WARNING - Do not use Visionary to permanent root your G2/DZ - high brick risk!

guhl99 · Apr 6, 2011

Hi !

I would like to warn everybody that the use of the permanent root option of visionary can lead to an unrecoverable brick!

Lately we are facing an increasing number of bricked phones that have been created by an attempt to permanent root the G2 (or Desire Z) using visionary.

While there is still cure for Desire Z phones (even if it is a complicated procedure) there are certain conditions for the G2 where nothing can be done to rescue the phone.

These are the conditions:
- the phone is S-ON and not SuperCID
- the hboot and the recovery are still stock
- the main software version is 1.22

When visionary corrupts the system partition (which it does some times) the phone can not boot anymore. And as there is no original stock rom (PC10IMG.zip) for the G2 that has software version 1.22 or higher the stock rom can not be installed from hboot.
And with the stock recovery there is also no chance to cure the system partition or change the main version in the misc partition.

But even if the brick can be cured for other phones (Desire Z, Desire HD) this is totally unnecessary because the phones can be rooted and freed by methods that do not have any risk at all (even if you do some steps wrong).

The method that I highly recommend to use is the one described on the XDA-wiki at http://xdaforums.com/wiki/index.php?title=HTC_Vision#Rooting_the_Vision_.28G2.2FDZ.29_and_DHD.
This method is constantly maintained and is the most up to date method.

If you really are not able or willing to use adb I would recommend the method described by ianmcquinn in the thread "[GUIDE] Permanent Root with Visionary/gfree (No ADB Required)" at http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=928160
It is less up to date but it uses visionary only to gain temporary root and it uses scripts for the necessary commands so that the risk of bricking the phone by typos in important commands is minimized.

Scotty2 and I (and a lot of other people) tried our best to make the rooting process as easy and risk less as possible and therefore it is very frustrating to see people who bricked their phones by using an unnecessary, outdated and risky method.

Thanks and have fun - Guhl

Update 05/15/2011:
Since football dropped the new gingerbread T-Mobile ROM (see http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1074391) a G2 bricked by visionary can be cured. (which is a complicated procedure of course)

shortlived · Apr 6, 2011

I think this is/should already stickied however no one seems to read stickies... Thanks for posting the warning again though.

Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

tooter1 · Apr 10, 2011

On my first G2 I used the visionary method and it messed up after about 2 weeks.

It wouldn't connect to the wireless network.

On my second G2 I used the gfree/rage method and, it has worked just fine.

I'm sure with all the visionary problems people are having, it probably had something to do with mine going bad.

theratdude64 · Apr 11, 2011

I am waiting on an insurance replacement G2, glad I found this. I rooted mine the very first method that was posted. So does Visionary have a checkbox in the app or something to permanent root? I was using the first release of it.

:edit Just got my G2 from UPS at 1:20, and now at 1:50 I am already flashing CM7

Visionary is great, glad I saw not to do Perm Root attempt though haha

helpslip · Apr 11, 2011

dumb? question

i rooted my g2 a few weeks back, installed the cyanogenmod 7(which seems solid btw) & honestly dont remember the method i used (it took multiple tries over multiple posts/guides/websites) but i recall visionary was involved at some point.
anyhow should i be worried about this thing becoming useless? should i be reinstalling/uninstalling something? are there any precautions i should be taking? is there a way to tell what method i used?

sorry if im cluttering this thread up, i really try not to post if possible(searching usually answers my dumb questions) THANKS! tho

theratdude64 · Apr 11, 2011

If you're already rooted you should be good. The method that uses VISIONary/Gfree was posted in January, the latest thing that said it could cause any problems was an update on December 23rd, and from what I understand is that you'd have to downgrade a Desire Z... Didn't say anything about a G2. I'm sitting here waiting for UPS then I'll be doing this.

helpslip · Apr 12, 2011

hmm ok, thanks, ill continue to slowly set it up for use than & keep an eye out for additional posts/info on the subject. i sure would hate to doorstop the thing before even using it.

thanks again for the reply

theratdude64 · Apr 12, 2011

The only issue I've encountered with the way I did was that it says phone number unknown. Quick xda search found you go into Call settings, additional settings, and you can set the phone number in there

