Tab 2 7.0 newbie root/util;ity/ROM management questions...

[Skiddz]

Brand new to this tablet thing. Wife won a Tab 2 7.0 Wifi (Only 8g) in some contest, had no interest in it so gave it to me. Didn't use it until a recent hospital stay and am finding it a quick and dirty way to do quick e-mail checks, browse my favorite forums etc...

As with my phone, computer, RC models etc, I'm always looking to tinker.. Just got the Jellybean 4.2.2 update via kies yesterday.. First step is to root the thing..

Is there a quickie utility available and if so, where can I find it?

After rooting, are there any ROM management, backup, CPU tuning etc apps that are "must haves"? i.e something like Safestrap, Titanium Backup etc.. that I run on my Android phone?

Looking forward to tweaking this thing...

Thanks!

[Skiddz]

OK, found ODIN3 and used that to root, got CWM recovery 6.0.2.3 installed and my current ROM backed up.

SuperUser says I'm good to go.

Want to install the touch version of CWM recovery and have an IMG file I downloaded directly, but am getting nowhere in trying to figure out how to install it.

CWM's ROM manager won't let me use that to install it and I don't see manual installation instructions on his site.

[Molle]

Maybe you could give TWRP a go:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1696176

I'm using it with my Tab Pro.

[Skiddz]

Somehow that got added as well. I see it listed in CWM's ROM Manager.. The CWM stuff is working, I was hoping to get the touch version going, but have no idea how to do a manual install of the IMG file I downloaded from the CWM website.

What's a good file explorer/manager that'll allow me to dig deep into the file system?

[Skiddz]

More frustration than satisfaction at this point...

Still trying to install the touch version of CWM recovery but nothing I do seems to get me anywhere. Heimdall throws the missing MSVCR110.dll error even though I've installed the proper Visual C++ redistributable and can see the file in the Windows/System32 folder. Copying the file to the same folder as the Heimdall executable doesn't fix it.

ADB can see the device, but evidently there's no fastboot mode in the tablet so I can't use that to install the image..

I've read a couple dozen web pages about how to make this happen, but all I seem to be doing is downloading and installing software which isn't doing anything helpful.

I'm able to drag and drop files between the PC and the tablet just fine, Kies is working just fine as well..

This really shouldn't be this difficult..... WTF am I missing here?

[Skiddz]

Arghh..

Turns out Heimdall doesn't like the 64 bit VC++ redist.. 32 bit did the trick and I was able to do a sideload install of everything...

Sheesh..