[HTC Incredible S] Epilogue:
Hi there :)

This thread was originally written to get some answers about rooting my Incredible S, and as I have succeeded, I promised a guide-ish thing about the procedure I've followed. So here it is !

You can find the original post quoted at the end of this one.

\\ WARNING //

I'm really no expert in rooting, nor in anything close to that. If you do not have the exact same specifications that I had (see below), I won't be able to answer any questions regarding issues you may encounter while following the steps listed here.

However, I'm sure there are plenty of other people here who know a lot and could help you if necessary !

Also, I may not hold this topic updated, as new recovery/rom/blackrose/etc versions may be released.

\\ SPECIFICATIONS //

Here is how the device looks like before doing aything :

HTC Incredible S

***LOCKED***

VIVO PVT SHIP S-ON RL

HBOOT-2.02.0002

RADIO-3831.18.00.11_M

(To get that info : Turn off your phone - Hold Volume Down and press the power button - Bootloader screen will show up)

Android 4.0.4

Sense 3.6

Software 4.10.405.1

20.74.30.0833U_3831.18.00.11_M

(To get that info : Go into Settings > About and browse the various menus)

\\ CREDITS //

I take no credit whatsoever for the knowledge on which this post is based. Anything other that the phrasing (and some specific steps) is not mine, and mostly extracted from here, there, here, there, here and there.

I thank everyone of these threads for that.

\\ SUMMARY //

Through this guide, you will :

1/ Download and set up everything you need

2/ Backup your data

3/ Unlock your bootloader via HTCdev

4/ Flash a recovery (Clockworkmod)

5/ Install Superuser and test root access

6/ Backup the stock ROM

7/ Run Nonverbose's script

8/ Install new RUU

9/ Use Revolutionary to get S-OFF

10/ Flash a custom ROM (CyanogenMod 7)

11/ Install Blackrose 2.03.0000

12/ Pick a ROM and flash it

\\ BEFORE YOU START //

Allright, you decided to step into the big unknown, nice !

Well, it's probably not that unknown, but it was for me when I started.

First, be aware that this might take a while, meaning no using of your phone during the process. I might recommend to remove your SIM card, that way you'll be certain nothing (no one) is going to crush your evil plans.

Then, be sure to have a full battery charge before you start, even though you'll be on charging mode now and then.

___________________________________________

1 // DOWNLOAD AND SET UP EVERYTHING

> On your C: drive, create an Android folder

> In C:/Android, create a "Download" folder, where you'll put everything listed below

> In C:/Android, create a "Revolutionary" folder

> In C:/Android, create a "Downgrade" folder

> In C:/Android, create a "BlackRose" folder

> In C:/Android/Downgrade, create a "DowngradeKit" and a "RUU" folder

a - Get HTCSync here

b - Get IncS_MVDTKv3.4.1.zip here

c - Get the RUU here (RUU used for downgrade, model number PG3213000(Typical IncS) ) and put it in the C:/Android/Downgrade/RUU folder

d - Get ClockWorkMod recovery here and put it in C:/Android (Scroll to HTC Incredible S, and get last version - 5.0.2.0 at the time)

e - Get SuperUser here

f - Get Cyanogen ROM here (I used stable version, but feel free to use release candidate if available)

g - Get BlackRose here, at the end of the post. Unzip it in your BlackRose folder.

> Install HTCsync, then uninstall it (we only want the drivers)

> Unzip IncS_MVDTKv3.4.1.zip into C:/Android/Downgrade/DowngradeKit -

Copy

everything from the "files" folder to C:/Android

> Put Superuser-3.1.3-arm-signed.zip at the root of your SD card

> Put the Cyanogen ROM zip at the root of your SD card

> Take note somewhere of your Serial Number (usually under the battery)

Allright, now you're all set up to begin !

2 // BACKUP YOUR DATA

You should know that by doing step 3, you'll erase everything on your phone (not on the SDcard).

So if you want to backup stuff, now is the right time !

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any way to backup app data like saved games and such without a rooted phone. If anyone finds it, say the words !

Depending on apps and the way that are handled contacts, SMS, etc, everyone's phone is different.

