Root A noob's guide to rooting - Williamj1

[williamj1]

My Noob's Guide to Rooting - Using Unrevoked3, Flashing a ROM and A2SD

Ok, so last week I finally took the plunge, and decided to root. Despite all the other guides, help I got and so on, I still found it pretty difficult. I had so many questions, and despite them being answered, again the experts seemed to miss out some stuff which they presumed I would know. I think this is a fairly consistent problem for us noob's. So, here it is - my noob's guide to rooting. Now, before I begin - a few things.

- Do this at your own risk. Do not blame me if things go wrong! (Which they shouldn't)
- I cannot state the importance of doing a nandroid backup at the specified step. Absolute life saver!
- If posted elsewhere, credit me fully please.
-Follow the instructions carefully. Read them carefully. Do not skim over steps.
- This will most likely void a warranty, however from use of a nandroid backup, you can always restore to a pre-custom rom state. The manufacturers usually accept this.
- Remember to backup things like the dictionary, settings and so on in apps like mybackup pro.


- Obviously, this is specific to Teppic's Rom. This is just the stock HTC Froyo 2.2 Official Rom - no changes made. It has support for apps2sd and has no changes made unlike other roms. The process will work with other roms, but certain parts of the guide are specific to Teppics, so beware of this.

Finally, a big shout out for DanFrance and Teppic74 for all their help they gave me.

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I've tried to make this pretty simple. But if any bits aren't - Ill update. Links included in the guide, follow it carefully - Good luck. Any questions post below - As always, ill check back regularly.

1. Root with unrevoked3
2. Download titanium backup, Mybackup Pro and Rom Manager
3. Backup app data to sd using titanium backup and my backup pro
4. To be extra safe, copy all sd contents to computer (ensure hidden folders too + especially the titanium backup / mybackup pro folders too)
5. Format micro sd
6. Partition Micro sd by opening rom manager, press "flash custom recovery" then go down and press partition sd card. Set the first thing to 512mb, then the swap to 0, and hit go.
7. Once that is completed, Turn off the phone, and boot into custom recovery (clockworks mod)
8. Do a nandroid backup - I cannot stress the importance of this enough. (Also, a well documented issue with unrevoked is that this ^^ can cause a boot loop). This happened to me, and boy did I freak.... but really its simple....To fix, simply restore your nandroid backup from a minute ago.
9. Download the following placing the unextracted unzipped zip files on the root of the sd, ie. just loose once you open the sd up on the computer.
10. Download....

- Download ROM with init.d Support (the second rom down the page) Download ROM with init.d Support

-Dowload Radio 32.44.00.32U_5.09.05.30_2 (optional, check your radio first. I found mine was the above anyway so this was irrelevant. Yours is labelled at the top of the screen in the custom recovery boot menu)

-Dowload add_a2sd-14-signed.zip

11. Boot into recovery - find the option to flash from sd card a zip file....
12. Flash the ROM with init.d Support (ZIP FILE) you saved onto sd from earlier.
12. Flash Radio 32.44.00.32U_5.09.05.30_2 (optional)
13. Flash this - add_a2sd-14-signed.zip
14. Boot up phone
15. Download titanium backup, Mybackup Pro and Rom Manager
16. Restore data

I just really hope i've covered everything here. Any unsure bits, or just anything else get back to me

William

 

[EddyOS]

1. Saying people can't post this without your permission is a bit narrow minded - you've had help from other people and have given credit, someone else could post this and credit you

2. This isn't a guide to rooting but a guide to rooting and flashing your ROM of choice. If it was a guide to rooting then someone just has to follow the unrEVOked guidelines

 

[dinaro]

thanks will, this helps a lot. Especially with the backing up process. I do realize now that I will have to do another factory wipe to do all this as long as I'm comfortable with voiding my warranty lol sigh. All my icons are pretty much customized from folder organizer so reconfiguring all my settings and icons and homescreens is gonna be a pain in the ass... unless these help with restoring (titanium backup, Mybackup Pro)

 

[SUroot]

Yeah it should be a guide to rooting and flashing a stock-like froyo with a2SD+ support

 

[dinaro]

I won't be getting OTA updates once I do this right? I'll need to flash new ROMs to do updates and then re-wipe all my stuff?

 

[SUroot]

The next update is gingerbread. You won't get ota, no.

 

[williamj1]

1. Saying people can't post this without your permission is a bit narrow minded - you've had help from other people and have given credit, someone else could post this and credit you

2. This isn't a guide to rooting but a guide to rooting and flashing your ROM of choice. If it was a guide to rooting then someone just has to follow the unrEVOked guidelines

1. Maybe, but without naming names, I found my guide in other places Without my permission or any credit to me. If they ask, and credit me fine.....

