[GUIDE] [NOOB Friendly] Root and Install TWRP on HTC One M9

KingInTheNorth · Mar 22, 2015

Mod information 2018-07-29
This method described below is outdated and following the guide might end in a bootloop if users are currently using the latest firmware.

This is a guide on how to root the HTC One M9.

Your M9 must have an unlocked bootloader. There is currently not a way to unlock the bootloader, so unless your phone comes with an unlocked bootloader, you will need to wait until HTC updates www.htcdev.com to unlock the M9 bootloader.

Video Guide: Video
Link to the correct TWRP to use thread by Captain_Throwback READ DISCLAIMERS!: http://xdaforums.com/one-m9/orig-development/recovery-twrp-touch-recovery-t3066720
Link to TWRP page in general: http://twrp.me/devices/htconem9.html
Link to correct SuperSU to flash: http://xdaforums.com/apps/supersu/2014-09-02-supersu-v2-05-t2868133

Unlocking the bootloader. (Thanks -markus-)
- Login into HTCdev
- Unlock Bootloader
- Get Started
- On "Select Your Device" Select "All Other Supported Models"
- Begin Unlock Bootloader
- Legal Terms "Proceed to Unlock Instructions
- On Phone pressing Volume Down + press Power to boot in "HTC download mode" (black Background)
- Connect Phone via USB
- CMD: fastboot oem get_identifier_token
- Copy and paste the token in Textfield "My Device Identifier Token:"
- You will receive an Email with "Unlock_code.bin
- CMD: fastboot flash unlocktoken Unlock_code.bin
- Press Volume Button to secelt Yes for Unlock bootloader

If your bootloader is unlocked, follow these steps.

Download and install ADB/Fastboot using 15 second ADB/Fastboot installer.
Plug in the One M9, enable USB debugging.
Open up command prompt, type
Code:
```
adb devices
```
Code:
```
adb reboot download
```
Code:
```
 fastboot flash recovery C:\Users\XDADev\Downloads\TWRP.img
```
Replace C:\Users\XDADev\Downloads\TWRP.img with the path where the twrp.img is located for you.
Power off your device. Now, to boot into recovery mode.
Press and hold Volume Down button, then press the Power button to switch on your phone and release it, but keep holding the Volume Down button.
Select boot to recovery on the screen that appears(bootloader)
Download SuperSU.zip
Make sure you have an SD Card in your phone, then do
Code:
```
adb push C:\Users\XDADev\Downloads\UPDATE-SuperSU-v2.46.zip /sdcard
```
Once again, replace C:\Users\XDADev\Downloads\UPDATE-SuperSU-v2.46.zip with your path.
On your device, click Install, then at the top of the screen it should say Internal Storage or SDCard. If it does not say SD Card, click it and change it to SD Card.
Now find SuperSU.zip, click on it, and swipe to flash it.
Once SuperSU is done flashing reboot the phone, and open up SuperSU. You are now rooted!

If this helped you, feel free to click Thanks below.

qbking77 · Mar 22, 2015

Awesome! Thanks, I'll get a quick tutorial video up once I get my hands on an M9

Captain_Throwback · Mar 22, 2015

FYI I'm pretty sure you can't root with the version of TWRP that's currently uploaded. It doesn't have writing to the system partition enabled. If you look in the recovery fstab, system is mounted as emmc.

You'll have to wait until an alternate version is uploaded for this to work. Someone will need to confirm whether rooting will completely break the ability to take an OTA too.

EDIT: There's also this disclaimer on the device page: "NOTE: Installing TWRP can break your ability to receive updates from HTC."

EDIT 2: The other question is whether unlocking the device will allow system to be written to at all in the OS, or only while in recovery. I think once some people have the device in their hands, some of these questions can finally be answered.

hgoldner · Mar 24, 2015

Captain_Throwback said:
FYI I'm pretty sure you can't root with the version of TWRP that's currently uploaded. It doesn't have writing to the system partition enabled. If you look in the recovery fstab, system is mounted as emmc.

You'll have to wait until an alternate version is uploaded for this to work. Someone will need to confirm whether rooting will completely break the ability to take an OTA too.

EDIT: There's also this disclaimer on the device page: "NOTE: Installing TWRP can break your ability to receive updates from HTC."

EDIT 2: The other question is whether unlocking the device will allow system to be written to at all in the OS, or only while in recovery. I think once some people have the device in their hands, some of these questions can finally be answered.

Test devices are S-OFF.....but bootloader locked. Go figure.

