How To: ROOT your Droid Charge

[da2zoe]

Credit to da2zoe, Brewer, ofcrlawless, jspradling7 and jdpeters79 for input to this guide.

Updated: 8/26/2012 for FP5.

DISCLAIMER: ChargeForums.com, myself, and anyone mentioned (in links provided) take no responsibility for anything that may happen to your device by following this link: http://www.chargeforums.com/forum/sh...ad.php?p=31474 .You do so at your own risk. But on a good note, this phone is very hard to truly brick and we are here to help should something go wrong.

**NOTE: This guide assumes you are on the latest stock build (FP5). If you're on stock FP1 (or older build) this guide will still work, but you should first take the OTA Update(s) to FP5**

**Additional note: These instructions require the use of a Windows PC. Sorry, but we don't have a known good method for Linux or Mac.**

**Here's a link to some supplemental video instructions for rooting and returning to stock by KraisyDave**

**NOTE: Dave's video was made for FP1 build but the process is the same for FP5**



If you are rooted and on a custom EP4 or FP1 rom/kernel and want to be rooted on FP5 Build:
You must first return to stock with THIS GUIDE. once you return to stock you'll be on the EP4 build. You must then take the OTA update to become stock FP1. Once on stock FP1 you must then take the next OTA update to FP5.


If this is your first time rooting the Charge, download and install the following:
Install Odin: Download
Install Samsung Drivers: Download
Install Winwar: Download (7zip also works but Winwar can extract multiple types of files)


You'll also need to download these files:


ClockWorkMod (CWM) Recovery: Go here

SuperSU : Download and place on your SD Card (somewhere you'll easily find it. This is a zip file version so that it can be installed in CWM recovery)

Optional: Go Here to download a custom FP5 rom should you plan to flash the rom shortly after rooting. Place it on your SD Card (somewhere you'll easily find it)
**PLEASE NOTE Make sure you choose an FP5 version like Tweaked**

*Make sure your battery is charged to a minimum of 50% before flashing anything in CWM or Odin.
Our phones don't like it even though they charge when plugged in via USB.*


First, install CWM on your phone using Odin:
1. Edit: no need to extract CWM...it's ready to go.

2. Turn off your phone.

3. Put phone in download mode. Volume Down + Tap power for 1 second (literally count one-one-thousand), let go of power button only. Once you see a yellow triangle then release Volume Down button. Connect to computer. If that is a no go, some have had better luck doing it this way: Power down your phone. Remove battery. While holding volume down, plug your usb cable in with Odin open. Download mode should appear. Put battery back in.

4. Connect phone by USB. Open up Odin (note - we recommend right clicking and opening as Admin in Windows). Odin sees your phone if you have a yellow square with [COMx].

5. UNCHECK Auto Reboot. The ONLY checked box is F. Reset Time.

6. Check PDA and ONLY PDA box (choosing any other box can result in an unrecoverable bricked phone…as in an expensive paper weight).

7. Click PDA and open the .md5 file.

8. Double check you have selected PDA!!

9. Press Start. Odin will show a progress bar above the [COMx] port. You will get a green “PASS” when it is finished.

10. Disconnect USB cable and remove battery.


Quick Primer on using CWM Recovery
Boot in to recovery by holding down Volume Up+Power+Home key. Let go of all three buttons just after the SAMSUNG logo appears. If this doesn't work try again using same combination but let the Samsung logo come up once then go away. On the second time just as logo appears, let go of all the buttons.

Navigating in CWM:

Move through menus using volume up/down keys.
Select with power key.
Go back a menu by navigating to menu option.

***(Optional but a very good idea) Backup your phone with Backup and Restore option in CWM before flashing anything. Give it some time to do it's thing.***


With the latest update, you now have a couple of options to proceed with. Please read through the following and pick one to complete the root process.


If you are on the latest build (FP5) and you just want to root and stay on Stock, without losing user data, follow these steps:
**Note: To keep stock recovery from overwriting CWM you'll need to make an edit to a system file.**

1. Boot in to CWM recovery, use the quick primer instructions above if you're new to this (Note: You should already have installed CWM as instructed above)
2. Select "mounts" menu then mount/system. If the option says unmount/system then you are good to go.
3. Select "install zip from sdcard" then "choose zip from sdcard"
4. Find and install the Superuser zip.
5. Select “Reboot” option.
6. Get root explorer (or similar, such as Root Browser Lite or ES File Browser) from the Market/Play Store. Make sure you mount as R/W (in root explorer, there's a button at the top)
7. Navigate to system/etc and locate the file "install-recovery.sh" and either delete it, or rename it to "install-recovery.sh.bak"
8. You will now have to go back and use Odin and install cwm once again (follow steps above as you did the first time)
9. Reboot phone.
10. You're done. You now have a rooted phone and you can install an app (we recommend Titanium Backup) to freeze and/or remove bloatware.


