[EVO 4G Android Development] regaw_leinad:
The rooting method for the EVO 4G is close to the same as the Droid 2, just recently created by Sebastian Krahmer at http://c-skills.blogspot.com/, but with a little variation.

Here is the step-by-step I just did on my brother's (dwizzy130) EVO 4G that came with 2.2 from Sprint.

I am NOT responsible for any damages (bricking, not working, basically anything that goes wrong) This has been tested and works. Over the next few days, I will be cleaning this post up and making the steps more clear.

Special thanks to:

Sebastian Krahmer for the exploit

dwizzy130 (my brother) for letting me test on his EVO (since I don't have one)

The unrevoked team for their methods ;)

Toastcfh for his mtd-eng.img

Topgun966 over at evo4g.me for hosting the files

djR3Z over at TheDroidDemos.com just made a GREAT video walkthrough that should make this MUCH easier for all of you. He spent a TON of time making it yesterday, so please give him lots of thanks!

VIDEO WALKTHROUGH (2 parts)

Make sure your phone is unplugged from your computer until I tell you to plug it in!

If you already have the Android SDK and HTC Sync set up on your computer, skip to Step 4 now

Step 1: Download the Android SDK here

Step 2: Extract the Android SDK zip. Move the contents of the extracted zip to C:\

Your Android tools folder path should now be C:\android-sdk-windows\tools

Step 3: Download HTC Sync 2.0.40 here

Run the installer. Move on once installed. If reboot is required, do so and then move on.

Windows 7 Users:

Go to your start menu, then control panel. When that is open, (if you are in category view mode) click on "Uninstall a program" and then choose HTC Sync to uninstall. If you are in Icon view mode choose "Programs and Features" and then click on HTC Sync to uninstall. This will load the proper drivers needed for unrevoked3.

Other Windows Version Users:

Go to your start menu, then control panel. When that is open, select Add/Remove Programs, and then choose HTC Sync to uninstall. This will load the proper drivers needed for unrevoked3.

Next,

Download my evo-root.zip.

It contains a few files necessary to root the EVO.

Unzip the contents of the zip to your android sdk tools folder.

Download the unrevoked-forever.zip

Place this zip in your tools folder as well, as a zip, not extracted.

Download this PC36IMG.zip || Mirror(This is the same as running an RUU, so it will delete all of your user data when we use it later in the guide, so backup everything you want to save on your phone first)

MD5: e52f6ec4f8f5fd6dc251ef19ee19750b

Put this zip in your sdk tools folder as well, as a zip, not extracted.

After unzipping the contents of evo-root.zip to your android sdk tools folder and placing the PC36IMG.zip and unrevoked-forever.zip in the folder, move on.

Step 4: Make sure USB Debugging is ON (checked) on your EVO. Go to Settings > Applications > Development > and make sure it is checked.

Step 5: Plug your phone into the computer via USB, Make sure that the connection type in the Notification Pull-Down Bar is "Charge Only", not "Disk Drive" or else this won't work.

If your computer asks you to restart after the new drivers were installed, do that now.

Step 6: Open up a command promt from your android-sdk/tools folder.

Windows 7 users:

Open up the android sdk folder and hold shift and right click on the tools folder. You will see an option that says "Open command window here" Choose that one and you will be set. the command prompt should read something like C:\android-sdk-windows\tools>

Other Windows Version Users:

Go to the start menu, go to All Programs, then Accessories, and click on command prompt. Once open type

cd C:\android-sdk-windows\tools

Once ready, type these commands in cmd prompt from your adb tools directory. After every line press enter.

adb push unrevoked-forever.zip /sdcard/
adb push flash_image /data/local/
adb push rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp/
adb push mtd-eng.img /sdcard/
adb push PC36IMG.zip /sdcard/

Note: the PC36IMG.zip will take longer than expected to transfer to the sdcard. It is a BIG file.

Now we chmod a few things. After every line press enter. It should repeat what you typed in and then return you to a blank line with an $ for everything in adb shell

adb shell
chmod 0755 /data/local/tmp/rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin
chmod 0755 /data/local/flash_image

Ok now for the root shell.

*

(still in adb shell)

cd /data/local/tmp

./rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin

You will now see some text on your cmd prompt screen explaining the exploit.

Wait for the adb shell to go away, and it will dump you into your windows command prompt again (no shell) should look something like this:

C:\android-sdk-windows\tools>

Once that dumps you out of the shell, type

adb shell

and you will see you now have a

#

instead of

$

now type

cd /data/local
./flash_image misc /sdcard/mtd-eng.img

that will flash your misc partition with Toast's mtd-eng.img.

This should return you to a blank line with #.

If you get an "Out of memory error" with a huge list of weird lines, here's how to fix it.

Reboot your phone normally.

Open a command prompt and go backwards in this guide until you see the big red * and start from there.

Once it is flashed correctly, move on:

Type

reboot bootloader

Remember how you pushed that huge PC36IMG.zip to your sdcard earlier? This is where that comes in handy. Once you booted into hboot, Select "bootloader" with your volume up/down buttons and hit the power button. Let it sit for a little bit while it loads the PC36IMG.zip. This can take up to 5 minutes. When it finally asks if you want to apply this zip, choose YES. (Remember, this is the same as running an RUU, so it will delete all of your user data).

