mdziaf | # 1 | 2011-01-10, 16:01 | Report

Hi there,

I am trying to root my friend's N900 to install preenv. The following describes the method I used and the problem I faced trying while trying to root the device.

1. I installed the rootsh application on the N900
2. Restarted the phone (don't know if it was necessary but did it anyways)
3. Opened XTerminal, and typed in
A password prompt was given. Tried typing "user" and 12345 and a few others but still wasn't right.

However, if I close and reopen Xterminal, and type in
no password prompt was given. but doing an apt-get install would give "unable to lock the admin directory"

I'm quite new to the linux world, but theres a few questions that is on my mind.

• Shouldn't the rootsh remove the password prompt when sudo gainroot is typed?

• Shouldn't the two codes (sudo gainroot) and (root) be the same?

• Why does one asks for a password and the other doesn't?

• Is the "Unable to lock the admin directory related to the fact that we weren't (in my definition) "fully rooted?

I also tried uninstalling rootsh through the app manager but it returned stating that rootsh was unable to uninstall. Any help and explanation is appreciated. Thanx


__
First thread, and 2nd post in forum , I hope I was clear about my query. I've also searched the forums, tried doing a , tried uninstalling rootsh, tried quite a few variety of password recommendations but to no avail.

ziggadebo | # 2 | 2011-01-10, 16:12 | Report

fnar fnar....sry very childish but always makes me laugh out loud.

michaaa62 | # 3 | 2011-01-10, 16:16 | Report

Warning, wild guess ahead: Did you install some other root-enabling package like sudser, open-ssh or other before, so that sudo gets modified somehow to ask for a password?

funkmunk | # 4 | 2011-01-10, 16:18 | Report

@michaaa62

I probably feel he installed open ssh because that is the only one that asks for a password i think.

mdziaf | # 5 | 2011-01-10, 16:20 | Report

actually no..my girlfriend's N900 is new. Got it 3 days ago..

aligatro | # 6 | 2011-01-10, 16:24 | Report

try sudo su. And sudo gainroot only works when your phone is in RD mode.

Mentalist Traceur | # 7 | 2011-01-10, 16:24 | Report

I'm guessing he has that other root package already installed. I never get sudo gainroot asking for a password.

Either way, only difference is root puts you in the /root directory. You can probably just use "root", then run "passwd root" (without the sudo, since you'd be root already) that way.

But I wouldn't be doing that for another person's N900, unless they've made it very clear that they're okay with you doing it.

- Edit -

"sudo gainroot" works just fine without RD mode. Just installing rootsh enables it.

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Last edited by Mentalist Traceur; 2011-01-10 at 16:26. Reason: Post before mine is wrong.

sjgadsby | # 8 | 2011-01-10, 16:25 | Report

Or if you install rootsh.

mdziaf | # 9 | 2011-01-10, 16:26 | Report

okay will give that a shot.
just out of curiosity,what do you mean by the phone is in RD mode?

aligatro | # 10 | 2011-01-10, 16:27 | Report

Service mode. Or debugging mode