To Root or Not to Root?

[rogand]

Good, I've done that, though I'm not convinced it's actually doing anything, just sitting there dark. But I don't want to touch it and interrupt whatever it _might_ be doing. Sure wish I understood the exact sequence of how dropping a random zip file into a directory and the sleeping the beast causes an entire extraction and replacement, but I'll accept it.

Thanks, Good night, and I'll post again later, and or tomorrow, whether anyone is listening still or not

 

[rogand]

OK, that finally worked. when I unplugged from the laptop, I had put the other end of the USB cable into the ac charging adapter. For whatever reason/hardware-quirk, that wasn't allowing the reinstall to happen. Soon as I completely pulled the cable, and re-slept it, it worked fine. OK, now to go make that pesky microSD-card image. Sweet, albeit slow, progress.

 

[rogand]

And this kid is done for the night. I've tried two versions of win32diskimager, near as I can tell, properly run as administrator, on two different SD cards, by two different methods (laptops built card reader, and via a USB to SD adapter) and in both cases, can't write a file, getting error #8, can't lock file. I'm going to read a bit more, but I think I'm stuck for now

 

[rogand]

Well, I'm not too easily deterred, and had a lot of BN/Starbucks coffee, so I got by to now OK. Had to use the diskimager as in Rico's explanation, as I could never burn an image with the win32diskimager. Anyway, if I believe the instructions, I seem to be rooted now, thank god. Is it normal for it to think it's a phone when it boots? After the normal "future of reading" advert and a new spiffy "nook color" screen, I get the little green man and "Welcome to LogicPD Zoom2" and in the lower left corner, an emergency dial button, which can pull up a keypad which I guess does nothing.

All normal, right?

OK, so I don't want to do this again, so I have to be sure I don't turn on wireless, which makes the whole tablet kinda useless. So, it's 3am and I'm crying both success and uncle, but hope people will point me towards how to back the whole thing up tomorrow, and how to guarantee no OTA 1.1 so I can turn wireless back on and actually use the beast.

Thanks all
Regards and good nightl
Roger

 

[darmeen]

Well, I'm not too easily deterred, and had a lot of BN/Starbucks coffee, so I got by to now OK. Had to use the diskimager as in Rico's explanation, as I could never burn an image with the win32diskimager. Anyway, if I believe the instructions, I seem to be rooted now, thank god. Is it normal for it to think it's a phone when it boots? After the normal "future of reading" advert and a new spiffy "nook color" screen, I get the little green man and "Welcome to LogicPD Zoom2" and in the lower left corner, an emergency dial button, which can pull up a keypad which I guess does nothing.

All normal, right?

OK, so I don't want to do this again, so I have to be sure I don't turn on wireless, which makes the whole tablet kinda useless. So, it's 3am and I'm crying both success and uncle, but hope people will point me towards how to back the whole thing up tomorrow, and how to guarantee no OTA 1.1 so I can turn wireless back on and actually use the beast.

Thanks all
Regards and good nightl
Roger

Sounds like you worked through auto-rooting just fine.

Your next mission (should you choose to accept it):

Install clockwork recovery and ROM Manager to make a backup
Load the pre-rooted 1.1.0 rom (use newest version of this rom,which is v2) using clockwork recovery

I am sure you know where the instructions are for these, but if not, let us know and we will point you in the right direction.

 

[rogand]

Yes, FINALLY got there. Thanks for the help. I'll definitely be doing that (and could use a link/pointer - as yesterday's marathon has left all I've seen a bit muddled and run together) I don't even know if CWR is something that exists on the PC, or the NC, or what, and I've kind of lost track of what the hooking up via ADB that some folks use for rooting is.

Sidebar, anyone notice that even a successful data wipe via the home-key/power-key sequence doesn't quite wipe all the data? I'd love to see the memory wipe and the addresses that are spec'd in the internal wipe routine. Mine still has dozens of addresses visible in the stock contact list. All the A's, and the B's through Br. It's likely a sign that the early part of the addresses data was written to a physical block that has some internal firmware on it that can't be erased (flash memory being addressed in blocks, rather than by individual addresses in many architectures, which means if you have something you need to keep and you want to erase in a given block, you get to end up keeping both. It normally only affects a small part of the system memory. Just curious if others saw this.

My real priority is finding out how I prevent the OTAs now. Help there especially appreciated.

 

[darmeen]

I have never used ADB, so someone else will have to tacklet that, but I am running rooted 1.1 and never needed it...its just another way of doing the same thing.

This is your first stop:
http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/nook-color-technical/6386-how-installing-using-clockworkmod-rom-manager-nandroid-backup-custom-kernels.html

Don't even look in this thread until you are all done with thread one...no need to confuse yourself.

http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/nook-color-technical/7127-rom-nook-color-v1-1-0-pre-rooted.html

CWR and ROM Manager go on your NC, don't try to un zip any zipped files...

Oh, before we move on...did you reformat your SD Card? The reason I ask is that when you put the autonooter on it, it creates this funky partition that only allows the nook to see 40MB, no matter how big your card is.

