Root [how to]downgrade and root ICS

[scotty85]

this is a guide to downgrade ICS build 7.02.605.6 using htcdev to install root and recovery. after you flash the downgrade software,you will be able to achieve s-off via the Revolutionary tool.

special thanks for drellisdee for his misc version tool,and con247 for whipping it up into a flashable zip.

1) unlock your bootloader with htcdev,and install recovery and superSU using this guide: http://androidforums.com/thunderbol...-how-unlock-install-recovery-root-htcdev.html


2) download the following:
-"main version low" zip http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=23169557&postcount=4
(make sure to click "thanks" for drellis and con)
-downgrade RUU: Shipped ROMs
md5 2.11.605.5 downgrade euu c5fda16925a974bbd6cd7007b2cf28f0


3) downgrade

Spoiler

*the following boldface commands are copy/pasted into the cmd window

-open a cmd window as you did in the unlock guide

-change to miniadb_mecha directory
cd c:\miniadb_mecha

-shorten the name of the downgrade RUU to "RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5" and transfer it to your miniadb_mecha folder

-transfer the "main version low" zip to your phones sd card

-check the md5sum of the downgrade RUU
md5sums RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip
it should output c5fda16925a974bbd6cd7007b2cf28f0 if so,then procede. if not,redownload

*charge phone to 100%!

-enable usb debugging in settings/developer options. plug in the phone and select charge only

-check connectivity
adb devices
should spit back your phones serial number

-boot to recovery
adb reboot recovery

-once in recovery,wipe cache and dalvik cache using the phones on screen menus. then flash the "set main version low" zip file

-reboot to bootloader using recovery menu options

-once in fastboot(white screen,colored letters):

fastboot devices
should spit back serial number

fastboot getvar mainver
should return 1.00.000.0. if so,then procede

fastboot oem lock
the phone will reboot. when it finishes,re-enable usb debugging,select charge only mode

adb devices
if you get a serial number procede

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot devices
if you get a serial number procede

fastboot erase cache

fastboot oem rebootRUU
this will take you to a black screen with silver "htc". this is "RUU mode"

fastboot flash zip RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip
this will flash the downgrade RUU. if it fails with a pre-update error,dont panic. just run the above command again,and it will flash the rest,and finish this time.

be patient here,as it will take some time to send and check the large zip file,and it must pass several checks before the phone will allow it to flash.

once you see writing starting to flash in your cmd window,do not under any circumstance unplug or disturb the phone. doing so during the wrong partition update make casue an unrecoverable brick

once it finishes flashing and you have an "ok" in the cmd window:

fastboot reboot-bootloader

note that you now have revoutionary-rootable hboot 1.05.0000 :smokingsomb:

reboot the phone
fastboot reboot

4) S-OFF!
*you can download and run Revolutionary i will not be going into detail on that here,there is lots of info allready in the forums.

5) finishing up

Spoiler

-install ICS radios

-flash an ICS rom,or restore an ICS backup

*a stock rom and radios are here if you want stock ICS: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2136273

the rom is flashed in recovery,the radios are flashed from fastboot in the same manner as the downgrade ruu with the following:

-put the radio file into miniadb_mecha,boot the phone to fastboot

fastboot erase cache

fastboot oem rebootRUU
this will take you to RUU mode

fastboot flash zip radiofilename.zip

fastboot reboot
to reboot when the file has finished flashing

or the radios can be flashed the old fasioned way,by renaming the file to PG05IMG,placing on the sd card,and flash from hboot.

last and not least
here is what you should see in the cmd window(red are my inputs):

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Scott>[COLOR="Red"]cd c:\miniadb_mecha[/COLOR]

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]md5sums RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip[/COLOR]

MD5sums 1.2 freeware for Win9x/ME/NT/2000/XP+
Copyright (C) 2001-2005 Jem Berkes - http://www.pc-tools.net/
Type md5sums -h for help

[Path] / filename                              MD5 sum
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[c:\miniadb_mecha\]
RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip                  100% c5fda16925a974bbd6cd7007b2cf28f0

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]adb devices[/COLOR]
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
HTxxxxxxxxxx    device

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]adb reboot recovery[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Blue"]*use recovery menu to wipe cache,dalvik cache,install main version low zip,and boot to bootloader[/COLOR]

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]fastboot devices[/COLOR]
List of devices attached
HTxxxxxxxxxx    device

c:\miniadb_mecha>[COLOR="red"]fastboot getvar mainver[/COLOR]
mainver: 1.00.000.0
finished. total time: 0.001s

c:\miniadb_mecha>

just holler if you have questions

 

[scotty85]

mine!

