How to root a HTC Hero from another carrier other than Sprint

CrazyCruzan · Dec 26, 2012

Hello,

I need to know the steps to follow to root a HTC Hero 6250 CDMA. It will not be used as a phone but instead as an music player and also as an Android game device for our son. My only goal here is to be able to load Pandora and a few games for him to play on.

This phone was a Cellular South (now called CSpire wireless) phone.

Here are my questions below:

I read through the steps how to root a Sprint phone at http://androidforums.com/sprint-hero-all-things-root/162821-how-root-sprint-hero.html and although it's much longer and complicated than I had encountered when I had to jailbreak my iPhone, I should be able to follow it.
Is this process the ONLY way to root this phone?
Will that process ALSO work for the Cellular South phone or will there be a DIFFERENT required process to root it?
Once the phone is rooted will I be able to go to the Android App Market and be able to download any Android App I want, or will there be more steps to follow before being able to do so?

Forgive me if I have asked some stupid questions but I am totally new to this.

TIA for your help!

LBPHeretic · Dec 26, 2012

If your handset is running Android 2.1 you can root it via Z4Root. Just Google "Z4Root 1.3.0 apk" and you should be able to find it fairly easily. You will have to sideload the Z4Root app, which involves copying it to your microSD card and then using a file explorer like EStrongs File Explorer to find that .apk file and install it. Do not forget to set "Allow installation from unknown sources" in the Settings. Rooting should be the same for any branded version of your handset. Just follow what I said above if you are running Android 2.1, which you can find in About Phone in your Settings. Once you are rooted, you will need to flash a custom recovery, like ClockworkMod Recovery. Come back here and let us know after you have accomplished rooting you handset and we can help with that part.

Once the handset is rooted, and you have flashed a custom ROM, like CyanogenMod 7.2, you will have access to a wider variety of apps than you had with Android 2.1. You will not have access to EVERY app because the handset is fairly old and cannot run some of the newer games. Your questions are not stupid. The processes involved with rooting a device and flashing custom ROMs and recoveries and so forth are not always easy to understand or accomplish, but we are here to help you.

CrazyCruzan · Dec 27, 2012

I have found the Z4Root 1.3.0 apk file and have placed it in the root of the micro SD card.

As far as running it from within the Android phone itself, how can I do that besides what you suggested "...then using a file explorer like EStrongs File Explorer to find that .apk file and install it." ?

Since I don't have the ability to load any apps as there is no Market available since I reset the phone I cannot install the file explorer.

Is there a command line or a native app from within the base Android OS something I can run from within the phone itself?

MahaloCat · Dec 27, 2012

Why is there no market available -
If you connect to Wifi this shouldn't be an issue?

LBPHeretic · Dec 27, 2012

Yeah, I have no idea why the Android Market is not working for him. It SHOULD work. I recently flashed back to a REALLY old Nandroid on my Sprint HTC Hero on Android 2.1 with HTC Sense and the Android Market worked fine. Who knows.

Anyway, I forgot that he cannot even download a file manager due to this issue. You can grab an old ad-supported free version in this post at xda-developers: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7187629&postcount=2 . That should let you install Z4Root.

LBPHeretic · Dec 27, 2012

I might as well throw this in too, to keep you busy. After you get root access with the steps in my previous posts, you will need to sideload ROM Manager so that you can flash ClockworkMod Recovery.

You can grab an older version of ROM Manager in this xda-developers post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=25684379&postcount=9 . It SHOULD work. Just install that and choose to flash ClockworkMod Recovery, and then we can help you with getting CyanogenMod 7.2 flashed.

CrazyCruzan · Dec 28, 2012

MahaloCat said:
Why is there no market available -
If you connect to Wifi this shouldn't be an issue?

I know it sounds strange but it is really happening. Like I said in my earlier post titled http://androidforums.com/htc-hero-s...able-any-longer-after-resetting-htc-hero.html in the HTC Hero (Sprint) Forum, THAT is the main reason why I'm here in the first place as I cannot even access the app Market.

I do have WiFi working on the phone, BTW. I've been able to test it on numerous websites and it seems to be working fine.

Below is the sequence of events that occur when you tap the market Icon on the phone.

Tap Market icon.
Pause.
Then screen shows msg "Connecting to Market" (or something similar).
Shows URL in blue.

Also, I want to make sure everyone understands that this is NOT a former SPRINT phone, but instead a former Cellular South (now called CSpire Wireless). Do you think that is relevant?

CrazyCruzan · Dec 28, 2012

LBPHeretic said:
Yeah, I have no idea why the Android Market is not working for him. It SHOULD work. I recently flashed back to a REALLY old Nandroid on my Sprint HTC Hero on Android 2.1 with HTC Sense and the Android Market worked fine. Who knows.

Anyway, I forgot that he cannot even download a file manager due to this issue. You can grab an old ad-supported free version in this post at xda-developers: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=7187629&postcount=2 . That should let you install Z4Root.

