Nook ST - what is the latest on rooting?

[xendula]

Hi All,
I have never rooted a device and found different and, reading up on it yesterday, I found at times conflicting information on what to use to root the Nook ST. Can someone point me to the latest/ best way to do this?

I am asking because I picked up a Nook ST for $49 during the BF sale at Target, and would a) like to make sure I can back out of the root (?is that the right word even?) in case I don't like it and want to return the device. My motivation behind rooting it is that I read you can use the regular Google app store with it, meaning that I could put Overdrive and the Kindle/Kobo/Nook apps on it.

Is anyone here using their Nook ST like this? Can you switch back and forth between the Nook and the rooted interface? Does the micro SD card have to be empty when using it to backup and root the device, or I can I leave photos and music on it?

[livramax]

Originally Posted by xendula

Hi All,
I have never rooted a device and found different and, reading up on it yesterday, I found at times conflicting information on what to use to root the Nook ST. Can someone point me to the latest/ best way to do this?

I am asking because I picked up a Nook ST for $49 during the BF sale at Target, and would a) like to make sure I can back out of the root (?is that the right word even?) in case I don't like it and want to return the device. My motivation behind rooting it is that I read you can use the regular Google app store with it, meaning that I could put Overdrive and the Kindle/Kobo/Nook apps on it.

Is anyone here using their Nook ST like this? Can you switch back and forth between the Nook and the rooted interface? Does the micro SD card have to be empty when using it to backup and root the device, or I can I leave photos and music on it?

I rooted my NST (running firmware v1.1.2) using MinimalTouch method/tool, you can take a look at it to get a sense of what the rooting process entails and the end-state it yields. However, your NST might have firmware v1.2 (which was just recently released) in which case the rooting method/tool is still being ironed out.

To backup your NST prior to rooting it, I'd recommend the full-backup procedure described here. You can/should check the saved backup image by writing it to a SDcard and examine partition table of the card to see if it resembles the one described here.

[xendula]

Thanks livramax. I checked out the links and now feel a bit discouraged. There a few acronyms and words that sound foreign to me I am a complete first timer at this.
Do you know of something that is maybe a bit more idiotproof?

My Nook is as of yet still unopened, as I was not sure if setting it up with my account would add steps to the rooting process.

[toyfj40]

Originally Posted by xendula

I picked up a Nook ST for $49 during the BF sale at Target,

like to make sure I can back out of the root.

I, too, got a Nook-ST at Target for $50.

I read several Internet/news/info articles and prefer to NOT print
on paper or read on the screen... I found that preparing a .pdf
file of my daily reads works well for me...

I happened upon a 'root NST' article and tried it...
and mine would not boot-up... likely several errors, but the
primary one was the article did NOT mention to apply "rooting"
to particular softwareOS-versions... mine was v1.0.1 and the
rooting was to be applied to v1.1.0

I was disappointed in losing my Nook, but understood it was my fault.

however, I lucked upon a solution to ReInstall the Android system
via the microSD card and now have my Nook running again as v1.1.0

I would still like to "root" it, just for the gMail and (limited) surfing
but still be able to use the crisp E'ink display to read my daily news.

I will search for a method to prepare a microSD card with the
Android system on it and when I insert the card, it will boot and
run from the card... allowing me to play/learn/modify the system
while running from the card-only... then shutdown/remove the card
and reBoot the Nook to restore the normal eReader...

so, go ahead and open your package, it forces you to 'register'
before it does anything!, so have your BN.com "user id" set up
from their website (use gMail.com if you can as it makes the
android marketplace easier to use -- so I hear, I've only loaded
via the microSD -or- usb cable from my Win-netbook)

enjoy and you can search for many Free-titles and articles as
.pdf files (or make them yourself by SaveAs from your word processor)
and load them onto the Nook-ST to view them...

I found one site that is well formatted and helpful for Nooks
http://NookDevs.com/
they have a section for the ST and rooting info.

Yes, rooting "can be" reversed... but it would depend upon the
method and how much you modified as rooted...

[livramax]

Originally Posted by xendula

Thanks livramax. I checked out the links and now feel a bit discouraged. There a few acronyms and words that sound foreign to me I am a complete first timer at this.
Do you know of something that is maybe a bit more idiotproof?

There is no error-proof rooting method that I know of, but I think it's fairly safe to experiment since there is a method to completely backup your NST (which I had referenced) and it is fairly straight forward, basically:

• Write an image of noogie to a SD
• Boot your NST with the noogie SD inside
• Connect the NST to your laptop/PC
• Save the NST image to your laptop/PC (and archive it to DVD for safe backup).

