yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] wangdaning:
It is funny when people say toolkits save time. How much time does it take to type in a few commands? The toolkits require you to have all the necessary stuff downloaded.

Borked device, download the image from google, download fastboot, issue solved. Or download a toolkit, hit a wall, and never know where it went wrong.

Toolkits can be useful for some, experienced users. They know what they want to happen and write the toolkit for that. I could imagine a tech at a repair center using one to save time (got a lot of phones coming in so you write something to automate the process). For noobs and general use the command prompt works much better.

Maybe android should be more secure and you must pass a test before root is available :p Just kidding that would be awful.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] owlensteed:
I know I have done my share of soft bricks, but I also read the horror stories before I try it. So when I am in the same boat I already have plan B, which is usually flash stock firmware and start over again. I did have one case where my batt. was bad and showed near full, but once I started to flash TWRP it died. I got to learn the "fun" of jtags:(
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] androidrouen:
[MENTION=962867]El Daddy[/MENTION] you are totally true ^^ WTF ? brick and ask a new ? not good way to proceed !
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] joegestes:
Agreed. I like to say it this way.

"There is no teaching, only learning."
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] teddyearp:
el daddy, you started this thread years ago, I found it through somebody else's sig line here.

I couldn't agree more. Like you, I don't know those who put all that work into creating the toolkits, but at the same time it seems to also promote the "would you please hold my hand" attitude that has taken most of the fun out of trying to help people fix their problems.

On the other hand, I did use Wug's latest with my Nexus 6. But I did so out of pure laziness and with some trepidation as I did have problems using it with the Gnex. He did do well with the log window though. That way we who know what they are looking at can see that all is going well or if it goes bad, we know where and why.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] bliboran:
I am a developer/reverse engineer (not for mobile per se), and I disagree with what you're saying. There are plenty of things in life that I'm not sure exactly how they work, and I'm not required to know the innards of them to use them properly. The problem is a combination of the scripts not being fail-safe/idiot-proof, lack of clear instructions, or users not thoroughly reading the instructions. As a developer it's our job to do the first 2, and the last can't be helped, but we should ALWAYS strive for making things easier. I find that posts such as these are a way to flaunt your pseudo-superiority and elitist attitude. Just because you have more knowledge on a subject than someone else doesn't mean that they need to learn as much as you to do it properly, especially since in this case (rooting) the results are basically the same when following instructions. You are not so smart. ;)
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] PGHammer:
Nexi and Toolkits

The big reason I like the Skipsoft Android Toolkit (supports most Samsung and Nexus devices) is that it provides a rather massive safetynet unless you massively muck up AND it supports all except the very newest Samsung devices (the S7 and edge are being worked on currently, though) - and it even has basic functions for devices it doesn't support specifically (such as Lenovo tablets). The typical never-fail root app for Samsung hardware running Android 5 or earlier is Chainfire's SuperSU (in most cases, the same is true for non-Samsung Android devices as well) - thanks to the Toolkit, I can include it in my pushing of firmware/GApps as the third zip (ROM/GApps/rooting file), and flash them the same way - it's not reinventing the wheel; merely greasing it. (The same can be said of all the other toolkits out there - none of them change the methodology used - remember, this was all originally pain-in-the-rear scutwork and had to be done step by step; all toolkits do is reduce the number of steps.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] trustytrev:
Hello,

I would like to learn how to root my grand childrens Allwinner A83T tablets using ADB with Linux. This is due to me discovering the issues relating to KingRoot.

However actually finding what you need is extremely difficult because you wade through loads of posts only to find what you are learning is out of date. does not work. or android versions have moved the goal posts. The tablets in question have internal and external sd card slots. Updating to Marshmallow was a mistake and lost the internal card slot which basically makes the device totally useless for modern day use. I did factory resets and re-flashed them with Lollipop which makes the internal sd card available again. In order to enable the full use of this sd card for apps etc one needs to use the Link2SD app. This in turn needs a rooted device. Being a Luddite when it comes to tablets and phones I have learned quite a lot so far. The grand children have waited quite a while as I have gone through the process but I would just like to get them rooted so they can be returned and I can get a life. My question therefore is where would I find the information about Rooting these devices with ADB?

Sorry for such a long post but the little people are certain grandad can fix everything and he has up to now.

trustytrev.:)
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] yiannisthegreek:
Wow!!! I cant believe all of the "Holier Than Thou" attitudes and rants that happen here now days...

I used the Wugfresh Toolkit as well for my Nexus... Am I a noob?... not really as I have had my fair share of devices and played with all of them and truth be told... I TOOK THE EASY WAY FOR PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM!

Does that mean that I did NOT read? NO...

Does that mean that I did not research? NO...

Does that mean that I dont understand the consequences of what MAY happen by doing ANYTHING with ANY device? NO...

