty much sold itself! So I went ahead and got it on Amazon with 1 day shipping (Prime is a great thing). I loved it. But as soon as I got it I thought about the keyboard dock… hmmm. Should I get that too? Again I went to my friend who has the dock as well as the tablet, and it sold itself again… and was on sale on Amazon.

So the picture you see is of my Transformer attached to its’ keyboard dock. It’s great, functions like a very cool laptop, and can go for over a day without a charge to either unit. This is one of the coolest items I’ve ever bought, living up to every ounce of expectation I had for it. It’s taken a little bit of time to get used to having a true Honeycomb tablet as opposed to a Tablet ROM based on Froyo or Gingerbread, but that’s a small thing. The apps are catching up, and there aren’t a huge amount of force closes. Moreover, all of the apps I had on my phone were able to be installed on my tablet in some form or other.

It is really really cool…and I’m really really happy with it! More later I’m sure.

So my “big dogs” was thinking I could flash and try every ROM there is with every program I wanted to try installed on the tablet.  Seemed like a plausible idea.  But then the software conflicts would start, and from there all would go to hell in a handbasket pretty fast.    And also flashing from Vegan5 to Vegan7 to CM6 Beta to CM7 Final and then maybe even TNTLite4.4 might not have been the best idea to keep from having cache partition and other issues.

So after trying in vain to use restore ROM’s for both the GTab Vanilla and Clockwork Recovery 8 (with the accompanying pulling the microSD out and then putting back in to load the various update.zip files and recovery folders) and STILL getting bootloop errors, I did some closer reading on NV Flash.  I had come across some tidbits on it, but chose other paths because it seemed a little daunting.  As it turns out, it’s less daunting than all of that microSD work with various zip files and still getting a bootloop!  So onward and upward to the how-to.

And then… app updates started happening AND jacking up performance.  Now with the new market update it immediately force closes until I go into the settings > applications > running applications > market and then uninstall updates.  I have to do this EVERY time I run the tablet and want to update apps.  Pretty annoying.  Also, after a few reboots ALL of my widgets go away from the desktop.  In their place is a message “Error Loading Widget”.  Not good.  The last issue is that if my tablet powers down to a low enough level it completely loses date and time, which then have to be set manually because there is no automatic updating.

All in all, not a great user experience at all.  But I really love having a tablet and have found it extremely useful in many situations.  So what can I do to correct this situation?  Two things.  The first is that I need to install a new ROM!

I did some checking and realized that all of the ROM’s I had initially checked out are no longer being supported.  CyanogenMod 7 hasn’t been updated since early May, and no dev work is being done.  Vegan is no longer being supported.  TNTLite is no longer being supported.  So I will need to install one of the only few ROM’s that are still available if I want to keep my tablet functioning.   The one I will probably try is called Brilliant Corners.  It could be a real pain in the ass though.  We’ll see.

The second thing is that I need a real tablet with a real tablet operating system.  Vanilla Honeycomb is not my fav, but there is lots out there to choose from (since I’m obviously not going with an iPad).  After some checking online and in hand, I will be getting an Asus Transformer.  Great tablet, great feel, bright screen, nice OS on top of Honeycomb 3.2… Will probably get it by mid-week.  But will still use the G Tablet for development… for now.

More later.

I have CyanogenMod 7 currently installed on my G Tablet.  I started with Vegan 5.  Why?  Because that’s what my co-worker used on his tablet.  And since it was working fine on his I figured I would start there.   Whichever you use just make sure you have the proper zip files.  For Vegan 5 you will want the gtab.VEGAn.1.00.beta5.1.user.final.zip file.  You can download it from http://vegantab.gojimi.com/downloads/.  Also make sure you get the supplement file gtab.VEGAn.1.00.beta5.11.suppl.zip.  It has some additional fixes for the ROM.  It can be downloaded at http://www.mediafire.com/?jhq1cnu5wgkg3j5.  There are lesser CyanogenMod files than 7, but they really aren’t worth the effort IMO.  Just go ahead and get the 7 Final release from the cyanogen.mod site.  If you go to the Wiki link at the top it will take you to a great step by step download page and instructions for installing this rom.  Get the Final release zip and get the accompanying Google apps install file.  You will need that as well.  Once you have all of your zip files downloaded, place them on your microsd card for use in the install process.  You can leave the ClockworkMod Recovery files on as well in case you need to re-install the file.   It will happen sometimes that the first flash of any of these ROM’s won’t take.  So you may need to install a second time.  No worries on that front.  If life and installs were always perfect it would be boring, yes?

