Root How To Root + Install Custom ROM + Backup + More

[astria]

Hi,

i ve a Hero that was bought in Singapore, and the Build number is 2.73.707.9... would the method posted for South East Asia sets work???

 

[Slug]

i just tried hero key app (this requires root access) and upon starting, it said to check my rooting privileges. it seems that i don't have root access.

You may have root (su) access but that app may not have permission to run as su. Normally the first time that you run such an app after rooting, a dialogue appears asking whether you wish to grant the app su permission. Is the app Superuser Permissions installed on your handset? You should see it either in the apps tray or in Settings-Applications-Manage applications.

I tried to run the update.zip in the recovery mode but it aborted saying 'No Signature' can you please guide what that mean? or where the problem lies?

The file may be corrupt, so try downloading a fresh copy and install that.

the Build number is 2.73.707.9... would the method posted for South East Asia sets work???

It should work for any build, as a GoldCard completely bypasses any CID locks the carrier may have programmed. It's always worth trying the most straightforward method first though, just in case your build isn't one of the most recent with the patched bootloader.

 

[azi43far]

How To Install A Custom ROM (In this case VillainROM 5.3 [Android 2.1] ):-


You need these files first:

=======================================================================

Amon ra's recovery version. [The latest is 1.6.2]

VillainROM 5.3

HTC Hero with version 1.5 ( which you have)

A program called instant root (please see above)

A program named flashrec

Apps2SD patch (See very bottom of this post)

================================================== =====================

1. Install instant root ( you get root access )

2. Copy the Amon Ra recovery image to the root of sdcard ( not in any folder )

3. Copy flashrec to the root of your sdcard

4. Install flashrec (Use a file explorer like astro)

5. Open flashrec. Then, Back up your recovery on first screen then in address bar put /sdcard/(ur amonra recoveryname with .img) and press flash. Typically it will be like this
/sdcard/recovery-RA-hero-v1.6.2.img

6. Go to the market. Download an app called 'Titanium Backup'. (Needs Root access). Install it. Click Backup/Restore. Click menu, Batch, Then select the option best for you. I select Backup all user apps. However you can select backup all user apps + data (but this may cause problems with your new ROM...but it works fine for me). Let the app do its thing.

Your done! Switch off the phone, switch it back on holding home key & power key

7. Once you are on the recovery screen menu there are a few options. Please do a nandroid backup before continuing. A nandroid backup simply takes a picture of your phone in its current state and if any problems occur you can restore your phone to how it was before. To do this click on Backup/Restore. Then click on Nand Backup. Wait for the process to finish. When it's finished reboot the phone and plug the phone into the computer and copy the nandroid folder to somewhere safe on your pc. Also copy the Titanium backup folder to your pc (this is the apps we backed up).

I recommend reformatting your memory card. To do this select SD card from phone menu, and click format. Or plug the phone into the PC and right click on the drive via my computer, and format it.

Now, put the custom rom (which should be a zip file) onto the root of the sd card. (I.e. Not in any folders). Do not rename the custom rom file or change the extension.

Then Switch off the phone, switch it back on holding home key & power key.

Always do a wipe before flashing your custom ROM. (A wipe will get rid of your data so please make a backup of your data using various apps on the market). In the Recovery Menu click WIPE, then Wipe data/factory reset, dalvik cache, SD:ext partition, battery stats & rotate settings etc.

8. Click on Flash Zip from sdcard and then it should show the Custom ROM. Click flash and wait for the ROM to install.

9. To enable Apps2SD (install apps to sd card) you must create a partition on the SD Card. To do this click on partition sdcard. We want 512MB as EX2 and the rest as FAT. After this has completed, go back to the partition SD menu and click on SD:ex2 to ext3.

Sometimes Apps2SD is not automatically enabled. So below I have attached an APPS2SD fix. Flash this the same way as you did with the Custom ROM.
Put the file as it is on the root of your SD card.
Turn off your phone. Hold down HOME + POWER button. When in recovery menu, select flash from zip. Flash it. Reboot phone. (It may take a few minutes for phone to boot up).



