How to root the HTC Aria

[attn1]

Obsolete: Go HERE: Unrevoked's reflash Root/Recovery flash tool

This will root the device and allow you to install things like wireless tether.

Edit: I can connect to wireless tether, but it's not routing to anything and takes forever to get an IP address. Once I get an ip address, I can't even ping the gateway. I suspect further AT&T foolery. I am working on it.

Custom recovery is a bear to get to. You can however, get to custom recovery, and we can flash custom roms.

For the most part, I used the root method and files from the MT3G root procedure. However, I could not get the adb to read my in recovery until I used my gold card. Many failed attempts before, and it pretty consistantly worked afterword. I suspect the difference was the SD card itself, and not that it was a gold card, because it makes no sense that a gold card should make a difference. Both cards were 2 gb Sandisk cards, but the one I used was from a Hero, which was what I used to make my goldcard to root that.

Folks, the MT3G method works. This isn't mine, I was just the first to make it go on the Aria.

Here's eugene's "How to Root the Slide thread"

Eugene, Koush, Modaco, ChiefzReloaded, brokensanity, the EVO Unrevoked team and many others, on behalf of an awful lof frustrated AT&T Android fans, thank you.

The Unrevoked team has more info here if you get stuck.

Update:

Instead of slideroot.zip and superuser.apk, you can just flash my rom. (See next post in this thread).

That includes root, busybox, superuser.apk and strips AT&T applications & brings the ROM much closer to a generic HTC sense ROM.

Check out this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6909467&postcount=1

Once you have root (either by pushing slideroot and installing superuser.apk or skipping those and installing my rooted ROM) do yourself a favor and check out this thread: Unrevoked team: Recovery reflash tool (updated - Now for Aria/Liberty!)

Once rooted, you don't have to do the adb chase anymore; you can now flash custom recovery with the tool in that thread. It works!

 

[attn1]

Installing a custom ROM and loading Clockwork Recovery on an unrooted HTC ARIA.

Installing a custom ROM on Aria/loading Clockwork Recovery on an UNROOTED HTC Aria.

(like mine, found here: ROM Liberated_Aria)


This method is borrowed heavily from eugene's MT3GS root method, using Unrevoked exploit.

OS X/Linux Users: remember to preface abd commands with ./ (./adb)

• We now have the ability to flash custom recovery on the phone! (Thanks to the Unrevoked Team)
• PREREQUISITE #1: You must have the android sdk installed on a Windows machine and know how to use adb. Alternatively, you can use a *nix/OS X box if you don't mind verifying devices without the loop to watch.
• PREREQUISITE #2: Download Clockwork_Aria_MT3GS.zip

Process:

1. Format the SD card supplied with the phone like this: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7029045&postcount=283 (Thanks Yoshiofthewire) in a card reader if at all possible.
2. Copy your new ROM zipfile to the root directory of the SDCARD. DO NOT name it update.zip. DO NOT unzip it. You must flash the zipfile later.
3. Copy the contents of Clockwork_Aria_MT3GS.zip to the tools directory of your SDK, along with your ROM zipfile of choice.
4. Power up the phone, holding down the VOL-DOWN button.
5. Wait about 30 seconds, until some diagnostic checking is done.
6. Press volume down to highlight recovery, but to do not push power to execute just yet.
7. Open a command prompt and navigate to your SDK tools directory.
8. Start the loop.bat file and let it run. (Optional if you don't mind running adb devices until the decide to show up).
9. Get ready to connect the phone to the computer with the USB cable, but don't connect one end until you read the next step.
10. This part is a PIA and it's critical, and it's inconsistent and therefore may take quite a few tries to get it right: Pushing the power button first and then approximately one second later plug in the USB cord. (Think ONE THOUSAND ONE-PLUG)
11. When the triangle/exclaimation over phone graphic appears, hold volume up and press power. This will bring you to stock recovery.
12. If this works, your loop running the adb devices command will list the device. If not, start from the beginning from power up. This can take a lot of tries, be patient and don't give up. Not all SD cards will work reliably.
13. Once devices are listed in the loop, hit CTRL-C to terminate the loop if you've started one. Hurdle one complete.
14. In recovery, use volume down to select Apply sdcard:update.zip and push the power button to execute (This will fail, but it's enabled write access for me.)
15. adb push ota.zip /sdcard/update.zip and press the enter on keyboard to execute. (No - that's not a typo)
16. If that pushes without error, then enter adb push update.zip /sdcard/update.zip but do NOT press enter.
17. In recovery, again scroll down with power down to select sdcard:update.zip but do not execute yet.
18. Press the power button and then watch phone to say "verifying" and then press enter IMMEDIATELY on the keyboard. If timed right, Clockwork recovery should load. If not, start back at step push ota.zip /sdcard/update.zip and repeat from there until clockwork loads.
19. Optional: From Clockwork Recovery, do a Nandroid backup.
20. From Clockwork Recovery, select install zip from sdcard, and execute, then choose zip from sdcard and execute, and then you can scroll down to your pre-rooted rom of choice and execute that to flash it. In Clockwork you can scroll with trackpad or volume buttons, and you can execute with either the power button or a trackpad button push.

