Rooting Inspire 4G GB2.3.3 Plenty of threads (all outdated?!?)

**enduser2941** · 09-15-2011, 07:47 AM

Hey guys, I have been trying to root my Inspire 4G using the ace-hack kit and I get failure after failure. I have searched all the forums and everything I find says it's outdated. Can someone please post an updated guide on how to root the HTC Inspire 4G or point me to a thread that already exists that isn't outdated? Everything I have tried thus far has failed and I have to be honest its getting frustrating. Nothing I have tried is working and I have been at this for weeks not

Please help me if you can. Some one mentioned to use ginger break?

Thanks!

**Ronnie2** · 09-16-2011, 06:19 AM

The ace hack kit at xda-developers works. It was just updated 2 days ago, definitely not outdated. You will need an sd card thats at least 1gb to use as your goldcard.

Let me know if you still can't get root, I'd be glad to help out. Good luck

**tylerj67** · 09-17-2011, 12:17 AM

ive been trying to use ace hack kit and i cant even open up the hack-ace.exe because when i right click on the app it doesnt give me the option to run as administrator. can anyone help me with this?

**Wgreenjr_81** · 10-03-2011, 12:51 AM

[QUOTE=tylerj67;1264013 it doesnt give me the option to run as administrator. can anyone help me with this?[/QUOTE]

I've had the exact same issue. It's my personal computer and I am the only user, yet for this software, it will not recognize me as the admin.

**Tigger76** · 10-04-2011, 10:01 AM

I can attest to the ace hack kit working. I just rooted my Inspire on Monday this week and it worked flawlessly.

For the people who can't run the file (should be "hack-ace.cmd" for Windows) as administrator, it's difficult to offer help without more information about which version/release of operating system you are running. If you can share some more details, someone here might be able to help you (me or someone else). I had no issues with it, running Windows 7 Pro x64 and making certain I disabled and/or uninstalled everything that the "effen-manual" said to.

**Longstreet308** · 10-06-2011, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Tigger76

I can attest to the ace hack kit working. I just rooted my Inspire on Monday this week and it worked flawlessly.

Yep. I rooted with Ace a couple of days, with no problems. The latest version is pretty much one click. Some of the people on XDA are asses about answering questions, but the information is usually solid.

I can think of a couple of suggestions that may help, though I am far from an expert. One, make sure that you have the latest version of the kit: some of the older versions will still work (probably) but are a bit more confusing/error prone than the latest, which is found in the OP here:

Also, if you're at all familiar with Linux, I'd recommend getting an Ubuntu Live CD and using that to unzip/root. (I'd recommend getting Linux period, but that's another subject

). attn1 recommends it as well, in the effen manual referred to in the link. I've seen a few threads from folks having trouble with Ace Hack Kit, and all of them were Windows users. There are apparently several conflicts that have to be resolved between Windows and Ace Hack, and if you miss one it just ain't gonna work right, if it works at all. With my Ubuntu netbook, the process was about as UN-dramatic as it could be.

Hope this helps, and stay with it. I'm rooted running CM7, and it's as neat as I thought it would be.

**fparkin** · 10-15-2011, 04:18 PM

i used win 7 to root phone ,xp wont work at all

**pazzo02** · 10-26-2011, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Longstreet308

Also, if you're at all familiar with Linux, I'd recommend getting an Ubuntu Live CD and using that to unzip/root. (I'd recommend getting Linux period, but that's another subject

). attn1 recommends it as well, in the effen manual referred to in the link. I've seen a few threads from folks having trouble with Ace Hack Kit, and all of them were Windows users. There are apparently several conflicts that have to be resolved between Windows and Ace Hack, and if you miss one it just ain't gonna work right, if it works at all. With my Ubuntu netbook, the process was about as UN-dramatic as it could be.

Even if you've never worked with Linux or Ubuntu, you can do this as I did. You only need to be somewhat computer literate to figure it out. After reading all the problems/dangers of trying to do it through Windows, I decided I would do it in Ubuntu. Here's the process:

1.Download and unzip the ace hack kit, read the Effen manual. You'll find it in the unzipped folder.
2. Go to
3. Download it and then follow the directions to burn your CD (actually you'll need a blank DVD)
4. Reboot and when prompted, choose "try Ubuntu"
5. Make sure your sd card is formatted and turn fastboot off
6. Connect your phone to the pc. Make sure to use a USB port on the motherboard, not one on the front. You should have USB debugging ON and charge only
7. Open the terminal (ctrl+alt+t)
8. enter the following- wget && unzip aahk-********.zip && sudo ./hack-ace.sh
replace asterisks in both locations with current build of the ace hack kit, currently 13012012
9. choose option 1 when prompted
10. enter the passkey found in the Effen manual when prompted
11. In less than 10 minutes your phone will be back up and running

You'll hardly be able to tell you're rooted at first, since this method maintains the stock ROM, but you are! Now go try out some different ROMs and remember, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!