Then reboot. Please wait a few minutes for the phone to start.

================================================== ======
oMg something is wrong!!111!!!11!...my phone will not start it's stuck on the HTC boot screen...

Don't worry. Pull out your battery (only after 15mins if it's still stuck) and power phone up again and see if it works.

If it does not work still. Don't worry. That's were the nandroid backup comes in handy. Switch off the phone, switch it back on holding home key & power key

Select nandroid restore, select the file (it says the time and date on the file)..let it install, and your phone will be back to how it was.

You can then try to reinstall the custom rom again or give up.
================================================== ======

10. Go to the market. Install Titanium Backup again.

11. Plug phone into pc. Copy all your SD card stuff back onto the phone including the nandroid backup and titanium backup folders (but also keep a copy on your pc).

12. Open Titanium backup. Click Backup/Restore, Menu, Batch, Then select one of the 3 options at the bottom of the screen (the word RUN is highlighted in blue). If you are using the free version you will have to click install for every app you have.

13. Your done! Switch off the phone, switch it back on. Now the apps we have restored will now be transferred onto your SD card. This is a long process and depending on the number of apps you have could take 5-10 minutes. So don't worry. When the process is completed, your phone will boot up and all your apps will be on your sd card.





I will update this thread as new developments occur. Thanks.

---------
Thanks a lot, i followed ur steps. its a perfect guide. liked it so much. i am now on a rooted custom rom with so easy steps of u.

 

[nosit1]

Model Number: HTC Hero
Firmware Version 1.5
Baseband Version: 63.18.55.06DA
kernel@and18-2 #851
Build number 2.73.661.49 CL#74 keys
Software version 1.0.0.A6288
Any help here?

 

[5tephe]

Holy Hannah, this is the BEST guide I have found for this kind of thing. THANK YOU.

My phone is one of these funny Ukrainian ones: Customer Reviews Of HTC Hero black unlocked GSM Android phone with 3.2" touch screen which others seem to have fixed by rooting and upgrading the ROM.

However, all these instructions ask me to download APPS from the Marketplace - BUT the issue with the Ukrainian Phones is that they don't have ACCESS to the MARKETPLACE. That's what I'm trying to fix!

(I have managed to find an over-the-internet downloadable version of ASTRO file manager, so I installed that using my HTC Sync.)

Added to that, my firmware is not listed here. So any help now would be GREATLY appreciated.


Model Number:
HTC Hero

Firmware version:
1.5

Baseband version
63.18.55.06FU_6.35.07.08

Kernel version:
2.6.27-4cda1257
htc-kernel@and18-2 #789

Build number:
2.73.495.24 146733 CL#67791 release-keys

Software version:
1.0.0.A6288

 

[Jeroentjee]

Titanium says that my phone isnt rooted ... So i can't continue ? How to fix this ? I really want to get the new 2.1 on my phone but the rooting procedure is sooo hard :S.

 

[CakraMas]

Hi there,
My HTC Hero have Build Number of : 1.79.482.3. Is there any way to root this type since I found that all of the way to root here is for the phone with Build Number of 2.73 ?

Here are the complete specification of my phone :

• Model Number : HTC Hero
• Firmware version : 1.5
• Baseband version : 63.18.55.06JU_6.35.08.29
• Kernel version : 2.6.27-8dd6deee; htc-kernel@and18-2 )
• Build number : 1.79.482.3 146733 CL#49365 release-keys
• Software version : www.HIAPK.com 1.2_g3_sense

Thanks in advance

 

[kad3t]

Hey!

I have an European HTC Hero carrier branded (G2 Touch on ERA Network in Poland) and can't install instantroot.apk on it, so obviously I see no way of getting custom ROMs on my mobile.