If you get stuck trying to get Clockwork to load:

• Try a different sdcard and start again from the first step.
• Check out Modest Android's post here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7006760&postcount=2
• The Unrevoked Team has more info here: http://www.unrevoked.com/rootwiki/doku.php?id=public:adb_in_recovery

On a rooted Aria, do yourself a huge favor and install Clockwork Recovery. See this thread: Unrevoked team: Recovery reflash tool (updated - Now for Aria/Liberty!)

Also, enable installation of non-Market (untrusted) apps (sideloading):

• 
  
  COMMON:
• Start the phone normally.
• Enable USB debugging (settings > applications > development > USB Debugging)
• Leave the phone running - do not reboot to Clockwork.
• adb remount
• adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db settings.db
  
  Linux/OS X:
• echo "update secure set value = 1 where name = 'install_non_market_apps';"|./sqlite3 settings.db
  
  WINDOWS:
• echo update secure set value = 1 where name = 'install_non_market_apps';|sqlite3 settings.db
  
  COMMON:
• adb push settings.db /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db
• Reboot phone and sideloading works. (thanks to fluffyarmada)

When I get a chance, I'll figure out how to do a proper menu toggle.

ROM Downloads:

liberated_aria_b003_signed.zip
(HTC Boot theme, AT&T apps removed, Google Search default web page)
MD5: 2d7a3aeb8ebe2c33247897be7ef22740

aria_shipped_rooted_signed.zip
(Stock with ROOT, AT&T Boot theme & Apps)
MD5: af56f22d24e4dcc4b205cf9bb3bc9ba1

 

[attn1]

Aria Issues:

• Even with root, wifi tether does not work.

 

[lorcharlie]

Thanks attn1 and whoever else worked on the Aria. Awesome job.

 

[_Opiate_]

very impressive!

Remember I told you I had a feeling it would work!

 

[_Opiate_]

Oh and whenever went into recovery during the root process after running the loop did you actually select recovery from the menu or did you use the other method we talked about in that other thread?

 

[cansler]

What is the procedure for removing the bloatware? As I said in the other thread, this will be my first endeavor into the Android market and I hope this is not a stupid question.

 

[attn1]

very impressive!

Remember I told you I had a feeling it would work!

You did - and you were right!

 

[_Opiate_]

You did - and you were right!

Im just glad it worked! I can't wait to give it a go myself.

 

[icedude]

does anyone have a stock rom for the HTC aria? Just wondering if ever i want to go back to the original ROM.

 

[ko0ky]

if you give this a try, please let us know how it went. that would be a big bonus.

thanks!

 

[_Opiate_]

does anyone have a stock rom for the HTC aria? Just wondering if ever i want to go back to the original ROM.

You are still on the stock ROM....rooting doesn't flash a different ROM

 

[cropythy]

I am trying this but i can't get past the start of running loop...i am following the guide linked to, can anyone give me a bit more explanation?

 

[_Opiate_]

if you give this a try, please let us know how it went. that would be a big bonus.

thanks!

Its already confirmed to work but I'm going to give this a go as soon as I get home and ill update. I'm headed there now.

 

[ko0ky]

Its already confirmed to work but I'm going to give this a go as soon as I get home and ill update. I'm headed there now.

Thanks Opiate, but so far, just one person has confirmed. I only asked to get general census on how well its going for everyone.

I trust the op too.. but still, for some of us... this will be our first 'rooting' a android. I love the phone way too much to screw something up.

 

[fluffyarmada]

I followed the instructions on the 'Root the Slide' page... But I must have done something wrong... because I still can't su. And now I can't get adb to detect the phone in recovery mode. Hmm...

Everything seemed to work though... this is strange.

And, yes, USB Debugging is enabled. I'm trying to re-do the whole process, but I can't get the phone to show up on adb.

 

[attn1]

does anyone have a stock rom for the HTC aria? Just wondering if ever i want to go back to the original ROM.

Sure. Once your are in clockwork, you can do a Nandroid backup. You can always restore that.

 

[Yoshiofthewire]

How did you get this to work?
Even with a fresh gold card I am not seeing an Offline Device

 

[attn1]

Thanks Opiate, but so far, just one person has confirmed. I only asked to get general census on how well its going for everyone.

I trust the op too.. but still, for some of us... this will be our first 'rooting' a android. I love the phone way too much to screw something up.

This is not the easiest root I've ever done. Read the MT3G thread carefully, especially the last few pages. Getting adb to work in recovery takes some patience and some retries.


Loading ota.zip as update.zip and then switching with update.zip as the file is verified also takes time to get just right.

It's a PIA, but it's doable.

 

[dagamer1234]

Very new at this kinda lost. Got my first android phone trying to figure all this stuff out. Is there a complete idoits gudie to this whole process. Btw loving my little android.