[HOW-TO] Root Honeycomb on Nook Color

**Will Shanklin** · 02-04-2011, 06:50 PM

This is some command line stuff - no easy one-click yet. Proceed with caution!

Credit goes to nuroslam, whose post can be found here:

Also credit to chhaggerty for the instructions in his thread:

* These instructions are for the SD card version of HC. If your internal version of HC somehow lost root, the instructions are the same - except you'll want to replace mmcblk1p2 with mmcblk0p5 in the commands.

Download the following files:

-

-

Extract them (WinRAR will do) into your sdk tools or platform-tools directory (where adb is).

1. Open a command prompt window in your adb directory

2. Issue the following commands:

adb push su /data/local

adb push Superuser.apk /data/local

adb shell mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk1p2 /system

adb shell

cd system/bin

rm su

cd /

cd system/xbin

rm su

cd /

cd /data/local

cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk

cat su > /system/bin/su

ln -s /system/bin/su /system/xbin/su

chmod 06755 /system/bin/su

su

Then install Titanium backup on your Nook (via market, or grab the apk ). Open the app and choose "Problems?" at the bottom. This will download busybox.

Congrats, you're rooted!!

**patgnds** · 02-04-2011, 07:42 PM

New to this sorry, I can't seem to get past this line:

cat busybox /system/xbin/busybox

root@android:/data/local # cat busybox /system/xbin/busybox
cat busybox /system/xbin/busybox
busybox: No such file or directory
/system/xbin/busybox: No such file or directory
1|root@android:/data/local #

I renamed the busybox-1.18.2 to busybox
Using windows 7

**theological** · 02-04-2011, 07:55 PM

Ok, I know you may think I'm a noob, but I push files to my X in this fashion all the time. I was able to do this before, when I had to in order to get Gapps on honeycomb, but now I get "device not found". I have the drivers installed, usb debugging on, any tips?

**ljp274** · 02-04-2011, 08:08 PM

the prompts you say uts just windows/mac/linux prompts?

**ljp274** · 02-04-2011, 08:12 PM

Other question, if i have a new nook color, i just have to do this to root, or I have to have before?
Thanks

**bbalz** · 02-04-2011, 08:55 PM

Everything goes smooth until this point. . .at busybox /system/xbin/busybox

I get a kickback of. . .
"busybox: No such file or directory
/system/xbin/busybox: No such file or directory
1:root@android:/data/local#"

Any suggestions?

**Will Shanklin** · 02-04-2011, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by patgnds

New to this sorry, I can't seem to get past this line:

cat busybox /system/xbin/busybox

root@android:/data/local # cat busybox /system/xbin/busybox
cat busybox /system/xbin/busybox
busybox: No such file or directory
/system/xbin/busybox: No such file or directory
1|root@android:/data/local #

I renamed the busybox-1.18.2 to busybox
Using windows 7

I cleaned up the instructions - Titanium is a much easier way of dealing with buysbox. Just go over the new OP, it should work no probs.

Originally Posted by ljp274

Other question, if i have a new nook color, i just have to do this to root, or I have to have before?
Thanks

You need to have Honeycomb installed on your SD card. This has nothing to do with stock Barnes & Noble.

Originally Posted by ljp274

the prompts you say uts just windows/mac/linux prompts?

Good question, I'm on Windows - I often forget we aren't all. This would be done in Terminal in Mac/Linux. But commands should be identical.

Originally Posted by TheoBrown

Ok, I know you may think I'm a noob, but I push files to my X in this fashion all the time. I was able to do this before, when I had to in order to get Gapps on honeycomb, but now I get "device not found". I have the drivers installed, usb debugging on, any tips?

I'd say keep trying, reboot both devices, check the thread in our forum on adb driver problems.

**bbalz** · 02-04-2011, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by Will Shanklin

I cleaned up the instructions - Titanium is a much easier way of dealing with buysbox. Just go over the new OP, it should work no probs.

I have the same issue as him and following the new OP - still the same results that he is getting.

**Will Shanklin** · 02-04-2011, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by bbalz

I have the same issue as him and following the new OP - still the same results that he is getting.

I meant for all references to busybox (except getting it via titanium) to be cut - don't worry about that line. I fixed op to cut that part.

**Loondog** · 02-04-2011, 10:31 PM

at this line:

cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk

I am getting:

1:root@android:/data/local # cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk
cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk
Superuser.apk: No such file or directory

**Will Shanklin** · 02-04-2011, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by architectjon

at this line:

cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk

I am getting:

1:root@android:/data/local # cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk
cat Superuser.apk > /system/app/Superuser.apk
Superuser.apk: No such file or directory

Did you successfully push superuser in the previous step? Go back to the step that says adb push superuser... and make sure it's actually doing it. Then this step should be fine. Be aware of capitalization, it can be case sensitive (look at the actual file in your adb folder and see if it's upper or lower case, match that in your commands).

**ljp274** · 02-05-2011, 10:11 AM

Other question.
After installing, i can use the SD to put music and photos on the nook?

**Loondog** · 02-05-2011, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Will Shanklin

Did you successfully push superuser in the previous step? Go back to the step that says adb push superuser... and make sure it's actually doing it. Then this step should be fine. Be aware of capitalization, it can be case sensitive (look at the actual file in your adb folder and see if it's upper or lower case, match that in your commands).

Got it to work. superuser was pushed just fine in the previous command. Capital letters were good also. I just re-downloaded everything and started over and all went well.

