[HOW-TO] Get a rooted version of EE4

[vols fan]

Does usb debugging have to be on or off when loading from the sd card, or does it matter?

 

[pboy207]

Does usb debugging have to be on or off when loading from the sd card, or does it matter?

I'm not sure as I'm a noob as well. I know in the you tube video I watched the guy had it enabled before loading the ROM. Maybe one of the experts can weigh in here. Did you wipe data/cache prior to loading the ROM?

 

[2fast4u]

[Standard disclaimers apply, do at your own risk (you WILL be voiding your warranty and risking damage to your phone), if you destroy your phone, neither I nor androidcentral.com will be responsible.]

I thought I'd collect together instructions from a few threads to help people get from stock EE4 to a rooted version. While the instructions will be consolidated, I will be linking back to the original threads for software downloads, so that people will always be getting the latest versions from those threads.

Assumptions

• You are running stock EE4 (I'll address getting to this state in another post if I need to, but the only reason for this is that we're flashing the ROM via Clockwork Mod, which I don't think will update the baseband radio for you if it's not already at EE4).
• You are on a Windows system (because that's the drivers and software I'll be pointing you to - the basic concepts will be the same for other operating systems, but you'll need to use Heimdall instead of Odin.

Preliminary

1. Download the Droid Charge Windows drivers here and install them.
2. Download Odin on to your computer from here or here.
3. Download the version of Clockwork Mod (CWM) Recovery you want to load and put it somewhere on your computer you can remember. Check nitsuj17's post here for the current choices, but as of June 15th, 2011, imnuts's version here was the only choice for a bug free EE4 experience.
4. Download the rooted kernel you would like to use to get you root access, and put it somewhere on your phone's SD card. Check nitsuj17's post here for the current choices, but as of June 16th, 2011, imnuts's PeanutButta Jelly Time kernel and PeanutButta Jelly Time Overclocked kernel seem to work without requiring an SD card fix (there's been mixed results with this, you might run the fix anyways to be safe). This recommendation is only slightly influenced by the fact I'm eating honey chipotle peanuts while writing this. Choose either a Voodoo lagfix or non-lagfix version. The Voodoo lagfix should be faster, but will require you to convert back if you want to go back to stock. Here's an explanation of what the Voodoo lagfix is. (though this isn't a Galaxy S phone, it's the same concept).
5. {Optional} Download the ROM you would like to use (if you want to load one) and put it on your phone's SD card (as well as any other fixed files the ROM author posted). Do this if 1) you want a deodexed ROM that can load custom system-wide themes (as opposed to Launcher themes), and/or 2) you would like a ROM that has the bloatware removed already, and/or 3) you would like whatever other improvements the ROM authors added. Again, check nitsuj17's post here for the current choices, but as of June 15th, the best options for EE4 are either the stock ROM that has been deodexed, GummyCHARGED 1.85, imnut's EE4 Debloated 4.2.1 ROM, or AC's Altered Beast Alpha 5 from DroidXcon. [These are all ROMs installed with CWM, so the instructions below will apply to that scenario, but you may run across a ROM that is installed via Odin. Just install those the same way you are being instructed to install CWM.]
6. Potentially, you could install a pre-rooted ROM and be able to skip the kernel instead.
7. As a safety precaution, download the file in this thread and save to your phone in case you have problems with your SD Card because of your new kernel.

At this point, you should have downloaded:
On your computer

• Droid Charge drivers
• Odin
• A new recovery (usually Clockwork Mod)

On your phone

• A new kernel
• SD Card fix file
• (Optional) A new ROM

Installing CWM using Odin

1. Shut down your phone and make sure it is unplugged from your computer.
2. Pull the battery out of your phone.
3. Make sure all applications are shut down and Antivirus is disabled, and run Odin on your computer.
4. Plug your phone in to your computer.
5. Hold the Down volume button until the large yellow triangle downloading screen appears. The first thin rectangle in the upper left of the ODIN applicate should also turn yellow and identify a com port. You can now release the volume key.
6. Uncheck the box in Odin that says "Auto Reboot".
   [*]*For this next part, make sure you are using the PDA button, NOT the Phone button, or you'll hurt your phone* Check the box next to PDA in Odin, and click the PDA button.
7. Navigate to the .tar.md5 file for CWM you downloaded (probably something like New_CWM_Recovery.tar.md5) and Open it.
8. Now you should be showing your phone connected to a Com port, Auto Reboot is unchecked, and you have selected the CWM file you want to load, so click the Start button.
9. In Odin, it should show the download progress, briefly flash a blue "Restart", then show a green "Pass". If it doesn't, try again, and if it repeatedly fails, try the following:
   • Mine was seeming to lose power and shut off halfway through, and here's how I fixed it. After Odin was loaded on the PC and the phone was in download mode, but before I started the flash, I inserted the battery. This kept the phone on through the process and it succeeded.
   • Try a different USB port (some people claim the back USB port works better for them, but that's very computer dependent).
   • If you're on a laptop, make sure it is plugged in. Try a desktop if it continues to fail.
   • Try a different USB cable.
   • Make sure Odin is the only software running, and antivirus is disabled!
   • Redownload the Odin package, it may be corrupt.
   • Redownload the ROM/kernel/recovery, it may be corrupt.
10. Shutdown your phone by disconnecting it (and removing the battery if you had to install it for troubleshooting). Do not start it back up without flashing a new kernel or the stock Samsung kernel will overwrite CWM with the stock recovery!