SkullNBones19 · Mar 25, 2015

I have a t mobile M9 rooted

Hello I was able to unlock the bootloader from dev site and was able to install TWRP. I was able to install super SU and now i'm rooted!

here is my reddit post. http://www.reddit.com/r/htcone/comments/303ys2/just_got_my_hands_on_a_tmobile_htc_m9/

-markus- · Mar 25, 2015

Worked for me

But to flash successfull recovery you have to boot to "htc download mode", the black background!
If you see white background you are on bootloader, here you are not able to flash TWRP Recovery, you will get the message "FAILED (remote: cannot flash this partition in s-on state)"
So boot to "download mode" an it work

DroidShift79 · Mar 25, 2015

trying this tomorrow.
Is there any way to virginize the device if I don't want it to be rooted anymore ?

hgoldner · Mar 26, 2015

DroidShift79 said:
trying this tomorrow.
Is there any way to virginize the device if I don't want it to be rooted anymore ?

Pull the stock recovery image before you flash TWRP. I neglected to do so (but I do have my Verizon device rooted with TWRP.

One problem, TWRP can't read or write to encrypted sdcards, either internal or removable.

My name is Harold and I'm a flashaholic.....

k1moe · Mar 26, 2015

-markus- said:
Worked for me
But to flash successfull recovery you have to boot to "htc download mode", the black background!
If you see white background you are on bootloader, here you are not able to flash TWRP Recovery, you will get the message "FAILED (remote: cannot flash this partition in s-on state)"
So boot to "download mode" an it work

Markus, what device do you have.. international, verizon?

-markus- · Mar 26, 2015

k1moe said:
Markus, what device do you have.. international, verizon?

I got it from O2 Germany CID is O2_102

Slusho · Mar 26, 2015

Three questions:

1. Do I really have to buy an SD card to do this?
2. How do you boot to download mode?
3. Should the bootloader be unlocked before or after installing TWRP and rooting, or does it not matter?

jauhien · Mar 26, 2015

1. Every XDA developer has one..
2. Choose REBOOT from the shut down menu, then when display turns black - press and hold hardware button volume - ..
3. That will save you from frustration..

Slusho · Mar 26, 2015

jauhien said:
3. That will save you from frustration..

Thanks. You mean unlock bootloader first right?

k1moe · Mar 26, 2015

-markus- said:
I got it from O2 Germany CID is O2_102

Um.. how do you have unlocked your bootloader? I got my M9 from Vodafone Germany (retail unit) and via HTCdev im not able to unlock BL

xda23 · Mar 27, 2015

This will work on the u.s. m9 versions? Thanks

Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

Captain_Throwback · Mar 27, 2015

xda23 said:
This will work on the u.s. m9 versions? Thanks

Sent from my SM-N910T using XDA Free mobile app

The TWRP *should* work on all variants. Only way to know for sure is to try it

.

-markus- · Mar 27, 2015

k1moe said:
Um.. how do you have unlocked your bootloader? I got my M9 from Vodafone Germany (retail unit) and via HTCdev im not able to unlock BL

- Login into HTCdev
- Unlock Bootloader
- Get Started
- on "Select Your Device" i used "All Other Supported Models"
- Begin Unlock Bootloader
- Legal Terms "Proceed to Unlock Instructions
- On Phone pressing Volume Down + press Power to boot in "HTC download mode" (black Background)
- Connect Phone via USB
- CMD: fastboot oem get_identifier_token
- Copy and paste the token in Textfield "My Device Identifier Token:"
- You will receive an Email with "Unlock_code.bin
- CMD: fastboot flash unlocktoken Unlock_code.bin
- Press Volume Button to secelt Yes for Unlock bootloader
- thats it

I hope i could help you

jbm76 · Mar 27, 2015

Unlocked the bootloader and flashed TWRP...

SuperSU 2.46 isn't getting root...

When flashing it appears to be successful...
But then when the phone reboots there is no root access...
SuperSU - gives this error
If you just upgraded to Android 5.0, you need to manually re-root - consult the relevant forums for your device!

Anyone else have this problem or know a workaround.

-markus- · Mar 27, 2015

jbm76 said:
Unlocked the bootloader and flashed TWRP...

SuperSU 2.46 isn't getting root...

When flashing it appears to be successful...
But then when the phone reboots there is no root access...
SuperSU - gives this error
If you just upgraded to Android 5.0, you need to manually re-root - consult the relevant forums for your device!

Anyone else have this problem or know a workaround.

How did you install SuperSU?
I put the Zip-File on internal Storage and boot from recovery and installed it.
I did not use the way about "adb push SuperSU-v2.46.zip /sdcard" because i don't have an SD-Card at moment.

jbm76 · Mar 27, 2015

-markus- said:
How did you install SuperSU?
I put the Zip-File on internal Storage and boot from recovery and installed it.
I did not use the way about "adb push SuperSU-v2.46.zip /sdcard" because i don't have an SD-Card at moment.

same as you did...

[GUIDE] [NOOB Friendly] Root and Install TWRP on HTC One M9

KingInTheNorth

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