[HOW-TO] Get a rooted version of EE4

[chadness]

[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.

 

[Halo]

I would just like to inform those members who are still on the fence about this whole rooting/ROM/kernel thing. I followed these exact steps the other day after doing the EE4 update on my Charge. I even had a few drinks in me and was able to do this without any major issues. If I can do it, YOU can do it.

A couple things I'd like to point out.

1) Sometimes ODIN can be picky. It took me a few times to successfully flash CWM with ODIN. If you get the dreaded "FAILED" scenario, don't panic! Just try again. And again and again if need be.

2) After installing the GummyCharged ROM and the PBJT kernel and enabling the voodoo lagfix, this phone is insanely faster. Quadrant score went from the 900's to the upper 1500's.

chadness - many thanks again for an awesome write-up!

 

[chadness]

I would just like to inform those members who are still on the fence about this whole rooting/ROM/kernel thing. I followed these exact steps the other day after doing the EE4 update on my Charge. I even had a few drinks in me and was able to do this without any major issues. If I can do it, YOU can do it.

A couple things I'd like to point out.

1) Sometimes ODIN can be picky. It took me a few times to successfully flash CWM with ODIN. If you get the dreaded "FAILED" scenario, don't panic! Just try again. And again and again if need be.

2) After installing the GummyCharged ROM and the PBJT kernel and enabling the voodoo lagfix, this phone is insanely faster. Quadrant score went from the 900's to the upper 1500's.

chadness - many thanks again for an awesome write-up!

Glad to help! the info was so scattered it was a lot more difficult than it should be.

Also, I want to second the first thing Halo said - Odin is extremely picky! I've heard about people trying over 10 times before it worked. For me, it worked the first time on most of my flashes, but once I had to use the troubleshooting steps.

 

[tarheelmike]

Also wanted to give chad props! I followed this tutorial to the letter and everything went very smoothly. I installed CWM and then the PBJ kernel. Decided to pass on a theme/ROM for now. This tutorial gained me updated CWM w/ root access & custom kernel w/ Voodoo Lagfix (PBJT). Quad scores went from mid-900's to mid-1500's! My phone is working perfectly and the lag is gone. Thanks again for a great job in simplifying the steps to get me here.

Like Halo stated above, do not be intimidated by getting a failure message when flashing CWM w/ ODIN. I had to flash twice before it went through.

 

[joodaman]

can you unroot after your phone is rooted? say for warranty claim purposes?

 

[Halo]

can you unroot after your phone is rooted? say for warranty claim purposes?

http://forum.androidcentral.com/dro...s-packages-read-carfully-before-flashing.html

I believe flashing the 'first package' listed in Droidxcon's thread will bring you back to EE4 Stock unrooted. I'm not 100% sure on this, so maybe we can get one of the more experienced guys to chime in.

If that route doesn't work, I know you can flash this next one, which is the stocked rooted ED1 and you can subsequently get the OTA EE4 update and that will make your phone stock.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1085190

REMEMBER: If you have voodoo lagfix enabled, it HAS to be disabled before flashing anything that is non-voodoo.

 

[monie]

For some reason my pc won't let me download sd fix file . Would I still good without it?

 

[addictedtocars]

OK I poked around and wanted a basic rooted EE4 with minimal mods so I could do my own de-bloating and that is it. I had stock EE4 OTA installed and then just did this:

[How To] Droid Charge Root, Voodoo Lagfix and ClockworkMod Recovery Installation Guide | TheAndroidSoul

which basically just flashes this kernel with voodoo fix, not ROM. What I did before hand was create the voodoo directory and put a dummy file named disable_lagfix becasue I did not want to change the file system.


VoodooChargeKernel4.tar.md5


SO I have done this and how do I get just the stock kernel back. If I want to unroot the phone without loading the full ROM becasue I do NOT want the bloat back, but I just want to get to stock kernel, is there a flash for just the stock kernel? I ask beacsue I accidently bricked the phone becasue I wiped the phone and did factory reset, well when it wiped the SD the voodoo_disabled got wiped and then the rooted kernel converted the file system to EXT4 and the factory wipe locked up becasue it did not liek that. So I want to root, clean up bloat then unroot withour re-introducing the factory bloat.

When completed I installed Titanium Backup and frooze the apps I did nto want, then test phoen and finally did a batch uninstall of the apps I frooze.

So I am left with a very close to stock phone with root access and am hoping I will be able to accept any future OTA without having to do anything.

 

[Halo]

For some reason my pc won't let me download sd fix file . Would I still good without it?

I did not need the sd card fix file. It seems that bug is hit or miss. Some people have it, some don't.

 

[MrBlueJK]

Is there an odin that works with ubuntu?

 

[monie]

I did not need the sd card fix file. It seems that bug is hit or miss. Some people have it, some don't.

Oh okay good. K now that I'm rooted is there a way to uninstall VZW's unwanted apps? & a way to download apps to my SD card rather than my phone?

 

[Halo]

Oh okay good. K now that I'm rooted is there a way to uninstall VZW's unwanted apps? & a way to download apps to my SD card rather than my phone?

I personally do not uninstall apps. I freeze them using Titanium Backup. But you can also uninstall them with Titanium Backup. And I use an app called 'Apps To SD' to transfer my apps from my phone to my SD card. Also, if you install a custom ROM, most of the developers have already removed all the unwanted bloatware for you.

 

[monie]

Titanium Back Up? Where can I download that?

 

[malhar]

Thanks for posting these detailed instructions. I had stock EE4 OTA installed. I followed the instructions and installed the imnuts's PeanutButta Jelly Time kernel. I used the no voodo zip. I did not install any ROM as I just wanted a rooted stock EE4. The process went well. However, when I try to use the Titanium Back up, it gives me a message that my phone is not rooted. Am I missing any thing?

 

[Halo]

Titanium Back Up? Where can I download that?

You can find it in the market. There's a free version and a paid version. I have the paid version. It has several more desirable features.

 

[Halo]

Thanks for posting these detailed instructions. I had stock EE4 OTA installed. I followed the instructions and installed the imnuts's PeanutButta Jelly Time kernel. I used the no voodo zip. I did not install any ROM as I just wanted a rooted stock EE4. The process went well. However, when I try to use the Titanium Back up, it gives me a message that my phone is not rooted. Am I missing any thing?

I had the same problem with the PBJT kernel. I installed the GummyCharged ROM and got root access.

 

[chadness]

Is there an odin that works with ubuntu?

You'll have to use Heimdall:
Heimdall Instructions - xda-developers

 

[chadness]

So I am left with a very close to stock phone with root access and am hoping I will be able to accept any future OTA without having to do anything.

Sounds great! I'm not sure, but I think having Clowckwork Mod installed may prevent you from being able to accept OTA updates.

 

[mboverst]

Just a heads up for people following these instructions, as you may encounter the same problem as I did.

When flashing the new CWM:

If you let the phone reboot normally there is a chance that it will overwrite your new CWM with the stock version of recovery. If this happens, you need to flash the new CWM again and immediately reboot into recovery once you put the battery back after ODIN is complete. Now, flash your new rooted kernal (voodoo/novoodoo) and it should eliminate this problem.

 

[chadness]

Just a heads up for people following these instructions, as you may encounter the same problem as I did.

When flashing the new CWM:

If you let the phone reboot normally there is a chance that it will overwrite your new CWM with the stock version of recovery. If this happens, you need to flash the new CWM again and immediately reboot into recovery once you put the battery back after ODIN is complete. Now, flash your new rooted kernal (voodoo/novoodoo) and it should eliminate this problem.

Thanks, I edited the OP to try to make that clearer.