Root Scottys noob friendly root guide-start to finish

[scotty85]

Hi All, my first rooting experience using this thread on my HTC Rezound. The guide is great and easy to follow, but I'm having an issue that I can't seem to find an answer to.

I went through step 1 via HTCdev unlocking my phone successfully. I then got through most of step 2 (Exact step I'm failing out at is:

fastboot boot <recoveryname>.img

-youll see a (really fast) green status bar on the top right as your PC sends the recovery to your phone. youll then see the HTC splash screen,then your recovery.)

I don't see the really fast green status bar or anything. I get the message :

Downloading 'boot.img' ...

but it just sits there and does nothing and doesn't give me the OKAY message as in the guide.

My fastboot USB is up on my phone but locks when this happens and I cannot use the up or down volume or power button to do anything.

If I simply disconnect my phone from the USB, I can then navigate again and reboot my phone and all is good, but I cannot get this thing rooted.

I've tried everything I could think of and would appreciate any help.

sounds like you have a corrupt image. do you get a matching md5 when you enter the following comand?
md5sums recovery-ra-vigor-3.14-gnm.img

First, your post is extremely helpful. My question is thing: when I downloaded the stock recovery and extract, I see no file with the extension ending in .img. Am I just misunderstanding the instructions? Do I add .img in cmd prompt (the file name that shows up after I extracted is recovery_signed).

I am trying to replace Amon-RA with stock on my phone, keeping amon-ra on my laptop. I have already created a backup on my sd card.

if youre using windows,it is set up to hide the file extensions(unless you chagne it) just like the .zip folders just show a folder with a lil zipper. when you download a PH98IMG.zip,windows just shows it as "PH98IMG"

while certain file ext for some reason will show up(like .nb0) .img,.zip,and .exe files are usually shown by windows with no extension.

so you are not misunderstanding anything... just add the .img to the cmd prompt,and you should be good to go

 

[al23]

Thanks Scotty85. before I do anything to my phone, I plan to have all the tools I need available to save me from myself. I figure it's safer to keep amon-ra on my computer. I have already had issues flashing an ics rom.

 

[puremp24]

Scotty, I tried this on 2 different PCs as well using the 3.15 version img and yes i do get a match when running that command

 

[scotty85]

Scotty, I tried this on 2 different PCs as well using the 3.15 version img and yes i do get a match when running that command

and you dp get your serial number back from fastboot devices correct?

a copy and paste of everything in your cmd window may be helpful.

edit:

have you tried a couple different usb cords?

 

[puremp24]

I do get my device back as htxxxxxx and see the fastboot usb menu on my phone. As soon as i get to my computer again ill paste the commands. I didnt think to trry
another cord but i will try that as well. Thanks!

 

[scotty85]

I do get my device back as htxxxxxx and see the fastboot usb menu on my phone. As soon as i get to my computer again ill paste the commands. I didnt think to trry
another cord but i will try that as well. Thanks!

the usb cord sounds like a longshot,but stranger things have happened

i bought a used droid eris that the guy sold cheap,cause he couldnt flash any new roms on it. i got to messing with things,and found that if i tried to the cord that he gave me with it to trasnfer files,it slowed down windows explorer to the point that it crashed. different usb and everything was fine.

i was so fustrated messing with that phone... it taught me well that not all usb cables are created equal charged the phone just fine,but file transfer,not so much,lol.

also make sure you have htc sync,pdanet,or any other program capable of communicating with your phone temporatily uninstalled

 

[puremp24]

Scotty, it was either EasyTether or HTC Sync that was blocking it from going through. THANKS much for the help. All rooted and everything is working well. Maybe a good add to the guide for noobs like myself

thanks again

 

[scotty85]

Scotty, it was either EasyTether or HTC Sync that was blocking it from going through. THANKS much for the help. All rooted and everything is working well. Maybe a good add to the guide for noobs like myself

thanks again

awsome! glad you got it

 

[CainAxis]

What is wrong with the web page that sends the email after you enter the token? When I put in my token, and press submit, it says "404 page not found". I worked on this all night, and got to the end, and it doesn't work!!!

