THIS GUIDE HAS NOT BEEN TESTED. PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE TO PREVENT BRICKING YOUR PHONE. THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
This guide will walk you through the process of taking the AT&T Inspire 4G from stock to having the ability to flash a custom recovery image & the latest version of CyanogenMod.
STEP 1: Before you do anything — Make a backup
Don't forget to back up your data. If you synced the device with a Google account, then the contacts, calendar, Gmail, & select other Google-related data will not be lost and will come back when you sync your phone to Google.
However, you should backup anything you want to keep that is not stored on the SD card: SMS/MMS messages, Call Log, Bookmarks, Applications, pictures...etc.
You can use Titanium Backup or the Astro File Manager. Any application data not on the SD card will be lost. It would also be a good idea to backup everything stored on the SD card in the rare case the SD card must be formatted to resolve any major problems. MyBackup Root, SMS Backup & Restore, and Call Backup & Restore are all free applications that can assist with backing up your data.
STEP 2: Root the HTC Inspire 4G - AT&T
Rooting the AT&T Inspire 4GWarning: Rooting the AT&T Inspire 4G will void the warranty.
2.1 Downgrade to 1.32.405.6 - To root the AT&T Inspire 4G you need to downgrade the device to a copy of the firmware on the international HTC Desire HD. Download the firmware to your PC.
2.2 Create a goldcard - In order to downgrade the AT&T Inspire 4G to the firmware of the HTC Desire HD, you will need to create a goldcard.
2.3 You will need an ADB shell on your PC - Follow the Android SDK guide, to get the ADB shell on the computer.
2011.0914: Installation of the Android SDK and ADB is not included in this guide. You can google how to install those two, and you will find a number of instructions. there are a few caveats you have to be aware of.
- Android SDK Installation bug: Download the Android SDK and the JAVA SE. Start by installing JAVA. It should be straight forward no fuss installation. Then install the Android SDK, if you are running Win 7, right-click the installation file and "Run as Administrator". This simple step eliminates a lot of issues during installation.
The Android SDK installer will tell you that you do not have the Java SE installed, you right genius!!! Simple fix: click "Back" - to bring you to the previous installation page, the click "Next". The installer should now pick-up the installed Java SE kit.
2011.0914: Installation of the Android SDK and ADB is not included in this guide. You can google how to install those two, and you will find a number of instructions. there are a few caveats you have to be aware of.
- Android SDK Installation bug: Download the Android SDK and the JAVA SE. Start by installing JAVA. It should be straight forward no fuss installation. Then install the Android SDK, if you are running Win 7, right-click the installation file and "Run as Administrator". This simple step eliminates a lot of issues during installation.
The Android SDK installer will tell you that you do not have the Java SE installed, you right genius!!! Simple fix: click "Back" - to bring you to the previous installation page, the click "Next". The installer should now pick-up the installed Java SE kit.
2.4 Download psneuter, misc_version 0.01 & the 1.32.405.6 firmware:
psneuter (md5: 89c2dec8d72d87b4c669f44dd31c8d17)
misc_version 0.02 (md5: 1f40aaf88d1bf15775631a58c4361218)
1.32.405.6 firmware (md5: d5067eaad6d447797a67828b567901af)
2.5 Unzip the psneuter & misc_version package to the same folder as adb (the /platform-tools folder within the Android SDK folder).
2.6 Connect the AT&T Inspire 4G to the computer via USB. On the computer, open the terminal and run the following commands:
adb push psneuter /data/local/tmp/
adb push misc_version /data/local/tmp/
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/tmp/psneuter
adb shell chmod 777 /data/local/tmp/misc_version
adb shell /data/local/tmp/psneuter
adb shell /data/local/tmp/misc_version -s 1.31.405.3
exit
[NOTE: You should have the "#" sign instead of the "$". If you do, you have temporary root, and can continue on.]
2.7 Copy the 1.32.405.6 firmware to the root of the SD card (NOT in any folders).
On the computer, open terminal and run the following command:
adb reboot bootloader
2.8 Uninstall VISIONary if it is installed on the HTC Inspire.
2.9 Follow the on screen directions for flashing the 1.32.405.6 firmware. Once finished you can can continue to the next section - Root, S-OFF, the ClockworkMod Recovery & the Engineering HBoot
2.10 You will need ADB on the computer to root the AT&T Inspire 4G and to flash the necessary files for radio S-OFF. Follow the Android SDK guide, to get the ADB shell on the computer.
2.11 Download busybox, the ClockworkMod Recovery, the Engineering HBoot, gfree 0.07, psneuter, root_psn, Superuser package:
busybox: (md5: 25c5db694c987995909cc3166d4f01b0)
ClockworkMod Recovery ()
Engineering HBoot: (md5: b2c8834905bfa2349f5223077493140a)
gfree 0.7: (md5: 6916cf05b0805aeac9effdc1725aaa12)
psneuter: (md5: 89c2dec8d72d87b4c669f44dd31c8d17)
root_psn: (md5: c8fe38ef55eb8951def9ff17b2eb99c1)
Superuser package: (md5: 43d9a40b63e916635d5ad7ca32433fab)
2.12 Unzip the zip files and copy the contents to the same folder as adb (the /platform-tools folder within the Android SDK folder). Connect the AT&T Inspire 4G to the computer via USB. Make sure USB debugging is enabled on the AT&T Inspire 4G by checking Settings » Applications » Development » USB debugging.
