<Collaboration><Dev><Ideas> HTC Evo 2.3.3 Gingerbread Root Collaboration.

[bubby323]

<Collaboration><Dev><Ideas> HTC Evo 2.3.3 Gingerbread Root Collaboration.

* I love the color orange.​

HTC Evo 2.3.3 Gingerbread Root Collaboration​

The Lowdown on Everything​

FASTBOOT

HTC's RUU releases basically run the adb reboot bootloader code, reconnect to the phone, verify the version and run a series of fastboot commands to install the contents of the PC36IMG (detailed below). In the same way it may be possible to run fastboot commands from command prompt with the SDK installed if you can time it just right in the flashing process, or not. The bootloader can be quite picky when it comes to letting anyone or anything flash anything lower than the version on the phone, or unsigned.

PC36IMG

The PC36IMG is what is flashed in the bootloader. The contents of the zip include the radio, system, and more. As long as S-ON is present the bootloader won't flash any PC36IMG that isn't signed by HTC themeselves, however with S-OFF you can flash custom PC36IMGs as well as downgrade, because the bootloader doesn't check the firmware version to see if it's newer or not. If someone was however to be a sneaky awesome ninja and steal HTC's secret sauce then we could simply sign any PC36IMG we wanted to and fake a newer version in the android info txt.

RECOVERY

From my understanding the stock recovery references alot with the bootloader to check for most of the same checks it looks for in the PC36IMG, but in the update.zip HTC includes for updates. The stock recovery won't flash anything but signed HTC update.zips either, which again you need the special sauce to sign. Custom recoveries like Amon RA or Clockwork remove the security and don't reference with the bootloader (since your phone has to be S-OFF anyways to flash a custom recovery.) A custom recovery is the key in flashing customs roms and kernels, if you can achieve it with the security on (S-ON) the you won't even have to worry about achieving S-OFF. However, that's near impossible due to the security in the bootloader HTC implements with updates. Which is why the bootloader has to be cracked to install anything.

RUU

The RUU is an official tool HTC puts out so people can reflash there phone with a stock firmware just like if it is brand new and your turning it on for the first time. The files included inside of the RUU frontend include the PC36IMG which is essentially what is flashed in the process, but in a fancy way I guess you could put it. The same security applies to the RUU, you can't downgrade versions without S-OFF because the bootloader still checks the version on the phone currently to see if it can flash the PC36IMG or not (when security is on [S-ON] )

APKS

I'm sure alot of you know of applications such as Visionary or Z4Root, they both use common exploits to root your phone in a simple application, first temp root then permanent root. They push the approiate resources, Superuser, su, busybox, set the permissions for everything to run, and clean up everything in the blink of an eye thanks to simple scripts. The same thing is still quite possible with any exploit, the exploit just has to be found in the software. You find the exploit you gain root. You have root you can do almost anything to your phone, but S-OFF still plays a role in everything with what you can and cannot flash. Sigh. I know right..

Our Mission​

The whole purpose of this thread is to collaborate on possible ways to obtain S-OFF and/or root on 2.3.3, either update. We are community, thus we must act like one, and not bash each other for trying. If you have a truthful idea or any questions feel free to post them. You never know, you could very well help with rooting the latest update. This has gone on far to long it's been almost 2 months and no root. This is our time to free each other from the chains of security because we all like to be dangerous sometimes.

 

[bubby323]

Possible Rooting Ideas​

 

[bubby323]

What Works What Doesn't​

I encourage everyone to try previous rooting methods, and methods to obtain S-OFF and experiment as much as they feel comfortable with, you never know what you might find. We could be overlooking something.

 

[bubby323]

There is no right or wrong answer only better ones than others. Please do not bash users, or slander them for there ideas, everyone has a right to post, but please stay on topic. /end

 

[lil_bono]

Am I missing something?

Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

 

[bubby323]

Am I missing something?

Sent from my PC36100 using XDA Premium App

Just give me a few, I'm still typing.

<done></done>

 

[bubby323]

<words>I'll be back on tomorrow, I'm going to go lay down and talk to my friend. Feel free to comment with any ideas. I, myself, am looking into and working very hard to achieve S-OFF and root for the 2.3.3 update, it will come in time. That's just the key; time.</words>

 

[github]

What other phones have you developed, alone or with a group, a rooting and/or s-off type process for? And I don't mean an app that uses an already known exploit such as rageagainstthecage.