Firmware Version: 1.5
Baseband Version: 63.18.55.06IU_6.35.08.22
Kernel Version: 2.6.27-430d1aea htc-kernel@and18-2 #951
Build Number: 2.73.118.61 CL#79576 release-keys
Software Version: 1.0.0.A6288

I hope there's an digestable way for myself of rooting this mobile as after having a short but quite direct e-mail conversation with HTC I am no longer sure if we're ever to get 2.1 oficially and also if I'm not gonna have a rooted phone I will have no chance of getting 2.2 ever, as this software is not planned to be released on Hero.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Xyro]

kad3t, you need to downgrade to a older version of the official firmware that will allow flashrec and instantroot to work. You can do this using a goldcard, which you can read about here.

 

[mikedawg69]

oooookay. maybe im stupid but here goes nothing. i downloaded the first program, copied to a root folder on my sd card, found it on my sd card with a file program, but i dont get any option to launch or open or anything. it just opens up a couple more folders. cant seem to "run" the file

 

[Xyro]

I guess you're talking about an .apk file, right? I use Astro to do it, by finding the file, clicking it and choosing to open it in the App Manager. Then you'll see the option to install using the app manager.

I think it used to refer to is as the package manager or something, so it depends what version you're on but it will be something along those lines.

 

[mikedawg69]

ok cool. got it, but now when i try to launch it, it says activity not found. god this is frustrating. everyone says its easy but im stuck on it

 

[kad3t]

kad3t, you need to downgrade to a older version of the official firmware that will allow flashrec and instantroot to work. You can do this using a goldcard, which you can read about here.

I've already tried the goldcard method as well, I've even made a whole separate post about it as I've exhausted all the options possible.

Tried Instantroot & Flashrec... Tried Goldcard with My HTC drivers on Windows and the method with installing root/recovery through adb command line. All failed, but somebody mentioned that even though it shows up as My HTC in windows the driver may still be faulty and gave me a guide on what to try then... I may give it a whirl later on tonight...

 

[Xyro]

Yeah, getting the phone and the pc to cooperative for anything more than mounting the SD card seems to throw up a lot of problems. Reinstalling the drivers sounds like a good idea.

Mike, have you tried reinstalling it? It sounds like it hasn't installed properly if that's what it says when you launch the app.

 

[mikedawg69]

ugh im close to just giving up and being happy with the 1.5. i cant even get passed to first step in the rooting process. lol ive succesfully got instantroot.apk on my sd card, hit launch and it says "no activity found uk.co.neilandtheresa.instantroot2
next to the file in astro it shows a black triangle with an exclamation point in it.
help me help me, i wanna get my phone rooted and im pulling out my hair as we speak
thanx guys

 

[kad3t]

ugh im close to just giving up and being happy with the 1.5. i cant even get passed to first step in the rooting process. lol ive succesfully got instantroot.apk on my sd card, hit launch and it says "no activity found uk.co.neilandtheresa.instantroot2
next to the file in astro it shows a black triangle with an exclamation point in it.
help me help me, i wanna get my phone rooted and im pulling out my hair as we speak
thanx guys

Right... I know what you're going through as I too thought that all hope was lost and it was no longer than 24 hours ago! ^__^ I belive that no other method than using/making a GoldCard will work for you as it did not work for me either - and I tried InstantRoot, FlashRec & Pushing Recovery Boots through ADB and failed at all. Then I realized that the most difficult way is the only way and failed at it as well. Why? As it figures the phone needs two different sets of drivers for when it's on and for when it's in the recovery to be able to intake downgrade when using a GoldCard. What you need to make sure of is that your driver's called "My HTC" in both regular mode when your mobile's connected whilst working to your PC and in recovery mode as well. In my case the problem was that it wasn't "My HTC" in the recovery but a very helpful person - btdag - from XDA forums helped directing me to one of his tutorials - setting up the drivers. I gotta say I was pretty sceptic but after I did step IV (there's four steps and you really only need to do one or two, depending on your driver situation) the downgrade went just fine & I was able to flsh recovery (and gain root) with Flash Recovery and then install custom ROMs... Many... One after another. ^__^

Anyway... Here's the links...
Driver guide (important!):
[Guide] How to Setup Correct Hero Drivers (for x86 & x64 users) - xda-developers

Step by step guide to getting root + custom ROMs using GoldCard method:
[Guide] Complete Newbie Guide to Install a Custom Rom & Newbie FaQ [Updated 02/05] - xda-developers

That's very simple as long as you're not gonna mess up with the drivers.
Good luck!