My Nook is as of yet still unopened, as I was not sure if setting it up with my account would add steps to the rooting process.

You should go ahead and setup the BN account, as it does not add complication to the rooting process.

[xendula]

Thank you both. I finally ripped the packaging open and got to my Nook (never waited so long to unbox a gadget). It has firmware 1.0.1. I quickly disabled Wifi before it can install an update, and have been reading up on the links you sent and getting mentally ready for the task.

@Livramax, for 1.0.1, do your links and description still apply?
I read that 1.1.1 gave it better contrast and better speed, and you had 1.1.2, but since that is not the latest firmware now (you mentioned 1.2), what should I do?

Thanks in advance!

[dbc254]

I've updated my NST to 1.2 and then rooted it using tinynoot. OK, it's rooted now, but I get an error when trying to install apps. "Out of space, please clear some and try again." But there's nothing to "clear" as all my BN purchased books are sideloaded onto the sd card. There's NOTHING on the built-in storage space, yet it thinks there is. Arrrrrrrrrrgh!

[xendula]

dbc254, have you ever rooted anything before of is this your first time as well?

[livramax]

Originally Posted by xendula

Thank you both. I finally ripped the packaging open and got to my Nook (never waited so long to unbox a gadget). It has firmware 1.0.1. I quickly disabled Wifi before it can install an update, and have been reading up on the links you sent and getting mentally ready for the task.

@Livramax, for 1.0.1, do your links and description still apply?
I read that 1.1.1 gave it better contrast and better speed, and you had 1.1.2, but since that is not the latest firmware now (you mentioned 1.2), what should I do?

Thanks in advance!

I rooted my NST after I had updated it to 1.1.2 (which I seem to recall fixed some sudden freeze issue I and others had experienced). Overall I am pretty happy with my NST's current state: I have only loaded a handful of apps (Mantano eReader, Perfect Viewer, Accuweather, Opera Mobile, NPR-News, Wifi-Widget, ADB-Wireless-Widget, ES File Explorer, SearchMarket), but I like having the ease in finding and loading any Market app when needed.

From what I've read, the few feature enhancements of 1.2 over 1.1.2 are not important to me, and the kinks in rooting 1.2 are still being worked: basically one can root the NST but loading app is somewhat tedious (e.g., via ADB). As such I am currently not inclined to update to 1.2 and re-root my NST.

In your case, if you are anxious to root your NST I'd suggest that you investigate and consider updating to 1.1.2 before rooting. If not you can update to 1.2 and wait a bit until the process for rooting 1.2 gets further improved.

[xendula]

^Sorry I am so needy, but how can I update to 1.1.2 if the official firmware BN will try to push is 1.2? From your experience, how long may it take for the kinks of rooting from 1.2 will be ironed out? Does it usually take a few days/weeks/months?
And, can you switch back and forth between the regular Nook interface and the rooted one?

[livramax]

Originally Posted by xendula

^Sorry I am so needy, but how can I update to 1.1.2 if the official firmware BN will try to push is 1.2?

Try google for "nook_1_1_2_update.zip" (the size of the downloaded file should be 108,785,937 bytes, MD5 00b800229378a0b297960fc947c8690f).

From your experience, how long may it take for the kinks of rooting from 1.2 will be ironed out? Does it usually take a few days/weeks/months?

I am guessing at least weeks if not months. To get a feel for the progress you can hang out at the XDA Forums for Nook Touch.

And, can you switch back and forth between the regular Nook interface and the rooted one?

The two interfaces co-exist pretty nicely on my rooted 1.1.2. The hardware N button is used to wake up the Nook, and to bring up the stock interface (for some reason the BN Shop soft-button does not work very reliably on my NST); the rooted interface has its own set of soft-buttons on the side (which can be hidden away as needed) to call up its home screen, "turn off" the Nook, etc.

I don't know if the interface integration works the same way on a rooted 1.2.

[xendula]

^Awesome, thanks!!

[livramax]

FWIW, if you'd like to block automatic firmware updates (e.g., to 1.2) there is how-to info here.

[xendula]

Originally Posted by livramax

FWIW, if you'd like to block automatic firmware updates (e.g., to 1.2) there is how-to info here.

I don't understand -what do I do with the code?

[livramax]

Those "code" lines are: the adb 'pull' command you would use to retrieve the devicemanager.db from the NST to your PC, the sqlite3 'set' command to set the 'firmware update mode' key in the devicemanager.db to 'manual', and finally the adb 'push' command to put the edited devicemanager.db back to the NST.