How To Gain S-Off, Flash a Custom Recovery, and Root Your Android Phone Using the Revolutionary Method

The people that brought you the Unrevoked tool for rooting devices back in the day, and the people that brought you the AlphaRev rooting tool have joined forces and come up with a new tool to root, gain S-Off, and load a custom recovery on a decent list of devices. This tool is called Revolutionary. Here’s the devices it is known to work on and here’s how to use it.

I. Before You Begin

1. This is a DEVELOPER release, so it isn’t the easiest method as of yet. They will release more stable versions as time goes on, this version is if you really can’t wait, but keep in mind there will be bugs to iron out in the initial versions.

2. List of devices the developers claim it works on:

Revolutionary currently supports the following Android phones and HBOOT versions:

  • HTC Desire (bravo) 0.93.0001, 1.02.0001
  • HTC Desire CDMA (bravoc) 1.06.0000
  • HTC Wildfire (buzz) 1.01.0001
  • HTC Aria (liberty) 1.02.0000
  • HTC Incredible S (vivo) 1.09.0000 and 1.13.0000
  • HTC Droid Incredible 2 (vivow) 0.97.0000 (Gingerbread only!)
  • HTC Desire S (saga) 0.98.0000 and 0.98.0002
  • HTC View (express) 1.09.0000 and 1.13.0000
  • HTC Flyer (flyer) 1.10.0000, 1.11.0003
  • HTC Sensation (pyramid) 1.17.0006, .0008, .0011 and .0012, 1.18.0000
  • HTC Evo 3D (shooter) 1.30.0000 and 1.40.0000
  • HTC EVO 3D GSM (shooteru) 1.49.0007, 1.49.0008
  • HTC Thunderbolt (mecha) 1.04.0000, 1.05.0000
  • HTC EVO 4G (supersonic) 2.15.0001, 2.16.0001
  • HTC myTouch Slide 4G (doubleshot) 1.44.0007
    HTC MyTouch 4G (glacier) – You must do our how to downgrade method first then come back to this one.

Revolutionary will permanently unlock NAND write protection by default on the following phones:

  • HTC Sensation (pyramid)
  • HTC Evo 3D (shooter)
  • HTC EVO 3D GSM (shooteru)
  • HTC myTouch Slide 4G

3. If you are using Windows, download and install these Fastboot drivers.

Fastboot Drivers

4. If you have HTC Sync installed on your computer, you may have to remove it if you are having issues.

II. Gain S-Off

1. Download the latest version of the tool from the developers here (the initial versions require you to generate a beta key for you to use the program, just follow the steps to do so. If it lets you download the program without a beta key, then it’s a newer version than at the time of writing this, just continue):

Revolutionary

2. Plug in your device.

3. Select charge only if the option exists on your device, or just do NOT mount the SD Card.

4. On your device, click on Settings > Applications > Development > Turn USB Debugging ON.

5. Find the Revolutionary program you downloaded and unzip it somewhere.

6. Right click it and select Open as Administrator (if you do not have that option when you right click, simply select Open).

7. Input your beta key you received and wait for it to do it’s thing (if you are using a newer version of Revolutionary then it might not ask you for this. If that is the case, just continue).

III. Flash a Custom Recovery Image

1.. Once done gaining S-Off, it will ask you if you want to flash clockworkmod recovery, type in y and hit enter.

2. Once it is done flashing the recovery image it will close the command prompt window.

3. On your phone, you should see S-Off at the top.

4. Take out the battery and put it back in.

5. Turn on the device, by holding down volume down and power until the screen boots up.

6. Push volume down and then power to select recovery.

7. If the phone reboots to the clockworkmod recovery screen you are all set.

IV. Gain Root Access.

1. With the phone still in clockworkmod recovery from the last step, plug it in via USB cable.

2. Select Mounts and Storage by using the volume buttons to move and power to select.

3. Then select mount sdcard (the sd card directory should pop up on your computer screen)

4. Download the root .zip file and save it to your computer (do NOT extract it)

Root .zip File

5. Copy the root .zip file to the root of your sdcard and wait for it to transfer (not in any folders, just on the sd card itself).

