[Guide][ALL DEVICES]ROOT + flash custom recovery + fix perfected spl [27 JAN 2012]

I added a DONATE button... my HTC Magic device was stolen.. i need a new one for testing...
Once i have enough for it i will remove the donate button :0)

Root your sapphire/magic device the easy way.

This guide is confirmed to work with Rogers 2.1 update!
It will not work with the 2.2.1 update...
Instead, use this tool for root and continue from step 5..

WANT ROOT ONLY:
try to install "universal androot" from market and just do step 4.
--OR--
Only do the blue steps in this guide!
The recovery is optional!
The spl is a luxury and only needed if you have some specific use for it!
Remember spl = hboot ( the names are interchangeable)

READ EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING.
I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BRICK YOUR DEVICE.
This guide is made for NOOBS with windows, but the steps can be made on any OS.
The RootTools-package have the tools + images needed for windows, linux and mac!
You don't even need the android sdk :0)
No need for goldcard!


Step 0) -Only do this step if your going to flash custom recovery + spl(optional)
Reboot your system into fastboot (hold power-button and back-button together)
Write down EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.
Reboot into your system again.

Step 1)
Download and extract the contents of RootTools to C:\roottools

Step 2)
start a command promt (cmd)
type:
cd c:\roottools\windows

Step 3)
Make sure that your device has usb debugging turned on by doing:
push "menu" -> Settings -> Applications -> Development -> make sure that "USB debugging" IS CHECKED.

now install the app that will root your system by typing:
adb install C:\roottools\App\UniversalAndroot_1.6.1.apk

Step 4)
Start the app from your device... it's called universal androot.
The app will automatically check your system version.
But, just to sure - verify it then push "root "
Wait for it to finish..
if it fails, then try again... if it still fails try to choose:
"Do not install Super user" and then push "root "
If all goes well then you have ROOT :0)
If it did not go well, then ask for help in this thread!

You can now do what ever you want...
But i recommend to continue with the recovery part.
The eng spl is optional, and you dont need it unless you have enough experience with fastboot and terminal commands! Roms are flashed using custom recovery...


Step 5) RECOVERY
Now we use the info you wrote down earlier...

---------------
If your radio starts with 3.22:

adb push C:\roottools\3.22Radio\recovery-RA-sapphire-v1.7.0H.img /sdcard

----OR---

If your radio starts with 2.22:

adb push C:\roottools\3.22Radio\recovery-RA-sapphire-v1.7.0G.img /sdcard

----OR---

If your radio starts with 6.35 type:

adb push C:\roottools\6.35Radio\Recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img /sdcard
------------

Step 6) OPTIONAL
If you would like a eng(Engineer) spl/hboot then do this:
--------------

If your radio starts with 3.22 or less type:

adb push C:\roottools\3.22Radio\hboot_2010_signed.zip /sdcard
(If you have the 3.5mm jack use the above, but only if you have something important that needs eng spl.
Using this spl will cut your ram in half and make the 3.5mm jack useless!
You can always revert back to stock spl when your done doing the "important" stuff :0)

----OR---

If your radio starts with 6.35 type:

adb push C:\roottools\6.35Radio\hboot_2007_signed.zip /sdcard


Step 7)
Now we are going to flash custom recovery.
type:
adb shell
su
(Now look at your device. If the superuser app is asking for permissions, then just push "allow" and make sure that the "remember" option is checked.)
cd /system/bin
ls
(now make sure that you see a file called "flash_image". If you do not, then make step 9 and forget the rest of THIS step)
./flash_image recovery /sdcard/_________ (where the "_________" are replaced by the name of the recovery image you pushed in step 5)
( An example:
./flash_image recovery /sdcard/Recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img
---OR---
./flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-sapphire-v1.7.0H.img)
Remember, if you get no response, or the command it self is repeated, then you are good to go. In Linux (and thereby also Android) no errors means success!



Now you should have a custom recovery.. you can read in the forum what that can do for you...:0)
I recommend you to stop here, or you can continue if you made step 6.
If your recovery is not sticking(like it returns to stock on every boot) check out the second post!
Warning, step 8 can brick your device if done improperly!



Step 8)
Now we are going to flash eng spl/hboot using the custom recovery.
Turn of the device.
Start in recovery mode by holding the home-button together with power-button for min 5 sec.
(Hold the home-button first then the power-button :0)
The custom recovery should start. You navigate using the trackball.
Choose "flash zip from sdcard"
(If you get errors like those:
E:Can't mount /dev/block/mmcblk0p1 (or /dev/block/mmcblk0)
(No such file or directory)
Or
E:Can't mount SDCARD:
It's a small bug that shows up randomly.
It means that the custom recovery can't mount your sdcard...
To fix it try this:
Select "usb-ms toggle".... waiting 5 sec...then push menu-button.
Some times you need to repeat it 2-3 times before you again can get access to the sdcard!
Then choose "flash zip from sdcard" from the menu.)
Choose the zip file you pushed in step 6.(should start with hboot)
Follow the instructions on the device screen. JUST DO WHAT IT TELLS YOU TO DO!!!
The device should restart a couple of times...
It's normal if you see a different recovery screen for 10-15 sec... LET IT WORK!
By all means don't interrupt it unless it has taken more then 2 min!
(IF MORE THAN 2 MIN, THEN REMOVE BATTERY)
You are done when it's back in recovery and is doing nothing for 30 sec or so.
Choose "Power off".
Restart in fastboot and check that your info has changed from what you wrote down earlier...