I downloaded the file manager APK file and side loaded it to the ROOT of the micro SD card. What are the steps to follow to install it on the phone so I can use it to execute the other APK files that I will be needing to run?

LBPHeretic · Dec 28, 2012

CrazyCruzan said:
I know it sounds strange but it is really happening. Like I said in my earlier post titled http://androidforums.com/htc-hero-s...able-any-longer-after-resetting-htc-hero.html in the HTC Hero (Sprint) Forum, THAT is the main reason why I'm here in the first place as I cannot even access the app Market.

I do have WiFi working on the phone, BTW. I've been able to test it on numerous websites and it seems to be working fine.

Below is the sequence of events that occur when you tap the market Icon on the phone.

Tap Market icon.

Pause.

Then screen shows msg "Connecting to Market" (or something similar).

Shows URL in blue.

Also, I want to make sure everyone understands that this is NOT a former SPRINT phone, but instead a former Cellular South (now called CSpire Wireless). Do you think that is relevant?

Before we continue with the rooting stuff, lets try something. Are you in Airplane Mode?

Try turning Airplane Mode off, connecting to your Wi-Fi router, and THEN access the Android Market. I sometimes noticed on my Sprint HTC Hero, that if I did not originally have Airplane Mode off, it would not let me into the Android Market.

CrazyCruzan · Dec 28, 2012

LBPHeretic said:
If your handset is running Android 2.1 you can root it via Z4Root. Just Google "Z4Root 1.3.0 apk" and you should be able to find it fairly easily. You will have to sideload the Z4Root app, which involves copying it to your microSD card and then using a file explorer like EStrongs File Explorer to find that .apk file and install it. Do not forget to set "Allow installation from unknown sources" in the Settings. Rooting should be the same for any branded version of your handset. Just follow what I said above if you are running Android 2.1, which you can find in About Phone in your Settings. Once you are rooted, you will need to flash a custom recovery, like ClockworkMod Recovery. Come back here and let us know after you have accomplished rooting you handset and we can help with that part.

Once the handset is rooted, and you have flashed a custom ROM, like CyanogenMod 7.2, you will have access to a wider variety of apps than you had with Android 2.1. You will not have access to EVERY app because the handset is fairly old and cannot run some of the newer games. Your questions are not stupid. The processes involved with rooting a device and flashing custom ROMs and recoveries and so forth are not always easy to understand or accomplish, but we are here to help you.

Where you say "... don't forget to set 'Allow installation from unknown sources' in the Settings" is that something I need to do in the Phone settings somewhere BEFORE trying to run the Z4 root app?

Also, just so I am clear on the steps to be done for this whole process they are (the parenthesis indicate whether it has been done or not by me):

Download and sideload file explorer app (done),
Install file explorer (not done yet)
1. I posted a reply earlier today asking how do I run install the file explorer once it's sideloaded to the micro SD card
Download and sideload Z4Root app to root of micro SD card (done)
1. Execute Z4Root app using file explorer (not done yet)
Download and sideload: ROM Manager 4.3 (not done yet)
1. Execute ROM Manager 4.3
Download and sideload: ClockworkMod recovery (not done yet)
1. Execute ClockworkMod recovery
Download and sideload: Flash custom ROM CyanogenMod 7.2 (not done yet)
1. Execute CyanogenMod 7.2

Do I have the sequence correctly shown above?

And these are all steps that will work on the Cellular South phone (the reason I'm asking is because I thought I have seen somewhere that Cellular South does their ROM setups a little differently from SPRINT)?

CrazyCruzan · Dec 28, 2012

LBPHeretic said:
Before we continue with the rooting stuff, lets try something. Are you in Airplane Mode?

Try turning Airplane Mode off, connecting to your Wi-Fi router, and THEN access the Android Market. I sometimes noticed on my Sprint HTC Hero, that if I did not originally have Airplane Mode off, it would not let me into the Android Market.

I don't have the phone yet. My son is at a friends house. He should be home in a hour or so. But my inclination is that NO, the phone is NOT in airplane mode. But I will let you know when he gets home and we can check it.

LBPHeretic · Dec 28, 2012

CrazyCruzan said:
Where you say "... don't forget to set 'Allow installation from unknown sources' in the Settings" is that something I need to do in the Phone settings somewhere BEFORE trying to run the Z4 root app?

Also, just so I am clear on the steps to be done for this whole process they are (the parenthesis indicate whether it has been done or not by me):

Download and sideload file explorer app (done),

Install file explorer (not done yet)

I posted a reply earlier today asking how do I run install the file explorer once it's sideloaded to the micro SD card

Download and sideload Z4Root app to root of micro SD card (done)

Execute Z4Root app using file explorer (not done yet)

Download and sideload: ROM Manager 4.3 (not done yet)

Execute ROM Manager 4.3

Download and sideload: ClockworkMod recovery (not done yet)

Execute ClockworkMod recovery

Download and sideload: Flash custom ROM CyanogenMod 7.2 (not done yet)

Execute CyanogenMod 7.2

Do I have the sequence correctly shown above?

