[GUIDE] Easily Root and Install ClockworkMod Recovery to your Acer Iconia A500

[Fumetsu]

Hi all,

The awesome devs at XDA have managed to bypass the locked bootloader and we now have custom recovery and options for custom ROMs (so far there are two out, both based on the Acer Transformer 3.1 leak).

I'm hoping to easily show you how to both root and install custom recovery for those who haven't done so yet. This is easily enabled using two apps, one of which is available for free on the market, the other I have Dropboxed for public access, link below.

NOTE: full credit goes to the awesome devs at XDA. I did not make any of these tools, I am merely spreading the love.

How to Root your Iconia using Gingerbreak
Source: How To Root An Acer Iconia A500 thread on XDA

Requirements - Gingerbreak APK (link below), external MicroSD card

1) Enable USB debugging via Settings>Applications>Development>Enable USB Debugging
2) Have your MicroSD card inserted and make sure it is detectable by the tablet. Settings>Storage - you should see "external storage" with available space.
3) Place your tablet in Portrait view and enable rotation lock
4) download and install the Gingerbreak APK from the following link: Gingerbreak **Note: installation from unknown sources must be enabled.
5) Run Gingerbreak and click the "Root Device" option from the menu. **Note - you must be in portrait mode. Gingerbreak will Force Close if you are in landscape.
6) Gingerbreak will apply the exploit and install Superuser - then reboot.
7) Upon startup, you will have Superuser installed if successful. Download "Root Checker" from the Market to verify root access if you are not sure it was successful,
8) Voila! You should be rooted.

Installing Thor2002ro's ClockworkMod Recovery
Source: [Recovery] ClockworkMod Recovery thread on XDA

Requirements - root access, external SDCard, Acer Recovery Installer from Market (link below)

1) Download and install Acer Recovery Installer from the Market, available from the following link: Acer Recovery Installer
2) Run the application
3) Select "ClockworkMod recovery rev 1.2 by thor2002ro", which should be the third option.
4) Click on "Install Recovery Image"
5) Recovery will be installed and device will reboot. You can reboot into recovery by powering off the device, holding the VolDown + Power Button (VolDown is the volume button closest to the power button) and you should see ClockworkMod upon starting up. From here you can flash Nandroid backup and restore Custom ROMs and the like.
6) Voila! You now have custom recovery.

So far there are two Custom ROMs available, both based on the Asus Transformer 3.1 leak:

Virtuous Picasso by m-deejay
PRIMEE v1.4 by Dexter_nlb

I am running Virtuous Picasso and it is smooth as silk, has widget resizing (sadly, only the Google widgets are currently resizable, other widgets must have the option enabled by the dev), lag is completely gone in any way, shape, or form. Custom boot animation. Loving it so far. I see only good things to come and this definitely should make the Iconia more attractive for Android power users.

In the days to come, I will be testing USB devices to see how well they work with 3.1 active. I'll keep you all posted.

If you have any questions I'll do my best to help. I'm not a developer but I've been researching a lot to maximize the usage and utility of my tab.

Enjoy!

 

[jharo]

I think I read anywhere that if we do this we lose the use of the rotation lock switch because the Transformer doesn't have one. Is that true? If so, do we also lose the use of the usb port? The Transformer doesn't have one of those either.

 

[Fumetsu]

I think I read anywhere that if we do this we lose the use of the rotation lock switch because the Transformer doesn't have one. Is that true? If so, do we also lose the use of the usb port? The Transformer doesn't have one of those either.

With root and CWM by itself no, you won't lose access to anything and you'll still be on stock ROM. You will gain the ability to Nandroid backup and flash updates from zip but no change would be made to the stock ROM.

On any of the two ROMs that are out so far you do lose access to the Rotation Lock switch as it is not located in the ASUS firmware, however, we do gain the use of a software "Auto-Rotation Lock" in the settings so this wasn't too big of an issue for me (I actually find it easier to use than the hardware rotation lock, that thing was/is a pain in the a** ).

The ASUS does have a USB port - just located on the dock rather than on the tab itself. I tried a USB keyboard, my EVO, and my external HDD and was able to use all with no issues. The ROM I'm using, Virtuous Picasso, does replace the Back, Home, Menu, and Multitask Bar buttons with custom buttons and replaces the stock font with the one from WP7. It looks nice to me, though, and kind of goes with my setup.

In using it, EVERYTHING is faster. Bootup is faster, screen swiping is better, webpages load faster. It's buttery smooth. I've encountered little to no lag so far and no Force Closes. I'll be posting a bigger review within the next couple of days here after I've had an extended chance to use it.

If there's anything else specific you wanted to ask, let me know and I'll do my best to test it.

 

[72nate]

How long does GingerBreak normally take? It has been running for over 20 minuets and is still going, will it fail out at some point?

Thanks

Never mind, the first time i installed GingerBreak from Android Market, this time i installed it from the SD Card and it worked in no time.

 

[samsu#AC]

With root and CWM by itself no, you won't lose access to anything and you'll still be on stock ROM. You will gain the ability to Nandroid backup and flash updates from zip but no change would be made to the stock ROM.

