[Mac Procedure]: How to Root the HTC Thunderbolt

[Cory Streater]

does this include this or is S-Off

Yes -- same files as everywhere else, I just wrote the procedure my way. It is S-Off.

 

[poloboogie]

i'm rooted.................yes. feel like im on that drug called charlie sheen

 

[DROIDbert718]

first time rooting

Recently followed this rooting guide. I have to say very easy and straight forward. I am curious if i did anything wrong. I have a few apps that weren't on my device before i rooted.

MobiTV
MOG
Skype Mobile
Slingbox
Ustream
V cast Apps
V Cast Media
V Cast Music
V cast videos

Also i am experiencing a poor 3g connection and trouble using wifi

I figure i missed a step and am running the older version of thunderbolt? or is this how it is supposed to be?

 

[tonez]

procedure is flawless, my first time rooting and using a mac since i was a pc person for a long time, went super smooth!

and probably a dumb question but after i reloaded the first page, seemed like you change the last part when we have to install superuser via terminal, is there any difference in doing that?

 

[Cory Streater]

I figure i missed a step and am running the older version of thunderbolt? or is this how it is supposed to be?

Yes.

The first time you flashed you should have flashed the renamed downgrade file (sounds like what you did). Afterwards, you delete the renamed zip and then download the new one and proceed from there. The second part is what you've missed. I would start back at the very first ./adb devices command and proceed from there, making sure you are using the right files along the way.

 

[nkd]

Hey Cory any tips on unrooting, I got the root working I am having issues with my phone and If I have to replace it I need to go back to flash. I downloaded the original signed zip file and when I go to the bootloader nothing happens. Any ideas?

EDIT: Never mind my file was instead of img.zim had a one instead of an i lol. Fail on my part.

 

[djcyph]

hey cory!...great guide....little problem here, when I load Titanium Backup SU asks for permissions i say yes and then it says "sorry i could not acquire root..."

the weird part is that in terminal when i type "./adb shell" and then "su" i get the # and a pop up on the phone that requests super user access and i grant it..did the same thing with terminal emulator in the market and same results

am i def rooted? should i restart few more times?

thanks...

update: i can successfully take screen shots with shootme...still no luck with Titanium

update2: it was busy box...just have to get version Titanium provides

 

[jayrflow]

i've ran into another issue. after i do this step "./adb shell /data/local/psneuter", my terminal does not terminate like it says on the post. all i get is the disk was not ejected properly warning. when i try the steps over again, i get "./adb shell /data/local/psneuter
mmap() failed. Operation not permitted".

also on my first attempt, i ignored the "disk not ejected properly" warning and continued. when it was attempting to flash the first "PG05IMG.zip", it said something about update fail and that it was an older radio. where did i go wrong?

i mean im not new to this whole rooting process since i rooted a G1 and a Nexus One the ADB way but im being really carefully with my TB since i love it. so any help?

**update** also it seems like every time i boot up my TB, it boots into the bootloader and then i have to try to flash the PG05IMG.zip file and wait for it to say update fail so i can boot the phone back up to its normal state. i hope i didnt mess something up

 

[Cory Streater]

hey cory!...great guide....little problem here, when I load Titanium Backup SU asks for permissions i say yes and then it says "sorry i could not acquire root..."

the weird part is that in terminal when i type "./adb shell" and then "su" i get the # and a pop up on the phone that requests super user access and i grant it..did the same thing with terminal emulator in the market and same results

am i def rooted? should i restart few more times?

thanks...

update: i can successfully take screen shots with shootme...still no luck with Titanium

update2: it was busy box...just have to get version Titanium provides

Heard that more than once. I will add it to the thread.

Hey Cory any tips on unrooting, I got the root working I am having issues with my phone and If I have to replace it I need to go back to flash. I downloaded the original signed zip file and when I go to the bootloader nothing happens. Any ideas?

EDIT: Never mind my file was instead of img.zim had a one instead of an i lol. Fail on my part.