So with that being said... Why does everyone assume that anyone new here has not done all of that already and why is everyone becoming so hard on the noobs that come here to share what XDA has to offer?!

I understand that yes... There are SOME who just "dont get it" but like the old saying goes...

DONT LET 1 BAD APPLE SPOIL THE BUNCH!!!

Just my 2 cents... Remember... We were ALL noobs once and even the most experienced of you cant tell me that you have NEVER messed up and had to ask for help at least ONCE and probably for something silly or simply overlooked...
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] aquariumdrinker:
In Defense of Toolkits

When I rooted my OG Droid, I had no idea what was happening under the hood, and I didn't care. I don't remember why I originally rooted, but I used the easiest-sounding way to get the intended result. For a long time, I never used anything but ROM Manager to flash stuff. I've flashed countless builds of dozens of ROMs on three phones, and I have yet to open a terminal window on my desktop to do any of it.

Inevitably, I hit some snags. But when I did, I hit the forums and read until I understood how to fix it. When I wanted to do something that couldn't be done using the shortcuts, I researched until I either (a) learned how to do it or (b) decided it sounded harder than it was worth. Very few of my posts here at XDA are of the "how do I...?" variety, and I don't think I've ever posted anything like "HELP!!! I flashed your kernel and my PANTS fell DOWN!!!"

My point: it's not the shortcuts. It's the lack of forum decorum. Erecting barriers to keep the weekenders away would do something to reduce the effects of the problem, but would keep out Decent Hardworking Americans (such as m'self) as well. What's really needed some community moderation. How great would it be to be able to click thumbs-down on stupid posts and to know that the post would disappear when enough others did the same?

Shorter: Rather than making it harder to root a phone, why not make it harder for stupid people to clutter XDA with stupid posts?
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] skynet11:
Yeah we're not really referring to all noobs in general, we're just saying that sometimes one-click solutions don't always work and are sometimes very dangerous. I used to use one-click tools myself, and several times it was a very bad experience for me, especially the one-click Odin I used on my Captivate. I soon learned I would have been better off using adb. And yes, we were all noobs once (I still think of myself as a noob in many cases), but that's some expensive equipment you guys just got, and it's simply a matter of protecting your investment to read up on how to root, how to flash recoveries, and how to install ROMs, kernels, mods and themes.

I'm not claiming to be holier than thou, and as I said before, some of my past mistakes would be the stuff of legend if I was to share them with the community. However, I didn't share them, I didn't have to, because I read up on how to fix my problem instead of virtually screaming "I needz halp nao!" on the forums. The one exception is one time when I wasn't able to fix my problem and even then I didn't rant about it on the forums.

Yiannisthegreek, I'd have to say if all newcomers approached modding their phones the way you did, this forum would be a better place. I'm glad to see your experience with the toolkit was successful, which likely means it was well written, and you read up before using it. Nevertheless, some one-click solutions are poorly written and can even brick your phone. I hope you eventually read up on adb because it's a very useful tool, and you can do a lot more with it than just rooting a phone.

Terminators run on Android :cool:
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] adrynalyne:
Before you preach holier than thou....read the thread I linked a few posts ago.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] skynet11:
Wow... Acer recovery on a Gnex... A recovery meant for the Iconia Tab... This is a prime example of what happens when you don't read first! Think of all the frustration (and money, apparently) this guy could have saved himself. It's right there in the description on the Market, that it's meant for the Iconia Tab.

Terminators run on Android :cool:
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] mistermojorizin:
just giving the viewpoint of a noob here...i spent a few days researching how to root before doing it and I ended up using the toolkit here on XDA. I read many guides from many forums and they all read like this:

if i'm trying to learn about how and WHY things work on android, directions like this don't help me at all. i found myself researching every word leading to more research to do and none of it gave the big picture of things. just telling me do x then do y doesn't tell me WHY. I need context, big picture.

And then I'd find articles that would lean in the other direction. Explaining why in such technical terms and so lengthy that it became meaningless to me.

I like the guide here on xda because it had the manual methods and also the toolkit way. I ended up using the toolkit way but after reading the manual methods it sort of made sense. sort of.

