[PaulOBrien]

Read this whole topic - it contains a ton of useful information as well as the instructions and downloads!

Remember that if you use this guide, you do so entirely at your own risk!!

Welcome to my guide on how to root the HTC Legend!

Compatibility

This guide will allow you to root your HTC Legend, provided it has a bootloader version of 0.43.xxxx or below and a ROM version of 1.31.xxx.x or below. To check this, turn off your device, then turn it back on with the 'back' key held. On the second line in green text you will see HBOOT- and then a number. Provided this is 0.43 or below, this guide should work for you.

Legend rooting protection

Back in the early days of Android, rooting was easy. You had several options - you could flash stuff via the bootloader, you could flash an engineering bootloader, you could use kernel exploits - there were many ways of getting the low level access to your device that - in fairness - I think we as paying customers are entitled to. As time has progressed however, the manufacturers have made things harder and harder. The Legend is not a straightforward phone to root, for many reasons, including...

• a 'perfected bootloader' that doesn't allow flashing or booting of any images (even HTC signed ones)
  
• a RUU flash process that does not allow downgrading of the bootloader to earlier versions
  
• a kernel (that as yet does not have publicly available source) that as yet has no known exploits
  
• a new protection method previously seen on the HTC Tattoo that protects key partitions from having write access. Even with SU access, it is not possible to write to the boot, recovery or system partitions.

In reality, the options for rooting a device this secure are limited. Even if a kernel exploit were found, the key partitions would still be unwritable, rendering su access useless. This was circumvented on the Tattoo very cleverly, using a specific memory address from a confidential Qualcomm datasheet, however this information is not yet available for the MSM7227 chipset used in the Legend (and indeed may never enter the public domain).

And so the root process becomes a process of methodically probing every possible point of exposure on the device, looking for the slightest chink in the armour. I found one and we're putting it to good use! The downside is that it's not as easy or as pretty as rooting a device that is actually DESIGNED to be accessible at the lowest level, such as the Nexus One.

Shame on you HTC for going to such unnecessary lengths (but that's another story for another day).

What this root process provides and does not provide

The root process will...

• flash your device with a new, generic 1.31 series based ROM that has Superuser access
  
• show you how to enter the recovery image in future, allowing you to flash update zips

The root process will NOT...

• enable you to flash your device with a custom recovery image that can be launched easily by just holding down the volume down button when powering on
  
• enable you to have write access to the /system partition in normal use of the device

Both of these limitations are being worked on of course.

Pre-requisites

In order to complete this guide, you need the following...

• a HTC Legend
  
• a computer running Windows (32 bit recommended, some users have reported issues with x64), OSX or Linux
  
• a microUSB cable
  
• a microSD card (to be made into a 'goldcard')
  
• the download below
  
• balls of steel (actually, I just made that up)

Download

To be ready for the guide, download the following items...

• the required files - DOWNLOAD (MediaFire Pro) - MD5: rm6154a24e21df9fb6f542834f76e0d8f9

Once you have this on your machine, you're ready to start!

Note: If you require the previous 'TinyCoreLinux' r3 build, you can download it here (MediaFire Pro)

The guide

Follow through these steps, one by one and at the end of it you'll have a rooted Legend with the latest ROM.

Note: This process will wipe your device and there is currently no option to backup your device ROM before you start.

• Make your microSD card into a goldcard by following these instructions (it's a good idea to back up the contents of your card first!).
  
• Unzip the file you downloaded to a directory, then open a command prompt / terminal window at that directory.
  
• Turn off your HTC Legend, then turn it back on with the 'back' button held down. You'll see 'FASTBOOT' written on the screen in a red box. Connect the phone to the computer.
  
• In the terminal window, enter either 'step1-windows.bat', './step1-mac.sh' or './step1-linux.sh' as appropriate.
  
• When this step has completed, REMOVE THE GOLDCARD and either format it and replace, or replace with a different (non goldcard) microSD.
  
• Navigate to the 'BOOTLOADER' and then 'RECOVERY' option on the menu, using the volume buttons to move and the power button to select.
  
• In the terminal window, enter either 'step2-windows.bat', './step2-mac.sh' or './step2-linux.sh' as appropriate.
  
• When this has completed, your device should be at the 'recovery' screen. Select the 'wipe' option, then select the option to apply an update zip from sdcard, and select 'rootedupdate.zip'. This will take a little while, so go make a nice cup of tea. When the flash has finished, reboot, and you are DONE!

Troubleshooting

If you have any issues with the root process, post below, and we'll do our best to help!

Recovery mode for future updates

Once you are rooted, you can enter recovery mode by turning your device on with the volume button held down and selecting 'RECOVERY', then running either 'recovery-windows.bat', './recovery-mac.sh' or './recovery-linux.sh' as appropriate from the root zip directory.

And finally!

If you wish to do so, you can express your appreciation by signing up to a MoDaCo Ad Free or MoDaCo Plus Account using PayPal or Google Checkout, as detailed in this post on MoDaCo. As well as donating to support the work that goes into all the various MoDaCo activites, you get cool stuff like free software (there's some great Android stuff coming too!), an ad free MoDaCo site and of course access to the MoDaCo Online Kitchen. All signups are very much appreciated.


Enjoy!

P

Thanks to nilezon for his patched windows ADB binary and Amon_RA for the recovery image I butchered here.

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[42turkeys]

Thanks Paul! This is great!

This post has been edited by Paul: 04 May 2010 - 10:41 AM
Reason for edit: outdated mirror

[wooyee]

amazing cheers~~~ Thanks Paul!!! Amazing work!!

