[How To] Regain Root With S-Off or HTC unlocked bootloader
Please note, the files listed here should only be used on the original Droid Incredible.
So you accepted the Gingerbread OTA or decided to run an RUU and now Unrevoked 3 doesn't work. If you're still S-Off from being rooted previously, here's how to get back to root:
1/19/12 update: If you unlocked your bootloader via the HTC website, you will still be s-on but these instructions may be used. Skip straight to step #2 now if this describes your situation.
1.) Unsure of s-off status? Power off phone, hold volume down while pressing power button to enter hboot. Look near top of the screen. If it says s-off, you're good.
4.) With both files on SD card, power off phone. Then press and hold volume down and the power button simultaneously until the hboot screen appears. PB31IMG should now be auto-recognized. When prompted, press volume up to load it. When done, follow the instructs to reboot.
5.) Remove the PB31IMG from the SD card.
6.) Power down, then go back to hboot. Use the volume keys to select "Recovery", press power button to select and enter Clockwork. Now select "Install zip from SD card", then "Choose zip from SD card", then navigate to the Superuser zip you placed on the card in step 3. Select and load it. (NOTE: For those that don't typically load zips directly in CWM, use the trackpad button to make selections in CWM, the power button brings you back one menu.)
7.) With Superuser now loaded, choose the Clockwork option to reboot to system. If you don't see it at first, press the power button once to go back one menu and it'll be there. Now should be rooted with Clockworkmod recovery.
Last edited by iowabowtech; June 8th, 2012 at 10:43 AM.
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Timely post. Just started digging for info on this today as I've reached my tolerance limit with the 2.3.4 OTA. Many thanks.
Let us know how it goes. I have done the procedure but I used cwm 3.0.0.8 rather than the newer 5.0.2.0 I linked here. Should work the same but just want it verified. First person to verify results gets a guaranteed thanks button press from yours truly.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iowabowtech
So you accepted the Gingerbread OTA or decided to run an RUU and now Unrevoked 3 doesn't work. If you're still S-Off from being rooted previously, here's how to get back to root:
1.) Unsure of s-off status? Power off phone, hold volume down while pressing power button to enter hboot. Look near top of the screen. If it says s-off, you're good.
4.) With both files on SD card, power off phone. Then hold volume down while pressing power button to enter hboot. PB31IMG should now be auto-recognized. When prompted, press volume up to load it. When done, follow the instructs to reboot.
5.) Remove the PB31IMG from the SD card.
6.) Power down, then go back to hboot. Use the volume keys to select "Recovery", press power button to select and enter Clockwork. Now select "Install zip from SD card", then "Choose zip from SD card", then navigate to the Superuser zip you placed on the card in step 3. Select and load it. (NOTE: For those that don't typically load zips directly in CWM, use the trackpad button to make selections in CWM, the power button brings you back one menu.)
7.) With Superuser now loaded, choose the Clockwork option to reboot to system. If you don't see it at first, press the power button once to go back one menu and it'll be there. Now should be rooted with Clockworkmod recovery.
Works with RA recovery, too. Just did it for giggles. May I have a thank you sir?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by answerman
Nice writeup. I expect lots of people are going to be directed here once they give up on the OTA.
Just curious (doesn't matter much to me because I am rooted and on Nils): once this process is followed, where are you? Back at rooted 2.2?
This is for people who were rooted, unrooted (leacing S-off) then received the OTA update (or applied one of the non-rooted manual update methods). This lets them reroot the phone.
So they end up with the stock 2.3 Rom, only with root.
I rooted while on 2.2 and confirmed that the phone had "S-off" before manually upgrading to 2.3.4. However, I have been experiencing difficulty restoring the root (Clockwork and Superuser). I downloaded both files, but when they download on my Mac they download as uncompressed folders (and I think their file names may change too). At any rate, I've tried different combinations and have had no luck installing Clockwork via the boot loader.
Someone off chat recommended I try downloading the ROM Manager and Superuser versions available in the Market, but I haven't been sure how to properly integrate those with the phone.
Any/all assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Here are some of my specs currently:
Android 2.3.4
Baseband version: 2.15.10.07.07
Kernel version: 2.6.35.10-g5e15ac4
Build number: 4.06.605.2
Software number: 4.06.605.2
I rooted while on 2.2 and confirmed that the phone had "S-off" before manually upgrading to 2.3.4. However, I have been experiencing difficulty restoring the root (Clockwork and Superuser). I downloaded both files, but when they download on my Mac they download as uncompressed folders (and I think their file names may change too). At any rate, I've tried different combinations and have had no luck installing Clockwork via the boot loader.