And these are all steps that will work on the Cellular South phone (the reason I'm asking is because I thought I have seen somewhere that Cellular South does their ROM setups a little differently from SPRINT)?

Lets make it easier. Just download the file explorer app DIRECTLY through your device's web browser. Once the download is done, you can click the download and install it directly. If you can not find the download, press the Menu button and then go to "Downloads" in the menu that pops up.

After the file explorer is installed, you should be able to locate Z4Root on your microSD card and install it, and then run it. By the way, you will need to go into Settings, then Applications, and make sure "Unknown Sources" is checked before all of the above. Once rooting is accomplished, you can use the file explorer to install ROM Manager. Within ROM Manager, you can flash ClockworkMod Recovery. Finally, you will need CyanogenMod 7.2 downloaded to your microSD card, which can be found here: http://get.cm/get/2Kp . You will also need the Google Apps or GApps, which can be found here: Goo.im Downloads - Downloading gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip . Let me know when you get the part with CyanogenMod 7.2 and the GApps. I will guide you through that. It does not matter if it is Cellular South or Sprint, these instructions will work. I hope that clears that up.

LBPHeretic · Dec 28, 2012

CrazyCruzan said:
I don't have the phone yet. My son is at a friends house. He should be home in a hour or so. But my inclination is that NO, the phone is NOT in airplane mode. But I will let you know when he gets home and we can check it.

Okay, give it a try. By the way, after all of this is fixed, you might as well keep it in Airplane Mode because it will save some battery life.

No sense in running the cellular radios when they are not being used, right? Just a word of advice.

CrazyCruzan · Dec 28, 2012

LBPHeretic said:
Lets make it easier. Just download the file explorer app DIRECTLY through your device's web browser. Once the download is done, you can click the download and install it directly. If you can not find the download, press the Menu button and then go to "Downloads" in the menu that pops up.

After the file explorer is installed, you should be able to locate Z4Root on your microSD card and install it, and then run it. By the way, you will need to go into Settings, then Applications, and make sure "Unknown Sources" is checked before all of the above. Once rooting is accomplished, you can use the file explorer to install ROM Manager. Within ROM Manager, you can flash ClockworkMod Recovery. Finally, you will need CyanogenMod 7.2 downloaded to your microSD card, which can be found here: http://get.cm/get/2Kp . You will also need the Google Apps or GApps, which can be found here: Goo.im Downloads - Downloading gapps-gb-20110828-signed.zip . Let me know when you get the part with CyanogenMod 7.2 and the GApps. I will guide you through that. It does not matter if it is Cellular South or Sprint, these instructions will work. I hope that clears that up.

Well, this is interesting :thinking:

(and possibly embarrassing :rolleyes:

). I got the phone and the first thing I tried to do was go in and check whether or not it was in Airport mode or not. And it was NOT in Airplane mode. But I toggled anyway ON/OFF so that the end result was that it was still OFF (NOT in Airport mode).

Then for some reason right after that the WiFi icon on the top disappeared and quit working. So I went back into the settings and set the WiFi back on. And when I did that, I noticed that the WiFi icon reappeared and then just for kicks I went to the app Market icon and tapped it and it WORKS now TOO!

So I tried to find Pandora, was able to download it and load it on the phone successfully. Then I was able to load EStrongs file explorer successfully (bitchin' program BTW). Was able to find the z4Root 1.3.0.apk also.

So now I'm really back to where I first began this journey, which is asking you all how do I get my app Market to work. And now that it IS working, I am asking myself what benefits lie for me in the event that I am able to successfully root this phone. I would like to proceed with the rooting if it's got some really neat benefits.

MahaloCat · Dec 28, 2012

Root Apps - Install Recovery....Flash a Rom OTHER then Sense that will speed up your phone and give you more space to play....

Overclocking.....VOIP calling, Themes Tweeks Flashable mods etc etc .....the world is your oyster!

CrazyCruzan · Dec 28, 2012

MahaloCat said:
Root Apps - Install Recovery....Flash a Rom OTHER then Sense that will speed up your phone and give you more space to play....

Overclocking.....VOIP calling, Themes Tweeks Flashable mods etc etc .....the world is your oyster!

Where you say "more space to play" what do you mean by that? Are you saying that if I root this phone it will give me more RAM or what?

LBPHeretic · Dec 28, 2012

Wow! I am glad to hear that my little trick at least got your Android Market working.

Anyway. I would still go ahead and root your handset with the instructions given above and then we can discuss backing up your current ROM and flashing a custom one, like CyanogenMod 7.2. MahaloCat is right about the advantages to rooting and flashing a custom ROM. By more space to play, he means that you can move apps that you have installed on your handset to the microSD in Android 2.2+ ROMs. This gives you the ability to install more apps and keep your internal storage more free. My wife has a TON of apps and games on her old Sprint HTC EVO 4G, despite it having only 1 GB of ROM space, and only a smaller portion of that for installing apps!

CrazyCruzan · Dec 29, 2012

Ok. Well I will proceed with the first step and get back to you when it's completed.

Thanks again to you all for your input on this issue.

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