-Format sd card with root program
-turn on NC with sd inserted in NC to root
-After root, use NC to reformat your sd card back to original size.
(If you don't want to reformat, remove the sd card before you reboot or turn off your NC)
(IF you don't remove the root formatted sd card, every time you turn the NC on, you will attempt to root the device over and over which can cause it not to come on.)

Power up your Nook Color *WITHOUT* the SD card inserted (Otherwise it will try to boot off of the SD card)
Press the button to pull up the context menu with device settings
Then go to device info
Then click on SD card
Click on 'umount sdcard'
Then click 'format sdcard'
The NC will repartition and format the card to it's full capacity.

 

[rogand]

Thanks. No, I hadn't yet formatted my SD card, but had read of that issue, and so you've anticipated my next questions.
Can it be fixed with a normal DOS/WIN format, or is it something that needs to be done under Android or Linux?
If Win format is OK, which one (NTFS? FAT-32? etc) I have an extra SD card that I removed from an old Palm Centro, but even it may need formatted for all I know.

thx
rog

 

[darmeen]

follow the instructions in the last post (the second quote) and all will be right with the world.

 

[gadgetrants]

Thanks. No, I hadn't yet formatted my SD card, but had read of that issue, and so you've anticipated my next questions.
Can it be fixed with a normal DOS/WIN format, or is it something that needs to be done under Android or Linux?
If Win format is OK, which one (NTFS? FAT-32? etc) I have an extra SD card that I removed from an old Palm Centro, but even it may need formatted for all I know.

thx
rog

Roger, I'm genuinely befuddled that Win32DiskImager didn't pay off for you (I think I used the older one, fwiw). Glad to hear things worked out with WinImage!

Regarding ADB--given the grief you've had already--I would probably put it off for a bit. In a nutshell, here is what's involved: you download and install the Android software development kit, and then Android Debug Bridge. adb.exe allows USB communication between your PC and Nook. If you're rooted, you can use ADB to not only install Android apps (apk's), but more importantly, modify system files (I'm sure you knew that, just wanted to dot my "i"s). Anyway, there are number of minor challenges along the way, most importantly, getting Windows (if that is your OS) to properly recognize the Nook as an Android Composite ADB Interface, rather than Nook+USB drive.

Bit since you can install apps through either the Market or a file manager like Android, I wouldn't worry for now.

Now on to that pesky sdcard! THAT'S easy! Just put it back in your Nook, and use the Nook to reformat it. Should be as good as new. Windows can't change the partition (I even tried Windows Disk Management), but if you want another option, Easus Partition Manager is free and can do the trick.

Please update when you get a chance!

-Matt

 

[rogand]

Will do, this eve. Thanks. I don't think I'm going to put any more effort into it until I've figured out how to ward off the OTA to 1.1.0, lest all the effort end up being wasted, potentially over and over

 

[gadgetrants]

I know it's been an ordeal for you (WHY are you trying to PROVE Murphy's Law!??!??!??!!), but it's not uncommon to either (a) mess up and redo, or (b) redo just "because"! So like I told Sue, don't fret if 1.1.0 sets in...you're properly armed and can fight back if you need to protect yourself.

Also, I can't exactly gauge where you are at the moment, but remember: once you're rooted with the 1.0.1 firmware, you can (theoretically) turn wifi off -> download ROM Manager on your PC -> move it to an sdcard, and then install it on the Nook -> make a full backup -> download the rooted 1.1 ROM -> and FINALLY (hallelujah!) install it, giving you a rooted 1.1 device! So the steps to dealing with 1.1 are within reach...sort of...

-Matt

 

[darmeen]

I know it's been an ordeal for you (WHY are you trying to PROVE Murphy's Law!??!??!??!!), but it's not uncommon to either (a) mess up and redo, or (b) redo just "because"! So like I told Sue, don't fret if 1.1.0 sets in...you're properly armed and can fight back if you need to protect yourself.

Also, I can't exactly gauge where you are at the moment, but remember: once you're rooted with the 1.0.1 firmware, you can (theoretically) turn wifi off -> download ROM Manager on your PC -> move it to an sdcard, and then install it on the Nook -> make a full backup -> download the rooted 1.1 ROM -> and FINALLY (hallelujah!) install it, giving you a rooted 1.1 device! So the steps to dealing with 1.1 are within reach...sort of...

-Matt

I agree Matt...I don't think he has to worry about turning wifi back on until he is fully updated...it can all be done via pc to nook connection for transferring files.

 

[gadgetrants]

Vic, have a link to ROM Manager ready?...I'm guessing Koush hosts it on his website? (Don't I sound all knowledgeable and "with it"?!!!)

-Matt

 

[darmeen]

Vic, have a link to ROM Manager ready?...I'm guessing Koush hosts it on his website? (Don't I sound all knowledgeable and "with it"?!!!)

-Matt

There is a megauploads link at the top of the thread http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/nook-color-technical/6386-how-installing-using-clockworkmod-rom-manager-nandroid-backup-custom-kernels.html