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As root is triggering knox, I would like to ask: Can I do everything root does through USB and ADB terminal?

What are the things I won't be able to do that root gives me?

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  • Well, rooting allows you to 1) view data on /data (all apps+data etc.), 2) modify that data, 3) full control over your device's soft- and hardware.
    – GiantTree
    Sep 4, 2015 at 21:41
  • @GiantTree Can I do that with ADB terminal?
    – The Quantum Physicist
    Sep 4, 2015 at 21:42
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    Quantum, root is a user in Android having supreme privileges to do anything. ADB doesn't grant you rights enough to compare with root or system user. In short, there is no replacement for root access.
    – Firelord ♦
    Sep 4, 2015 at 21:50
  • @Firelord But can't I access system directories with ADB? For example, solving Proximity Sensor problems can be done through ADB while people changed some entries in the linux root's /sys/devices/... that will change the default offset of the sensor value. I haven't done this with ADB but I saw some tutorials suggesting that, while I did it from the terminal emulator using root. Are you saying ADB doesn't allow me to access system directories at all?
    – The Quantum Physicist
    Sep 4, 2015 at 22:17
  • ADB is a bridge. It itself is nothing more, though certain user privileges of it exists around it which are higher than an average user in terminal emulator on device has. Now which system directories are you talking about? See their permissions using ls -l. /sys can be read by anyone.
    – Firelord ♦
    Sep 4, 2015 at 22:25

1 Answer 1

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If you need to do something that requires root privileges, your device must be rooted.

You can't circumvent this via ADB because what ADB does is to provide a shell on your host machine through which you can run commands on the Android device. So essentially you are running commands on your device through your PC. Hence you can't do anything that requires root privileges just because you are doing it via ADB.

Once it is rooted, it doesn't matter whether the commands requiring superuser privileges are run from a terminal emulator or ADB or say, an SSH session.

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  • agree with your words. in one line answer "root make you owner " . more precisely, you may able to uninstall google play /Gmail /camera etc i.e like a custom Rom your own defined apps control..
    – Avinash Ajay Pandey
    Sep 5, 2015 at 6:42

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