[GUIDE] How to Root Your Nook Color

[bobdowns]

OP updated - 1.1 can now be rooted via Autonooter!!

So, does that mean that if my NookColor has version 1.1.0 of the firmware, AutoNooter will root it and install Honeycomb? If so, what is the URL to the instructions for doing so?

I just spent several hours last night and a few this morning, reading posts and stickies and instructions here and on xda and other sites that give all sorts of varying instructions for rooting my NookColor. And, frankly, I'm left confused.

My NookColor has 1.1.0 - what's the best, easiest way to get Android 3.0 installed on it?

Also, what's an "OP"?

 

[Calma10]

So, does that mean that if my NookColor has version 1.1.0 of the firmware, AutoNooter will root it and install Honeycomb? If so, what is the URL to the instructions for doing so?

I just spent several hours last night and a few this morning, reading posts and stickies and instructions here and on xda and other sites that give all sorts of varying instructions for rooting my NookColor. And, frankly, I'm left confused.

My NookColor has 1.1.0 - what's the best, easiest way to get Android 3.0 installed on it?

Also, what's an "OP"?

I follow the instructions from here and was able to root the nook.

I don't think you need to be rooted to installed Honeycomb from the SDcard.

Then I follow the instructions for honeycomb from SDcard and had a couple of problems. one was the adb and the other was my SD card.

The user here are very friendly and will help you, if you get stock on the process.

 

[Hextall]

So, does that mean that if my NookColor has version 1.1.0 of the firmware, AutoNooter will root it and install Honeycomb? If so, what is the URL to the instructions for doing so?

I just spent several hours last night and a few this morning, reading posts and stickies and instructions here and on xda and other sites that give all sorts of varying instructions for rooting my NookColor. And, frankly, I'm left confused.

My NookColor has 1.1.0 - what's the best, easiest way to get Android 3.0 installed on it?

Also, what's an "OP"?

I followed the directions in the original post (="OP"). the first step is to update to 1.1. then root it with autorooter 3.0.

But something in it is broken... mainly that if I install and run Clockworkmod recovery (the program that allows you to install other ROMs and doing a complete system backup called a nandroid)... it gets stuck in that program (i.e. I try to reboot the nook, and it just goes back into CWR). I had to flash a zip file that removes clockworkmod to get out of the loop

I think if you just want root access to be able to use it as a tablet, then use autonooter 3.0. but if you plan on monkeying around with it further (installing froyo or honeycomb directly onto the nook rather than run from SD card), then maybe try to figure out another option (maybe downgrade to 1.0.1 then root, then install the pre-rooted 1.1?). i'm sort of waiting to see if any of this gets addressed in the various AN3.0 threads here and on XDA before doing anything else. Eventually I'd like to upgrade to internally installed Froyo at the least, and then honeycomb when it's stable and virtually 100% working.

I'd gladly someone correct me if I'm wrong about 3.0 and CWR boot looping. Did anyone who had this happen find a solution?

Edit: Apparently this autonooter 3.0 is not released by the Autonooter team and not supported. I think that's an important omission in this thread here. It'll work with stock 1.1 and root your Nook, but there's kinks the official team are still working out (I assume the CWR is one of them).

 

[Calma10]

I followed the directions in the original post (="OP"). the first step is to update to 1.1. then root it with autorooter 3.0.

But something in it is broken... mainly that if I install and run Clockworkmod recovery (the program that allows you to install other ROMs and doing a complete system backup called a nandroid)... it gets stuck in that program (i.e. I try to reboot the nook, and it just goes back into CWR). I had to flash a zip file that removes clockworkmod to get out of the loop

I think if you just want root access to be able to use it as a tablet, then use autonooter 3.0. but if you plan on monkeying around with it further (installing froyo or honeycomb directly onto the nook rather than run from SD card), then maybe try to figure out another option (maybe downgrade to 1.0.1 then root, then install the pre-rooted 1.1?). i'm sort of waiting to see if any of this gets addressed in the various AN3.0 threads here and on XDA before doing anything else. Eventually I'd like to upgrade to internally installed Froyo at the least, and then honeycomb when it's stable and virtually 100% working.