Someone off chat recommended I try downloading the ROM Manager and Superuser versions available in the Market, but I haven't been sure how to properly integrate those with the phone.
Any/all assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Here are some of my specs currently:
Android 2.3.4
Baseband version: 2.15.10.07.07
Kernel version: 2.6.35.10-g5e15ac4
Build number: 4.06.605.2
Software number: 4.06.605.2
Try downloading the file directly from your phone browser and use a file manager (astro) to rename and move the clockwork image to the root of your SD card.
Thanks, that was easy and quick! Probably easier than Unrevoked, which requires either Windows drivers or a Linux session, plus the fear of losing your USB line while it's installing.
Actually, I did use Unrevoked with Froyo, and now that I see a different "Superuser" icon, I'm wondering what it is that I just installed. Who makes this? Is it a standalone root manager like Unrevoked, or do I need to install that too?
Thanks, that was easy and quick! Probably easier than Unrevoked, which requires either Windows drivers or a Linux session, plus the fear of losing your USB line while it's installing.
Actually, I did use Unrevoked with Froyo, and now that I see a different "Superuser" icon, I'm wondering what it is that I just installed. Who makes this? Is it a standalone root manager like Unrevoked, or do I need to install that too?
Superuser is just an app that can be found on the market. Icon probably looks different because this may be a newer version than you were used to. Unrevoked is not a root manager, it's just an automated root exploit but it is not designed to work with Gingerbread. When the Unrevoked team integrated s-off (Unrevoked Forever back then) into the root tool, it gave us the ability to reroot in these instances, even now when the Unrevoked tool itself is obsolete, simply by loading a custom recovery and applying Superuser to allow root apps to work.
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I tried this (I still have S-Off on my DINC after GB update), but the HBOOT scanns, I can see the PB31IMG.zip scanned but doesn't do anything. Keeps saying no image or wrong image. Any ideas? I really want to get root and SU back on this phone.
I tried this (I still have S-Off on my DINC after GB update), but the HBOOT scanns, I can see the PB31IMG.zip scanned but doesn't do anything. Keeps saying no image or wrong image. Any ideas? I really want to get root and SU back on this phone.
is your sd card formatted to fat32? Is the file on the root of the sd card?
Did you confirm the md5 hash of the file?
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Yes to both fat32 & the file on the card. I didn't however check the hash. I had quite the difficulty downloading the file to begin with (I hate those fileshare sites, they give a lot of fake download options LOL)
I'll check the hash, and see if that answers my problem. Thanks.
Sounds most likely like the fat32 format didn't take properly. If the md5 matches and the file is on the root of the SD card, try reformatting again or try another card.
Has anyone had problems with wireless tether after this reroot?
This is no different from other root methods, except it is manual.
The problem likely is with superuser. Go into settings -> applications -> superuser -> clear data. Make sure superuser is up to date through market. Open superuser, go to settings and check the binary to make sure it is up to date.
So you accepted the Gingerbread OTA or decided to run an RUU and now Unrevoked 3 doesn't work. If you're still S-Off from being rooted previously, here's how to get back to root:
1.) Unsure of s-off status? Power off phone, hold volume down while pressing power button to enter hboot. Look near top of the screen. If it says s-off, you're good.
4.) With both files on SD card, power off phone. Then hold volume down while pressing power button to enter hboot. PB31IMG should now be auto-recognized. When prompted, press volume up to load it. When done, follow the instructs to reboot.
5.) Remove the PB31IMG from the SD card.
6.) Power down, then go back to hboot. Use the volume keys to select "Recovery", press power button to select and enter Clockwork. Now select "Install zip from SD card", then "Choose zip from SD card", then navigate to the Superuser zip you placed on the card in step 3. Select and load it. (NOTE: For those that don't typically load zips directly in CWM, use the trackpad button to make selections in CWM, the power button brings you back one menu.)
7.) With Superuser now loaded, choose the Clockwork option to reboot to system. If you don't see it at first, press the power button once to go back one menu and it'll be there. Now should be rooted with Clockworkmod recovery.