 

[scotty85]

What is wrong with the web page that sends the email after you enter the token? When I put in my token, and press submit, it says "404 page not found". I worked on this all night, and got to the end, and it doesn't work!!!

not sure... is the rest of htcdev's page functioning? might want to shoot them a message

edit:
im about to try and unlock my sensation,ill let you know if it works.

in the mean time,id prolly make up a new text document and paste your identifier token,so you wont have to start completely over when the site is working

edit 2:
i just unlocked my sensation.... site is working fine for me

 

[al23]

Hope someone can help me with this: so I flashed cleanrom professional ICS. Great ROM. However, I discovered (after the fact, sadly) that I simply cannot restore the stock using the nandroid backup I made. So, before I proceed, can someone confirm the following:

1. I can restore stock by running amon-ra using my PC to boot recovery and using the backup I had made previously

Or
2. Using the instructions provided by scotty in in post two (downloading the two files and following the instructions)

Thanks.

 

[scotty85]

If you launch amon from fast boot,then it should restore your gb backup just fine

2 will work also,but you should not need to do that.

Going back to gb is only an issue if you are s on,and stuck on leak ics firmware

 

[al23]

If you launch amon from fast boot,then it should restore your gb backup just fine

2 will work also,but you should not need to do that.

Going back to gb is only an issue if you are s on,and stuck on leak ics firmware

I tried Amon Ra but am pretty sure I launched using keys on the phone. I guess, worst case scenario, I would have to use the mini RUU. I think to save me from myself i will keep my phone s-on.

I will try using amon ra later and see how it goes.

Thanks again scotty.

 

[scotty85]

yup,if you use an on the phone recovery,it is unable to restore the kernel,and it won't boot since gb and ics kernels are not interchangable.

Launch amon from fastboot and you should restore your backup fine

 

[al23]

And just so I don't screw things up later (i am capable, let me tell you): after LAUNCHING from fastboot, i would then use the menu on the phone itself to find and restore the backup?

 

[scotty85]

And just so I don't screw things up later (i am capable, let me tell you): after LAUNCHING from fastboot, i would then use the menu on the phone itself to find and restore the backup?

correct

 

[chknhwk]

yup,if you use an on the phone recovery,it is unable to restore the kernel,and it won't boot since gb and ics kernels are not interchangable.

Launch amon from fastboot and you should restore your backup fine

To clarify, does this mean I can not use ROM Toolbox to reboot into recovery and load ROM's and nandroids? Is this possibly why I've had problems with some installs?

 

[al23]

correct

Worked like a charm. Many thanks, Scotty. Again. :rock:

 

[scotty85]

To clarify, does this mean I can not use ROM Toolbox to reboot into recovery and load ROM's and nandroids? Is this possibly why I've had problems with some installs?

in a word,yes.

using the rom toolbox to reboot to recovery is taking you to a permanently installed recovery,wich,cannot install kernels. if youre restoring from a permanent recovery,its restoring everything but the boot image. the boot image from your current rom may not be compatible with the nandroid that you restore,resulting in anything from force closes,to broken wifi,to not booting.

in order to avoid a seperate kernel flash when restoring nandroids(and flashing some roms) you NEED to launch amon from fastboot via the fastboot boot command

Worked like a charm. Many thanks, Scotty. Again. :rock:

awsome! glad to hear it

 

[chknhwk]

Wow! I wasn't aware of that! Thank you, Scotty!

 

[icedice34]

So I don't think I'm quite risky enough to try for s-off. But I'm currently running a custom Rom (nils business sense). The newest version says its for s-off only and gives something about flashing the latest kernel. I'm still running the gingerbread firmware and haven't flashed the latest leak. Am I now at a point where I can do anything until they release the official ICS? Do I basically need to go s-off to keep updating? I just want to run the newest version of business sense.

Can I flash the newest version then run the old firmware patch and be fine or will I need to run that kernel thing he was talking about? Thanks!

 

[Legobricke]

Trying to re-install the stock recovery...

I keep getting:


c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot flash recovery recovery_signed.img
sending 'recovery' (5598 KB)... FAILED (remote: not allowed)
finished. total time: 0.005s

I am currently unlocked.... running stock GB...

I just want to get back to stock recovery...

Current file I'm trying to install is PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery

Is that the proper file name?

Lego

 

[scotty85]

So I don't think I'm quite risky enough to try for s-off. But I'm currently running a custom Rom (nils business sense). The newest version says its for s-off only and gives something about flashing the latest kernel. I'm still running the gingerbread firmware and haven't flashed the latest leak. Am I now at a point where I can do anything until they release the official ICS? Do I basically need to go s-off to keep updating? I just want to run the newest version of business sense.

