Do you root or do you go straight to ROMs?
I always rooted but I stopped cuz it’s such a hassle these days. All my apps stop working and magisk is not as good as it used to be since the guy went to work for Google.
The dev now work at google ? Ironic
@AnActOfCreation @TheEighthDoctor Oh damn. Didn’t know he got a job at Google 😂
My priorities:
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Blocking ads and protecting privacy.
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Being able to accomplish the task on my phone.
Literally every phone has its priorities out of whack and I have to fix it myself.
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I stopped to root my phone when I switched to GrapheneOS and learned that root compromised the security model of android. Life is good now
Well, yes, breaking the security model is the whole point. The security model prevents things you might want to do, like using the hosts file as a denylist (adblocking). On the other hand, a malicious app writing the hosts file would allow an attacker to impersonate websites and services. HTTPS wouldn’t save you either since they could add malicious certificates.
Ideally, we’d have ways to open much smaller holes in the security model; an ACL could allow an app to write just the one special file or directory it actually needs rather than giving it completely unrestricted access.
Rooted yes, custom rom no (pixel 7). But on previous phones, custom rom once the manufacturers stops providing updates. Using Magisk, all my banking, Netflix, McDonald’s, etc still works because I have it hidden from those apps. Root apps I use are things like adaway, wireguard module (not using android vpn), sshfs, 3c toolbox, tasker. And generally having root shell access to do whatever I want to do.
Do you happen to have some resources or links re sshfs? Once I found an app which supports mounting over sshfs but it is barely documented and iirc required passwordless ssh keys to work :(
I’m using the EasySSHFS package from F-Droid. Similar to mounting on Linux, you must create a folder as the mount point. For example, on my phone I first manually made the folder called /storage/self/primary/mnt in a local root terminal in connectbot (create a connection, protocol local, type in “su” to become root, grant access when prompted, then type “mkdir /storage/self/primary/mnt” to create the directory)
In the EasySSHFS new connection setup, i put that path in the seventh field on the form. In the sixth field is the path on the remote server that you wish to mount, for example /home/khorak
In the other fields give the username and password (or key file)
The last field contains the mount options, I did not need to change them but you can if needed.
EasySSHFS needs to be allowed root access.
Once you mount, the folder created previously at /storage/self/primary/mnt will contain the contents of the remote server. In my case, using this path makes it appear like it is on the sdcard in android. I can watch videos using VLC or listen to mp3 songs etc as if they are local on my phone.
I’m married and old and unattractive. I’m not rooting ANYONE.
because it’s goddamn usefull. To theme my phone,block ads, have an iptables based firewall and bypass cencorship with (dpi tunnel ). I can’t imagine using an unrooted phone. I was never a fan of immutable distros anyway
My old phones always end up getting rooted out of boredom just to see what it can do and stuff, but I don’t really fuck with my daily driver just in case something fucks up and I don’t want to worry about my phone not working for some reason.
Same. Once I replace my Pixel 7 with a new phone I have moved all important stuff off from it, I will slap LineageOS or grapheneOS on it.
I have been rooting my phones since android 7. I like rooting my phone because
- it allows me to block ads without a VPN or a DNS (AdAway)
- I can install apps from fdroid like I am installing from google play store, I don’t have to manually install an app.
- I use NeoBackup to backup apps with app data. *I use revanced (I know I can use the non-root version but why install an extra app (microg) that runs in background).
- I can disable tracking/telemetry of individual apps by disabling their activity component.
So, I would say rooting is a big deal for me and banking apps still works.
I can install apps from fdroid like I am installing from google play store, I don’t have to manually install an app.
On that note, is the opposite possible? As in, every installation has to be manually confirmed and executed, no matter from where?
I think aurora Store (3rd party foss playstore) can do that but official play store can’t.
@AnActOfCreation With magisk you can hide root but not sure if it works for RCS?
Just because fuck you google
I just go with lineage on every phone. It’s easier to already be on lineage when security updates stop instead of reaching that point and then having to reset my phone and jump ship to stay updated.
