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Root Universal Windows USB Drivers (ADB, BootLoader, Disk Drive, HTC Sync)

Bob Denny

Well-Known Member
Jun 22, 2010
197
194
Monitoring the traffic on the unrEVOked IRC channel, it's clear that there is a ton of confusion about the USB drivers needed, despite the excellent article on the unrEVOked site. I thought I'd maybe add to that or create an alternative article.

There are three different modes in which the Incredible (or the EVO!) can connect to a Windows system:

  1. Disk Drive
  2. ADB (USB Debugging and ClockworkMod Recovery)
  3. BootLoader (while phone is in the HBOOT mode)

The drivers that come with the Android SDK can't do any of it because none of the interfaces for the Incredible are present in the .INF file. The drivers that come with HTC Sync can do #1 and #2, but cannot be used for rooting with unrEVOked because they don't support #3. The following link points to drivers which are universal; they will work for all three purposes on the Incredible (and the EVO as well).

unrEVOked modified USB Driver

You do not have to remove HTC Sync if you have it installed. These drivers will replace the ones that came from HTC Sync and be usable for that as well as rooting. The trick is getting these drivers to replace the ones you have from the Android SDK or HTC Sync or ??? (or simply installing them if you have no drivers yet). The idea is to plug your phone into USB while it's in HBOOT mode, forcing Windows to look for Bootloader drivers. Only the ones here provide that.

Anyway, here's how:

  1. Uninstall HTC Sync, DoubleTwist, and DropBox from the PC. Sorry about this. Once these drivers are installed you may reinstall those and they will continue to work. These drivers are universal.
  2. Unzip the file, leaving the folder Android USB Driver somewhere like on your desktop
  3. Unplug your phone from USB
  4. Power down your phone
  5. Now simultaneously press the volume DOWN button and the power button, holding till the HBOOT screen appears
  6. Now connect the USB cable between the phone and your PC
  7. The word HBOOT (blue box with white letters) will change to HBOOT USB PLUG
  8. On the EVO, wait till HBOOT cycles through an SD check (10 sec) then select select HBOOT USB at the bottom of the menu (using the vol keys to navigate and power button to select). Thanks to hperry for this.
  9. Now look at your Windows Device Manager and see if you already have Android Phone listed for HBOOT as shown in one of the last two images (way) below. To see the Device Manager, right click My Computer, select Manage..., select the Device Manager. If you see the Android Phone, you're ready to root and can skip the rest of this. Otherwise, you do not have HBOOT-capable drivers, and you need to install them. Windows should be looking for drivers now. At this point things may differ between XP and Vista/7.

In XP, the New Hardware Found Wizard should appear. Tell it NOT to use Windows Update, and moving along, tell it to look in a specified location. It will pop up a file open dialog. Navigate to the Android USB Driver folder, click OK then click Next.

For Windows Vista/7 you might not see the New Hardware Found Wizard. Open the Device Manager (Right click My Computer, select Manage..., select the Device Manager). You will see an Android Phone node in the tree with a "caution" icon node beneath it. Right click on the caution-marked node and select Update Driver. Follow through specifying NOT to look in Windows Updatte and Install from a specified location. It will pop up a file open dialog. Navigate to the Android USB Driver folder, click OK, then click Next.

In either case, eventually the driver should install. At this point you have the universal drivers installed for the Incredible. They can also be used with the HTC EVO. Here's what you should see in the Windows Device Manager for each condition:

Phone Running Normally, USB Debugging Enabled, plugged in via USB:
Win7ADB.png

Windows 7

WinXpADB.png

Windows XP

Phone running HBOOT, plugged in via USB:
HBOOT.png

Phone showing HBOOT

Win7HBOOT.png

Windows 7

WinXpHBOOT.png

Windows XP

Parts taken from public:windows_hboot_driver_install [RootWiki]
 
Don't forget htc diagnostic mode for cdma workshop :)

I still get confused over which drivers I need for each application.
Do these "universal" drivers work for this?
They should. I haven't tried CDMA Workshop, but I'm guessing that it uses either the Single ADB, Composite ADB, or BootLoader interface, and all three are declared in these drivers.
 