I'd gladly someone correct me if I'm wrong about 3.0 and CWR boot looping. Did anyone who had this happen find a solution?

I havent try to installed CWR but will do it tonite and will let you.

 

[Anoxymoron]

wowwww i had my nook rooted for a good 2 hours and was loving it to death when i decided to venture into the nook store and and suddenly my nook shut off and a loading screen saying it's clearing all data and updating my system comes up.

laameee. guess i'll have to do this all over again =/

wow this happened again. what am i doing wrong?

 

[free_spoons]

Help please. When I click "write" on win32 disk image I keep getting this

"Lock Error: An error occurred when attempting to lock the volume. Error 8:"

anyone know how to fix this?

fixed my own problem. Simple as closing the F: drive that my SD card was.

 

[roberto]

I have honeycomb running on a SD card and am about to try rooting the NC itself. Before doing so, I have a few questions:

1. Do I need to do the 8x interrupt procedure if I already have 1.1 firmware (I think not, but wanted to be sure)?

2. Will the stock Nook reader app still work? The Nook app from the android market isn't working correctly when I run honeycomb and I don't want to lose the ability to read B&N downloaded books.

 

[tarakenboy]

I've tried to root my NC multiple times, from this guide, and from the one on NookDevs(not trying to sponsor another site, please don't ban me). I start at the beginning with the 8x wipe and factory reset and go from there. I'm on Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit, NC version 1.1.0, using the autonooter 3.0.0 made for 1.1.0, and it never runs the autonooter from my card. Everything burns to the card like it should, but the NC never loads it when I plug in the USB cable. Anyone think they can help?

i'm experiencing the same thing. Got my nook yesterday and have been trying for the past 7 hours. I've used both Macs and PCs and always have the same results. I'm giving up for now before I fly this thing across the room. haha. JK. I'm wondering if its my sd card. I ordered another one and I'll try again when it comes in.

 

[roberto]

I have honeycomb running on a SD card and am about to try rooting the NC itself. Before doing so, I have a few questions:

1. Do I need to do the 8x interrupt procedure if I already have 1.1 firmware (I think not, but wanted to be sure)?

2. Will the stock Nook reader app still work? The Nook app from the android market isn't working correctly when I run honeycomb and I don't want to lose the ability to read B&N downloaded books.

To answer my own questions (in case someone else wonders):
1. No, that is just for upgrading to 1.1.
2. Yes, as I was hoping. The video player also works.

 

[dlcullen]

-Restore the /system directory to factory default
-To wipe the system partition on the NC you need to force your reboot counter to hit 8:
-The easiest way to reset your Nook to factory defaults is to power off the nook, and then interrupt the boot process by holding down the power button*EIGHT TIMES*(interrupt the device from booting up 8x)
roberto basically had the same ? I did... If you have a NEW nookcolor, and update it to 1.1, then do you still need to get the reboot count to hit 8 by powering off and interrupting? I'm not sure what "To wipe the system partition on the NC" is?
I attempted to reboot the NC 8 times and had very little luck...

 

[roberto]

-Restore the /system directory to factory default
-To wipe the system partition on the NC you need to force your reboot counter to hit 8:
-The easiest way to reset your Nook to factory defaults is to power off the nook, and then interrupt the boot process by holding down the power button*EIGHT TIMES*(interrupt the device from booting up 8x)
roberto basically had the same ? I did... If you have a NEW nookcolor, and update it to 1.1, then do you still need to get the reboot count to hit 8 by powering off and interrupting? I'm not sure what "To wipe the system partition on the NC" is?
I attempted to reboot the NC 8 times and had very little luck...

The "reboot 8 times" procedure is just for updating to 1.1. I followed the rest of the rooting instructions and it succeeded without issues.

 

[dlcullen]

I was able to update to 1.1 also! I guess I was just concerned that the "wipe system partition" wasn't done w/o that step and needed for the root process.
So I'll go ahead w/o doing the reboot.
Thanks!