No problem -- I will be adding an unroot procedure to the begging of this thread. I posted one in post #3 of Windows ADB unroot thread. It is essentially the same as the Mac, with the exception of adding ./ in front of each adb command.

i've ran into another issue. after i do this step "./adb shell /data/local/psneuter", my terminal does not terminate like it says on the post. all i get is the disk was not ejected properly warning. when i try the steps over again, i get "./adb shell /data/local/psneuter
mmap() failed. Operation not permitted".

also on my first attempt, i ignored the "disk not ejected properly" warning and continued. when it was attempting to flash the first "PG05IMG.zip", it said something about update fail and that it was an older radio. where did i go wrong?

i mean im not new to this whole rooting process since i rooted a G1 and a Nexus One the ADB way but im being really carefully with my TB since i love it. so any help?

**update** also it seems like every time i boot up my TB, it boots into the bootloader and then i have to try to flash the PG05IMG.zip file and wait for it to say update fail so i can boot the phone back up to its normal state. i hope i didnt mess something up

Can you safely do a battery pull, and manually downlaod/rename the file posted in post #3 of this thread, then try the bootloader process again?

 

[jayrflow]

ah thank you so much Cory! yesterday as i was downloading the first zip file, my macbook pro completely crashed while downloading it n i thought the file finished downloading and i guess i didnt. everything works fine now along with my macbook pro thanks a lot for making this process so simple and easy!

 

[Javincenti]

Ok I did and when I type su at first is denies but like if I keep on doing it, it eventually works

 

[Nuevo23]

Hey Cory,

Me again, and I messed up. In section 2 I supposed to dwonload the second PG05IMG.zip :

1.Open your SD card via Finder and delete PG05IMG.zip.
2.Next, download & copy this new PG05IMG.zip file to your SD card.


Well... I was downloading it, bu for any reason I thought it was done downloading. And I proceed inserting the adb lines in terminal. Of course the bootloader didn't work.

So, the question is: is it ok to start all aover? delete the PG05IMG files and redownload them? cause I already delete them.

Thanks in advance Cory.

 

[bosshoss_16]

This looks very simple and I'm tempted to try it. I'm just wondering if you have to downgrade the firmware to root it, is the second file upgrading it? Also, do we just have to watch the forums when a new update comes out for a rooted version? I rooted my OG Droid because I was running out of space on the phone. I had fun running gingerbread, but I didn't like having to keep flashing new nightlies. I don't plan on over or under clocking it, so I'm trying to read up on it as much as I can before I decide to do it. Thanks!

 

[pellc123]

Just rooted for the first time and used this procedure. It went flawlessly. Thanks for putting it together Corey.

 

[anon(247108)]

Thanks for a great set of instructions. Successfully completed in about 45 minutes with no problems, and this was my first time using adb and rooting.

Couple of question. (1) does the ne PG05IMG.zip stay in the SD Card or should it be deleted? (2) when a new OTA comes out, do you have to unroot to upgrade?

Thanks again

 

[TerrorBlaze]

I got a question. Noob here


So If I root my Thunderbolt I lose all data. If I bought apps from the app store could I get them back for free or do I have to pay for them again?

 

[anon(247108)]

Problems after unrooting

I successfully unrooted using this procedure, but messing about really is not for me so tried to unroot. Downloaded stock ROM renamed it PG05IMG.zip and saved to SD card. Shut down the device and then pressed down volume button and power to load boot loader.

Since then, I have been having problems with wifi connection only seems to be in the market. I can download using 4g with no problems but when I use wifi I constantly get a network error. Also, where wifi connection was rock solid, it is disconnecting often. Please advise.

 

[Cory Streater]

Look like a little bit of catchup to do.

I got a question. Noob here
So If I root my Thunderbolt I lose all data. If I bought apps from the app store could I get them back for free or do I have to pay for them again?

Once you've purchased your apps, they are yours forever, as long as you always set the phone up with the Gmail account you used to purchase them.

I successfully unrooted using this procedure, but messing about really is not for me so tried to unroot. Downloaded stock ROM renamed it PG05IMG.zip and saved to SD card. Shut down the device and then pressed down volume button and power to load boot loader.

Since then, I have been having problems with wifi connection only seems to be in the market. I can download using 4g with no problems but when I use wifi I constantly get a network error. Also, where wifi connection was rock solid, it is disconnecting often. Please advise.

Sounds like you flashed the downgrade image. See post #3 of the Windows sticky I started; that's the process you should follow to unroot. You can adapt the same procedure to Mac. Just put a ./ in front of the ADB commands.