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Thanks, I have added this to the original post.

FYI, I just did this on the evo and the steps on the phone are different. Before plugging in the USB, you need to select HBOOT USB at the bottom of the menu (using the vol keys to navigate and power to select). Not sure if this is different on the incredible or if the directions left this out by mistake.
 
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Based on a bunch of hours helping people get rooted on the #unrevokedtest IRC channel, I have clarified and expanded the OP per the lessons learned. The post is now thoroughly vetted and hopefully as clear as possible, even for folks with limited Windows technical experience.
 
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im stuck here

Now look at your Windows Device Manager and see if you already have Android Phone listed for HBOOT as shown in one of the last two images (way) below. To see the Device Manager, right click My Computer, select Manage..., select the Device Manager. If you see the Android Phone, you're ready to root and can skip the rest of this. Otherwise, you do not have HBOOT-capable drivers, and you need to install them. Windows should be looking for drivers now. At this point things may differ between XP and Vista/7.
I looked in MANAGE, and see Android 1.0

So im assuming i dont have what i need. But i never got promted to look for drivers

How do i trigger that?

EDIT, got it
 
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I need some help please. I am running WinXP SP3.

I do see the correct drivers when my phone is in the "Phone running HBOOT, plugged in via USB" mode. I see 'Android Bootloader Interface' under the Android Phone tree.

But when I plug in the phone and set everything up (USB Debugging, Unknown Sources, and USB Ask Me mode), under the "Phone Running Normally, USB Debugging Enabled, plugged in via USB" mode, I do not see the 'Andriod Composite ADB Interface' under the Android Phone tree. Instead the pc shows, "ABD" and I get a 'found new hardware wizard' dialog window.

I do not know why the correct drivers are not shown. I do not have any additional drivers installed such as HTC Sync.

Thank you.
 
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I followed the instructions (Win XP) and got the correct result when HBOOT was enabled, but not when I wasn't in HBOOT (it still said "My HTC"). When I unplugged, rebooted, enabled USB debugging and plugged in again, the New Hardware Found window came up again so I repeated the driver installation (without being in HBOOT) and that time it worked. The actual rooting was a piece of cake after that.
 
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Thanks, it works now. I see the 'Andriod Composite ADB Interface' under the Android Phone tree after I installed the drivers again.

I followed the instructions (Win XP) and got the correct result when HBOOT was enabled, but not when I wasn't in HBOOT (it still said "My HTC"). When I unplugged, rebooted, enabled USB debugging and plugged in again, the New Hardware Found window came up again so I repeated the driver installation (without being in HBOOT) and that time it worked. The actual rooting was a piece of cake after that.
 
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I have the Android Phone tree completed, but no matter what i do, I can't get it to root. I run the Unrevoked zip and then it just sits on the HBOOT screen after scrolling down and activating HBOOT USB. It switches to HBOOT USB PLUG and never does anything else. Any ideas? I rooted my HERO with Simple Root, so I'm not totally clueless. Thanks.
 
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I need some help please. I am running WinXP SP3.

I do see the correct drivers when my phone is in the "Phone running HBOOT, plugged in via USB" mode. I see 'Android Bootloader Interface' under the Android Phone tree.

But when I plug in the phone and set everything up (USB Debugging, Unknown Sources, and USB Ask Me mode), under the "Phone Running Normally, USB Debugging Enabled, plugged in via USB" mode, I do not see the 'Andriod Composite ADB Interface' under the Android Phone tree. Instead the pc shows, "ABD" and I get a 'found new hardware wizard' dialog window.

I do not know why the correct drivers are not shown. I do not have any additional drivers installed such as HTC Sync.

Thank you.

I can't get past this. No matter how much I try, I just can't. I've tried going back to HBOOT and everything.
 