6. On your device, select unmount sdcard.

7. On your device, select go back.

8. Then select Install zip from sdcard and choose the root .zip file.

9. Wait for it to flash, once done, select reboot system now.

10. Once your device reboots, open the app drawer and you should see Superuser permissions there. If so, you are all set, you are rooted, have S-Off and a custom recovery image.

V. Flash a Custom ROM (Optional)

1. Head to our How To Load a Custom ROM on your Android Phone After the Revolutionary Method procedure.

201 thoughts on “How To Gain S-Off, Flash a Custom Recovery, and Root Your Android Phone Using the Revolutionary Method”

  1. Just to let you know, this doesn’t work for HTC Incredible S running Gingerbread, so please either remove it from the list or make a note of it that it doesn’t work for the Gingerbread version.

    1. As of Sunday, August 14, 2011, Revolutionary put out an update (revolutionary-0.4pre3) that allows this to be used with the HTC Incredible 2 running Gingerbread(2.3.3). I just did it and it worked for me. It may also work for the Incredible S.

  2. Thanks for the tutorial! I was able to attain S-OFF but when attempting to download/install Clockwork it tried several times and failed. Any tips?

  3. hey can you help me go back to stock recovery?s-on? please help i think the radio isnt working i cant make or recieve any calls!!!

  4. I got s off on the sensation using revolutionary tool, but it stopped unexpectedly when I entered a y in the prompt command to get it to install the custom recovery. Can anyone tell me how to now get the custom recovery on?

    1. This happened to me also.  Need help since when I reboot and selected recovery my HTC sensation just gave me a error (picture of the phone with a red triangle and exclamation point).  How do I recover to get the recovery mod?

  5. I got s-off and cwm installed but when i try to install su it says error in /sdcard/su-2.3.6.3-efgh-signed.zip (satus 0)

  6. Hi, i tried this and was semi successful. I was able to enter my beta key then the program crashed while trying to download clockwordmod recovery and when i tried again, error message “phone’s version isnt supported” the Hboot ver is 1. 17. 1011 the funny this is, before doing this my Hboot ver. was 1. 17.1008. when i look at the recovery screen, it says
     -Revolutionary-
    PYRAMID PVT SHIP S-OFF RL
    HBOOT-2.17.1011
    RADIO0-10.11.9077.15_M

    the following options are selectable, fastboot, recovery, factory reset, simlock, image crc
    what should i do?

  7.  
    i have a problem i have the htc sensation and it was doing everything until the program all of a sudden on the computer say program stopped and then it closed right after i put y so it could downlaod the clockwork mod! now it say htc sensation not supported in the revolutionary thing please help!!! 🙁 p.s i do have s-off all i need is the recovery!

      1. You may want to try again. Revolutionary just released an update on 8-14-11 that will work on evo 4g running 2.3.3

      2. You may want to try again. Revolutionary just released an update on 8-14-11 that will work on evo 4g running 2.3.3

  8. Thanks for the link, hopefully it’ll help those who are having issues. I used this method and got recovery no problem on an Evo 3D and a Sensation by the way, but again if people are having issues and can use the method you described after this and that works for them then all the better. Good luck everyone!

  9. hey i am using senstation and when i connect my phone for S-off and follow all the steps you mentioned i am not able to enter beta key?
    is there anyting wrong that i am doing plz reply

  10. Narengonnashout

    aftr i entered the beta key…. it started working after that it was asking for the internet connection to download the recovery.. my computer doesn’t have internet connection at that time… i just plugged out the phone and power off… now i’m not able to get the cwm again.. phone: HTC sensation H-boot 11… wat am i supposed to do now???

  11. I keep getting Invalid Beta Key… aborting….  I double and triple check my S/N and the Beta key to make sure they are correct.  There is two zeros in the key that i tried a letter O’s just to be sure.  Any help please…..

  12. Okay why when i do it does it say that “The program cannot start because AdbWinApi.dll is missing from your coputer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem” ????