Thanks for a great set of instructions. Successfully completed in about 45 minutes with no problems, and this was my first time using adb and rooting.
Couple of question. (1) does the ne PG05IMG.zip stay in the SD Card or should it be deleted? (2) when a new OTA comes out, do you have to unroot to upgrade? Thanks again

You can yes -- what I did was create a downgrade folder and an upgrade folder on my SD card. I put each respective file in there, in case I need to go through this again. For example, you will lose root if you hard reset.

Just rooted for the first time and used this procedure. It went flawlessly. Thanks for putting it together Corey.

Right on!

This looks very simple and I'm tempted to try it. I'm just wondering if you have to downgrade the firmware to root it, is the second file upgrading it?

Yes, but somewhere in between, you are running an exploit that will allow you to root, once you've upgraded again. To do this, you have to downgrade first. HTC locked the bootloader up -- so tight in the final release -- that they haven't figured out an exploit for it yet.

Also, do we just have to watch the forums when a new update comes out for a rooted version? I rooted my OG Droid because I was running out of space on the phone. I had fun running gingerbread, but I didn't like having to keep flashing new nightlies. I don't plan on over or under clocking it, so I'm trying to read up on it as much as I can before I decide to do it. Thanks!

Based on what you have just said, it sounds like you root for the same reason I root. To get rid of some of the bloatware in my app drawer. Besides that, I like to install root only apps like Shootme and Adfree. Must haves. There won't be any "root" updates that you will need to watch for. You are rooted.

Hey Cory,

Me again, and I messed up. In section 2 I supposed to dwonload the second PG05IMG.zip :

1.Open your SD card via Finder and delete PG05IMG.zip.
2.Next, download & copy this new PG05IMG.zip file to your SD card.


Well... I was downloading it, bu for any reason I thought it was done downloading. And I proceed inserting the adb lines in terminal. Of course the bootloader didn't work.

So, the question is: is it ok to start all aover? delete the PG05IMG files and redownload them? cause I already delete them.

Thanks in advance Cory.

Yes. If the download was corrupt/not fully downloaded, you should be able to redownload it, and pick up where you left off at.

 

[anon(247108)]

Sounds like you flashed the downgrade image. See post #3 of the Windows sticky I started; that's the process you should follow to unroot. You can adapt the same procedure to Mac. Just put a ./ in front of the ADB commands.

Cory, what are the odds that wifi is being messed up by something saved to Google? Wifi works great until I enter in my user name and password to connect to Google. I was pretty careful to download the correct image, but (shrug) you never know. Anyhow, I rooted again and interestingly have the image I was using as my wall paper back, but did not get it when I attempted to unroot. I am thinking that before unrooting I should clear whatever I am saving to Google, just in case, but how do i do that?

 

[notmebug]

I left the terminal window open, with the thunderbolt attached to my mac and reset the thunderbolt. I did not get any pop ups. I normally get the error "this disk is not readable by this computer," but I didn't get that error this time either. After the Thunderbolt booted back up I selected Disk Drive on the device. After it loaded to the desktop I typed ./adb devices in terminal and still no luck. I have included a snap-shot of my network window. This doesn't have anything to do with Easy Tether does it? I might try uninstalling Easy Tether on my phone and mac and try again.

Was this ever figured out?
I also cannot get my device recognized, and have EasyTether..

Edit: To Fix:
1) Remove EasyTether from Network Preferences
2) In terminal run:
sudo kextunload -m com.mobile-stream.driver.EasyTetherUSBEthernet
3) Uninstall EasyTether from TB Applications.
4) Reboot TB. (This made it work, mac did not need a reboot)

So far so good, you may want to note that your phone reboots by itself and re-examines PG05IMG.zip before finishing the installation, had me wondering if I messed up for a minute.

5) Once you do, you will see a progress bar in the upper right corner and a bunch of stuff going on in the middle. Just be patient and let it do its thing.
5a) TB will reboot itself and continue updating.
6) Press power to reboot.

Also could note which commands do and do not receive a response from terminal, I'm OCD too
IE:
./adb push busybox /data/local/
you should see:
1868 KB/s (1062992 bytes in 0.555s)
or
./adb shell chown 0:0 /system/xbin/su
will not display a message when entered correctly

Awesome guide, thanks for your time Cory!