How To | Unlock Booloader | HBOOT S-Off | Flash Recovery | Root | Sensation

Hello everyone,

Today I want to explain you how to install a custom rom for the HTC Sensation , Sensation XE & Sensation 4G.

I have recorded videos, and I am now creating this thread to share my experience with you! If you know my blog, you can also find the How To on my blog

So this thread has to be separated in different sections:

I - How To unlock the bootloader (easy)
II - How To Hboot S-Off your Sensation, with hboot 1.27 & 1.29 it works (strange but not difficult)
III - How To Install the recovery, 2 different methods (easy or medium)
IV - How To perm Root your phone (easy)
V - How To install a custom rom on your phone (easy)

X - Any questions?

You can't miss one of this point. You must do it on the order.

I can't be held responsible for anything wrong on your device. I have done that twice and it works for me! If you have some questions, I can try to answer you, but you are responsible if you brick your phone!

So to proceed, there is some requierements:

- Install SDK

dowload link: windows, mac, linux

- Your phone drivers must be installed. If your phone is detected and you can plug it to your computer on disk drive, it must be enough.

- Sync your contact list with your google account, and save your sms with: sms backup & restore (and place the save file on your computer)

- Factory reset your phone, this is why you must have saved everything!
Factory reset:

- Uncheck Fastboot

Menu / Settings / Power / Uncheck Fastboot

- Check usb debugging

Menu / Settings / Dev Options / Check Usb Debugging

- Turn off your phone

- Reboot it into bootloader

Press power & volume down

- Select Factory Reset

You can follow all instruction on the HTCDev.com website.

- Remove the battery from your phone
- Reboot on bootloader mode
- Select Fastboot
- Plug your phone to the computer
Dowload android sdk tools: windows
You must have the 3 files: adb.exe, AdbWinapi.dll & fastboot.exe
- On the coputer: Go to Start / Run.
Enter cmd

On the cmd window:
- Go to the tools folder, use this command:

cd C:/toolsfolderlocation

mine is: cd C:/android-sdk-windows/tools

- Enter the folowing command:

fastboot oem get_identifier_token


Then you must have a message like that:


Now you have to select the part starting from <<<<< Identifier .... to Token End>>>>>
Do a right click to copy.

- Then go to the htcdev.com website. You have to enter this code into the box message created to that, after having selected the unlock bootloader for your device.
PS: you must be logged in.

Then you will receive an email with a file: Unlock_code.bin
- Download this file, it is different for each device.
- Place it into the same folder than previously use, with fastboot.exe, adb.exe...

- Go back to the cmd windows and enter this command:

fastboot flash unlocktoken Unlock_code.bin

A new screen has appeared on your phone, you have to select yes with the volume button and press power.

CONGRATULATIONS, your device has now an unlocked bootloader!

This article has been writing to explain you exactly how to pass your HTC Sensation / XE / 4G to Hboot S-Off. I have succeeded to do that with hboot 1.27.xxxx & 1.29.xxxx.

There is no any reason for not working! But this manipulation is strange, because you have to use a cable to connect the sdcard to a special hole! I haven't done that before, but it works!

You can also follow this article with the video!

So before doing this How To, you must have done the previous One:

How To Unlock the Bootloader

Let's Go:

- Uncheck Fastboot

Menu / Settings / Power / Uncheck Fastboot

- Check USB debugging

Menu / Settings / Dev Options / Check Usb Debugging

- Download the temproot-sensation-windows file: Download link

- Unzip this file into a folder on your computer

- Run the temp_root.bat, your phone must be connected by HTC Sync

your phone must reboot

- Download the ControlBear for Juopunut: MOD-Edit: Link removed on Developers Request. No rehosting allowed by him. Please link to Developers xda-thread or not at all

Thanks to http://unlimited.io
Main page: http://unlimited.io/juopunutbear.htm (you must use it to download

- Extract it and run the controlbear.exe

THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT OPERATION. Be quiet, patient, and take your time, it's difficult to succeed in only one time.
You must watch the video at 6:15 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCwEbh_JsI8

- Take a cable,


- Remove the back from your phone, you must unplug your phone to do that.

If the computer wait for the device, remove the battery then restart your phone and plug it to the computer.

The video is an easier way to see how to do.
You must be patient and have a screen like that on your phone:


And on your computer the cmd command with:

Do not remove sdcard from phone
Do wire-trick now!! Check the instructions at http://unlimited.io

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You must do the wire-trick



Press the cable on the sdcard protection during 0.5sec, release during 1.75sec press again during 0.5sec.

2 possibilities:

It doesn't work:

1 - Your phone do not restart. Try again

2 - Your phone restart, but stay on the same Juopunut Bear screen. You have an Error Code.
Close the cmd command and run the controlbear.exe again

It works:

Your phone restart and you have this two different screens:


- Press Y and enter to accept

You can now see the S-Off on your phone when you restart it on Bootloader mode!