i am still confused by a lot of things I'll be honest. So I think it's a lack of good concise guides explaining how and why. There needs to be like a "for dummies" book for rooting. Gives just the right amount of background info and just the right detail to actually do these things. So you're not mindlessly following steps and not getting lost in all the technicalities either.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] adrynalyne:
If I was writing a guide I would have been more verbose.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] wish777:
I agree with you 100% on this post as I to had to learn Linux. and command prompts though I went to school for computers but new to phone software....but one you may want to understand is that the 25% of people here don't research they want what's easiest, Am a firm believer in research read and read over...lol.....so these tool kits are for the ones who will not listen no matter if we where willing to hold there hand and show them the proper way...very good post...
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] martonikaj:
My favorite part was "I have iOS-X" lol. :eek:
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] Soutaiseiriron:
I don't think it's a "holier than thou" thread but like many have said "you can't teach what they don't want to learn". In the end all it really comes down to is if a person wants to learn. As you can see I am no dev or senior member but my phone is working fine. I don't use tool kits because fast boot and adb is the only dev like thing I can do. I tried compiling an aosp but it looks like I'm not doing the PATH correctly. I digressed, what I meant was that I'm trying to learn at the very least. I want to learn but if someone doesn't want to, the outcome remains the same. Also, some people do actually want to learn. They just don't take any actual step in doing so. For example, the thread adrynalyne linked.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] skynet11:
I never thought I'd see the phrase "holier than thou" on an Android forum until today :eek:

Terminators run on Android :cool:
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] knyghtryda:
My 2 cents...

I've always found the Android community to be perpetually helpful despite the stupidity of some of the users (intentional or accidental). Go read some car forums for examples of the flaming that can occur against n00bs. My personal method for things im just getting into is to learn enough to not sound completely stupid if I ever have to ask questions. There's a big difference between "oh noz mah phonez broke!?!?!?" and "uhh guys something went wrong with my flash. Here's a log... please help?". The first will get you laughed at. The second will get you answers.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] Soutaiseiriron:
It was my first time hearing such a phrase actually.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] yiannisthegreek:
Perhaps "Holier Than Thou" was a bit strong and it was no way meant for only the Galaxy Nexus forum.

My point is over the past 3 months or so, no matter the forum I am in (SGSII, Galaxy Nexus, Infuse 4G, etc) I am seeing more and more "rants" against noobs and I just dont understand it for the MOST part.

Again... I did all my research, etc going back to Windows Mobile Days with my Omnia and when I got my first Android I did the same thing and I know that there are some newcomers that dont research anything at all before the mess around with their devices but Id say the majority of them have at least read SOME on their device, etc before flashing etc...

If you look at my post count compared to my Thanks, you will see that ALOT of my posts have been questions and those questions were answered by people with no griping, complaining, etc and its THOSE people (mostly from my SGS I9000 days) who have helped me understand the platform MORE than any reading or research could have ever done and to them all I say THANKS!!!

I just dont want to discourage new people from coming here, joining and exploring the freedom that Android offers otherwise we will lose people to the BIG APPLE CULT and who wants that?! LOL!!!
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] El Daddy:
I just want to say that I did not start this thread bash "noobs". Nowhere did a say that newcomers don't deserve to be here. I was a "noob" once and in a way I still am. I don't know how to code nor do I claim to be a dev. I know how to get my way around adb and I've learned how to get my way out of a common problem. That's it.

Even though I don't compile ROM's or design themes I do enjoy spending my time around here helping people with minor issues. It's my way of contributing to the community. It's the least I can do.

From joining xda when I had the T-Mobile Shadow (Juno) then moving on to android with the G1 and beyond, I've watched xda and android explode with popularity. Back when I had the Shadow things were much different around here. I guess with a growing user base comes a growing amount of people that don't care how they get from point A to point C as long as they get there.

The example I gave in my OP had nothing to do with that user being a "noob". It was that they didn't have the willingness to even attempt to go through the steps to fix their problem. I found that extremely frustrating.

Also, I was not trying to come off as condescending. I was just bringing up the point about how I think these one-click root methods can be a double edged sword. It easily disables the safe-guards put in place for screwing up your phone and puts users who don't know how they got from point A to C in a bad place.

Finally, thanks for all of your comments. It's nice to see there are other people who feel the same way as I do. If I offended anyone, I apologize, it was not my intention.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] efrant:
Like I said before, what you just mentioned is the root of the problem. The community started off as a place for devs and those interested in learning how things work, and transforming into a community of users wanting a help desk and a bunch of one-click tools to get their devices the way they want it to be without hassle.

When I rooted my first device, there were one-clicks available, but I didn't use them. In fact, I didn't root my device until I knew exactly what each step that I was doing actually did. Once I knew that, I proceeded to root. If that makes me "holier than thou", then so be it. I am.

There are now two different types of members on xda: those that want to learn and those that want results without learning. This is why we see more rants. Xda was initially intended for the former, but it seems like the latter may now outnumber.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] yiannisthegreek:
I too wish to state that I did not post here to offend anyone or cause an arguement of any kind and if I have also offended anyone (mainly the OP) then I apologize from the bottom of my Android's heart... LOL...

I read a post just now giving a history lesson on how XDA came to be and what it has become and I agree with the posters comment (efrant I believe) but...