A quick note which you have probably already figured out at this point…how to get files onto your microSD.  Either you can power up and connect the tablet via usb to your pc for copying of files to it, or if your usb connection shows the internal SD of the tablet and not the card, copy the zip files there and then use File Manager on the tablet to copy them to the root of the card.  And in general I keep all of my install zips at root level for ease seeing them in Clockwork Recovery.

Okay, now that you have the install files good to go on the SD (internal and/or external), power off the unit then boot into Recovery mode via the Volume + and Power buttons.  Again you will see the notice recovery key detected.  Let go and wait for the menu options to appear.  Once they do, use the volume button to scroll through your options and the Home icon to select the option you want.  Before any system install peform a wipe data/factory reset, then perform a wipe cache partition.  Additionally you may want to select advanced and perform a wipe Dalvik cache.  The reason why is because you want to make sure that no cached files from another ROM will interfere with your install.  Once you have done all of your wipes, select install zip from sdcard from the main menu.  Then select choose zip from sdcard.  This will then show you your options that you downloaded to the tablet.  If you are installing Vegan first install the main zip file then the supplemental.  If you are installing CynanogenMod 7 install the main zip file then the Google apps file after.   Once installs are complete select reboot system now and you should be on your way to happiness (I hope).

How will you know you were successful?  As your unit reboots you will probably still see the Viewsonic birds.  But from there the view will probably be different.  You may or may not see the G Tablet logo.  More often than not you will see the word ANDROID on your screen and then a new boot animation.  After the boot animation you will have to through the steps to log into your Google account.  This will allow for syncing of accounts and access to the Market.  In some instances you might be caught in a bootloop when your unit reboots.  If so, don’t worry.  Just press the appropriate buttons to get back into Clockwork recovery and flash the appropriate zip files again.  It may take a couple of times to correctly install.  If it doesn’t correct the bootloop, boot back into recovery, perform the wipes again, then restore your backup from the menu.  This will at least take you back to square one so you can do some reading on how to proceed from a bootloop error.

Remember, no matter what happens it is almost impossible to completely jack up your tablet.  So have no fear.
If the install took and you successfully logged into your account and Market, then have at it and start playing…

To root your G Tablet you will need to have a couple of files on hand.  I will walk you through the method that I think is best and most straight-forward.  Realize though that everyone who has rooted or flashed multipe ROM’s on their tablet might have a slightly different  method.  That’s ok.  There is no one right way to do this, and everyone’s tablet may not behave the same way at each step in the process.  It’s all a bit of trial and error, mostly trial and sometimes a good deal of error.  But the one thing I have read is VERY true:  it’s almost impossible to brick your G Tablet.  The root may not take and you may get error messages and all sorts of stuff up the yin yang.  But you can still get back to its’ original state with almost no effort.  So with that let’s proceed.

To establish ROOT on the unit I used Z4Root.  You can easily find the apk for the app online.  Install it as you would any app on your un-rooted tablet by either downloading it via the browser, connecting your tablet to the computer, or via a USB flash drive.  Follow the directions for permant root and you are good to go.

