Root Rooted and unable to update Evo 4G LTE

[bloodriotzero]

Hello. I've recently rooted my Evo but never installed a new ROM. I have SuperSU and ROM Manager installed but again, never really used. I've been trying to upgrade to the latest software version but whenever the restart process happens, I get stuck on a white screen that gives me options for Bootloader, Reboot, Reboot Bootloader and Power Down.

When I select Bootloader it tries to find an image on my SD card and since it finds nothing, it does nothing. After that my options are Fastboot (which takes me to the previous menu), Recovery, Factory Reset, Clear Storage, Simlock, Image CRC and Show Barcode.

All I want to do is update my phone, I don't really care about losing the root. Any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks!

 

[EarlyMon]

Ok, others have been in your shoes, we can clear this up.

Root is the same as Admin access on your PC - you have that.

Sound like what you don't have installed is a custom recovery (we all use the one called TWRP for this phone at present) - it's your most important admin tool next to SuperSU and you use it to make backups and flash roms.

To get that, you need to get your bootloader unlocked - either by using Regaw's method (that will wipe your apps and data), that will unlock your bootloader and install TWRP - or by unlocking the bootloader yourself with the LazaPanda s-off tool and installing TWRP yourself.

The TWRP install is trivial, it's the bootloader unlocking where all the confusion sets in.

Regaw's method uses the HTCdev site to get credentials to unlock your bootloader - it will still have encrypted security in effect, so you can do most things, but not 100% of everything possible in root. For many/most, Regaw's is enough.

The s-off method gives you total freedom but the instruction procedures require you to be ready to recover with a bootable Linux (a bootable live CD will do) to recover because it can get the phone into a stuck mode and a Linux tool is the only way to free that. You might not get stuck, but I think it's best to plan for it - Murphy's Law and all of that.

Myself, I went both routes - Regaws at first, then added s-off. That's an option also.

But the deal is - get the bootloader unlocked, install TWRP, after that, it all gets really easy from there.

PS - several of us, me too, are going to be guiding you away from Rom Manager. You won't need it and it could just confuse things further here.

 

[bloodriotzero]

Before I start this, is it an issue that when I launch SuperSU I get a message that says, "There is no SU binary installed, and SuperSU cannot install it. This is a problem!"

 

[EarlyMon]

Before I start this, is it an issue that when I launch SuperSU I get a message that says, "There is no SU binary installed, and SuperSU cannot install it. This is a problem!"

That's just really bizarre. It's as if the SuperSU was just installed as an app without the underlying goods - but I don't know how that could be.

Suggest waiting for others to chime in to be sure - but in that case, I'd go with Regaw's method - that will square away the root install and get you on the mend with everything else.

It will wipe your apps and data, so you have to be prepared for that.

MyBackup Pro and SMS Backup can help a lot, or if you don't care and don't have anything critical, just ensure that you have your contacts all on the Google web before proceeding.

But as I say, wait for others to chime in who may have more experience with that - that's a new one on me.

 

[bloodriotzero]

Honestly I don't even care about the root. Only reason I did it was because a friend of mine kept bugging me to. I'm still very uncertain about rooting and flashing roms, what it all means, etc. What's the best way for me to get my phone unrooted, without screwing anything up, and allowing me to get software updates without this issue?

Thanks for your input!

 

[EarlyMon]

To return your phone to stock -

http://androidforums.com/evo-4g-lte-all-things-root/573743-evo-4g-lte-ruus.html

Download the exe for our phone, plug phone into PC, run RUU.

Again, all of your apps and data will be cleared out.

What it all means is found in my second post above - root is the name of the administrator in Android - rooting is the exact same thing as getting Admin access on your PC. You get more control over what gets installed, how, when, and why.