To know how to backup your stuff, google will probably be your best friend. What I used was :

- App Backup & Restore (only saves the .apk of the apps, so you don't have to download them again)

- SMS Backup & Restore

- Contact export via the stock contact app

3 // UNLOCK BOOTLOADER

Now that you've backed up everything and you are

absolutely sure

you want to proceed, visit htcdev.com/bootloader and create a free account.

Select your device (mine was Incredible S WWE), and follow the steps. These are pretty simple and well explained, you shouldn't have any trouble. Your phone will show up a confirmation screen at some point, last chance to cancel.

When it's over, your Bootloader is officially unlocked !

4 // FLASH A RECOVERY

Switch off your phone, and go into the bootloader by holding Volume Down and pressing the power button.

Now there is a nice **UNLOCKED** where there previously was a **LOCKED** !

Wait a bit for some zips to be checked, then plug in your USB to your computer.

Using volume up and down, navigate into the menus, highlight FASTBOOT and press the power button to confirm.

On your PC, go to the start menu, Run, and type "cmd". Manage your way through here to go into C:/Android.

From this point, you should be certain that in this folder there is the ClockWorkMod .img file, your Unlock_code.bin and the files you moved earlier from the downgrade kit.

You can now type just after the C:/android :

fastboot flash recovery recovery_name.img

In my case, that was :

fastboot flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.0.2.0-vivo.img

After a few seconds, your recovery is now flashed. Select "bootloader" on your phone, and you're back on the first bootloader screen.

5 // INSTALL SUPERUSER AND TEST ROOT ACCESS

From the bootloader screen, highlight "recovery" and press the power button. The HTC screen comes up for a while, then you're on the ClockWorkMod Interface.

- Volume down to select "install zip from sdcard".

- "choose zip from sdcard"

- Select the SuperUser zip you put on your SD on step 1 (Superuser-3.1.3-arm-signed.zip)

- Reboot your phone.

Now you have rooted your phone ! Let's just be sure :

- Activate USB debugging (Settings > Developper options) and connect your phone to the computer (charge only)

- Start menu > Run > cmd

- Go into C:/Android

- Type adb.exe shell and press Enter - You obtain $, meaning you're connected to your device.

- Type su and press Enter - You obtain #, meaning that you got root access !

You can now also see a new SuperUser app in your appdrawer.

6 // BACKUP STOCK ROM

Now that you have rooted your phone, you should make a nandroid backup (= backup the entire current state of your phone) in case something goes wrong and you want to go back to this step.

- Switch off your phone, boot into the bootloader screen (Vol Down + Power button).

- Go into recovery, select "Backup and restore", then "backup"

- Reboot your system

There is now a backup on your SD card, in a clockwordmod folder : transfer it to your PC if you want.

7 // RUN NONVERBOSE'S SCRIPT

- Plug your phone to your PC, charge only, USB debugging ON, fast boot OFF (in Settings > Power)

- Launch runme.cmd located in Android/Downgrade/DowngradeKit

- It'll do its stuff, while asking questions you have to answer with "y" or "n". Be honest ! For instance, "have you unlocked via HTCdev ? - y", "have you rooted your phone ? - y", "do you want a goldcard ? - [answer depending what you want]".

- It may show some disturbing lines, like "Failed no such file or directory", "Note : run RUU from fastboot". I just ignored that. But you still got to be sure that it's no

major error

, in that case or if you're not sure, you'll probably find an answer in the corresponding thread.

8 // INSTALL NEW RUU

After the runme.cmd has completed succesfully, you can launch the RUU file that you downloaded in step 1.

At the end of that thing, you can turn off your phone, and back on into the bootloader (Vol down + ¨Power)

Be happy, you should now have something like this :

VIVO PVT SHIP S-ON RL

HBOOT-1.13.0000

RADIO-3805.06.03.03_M

eMMC-boot

Meaning that you downgraded your bootloader from HBOOT 2.02.0002 to HBOOT 1.13.0000 succesfully !

