[EVO 4G Android Development] seekis:
*******UPDATED 8/31/10 *******

This rooting method was adapted from regaw_leinad's method and toastcfh's method. By following these steps you will successfully downgrade your phone back to android 2.1 in order to gain root.

I don't trust unrevoked as I have had problems with it in the past.

I am not responsible for any damages to your phone.

special thanks to:

regaw_leinad

Sebastian Krahmer

Toastcfh

amon_ra

FILES YOU WILL NEED:

copy and paste into browser

sdx-downloads.com/sdx/evo/troot/eng-PC36IMG.zip

evo4g.me/downloads//count.php?target=evo-root.zip

files.androidspin.com/downloads.php?dir=amon_ra/RECOVERY/&file=recovery-RA-evo-v1.8.0.img

developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

You will need the Android SDK in order to communicate between your computer and your phone. Download it (last link above) and follow the setup instructions that it comes with.

Unzip the contents of the evo-root.zip and put all the files from it into the tools folder located in the android sdk folder.

Rename the eng-PC36IMG.zip to PC36IMG.zip and then put it the tools folder located in the android sdk folder. DO NOT UNZIP IT!

******* PC36IMG.zip md5sum~ fe8aba99893c766b8c4fd0a2734e4738 *******

Move the recovery-RA-evo-v1.8.0.img into the android sdk folder as well.

Make sure usb debugging is enabled on your device. To do so go to Settings > Applications > Development > and make sure the check box is checked.

Plug your phone into the computer. Select "Charge Only" from the notifications bar.

Open up terminal and navigate your way into the android sdk folder.

cd /
cd asdk

Push all the files onto your phone.

tools/adb push /asdk/tools/flash_image /sdcard/
tools/adb push /asdk/tools/rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin /data/local/tmp/
tools/adb push /asdk/tools/mtd-eng.img /sdcard/
tools/adb push /asdk/tools/PC36IMG.zip /sdcard/
tools/adb push /asdk/tools/recovery-RA-evo-v1.8.0.img /sdcard/

Note that the PC36IMG.zip will take longer than the other files to transfer to the sdcard because it is a large file.

Now we will make rageagainstthecage.bin executable.

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

You should see this (below) after it has made the change.

$

Now to use the rooted shell.

cd /data/local/tmp
./rageagainstthecage-arm5.bin

You will now see some text on your terminal screen describing the exploit.   Wait for the adb shell to finish the process. At this point it may or may not terminate the current shell session in terminal. If it does then it should look like this:

users-iMac:asdk user$

If it doesn't it will return to

$

in that case you need to exit the current session. To do so type

exit

Now we need initiate a new shell which should now have root permissions.

Enter the following:

tools/adb shell

and you will see you now have a

#

instead of

$

Now we need to flash the mdt-eng.img in order for it to let us install a custom recovery

adb shell
cat /sdcard/flash_image > /data/flash_image
chmod 755 /data/flash_image
/data/flash_image misc /sdcard/mtd-eng.img

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

This should return you to

#

Now boot into hBoot

reboot bootloader

This will reboot your phone into hBoot. It will scan for the PC36IMG.img. When it asks yes or no, select yes.

It should then reflash your phone into the engineering build.

When it asks to reboot select yes.

You will need to flash custom recovery in order to be able to flash other custom roms or modifications. I use Amon_RA's recovery because it works great and has NEVER caused me any problems.

Now, open up terminal and get back into the android sdk folder

cd /
cd asdk

Since we have already pushed the recovery onto the sdcard we only need to flash the recovery onto the phone so that we can use it

adb shell
cat /sdcard/flash_image > /data/flash_image
chmod 755 /data/flash_image
/data/flash_image recovery /sdcard/recovery-RA-evo-v1.8.0.img

Now lets rename that PC36IMG.zip file again

mv /sdcard/PC36IMG.zip /sdcard/eng-PC36IMG.zip

that way your phone doesn't try to flash it when you go into recovery each time

And last but not least we need to boot into it to flash a custom rom

reboot recovery

Your phone should then reboot into Amon_RA's recovery and you may now head over to the dev forum to find your new favorite custom rom.