If this doesn't work (ie the PC36IMG.zip does NOT load) backup all of your sdcard contents onto your computer, reformat your sdcard to FAT32, redownload the PC36IMG.zip, and drag and drop it onto the sdcard, then reboot into the bootloader and try again. This should fix the issue.

Once it is finished, select restart. You now are on the stock 2.1 build of Android.

Next step, mount your sdcard on your computer, and delete the PC36IMG.zip from it. This is because the next step requires using hboot, and you don't want to sit and wait while it loads up again, just for you to say "no" to the install. Please follow this step, for it saves 5-10 minutes of waiting ahead.

I worked extensively with Matt Mastracci, so this rooting guide will use the unrevoked method to root 2.1. This is what worked for me testing on my brother's EVO, so if you do end up trying something else to root 2.1 with, PLEASE do not post it here or ask questions, for I will only support the unrevoked team.

Now open up your web browser on your computer and navigate to Unrevoked

Choose the correct operating system to download for.

*

Make sure you install the modified android usb driver that comes with the unrevoked3 install (see the html file included when you extract the exe)

Once downloaded and extracted, run the program on your computer.

Make sure your EVO is plugged in with USB DEBUGGING ON!

It will reboot to the bootloader, and it will wait for you to use volume down to select HBOOT USB. (the last option)

After you have selected it (by pressing the power button) let the unrevoked3 program handle the rest of the flashing.

If you have had any trouble with the bootloader freezing or not moving for over 3 minutes, you most likely forgot to uninstall HTC Sync (as directed at the beginning of this guide), or you need to install the modified hboot drivers that come with the unrevoked3 program, OR a nasty combination of the both.

For the modified drivers and explanation on how to install them, open the "hboot driver.htm" file that gets extracted when you extract the reflash_package.exe. It will explain everything. You will have to reboot your phone after you install the drivers. Once you have repaired this go back to the big blue *

As soon as it is booted into recovery, you are done with that.

Next in recovery go to

install zip from sdcard

then

choose zip from sdcard

and choose the

unrevoked-forever.zip

This will flash the unrevoked forever hboot unlock.

_____________________________________________________________________

Part 2

Note: This section would not have been possible without the amazing testing and help of cilio87. He earns a gold star *

Now it's time to finish up the process and flash the stock 2.2 build of Android. You need to do this before any custom ROM in order to re-update the partitions we downgraded in the rooting process.

Step 1: Download either the update zip with

ClockWorkMod recovery included

or

Amon_RA's recovery included

This is the most up-to-date version of Amon_RA recovery that allows you to back up WiMAX partition.

(Either zip contains the final touches to the root process, one flashes clockworkmod recovery, and the other respectively, Amon_RA's recovery)

Extract the 3 files inside the zip to your desktop.

If you are still in recovery (from part one or the guide) go back to the main menu of recovery on your phone (if you aren't already at the main menu, hit vol up & down at the same time) Select

Reboot System Now

Let the Rom load, and when it gets to the sign in screen for Google, just skip everything and let the ROM boot.

If you are already on a custom rom, boot into it and follow from here.

Once It is fully booted, mount your sdcard onto your computer, and copy the 3 files you extracted from the zip to the sdcard.

Once copied, Unmount your sdcard from the computer.

Step 2: Unplug your phone from the computer. Power it off completely. Now while holding VOLUME DOWN turn on the phone with the power button, continuing to hold volume down. This will boot into hboot. You can release the buttons once you get to the hboot menu. Then use the power button to click on bootloader. This will scan the sdcard for the new PC36IMG.zip you just copied to the sdcard. When it asks "Do you want to start update?" Hit Volume Up for Yes. It will reload the zip and then start the flash. Once the flash is complete (may take 5 or so minutes) Choose NO when it asks you to reboot.

Step 3: After choosing NO to the reboot, you will see a menu again. Select Bootloader from the menu, then use the Volume Down button to hover over "Recovery" and press Power to click on it.

If your phone gets stuck at the White EVO 4G screen, pull your battery, and then power on while holding volume down again. It should boot to the bootloader again, where you can select recovery.

Once you are booted into this custom recovery, go to

Install Zip from sdcard / Flash zip from sdcard (Amon_RA)

and then (clockworkmod only)

choose zip from sdcard

You will then see the 2.2-root.zip. Click on that and accept the flash.

Once that flash is complete, return to the main menu of recovery and Select

Reboot System Now

You now have stock Android 2.2 with root and all updated partitions!

If you would like the flash_image binanry so you can flash new recovery images quickly from adb shell, flash the zip that is attached below as a normal zip in recovery AFTER you have completed this entire guide.

IN ORDER TO FLASH CM6 OR DAMAGE CONTROL, YOU NOW NEED TO FLASH THE ENG SPL. LOOK FOR IT IN THE EVO 4G ANDROID DEVELOPMENT FORUM.

Here is the ENG SPL

Good Luck!

Dan Wager