2.13 On the computer, open terminal and run the following commands:
adb push busybox /data/local/tmp/
adb push gfree /data/local/tmp/
adb push hboot-eng.img /data/local/tmp/
adb push psneuter /data/local/tmp/
adb push recovery-clockwork-3.0.2.6-ace.img /data/local/tmp/recovery.img
adb push root_psn /data/local/tmp/
adb push su /sdcard/
adb push Superuser
apk /sdcard/
adb shell
chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/*
/data/local/tmp/psneuter
NOTE: You will drop out of the shell after this command.
Restart the shell using:
adb shell
cd /data/local/tmp
./busybox md5sum /dev/block/mmcblk0p18
[Write down this number, we will need it later. For the remainder of this guide, we will refer to this number md5 #1.]
./gfree -f -b hboot-eng.img -y recovery.img ./root_psn sync
[This may take a moment, just give it some time.]
./busybox md5sum hboot-eng.img
[Write down this number - this will be md5 #2]
./busybox md5sum /dev/block/mmcblk0p18
[Write this number down - this will be number md5 #3]
If md5 #1 & md5 #3 match, then gfree 0.07 failed to powercycle the eMMC chip on the device. Either the software version is too high and the device was not downgraded per the previous section, or you have to use the gfree 0.05 instead. Download gfree 0.05, reboot and attempt again.
gfree 0.5: [md5: 74aec166f591ec5d25d898a903570931]
If md5 #2 & md5 #3 match, then everything should be fine and you continue on. If md5 #3 does NOT match md5 #1 or md5 #2, then DO NOT REBOOT and join #G2Root on Freenode for further help.
2.14 reboot
The AT&T Inspire 4G is now rooted with S-OFF, the Engineering HBoot & the ClockworkMod Recovery. 3 Flashing a Radio & CyanogenMod
./busybox md5sum /dev/block/mmcblk0p18
[Write down this number, we will need it later. For the remainder of this guide, we will refer to this number md5 #1.]
./gfree -f -b hboot-eng.img -y recovery.img ./root_psn sync
[This may take a moment, just give it some time.]
./busybox md5sum hboot-eng.img
[Write down this number - this will be md5 #2]
./busybox md5sum /dev/block/mmcblk0p18
[Write this number down - this will be number md5 #3]
If md5 #1 & md5 #3 match, then gfree 0.07 failed to powercycle the eMMC chip on the device. Either the software version is too high and the device was not downgraded per the previous section, or you have to use the gfree 0.05 instead. Download gfree 0.05, reboot and attempt again.
gfree 0.5: [md5: 74aec166f591ec5d25d898a903570931]
If md5 #2 & md5 #3 match, then everything should be fine and you continue on. If md5 #3 does NOT match md5 #1 or md5 #2, then DO NOT REBOOT and join #G2Root on Freenode for further help.
2.14 reboot
The AT&T Inspire 4G is now rooted with S-OFF, the Engineering HBoot & the ClockworkMod Recovery. 3 Flashing a Radio & CyanogenMod
STEP 3: Flashing CyanogenMod
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Method via RecoveryDownload the latest version of CyanogenMod.
Optional:
Download the Google Apps for the device.
Place the CyanogenMod update.zip file on the root of the SD card.
Optional:
Place the Google Apps .zip on the root of the SD card also.
Boot into the ClockworkMod Recovery.
Once the device boots into the ClockworkMod Recovery, use the side volume buttons to move around, and either the power button or the trackball to select.
Optional:
Select backup and restore to create a backup of current installation on the HTC Ace.
Select the option to Wipe data/factory reset.
Then select the option to Wipe cache partition.
Select Install zip from sdcard.
Select Choose zip from sdcard.
Select the CyanogenMod update.zip.
Optional:
Install the Google Apps by performing steps 7 - 9 again and choosing the Google Apps update.zip. Once the installation has finished, select +++++Go Back+++++ to get back to the main menu, and select the Reboot system now option. The HTC Ace should now boot into CyanogenMod.
***
Method via ROM ManagerLaunch RomManager.
Optional:
Choose the first option in the app, Flash ClockworkMod Recovery to update to the latest version.
Select the Download ROM option from the main menu in the ROM Manager.
Select the CyanogenMod option, and then choose the latest version of CyanogenMod from the menu.
Optional:
When you select the latest version of CyanogenMod, check the Google Apps* option. Once the ROM is finished downloading, it asks if you would like to Backup Existing ROM and Wipe Data and Cache. If Superuser prompts for root permissions check to Remember and then Allow.
The HTC Ace will now reboot into the recovery, wipe data and cache, and then install CyanogenMod. When it's finished installing it will reboot into CyanogenMod.
Retrieved from Wiki CyanoGenMod - AT&T Inspire 4G: Rooting
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Additional Rooting resources I found on the web. These are untested, but review them for reference and a better understanding of the process:
HTC Inspire 4G Simple Root and S-Off
AndroidAuthority.com (how-to-root-att-inspire-4g)
PhonesArchive.com (how-to-root-your-atat-htc-inspire-4g-tutorial)