 

[mikedawg69]

thanx man. i thought all hope was lost. ill check it out when i get an extra minute. i really appreciate it. i cant afford to get a newer phone but id like the extra features that they have

 

[kad3t]

thanx man. i thought all hope was lost. ill check it out when i get an extra minute. i really appreciate it. i cant afford to get a newer phone but id like the extra features that they have

That's alright. When my Hero froze on me during update (I couldn't reset it or turn it of any other way than taking the battery out) before using the correct drivers I nearly sh*t my pants thinking that I bricked it. It's better to do it the safe way. So if your drivers in Windows are called "My HTC" just do step 4, if they're different than first do the step coressponding to changing those into "My HTC" and then 4. ^__^

After that cooking up a GoldCard and flashing is piece of cake.

Enjoy your future Custom Hero!

 

[owen1978]

Got RA ver 1.2.3 want to update to latest RA 1.6.2, tried both flashrecs none work. My phone Is using stickmans 2.1 v1 rom. What do I do?

 

[Xyro]

Got RA ver 1.2.3 want to update to latest RA 1.6.2, tried both flashrecs none work. My phone Is using stickmans 2.1 v1 rom. What do I do?

Have a read of this thread. It might help

 

[kad3t]

Got RA ver 1.2.3 want to update to latest RA 1.6.2, tried both flashrecs none work. My phone Is using stickmans 2.1 v1 rom. What do I do?

Have you tied doing it directly through Recovery mode (booting whilst holding home and power)?

If it doesn't help it seems as if you have a custom firmware but no root. And that requires flashing through recovery either a root patch for your firmware or downgrading using a GoldCard method and doing a whole process from the very beginning by installing flash recovery after downgrade and then custom ROM again afterwards.

 

[Xyro]

Have you tied doing it directly through Recovery mode (booting whilst holding home and power)?

If it doesn't help it seems as if you have a custom firmware but no root. And that requires flashing through recovery either a root patch for your firmware or downgrading using a GoldCard method and doing a whole process from the very beginning by installing flash recovery after downgrade and then custom ROM again afterwards.

Stickman's ROM is rooted, definitely. It's just that not all custom ROMs are compatible with flashrec. E.g. Modaco 3.2, which was based on one of the official firmwares that blocked flashrec. So there is definitely no need to go messing around with downgrading or anything like that. You just have to flash the new recovery image via a different method.

 

[kad3t]

Stickman's ROM is rooted, definitely. It's just that not all custom ROMs are compatible with flashrec. E.g. Modaco 3.2, which was based on one of the official firmwares that blocked flashrec. So there is definitely no need to go messing around with downgrading or anything like that. You just have to flash the new recovery image via a different method.

You're right!

Have you considered doing it through adb? Suposedly if you really have root rights it can be done quite easily...

Open command prompt (cmd.exe) and type (the phone needs to be connected to PC)...

adb remount
adb shell boot name-of-your-recovery-image.img
reboot

Before you do that though, wait till somebody else on this forum confirms it as I'm writing this from memory and would not like you to brick your phone just because there's a chance I've missed a command somewhere or additional space or something. But if you google rooting through adb I belive I've seen a decent guide somewhere before.

 

[Xyro]

The proper instructions for flashing via ADB are on the Amon Ra topic over on XDA. However, to save on setting up ADB you can use a terminal app on the phone it's self to achieve the same thing. I think I used one called terminal emulator, then you run (as su)

mount -a
flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery.img

 

[owen1978]

Used droid explorer - downloaded it and install and windows.
Connected to Device
Selected Flash Recovery Image button

And its done!

Highly recommend this program looked quite extentsive with plenty of option!