If you need visual instructions for running Odin, there are excellent ones here, just make sure to uncheck the auto-reboot box.

At this point, you should have CWM installed, so now let's install your rooted kernel.

Installing kernel through CWM

1. Boot in to recovery by holding down the Home key, the Up volume key, and the power button. After you see "SAMSUNG" you can let go of the power button, but continue to hold the home key and up volume until you are in recovery.
   In CWM, navigate up and down using the volume keys, select using the power key, and go back a menu using the back key.
2. Select "install zip from sdcard".
3. Select "choose zip from sdcard".
4. Find and select your kernel's .zip file
5. Repeat the above steps, but this time choose the SD Card fix file you downloaded.

Install your ROM

1. If you decided to install a new ROM as well, you have a couple of extra steps.
2. Select "wipe data/factory reset".
3. Select "Yes -- delete all user data".
4. Go back using the back key.
5. Select "install zip from sdcard".
6. Select "choose zip from sdcard".
7. Find and select your ROM's .zip file.
8. If needed, install any other fixes the ROM author posted (for instance, Gummy comes with an Exchange Email fix you need to load).

At this point, reboot and you should be all set. If you chose a lagfix kernel, it will take a while to reboot while it converts your file system. You will hear an electronic female voice detailing what is going on while this is happening.

If you are having problems accessing your SDCard with a custom kernel, please follow the instructions in this post.

Thanks to nitsuj17 for maintaining a list of dev work for the Charge, to imnuts, kejar31, and jt1134 for awesome dev work, and to DroidXcon for dev work and the awesome Odin instructions.

Hey thanks for these instructions but I ran into a huge problem. I was able to flash CWM with no problem and then use CWM to put on PeanutButta Jelly Time Overclocked and the downloaded version of Voodoo lagfix found here Download | Project Voodoo, Galaxy S improvements. After I flashed lagfix with CWM I heard the lady's voice update me on the progress. When it got done it rebooted into recovery, and when I tried to do a system reboot it rebooted into system recovery (CWM) everytime. The same thing happened when I tried to do a hard set by removing the battery. Everytime it booted up it booted into recovery by itself. Nothing I flashed would fix it.

At this point, it was basically bricked. I was able to use Odin to flash the original Samsung recovery and then use Samsung PST to flash an old ed1 version found here Return To Stock.

Does anyone have any idea why it was automatically booting into CWM after I flashed the new kernal and lagfix? I followed the instructions in the OP to the letter. Any help would be much appreciated as I would like to do an OTA back to ee4 and know that I can still root if I want to.

Thanks again for all the hard work.

 

[Halo]

Hey thanks for these instructions but I ran into a huge problem. I was able to flash CWM with no problem and then use CWM to put on PeanutButta Jelly Time Overclocked and the downloaded version of Voodoo lagfix found here Download | Project Voodoo, Galaxy S improvements. After I flashed lagfix with CWM I heard the lady's voice update me on the progress. When it got done it rebooted into recovery, and when I tried to do a system reboot it rebooted into system recovery (CWM) everytime. The same thing happened when I tried to do a hard set by removing the battery. Everytime it booted up it booted into recovery by itself. Nothing I flashed would fix it.

At this point, it was basically bricked. I was able to use Odin to flash the original Samsung recovery and then use Samsung PST to flash an old ed1 version found here Return To Stock.

Does anyone have any idea why it was automatically booting into CWM after I flashed the new kernal and lagfix? I followed the instructions in the OP to the letter. Any help would be much appreciated as I would like to do an OTA back to ee4 and know that I can still root if I want to.

Thanks again for all the hard work.

I think you went wrong with downloading the separate version of the voodoo lagfix. The Peanut Butter Jelly Time kernel already has the voodoo lagfix option built in it.

 

[ten mile stereo]

Ok so I just installed cwm voodoo lagfix recovery vol 4.0.1.0 using odin, and everything went well. It said success etc. I then unplugged the phone and booted into recovery. when I choose the "install zip from sdcard" all i get is this blue banana looking mascot, and nothing happens unless I hit home, than it takes me back to recovery.....any ideas what I can do?