 

[scotty85]

mine too

 

[jinga]

Hello, new to rooting, I am still trying to understand what it actually does. Sooo.. if I root my phone with this method, I am downgrading it back to the previous os. Then how do I return it to the current os so I can start removing bloatware? t

 

[Conall52395]

alrighty, so i am rooted and unlocked on the ics ota, but still s-on, is it necessary to downgrade? is there a method to get s off on the new ota? my recovery is twrp 2.0.0RC0, new to the thunderbolt and htc phones in general, and thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Conall52395]

deided to try to downgrade, but ruu wont flash correctly.. at the fastboot getvar mainver command instead of "mainver: 1.00.000.0" i just get "mainver:" and thats it, what did i do wrong?

 

[scotty85]

Hello, new to rooting, I am still trying to understand what it actually does. Sooo.. if I root my phone with this method, I am downgrading it back to the previous os. Then how do I return it to the current os so I can start removing bloatware? t

best bet,if you want to be 100% stock would be to flash a rom such as this one from recovery: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2136273

then you can update the radios,wich are avaiable here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2134666

at that point youre on stock rooted ICS with a custom recovery,s-off,and the newest firmware.

you technically could stay htcdev unlocked,but the downgrade is easy enuff i think its well worth the effort to achieve s off

alrighty, so i am rooted and unlocked on the ics ota, but still s-on, is it necessary to downgrade? is there a method to get s off on the new ota? my recovery is twrp 2.0.0RC0, new to the thunderbolt and htc phones in general, and thanks in advance for any help!

IMO,yes you should downgrade.

technically you can live with htcdev. it does allow access to boot,system,and recovery,so you can flash roms,with a bit more effort. it can also work if you only want root access to run a couple root only apps and have no interest in any further customization of your phone.

however,s-off offers several distinct advantages:
-the ability to access ALL partitions. you can change splash screens,hboots,and radios
-the ability to go backwards in firmware versions.
-greater options for rescuing a soft-bricked device becasue of the above,and the fact that you can install things that are not signed by htc
-ease of rom flashing. htcdev has limitations and requires extra steps to flsh roms. see this thread for more info on flashing with htcdev unlocked s-on

*i wouldnt have wrote this guide if i did not believe that it is worth the extra time and effort to achieve s-off. in the end it is the user choice what to do,depending on how you want to use the device,your comfort level,and wether the disadvantages can be dealt with.

deided to try to downgrade, but ruu wont flash correctly.. at the fastboot getvar mainver command instead of "mainver: 1.00.000.0" i just get "mainver:" and thats it, what did i do wrong?

you could try redownloading,and reflashing the set main version low zip,but it may be that your misc partition is damaged,and the phone is unable to read the main version(or change it)

THE downgrade ruu should flash fine,since theres no main version to check. what prollem are you having flashing it? a copy/paste of your cmd window will prolly help,so we can work out whatever errors your having.

alternatively,you could flash the downgrade the "old fashioned" way,but renaming the file to "PG05IMG",place it on your FAT32 formatted sd card,boot to hboot(vol down+power),and let hboot find/install the file.

 

[MapleSyrupMan]

So, I have a rooted TB. I used Nate Mill's videos to guide me through using Revolutionary to achieve temp root, and then to root the phone. I rooted to be able to use wireless tether. I considered flashing a ROM, but it seemed that most ROMs were a least a year old. I have since changed data plans with Verizon, and it is now free for me to use my phone as a hotspot, so I don't necessarily need to be rooted.

I thought that I had blocked OTA updates, but about a week ago, my phone got stuck in a cycle of trying to install ICS from VZN. Not knowing what to do, I ended up factory resetting. Then, this weekend, my phone has started trying to download and install the same OTA. In trying to fix it, one process had me switch from Revolutionary to Clockwork Mod Recovery. Now, I'm not sure which process to follow to get my phone to stop trying to download the OTA. I did learn that I could clear the caches and that it would temporarily stop trying to install. But, a couple times a day, it tries to redownload the OTA and run the process again. Luckily, Clockwork won't verify the signature on the file and won't install it. But, it is obnoxious having the phone randomly reboot to try and install the OTA.