My old Pixel 2 had been out of official security updates for a long time and Google only guaranteed security updates to pixel 5 until last year. I’ll probably still be on pixel 5 for a few more years since every new one past that seems to be even bigger.
I should probably consider this the next time I upgrade.
This might be a stupid question but I am so far out of the rom game that I have no clue. Does lineage or others support copying data over from a current phone either from stock or same os? I’ve been rocking pixels and nexus before it and it’s gotten so easy to move to a new phone with 90%+ of apps and data just being ready to go.
I’m pretty sure I was able to use the Google account phone backup (I think it’s called Google one) to restore apps, home screen, and other things since I’m not committed to degoogling yet. I guess flashing gapps brings the cloud backup section into the android settings and that’s been super useful. It reinstalls apps from play store and supposedly includes app data, sms/MMS, and device settings, though i remember always having to re log into a bunch of apps still.
I think there’s also a local transfer wizard when doing the first time setup after flashing but I can’t remember what the compatibility is for that or whether you need gapps to get that option.
Thanks for the info. I have some older pixels that I can play around with. Time to get back to geeking out with roms.
It’s worth discussing at least. I used to be a big fan of flashing custom software, kernels, recoveries, etc.
At some point though, it started becoming more and more of a hassle to get a phone with an unlockable bootloader to work with my mobile network operator. Limited choices of I even had one.
Then all the banking and p2p apps stopped being easy to use while rooted, so we had to hide root from those apps. Then that got harder and harder.
Meanwhile the custom features that I used to want became mostly standard within Android.
At this point, I don’t really bother with rooting anymore because there’s little that I need it for but lots of hassle involved in having it. Now Google is blocking RCS messages from being delivered to rooted phones.
So if Android is now basically iOS with how much it’s locked down from modification, why not just get an iPhone with better features I care about (their cameras and photo software) and better long-term updates? What is it that Google is even aiming for with Android now? If they’re going to be hostile to users owning their own hardware, then maybe the OS should see more than a single line item change for a major version (android 14). I don’t feel like Google has made any meaningful additions to the OS in a decade+ now.
Meanwhile the custom features that I used to want became mostly standard within Android.
See, I’m the opposite.
I never used to flash ROMs or root my phone until Android 11. I won’t tolerate a device that tells me what I can’t and can’t access in the file explorer. I won’t accept an Android OS that removes features I used and puts up barriers.
This is more or less how I feel. I haven’t rooted in years, though I have installed non-root ROMs to extend support.
Google’s SafetyNet stuff is simply unreasonable, and a shameless power-grab. I’m so tired of software and websites trying to control what I do with my own goddamn hardware and software “for my safety”.
It’s gotten to the point where the “security” features actively hamper my security, because they leave me unable to improve it. e.g. my banking app would rather I be on an unsecured wireless network than have me use a reputable VPN. Their web site would rather have me expose myself to malvertising than run an ad blocker. They’d rather have me running an outdated OS with heaps of known security vulnerabilities than run a fully patched LineageOS. They’d rather I use my carrier’s unsecured DNS than DOH. And heaven forbid I block trackers!
Nevertheless, I stick with Android because there are still lots of things I value that I still can’t do on an iPhone. No, I don’t download torrents on my phone very often, but I’ve needed to in the past and will likely need to again at some point, so I’m not going to buy a phone that doesn’t let me install benign apps just because I might use them to download things they don’t want me to download.
The whole industry is user-hostile, but Android is still less hostile than iOS.
I wish Microsoft had stayed in the mobile space. That competition might have changed things for the better.
Now we have a duopoly.
To be fair, Microsoft is one of the most aggressive at checking for root on Android devices. They’re not the good guys here.
@APassenger @GenderNeutralBro I was interested in the mobile Windows 8 back in the day. So I found and bought a used cheap Nokia phone to check it out. I ended up using it as my primary for a few months. The Nokia and Windows were both fantastic! I didn’t stay with it because there were no apps. The Windows store was a stinking infested cesspool of awful and/or malicious apps so I resold it.