 

[ndinfla]

8X reset is it needed to root

I am a newbie at this. I just pushed the 1.1 update thru the sideload according to B&N and it worked fine. Do i need to do the 8X reset to continue on to the root process. Any advice would be helpful

 

[bradrr]

Started the process and am stuck on the first step of putting NC back to stock. After 8 interrupted boots it reloads and I get a flashing screen with an error message: initial loading from media provider failed.....

Repeated whole process, did a hard reset, tried to erase & deregister device and it locked up.

again repeated 8x boot interrupt and at least I can surf net and read downloaded books, still have flashing home screen and error message

is my NC bad?

 

[roberto]

I am a newbie at this. I just pushed the 1.1 update thru the sideload according to B&N and it worked fine. Do i need to do the 8X reset to continue on to the root process. Any advice would be helpful

No, it is not needed if you have already upgraded to 1.1.0. Just continue on with the steps following that one.

 

[ndinfla]

Thanks you guy are awesome

i have never done anything like this before and i have got to say AWESOME. Everything worked exactly ask written.

 

[techh10]

stupid question...but can you use this in conjunction with the honeycomb hack if honeycomb is on the SD card

 

[roberto]

stupid question...but can you use this in conjunction with the honeycomb hack if honeycomb is on the SD card

Yes, I have done that but actually prefer the rooted stock NC to either Honeycomb or Froyo (ymmv).

 

[rabidcadaverdog]

Well, I may have messed up my NC in record time.

I got the NC today. I fully charged it, and ran through the initial setup. It was running 1.1.0 right out of the box. I changed the desktop wallpaper, looked at the quickstart guide, and played with the browser for a few minutes.

I took a look at this thread, and decided to try out the "8 interrupted boots" thing, just to see what would happen. (I was curious if the software version would drop back to 1.0.0, or if it would just stick at 1.1.0) After the 8 boots, it did the software install, right on schedule. Then things started getting weird....

After the NC booted back up, the main home page wallpaper kept flashing on and off, and an error box with a message that began "Initial loading from the Media Provider failed" kept flashing up. I was able to navigate to Settings, and the software version is now "Unavailable". At this point the "Home" page would only display for about 1 second, before switching back to the last thing I was viewing. (Settings, the browser, etc.)

I decided to press on with the OP instructions, in hopes that the NC would feel better after installing the 1.0.1 Sideload_update.zip. I copied it over, but so far, the NC shows no interest in starting the update process when I put it to sleep.

Any ideas? Should I do the 8 boot thing again for luck? Should I install that Adobe thing in hopes that will make the update install?

[EDIT] I tried the Adobe Digital Editions thing. It had no effect that I can detect. (ie. its not updating itself) I'm going to try replacing the 1.0.1 Sideload_update.zip file with the 1.1.0 version.

[EDIT 2] Nope, that didn't work either. I also tried the "Erase and Deregister Device" option in Settings. It's been sitting on the "Deregistering device..." page for several minutes, so I kinda suspect that isn't going to work, either.

[EDIT 3] My suspicions were correct. I tried another 8-unsuccessful-boot sequence, this time with the 1.1.0 sideload file copied to the NC. I thought maybe it'd grab that file and get me back to where I started. Nope.

I suspect I'm screwed, at least until my SDHC cards arrive. It would be nice to get some advice, however.

[EDIT 4] Fixed! Thanks for all the help. I'm running 1.0.0 now.

I'm having this exact same problem. How did you fix it?

 

[rabidcadaverdog]

Wow, a reply! Frankly, I was beginning to wonder if my post was even visible. (I suppose the old hands in this forum don't visit this thread very much. I should have posted my question in its own thread.)

Since you're a helpless newb like myself, I'll reveal the secret no one wants you to know! It turns out that all I needed to was boot the Nook with the two-finger salute: Hold down the n button while powering up the Nook. See Method 1 of Part 2, here. So simple, in retrospect.

Ahhh Thanks!