I was following this but hboot wouldn't appear. This was my problem in step 4): I would press "Power" and "Volume down" and then released them, when I should've held them pressed until hboot screen appears.
May I recommend rephrasing step 4) to something like this:
I was following this but hboot wouldn't appear. This was my problem in step 4): I would press "Power" and "Volume down" and then released them, when I should've held them pressed until hboot screen appears.
May I recommend rephrasing step 4) to something like this:
I tried this (I still have S-Off on my DINC after GB update), but the HBOOT scanns, I can see the PB31IMG.zip scanned but doesn't do anything. Keeps saying no image or wrong image. Any ideas? I really want to get root and SU back on this phone.
the image for me does the same thing and the hash was correct. in addition the card was correctly formatted.
the image for me does the same thing and the hash was correct. in addition the card was correctly formatted.
Some cards are finnicky. You'll have to keep reformatting the card and add the file back to it until it works...or try another card. I don't know why it happens that way sometimes but it does.
Thanks everyone who's pulled info together in this thread to make this process as straightforward as possible.
I'm having an issue and hoping someone can point me in the right direction.
Steps 1-5 worked just fine for me. However, in Step 6, I select "Recovery" from the menu, briefly see the HTC screen, see the screen with a phone icon and a green arc over it, and then the screen switches to a phone icon with a red triangle containing an exclamation point. Nothing further happens and I have to pull the battery to get the phone to start again.
Am I doing something wrong? Or should I be looking at a totally different process to get re-rooted for some reason?
Thanks!
If you're getting a red triangle in step 6 that means you're still on stock recovery and clockwork didn't flash properly or at all.
Make sure the file is named 'PB31IMG.zip' and not 'PB31IMG.zip.zip'. You should be prompted to install it on the first hboot screen, with no option to select recovery. After it finishes installing, select to reboot and continue from step 5.
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mmolitor is spot on. So we are looking at both steps 2 and 4 here as the culprit. Make sure your card is formatted to fat32, that's required. Make sure to verify the MD5 hash which will ensure you have the exact file I posted. If it doesn't match, you may have a borked download and you need to redownload it. The next source of potential hangup is file naming although I have it pre-named such that you shouldn't have a problem. To be sure however, navigate to your sd card using a file manager and verify that the file shows up as PB31IMG.zip (exactly that, no exceptions).
Once all that is verfied, you are ready for step 4. When you goto hboot, after a few seconds on the main hboot screen, it will scan your card for image files (the PB31IMG). It should locate the file now and should prompt you to load the file. You will press the volume UP key once to initiate the loading of the file. If you are not getting this, refer back to the tips above.
If you DO have all this happening and yet you are still ending up at the stock recovery in step 6, then we need to talk.
I'm a noob at this and have previously set my s-off with unrEVOked a while back, but forgot about it when I re-flashed my stock froyo this past summer.
My problem was that I couldn't get my phone to reboot during the OTA GB update and started dabbing into 'why'.
I used a terminal app to remove SU from the system/app folder (just in case it was a security flag in the update), that didn't help. I was trying to clear my cache in HBOOT and it wouldn't do ANYTHING... I couldn't understand why until I just decided to re-flash another factory ROM that was titled PB31IMG.zip. That worked and I received my GB update OTA almost immediately. I deleted PB31IMG.zip from my SD card and tried to install SU through a .zip file that I downloaded.
NOTHING...
unrEVOked wouldn't work, I couldn't get HBOOT to install SU and therefore I couldn't gain root.
After a little trial, error and not wanting to reflash a factory ROM again, I turned to the forums. Everything I was finding on the web about gaining ROOT with GB(VZ), said that I had to DOWNGRADE to FroYo to do, BUT since I already had S-OFF I was not going to do that and decided to keep searching.
I found this page and thought that the file you have listed as PB31IMG.zip was the same as as the one I just deleted and skipped over it... Yup, noob move! SU still wouldn't install and clockworkmod wouldn't reboot me into recovery for some reason. Then I thought about how the file above may just be a different file that already has the name changed simply for installation, as do other .zips (again, NOOB).
Needless to say, Once I downloaded your first file everything went FLAWLESSLY!
I was sure to "THANK" you and I greatly appreciate it!
EDIT: This was with my Dinc (original)
Provider VzW
Last edited by redsly; December 7th, 2011 at 09:11 AM.