So, the question is this...is there a ROM out there currently for the TB that is worth flashing, or should I just unroot and run with stock ICS? And, if I do unroot, what process should I follow to unroot? (Some forums have suggested that if Revolutionary has ever been on the phone, you need to follow a specific process to unroot. Others have sounded like I wouldn't need to do anything special because I am now using Clockwork, not Revolutionary.)

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[scotty85]

There is absolutely no benefits of unrooting. Install the Rom and radios linked in the post above

 

[MapleSyrupMan]

There is absolutely no benefits of unrooting. Install the Rom and radios linked in the post above

Thanks, Scotty85. One last question. You say above to flash the ROM, then the radio. But when I go to the link listed for the ROM, the directions there say to flash a different radio 1st, then to flash the ROM. If I use the radio you suggest, do I need to worry about 1st flashing the radio they suggest, or can I just skip the 1st radio, flash the ROM, and then flash your suggested radio?

Thanks again.

 

[bluemax1600]

First time rooting and first time on the forum. I ran into the same problem as Connall52395 but tried what you said about doing it the "old fashioned" way and think that may have worked but I'm unsure. I am still unable to flash the downgrade RUU though.

I get the following error:

C:\mechaRoot\mini-adb>fastboot flash zip RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip
sending 'zip' (451015 KB)... OKAY [ 73.578s]
writing 'zip'... INFOadopting the signature contained in this i
mage...
INFOzip header checking...
INFOzip info parsing...
FAILED (remote: 33 security check fail)
finished. total time: 79.114s

C:\mechaRoot\mini-adb>fastboot flash zip RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip
sending 'zip' (451015 KB)... OKAY [ 73.649s]
writing 'zip'... INFOadopting the signature contained in this i
mage...
INFOzip header checking...
INFOzip info parsing...
FAILED (remote: 33 security check fail)
finished. total time: 79.133s

Thanks for any help ahead of time

 

[scotty85]

Thanks, Scotty85. One last question. You say above to flash the ROM, then the radio. But when I go to the link listed for the ROM, the directions there say to flash a different radio 1st, then to flash the ROM. If I use the radio you suggest, do I need to worry about 1st flashing the radio they suggest, or can I just skip the 1st radio, flash the ROM, and then flash your suggested radio?

Thanks again.

they prolly are the same radio... i might should take down the second link and just let folks use the radio link in that thread to avoid confusion.

just flash their radio,then flash their rom and youll be good to go. make sure to check the md5 of the radio download!

First time rooting and first time on the forum. I ran into the same problem as Connall52395 but tried what you said about doing it the "old fashioned" way and think that may have worked but I'm unsure. I am still unable to flash the downgrade RUU though.

I get the following error:

C:\mechaRoot\mini-adb>fastboot flash zip RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip
sending 'zip' (451015 KB)... OKAY [ 73.578s]
writing 'zip'... INFOadopting the signature contained in this i
mage...
INFOzip header checking...
INFOzip info parsing...
FAILED (remote: 33 security check fail)
finished. total time: 79.114s

C:\mechaRoot\mini-adb>fastboot flash zip RUU_Mecha_2.11.605.5.zip
sending 'zip' (451015 KB)... OKAY [ 73.649s]
writing 'zip'... INFOadopting the signature contained in this i
mage...
INFOzip header checking...
INFOzip info parsing...
FAILED (remote: 33 security check fail)
finished. total time: 79.133s

Thanks for any help ahead of time

is your bootloader relocked ?

looking back at the original directions,i forgot that command give me a few to change the OP,and then try to run the dongrade again.

 

[bluemax1600]

That was the missing piece. Thanks.

 

[Ditkas Wallet]

I got up to the point where I can use revolutionary but it won't recognize my phone. I'm just sitting at a screen that say waiting for device. Any ideas?

 

[landscapeman]

I got up to the point where I can use revolutionary but it won't recognize my phone. I'm just sitting at a screen that say waiting for device. Any ideas?