  13. For all those who did not get ClockWork the first time, try turning on the device and go through the Hands Free Activation, PRL update and Firmware update check and plug your phone in and run Revolutionary again and you will get the prompt to install ClockWork Recovery, after success, do a battery pull and go into recovery . . . cheers EVO 3D

  14. Unable to make or receive calls. Solution – call Sprint technical support and tell them you’re getting an error 16 when making phone call. So far in all reports this seems to fix the problem. This problem only seems to happen when using the Windows version of Revolution
    I just called and the rep told me it’s a security feature that is enabled when you are roaming and try to reconnect to the Sprint network.

  15. When I “Select Mounts and Storage” (or any other option), it just goes to a black screen with “REVOLUTIONARY” in the centre.  If I click the power button, it will return to the list of options.  How can I continue to gain root access??

          1. Yeah! I mothfukin solved it!! Just use the trackball instead oh powe button!! thats it 😀

  16. htc Wildfire
    S/N: SH13APY06975
    Beta Key: I1rR9zpVJFBoJQmE
    but this seems to be invalid, any help will be appreciated

  17. Hi,iv’e a Wildfire running 2.2,& when trying to get ‘s-off’,going by your perfect instructions above,all seems well  except that after putting in Beta key i don’t see the drivers doing anything on my comp.screen & then when Caroline is sent in,i get failed & told an error occured while writng the partition & mtd:not writing bad block at 0x00000000.
    Any help please?
    Thanks,Martin.

  18. sims helloworld

    HTC Desire, works good, got s- off, flashes recovery, Then select mount sdcard (the sd card directory should pop up on your computer screen) no it doesn’t. just a blue revolutionary across the phone’s screen. Try other functions on the revolutionary recovery and the same result.

  19. htc desire 2.3.3 new rom from there site…   carnt seem to get s-off ((gutted)) 🙁 am sure it will get sorted soon..

  20. I’m having some problems trying to root…I have managed to get S-Off and also create a recovery, but when I try mount the SD card, it doesnt bring up any options and just see the Revolutionary logo in the centre of the screen…. PLEASE HELP!!! As I want to install a custom rom!!

    1. Sarrawanan Sundram

      Yaa.. same issue goes to me… im able to S-off and also create a recovery…. Revolutionary logo in the center of the screen….no options… and also… im unable to download the Root.zip file. the link is removed or something else….NEED HELP HERE…!! 

      Thanks you very much…


      HTC ARIA.

    2. In this case, to make selections, use the roller/tracker button at bottom of HTC Wildfire instead of power button.

  21. Haven`t tried this yet.  Anyone know how to UNroot HTC Incredible S?  Also, after I do this, will I be able to do a factory restore?
    I want to make sure I can undo anything I change on my phone before I make any changes.

  22. I’m stuck at 2. Select Mounts and Storage by using the volume buttons to move and power to select. Every time I select anything from the cwm screen it just opens a black screen with Recovery on and I don’t get the option to mount sd card.. If I click on power again it just takes me back to the cwm screen. 

    1. I had the same problem (HTC DESIRE), using the optical track ball/mousy thingy (between your menu and back button) it somehow does work (slide up, down, push to select). Great I will have a purpose for this button now!

      1. Hi Thanks, this helped me get past the blank revolutionary screen. Now however when I select mount /sdcard nothing happens on my pc so I can’t copy the root files over. Any ideas?

        Thanks again

        1. You copy the root files which are zip files over to the root directory with you computer before you begin or after if you don’t get them all and go again. You either unmount your card and copy over from your computer or just use the USB cable and turn disk drive on. Turn it back off before running revolutionary (power only) and enable USB debugging.

          There is a great IRC channel for support but they really don’t have patience for those that ask a question that’s been answered before, so look first.

        2. If you haven’t done this already:  Instead of Mount/SD card, Select Mount USB Storage.  That had me stuck too until I watched the video while I was going through that part.

    2. Try pushing down on that thing with the hole in it at the bottom of your phone. The people on the IRC channel showed me that and I felt stupid cause mine did the same thing. Some HTC’s don’t use the power button to select. They have a third physical button at the bottom of the phone which you have to press down on.

