[HTC EVO 3D] mpgrimm2:
DISCLAIMER: I'm not a dev, nor do I play one on t.v. Use the information and links at your own risk. READ and UNDERSTAND what your doing before flashing is the best bet. I take no responsibility or credit for the information.

Edit: This info primarily relates to the Sprint CDMA Evo3D. I am not familiar with phones flashed to other carriers (Vmobile, Boost, etc) and flashing Sprint Evo3D Ruu's etc may wipe out your carrier settings. If you know whether or not any of this works with other CDMA carriers, please feel free to respond.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SDX Version of this thread

I've had the Evo3D for a few months now and must say I really have come to like it.

If you want root, it's a bit quirky, You basically have 3 options:

(See the Hboot 1.5x HTC Unlock Guide in my signature for info & links)

1) HTCdev.com's "Bootloader Unlock":

Basically this leaves the bootloader's (ie, Hboot 1.50 & 1.58) security flag on (S-On) but "unlocks the bootloader" (kinda like the phones Bios) so that you can manually flash everything except for Radios (Baseband) and Boot Logo's (Splash Screen). Kernels & roms can be flashed once a custom recovery is installed, but there are "extra" steps involved because the /boot partition (kernel/zImage) can only be set to write access from the Android OS or by initiating custom recovery from a pc's "Fastboot Command Prompt". There are workarounds, some work better than others. To flash Radio updates, you have to relock the bootloader and flash an OEM Full Stock Ruu (Rom Update Utility), kinda like Samsung's Sw Updater for the Transform. You also have to register your device with HTC and it "may void your warranty".

2) Downgrade Bootloader from Hboot 1.50 to 1.40 (to get S-Off before you update to Hboot 1.58):

This has been around for a few months now & Unknownforce has a new "Ultimate Downgrade Tool" in the last few weeks that does even more. Basically involves corrupting the flashing process of the RUU by removing power in the middle of the flash and "bricking it" (more like mostly bricked). It forces the phone into a special eMMC Download mode that can only be fixed by pushing the older bootloader to the phone from a Linux pc. Good thing is that Closeone has a Linux LiveCD.iso that you copy to a USB Drive or CD and temporarily boot to a custom Linux Interface specifically set up for flashing the bootloader.

Once that's done, you rerun an earlier RUU (compatible with Hboot 1.40) to get the phone working fully, then root via "Revolutionary's site" (another fastboot/adb rooting tool) to get S-Off (Full root), load a recovery, update the radio, then you can flash roms & kernels like normal.

UPDATE: 2 Reports of this working with Hboot 1.58/2.89 FW by "Bricking it Twice"

3) Juopunutbear's S-OFF Wire Trick (Will reset the "Unlocked" status to "Locked" when a stock Hboot is flashed):

There is a similar third option now to brick (short out pins with a wire) & replace the bootloader on 1.50 with s-off but I haven't tried it. (Must HTC Unlock first & have a rooted "Stockish" rom installed).

Note: Jbear now works on the new OTA with Hboot 1.58.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HBoot & S-Off Background Info:

PLEASE ASSIST: If you have any comments/experience/verification of flashing different roms/kernels with the different Hboots please reply/post so we can get some certainty on the results below. Big thanks to the Mikeyxda, Ramjet, other MeanRom users, and everyone that has put out the firmware & Hboot updates.

Major Thanks to Unknownforce for providing the following explanation!

To drive home these differences between Radio S-OFF & Hboot S-OFF, here's Ramjet73's post:

Major thanks to Madmaxx and Ramjet73 for figuring the 2.89 Kernel to Custom Kernel Flash Issue out!

If you flashed the Sprint 2.89 kernel and need to go back to the VM ICS kernel so u can flash a third party kernel afterwards, Ramjet73 put together a zip for you...

VM ICS Leak Kernel: 3.0.16-g4211684