Put your phone back into usb debugging mode and stay awake. That should fix your problem.

 

[scotty85]

prolly you have figured it out by now,but in addition to the above,sometimes it helps to change usb ports and cables.

 

[lacoursiere18]

Hey scotty is there anyway to flash the SetMainVersionLOW.zip in fastboot or adb. I do not have a sd card and so I am unable to put it there..

 

[scotty85]

Hey scotty is there anyway to flash the SetMainVersionLOW.zip in fastboot or adb. I do not have a sd card and so I am unable to put it there..

I believe TWRP recovery has an option to flash from internal storage, so you could flash zip from there.

 

[lacoursiere18]

I believe TWRP recovery has an option to flash from internal storage, so you could flash zip from there.

But when I try to download the zip file unto my phone it says "must insert sd card to download zip" or something of that manner.. any tips? There is no way on flashing it like you do the RUU file?

 

[scotty85]

No... The downgrade zip is flash from a PC with the phone in fastboot. The Main version zip is flashed in recovery.

You could try using a different browser to download files to the phone, but you eventually will need a PC to complete this process

 

[lacoursiere18]

Ok thank you

 

[lacoursiere18]

No... The downgrade zip is flash from a PC with the phone in fastboot. The Main version zip is flashed in recovery.

You could try using a different browser to download files to the phone, but you eventually will need a PC to complete this process

I tried the dolphine browser still the same.. Is there away to access or transfer the zip to the phone through the pc, like have the phone as a drive and have access to it internal sd card. Maybe a program like android commander? I tried android commander and its telling me I need Root aceess to copy the file into /system folder? Is that bc I'm not s-off?

 

[tonyjsan]

Currently I have my tbolt rooted (via the instructions in the thuderbolt root/unroot thread posted in this forum, worked great many thanks). I'm stock 2.11.605.19.7 (only other thing I did was remove / freeze bloatware, and apps to keep from getting the ota). Also assuming that means I have the older hboot, on my phone as well.

I'd like to upgrade to ICS, if I have understood all the threads I've read, I can basically flash the new radios and then the ICS ROM ?

The instructions from the infectedrom site says to "You need to wipe everything", i'm little unclear on this, does this mean wipe cache, dalvik, and use the factory / wipe (can't recall exact wording) found in the revolutionary tool ? I also thinking that I do not have to wipe the SD card ?

Thanks in advance

 

[scotty85]

I tried the dolphine browser still the same.. Is there away to access or transfer the zip to the phone through the pc, like have the phone as a drive and have access to it internal sd card. Maybe a program like android commander? I tried android commander and its telling me I need Root aceess to copy the file into /system folder? Is that bc I'm not s-off?

sorry for the short answers earlier,i was at work

have you followed the guide to unlock and install recovery/root? root access can be had without s off,so if you have followed the other guide,any programs requiring root access should work. youre welcome to explore whatever options you can come up with. it may be that twrp also has a setting to enable internal storage so you could trasnfer the zip that way.

in all honesty i feel you would save yourself alot of headache if you just borrow an sd from another device,or run out and pick up a cheap,small one to use. the files are small to root and dowgrade,so you could use something as small as 1gb.

sorry i dont have any better answers for you than that.

Currently I have my tbolt rooted (via the instructions in the thuderbolt root/unroot thread posted in this forum, worked great many thanks). I'm stock 2.11.605.19.7 (only other thing I did was remove / freeze bloatware, and apps to keep from getting the ota). Also assuming that means I have the older hboot, on my phone as well.

I'd like to upgrade to ICS, if I have understood all the threads I've read, I can basically flash the new radios and then the ICS ROM ?

The instructions from the infectedrom site says to "You need to wipe everything", i'm little unclear on this, does this mean wipe cache, dalvik, and use the factory / wipe (can't recall exact wording) found in the revolutionary tool ? I also thinking that I do not have to wipe the SD card ?

Thanks in advance

correct,wipe caches and factory reset. flash the radios before or after the rom,it wont matter a whole lot,and you do not need to wipe the sd

 

[lacoursiere18]

Thanks man for responding.. thats what I did I just went and picked up a 4gb micro for like $7.. Im currenlty backing up the system now and going proceed with the steps.. Let me get this str8.. we are downgrading so that means we can load older roms? for the specific firmware>