Root [Merit] Complete ZTE Merit Guide: Root, Flash Recovery and Install New ROM (with links)

[Motorhead1991]

Well I tried to install cm7 through rom toolbox and rom manager on my zte Merit, just goes back to program screen no error message, all say are bad when you flash in recovery, down loaded them from their perspective programs too. The stock .zip in these forums works but puts it to a 2.3.4 avail version from AT&T.

Besides that, no other ROMs work with MERIT that I have seen, any REAL information is here in these forums even the manufacture doesn

 

[stayboogy]

Next, open up command prompt and type

• adb shell
• press "enter"
• reboot recovery
• press "enter"

It should reboot into recovery, use side buttons to navigate to "install zip"

==========================================

After root, I bypassed flashing the rom and went straight for installing the one.three rom.

OK here's the problem. There is no "install zip" menu selection. Just something about "wipe cache", "wipe partition" and reboot. I have a Straight Talk ZTE Merit 990G that's been rooted via the Jcase method. Did the 'reboot recovery' thing twice. Never any "install zip" selection.

it's the second option on the stock recovery menu for the merit. it will erase your settings / data, and then it will install the .zip that is on the sd card. they chose poor wording for this menu.

if you do it without a .zip on the sd card it will just factory reset it and it will give an error saying the .zip was not found on the sd card.

i think it has to be named update.zip though--don't hold me to that though

 

[zajchik]

My MH-1.0.1E is really the only one not based on AT&T (It's based on the Serbian VIP), and is 2.3.5. I tried it on my AT&T phone and had a problem with the screen not coming on after going into standby.

Interestingly, in our roamer work all the ROMs based on AT & T, except for messages.Everything else works

 

[zwaugh67]

Any help on where to put the "su" file and how to put it there would be great I tried to move it manually but was unsuccesful and I keep getting the "file doesnt exsist" when I try in adb I'm so close to rooting yet so far away it's so frustrating all I want is my phone rooted....what am I doing wrong???? PLZ help and thank you!!!

 

[dustyj]

I can get to step 14 and it tells me file not found

 

[dustyj]

excuse the dumb question but what adb tools do I need to have installed on my Computer to do this?

Any help on where to put the "su" file and how to put it there would be great I tried to move it manually but was unsuccesful and I keep getting the "file doesnt exsist" when I try in adb I'm so close to rooting yet so far away it's so frustrating all I want is my phone rooted....what am I doing wrong???? PLZ help and thank you!!!

same here

 

[SquidlyMcNerd]

The SU should go in with the SDK files in the root drive of your computer.

Android SDK should be installed on C: (or your main volume on a mac)

SU should go inside of the folder where ever you installed the Android SDK.

I was having problems getting mine to work intitally. I'm on a Mac.

I can't tell you which installation finally worked but I can tell you what I have.

In my system drive, I have a folder named SDK with all the sdk files and SU in it.

in "Places" is my "Home" drive. I copied the Android SDK there and named the folder ASDK. It too has the SU copied into it.

You also need to have your usb cable plugged into your phone before ADB and SU will function properly. Do NOT have 'mass storage' selected/activated or ADB might not start up properly.

Open a command prompt on a PC and type: adb shell

On a mac open "terminal". Search for it if you're not familiar with it.
Same thing on mac once you have a terminal window open, enter: adb shell

Once ADB starts you can simply type SU when you get to that point.

You will know when the SU command is successful when the command prompt changes from $ to #.

 

[dustyj]

ok I got to step 14 got the # sign but when i get here it tells me adb not found.
adb shell chown 0.0 /system/xbin/su
press "enter"
adb shell chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
press "enter"
so now i have the # sign but cant go any further, superuser shows not rooted so i'm stuck'
any suggestions??

 

[dustyj]

ok I got to step 14 got the # sign but when i get here it tells me adb not found.
adb shell chown 0.0 /system/xbin/su
press "enter"
adb shell chmod 06755 /system/xbin/su
press "enter"
so now i have the # sign but cant go any further, superuser shows not rooted so i'm stuck'
any suggestions??

Did a factory reset will try again tomorrow..

 

[SquidlyMcNerd]

?What response do you get when you type: adb shell

 

[zwaugh67]

I get the # sign right away through every step but when i get to step 14 the file is not found...

should I factory reset and start all over... I have a feeling I'm making this way more complicated then it should be...