    3. Use your Optical Pad (Tricky to scroll with) instead and push it in…. The same happened on my Desire, you don’t use the power button otherwise it just shows the REVOLUTIONARY Background strangely. I think the guide should be updated to accommodate this!

    4. mine did the same, but as evo_speeerit says select by using the trackball on your phone. my wildfire is happily rooted!

  23. woop woop, worked first time, little with the beta key just turned out i typed my serial no. wrong. 
    S-OFF, root and about to do a custom rom 😎

  24. Since I am a beginner at this, we’ll ask a stupid question: Do I have to do always a backup when installing a new custom rom?

    Thanks

  25. iv followed all the steps so far without a problem but iv downloaded revolutionary and it wont run comes on for a split second and goes straight off again can any1 help pls 

  26. Hello Alll-

    So I got Revolutionary installed on an HTC Desire CDMA, Boot 1.6

    However I cannot get Revoutionary to recognize the SD Card.

    When I tell it to mount the sd card.  I get a “Revolutionary” logo with no menu……

    I was able to get the SU file onto the SD card with Astro. 

    But I cant execute it from revolutionary because i only get the first menu….

    Any thoughts. questions…..

  27. Every time I enter the beta key, revolutionary says aborting due to invalid key. What to do now?

    HTC Desire (NOT HD)

    Android Version 2.3.3 HBoot 1.02.0001

    Baseband Version 32.56.00.32U_5.17.05.23

    Build Number 3.14.405.1 CL96875 release-keys

    Software Number 3.14.405.1

    1. Make sure you typed in your serial number correctly on the revolutionary website coz its easy to get wrong as I found out myself

    1.  i get as far as rebooting to fastboot (again)….then it says the comnicationwith device was terminated. have same hboot 1.18.0000

  28. I tried for my HTS Wildfire but it didn’t work. Is it because it’s updated to Android 2.2?
    It says “Found your device= HTC Wildfire
    Your device: Buzz, with HBOOT 1.01.002. is not supported at this time”

    Anybody can give me an idea..?

  29. I KEEP GETTING THIS MASSEGE……        Your device: shooter, with HBOOT 1.50.0000 is not supported at this time

  30. My HBOOT version wasn’t available on either models of the EVO3D available on the “Revolutionary site”. What should I do?

     

  31. Hi, i bought an incredible s an it was from factory s-off.I want to ask : if i bybas alla the other steps and install clockworkmod anth then the root.zip, this will erase my stock rom?

  32. This shit doesnt work for HTC wildfire 2.1.1!!!!  I have been googling for a whole fucking week trying to find a way to cut this shit off. Someone PLEASE help!!!!!!

  33. Thanks a million ‘theunlockr.com’ and ‘revolutionary’ team……..but one more thing…. all the process went smooth….. at the last step, i cant find any super user app in my app drawer… also…. i cant seem to be able to remove the htc bloatware…. uninstall option is disabled still…… i wud repeat that all the procedure went as stated in the website…. wat am i doing wrong??

  34. Im currently on latest CW recovery and CM7, recently updated through Rom Manager. But I dont have S-OFF, can I just do step 1. then hit “No” when asked to flash a recovery? 

    Cheers

    Rob 

    HTC Desire

  35. The process worked beautifully right up until the end.  When I went to install the zip file from SD (by the way, the file name is “su-2.3.6.3-efgh-signed.zip”, not “root .zip”) I got an error message: 

    “E: Cant’ open /sdcard/su-2.3.6.3-efgh-signed.zip (bad) Installation aborted”

    I downloaded the zip file a second time and went through the whole process again, with the same result.  Any advice?  I have ensured that the SD card is unmounted.  Help greatly appreciated!! 🙁

    HTC Desire Bravo
    Android 2.3.3

  36. can somebody send me the zip file for root my incredible s…. i cant download it from the link..please dying to root my phone….only thing to do is to get the zip file….p[lease….  herien07@yahoo.com

  37. I entered the required information on the webiste, and received a beta key.  I then ran the revolutionary.exe file, and entered the beta key.  I got an invalid beta key……..I have the htc desire (bravo) 0.93.001 hboot, using android 2.2. rom verison 2.25.661.2.  Can someone please help.  thanks.  I

  38. My HTC INC has hboot 0.92, which is not supported by Revolutionary. How do I upgrade to 1.09 or 1.13? I managed to root the gingerbread, but am stuck again with s-off. I tried RomManager but when I try to flash to recovery, I get a black screen. I have been working on this for a week! Super frustrated!!

