[Nook Color General] bobstro:
More progress. First, I followed GabrailDestriuir's suggestion:

This gave me root. I was able to open the Market and register my google account for the device. Unfortunately, any software installs I attempt still fail with the B&N "security" warning. Using both the Amazon App Store and Android Market, symptoms are the same. Software downloads and everything looks fine, but always terminates with a failed message. Installs from apks on SD fail the same way. I rail at B&N for limiting what I can do with this device, then remember that they're the same folks that put one in my hands for $250 (last year) before anybody else thought to. Ah, the curse of knowledge!

I have been unable to locate the setting to permit 3rd party apps. The procedure used on the Nook Tablet using tgps_launcher fails -- it won't let the program run.

I have found a happy middle ground for the time being, however. I have been running CM7.1 on SD, dual-booting with B&N 1.4.1 unrooted. I did the following:

1. Reset to stock unrooted 1.4.1 (Quick Settings->Settings->Device Info->Erase & Deregister device.

2. Let it reboot as stock and register device to B&N.

3. Insert CM SD card into reader on PC and copy contents of /data/app into same directory in

manualnooter-4-12-16-test.zip.

4. Copy manualnooter-4-12-16-test.zip to Clockworkmod SD and boot from SD.

5. Install manualnooter-4-12-16-test.zip.

6. Let device boot and go into Zeam launcher (or whatever you prefer.) Let rooted apps and services load.

7. Make sure to load Button Savior or Virtual Button Bar to have a way back to your launcher.

At this point, I can run apps more-or-less normally. There are some long pauses that seem to be associated with the sync indicator lighting up. I've had a spontaneous reboot. I went whole-hog and installed apps hap-hazardly. I'm hoping a more selective software load will be successful.

I have tested the following:

B&N downloaded magazines, newspapers and books and sideloaded books display properly. Conde Nast magazines display properly.

Kindle downloaded and sideloaded books display properly.

New 1.4.1 'n' button behavior works. I can get back to my launcher (ADW EX in my case) with the soft button (step 7, above). Home, library, search, apps and settings buttons work.

Web button allowed selection of installed browser (Opera).

Shop button appears to work, but no search results returned (odd). No ads appear in the shop app, but "Just for you" and other scrolling selections work. Attempting to purchase a book results in an "Unable to Purchase. This item is not currently available for download to the product you are using" message. This function worked with sideloaded apps before rooting! It seems to know

and care

that I am rooted.

If I can play in the B&N Walled Garden, but slip under the fence and run some sideloaded apps, I'm mostly happy with it. I don't particularly need to be root. There's something to be said for not compulsively playing with my device, and instead actually using it to do things like reading. Occasionally loading up the SD to run CM, then refreshing the apps I actually use most might work. Yet the hacker in me screams at the idea of being constrained. I want to know that I

can

run rooted if I damned well choose to. I'm really torn.

I'll continue to refine this process. Hopefully, these notes are useful to others... particularly you forensic types that like picking these things apart. If there are any specific tests you'd like me to run, please let me know. I know very little about Android innards right now, but am handy with Linux. I'm willing to blow my device up in the name of science, at least for a few more days (Tuesday) when I ship off to the hospital for a few days.