DONE. You now have eng spl + custom recovery + ROOT... You can now do WHAT EVER YOU WANT TO DO.. you have complete control over your device :0)

THE END!
Check out some of the tools in my signature :0)

Step 9) ONLY IF YOU DID NOT FIND flash_image IN STEP 7
type:
exit
(you should now be back to windows command promt, if not keep typing exit until you are)
type:
adb push C:\roottools\App\flash_image /data/local/tmp
adb shell
su
cd /data/local/tmp
chmod 777 ./flash_image
./flash_image recovery /sdcard/_________ (where the "_________" is replaced by the name of the recovery image you pushed in step 5)
( An example:
./flash_image recovery /sdcard/Recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img
---OR---
./flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-sapphire-v1.7.0H.img)
Remember, if you get no response, or the command it self is repeated, then you are good to go. In Linux (and thereby also Android) no errors means success!
(Now go back and read the text after step 7 which has gray+red colour)


LINK TO ROOTTOOLS:
Rapidshare
Hotfile
Depositfiles
Fileserver

Recovery issue

About the recovery issue (This is only on SOME systems!):
In /system/recovery.img there is a full copy of everything that is loaded on the recovery partition. This file is automatically flashed onto the recovery partition every time you shut down. That means two things: 1. Any changes you make directly to the recovery partition gets blown away on reboot and 2. If you want to change the recovery partition you're probably better off just sticking the image in /system/recovery.img and rebooting.

So to fix this problem you have to rename the custom recovery file to:
recovery.img
then make sure it's on /system/recovery.img.
This will make sure that you have the custom recovery on every boot.

OR

you could delete the file located on: /system/etc/install-recovery.sh which is responsible for flashing the stock image
Others who don't have this problem, please ignore the above :0)

NB: Some of the info is borrowed from.
Source: http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=HOWTO:_Unpack%2C_Edit%2C_and_Re-Pack_Boot_Images

Xenstier said:

Well, everything worked untill i got to step 10.
I have a MyTouch 3G. v1.2 with headphone jack.
HBOOT- 1.33.001
Radio 2.22.23.02

I tried to execute
<verbatim>mv /sdcard/flash_image /system/bin/</verbatim>

then i got

<verbatim>failed on '/sdcard/flash_image' - Cross-device link</verbatim>

Any help?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Try
cp /sdcard/flash_image /system/bin
Make sure that your are working inside the shell and not on the cmd promt.
And are you sure that the flash_image is not there?
On both mine tests, the flash_image file was present!!!!

IT SHOULD/WOULD WORK...

I took mine perfectly working and rooted device and flashed both RUU updates...
The lastest one with sense and the one before that...
Applied the same steps and it worked like a charm...

What i like about this methode is:
No need for goldcard
No need for download and setup of sdk
No multiple links to follow, only 1 download
Works for all os
The download have all the tools and images you would need :0)

Xenstier said:

When i tried cp


# cp /sdcard/flash_image /system/bin/
cp /sdcard/flash_image /system/bin/
cp: not found

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

OK...
1) are you sure that you are inside the system and not inside the recovery?
2) inside the shell type:
cd /system/bin
ls
post here all what you get on your screen... write it down or take a picture or something....
3) you can install buzybox and try step 9 again.
buzybox will install all common executables/commands for you.. like cp(copy), mv(move) and which(looks up if a command like cp is found or not).

I made some changes to the guide:
1) some step nr ref that was wronge.. ups
2) updated the info regarding devices with 3.5mm jack
3) older radio is also taken care of :0)

daniele8Dj said:

will it work if i have a official htc rom, 1.91.xxx.xx (vodafone italy) with spl 1.33.0007 (perfect spl)?

no need of goldcard? i can follow this guide? thanks

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Try it... it should work..
The app uses a special exploit to give you root...

If you want root then only do the blue steps (1-4).

if you want more continue with the guide :0)

Xenstier said:

Well, everything worked untill i got to step 10.
I have a MyTouch 3G. v1.2 with headphone jack.
HBOOT- 1.33.001
Radio 2.22.23.02

I tried to execute
<verbatim>mv /sdcard/flash_image /system/bin/</verbatim>

then i got

<verbatim>failed on '/sdcard/flash_image' - Cross-device link</verbatim>

Any help?

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Done..
I changed the guide..
You should have no problems now :0)

If you do, i have changed the link/roottools to include busybox...
I can make changes again to the guide if you have no luck with the new guide...

NB: i have only changed a small part... YOU in particular only need to read step 9(old step 10) again... just a trick to avoid using cp or mv...
we push the file directly to /system/bin hihihihi.

Made some changes to the guide for better success chances

Updated the guide with more info regarding the 1.2 version magic (with 3.5mm jack).

Updated the guide with more info regarding the 1.2 version magic (with 3.5mm jack).

Step 5 is more importent then step 6...
Recovery is safer to mess with...
Spl is win or lose... if it goes bad your in trouble...
if recovery goes bad, no harm at all :0)

But yes, if you allready have root, then just pick up at step 5!

Regarding the goldcard:
The app is using a special exploit in the linux/android system to give you root..
So you dont need the goldcard...
The goldcard is something HTC related.. to fool the hardware/software to do something is not supposed to do.
That's why some guides need goldcard while others don't :0)

You want other download links?
Say the magic word... and it's not doh!