How to Root the Pre for Dummies

[PreGk]

I followed the instructions and successfully created a username and password. I'm able to login on putty, but whenever I try to execute anything, it says permission denied, or "are you root?", etc. how can I get past this?


EDIT:Nevermind, had to type sudo -i

[MOE-GUNZ]

A step by step video on youtube will be great for people lol

[cell128]

Main Page - WebOS Internals
makes it super easy to root
it took my about 5 minutes to root my new exchanged pre over usb
i think i only copied n pasted like 3 times

[hotrock85]

I go bored and made a youtube video if anyone else needs help."How to root your Palm Pre step by step" YouTube - How to Root Palm Pre Step by Step

[jspin72]

Originally Posted by peestandingup

No need to act like its some exclusive club. The more people you get doing this stuff the better.

Besides, even if you bork something, all you gotta do is a re-install using Palms restore app. You guys act like a mistake could possible destroy the universe. Its not a big deal.

it's not about an "exclusive club", it's about protecting people from rendering their phone useless. you make it sound like a re-install is something that anyone could do AND you assume that app is even accessible after they hose the os. if they can't follow the simple rooting directions, how can you expect them to re-install?

as for the argument of getting more people to root their phone, do you really think users who struggle to figure out rooting are going to contribute much other than "I typed rm -r * and now nothing works, what do I do?".

[dhcalva]

The only things I'd really want to root mine for would be the 'Roam Only' control, launcher pages, message forwarding, and maybe to change the startup images.

After playing with a friend's Pre, I can't wait to pick one up this weekend.

[antmon1]

Originally Posted by hotrock85

I go bored and made a youtube video if anyone else needs help."How to root your Palm Pre step by step" YouTube - How to Root Palm Pre Step by Step

thanks very much for this.... i would like to try this out so i can modify the camera app, msg forwarding, etc.

[west3man]

Originally Posted by jspin72

it's not about an "exclusive club", it's about protecting people from rendering their phone useless. you make it sound like a re-install is something that anyone could do AND you assume that app is even accessible after they hose the os. if they can't follow the simple rooting directions, how can you expect them to re-install?

as for the argument of getting more people to root their phone, do you really think users who struggle to figure out rooting are going to contribute much other than "I typed rm -r * and now nothing works, what do I do?".

That's a lot of assumption and condescension.

Some of us are capable, but cautious. According to some, some of the directions are lacking.

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by dhcalva

The only things I'd really want to root mine for would be the 'Roam Only' control, launcher pages, message forwarding, and maybe to change the startup images.

After playing with a friend's Pre, I can't wait to pick one up this weekend.

You don't need to 'root your phone' (a phrase which has no sensible meaning anyway, cause the phone already comes with a root login, and Palm provides official instructions and tools to allow you to access that root login) to do any of those things.

Just use WebOS Quick Install and Preware.

-- Rod

[savedaaron]

I recently dropped my Pre and cracked the screen and as a result of not having backed up my info via usb, I have not been able to recover my pictures and my most recent contacts.
However, I read on a post that if I had "rooted" my Pre that I could recover the info even though My screen was unusable.
I don't know much about Linux.

Is there a better way for the technically stupid such as myself?

[res0p9px]

I am a pc/network technician over about 3000 pc and macs, i program brocade and hp switches, i edit pgm in vis basic. But helloooooo, i didn't wake up yesterday and instinctively know how to root my pre. Yes someone who has no idea how do do anything like write a batch file or run command line should not be hacking their pre. But at least 50% of my day i find my answers on google. So ya, someone should write instructions about how to begin the process of rooting a pre... maybe i will do it as soon as i figure it out.

[rwhitby]

Originally Posted by res0p9px

I am a pc/network technician over about 3000 pc and macs, i program brocade and hp switches, i edit pgm in vis basic. But helloooooo, i didn't wake up yesterday and instinctively know how to root my pre. Yes someone who has no idea how do do anything like write a batch file or run command line should not be hacking their pre. But at least 50% of my day i find my answers on google. So ya, someone should write instructions about how to begin the process of rooting a pre... maybe i will do it as soon as i figure it out.

Actually, there's no such thing as "rooting a Pre". The Pre comes from the factory with the Linux root account accessible in developer mode.

http://install.preware.org/ is what you're looking for.

-- Rod

[windzilla]

l think there are some missconceptions here about rooting and what is needed and what it means.


read rods post for a more informed post, and then for those interested in using these patches and homebrew check this thread.

http://www.precentral.net/how-add-ho...hes-and-themes

and

http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pr...es-themes.html

also to backup your pre without rooting

http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pr...-pre-pixi.html


now I'm not saying everyone in the thread or the op are confusing rooting the pre with your computer and using dev mode for patches and homebrew, I'm just making sure the uninnitiated don't get sent down the wrong road.

[konsole]

If my phone can be rooted I expect a security patch pronto! :-p
Thank you Palm for giving us developer mode and terminal access to our devices so that we do not have to "root" anything.