On any of the two ROMs that are out so far you do lose access to the Rotation Lock switch as it is not located in the ASUS firmware, however, we do gain the use of a software "Auto-Rotation Lock" in the settings so this wasn't too big of an issue for me (I actually find it easier to use than the hardware rotation lock, that thing was/is a pain in the a** ).

The ASUS does have a USB port - just located on the dock rather than on the tab itself. I tried a USB keyboard, my EVO, and my external HDD and was able to use all with no issues. The ROM I'm using, Virtuous Picasso, does replace the Back, Home, Menu, and Multitask Bar buttons with custom buttons and replaces the stock font with the one from WP7. It looks nice to me, though, and kind of goes with my setup.

In using it, EVERYTHING is faster. Bootup is faster, screen swiping is better, webpages load faster. It's buttery smooth. I've encountered little to no lag so far and no Force Closes. I'll be posting a bigger review within the next couple of days here after I've had an extended chance to use it.

If there's anything else specific you wanted to ask, let me know and I'll do my best to test it.

So far so good, nice post. I like my A500 more than before.

 

[mcnasty150]

Just a quick question, after booting into cwm. I've tried finding the prime zip. And can't find it. Is there something im doing wrong or im I missing something. I got acer recovery from the market, flashed cwm. Just stumped

 

[Fumetsu]

Do you have it on your external SD card? If you downloaded it on the tab itself it probably saved to internal memory. I had to load the zip onto my EVO's SD card and then use that SD card in the Iconia to flash from recovery. Moving it from internal storage to external SD on the Iconia itself made some changes to the file and the MD5 hash did not match.

 

[Burkett1983]

Love the virtuous Picasso rom it makes the iconia soooo much better! Great work!!

 

[mcnasty150]

Do you have it on your external SD card? If you downloaded it on the tab itself it probably saved to internal memory. I had to load the zip onto my EVO's SD card and then use that SD card in the Iconia to flash from recovery. Moving it from internal storage to external SD on the Iconia itself made some changes to the file and the MD5 hash did not match.

yes, have a 4gb card. downloaded to pc, plugged the tab in to the usb port and moved the file to the tab, the problem is i cant find the file anywhere in cwm, put it in different folders it wont show up in any of them.

 

[reconboy]

Fumetsu nice write up and was easy to follow. Went and purchased the USB Mount all app too which has done wonder since now I can access NSTF format hard drives via USB. Ability to use keyboard and mouse is just awesome.

Hopefully Acer will finally get the 3.1 official update out here before the end of the month as it has been mentioned.

 

[Fumetsu]

yes, have a 4gb card. downloaded to pc, plugged the tab in to the usb port and moved the file to the tab, the problem is i cant find the file anywhere in cwm, put it in different folders it wont show up in any of them.

Try loading it onto your SD card using your phone instead of the file management on the Iconia and putting it in the base folder, then move the SD card from the phone into the Iconia and boot into recovery. You should see it then. I had to do this using my EVO SD card before it would be recognized on the Iconia.

 

[mcnasty150]

Will give it a try tomorrow...

 

[mcnasty150]

Got it on there it worked. thanks man

 

[reconboy]

Virtuous Picasso rom has now been update to 1.0.5 which is the actual Acer 3.1 leaked rom. Running great so far!

However , if you try to re-download the Acer Recovery from the market app , it no longer sees it. This will be needed in order to reverse the Recovery back to factory if you want to get the Acer 3.1 official update or you will have to wait till the official rom is rooted.

 

[Burkett1983]

Virtuous Picasso rom has now been update to 1.0.5 which is the actual Acer 3.1 leaked rom. Running great so far!

However , if you try to re-download the Acer Recovery from the market app , it no longer sees it. This will be needed in order to reverse the Recovery back to factory if you want to get the Acer 3.1 official update or you will have to wait till the official rom is rooted.

Is there a link to the updated virtuous Picasso rom?

 

[reconboy]

Right here:
[ROM][JUNE24]-=Virtuous Picasso v. 1.0.6=- [Honeycomb 3.1][Kernel: Stock] - xda-developers

Its been updated to 1.06 now... UGH time to upgrade again...

 

[reconboy]

Re: [GUIDE] Easily Root and Install ClockworkMod Recovery to your

Awesome, the new update let me see the Acer Recovery App again in the market. Also all i did was update with out wiping my tab again...

 

[Fumetsu]

Re: [GUIDE] Easily Root and Install ClockworkMod Recovery to your

Right here:
[ROM][JUNE24]-=Virtuous Picasso v. 1.0.6=- [Honeycomb 3.1][Kernel: Stock] - xda-developers

Its been updated to 1.06 now... UGH time to upgrade again...

I would hold off until 1.07. People are reportnig problems with the 3.1 Acer base. The dev said he was going back to the ASUS base in 1.07.

 

[Burkett1983]

Re: [GUIDE] Easily Root and Install ClockworkMod Recovery to your

Looks like 1.0.7 is available. I will agree that performance was very sluggish with 1.0.6

 

[reconboy]

Re: [GUIDE] Easily Root and Install ClockworkMod Recovery to your

I would hold off until 1.07. People are reportnig problems with the 3.1 Acer base. The dev said he was going back to the ASUS base in 1.07.

To be honest I am going to stay with 1.06 as I am not having any issues with Acer 3.1 right now, if by some chance I do I may upgrade it to 1.07.