Classic Questions about softrooting

[PG4003]

I've been reading a lot about softrooting the Nook, but I'm still apprehensive about it. I also have a Kindle and I hacked it very easily, didn't bother me at all, but for some reason, the instructions for the Nook sound more "scarey" to someone who is not highly skilled. The only reason I'm interested in softrooting it is to get some type of organization system, and I've heard that this is possible if you softroot. I'm afraid B&N is going to come out with a Nook 2 pretty soon, and they aren't interested in providing any updates for current Nook users.

My Nook serial number starts with 1002, software version is 1.4.0. I've heard you should NOT softroot a Nook with a serial number starting with 1003. Is there the same danger when the serial number starts with 1002 like mine does?

If I did softroot it, is there an application that will give me an organization/file system for my books?

Can someone who has done this give me any encouragement? I'm proficient enough to do hacks and stuff like that, but I'm not a programmer or anywhere near that knowledgeable, like a lot of these people are.

SO....I would appreciate hearing your experiences, or maybe lead me to a site that can explain it in simple terms. I've looked at Nookdevs.com, is that the best place?

Thank you so much,
Patricia

[cybrdmn]

Go ahead and try it Patricia, it's pretty easy. Read the instructions at NookDevs, you can always just put the 1.4 official version back on your Nook

[hlastras]

No problem softrooting it.
Just follow the instructions. You get a better 'my books' and a kind of file manager. Plus a few utilities and a few games...

[chas0039]

I just did this softroot last week and there are only a few things you need to know that are not clear. Otherwise, the nookLibrary turns the crap data sort system into something from the 21st century; well worth the effort. Your version serial number has no issues.

First, follow the instructions for the softroot absolutely. For example, you might wonder if you need to delete the first signed data file from the internal card before you add the external SD card with the 2.4.1 data file. It deletes itself. Second, after rooting you will have the new application launcher and a few apps; don't do anything untill you REBOOT the nook. It appears to be working and done, but it isn't. You hold down any of the icons for a second or two to get to the add-delete menu options.

Now you have to go through the mess to get the nookLibrary app installed. This means you have to get the ADB over USB app from nookdev and install it on your computer. It comes, missing the main ingredient so you need to start it and download the 1.5 application and set all the computer shell settings and such as indicated on the info page.

No you need to get Android Commander here and get it to talk to ADB. When you are finally there, you need to have the nookLibrary app from here and finally, with you nook plugged in, you have to figure out how to get Commander to install the nookLibrary (rather tricky) as an update.

I'll keep an eye on this page so let me know if you follow through and I will add more detailed steps for the last part. It is well worth it.

[PG4003]

Thank you for responding, you are the first person who actually tried to explain anything to me. I don't know, I'm going to have to read over your instructions tomorrow when my head is clearer because I'm already lost at the part where you talk about the ADB over USB app from nookdev and install it on your computer shell settings and such as indicated on the info page.

Then when you start talking about Android Commander and getting it to talk to ADB....whoa, I'm totally lost. Haven't figured out yet what ADB is...

Seriously it'll probably be a few days before I'm ready to tackle something like this, if I even decide to do it. I just might have to hope that B&n is going to give us an update with some organizational capabilities.

[chas0039]

As I said, it is worth it. After you see the differences, you will wonder how B&N could have been so obtuse. One of the most fun parts is getting all the color covers for yout non-B&N sideloaded books. I can zip through my 1400+ books in just a few minutes.

I am far from an expert, although I have been involved in computers since the pre-IBM days. If you want to follow through I will be glad to guide you through the process step-by-step. It works well once you get started, but the instructions are sorely out of date and missing a ton of what they must assume is obvious. I made plenty of mistakes and I can get you through what I did.

[PG4003]

Thank you, I appreciate you answering my post. I think I'm just going to wait and see if B&N gives us an update that includes an organization system.

[Care]

I don't know what ADB is either and I softrooted my nook no problem. I just did the original soft root via the NookDevs site. Is ADB a better way to organize your library? Maybe Chas can explain why you need it.

I love my rooted nook just the way it is. I use Calibre to make my tags, but I use a lot of side loaded books so my library is organized the way I want. When I make my tags I put a * in front of them so mine are first and easy to find.

[chas0039]

Originally Posted by Care

I don't know what ADB is either and I softrooted my nook no problem. I just did the original soft root via the NookDevs site. Is ADB a better way to organize your library? Maybe Chas can explain why you need it.

I love my rooted nook just the way it is. I use Calibre to make my tags, but I use a lot of side loaded books so my library is organized the way I want. When I make my tags I put a * in front of them so mine are first and easy to find.

ADB is explained here. It is needed to load any applications into a softrooted nook. If you just softroot and don't update to the newer versions of apps or add any other applications, you don't need it. Unfortunately, the new version of the nookLibrary app, the main reason I softrooted, is not included in the basic softroot. If you never added SDK over USB, then you still have the old nookLibrary 1.0 and are missing quite a lot.

[:D ominik]

Trook is included and you can use it to install applications. Using Trook you can also install nookMarket and use this to add apps instead of Trook.

[donob10]

chas0039

chas, I'm not sure you got the latest download from nookdev. The library and most other things one might want are part of the package. I have quoted the web page below. So it's not too complicated to get a lot of good stuff.