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...
The drivers that come with HTC Sync can do #1 and #2, but cannot be used for rooting with unrEVOked because they don't support #3. The following link points to drivers which are universal; they will work for all three purposes on the Incredible (and the EVO as well).

unrEVOked modified USB Driver

You do not have to remove HTC Sync if you have it installed.

...

Anyway, here's how:

  1. Uninstall HTC Sync, DoubleTwist, and DropBox from the PC. Sorry about this. Once these drivers are installed you may reinstall those and they will continue to work. These drivers are universal.
Thanks a lot for this in depth description. However, I'm still confused about something.
  • Do you have to uninstall HTC Sync or not :thinking:
  • If the modified drivers can take care of all three ways to connect your phone, then why are we advised to install and uninstall htc Sync in many guides ?
 
Upvote 0
Monitoring the traffic on the unrEVOked IRC channel, it's clear that there is a ton of confusion about the USB drivers needed, despite the excellent article on the unrEVOked site. I thought I'd maybe add to that or create an alternative article.

There are three different modes in which the Incredible (or the EVO!) can connect to a Windows system:

  1. Disk Drive
  2. ADB (USB Debugging and ClockworkMod Recovery)
  3. BootLoader (while phone is in the HBOOT mode)

The drivers that come with the Android SDK can't do any of it because none of the interfaces for the Incredible are present in the .INF file. The drivers that come with HTC Sync can do #1 and #2, but cannot be used for rooting with unrEVOked because they don't support #3. The following link points to drivers which are universal; they will work for all three purposes on the Incredible (and the EVO as well).

unrEVOked modified USB Driver

You do not have to remove HTC Sync if you have it installed. These drivers will replace the ones that came from HTC Sync and be usable for that as well as rooting. The trick is getting these drivers to replace the ones you have from the Android SDK or HTC Sync or ??? (or simply installing them if you have no drivers yet). The idea is to plug your phone into USB while it's in HBOOT mode, forcing Windows to look for Bootloader drivers. Only the ones here provide that.

Anyway, here's how:

  1. Uninstall HTC Sync, DoubleTwist, and DropBox from the PC. Sorry about this. Once these drivers are installed you may reinstall those and they will continue to work. These drivers are universal.
  2. Unzip the file, leaving the folder Android USB Driver somewhere like on your desktop
  3. Unplug your phone from USB
  4. Power down your phone
  5. Now simultaneously press the volume DOWN button and the power button, holding till the HBOOT screen appears
  6. Now connect the USB cable between the phone and your PC
  7. The word HBOOT (blue box with white letters) will change to HBOOT USB PLUG
  8. On the EVO, wait till HBOOT cycles through an SD check (10 sec) then select select HBOOT USB at the bottom of the menu (using the vol keys to navigate and power button to select). Thanks to hperry for this.
  9. Now look at your Windows Device Manager and see if you already have Android Phone listed for HBOOT as shown in one of the last two images (way) below. To see the Device Manager, right click My Computer, select Manage..., select the Device Manager. If you see the Android Phone, you're ready to root and can skip the rest of this. Otherwise, you do not have HBOOT-capable drivers, and you need to install them. Windows should be looking for drivers now. At this point things may differ between XP and Vista/7.

In XP, the New Hardware Found Wizard should appear. Tell it NOT to use Windows Update, and moving along, tell it to look in a specified location. It will pop up a file open dialog. Navigate to the Android USB Driver folder, click OK then click Next.

For Windows Vista/7 you might not see the New Hardware Found Wizard. Open the Device Manager (Right click My Computer, select Manage..., select the Device Manager). You will see an Android Phone node in the tree with a "caution" icon node beneath it. Right click on the caution-marked node and select Update Driver. Follow through specifying NOT to look in Windows Updatte and Install from a specified location. It will pop up a file open dialog. Navigate to the Android USB Driver folder, click OK, then click Next.