 

[zwaugh67]

Did a factory reset will try again tomorrow..

Keep me posted if you have any luck seems like were having the exact same problem...

 

[zwaugh67]

ok so I have android sdk manager installed on my pc but have no idea how to move the su file to it....uder the tools folder it just has sdk tools and platform tools....am I at least moving in the right direction??


As soon as I open a command prompt and enter adb shell I get the # sign is that right??

 

[dustyj]

when i typed adb shell at first i was getting the $ sign after i got to step 14 I got the # sign but then started telling me adb not found but the command prompt showed adb, i tried starting over but I was getting the # sign from the beginning after that, but everything still worked until step 14 after reboot i would get back to adb shell then when i tried to mount it would say adb not found on everything after that. will be trying again later today,, will keep you posted..

 

[zwaugh67]

when i typed adb shell at first i was getting the $ sign after i got to step 14 I got the # sign but then started telling me adb not found but the command prompt showed adb, i tried starting over but I was getting the # sign from the beginning after that, but everything still worked until step 14 after reboot i would get back to adb shell then when i tried to mount it would say adb not found on everything after that. will be trying again later today,, will keep you posted..

That is exactly the very same thing I'm getting please keep me posted if you figure it out!!!!

 

[Cheeso34]

I really messed something up. I got everything up and running fine including one.three, I used it for a while. And skipping to the serious problem I factory reset the phone and card and now the 3g won't work and i cant usb tether...so I feel like I'm screwed, one person on here had a link to making an apn which might fix the 3g, if there was any option to create an apn. I do have another of the same phones that's working fine if there's anyways i could put something on the memory card of the other phone then put it in mine and have it fix something. Right now it's good for making calls but everything else is completely fried. If anyone could help me fix anything I'd really appreciate it. Especially because phone calls is like the only thing I don't really use my phone for. Also, is my phone like some halfass half rooted now?

 

[Cheeso34]

also to the last couple people, someone somewhere else on this site mentioned running the command prompt from the folder that contains adb shell...that fixed the problem for me.

 

[Cheeso34]

ok I found how to make the apn so I fixed the internet, but I still can't usb debug. I can set the phone to do it, but when I plug it in it just never comes up on the phone. I'd also like to know what I need to do about having SU and Superuser deleted, cause I read somewhere that was how you unroot a phone. Do I need to put one or both back? go through the entire rooting thing again? I have no idea, I just know I probably need usb debugging to work to fix it anyways.

 

[horton739]

everything worked until i got to the (adb push su /system/xbin/su) it says failed, ran out of space on device HELP??!?!

 

[Cheeso34]

it sounds like you forgot to disable the logger

 

[Cheeso34]

if anyone can help get my usb tethering working again I'd really appreciate it, I think I got everything else all set, but I used my phone as a usb tether because I don't have home internet and I can't seem to use the usb tethering at all for that or to use adb or anything so it really sucks, and it seems to be the only problem no one else has had.

 

[Cheeso34]

also if anyone has or knows where the stock rom for the straight talk merit is and if anyone knows how to get wireless hotspot working once you have one.three, i know i read a fix to that somewhere but I can't find it. For any kind of tethering it says to call at&t because the rom is from an avail, I assume, but I can't find how to fix it.

 

[Buzz2043]

I have a question about this I am new here as well as new to the whole Android thing altogether. So please excuse my ignorance here.
I am wanting to root my new Android phone for a few reasons.
1. I want more control over my phone (I dont like the fact that there are apps that I dont want on my phone and cant remove them example:the calc I have installed a scientific calc and dont need the regular calc etc.).
2. Being able to remove those undesired apps will in turn create more space.
3. well that's really all I know of lol.

Ok I am not sure if this is what I need to be able to the above mentioned or not so please let me know if rooting my phone will accomplish my goals here?

I am not sure if this is actually for my phone either because there are so many aka's for these phone or devices here is what I actually have: Phone= ZTE-Z990G, Android version 2.3.5, Service provider= Tracfone I am not sure if there is any more info you need to know to be able to help me out?

 

[Buzz2043]

Ok I have decided to go forth with this tech. It took some doing to just install the adb correctly but I got it.
I managed to complete steps 1 thru 12 with out a glitch but cannot get the phone to reboot, can I do a hard reboot?

 

[Motorhead1991]

What error message are you getting for the reboot command?