Rooting my phone

The inspiration to use root access to eradicate the obnoxious noise came from this thread in the intercept forum.

The first challenge was to find the z4root program on the web since it got removed from android market (for some reason :-). I found many links, but there is always the question of how valid they are.

I compared the different binary copies to other versions obtained at various places around the web to at least make sure they were consistent.

I created an Apps directory on my SD card and uploaded the z4root apk file to the card using the web interface in the FileExpert app.

I modified Settings > Applications to say allow install of non-market apps. I modified Settings > Applications > Development to turn on usb debugging (which z4root needs).

I clicked on the z4root apk file in FileExpert and it offered to install it and I said yes.

I run z4root. I click on temporary root (which seems safer than permanently rooting the phone). It grinds away for a minute or two, then tells me I temporarily have root access till the next reboot.

I open up a local connection in ConnectBot and type:

su

I get a big warning that ConnectBot has requested root access asking if I should give it. Naturally I respond in the affirmative.

I type

mount

and find that /system is mounted read only on /dev/stl5.

I type

mount -o rw,remount /dev/stl5 /system

and get no complaint.

I type

mount

again and see that /system is indeed rw instead of ro.

I type

cd /system/etc
mv poweron.wav poweron1.wav
cd /system/media/audio/ui
mv shutdown.mp3 shutdown1.mp3
cd /
mount -o ro,remount /dev/stl5 /system

And now no one can tell I was in there tweaking things :-).

I exit the su shell, exit ConnectBot, and turn off the phone.

Blessed silence! The file renames have worked!

I turn back on the phone, silence at startup too! Oh frabjous day!

For good measure I get back in ConnectBot and verify that I no longer have root access.

The moral of the story: If they don't want folks rooting the phones, they shouldn't make the phones do obnoxious things you need root access to fix :-).