We now have to remove the temp root!

- Restart your phone

- Go to the folder extracted before: Temproot Sensation Windows

- Plug your phone to your computer

- Run the temp_root_remove.bat

Some commands are launched & your phone restart

Your phone is Now S-Off

You can now Flash the recovery!


If you have followed the previous How To, you must, because they are necessary to continue with this one, you must know I have done it twice. Once with the Sensation XE and the over one with the Sensation.

I have succeed to unlock bootloader and SOff twice with the same method. But I haven't been able to flash the recovery on the Sensation with the same method than the one used for the Sensation XE!

So I have to show you 2 different means to do that.

The first one is my favorite because you understand what you do. The second one is easier because you use a tool!
- Download the file recovery: recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.0.9-pyramid.img
- Restart your phone on fastboot mode.
- Plug your phone to the computer.

- Open the cmd windows on your computer:
Start / run / cmd

- Copy & paste the file downloaded into the tools folder containing the fastboot.exe...

- On the cmd command go the the location to the recovery

mine is: C:/android-sdk-windows/tools

So the command is: cd C:/android-sdk-windows/tools

Then, enter this command:

fastboot flash recovery recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.0.9-pyramid.img

This command means: I want to flash by the fastboot a recovery named: recovery-clock....

You must see on the cmd 2 times OKAY
If this method failed, you can try the second one.

Now you can use the recovery, try it!

To use it:

Volume up: up arrow
Volume down : down arrow
Power : enter
- Download KGS Utility v6.6 attached to the xda thread
- Connect your phone on HTC Sync

- Run menu.bat On KGS Utility
- Choose Install 4Ext Recovery (number3)
- Then Choose 0
- You want to proceed so press 1
- You device is the only on the list 1
- Download the file recovery: recovery-clockwork-touch-5.8.0.9-pyramid.img
- Rename it by recovery.img
- Move this file to: KGS_Utility_v6.6/tools

- On cmd press a key to continue
Your device must reboot on fastboot mode

Now, you must have twice OKAY on your computer screen!

You can now follow the next how to: To root your HTC Sensation!

- Download the file: su-2.3.6.3-efgh-signed.zip (new link 10 - 05 -2013)
- Place this file on your device
- Restart on Fastboot mode
- Select recovery

When the recovery is running

Select:
- Install from sdcard
- Choose zip from sdcard

Go to the place where the file is located

- selected it
- Confirm by Yes
Now your phone is rooted

Enjoy to Install a custom rom

I MUST FINISH IT SOON, I am so tired right now

Also I have to change pictures by correct sizes and links to big sizes

Enjoy this part!

If you follow the video, you can do everything alone

Be patient, be quiet and Enjoy!

Flow.

heh why temp root for HTC-DEV unlocked soff process ? root will be much better ..as they can ignore removing temp root again ..after SOFF ..for root (works for both SOFF and HTC-DEV unlock) they can use my one-click -root tool (present in the soff guide ..link in my signature ...it basically uses the temp root method only then flashes the required root files then removes temp root ) ..just a single click of root.bat (also you can include this a final root alternative ..as this requires no recovery )

EDIT: also ppl who have their motherboards replaced ..were unable to do HTC-DEV unlock due to IMEI changes ...so in that case the general soff method wont work ..and hyuh(aka globatron ..one of dev of juopunutbear) is kind enough to release another version of controlbear..which just works with temp root ..and my guide covered that ...so in this case you can either redirect them to my guide (link in my signature) or you can use that info and add another sub-section here

EDIT2: also as for recovery ..if 4EXT there is the easiest way of installing it ..i.e doing root using my root tool and by using the recovery_updater.apk/reeocovery_controller.apk (the latter is in play store ) ..check the 4EXT thread for more info regarding the apk's

magnus the bullmastiff said:

I managed to achieve s-off, but it says i dont have root rights. I flashed that superuser.zip, but no root. Help me please!

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

flash this from recovery
http://download.chainfire.eu/351/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.65.zip

aapman88 said:

I did the guide and everything seemed to work.
I had to install the root file a few times before it succeeded.
Now I m still on stock rom but I have Super user in my app drawer.
However when I try to use titanium backup it gives the error that I m not rooted.
Also in the Super user app under info, su binary v2.3.2-efgh: it says sr---wt in red.
So I guess something went wrong and was wondering what to do to fix this.
Could I just use the one click root tool? or should I install the root.zip again?
Help is much appreciated

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

flash this zip from recovery
http://download.chainfire.eu/331/SuperSU/UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.32.zip

yabhuva said:

1.27.000

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

see these guides
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2751187
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1661631

for the second guide i send you the files via pm