Reason: Phone type
1. Went back to stock INC with S-off. (Full wipe)
2. Received Gingerbread OTA
3. Version 4.08.605.2 Radio 2.15.10.07.07
4. Verified S-off remained (Originally from Unrevoked method)
5. Downloaded the PB31IMG (Verified Hash)and Superuser files
6. Moved to SD Card (Verified FAT 32)
7. Went into HBOOT - Found PB31IMG.zip
8. Update went fine - Rebooted - Renamed PB31 file
9. Powered down - Powered up into Hboot
10. Selected Recovery
11. Clockworkmod Recovery v5.0.2.0
12. Selected Install zip from sdcard
13. Received picture of tophat with orange circle Nothing else happens
Can use power button to return to clockwork menu
Selecting other give same "tophat" picture result only
Have to remove battery to reboot
Repeated from step 5 multiple times with same results.
While moving the phone around to remove the battery yet again, I felt the tactic feedback. Turns out it was from my brushing the optical mouse. I tried again using the mouse instead of volume/power buttons and.....
It Worked!
Rooted and happy!
Silly thing to have caused such frustration !
Jim
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new to forum and cant get bolth files on astro root file
well long story short i got my phone from ebay the owner told me he had it rooted but he unrooted it when he put it up on ebay. it shows that the s is of and its runing on 2.3.4 and baseband on 2.15.10.07.07. i tryed unstaling the files right of ove the phone browser into astro but i cant move bolth files to the root file makes no sens the only thing i noe that he rooted it before with unrevoked. plz help lol it sucks to be a noob.
well long story short i got my phone from ebay the owner told me he had it rooted but he unrooted it when he put it up on ebay. it shows that the s is of and its runing on 2.3.4 and baseband on 2.15.10.07.07. i tryed unstaling the files right of ove the phone browser into astro but i cant move bolth files to the root file makes no sens the only thing i noe that he rooted it before with unrevoked. plz help lol it sucks to be a noob.
Well, I didn't understand your post very well but its easiest to download the files using a computer, then hook up the phone, navigate the SD card contents and drag/drop the files onto the SD card. As mentioned in the OP, the card must be formatted to fat32 for this to work. If you have not performed that step, please remember that formatting wipes all card contents so plan accordingly.
Well, I didn't understand your post very well but its easiest to download the files using a computer, then hook up the phone, navigate the SD card contents and drag/drop the files onto the SD card. As mentioned in the OP, the card must be formatted to fat32 for this to work. If you have not performed that step, please remember that formatting wipes all card contents so plan accordingly.
i tried it step by step i put the clock recovery and super user on the sd card then i unplug the phone from the laptop and i went to hboot when i got there no update showd up it just shows no image in green leters and back to hboot settings. and my sd card was already formatted in fat32. idk if it has to be somthing with my sd card idk its weard but thanx for helping me.
i tried it step by step i put the clock recovery and super user on the sd card then i unplug the phone from the laptop and i went to hboot when i got there no update showd up it just shows no image in green leters and back to hboot settings. and my sd card was already formatted in fat32. idk if it has to be somthing with my sd card idk its weard but thanx for helping me.
You may have to try formatting the card again, be sure to use the computer to do this. Also, if Windows, use the full format option instead of quick format. Some people have had to reformat several times before it works. I cannot explain why but that has been the case with this phone since day 1. That or try a different card if available. If you are persistent, you will almost certainly be successful.
you can also flash PB31IMG files with the RUU command in fastboot. its completely independent of filename and sd card format( i dont think the sd card even needs to be present! ) if you want,you can flash clockwork in this manner,instead of in hboot.
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So I am on rezound and I followed instructions on HTCdev and unlocked it. Now trying the OP instructions and it is not working. When on step4, and I reboot in hboot, the file isn't eeven getting read. It scrolls quickly for the files it reads and I went in to hboot multiple times but this file in question is not getting read.
Scotty85 has nice instructions on the last link he provided but that is also not working.
I know my rezound is unlocked with S-on as it wiped all my setting after I followed instructions on htcdev.
Anyone know how to root a rezound after it has been unlocked from htcdev? I am only concerned about tethering not particulary for putting custom ROMs on it. Please help!
So I am on rezound and I followed instructions on HTCdev and unlocked it. Now trying the OP instructions and it is not working. When on step4, and I reboot in hboot, the file isn't eeven getting read. It scrolls quickly for the files it reads and I went in to hboot multiple times but this file in question is not getting read.
