HOW-TO root your Sprint Hero (condensed and easy to read version)

[blacksapphire08]

Ok I managed to get to Step 9, but it wont reboot into the recovery mode and I have tried both versions of the recovery img with no luck. It always reboots to the slide unlock screen.

nvm I just tried again and it went through, creating backup now.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

what happens if you turn the phone off and then hold "home" while you power it on?
If you have the proper recovery, it should have a black background with green text. If not, then just reboot the phone and try flashing the recovery again. Check what the name of the file is as some versions of windows renames it to recovery-RA-heroc-v152.img

 

[blacksapphire08]

what happens if you turn the phone off and then hold "home" while you power it on?
If you have the proper recovery, it should have a black background with green text. If not, then just reboot the phone and try flashing the recovery again. Check what the name of the file is as some versions of windows renames it to recovery-RA-heroc-v152.img

Thank you, I did not realize that I had to hold down the home button until recovery screen.

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

No prob, you should be able to boot into recovery from command prompt, but I've seen it fail

 

[robv1184]

ok, im gonna try this again today. But, a couple questions first... Should uninstall the SDK/JDK and reinstall? I didnt know about the JDK before i started the first time (i know, shoulda read more but i just musta missed that part) And what is DALVIK or whatever and what do i need to do with it? i keep seeing it mentioned in posts but not much about it. Im an advanced windows user but this is my first time touching LINUX and Android. i was just gonna wait for the OTA update but i just cant take it anymore...

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

If you have the recovery on your phone, then you are rooted and can flash a ROM. Dalvik is the cache stored on the internal memory. You do not need the sdk anymore unless you want to try to delete Sprint apps from the phone, but there are other ways to remove them.
To flash a new Rom:
Load the .zip Rom onto the root of the SD card
Boot into recovery
Wipe data and Dalvik
Flash recovery
Reboot
Wait... it can take a while

 

[Jkap]

Amazing "How-to"! Followed step by step yesterday and had zero problems! Thank you!!!

 

[lardon]

Im new to something like this i'm stuck on step 4 do i have to enter in step 4 or skip to step 5 when i do enter in adb devices i get error of 'adb' is not recognized as an internal or external command,operable program or batch file. any ideas?

 

[BinaryMan]

Im new to something like this i'm stuck on step 4 do i have to enter in step 4 or skip to step 5 when i do enter in adb devices i get error of 'adb' is not recognized as an internal or external command,operable program or batch file. any ideas?

You need to 'cd' into the directory that you extracted the SDK to. Then, you need to cd into the /tools directory.

At that point, you'll be able to run the adb command without a problem.

In a nutshell, you're trying to run the adb command and Windows doesn't know where it is. If I remember correctly, it looks in the system path, then it looks in the current directory. If the command isn't in either, it spits back the error that you received.


P.S. I recently got an HTC Hero on Saturday. I've been using Linux for years and didn't have a problem rooting my phone with this guide once I got the SDK installed. Followed the guide at How to install Android SDK - Android Forums

Mind you, I did this all mildly drunk. Let's not ask how long it took me to type this response out.

Now, out of curiosity, is there some kind of terminal app I can use pull up a shell/fun programs that require the phone rooted to work?

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

There are terminal emulators in the market.

 

[Jafo]

Easy install, thank you for your hard work.

 

[robv1184]

copied from an earlier post. was suggested i post here as well. I have since discovered that i am not rooted. but i can not boot into recovery nor do a factory reset. any thoughts? please....?

ok, im about to try this and had a couple questions. I think im rooted but not sure. had some complications during the Condensed Root tutorial. when get in cmd prompt and into sdk tools, i typed adb shell and got the $ sign. ive been lookin all over the forums and i know i saw something about this somewhere. does $ or # mean u have root. also i can not factory reset my phone, it freezes at the HTC screen nor do i know how to clear the dalvik or anything like that. I have the stock 2gig SD card in it, not partitioned. im not a linux user so i just want to make sure im doing everything possible to NOT brick my phone. thanks for your time, you guys are always a BIG help!!!
Edit: Also, the recovery img is on the SD card but i could never get it to boot into recovery mode. and nandroid back up would not work when i tried to root. thats about where i started having probs. (during the Condensed root tutorial) So im not even gonna attempt anything with this till i know more.

 

[beezy]

When you plug you phone in and type (adb devices)what do you get?

 

[robv1184]

adb server is out of date. killing...
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
xxxxxxxxxxxx device

c:android_stuff\android-sd-windows\tools>

i replaced serial number with x's

 

[beezy]

adb server is out of date. killing...
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
xxxxxxxxxxxx device

c:android_stuff\android-sd-windows\tools>

Thats what you want is to see your serial number.Just copy and paste the rest.

 

[jleakey]

adb server is out of date. killing...


The thing that gets me is the "adb server is out of date." This is the same thing that happened with mine when I was having issues connecting to my device. Updating the SDK took care of this issue for me.

 

[robv1184]

adb server is out of date. killing...


They thing that gets me is the "adb server is out of date." This is the same thing that happened with mine when I was having issues connecting to my device. Updating the SDK took care of this issue for me.

really? its done that since i first downloaded the sdk. i might as well reinstall all that stuff too. im currently re downloading all the files in hopes that i just had a corrupted file from download. should i wipe my SD card before starting?

 

[beezy]

really? its done that since i first downloaded the sdk. i might as well reinstall all that stuff too. im currently re downloading all the files in hopes that i just had a corrupted file from download. should i wipe my SD card before starting?

If the cp see your phone which it looks like it does,cause you get your serial,id keep going and worry about updateing sdk later.You shouldn't need to wipe sdcard.

 

[jleakey]

Yeah but mine was not showing a serial number just the xxxxxxxx's and said it was connected.

Wasn't sure if robv1184 was stating that the xxxxx's were in place of his serial number of if he was just filling that in as to not show the world his serial number.....

***Opps just realized i didn't read his post correctly....

 

[robv1184]

ok, i got all the way through step 8. but when i entered "reboot recovery" it just rebooted as normal. no recovery menu... and i still dont have root. i get $ when i put in adb shell. this is getting frustrating...