The next step is to install ClockworkMod Recovery 8.  Look for this zip online: ClockworkMod_Gtab_v08.zip.  I might post it to my website at some point but for now you can find it via google search easily.  Download and unzip the update.zip and recovery folder to a location on your computer.  Then copy them to a microsd card for use on the tablet.   Put the microsd into the tablet and power on the unit.  Just for redundancy sake and to make sure the install happens the first time, copy the update.zip and recovery folder to the root of the internal memory.  Power down the unit.  Then to initiate root access, press the Volume + and Power buttons together.  You will see a message along the lines of Recovery Key Detected.  That is a good sign.  You can let go of the buttons at that time.  Eventually you will get a menu option of 4 items (I have been in and out of root so many times with recoveries, forgive me if I get the wording or number of options incorrect).  Use the top Volume button to go through the menu selections.  Select Install update.zip.  To select that option press the Home icon on the tablet’s right side.  You will then see the unit go through an install process with a box and an animated arrow.  After that is done, you should have an option for rebooting the unit.  Go ahead and reboot.

Note:  Sometimes in my first rooting I didn’t get that option and the unit would just hang.  To do a force reboot press the power button and hold it down until you see the unit reboot.  It should power up normally with the Viewsonic birds and the G Tablet logo.
So far so good.

My first general disclaimer is that I haven’t spent much time at all with a G Tablet using the stock Android OS it comes with.  Why?  Because it sucks beans.  I had heard beforehand how bad it was and everyone was right.  It is clunky, elements take up way too much room on the screen, and getting to your various screens was awkward.  The G Tablet app store was also pretty awful, with virtually a fraction of the available offerings we have come to expect from the Android Market.  At this point in the development of Android OS’s we have come to expect (at bare minimum) the same from a tablet that we have on our phones without the actual phone part.  And the stock OS didn’t even come close.

But overall the tablet is a nice size and not nearly as heavy as the Motorola Xoom.  And that is huge because I felt like the Xoom was way too heavy for lots of casual use on the go.  But then you have that clunky OS so… Anyway, it’s a good size with good readability.  For most the screen sensitivity seems to be pretty good.  Mine was pretty awful.  I didn’t realize it was awful until I handled my co-workers tablet.  He then toyed around with my tablet for a bit and hear is the best quotable about the lack of sensitivity:  your tablet should be a touchpad, not a presspad!  But that turned out to be fixable, so moving on.

The biggest drawback about the unit is the screen.  This is NOT a screen that can be used easily outdoors or in direct bright light.  The reason is there is a ton of reflection from the screen that makes it hard to read or see icons.  Also the viewing angles are not so great and you have to play around a bit to see what is the optimal angle to allow for comfortable reading of the screen.  It’s all not optimal, but tolerable because of the low price.

It doesn’t come with any accessories, so it takes a bit to find the right ones to round out the experience of the unit.  (It comes with a usb cable and a charger with a fairly decent-length cord)  For overall carrying purchased a Caselogic VNA210 10.2-Inch Netbook/iPad Attache (Black) from Amazon for about 15 bucks.  It comfortably holds the data cable, the charger, and the tablet all in separate compartments.  It has handles and a shoulder strap.  It looks a little man purse-like, but if you put it on with the tablet in the back it’s not too bad!  For carrying without need of the cables, I purchased a Case Logic VLS-110 Sleeve for 7-Inch to 10-Inch Netbooks and iPad.  It fits the tablet perfectly BUT has absolutely no zippered compartments for other items.  Looks good though, and only cost 9 bucks. For a stand my only recommendation at this time is what I have… a plate stand from Bed Bath & Beyond.  I looked the entire store for something like that, and then asked if I could buy one.  You can’t though.  As I was going to ask the clerk for info on ordering one he gave it to me and said Go.  And you don’t have to tell me twice.

So I have a decent unit for a great price with some decent accessories and a great stand for ease of use.  But now, it’s time to root this sucker so I can see why tablets are supposed to be such a great thing.  Stay tuned for “Rooting my Woot”.

You can get them from the Android Market online here:

https://market.android.com/details?id=atpwta.live (recommended)

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.zuerchtech.sap (NOT recommended but give it a shot if you want)