 

[redskinsnut]

I am in Odin and when I opened the CWM nothing appeared in the ID.COM box. What do I do???

 

[tefca]

Ok so I just installed cwm voodoo lagfix recovery vol 4.0.1.0 using odin, and everything went well. It said success etc. I then unplugged the phone and booted into recovery. when I choose the "install zip from sdcard" all i get is this blue banana looking mascot, and nothing happens unless I hit home, than it takes me back to recovery.....any ideas what I can do?

Just ran into this also. Hit the power button when you see the blue banana. It then takes you to the next menu.

 

[Oscarpelaoo]

when i select "install zip from sd card" to install the ROM a little droid coming out of the a box shows up and im stuck there help?

 

[vols fan]

when i select "install zip from sd card" to install the ROM a little droid coming out of the a box shows up and im stuck there help?

Are you in CWM? Did you install a rooted kernal first?

 

[shaneneff]

Can someone tell me what exactly will change when I root my device? Will WiFi hotspot be enabled for good?

 

[redskinsnut]

OK I am going to try this again. I have the following downloaded on my SD card for my phone:

0710_charge_voodoo.zip
GummyCharged1.8.5.zip
sdcard_patch_by...zip

Is this what I need? Much appreciated.

 

[dhp106]

I never used sd card patch

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

 

[dhp106]

Can someone tell me what exactly will change when I root my device? Will WiFi hotspot be enabled for good?

No. Google it.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

 

[redskinsnut]

OK I am going to try this again. I have the following downloaded on my SD card for my phone:

0710_charge_voodoo.zip
GummyCharged1.8.5.zip
sdcard_patch_by...zip

Is this what I need? Much appreciated.

The other two downloads correct? Thought I read somewhere that the zip had to be converted to tar.

 

[Halo]

OK I am going to try this again. I have the following downloaded on my SD card for my phone:

0710_charge_voodoo.zip
GummyCharged1.8.5.zip
sdcard_patch_by...zip

Is this what I need? Much appreciated.

Have you already flashed CWM with ODIN?

 

[redskinsnut]

Halo-

Thank you so much for responding. This is definitely not my expertise so I apologize.

I have the previously items on my Droid Charge. On my PC I have same kernel and same ROM plus the following:

CWM Recovery.tar
Livid Download Manager (for the drives?)
Odin3_v1.3.exe


Yesterday I got all the way to Odin popping up on my laptop with the Charge connected via USB but nothing appeared in the .com box for an ID.

:-[ This is going to make me look and feel really stupid but I have to ask. What do you mean by "flashing CWM to Odin?" How would I do this? :-[

 

[likuidxd]

Halo-

Thank you so much for responding. This is definitely not my expertise so I apologize.

I have the previously items on my Droid Charge. On my PC I have same kernel and same ROM plus the following:

CWM Recovery.tar
Livid Download Manager (for the drives?)
Odin3_v1.3.exe


Yesterday I got all the way to Odin popping up on my laptop with the Charge connected via USB but nothing appeared in the .com box for an ID.

:-[ This is going to make me look and feel really stupid but I have to ask. What do you mean by "flashing CWM to Odin?" How would I do this? :-[

remove your battery from your phone, open Odin (use v1.3) and plug the phone into usb, hold down volume down and it should go into download mode and Odin should pick it up. Odin is very touchy though so it may not always work when you flash your kernel to the phone. Don't worry if it doesn't work the first time, just try again. I have found it helps to reload drivers, shut down comp and try again if it doesn't work properly.

EDIT: you're ZIP files for Gummy and sd patch will be installed after you flash the kernel in recovery mode (HOME, Vol UP and POWER) and be sure to wipe/ factory reset before installing Gummy zip from the sd card

 

[redskinsnut]

Thanks man! I actually did everything you said but nothing ever appeared in the ID.com field on Odin. Is this just Odin being picky like everyone said? Should I simply keep trying?

 

[Halo]

Thanks man! I actually did everything you said but nothing ever appeared in the ID.com field on Odin. Is this just Odin being picky like everyone said? Should I simply keep trying?

ODIN can be a real pain sometimes. You can try a different usb port, different usb cable, rebooting your pc. Some people have to leave the battery in while running ODIN.

 

[likuidxd]

Thanks man! I actually did everything you said but nothing ever appeared in the ID.com field on Odin. Is this just Odin being picky like everyone said? Should I simply keep trying?

Have you installed the Samsung Drivers? If not get them here. If you have it could be Odin being picky. If Odin is being picky you can try Heimdall, it's a bit more technical so please get familiar with it before trying anything.