I guess at least we have a fancy thread now. Best of luck to everyone.

 

[LCL22]

ill jsut post a small snippet of thanks for thaking this initiative, i dont know about android os myself one bit, so i can hardly contribute, but would there be a way to "fool" the hboot or Ruu version number ?

either fooling the hboot into thinking the ruu one is trying to flash ( to downgrade of course) is a higher version one, or to somehow change the RUU itself to report a different version number? i realize this may sound incredibly stupid as my programming knowledge is very limited, but jst throwing it out there...

once again, thanks for taking this initiative for the evo 4g community

 

[fldash]

I was wondering if you could force the RUU update. We know it verifies the version on the phone, but surely to could still flash if it was forced. Sort of like doing an nvflash on the tablets. You'd just need to hack the RUU updater to skip the version check and flash anyway. Unfortunately, I'm not a cracker, so...

 

[skatrwannabe3]

This should take off

There's a whole thread in Evo General full of ideas due to some kind of "bounty" to whomever achieves root on 2.3.3. At least we could get a start on what does/doesn't work. (This is not meant to deter traffic from this brainstorming thread)

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1162671

 

[mikeyinid]

There's a whole thread in Evo General full of ideas due to some kind of "bounty" to whomever achieves root on 2.3.3. At least we could get a start on what does/doesn't work. (This is not meant to deter traffic from this brainstorming thread)

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1162671

Hey, great idea. Just so you know, there is no "bounty" on rooting the ota. I dont even know where that term came from. I just started a thread to say that I am desperate for root, I will pay for someone to figure it out. I never asked anyone or expected anyone else to throw money in on it too. It has since grown into a 600+ dollar pot, and I think that its a good thing. The people that take the time to root it should get a pat on the back.

On topic: I see a bunch of people saying to downgrade, isnt temp root gonna come before that? Shouldnt temp root be the thing to focus on first?

 

[Omgadroid]

I'm not much of a programmer but ill brick my phone as many times as needed lol

Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

 

[bubby323]

What other phones have you developed, alone or with a group, a rooting and/or s-off type process for? And I don't mean an app that uses an already known exploit such as rageagainstthecage.

I guess at least we have a fancy thread now. Best of luck to everyone.

I've personally never been the leader of a rooting or S-OFF project before, but my knowledge of Android on a whole is pretty vast. I do develop roms and kernels as well as themes and apps for Android in general, so I guess I'm pretty qualified?

 

[bubby323]

I was wondering if you could force the RUU update. We know it verifies the version on the phone, but surely to could still flash if it was forced. Sort of like doing an nvflash on the tablets. You'd just need to hack the RUU updater to skip the version check and flash anyway. Unfortunately, I'm not a cracker, so...

I'm not sure that the RUU is anything but a front end user interface for the process, the actual flashing and everything involves the bootloader, which is why it still pushes the PC36IMG temp. to the sdcard. It might however be in the RUU itself and using fastboot flashes? I'll look into it. Good idea, thanks.

 

[bubby323]

Who rated the thread bad?

 

[LCL22]

I'm not sure that the RUU is anything but a front end user interface for the process, the actual flashing and everything involves the bootloader, which is why it still pushes the PC36IMG temp. to the sdcard. It might however be in the RUU itself and using fastboot flashes? I'll look into it. Good idea, thanks.

but does the RUU update the hboot itself?

the point is , older hboots and android software are already rooted, if we can get back to those , the end result is the same, we get root, then upgrade using a stock rooted rom, problem solved

 

[Nick N]

What Works What Doesn't​

My recent failures attempts while on 4.24 S-On:

Amon_Ra Recovery PC36IMG.zip flashed from Hboot
Signed 3.70 PC36IMG.zip flashed from Hboot
Signed 4.24 PC36IMG.zip flashed from Hboot (it loads/updates, but is basically a factory reset)
3.70 RUU exe
UnrEVOked3

 

[skatrwannabe3]

some chucklehead

Who rated the thread bad?

Eh, I put in a 5 star vote to make it up, also to show the uselessness of voting.

 

[backspacepc]

Has anyone looked at the contents of a PC36IMG.zip? I am still decompliling one, but its a fun task to decipher all of the code. Another thing I need is for someone to tell me which files I should be looking for as far as HTC signing. What I would like to do is maybe strip it from the stock one, and insert it into a custom image.

Sent from the land of motorcycles!