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Android Root Process for HTC Thunderbolt

This article is a compilation of many different articles. I wanted to understand the whole process to ensure nothing bad would happen. I wanted to know what each of the files were for as well as the steps to take to reverse all the changes exactly. I tested this process on two Thunderbolts using Windows 7 x64 Ultimate with Service Pack 1. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not responsible if you brick your phone. Do your research before performing any of the steps below. It is NOT illegal to root your phone, but it will void your warranty.

Besure to check out this forum for any and all help: http://www.xda-developers.com

NOTE: Much of the information from this article was taken from these articles.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/03/19/exclusive-how-to-root-the-htc-thunderbolt-and-unlock-its-bootloader/

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=996616

All the files, but different (don’t use): http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1005292

One Click root (don’t use for this article): http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/03/23/first-one-click-root-s-off-for-htc-thunderbolt-out-now/

Eng Bootloader: http://www.gotontheinter.net/content/engineering-bootloader-its-not-just-ttuttle-anymore

Read the following topics:

Other related articles:

Phone Changes:

Computer Changes:

Terms (used in the modding community, not necessarily in this article):

Files Required for Rooting:

Other Resources:

Overview of the Tools:

My steps were pulled from this website with additional comments added in for clarity. It’s a great article:

http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/03/19/exclusive-how-to-root-the-htc-thunderbolt-and-unlock-its-bootloader/

Make sure ADB can be run from command prompt.

  1. Add files to device and then set the permissions:

    adb push psneuter /data/local/
adb push busybox /data/local/
adb push misc.img /data/local/
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/psneuter
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/busybox

  2. Open shell and remove the environment check:

    adb shell
/data/local/psneuter

  3. Open shell as root and verify file is not corrupt (should output c88dd947eb3b36eec90503a3525ae0de):

    adb shell
/data/local/busybox md5sum /data/local/misc.img

  4. Write misc.img to the device and exit the shell:

    dd if=/data/local/misc.img of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p17
exit

  5. Rename PG05IMG_downgrade.zip to PG05IMG.zip and place on your SD card. This command will reboot your phone to the boot loader screen:

adb reboot bootloader

  1. Use the volume up and down buttons to ensure bootloader is selected and then press power once.

  2. When asked to “start update”, click the volume up button for “Yes”. The phone will reboot and then flash. The process will take a while. Don’t turn off the power!

  3. When the screen shows “Update Complete!”, press the Power button to reboot.

  4. When the phone boots, you will see the same wizard so when you first bought your phone. Quickly skip through the wizard and then enable Disk drive mode. Delete the PG05IMG.zip from your SD card. Enable debugging on the device again. Unplug and then plug back in the phone to enable debugging.

  5. Add the files to the device again and set the permissions:

    adb push psneuter /data/local/
adb push busybox /data/local/
adb push wpthis /data/local/
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/psneuter
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/busybox
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/wpthis

  6. Open shell and remove the environment check:

    adb shell
/data/local/psneuter

  7. Open shell as root and unlock the eMMC:

    adb shell
/data/local/wpthis
exit

  8. Copy the engineering bootloader to the phone:

adb push hbooteng.nb0 /data/local/

  1. Open shell as root and verify the file is not corrupt (output should be 6991368ee2deaf182048a3ed9d3c0fcb):

    adb shell
/data/local/busybox md5sum /data/local/hbooteng.nb0

  2. IMPORTANT: You can brick your phone if these steps are not performed correctly. Write the bootloader and then verify.

    dd if=/data/local/hbooteng.nb0 of=/dev/block/mmcblk0p18
/data/local/busybox md5sum /dev/block/mmcblk0p18

ENSURE THE CHECKSUM IS: 6991368ee2deaf182048a3ed9d3c0fcb

IF IT IS NOT, DO NOT REBOOT YOUR PHONE.

  1. If the checksum IS correct, reboot your phone.

  2. When the phone starts up, enable Disk mode, rename PG05IMG_stock.zip to PG05IMG.zip and place on your SD card. This command will reboot your phone to the boot loader screen:

adb reboot bootloader

  1. Use the volume up and down buttons to ensure bootloader is selected and then press power once.

  2. When asked to “start update”, click the volume up button for “Yes”. The phone will reboot and then flash. The process will take a while. Don’t turn off the power!

  3. When the screen shows “Update Complete”, press the Power button to reboot.

  4. When the phone boots, you will see the same wizard so when you first bought your phone. Set up your phone for use!

  5. Enable Disk drive mode. Delete the PG05IMG.zip from your SD card.

You are now fully rooted.
#android