Honeycomb is pretty nice. A little laggy since it is running off of SD. Looking forward to a full flash version. Also nice to not need Softkeys anymore with the new menu system of Honeycomb.

**Loondog** · 02-05-2011, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by ljp274

Other question.
After installing, i can use the SD to put music and photos on the nook?

Yes, but you have to remember that Honeycomb is also residing on the SD card. So it depends on how big your card is. I have a 8gig card and I only have about 1.5 gigs to work with as "SD card" space. The remaining space is taken up by Honeycomb.

This is my understanding.
Correct me if I am wrong.

**ljp274** · 02-05-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by architectjon

Yes, but you have to remember that Honeycomb is also residing on the SD card. So it depends on how big your card is. I have a 8gig card and I only have about 1.5 gigs to work with as "SD card" space. The remaining space is taken up by Honeycomb.

This is my understanding.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Even if you root?
When you root, the system isnt install in nook, so you dont need the SD anymore. Right?
I dont know, im only asking

**vegeta_2123** · 02-05-2011, 12:08 PM

I keep getting ln -s /system/bin/su /system/xbin/su link failed File exists

**TheJoker138** · 02-05-2011, 12:13 PM

Seeing as there's already some confusion, I have a couple questions as well. First off, this will put Honeycomb onto the internal storage, not the SD card, correct? Second, will I be able to access the stuff on the Nook already, like the nook library and my ebooks? Because that's an important thing for me still.

**Loondog** · 02-05-2011, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by ljp274

Even if you root?
When you root, the system isnt install in nook, so you dont need the SD anymore. Right?
I dont know, im only asking

No, to get Honeycomb running you need to 'burn' the honeycomb image on the SD card with your computer. Then put the SD card in the Nook and turn it on. When starting up, the Nook will ignore its internal software (whatever that might be - B&N or Froyo) and boot directly from the SD card. Currently there is not a way to install Honeycomb to the Nook device itself that I know of. This really is not the thread you should be starting out in. This thread is for only after you have Honeycomb running (from SD) to get root. This thread is where you should start.

Originally Posted by TheJoker138

Seeing as there's already some confusion, I have a couple questions as well. First off, this will put Honeycomb onto the internal storage, not the SD card, correct? Second, will I be able to access the stuff on the Nook already, like the nook library and my ebooks? Because that's an important thing for me still.

No, see comment above. When you boot from the SD card, you will not have access to your B&N library that resides on the Nook itself and is not accessible when honeycomb is running (that I know of). When you remove the SD card and reboot, then you will boot back into your old configuration. The 'burned' SD card must be present to boot into Honeycomb.

If others are reading this and I am wrong, please speak up.

**gayborg1** · 02-05-2011, 02:34 PM

I originally have my NC rooted, then put honeycomb on the SD card, it boots beautifully. Now, i'm trying to root honeycomb and open the command window and go to where the adb is located, and su and superuser.apk. I type in the first line, hit enter, and it tells me its looking for daemon, then pops up with a message something along the lines of file not found. What am I doing wrong?

**ljp274** · 02-05-2011, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by architectjon

No, to get Honeycomb running you need to 'burn' the honeycomb image on the SD card with your computer. Then put the SD card in the Nook and turn it on. When starting up, the Nook will ignore its internal software (whatever that might be - B&N or Froyo) and boot directly from the SD card. Currently there is not a way to install Honeycomb to the Nook device itself that I know of. This really is not the thread you should be starting out in. This thread is for only after you have Honeycomb running (from SD) to get root. This thread is where you should start.

No, see comment above. When you boot from the SD card, you will not have access to your B&N library that resides on the Nook itself and is not accessible when honeycomb is running (that I know of). When you remove the SD card and reboot, then you will boot back into your old configuration. The 'burned' SD card must be present to boot into Honeycomb.

If others are reading this and I am wrong, please speak up.

When you root it using SD it still use SD to boot?
Please anybody help me?
ok. I use SD to root, but after root i STILL need the SD to boot honeycomb. the root doesnt install the OS in internal storage of NC?

**Loondog** · 02-05-2011, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by ljp274

When you root it using SD it still use SD to boot?
Please anybody help me?
ok. I use SD to root, but after root i STILL need the SD to boot honeycomb. the root doesnt install the OS in internal storage of NC?

Not yet....I am sure developers will be able to do that soon. It only took a week to get this far!

**Loondog** · 02-05-2011, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by gayborg1

I originally have my NC rooted, then put honeycomb on the SD card, it boots beautifully. Now, i'm trying to root honeycomb and open the command window and go to where the adb is located, and su and superuser.apk. I type in the first line, hit enter, and it tells me its looking for daemon, then pops up with a message something along the lines of file not found. What am I doing wrong?

browse your adb folder with windows explorer (assuming PC) and make sure superuser.apk and su are indeed located there.
If that doesn't work then Will S. is the one with more experience.

**cvc56** · 02-05-2011, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by vegeta2123

I keep getting ln -s /system/bin/su /system/xbin/su link failed File exists

I got the same message. But I did the chmod 06755 /system/bin/su and everything worked anyway.

**ljp274** · 02-05-2011, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by architectjon

Not yet....I am sure developers will be able to do that soon. It only took a week to get this far!

So what is the adventage of root? If you STILL will need to have the SD everytime you want to use honeycomb?

**Loondog** · 02-05-2011, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by ljp274

So what is the adventage of root? If you STILL will need to have the SD everytime you want to use honeycomb?

Having root allows you to install and properly use apps that require root. You can overclock the device if you wish and directly interact with files in the core operating system (though still on SD).