[Guide] All About Rooting the HTC Shift: FAQ's & How To's (Updated 3/28/11)

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:12 AM

Index:
Post #1: Index
Post #2: Rooting FAQ
Post #3: Temp Root your EVO Shift
Post #4: Beginner's Guide to Installing the SDK and ADB
Post #5: Permanent Root Detailed Instructions
Post #6: How to flash recovery
Post #7: How to unroot and return to stock

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:13 AM

Q: What is Root?
A: Root, is super user access of your phones operating system. Think of your phone as a desktop computer. Right now you are logged on as a guest account. you can browse things and use applications but if you really want to change anything in your system you can't. What gaining root does is it gives you superuser permission to alter files that you could not before; again thinking of it as a computer you now have an Administrator account.

Q:Does rooting void my warranty?
A:Yes and no. If you walk into your carriers store with a phone that has Root access and they actually check it they have the right to say this phone was tampered with. But for those of you in the know, there are methods to unroot your phone first.

Q: Does rooting slow down my phone or drain battery.
A: NO, root is not an application or a running process, gaining root does not do anything but give you permissions that you normally would not have. Basically all you did during the rooting process was move files around. Its what you do with this new found permission that changes things. But as far as just rooting it does not make a difference.

Q: Will I lose any apps or data during the rooting process?
A: No, for the same reason as above. Rooting is basically just moving some files around. Of course there is always a risk of something happening in any process. I would say chances are of causing serious problems is slim to non. Its what you do with this new found permission that changes things. But as far as just rooting it does not make a difference.

Q: I lost root during an update, am i doomed?
A: No, what happend was the file containing your super user access was over written. Just re-attempt gaining root and you will be fine.

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:18 AM

I am writing this to kill some of the myths and to help those who want temporary root access until a permanent root is available. (Permanint root is now available) As far as I can tell this is completely reversible with a battery pull. With that in mind you must understand that you are rooting your phone and anything can happen. I am not responsible for anything that happens to your EVO Shift 4G you are doing this at your own risk. Do you understand this? Read it again... Now lets get thet temp root so we can start using those great root apps.

First what you need:

1) Astro file manager or the file manager of your choice (available in Android Market)
2) Visionary (attached to this post) Thanks to PaulOBrien for this great app.

Install Astro File Manager if you don't already have a file manager. Now go to Menu>Settings> applications and check the box for unknown sources. Now go to Menu>Settings>Applications>Development>put a check in the box for USB debug. Use Astro file manager or the file manager of your choice to navigate to Visionary run the apk. Go to your app drawer look for Visionary open it and chose temp root let it run once complete you have temp root if it fails (stalls on black screen) hit the back button or home open Visionary again and chose temp root again.

Hope this helps,
Dave

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:28 AM

Originaly posted by brandokc HERE All thanks to you for posting this.

I posted this up over at XDA. I'm putting it up here by request.
I hope it helps!

It looks like we may have some users that are new to rooting or to Android all together.
I posted these instructions in the perm root thread, but I figured putting them in their own thread would make it easier to find.
This is meant as a basic pre-cursor to following BCNice's perm root instructions.

This is optional you don't need to do this if you use the flash able recovery in post#6
I've added a link to TrueBlue_Drew's adb/fastboot guide
If you use the method that I outline below just download his zip and extract the files to your desktop. Then move the fastboot file into your AndroidSDK\platform-tools sub directory. Thanks to Drew for putting together a great guide!
You will need fastboot installed to install BCNice20's recovery.img.
__________________________________________________________________

Make sure you have HTC Sync installed on your computer

First download the SDK
Make sure to dowload the installer_r09-windows.exe I tested and r10 works fine
Now install the SDK when prompted for the install path paste C:\AndroidSDK over the default path

If you are having Java issues download the JDK Version 6 from Then run the SDK installer again.

Once you have installed it open it from the start menu
Select install packages
The main one we are concerned with is "Platform Tools"
You can reject all the other packages they are not needed for this process.

Go to the start menu and right click on My Computer in XP Computer in Windows 7.
Select properties, then select advanced/advanced system settings in Windows 7, then environment variables, now go to the lower box (system variables) and select path then edit.
Paste the following as your path C:\AndroidSDK\platform-tools then select o.k.

Make sure you have temp root via Visionary or Z4.
On your phone go to Settings, Applications, Development, and make sure USB Debugging is checked.

Now connect your phone to your computer and leave the connection type as "charge only"

On your computer select Start, then run, type in CMD
Once in the Command Prompt enter

Code:

cd C:\AndroidSDK\platform-tools

The next line should pop up C:\AndroidSDK\platform-tools>
Now test adb by typing in

Code:

adb

If adb runs you are ready to start!
Type

Code:

adb shell

Then type

Code:

SU

Allow Superuser on your phone
You are now in and ready to follow BCNice's directions

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:32 AM

All thanks for this guide go to brandokc and bcnice. Originally posted HERE

This is a little more in depth guide for those that want to root their Evo Shift.
This is based off of BCNice20's guide, work, and instructions posted on XDA
I take no credit whatsoever for obtaining root or anything development related.
I simply took BCNice20's instructions and added more detail for less experienced users. In fact much is simply copied over.

I take absolutely no responsibility for your phone if you brick it, if it melts, if it sleeps with your wife, or if it burns your house down.

Proceed at your own risk.

