Intro
Here is my 2.1 update and root guide. Firstly I would like to thank the community for these files used in this guide, without them we would not have root.
I have tried this process on my UK MILESTONE using the following:
I cannot guarantee you will have the same success as me if you try a different bootloader version or SBF country/version.
Before you start, a few points to make:
Prerequisites
Procedure
So, if you've got this far and have decided to take the plunge and downloaded all the prerequisites, then you're ready to get started!
Follow these steps carefully and you'll have your MILESTONE with rooted 2.1!
End
If you made it fully through this guide then you should now be able to download apps such as Root Explorer and be able to mount the various directories as r/w and be able to start going deeper into modding your phone.
One of the best bits of this is being able to uninstall the CRAPPY apps that come with the phone and clog up memory such as Facebook or Sim Toolkit (these are deleted from /system/app), you can find out more about modding with root by other various guides.
Just as a final note: I recommend turning off OTA updates as they wont work for a rooted phone, you'll need to use RSD Lite from the future (unless you unroot).
Well I hope you find this guide useful! Took me long enough to write it
Known Issues
EDIT: Changed the link to SBF Files to the newest one and added RSDLite 4.9 link. Szadzik
Here is my 2.1 update and root guide. Firstly I would like to thank the community for these files used in this guide, without them we would not have root.
I have tried this process on my UK MILESTONE using the following:
- UK MILESTONE.
- 2.1 UK SBF (non-service).
- 90.73 bootloader.
I cannot guarantee you will have the same success as me if you try a different bootloader version or SBF country/version.
Before you start, a few points to make:
- I am not responsible if your phone becomes bricked from this. It worked perfectly for me without a single hitch but for you it could be different.
- Flashing a non-service SBF will WIPE the phone, so you will start from a blank slate.
- If you don't know what root is, then read up on it first. It may not be for you. Chances are if you are happy with your phone and you don't find it lacking, then you don't need root.
- Please read the WHOLE guide before starting, if you find yourself confused, then do NOT start. Ask first - you may break your phone.
- It is recommended you do this on a computer that isn't going to crash or power down mid-update. A laptop plugged in with a good battery is recommended.
Prerequisites
- USB Drivers (4.2.0 Download: For 32-bit Windows | For 64-bit Windows).
- RSD Lite (4.6.0 Download: For 32/64-bit Windows).
- RSD Lite (4.9.0 Download: For 32/64-bit Windows). Password: alabama
- SBF of your choice (from here).
- Vulnerable Recovery SBF for bootloader 90.78 and lower ONLY (from here or here).
- Milestone root update.zip (from here or here).
Procedure
So, if you've got this far and have decided to take the plunge and downloaded all the prerequisites, then you're ready to get started!
Follow these steps carefully and you'll have your MILESTONE with rooted 2.1!
- Charge your phone battery up FULL. While your phone is charging, install the USB drivers and RSD Lite.
- When the phone has finished charging, shut it down and unplug the USB cable from the phone.
- Load the phone up into bootloader mode by holding the UP direction button on the D-PAD of the phone (up as in towards the screen) and pressing the power button until you see the screen light up.
- You should be presented with the following text:
Code:Bootloader <version number> Battery OK OK to Program Connect USB Data Cable - Connect your USB cable to the phone and the last two lines should change to:
Code:Transfer Mode: USB - Now you can load up RSD Lite using the icon on your desktop. Follow the steps in this image, selecting the 2.1 SBF you wish to flash (not the vulnerable recovery, that is later).
- Wait for RSD Lite to finish (The Status column will read Finished and the Result column should read PASS).
If you get anything else or it seems to be taking forever, please ask here and do not interrupt the program or phone. - When your phone boots up and asks you to set it up, shut it down and repeat step 3 of this guide.
- Once into the bootloader again, you can flash the vulnerable recovery SBF. Repeat step 6, but this time select the vulnerable recovery SBF and not the 2.1 SBF. This update should take a few seconds/minutes, and the phone will start back up once this is done with RSD Lite reading a Finished and PASS result in their respective columns.
Again, if you experience problems as outlined in step 7, don't interrupt the phone/program. Ask in this thread. - In Windows explorer, navigate to the SD card of the phone and copy the milestone_root.zip file over and rename it to update.zip.
- Once that has copied, shut the phone down once more and put it into recovery mode (not bootloader).
To get into recovery mode:- For bootloader 90.78: X button on keypad
- For bootloader lower than 90.78: Camera button on side of phone
- Phew! If you made it this far then congrats, you nearly have root!
Now hold the Volume Up button and press the Camera button to bring up the command menu. - Select from the menu using the D-PAD and choose apply sdcard:update.zip. If all is well it should start saying Rooting your phone..., once it is complete the command menu will re-appear. Simply choose reboot system now.
- Once the phone has started back up again, go through the initial setup (or skip it) and you should have a new app called Superuser Whitelist.
Whenever an app requests root access you will get a prompt screen like this:
End
If you made it fully through this guide then you should now be able to download apps such as Root Explorer and be able to mount the various directories as r/w and be able to start going deeper into modding your phone.
One of the best bits of this is being able to uninstall the CRAPPY apps that come with the phone and clog up memory such as Facebook or Sim Toolkit (these are deleted from /system/app), you can find out more about modding with root by other various guides.
Just as a final note: I recommend turning off OTA updates as they wont work for a rooted phone, you'll need to use RSD Lite from the future (unless you unroot).
Well I hope you find this guide useful! Took me long enough to write it
Known Issues
- Sometimes, even when you have done everything right in RSD Lite - the start button remains greyed out. You must launch it by command line on such occasions:
Download this batch file, copy it and the SBFs you wish to flash into the RSD Lite folder and then drag and drop the SBFs you wish to flash onto it. - Sometimes RSD Lite is unable to restart the phone as it needs (RSD Lite will read: Please manually power up this phone). If this happens you must manually assist the phone in flashing. Thanks to tazd for reporting this issue and finding the workaround.
- Disconnect the USB cable and shut the phone down.
- Start the phone up in bootloader mode.
- Reconnect the USB cable. RSD Lite should continue now.
EDIT: Changed the link to SBF Files to the newest one and added RSDLite 4.9 link. Szadzik
. You can still underclock however.
.