In either case, eventually the driver should install. At this point you have the universal drivers installed for the Incredible. They can also be used with the HTC EVO. Here's what you should see in the Windows Device Manager for each condition:

Phone Running Normally, USB Debugging Enabled, plugged in via USB:
Win7ADB.png

Windows 7

WinXpADB.png

Windows XP

Phone running HBOOT, plugged in via USB:
HBOOT.png

Phone showing HBOOT

Win7HBOOT.png

Windows 7

WinXpHBOOT.png

Windows XP

Parts taken from public:windows_hboot_driver_install [RootWiki]
i have the 1st gen. moto droid and am having issues with downloading onto my comp. Drivers? wth are drivers and where do i go to download the softwear needed to make this possible?
 
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My phone updated to the latest WWE 3.26.605.1 recently and come to find out it now will not work with the current unrEVOked version. The Verizon update must have closed some vulnerabilities because unrEVOked 3 just stalls on "waiting for root...." The phone runs a little slugish then for 5 minutes and nothing happens. Also noticed that after the phone restarts the first time, device manager doesnt see it as Android Composite ADB Interface. Instead it sees it as a disk drive.
Tried it several times. No luck. :(
Other forums are reporting the same issue.
 
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For Windows Vista/7 you might not see the New Hardware Found Wizard. Open the Device Manager (Right click My Computer, select Manage..., select the Device Manager). You will see an Android Phone node in the tree with a "caution" icon node beneath it. Right click on the caution-marked node and select Update Driver. Follow through specifying NOT to look in Windows Updatte and Install from a specified location. It will pop up a file open dialog. Navigate to the Android USB Driver folder, click OK, then click Next.

In either case, eventually the driver should install. At this point you have the universal drivers installed for the Incredible. They can also be used with the HTC EVO. Here's what you should see in the Windows Device Manager for each condition:
Ok, I know this is an old thread that I'm resurrecting, but I need some advice. I got to this point and I did everything. My computer tries to install the drivers, but it says there's an error, and won't install them. I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks.

Edit: Nevermind, I redownloaded the zip file and tried again, and it worked.
 
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I have downloaded this (unrEVOked modified USB Driver) and unzipped a copy to my desktop. My driver changes from bootloader to composite everytime I reboot it after the HBOOT USB PLUG. help!!!

IT SHOWS THIS AFTER I HBOOT USB PLUG:
WinXpHBOOT.png


BUT AFTER I REBOOT AND LOAD THE PHONE IT GOES BACK TO THIS:
WinXpADB.png

Your running 2 different modes HBoot is recovery and when you start your phone up normaly it should say the ADB thing when you run unrevoked it accesses the HBOOT driver. it's doing the right thing.
 
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I'm trying for 5 hours already to root my Desire.

so far... not very lucky :(

pc : windows 7 / 32 bit
when booting htc in hboot mode : i can see the android 1.0 device with "android bootloader" driver

when booting htc in normal mode : i can see the "my htc" driver

prepared my sd card with a 500MB ext3 partition

when starting unrevoked3.32, sometimes i get the message "pushing recovery...".. but this message stays for 30 mins without any progress.

Earlier attempts I had some ongoing steps just till "installing recovery3 service"... and then it stopped.

anyone knows where to start troubleshooting?
 
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Sorry if I'm necro-posting here.... but this seems to be the best place to get help.

I'm trying to root my Incredible, but I can't get past installing these dang drivers! Windows Vista.

No matter what I do I keep getting an error when i attempt to install them:

"Windows found driver software for your device, but encountered an error while attempting to install it.

Android Bootloader Interface

The system cannot find the file specified."

I've read and re-read the instructions, hoping to find some important step I've missed, but to the best of my knowledge, i am following them to the letter (and I've looked at a few different sources).

I've downloaded and re-downloaded (several times) the drivers but that didn't help either.

Frustrating to say the least!

I'm probably missing something small but important, hopefully someone can point it out to me!

Thanks in advance!

UPDATE: Surfed the net quite a bit and found others who had this problem never got it resolved. I just went ahead ran Unrevoked from linux on a usb drive, skipped the whole windows ordeal. Worked like a charm.
 
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