[iziy]

Thanks, Paul

My ROM version is 1.31.707 can i root it?

In case of emergency can we unroot the Legend (in orginal state).
For example warranty ?
If yes how?

Sorry for bad english

[42turkeys]

iziy, on Apr 29 2010, 20:03, said:

Thanks, Paul

My ROM version is 1.31.707 can i root it?

In case of emergency can we unroot the Legend (in orginal state).
For example warranty ?
If yes how?

Sorry for bad english

Yes there is always a way to unroot. Try searching on Google for 'HTC Legend RUU'
What you want is an RUU for it which will get everything back to just like a generic Legend.

EDIT: Here's a link to one http://rapidshare.com/files/362510064/RUU_...0393_signed.exe

[Alexandre_Ds]

Hi, i just got my branded legend today so i'm kinda new but i have my "goldcard" etc. I'm kinda struggling with this part

Quote

When this step has completed, using the optical trackball, navigate to the 'BOOTLOADER' and then 'RECOVERY' option on the menu, using the volume buttons to move and the power button to select. Then, again in the terminal window, enter the following commands:

sudo ./step2.sh

When this has completed, your device should be at the 'recovery' screen. Select the 'wipe' option, then select the option to apply an update zip from sdcard, and select 'rootedupdate.zip'. This will take a little while, so go make a nice cup of tea. When the flash has finished, reboot, and you are DONE!

To move in the menu i have to use power up and down. So if i understand this right i have to "power down" bootloader and then after "power down" recovery, after that i write the last line of code but nothing happen.

Hope i made my point clear, i'm french btw .

Should i mention that when i'm done with the first code part i end up with "Desire root step 1 Erasing cache and rebooting in RUU mode.... < waiting for device >" nothing happens when it write this on the phone btw.

Hope you can help me. Thanks a lot.

[Benderen]

Lol, what to do if my Legend is 0.43.000001?

[power3d]

Benderen, on Apr 29 2010, 21:42, said:

Lol, what to do if my Legend is 0.43.000001?

Same here

[Yblih]

What do i do with my Fd card? Is it in the telephone?

[42turkeys]

Yblih, on Apr 29 2010, 20:56, said:

What do i do with my Fd card? Is it in the telephone?

It's in the back of your phone in a slot. Take it out and goldcard it as described in post #1. Then follow the rest of the tutorial.

[ilos]

Alexandre_Ds, on Apr 29 2010, 20:39, said:

Hi, i just got my branded legend today so i'm kinda new but i have my "goldcard" etc. I'm kinda struggling with this part
To move in the menu i have to use power up and down. So if i understand this right i have to "power down" bootloader and then after "power down" recovery, after that i write the last line of code but nothing happen.

Hope i made my point clear, i'm french btw .

Should i mention that when i'm done with the first code part i end up with "Desire root step 1 Erasing cache and rebooting in RUU mode.... < waiting for device >" nothing happens when it write this on the phone btw.

Hope you can help me. Thanks a lot.

same here.. nothing happened after step1

and my legend is HBOOT 0.43.0001

This post has been edited by ilos: 29 April 2010 - 09:08 PM

[iziy]

ilos, on Apr 29 2010, 21:07, said:

same here.. nothing happened after step1

and my legend is HBOOT 0.43.0001

same here we too noob?

[PaulOBrien]

0.43.0001 is fine, that's hboot version 43, which is supported!

P

[ilos]

Paul , Step1.sh script is the same for Desire and Legend ? ( coz message send after ./step1.sh is "Desire root step 1 Erasing cache and rebooting in RUU mode.... < waiting for device >"

in my case i stay at this step.. lol

This post has been edited by ilos: 29 April 2010 - 09:24 PM

[iziy]

Paul, on Apr 29 2010, 21:15, said:

0.43.0001 is fine, that's hboot version 43, which is supported!

P

cant proceed step 2 when push power button on recovery the red warning screen appears, before that at step 1 i see "remote: 43 main version check fail" warning

[lucky58]

All is going well until step 1.
After that I seems I cannot select recovery mode. Vol up - down seems not to work in that menu. Its going after a few seconds to HBoot.
Any help?

[iziy]

Anyone successfully rooted?

[Yblih]

$sudo ./adb start-server
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
$./adb devices
List of devices attached 

$

What am I doing wrong (I am at step 2)

$ sudo ./step2.sh 
Desire Root Step 2

Pushing required files to device...

error: device not found
error: device not found

Pushing update file to device sdcard - this may take a few minutes...

error: device not found
error: device not found

Now wipe and apply rootedupdate.zip from the recovery image menu.

$ error: device not found

Anybody???

[iziy]

Yblih, on Apr 29 2010, 22:10, said:

$sudo ./adb start-server
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
$./adb devices
List of devices attached 

$

What am I doing wrong (I am at step 2)

$ sudo ./step2.sh 
Desire Root Step 2

Pushing required files to device...

error: device not found
error: device not found

Pushing update file to device sdcard - this may take a few minutes...

error: device not found
error: device not found

Now wipe and apply rootedupdate.zip from the recovery image menu.

$ error: device not found

Anybody???

Same here

[NikMel]

The only thing that I can see is that testimage.zip is not loading on Legend and that means that no one can run step1.sh successfully.
testimage.zip is an edited/tweaked 1.23.... and this is a problem for legend with 1.31.... ROM on it.
Solution (as I can see it): tweak 1.31.... ROM and all will be OK!


Great move by Paul!!! Keep it ON!!!

gr.

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