Also, a big thanks to attn1 for the great work on the hack kit!

**joeyson** · 11-10-2011, 10:23 AM

I have tried many times to find the pass key in the Effen manual with no luck PLEASE!!!! Help me with this issue thanks

**frmorrison** · 11-10-2011, 10:57 AM

The passkey is auto-generated each time you run Ace Hack Kit, and is found by opening cajun.txt.

**joeyson** · 11-10-2011, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by frmorrison

The passkey is auto-generated each time you run Ace Hack Kit, and is found by opening cajun.txt.

Were you implying within the Effen manual or when I open the app and go to tools and click on cajun.txt cause when I do that there is a note pad that says trem.#.#.# that's all I can find

**joeyson** · 11-10-2011, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by frmorrison

The passkey is auto-generated each time you run Ace Hack Kit, and is found by opening cajun.txt.

What do you mean by opening cajun.txt. ?

**joeyson** · 11-10-2011, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Ronnie2

The ace hack kit at xda-developers works. It was just updated 2 days ago, definitely not outdated. You will need an sd card thats at least 1gb to use as your goldcard.

Let me know if you still can't get root, I'd be glad to help out. Good luck

for the life of me I can't the passkey I've read and read and read could you PLEASSSE TELL me where it is I've rooted with program b 4 many times but this passkey is killing me

**frmorrison** · 11-10-2011, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by joeyson

What do you mean by opening cajun.txt. ?

After you unzip all the files and then are running the Ace Hack kit, in the Tools folder a text file there will be called Cajun. Double click it and you will see the passkey. Then copy and paste.

**joeyson** · 11-10-2011, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by frmorrison

After you unzip all the files and then are running the Ace Hack kit, in the Tools folder a text file there will be called Cajun. Double click it and you will see the passkey. Then copy and paste.

I did that but everytime I do it says REALLY!!! read the Effen manual I don't get it

**joeyson** · 11-10-2011, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Ronnie2

The ace hack kit at xda-developers works. It was just updated 2 days ago, definitely not outdated. You will need an sd card thats at least 1gb to use as your goldcard.

Let me know if you still can't get root, I'd be glad to help out. Good luck

Could you help me? Every time I copy and paste passkey and run program it tells me to read Effen manual thanks so much

**kjthegod** · 11-14-2011, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by joeyson

Could you help me? Every time I copy and paste passkey and run program it tells me to read Effen manual thanks so much

hey i was having the same issue as you what they don't tell you is you have to press backspace or delete right after you enter the password to get rid of the extra space. I just finally got it done.

**michaelkcme** · 12-23-2011, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by pazzo02

Even if you've never worked with Linux or Ubuntu, you can do this as I did. You only need to be somewhat computer literate to figure it out. After reading all the problems/dangers of trying to do it through Windows, I decided I would do it in Ubuntu. Here's the process:

1.Download and unzip the ace hack kit, read the Effen manual. You'll find it in the unzipped folder.
2. Go to
3. Download it and then follow the directions to burn your CD (actually you'll need a blank DVD)
4. Reboot and when prompted, choose "try Ubuntu"
5. Make sure your sd card is formatted and turn fastboot off
6. Connect your phone to the pc. Make sure to use a USB port on the motherboard, not one on the front. You should have USB debugging ON and charge only
7. Open the terminal (ctrl+alt+t)
8. enter the following- wget && unzip aahk-********.zip && sudo ./hack-ace.sh
replace asterisks in both locations with current build of the ace hack kit, currently 12122011
9. choose option 1 when prompted
10. enter the passkey found in the Effen manual when prompted
11. In less than 10 minutes your phone will be back up and running

You'll hardly be able to tell you're rooted at first, since this method maintains the stock ROM, but you are! Now go try out some different ROMs and remember, ALWAYS FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS!

Also, a big thanks to attn1 for the great work on the hack kit!

this is exactly what I did, never used ubuntu before and worked like a (almost) charm!

I had a problem with no usb connection, which I fixed by rebooting, and the pass key thingy, so I read the manual one more time and found the missing key in the FQA section.

thanks for posting your directions, worked GREAT!

**longknives** · 04-11-2012, 12:25 PM

I'm using Ubuntu (10.04 32bit) as well and everything works well untill I get to the pass key too. When I try to retrieve the key through the link in the manual I get "read the effen manual", when I try accessing the the cajun txt file wether by a double click or a right click, copy and paste it's the same thing, "read the effen manual".
The only thing I have on Ubuntu is the aahk-13012012.zip file, USB debugging is on and the phone is connected via the motherboard USB port. I'm baffeled as to why the generared pass key does not show up in the cajun txt file. I have printed out the manual and read it many times and followed the instructions for PA$$ K3Y as listed in the FAQ section of the manual.
Any idea?

Problem solved.