Step 1
Temp root your device using Visionary or Z4 (I prefer Visionary) (Temp Root Guide available HERE)
If you are already temp rooted skip this step

Step 2
Download the file linked at this address
Extract the contents to the root of your SD card.
If you are having trouble extracting download
Once installed connect your phone to your computer as a disk drive
right click on the shift-root.zip, select extract here, then use the dropdown to locate your device, more specifically your SD card
Once you have extracted the file to the root of your sd card change your connection type back to charge only

Step 3
If you have followed my other thread (Available HERE) you already have adb working
Open the cmd prompt and paste the following

Code:

cd C:\AndroidSDK\platform-tools

hit enter
type

Code:

adb shell

hit enter
you will see this

Code:

no type

Code:

su

hit enter
Superuser will prompt you to click allow on your phone. Click it quickly to allow permissions!
Now you will see

Code:

you have root permissions.

Step 4
Verifying md5sum

Make sure you copy and paste this exactly

Code:

md5sum /sdcard/Shift/hboot_orig.bin

then hit enter
Your result should look like this 386c19451e8dd18f9b98fad6b11be4c0 hboot_orig.bin make sure the numbers match. You may have some extra path in front of hboot_orig.bin.

Next copy and paste this exactly

Code:

md5sum /sdcard/Shift/hboot_eng.nb0

then hit enter
Your result should look like this 60ec1006e6ec2e8acb370d6aad35b17e hboot_eng.nb0 make sure the numbers match. You may have some extra path in front of hboot_eng.nbo.

If these do not match do not proceed. Delete the file placed on the root of your sd card and repeat step 2 and redownload.

Step 5
Now we're going to flash the eng spl. This is where the unpleasant things can happen.
Make sure you are in adb shell with superuser(root) permission. This was explained in Step 3.
If you are not in adb shell with root permissions then do not proceed. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Now DO NOT REBOOT until you are instructed to do so!!

Now paste this exactly into cmd prompt

Code:

dd if=/sdcard/Shift/hboot_eng.nb0 of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18

and hit enter
You have flashed the eng spl. Now we will make sure it flashed properly.

Step 6
Check the md5 of new flash hboot and restore if necessary
run this command to pull the newly flashed hboot to your sdcard
type

Code:

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 of=/sdcard/Shift/hboot_check.nb0

in the command prompt and hit enter
now we check the md5 to see if it matches
Enter

Code:

md5sum /sdcard/Shift/hboot_check.nb0

in the command prompt and hit enter
it should read 60ec1006e6ec2e8acb370d6aad35b17e
if the md5sum matches then congratulations its safe to reboot!! you can skip the next bit and continue on to step 7

if you absolutely cannot get the eng hboot to flash right then run this to restore the stock hboot
Type

Code:

dd if=/sdcard/Shift/hboot_orig.bin of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18

in the command prompt and hit enter

then pull it to check md5
Type

Code:

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 of=/sdcard/Shift/hboot_check1.bin

in the command prompt and hit enter

then check the md5sum
Type

Code:

md5sum /sdcard/Shift/hboot_check1.bin

in the cmd prompt then hit enter

it should read 386c19451e8dd18f9b98fad6b11be4c0
if it doesnt keep trying until it does but DO NOT!! reboot till it matches

Step 7
check hboot and perm root!!
ok now reboot your phone into bootloader
turn off phone and hold power+vol down till it boots into bootloader
look at the top and make sure it says s off
if so reboot the phone back into android
put the phone into airplane mode
Next temp root with visionary
after you are temp rooted then attempt to perm root with visionary
your phone will reboot and you are now officially perm rooted any changes you make will now stick on reboot

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:36 AM

New Recovery

The easiest way to load the latest Recovery is through ROM Manager. Just download ROM Manager from the Android Market once installed open ROM Manager and chose "Flash ClockworkMod Recovery. Once complete boot in to recovery and make a backup this new recovery will back up the WiMax keys and everything.

OLD___________________________________________OLD_________________________________________________OLD

Recovery
for now this recovery does not backup your wimax keys
we shall do that manually and store them in a safe place just in case because you never know what can happen. Now open the root shell (Guide HERE) make sure you have supper user access and are showing the #

Backup Wimax Partitions

Code:

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p25 of=/sdcard/Shift/wimax.bin

Code:

dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0p30 of=/sdcard/Shift/udata_wimax.bin

Now that fells better doesnt it just knowing you wont loose 4G forever should take some pressure off.

Step 1
Now download this file and move it to the root of your SD card

File originally posted

Step 2
Unplug your Shift from your PC and turn the power off

Step 3
Hold down the Volume down button and power on your shift will find the file and flash the recovery just chose yes when prompted then reboot.

Step 4
Once rebooted plug your Shift back in to your PC chose disk drive then remove the Zip file from your SD card unplug from your PC

Step 5
Lets check out that recovery and put it to some good use. Power off your shift. Now hold the Volume down button and power on. Use the up and down volume buttons to chose recovery from the list (Left & Right on keyboard work as well) press the power button (or enter on the keyboard) You will be taken to the Clockworks recovery screen. Now make a Nandroid backup just in case.

Thats it happy flashing,
Dave

**Dave Blake** · 02-20-2011, 09:38 AM

How to unroot and return to stock:

Step 1
You should have HTC Sync installed on your PC if not get it

Step 2
Download the Sprint RUU

Step 3
Plug your Shift in to your PC in charge only then run the RUU

Once completed your back to stock

Cool,
Dave