Can I flash the newest version then run the old firmware patch and be fine or will I need to run that kernel thing he was talking about? Thanks!

hard to say what differences there may be in the kernel. id venture to guess the rom would prolly work,with your current one,but that may not be optimal

if you fastboot boot your recovery,you should be able to flash the rom and it will change the kernel,just like if you were s-off. boot is writeable from fastboot take a screenie of your phone info,flash the rom,flsh the fimrware patch,and then compare to see if your kernel changed or not.

the other option,to flash from a permanent recovery,is to open up the rom,find the boot image,copy,then paste it into your mini-adb file so you can fastboot flash it after flashing the rom and firmware patch.

last and not least,youll need the firmware patch,but youre definately not to a point that you cant do anything till the official OTA ICS hits.

Trying to re-install the stock recovery...

I keep getting:


c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot flash recovery recovery_signed.img
sending 'recovery' (5598 KB)... FAILED (remote: not allowed)
finished. total time: 0.005s

I am currently unlocked.... running stock GB...

I just want to get back to stock recovery...

Current file I'm trying to install is PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery

Is that the proper file name?

Lego

are you defiantely unlocked? the remote not allowed error is typical of a still locked hboot.

otherwise...
-what do you get for an md5 of the recovery image? it should match this:
recovery_signed.img 43542d6d5d0ecb2e5b4205e60f602c80

assuming you used my guide,and have the miin-adb_vigor file for adb/fastboot,you can verify the md5 with the command: md5sums recovery_signed.img
-when using "fastboot flash" the image can be named literally anything. its not quite the same as flasing in hboot.
-make sure the recovery image is inside mini-adb_vigor
-make sure the phone is in fastboot,not hboot.

the command looks fine, so if all the above checks out,not sure what could be going on. try different usb ports and cables,and make sure your not using a usb 3.0 port,as they seem to cause some really wierd issues.

other than that,a copy/paste of your entire cmd window may have some clues,so if you start the process completely over,paste the whole thing.

your other options are to simply rename the "PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery" file to just "PH98IMG" and flash it in hboot,or you can place "PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery" into mini adb_vigor and run it as an ruu with the following:

adb devices

md5sums PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery.zip (should output 5e2f77d90d4cdfc0a221113ba52435a7
)

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot devices (should get serial number)

fastboot erase cache

fastboot oem rebootRUU (puts the phone in RUU mode-black screen with HTC in center)

fastboot flash zip PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery.zip flashes your .zip file

when it finishes:
fastboot reboot

the advantage of the above commands rather than renaming PH98IMG and flashing in hboot is that you dont need to transfer to,then delete from,sd card. it is not dependent on 1)being named correctly or 2)sd card being correct format.

hope that helps

 

[Legobricke]

Scotty...

Here's the log..... Looks like all is good...

C:\Users\Chris>cd c:\mini-adb_vigor

c:\mini-adb_vigor>adb devices
adb server is out of date. killing...
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
HT19SS215033 device


c:\mini-adb_vigor>adb reboot bootloader
adb server is out of date. killing...
* daemon started successfully *

c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot devices
HT19SS215033 fastboot

c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot erase cache
erasing 'cache'... OKAY [ 0.213s]
finished. total time: 0.213s

c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot oem rebootRUU
... INFOStart Verify: 3
INFOStart Verify: 3
INFOerase sector 130560 ~ 131071 (512)
OKAY [ 0.224s]
finished. total time: 0.224s

c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot flash zip PH98IMG-2.01.605.11-vigor-recovery.zip
sending 'zip' (5482 KB)... OKAY [ 1.424s]
writing 'zip'... INFOzip header checking...
INFOzip info parsing...
INFOchecking model ID...
INFOchecking custom ID...
INFOchecking main version...
INFOchecking hboot version...
INFOstart image[recovery] unzipping & flushing...
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,0
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,18
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,29
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,43
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,55
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,69
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,82
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,96
INFO[RUU]UZ,recovery,100
INFO[RUU]WP,recovery,0
INFO[RUU]WP,recovery,99
INFO[RUU]WP,recovery,100
OKAY [ 5.895s]
finished. total time: 7.325s

c:\mini-adb_vigor>fastboot reboot
rebooting...
finished. total time: 0.206s


I personally can't thank you enough....

Lego

 

[scotty85]

yup! looks good. you should now be back on the stock recovery.

you can verify by chosing recovery from the hboot menu,and it should tAke you to a screen with a trinagle and !. if,so thats what the stock recovery looks like. you can hold vol up and power until a menu appears,or you can pull the battery and reboot.

if youre looking to be able to install the "official OTA" when it comes,you need to be on a fairly stock 2.01.605.11. you prolly knew that,but i thot id throw it out in case others didnt