Root the Kindle Fire HD 7

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 09-17-2012, 04:51 PM

First things first. If you bought a 7-inch Kindle Fire HD to hack, you're doing it wrong. Send it back and buy a Nexus 7. Having said that, here's what to do if you wanna do it anyway. Be warned that it's pretty easy for Amazon to check for root and block services.

If you're using Windows, install the adb driver.
Amazon has really good instructions for manually installing the Kindle Fire H adb driver for Windows through the SDK manager. Read them.
If you're not feeling all that, you can grab the package that method downloads and manually install it. . I just sucked them out of the SDK folder after the SDK manager downloaded them. These files are direct from Amazon.

Install using either method, then reboot your computer. Then download the attachment to this post, and extract it to a folder on your computer somewhere easy to get to.

Use the cable that came with the Fire (I had mixed luck with others). Connect the fire to the computer, then go into settings (+more in the notification shade) and choose Security, then enable adb.
Open the command prompt, and enter the following:

Code:

adb shell
rmdir /data/local/tmp
ln -s /data/ /data/local/tmp
exit

That deletes the local temp file, and replaces it with a symbolic link to the entire data folder. Next you need to reboot

Code:

adb reboot

When it comes back up (it will be slow and choppy), enter:

Code:

adb shell
echo 'ro.kernel.quemu=1' > /data/local.prop
exit

then reboot again

Code:

adb reboot

Now mount things with your new shell root, and push the su binary over. Note that you will need the full path to wherever you placed the attached files.

Code:

adb shell mount -o remount,rw /system
adb push su /system/xbin/su
adb shell
chown 0.0 /system/xbin/su
chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
rm /data/local.prop
exit

reboot one last time

Code:

adb reboot

now sideload the Superuser.apk file. Substitute the real path to the Superuser.apk you downloaded from the attachement.

Code:

adb install Superuser.apk

That's it. you're rooted. Thank next time you see him!

**jcase** · 09-17-2012, 05:40 PM

Jerry,

Thanks for taking the time to read my post, then not source back to it after republishing on another blog/forum.

This is the SECOND time Android Central staff have done this specifically to me.

jcase
TeamAndIRc

**Mtn_Scott** · 09-17-2012, 06:03 PM

Seeing as you both just copied and pasted Sparky's work from and both gave credit i think you have very little case.

Edit: opened mouth, should have shut mouth.

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 09-17-2012, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by jcase

Jerry,

Thanks for taking the time to read my post, then not source back to it after republishing on another blog/forum.

This is the SECOND time Android Central staff have done this specifically to me.

jcase
TeamAndIRc

, with no mention of your name. All I had to do was fix the directions slightly, as /data/local/tmp is a directory on my device and needs the rmdir command. As pointed out, it's all Sparky's work. I recognized this and was sure to credit him here and on the blog via his XDA profile.

**jcase** · 09-17-2012, 06:20 PM

Mtn Scott, actually i spent hours auditing the firmware, only to notice their failure to patch an old vuln prior to releasing a new root. I didnt copy paste anything, i credited sparky for first finding the vuln.

This isnt the first time AC staff copied something I have posted, hence my anger.

---------- Post Merged at 07:20 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:17 PM ----------

Ok,sorry about being angry. G.plus user copy pasted what i wrote without linking back, i assume you will source the post properly now?

**howarmat** · 09-17-2012, 07:31 PM

after getting the drivers installed and working all went as planned.

thanks the ALL INVOLVED for getting and testing this.

**evenmonkeys** · 09-17-2012, 10:41 PM

Got it figured out.

**jcase** · 09-18-2012, 08:16 AM

Thanks for sourcing

**nvrmore100** · 09-18-2012, 04:18 PM

Not having any luck performing the remount of the /system filesystem as read-write, any ideas?

Code:

# adb shell mount -o remount,rw /system
mount: Operation not permitted
# adb shell
shell@android:/ $ mount -o remount,rw /system
mount: Operation not permitted
$ adb push su /system/xbin/su
failed to copy 'su' to '/system/xbin/su': Read-only file system

**nvrmore100** · 09-18-2012, 10:43 PM

Well no idea what is different this time, but I went through the procedure from start to finish 4x and on the fourth try, it remounted fine... Installed root and working!

**pdavidmullinsjr** · 09-23-2012, 01:20 PM

The Amazon instructions for installing the ADB drivers say that I should see Kindle Fire -> ADB Composite USB Device in Device Manager, but all I see is Portable Devices -> Kindle. Then, not surprisingly, "adb devices" cannot see the attached Kindle Fire HD. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? FYI, I am very new to Android, so go easy on me. :-)

Thanks in advance.