Wicked68 · Apr 12, 2011

Well, I used the Visionary + gfree way to permanent root today, and it went smoothly, on the 1st try, no problems, as of yet. I ran root check and noticed that busybox isn't installed. Is it supposed to be? It was when I was using temp root. Is it ok, to install busybox from the app from the Market?

theratdude64 · Apr 12, 2011

I got busy box through titanium backup "problems" button

one2345shutup · Apr 13, 2011

Hi Guhl, I decided to be safe and follow your more highly recommended method to rooting my tmobile g2. This is my first time rooting a phone, the problem is I have a mac... I'm not sure it will work the same way since I don't have a pc... Do you know someway around this? Or some other way I can root my phone on my mac...

Thank you!

steviewevie · Apr 14, 2011

one2345shutup said:
Hi Guhl, I decided to be safe and follow your more highly recommended method to rooting my tmobile g2. This is my first time rooting a phone, the problem is I have a mac... I'm not sure it will work the same way since I don't have a pc... Do you know someway around this? Or some other way I can root my phone on my mac...

It should be no problem to root your phone on a Mac. The guide to setting up adb in my signature has a section on how to do so on a Mac.

sinistersai4d4d · Apr 14, 2011

I perm rooted with visionary method the day it came out (I think this was November or October?). Was on cm 6 and now been on cm 7 for a while. No issues at all. Guess I was lucky or people are doing it without being careful.

D_Steve595 · Apr 15, 2011

My friend's G2 seems to be bricked under these conditions. Failed Visionary root. He's counting on me to fix it.
The recovery is stock and it has S-ON. How can I check the version?

guhl99 · Apr 15, 2011

Electrodeath0 said:
How can I check the version?

You can't.

Just try to install the 1.19 PC10IMG.zip using hboot and you will see. If it installs you'r good if it tells you that you version is to high you are 1.22

Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

SErooted · Apr 16, 2011

Whats up everyone?

OK real quick because this has had a little more insight to my situation than what i have been able to find. a guy called me up yesterday and wanted to know if i could root his g2. well apparently.... he attempted to do this on his own and used visionary and messed up his phone. bootscreen heaven. stuck on htc.

Hboot. 0.82.0
radio 26.03.02.26
SHIP S- ON

I have no control over adb.... says device is offline but at least recognized. and shows devid. is this phone a lost cause or can someone toss me a bone without telling me to read this and go here or there?

i have been searching since 5pm yesterday and it is now 1030am.

I have been able to load an update through the stock recovery and it shows that it went well. when it reboots to the screen with the grean circle arrows over the phone, it doesnt seem to take enought time to be loading image or other software. and when its done and reboots, its still stuck on htc screen.

any help would be greatly appreciated and sorry if i cluttered up this thread.

RELEVANCE::::: Visionary

SErooted,
Xperia X10
2.2 Xperia BLISS
2gig data2sd
998mhz
sysctl
2780 Quad

!nkedUndead · Apr 18, 2011

Wish i would have read this 3 hours ago.Tried to perm-root with vision bout 4 months ago and didnt brick, But 3 hours ago tried it again and i semi bricked/bricked it?
This blows i already miss my android .This is definitley a FML post
FMLLLLL!
well new g2x or just a New G2 here i come

I AM VS4 · Apr 18, 2011

I agree with this thread but back then there was only one root tool for the HTC Desire Z or G2 persay. If there is another tool I am unwilling to unroot and reroot again if possible. But I agree that Visionary++ increases the chances of a bricked phone with a percent of about 55%

Kevin001111 · Apr 19, 2011

Rooting a new G2

wrong post, mods please delete

redpoint73 · Apr 21, 2011

I AM VS4 said:
I agree with this thread but back then there was only one root tool for the HTC Desire Z or G2 persay. If there is another tool I am unwilling to unroot and reroot again if possible. But I agree that Visionary++ increases the chances of a bricked phone with a percent of about 55%

If you used Visionary, and it worked, then you don't need to worry about unrooting and rooting again. If there were going to be any problems, it would have happened as you were rooting. If you didn't run gfree, and are not Super-CID, S-Off, then you might want to do that (you still can). But otherwise, you are good to go.

WARNING - Do not use Visionary to permanent root your G2/DZ - high brick risk!

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