Scotty85 has nice instructions on the last link he provided but that is also not working.
I know my rezound is unlocked with S-on as it wiped all my setting after I followed instructions on htcdev.
Anyone know how to root a rezound after it has been unlocked from htcdev? I am only concerned about tethering not particulary for putting custom ROMs on it. Please help!
These instructions will only work for the HTC incredible.
I have my phone rooted with unrevoked and wanted to know if this will work as is. Do I need to go back to stock, run the OTA to Gingerbread, then run this method? Does this bring me up to GB so I can stop getting the update notice?
I have my phone rooted with unrevoked and wanted to know if this will work as is. Do I need to go back to stock, run the OTA to Gingerbread, then run this method? Does this bring me up to GB so I can stop getting the update notice?
In step 4 it sees my PB31IMG.zip file and tries to load it but gives an error saying "main version is older. update fail"
phone has never been rooted, just an unlocked boot loader via the official HTC method still with s-on. any suggestions?
Edit: my goal here is to root the phone so i can load Nils Business GingerSense 3.5 ROM
what i have learned from htcdev and unlocked s-on hboots,is that it is now important what information is on the "android info" text document that is contained within the PB31IMG file. basically,the "mainver" number in the info file,cannot be lower than what the actual main version is on your phone. youre on gingerbread,and the PB31IMG prolly contains a randomly selected android info file with a lower mainver than that,preventing the flash.
in order to make the PB31IMG flsh with htcdev s-on,youll need to:
-follow all rules for PB31IMG files(FAT32 sd,properly named file,root of sd card)
-check your main version in fastboot via the following fastboot command : fastboot getvar all and look for the "version-main" number in the resulting outout.
-unzip PB31IMG and edit your text doccument to this same number or higher
-rezip with the new text document.
it should work then.
however,the easier way is to simply remove the recovery image from the PB31IMG file and place it into the folder you used to htcdev unlock. change to that directory and put your phone in fastboot,like when you unlocked.
permanently flash your recovery with this command: fastboot flash recovery <recovery name>.img
using "fastboot flash" elimiates finicky sd cards,android info files,and improperly named files completely from the equation
edit: after having messed with an s-on unlocked hboot,i think i will put together an htcdev specific guide for the few folks that want to do it this way. ill try and get it up later this eveing
Last edited by scotty85; January 29th, 2012 at 12:34 PM.
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thanks. i almost did it the edit the text file way but then there is the hbootpreupdate parameter which also had different values (3 in the text file vs 11 in my getvar output). so i went with the fastboot route and it worked great.
Edit: putting together a specific guide for this will be a great plus. i think a lot of these phones are coming off original contract plan owners and making it to new owners via the ebay circuit.
p.s. Any idea how serious Nils is when he says hboot 0.92 is required. i'm rooted with HTC unlock, s-on, clockwork recovery, but hboot 1.02. Any idea if that would still work, or at least be safe to attempt?
Last edited by DrDooGood; January 29th, 2012 at 05:23 PM.
thanks. i almost did it the edit the text file way but then there is the hbootpreupdate parameter which also had different values (3 in the text file vs 11 in my getvar output). so i went with the fastboot route and it worked great.
Edit: putting together a specific guide for this will be a great plus. i think a lot of these phones are coming off original contract plan owners and making it to new owners via the ebay circuit.
p.s. Any idea how serious Nils is when he says hboot 0.92 is required. i'm rooted with HTC unlock, s-on, clockwork recovery, but hboot 1.02. Any idea if that would still work, or at least be safe to attempt?
yes,it should be fine. id be willing to guess 1.02 is basically the same as .92,with addition of the additional fastboot commands and the ability to "lock" and "unlock".
the warning for .92 hboot is basically so you dont try and use one of the older .77 or .79 hboots. a worse case there is it simply wont boot until you flash older firmware the hboot is capable of booting. at any rate, you should be perfectly fine flashing roms with your 1.02.0000. ive actually got it installed on my inc(and my other phones that dont have eng bootloaders available,tho i am s-off on top of that) and havent had any issues.
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[How To] Regain Root With S-Off or HTC unlocked bootloader
hmm...
plz help lol it sucks to be a noob.
) if you want,you can flash clockwork in this manner,instead of in hboot.