If you are on the latest build (FP5) and want to root and install a compatible rom, follow these steps:
Note: with this method, you don't need to delete the install-recovery.sh file, the rom will ensure that CWM stays. You will lose user data (such as apps, text messages, contacts, etc). This is all recoverable on the market (and with google sync with contacts) but backup what you can ahead of time! We recommend an app such as MyBackup Pro for apps (doesn't require root access). Try other apps for texts and contacts as well.
If your contacts aren't already backed up with Google use this guide to transfer them with THIS GUIDE

1. Boot in to CWM recovery, use the quick primer instructions above if you're new to this (Note: If you rebooted your phone right after installing CWM, you'll need to flash it again via Odin)
2. Go to "wipe data/factory reset." Select "Yes" to wipe data.
3. Go to "wipe cache partition" and select "Yes" to wipe cache.
4. Go to "Advanced" and "wipe dalvik cache." Select "Yes" to wipe dalvik cache
5. Mount system using the same method as above (when you installed superuser).
6. Select "install zip from sdcard" then "choose zip from sdcard"
7. Find and install the rom zip file on your sd card (link to the current roms is above in the download files section of this guide).
8. Select “Reboot” option.
9. You're now finished and rooted, and debloated!

**The rom packages include Superuser. However, you might want to have a copy of it on your SD card anyway, for future use/issues.**

Other useful information:

Droid Charge Bloatware Safe to Freeze - xda-developers

You can use Titanium Backup to freeze apps. (I don't recommend deleting. Freezing gives you a much easier option to restore them should you need them for an update or any other reason.)

Troubleshooting:

If you don’t get a pass in Odin then start process over.
If you still don’t get a pass try these one or any combination of these options:
-Choose a different port on your computer,
-Re-download the file(s)
-Close Odin, restart your computer and start again.


Troubleshooting for Odin recognizing phone:

THANK YOU dlwhtrose for your trial and error suggestions!
a) make sure you are logged in as Administrator when you open Odin
b) if Odin still doesn't recognize your phone make sure you have the most recent drivers installed. Before turning off your phone, connect to your compter. You should see a prompt stating it is downloading drivers.

[Ads]

[da2zoe]

Root EE4 (stock) w/ Voodoo lagfix + CWM

12/16/11 Removed guide. Obsolete with the official OTA for Gingerbread.


3/31/12 Updated Guide for FP1 update and options (jdpeters79)

[da2zoe]

Reserved for me.

[JoBu]

Thanks for posting this update - PBJT kernel links are broken though.

And a link for SD Write Protection fix?

[da2zoe]

FIXED. Thanks...it's been a work in progress!!

[JoBu]

Thanks! A couple basic questions to make sure I know what I'm doing before I start and screw something up - I'm sticking with the stock Froyo for now.

1. I leave the SD card patch zipped and just drop it in the root of my SD card along with the zipped kernel, correct?

2. The Md5 file stays on my computer for download to the Droid via Odin?

3. Do I need to back-up my user data (settings, and such) with something like Titanium Pro or My Backup before flashing the kernel?

4. Why might I want the kernel WITHOUT Voodoo?

[da2zoe]

Thanks! A couple basic questions to make sure I know what I'm doing before I start and screw something up - I'm sticking with the stock Froyo for now.

1. I leave the SD card patch zipped and just drop it in the root of my SD card along with the zipped kernel, correct?

2. The Md5 file stays on my computer for download to the Droid via Odin?

3. Do I need to back-up my user data (settings, and such) with something like Titanium Pro or My Backup before flashing the kernel?

4. Why might I want the kernel WITHOUT Voodoo?

1. Correct. Don't put those files in any folders.

2. Correct again. You do need to extract it first.

3. TiBu and MBP only work once you are rooted. Some apps have backup options included in them. Otherwise you can copy folders via usb to your computer. You don't need to backup everything...mainly the DCIM folder, music, and media folders.

4. Honestly don't know why someone would go with no voodoo. But that's just me. Voodoo is what gives lagfix which smooths out screen transitions. The overclock kernel allows you to adjust your CPU speeds above typical levels.

tap'n

[JoBu]

Odin says "MD5 hash value is invalid" and "0817_charge_recovery.tar.md5 is invalid". I downloaded and tried it 3 times with the same result.

[JoBu]

Just downloaded again from here - 0817_charge_recovery.tar.md5

It's a slightly different file size from what you linked above but still doesn't work for me.




Last try - rebooted computer, switched USB cables and port, downloaded Odin again - same result

[da2zoe]

Hmmm. Sorry the files aren't working right. I'll check into it tomorrow. May be a problem with how I connected from our server.

tap'n