9 // USE REVOLUTIONARY TO GET S-OFF

- Phone in normal charge mode, USB debug ON, fast boot OFF

- Go to revolutionary.io

- Download the thing in the Download folder you created and fill the form (note : your HBOOT is now 1.13.0000)

- Keep somewhere the beta key you got

- Unzip revolutionary.zip in your Revolutionary folder.

- Run revolutionary.exe

- It'll ask to type your beta key, so go on

- It'll ask if you want to flash ClockWorkMod recovery. If you don't want to bother, say yes, you'll have a working recovery. However, it'll not be the last version, so if you prefer you can flash the recent one, exactly how you did it in step 4.

You can now turn off you phone, and back on the bootloader (vol down + power), and check that you have something like that :

-Revolutionary-

VIVO PVT SHIP S-OFF RL

HBOOT-6.13.1002

RADIO-3805.06.03.03_M

eMMc-boot

Well done !

Last thing to do, get SuperUser (root) back : do step 5 again (you don't have to verify root access afterwards if you are lazy)

10 // FLASH A CUSTOM ROM (CyanogenMod 7)

Great, now you're all set to flash a custom ROM, at last !

Some ROMs need BlackRose HBOOT installed (Revolution HD for example).

The thing is, to install BlackRose, you need an unsecured boot.img, which can be obtained by flashing a custom ROM !

I chose CyanogenMod 7 for the purpose of this guide, and also because I believe this is a good start if you're not yet sure what final ROM you want.

Let's get started :

- Do a second nandroid backup like explained in step 6. It's always better to have a plan B in case things go wrong.

- If you didn't put the CyanogenMod 7 (CM7) zip at the root of your SD card during step 1, do it now.

- If you're still in ClockWorkMod recovery, stay here. If not, switch off your phone, turn it back on in bootloader mode, go into recovery.

- In recovery from first menu, chose to [wipe data/factory reset], when it's done go into [advanced] and select [wipe dalvik cache]. Remember that it's always good to do these two things before flashing a new ROM.

- Go back and select [install zip from sd card], choose the CM7 zip (mine was cm-7.2.0-vivo.zip), and rock this world.

Reboot your system, and here you are with a custom ROM, oh yeah that's a relief !

You don't have to follow the rest of this guide if you're happy with this ROM, or if you wish to use another ROM which doesn't require BlackRose installed. In that case just flash the new ROM like explained in this step.

Otherwise, keep reading.

11 // INSTALL BLACKROSE 2.03.0000

- Plug your phone, charge only, USB debug ON

- Into your C:/Android/BlackRose folder, where you unzipped the BlackRose stuff you got in step 1, run BlackRose_IS.exe.

- Wait for it to be finished, you phone may reboot in bootloader/recovery.

- Turn off your phone, then back on bootloader mode.

- Hurray, you've done it ! You problably get something like that :

*** BlackRose ***

VIVO PVT SHIP S-OFF RL

HBOOT-2.03.0000

RADIO-3805.06.03.03_M

eMMc-boot

After this step, I got stuck on the HTC screen when I tried to turn my phone on.

If that happens to you, go into your ClockWorkMod recovery, [wipe data/factory reset], and [Advanced > wipe dalvik cache] ; then install your CM7 ROM zip again from you SD card, like you did in the previous step. Everything should go back to normal.

You have now BlackRose, S-OFF, and the CM7 ROM !

If you're pleased with that, well, keep it :)

If you'd like to try some other stuff, keep reading.

12 // PICK A FINAL ROM AND FLASH IT

Well, here you are ! You have done 99% of the work.

Here is a very nice thread indexing everything you might be interested in (ROMs, kernels, radios, recovery, guides, ...).

Pick a ROM from there, study it a bit to be sure that it matches your uses of the phone, then take the leap and follow the directions given in the ROM's thread !

It shouldn't be very different from what you did in step 10, but if you're not sure ask ! People will be likely to help you if you have doubts.

___________________________________________

Allright ! This guide is now over.

I hope you didn't run into any issues, well you shouldn't have !

If that's the case, ask me and if you started off with the exact same specifications as mine, I might help you !

Otherwise lots of people here know more than I do :)

Enjoy the ultimate power !

Original post :