Perfectly well said.
It’s infuriating to have to split a banking app off the VPN tunnel because they deem that secure. Or that 2FA over SMS which is inherently insecure and spoofable is acceptable and REQUIRED versus an RSA key or authenticator app.
It’s pushing me into grumpy old man territory quickly. My bank swapped to some of these requirements for their app last year so now I phone in on an international VOIP number over VPN and can do all my banking. It’s absolutely insane that’s its an acceptable form of communication over my secure device in my hand, but it’s easier to call the line like an octagenerian, give them digits off of a debit card, and be able to wire money in and out and around all my accounts. I see why scammers have such an easy time.
@TechNerdWizard42 @GenderNeutralBro “like an octogenarian” lmao!!!
Isn’t it almost like there’s an entity with a singular motive to strip you off your agency, privacy, and control over your own property?
It’s called Greed
I don’t want bloatware and Google services on my phone. I want to install magisk modules and use root. If a phone doesn’t allow unlocking bootloader and doesn’t have decent custom rom (or GSI) support, there’s no way I’m buying it.
I stopped running custom ROMs when two things came together:
- I stopped buying Samsung stuff with their then-godawful UI. I still don’t like their current one, but hey, they improved a lot, I give them that.
- Cyanogen self-destructed a wee bit, and it took some time for Lineage to take up many devices I had around.
Once I had dropped off, I just could not be arsed picking it up any more. Too much hassle with Netflix and shit, too much effort for ~0 gain. I just need my phone to work, it’s a tool not a religion.
Personally I would stop installing custom ROMs if the DAMN MANUFACTURER STOPPED SHOVING GOOGLE DOWN MY THROAT
@Hiro8811 You no likely things in throat?
Of course I don’t
When I was rooting/flashing custom ROMs I was spending a lot of time tinkering or debugging issues. I could deal with forgoing bank apps, Netflix, etc but I stopped in the end after cyanogenmod had an issue that meant emergency calls would soft reboot the phone. It made me realise my phone was an appliance not a hobby, I need to be able to rely on it and not be wondering if something won’t work because of the ROM I have installed or because it’s rooted.
LineageOS has needed exactly zero tinkering from me on the last three phones I’ve had.
I hear this all the time from people: “I used to root/flash and it was a hassle so I stopped.” And yet they still talk about it as if they’re doing it now.
What you remember is not how it currently is. Graphene and Lineage are stable ROMs. It’s not this nightmare people keep claiming it is
Possibly, the last time I flashed an OS was 2019 and I lost a lot of features that i had on the stock rom and had a lot of battery life and lag issues.
People said the same thing about custom ROM stability and ease of use 10 years ago.
What you remember is not how it currently is.
That’s funny considering you also wrote this elsewhere in the thread:
I never used to flash ROMS or root my phone until Android 11.
So you actually have no idea what you are talking about since you literally didn’t experience it…
Do they need that experience? Having had both experiences I do agree it’s much easier now. Even if your only experience is recent, if someone says they stopped because of how hard it was it’s valid to say how hard it isn’t any longer
It’s certainly easier vs getting the original rom from sammobile or so and the flashing it with odin and praying it works and you didnt download spyware from whatdoiknow pages.
But phones are so highly intergrated into our lives nowadays I can’t risk it not working.
I rely on it for 2FA which is so highly important and I don’t need it bricking regardless of how stable it is.
Secondary phones are a free target for me but I won’t fuck with my daily driver.
@deweydecibel @peter Agreed! I’ve recently been trying roms on a Pixel 7 and it’s nothing like the dark ages. Just READ the install guide, make sure your computer is configured properly, and follow the steps. I’ve ran Graphene, Calyx, and Lineage on my P7. The only problems I’ve had were related to something I didn’t do correctly. Stop, READ, rinse, and repeat. Modern rooms are fantastic and they let you regain control of your device.