2. Ok. Ill add flashing a rom to the title.

I won't be getting OTA updates once I do this right? I'll need to flash new ROMs to do updates and then re-wipe all my stuff?

True, but tbh o2 took an age to give me froyo, and when they finally released it (4 months late), it not only bricked 95% of those who upgraded phones. Plus, it was loaded with german bloatware like some random sat nav app we couldn't use. And to think internal memory wasn't restricted enough already!

not only do I have little confidence in their update testing or process, I have little confidence they will even bother to update users to gingerbread anyway. The desire is more or less becoming old stock now, and they aren't as far as I know getting the new ones. not the desire z's anyway. So for me, it's not much of a loss to be honest.

3. Thanks - Title changed

 

[EddyOS]

Do you not think it's a little petty saying no one can post your guide without permission - it's like me posting a new RUU and saying no one can use it without my permission...

We're all here to help so who cares if someone else uses your guide - it's for the greater good

 

[dinaro]

I'm getting a little closer to taking the root plunge, just had a few more questions. Once I root, I'll have 2.10. I'll also want to flash a new radio lets say... 32.48 as I've heard people having better battery performance with it. But I've also read that not all radios will work properly unless you flash a brand new rom version like 2.29 with radio 32.48 or 32.49. Will 2.10 (rooted) be compatible with ALL radio verisons?

 

[EddyOS]

Yes, but whether it makes things better for YOU is another question

 

[dinaro]

Well in that case I'll have to try different radios thanks.

 

[williamj1]

Do you not think it's a little petty saying no one can post your guide without permission - it's like me posting a new RUU and saying no one can use it without my permission...

We're all here to help so who cares if someone else uses your guide - it's for the greater good

I changed it earlier. They can post all they want, as long as they credit it to me.It's hardly fair for me to do all the work, only to find them getting all the credit.

 

[williamj1]

Well in that case I'll have to try different radios thanks.

Yeh go for it . Be careful though as some radio's are made specifically for certain roms.
Most people change roms to get the latest one, bringing better signal + battery performance etc, but seeing as you appear to have the latest one already - I'm not sure it would do much. I could be wrong though. Plus, it's another step towards voiding warranty I suppose. Personally, I reckon the closer to stock, the safer....

 

[dinaro]

Yeah after thinking about it for a bit, if it's not "broken" or causing any major issues I probably shouldn't meddle around with it... atleast not yet.

 

[SUroot]

If you can easily return to stock with an ruu, it doesn't matter how far from stock you go

 

[dinaro]

9. Download the following placing the unextracted unzipped zip files on the root of the sd, ie. just loose once you open the sd up on the computer.

How will I know where the root of the SD is? Is it a particular folder or partition?

8. Do a nandroid backup - I cannot stress the importance of this enough. (Also, a well documented issue with unrevoked is that this ^^ can cause a boot loop). This happened to me, and boy did I freak.... but really its simple....To fix, simply restore your nandroid backup from a minute ago.

If I go into an endless boot cycle is it safe for me to pull the battery so I can do the nandroid restore?

AND one more question about the zip files. Do I need to rename them? Or can I just leave them as is and flash?

 

[SUroot]

Yes pull battery. Root of SD is the top.level of your SD card, ie not in a folder. No need to rename

 

[dinaro]

OK! I think I'm just about ready to do this in a few mins. WISH ME LUCK!

 

[SUroot]

Good luck. Don't panic. and Nandroid, Nandroid, Nandroid

 

[dinaro]

Thanks Will be following all the steps outlined by William so I should be ok.

 

[dinaro]

K weird, I rooted and have superuser permissions. I downloaded mybackup and titantium back up but titanium backup says I don't have root permissions whereas mybackup says I do.

 

[SUroot]

Uninstall it and try again. Also, look in superuser app and check it isn't in the deny list

 

[dinaro]

k will do

 

[dinaro]

hmm still says the same thing....says i need busybox or something.

EDIT: got it to detect. I had to install an update for busybox in the titanium app.

EDIT 2: Both mybackup and titanium back up the same things no?

 

[williamj1]

hmm still says the same thing....says i need busybox or something.

EDIT: got it to detect. I had to install an update for busybox in the titanium app.

EDIT 2: Both mybackup and titanium back up the same things no?

For edit 2 - you can choose which to restore. Personally I preferred titanium as it didn't require a reinstall of apps. But mybackup pro did things like my dictionary so I used a mix of both.