Rooting and ROM Help for the Sprint HTC Hero

[totbaby101]

I have a Sprint HTC Hero
Firmware Version 2.1-update1
Build Number 2.32.651.2 CL282911
Software Number 2.32.651.2

I want to root my phone so that I can get 2.3 (Gingerbread) and install a ROM, and I need all the help I can get. I'm not technologically savvy, but I understand the general directions for rooting my phone. If someone could give me a step-by-step on how to root my phone it would be wonderful. Dumb it down as much as humanly possible!

Could someone also explain Nandroid to me, or any other application that I'm supposed to use to back up my device. Is that an app I download off the market?

I want to root my phone so I can clear more space and remove those unnecessary predownloaded apps (Stocks, Desk Clock, MP3 Store, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Peep, Sprint Football Live, and Teeter). Will removing any of these applications mess up my phone?

What are some other feature of rooting my phone, and what are the best ROMs available for this particular phone?

Any other advice/information is appreciated!

Please and thank you in advance for all the help.

 

[srkmagnus]

Welcome to the forums! I am having problems loading the root section on my phone so I can't link to it now. But go into the hacking section for the hero and look for the sticky post with a root how to. It's a simple process and you will be on your way.

To answer some of your questions:
A full system backup is done in the custom recovery you will install as part of the root process. That's called a Nandroid, because it copies the data on the Nand. You can restore the entire backup but not bits and pieces. This is handy for situations where you may have missed the phone up or have problems like constant force closes. You have the ability to restore a good backup.

If you want to backup certain aspects, like sms or apps, and restore then you need an app from the market. Titanium backup and my backup pro will do just that. This is good for moving apps to another ROM so you don't need to redownload them. It also saves app data, which can be huge because it saves time having to set the app vac to your liking, such as the settings.

For ROMs, any AOSP ROM will be better over the stock OS. Cyanogen mod is a great ROM, the information for the CM7 (gingerbread) ROM is posted in the root forum. The are other ROMs on xda-developers which are good as well. I'm using a pure Vanilla ROM and the phone is great. There is a dictionary wiki in the general help forums that yo win fine helpful to lead more about the Android terminology. If you need help rooting let me know.

 

[srkmagnus]

Ok, here is the 1-click method posted by Beezy in the root forums: http://forum.androidcentral.com/htc...6118-how-root-your-sprint-hero-one-click.html

It will get you root access but will install an older recovery. This doesn't really matter, but if you want to install something newer you can download ROM Manager from the market and download a recovery for the Hero CDMA and install it.

Here is the Cyanogenmod (CM) 7 ROM (Gingerbread): http://forum.androidcentral.com/htc...nogenmod-7-hero-cdma-v7-0-3-6-may-2011-a.html

Follow the instructions in the first port to install it. If you want other Gingerbread ROMs you need to make your way to xda-developers and look through the CDMA Hero forums for different ROMs.

 

[grizzylemon]

I have the same phone. I went to the 1-click method link and am not able to get to the step where I press the power and home screen and then get to the zip file. When I press those two buttons, I get a menu that asks about deleting user data. I did some more searching and found that I should use the power and volume down button, but that brings up something different. I cannot get to the option of flash from sd card or anything close to it. What am I doing wrong?

 

[FahKingNut]

I have the same phone. I went to the 1-click method link and am not able to get to the step where I press the power and home screen and then get to the zip file. When I press those two buttons, I get a menu that asks about deleting user data. I did some more searching and found that I should use the power and volume down button, but that brings up something different. I cannot get to the option of flash from sd card or anything close to it. What am I doing wrong?

I'm still recovering from repeatedly rebooting and pushing, it finally cleared all of my apps and data.

Like Grizzylemon, I was wondering what *I* did wrong, but there is something with our recent updates that must be blocking this route of rooting.

Any ideas gentlemen & ladies?

Nevermind - Used Z4Root and got root on the 2nd try!

 

[srkmagnus]

Glad to see you got it working. Z4 and Gingerbreak are the two apps I would recommend to fellow Hero users.