What's in the Softroot

* ADB over USB. For more information see: ADB Over USB
* NookLibrary 0.1.0 - Allows for better organization of sideloaded books with enhanced sorting abilities.
* NookBrowser 0.0.9 - Predates the official browser, some different functionality.
* NookFileManager 0.0.2 - Allows you to deal with filesystem operations without needing ADB.
* Nooklets (rev:3) - Allows for mini javascript/web games to be easily made for the nook.
* Trook (rev:68) - RSS Reader, Allows syncing with Calibre
* mynook.ru Launcher - This allows for 3rd party applications to be installed and executed.
* Non-Market App Fixes - The Android system was modified to allow non-market apps to be install/upgraded
* Helper Scripts - A minimal amount of helper scripts have been written to help with Softroot/ROM upgrades.



Read more: http://nookdevs.com/Softroot#ixzz12v7glgKb
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike

You do need to use adb if you want to load additional stuff. But it isn't that hard to use. I have added a few apps without too much trouble.
You did get my curiosity up about Android Commander. It looks useful. I downloaded and installed it. But it keeps on saying NO Device Found even though I have use adb to see the device in the same condition. The web page for Android Commander talks about enabling USB communication on the device, nook in our case. I know one form of USB communication is enabled since adb sees all the files. Do you set something so that Android Commander thinks the nook is listening?

Droid explorer looks similar to Android Commander, but I have the same problem with it.

Don

[chas0039]

Originally Posted by donob10

chas0039

chas, I'm not sure you got the latest download from nookdev. The library and most other things one might want are part of the package. I have quoted the web page below. So it's not too complicated to get a lot of good stuff.


What's in the Softroot

* ADB over USB. For more information see: ADB Over USB
* NookLibrary 0.1.0 - Allows for better organization of sideloaded books with enhanced sorting abilities.
* NookBrowser 0.0.9 - Predates the official browser, some different functionality.
* NookFileManager 0.0.2 - Allows you to deal with filesystem operations without needing ADB.
* Nooklets (rev:3) - Allows for mini javascript/web games to be easily made for the nook.
* Trook (rev:68) - RSS Reader, Allows syncing with Calibre
* mynook.ru Launcher - This allows for 3rd party applications to be installed and executed.
* Non-Market App Fixes - The Android system was modified to allow non-market apps to be install/upgraded
* Helper Scripts - A minimal amount of helper scripts have been written to help with Softroot/ROM upgrades.



Read more: http://nookdevs.com/Softroot#ixzz12v7glgKb
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike

You do need to use adb if you want to load additional stuff. But it isn't that hard to use. I have added a few apps without too much trouble.
You did get my curiosity up about Android Commander. It looks useful. I downloaded and installed it. But it keeps on saying NO Device Found even though I have use adb to see the device in the same condition. The web page for Android Commander talks about enabling USB communication on the device, nook in our case. I know one form of USB communication is enabled since adb sees all the files. Do you set something so that Android Commander thinks the nook is listening?

Droid explorer looks similar to Android Commander, but I have the same problem with it.

Don

You missed what I was talking about from earlier posts. I have not had any problems getting ADB and Android Commander. I was just responding to a question as to what it was for. As for the comment about Trook, that was my oversight as I don't have wifi so any thing I do has to be USB.

Otherwise, if you look at what I was saying and what you posted, you will see that nookLibraty included in softrooting is still the old version. There are HUGE improvements in the current version, so one way or another, it is something I think people will want to install.

As for your Android connect problem, there are a few environment commands you have to enter and Android asks during the start up to point to the correct directory. Look again at the instructions and make sure you followed all the steps. This is the best I can suggest as I am no where near being an expert.

Actually, I think that plain ADB over USB is simpler. Android Commander has no documentation at all and you can do a lot of damage before you figure out what works and what doesn't. It is far from intuitive.

[donob10]

Chas

I agree. I misread the contents of the SoftRoot package. It was nooklibrary 0.1.0 and 0.1.3 is the good one. My memory failed me. I was just trying to make the point that you don't need to work too hard to make things nice. I forgot (midsept, forever ago for my braincells), the first thing I did after softrooting was install nookMarket using ADB. After nookMarket was in place I just touched apps I wanted and they were installed in a wink.

I agree ADB isn't bad at all but it tends to off some people. Also I've read lots of difficulties with Android Commander and Droid Explorer. I really think I like QtADB best http://androidforums.com/android-lou...ows-linux.html It seems to make it harder to break things.

There are lots of notes about getting Android Commander to see a device but I think I'm back burnerring that effort.

QtABD worked first shot.

Don

[revfish]

I saw this article just now and was wondering if this could be modified for the nook.

http://lifehacker.com/5642797/univer...cking-required

[Tom2112]

Hello folks! I see this conversation about softrooting is almost a conversation about added features and the lack of features on the straight-from-B&N nook.

Well, I just bought a nook tonight. I've owned it for about 3 hours. And I have to say that in it's current state, it is going back to B&N tomorrow.

What are my gripes? Here you go:

1. The library organization stinks!
2. The device doesn't not "regenerate" the My Documents list after I unplug it from my PC (unlike the manual promises that it does).
3. The device does not "regenerate" the My Documents list after a hard reset either. How the heck am I supposed to get rid of ebooks that I delete off my device?
4. The support for ebooks NOT purchased from B&N is pretty weak. (lack of format support - no TXT or RTF?!? - no LIT?)
5. So far it won't recognize any .PDB files I've loaded onto it. Yet, those same files work in Calibre and Stanza.
6. You have to pop the case to get at the SD card and it's a microSD card rather than a full size SD.

OK, you're probably thinking that on #4 and #6 that I didn't do my homework before buying - and you're right. I must have gone glassy-eyed over the touch screen or something and missed those important points before I purchased. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maximus culpa. OK? There it is. But the fact is that those are features that I want.

SO...
The big question I have is: will softrooting my nook fix any or all of my gripes - or should I return the nook tomorrow?