Who's to say that even the most inexperienced noob on the site currently, (one with no experience of any kind and quite possibly one of the noobs who did NOT read or research anything, bricked his / her phone over and over, asked for help, got flamed on, etc) doesnt end up to be one of the greatest Dev's, Coders or Themers this site has ever seen in the next 6 months to a year or so and all they may need is a "kind" answer to their "noob" question to set them in the right direction?...

Again... I am not even here to defend anyone... Im just saying that I would personally hate to see someone who is new but has a genuine passion for the platform / hobby (as I do and all of you obviously do) be discouraged from it due to someone (not anyone specific) being rude, etc.

And to all the true noobs who have yet to do any research of any kind or even bother to read the WARNINGS associated to what they may be flashing, etc... Do yourself a favor and READ, RESEARCH, HEED THE WARNINGS and take care of your device as the final outcome of what you do lies in YOUR HANDS ONLY and NO ONE ELSES...
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] aquariumdrinker:
That latter group can be subdivided into (a) those who pester and ask dumb**** questions and then expect the community to bail them out when they make a mistake and (b) those who know how to behave in public. Some may disagree, but I don't think people generally have a problem with the latter. I think the relevant distinction is not "wants to learn"/"doesn't want to learn", but rather "makes life harder for those who came to learn"/"doesn't make life harder."
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] El Daddy:
Due to the recent influx of new "OMG I bricked my phone" threads I'm bumping this. :)
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] adrynalyne:
Mock interview from a news reporter to a random cell phone manufacturer.

Reporter: So why DO you lock your bootloaders and phones so that nobody can customize their devices?

Company: Have you NOT read xda-developer threads?! We like to think we are protecting customers....from themselves.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] Jubakuba:
I'll bump you if you bump me =]

And completely agree.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] bilalakhtar:
The OP hit the nail on the head. People need to start doing stuff themselves, by using fastboot, adb, recovery, etc rather than depending upon toolkits to do the same. It takes 5 extra minutes, but you know exactly what's happening with your phone.

That's exactly the reason why I never recommended ROM Manager to anyone. It's a better experience flashing ROMs through recovery manually rather than getting ROM Manager to do it.

Trust me, it's very very easy. Just having to run these commands:

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot oem unlock

fastboot flash recovery cwm.img

fastboot reboot

Voila, you have CWM installed, and root is just 1 more minute away. What's so difficult about those steps?

It's even easier trying to come back to a stock ROM.

fastboot flash bootloader bootloader.img

fastboot flash radio radio.img

fastboot -w update update-yakju-whatever.zip

Done. I can't see any thing, ANY thing that's tough about this. I respect those people making toolkits, but I personally stay away from them, just because I don't know what they're doing with my phone.

I like to do everything myself, and you should, too. If you can't, either learn to do it (very simple), or don't fiddle around with your phone. Because, if you run into a problem, the devs get the blame.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] christophermx4:
I somewhat agree with the OP. I remember with my EVO 4G, having to go through a harrowing process to re-root my phone after I got it back from Sprint. It took me most of the night (adb still isn't my friend), but afterwards, I finally had a decent understanding of how my phone worked.

I get the Galaxy Nexus, and I swear, a 6 year old could root this phone, and flash different radios in about 15 minutes. The tool kits DO make it easier, and it's almost like they lower the cost of admission.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] :
Probably just repeating most of what's been said, but I agree that it is essential for people to familiarize themselves with adb/fastboot, even if it is after you've rooted via a toolkit. Even the most basic familiarity with command prompts can save your phone potentially, the first step is not being intimidated and having the appropriate drivers and adb and fastboot installed. The rest is easy.

That said, I used a tool kit to root and flash CWM on my GN; after using nothing but adb for months I got a little sick of it and lazy. I'm no expert, but I'm not scared and am ready, willing, and able to whip out the command prompt if I need to.

1. Don't be scared, it's not hard

2. Ensure you have drivers/software installed and ensure the drivers work

3. The rest is easy, the solution is either a Google search or post away when you need it.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] @rbiter:
Should I add android to my sig? Heh.

iphone. helping computer illiteracy become popular since 2007.
[Samsung Galaxy Nexus] Diger36:
I agree with some others here. I think it is not correct blaming it on the Tool Kots and One Click Roots.

I could easily say the same about people using their computers with nice GUI's, where "we oldies" (taps on breast) did know the old DOS commands. There is nothing wrong with choosing the easy way. There is however a lot wrong with lazyness and ignorance.

People are buying a 500 $/Euro phone and then go messing with it doing something without understanding the risks. And if they have the sh*t hit the fan they just start a thread here without doing a search on DXA or on Google. I am a n00b in the android and ADB territory and I know it, but I definately make sure that I know what I am doing and I try to find out and learn myself, rather then just ask what has been asked a thousand times before. Then: if I still don't know how to cope with it: I'll ask here and I'm hoping for your help.