  39. htc sensation 4g.   using ubuunto os.  downloaded revolutionary and got my beta key.  i connected my phone to my laptop and chose charge only.  turned usb debugging on, extract and click on the executable but nothing happens after that.  please advise.

  40. When I use the program, it says S-OFF already done, but when I use super user it does not update and says my .zip file was put into my sd card, flash it and reboot. How does one go about doing this?
    if anyone can email me at carlsonandrew89gmail.com with some tips or helpful guides it would be nice.

    My phone is a HTC evo 4g with 2.3.3 if that helps

  41. everything worked till step III6. Nothing happens, I only see blue Revolutionary and my Desire does not react on anything. Only way to turn it of is to remove the battery. After that I can not get back into boot-screen (volume d + power) until I remove the battery again after a normal start up. 

  42. update: succesfully completed. On the desire do not use the powerbutton to choose option from the recovery menu but the select button.

  43. HY,

    I made this modding on my HTC desire, but theRevolutionarydon’t make the clockworkmod for me! and i select the recovery button in Hboot, it shows the Revolutionary CWM v4.0.1.4 and if i select something in this menu i shows nothing!

    Please help me, and send it to km.peti@fotnet.hu
    peter from Hungary! Thanks very much guys

  44. I followed all the instructions above and got an error message after opening the root file. However, I did get the SU app, Does that mean I rooted the phone?

  45. success!! worked perfect with no problems at all! took about 10min from removal of battery for S/N to finish! thx

    HTC Sensation 4G

  46. Hi David, thanks for your very clear instructions. I have gained s-off on my htc desire s (Android 2.2 build 2.10.751.4) but cannot gain root access. When I bootload and select ‘unmount sdcard’ (or any option for that matter, including install zip file)  I see a black screen with REVOLUTIONARY in blue letters. From there I cannot do anything.

    Also notice that when I first bootload it checks the SD card and tells me:Checking SD CardLoading [P*******.zip]No Image!Loading [P*******.zip]No Image or wrong image!Loading [P*******.zip]No Image!Loading [P*******.zip]No Image or wrong image! I’m hoping you’ve come across this problem before and have some solutions!

    1. you must use the back button and the center button and it’s ok. It’s not working using power button
      i know we are in April and you asked in January but maybe someone else need

  47. Tank you & Revolutionary
    ™   HTC wildfire,I try with Unrevoked but I realized that the S-on make me nuts. 
    Cheers !

  48. Hi!
    I rooted my Desire with your guide. It worked. After this I wanted to install a custom rom – íRunnymedeMod007_v13_c-CM7-STOCK. I wiped the phone, installed the new rom. After the restart I typed in the pin code, after this popped up several force close message. After restart again it was the same. What is the problem?

  49. I s-on my htc evo 4g so i could take i  for service and tried to regain s-off but it wont let me.
    I tried to regain s off but it doesnt even go back to recovery mode anymore, I opened the revolutionary key command prompt pop up and says im on s-off, but when i try to do recovery mode its s-on. please help asap! thanks

  50. Hi, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to root my HTC Desire running Android 2.3.. however Revolutionary doesn’t support Mac OS X and Unrevoked doesn’t support Android 2.3.. Is there any work around for me to get going to be able to root? Any help appreciated! Thanks..

  51. When I go to the Revolutionary web site, in the drop down box, My Touch 4g is not an option although this site says so.  The Slide is available but the HBOOT doesn’t match up then.  Am I missing something???

  52. htc incredible s runing 2.3.5 hboot 2.0.0.0 something like that how many zeros i cant remember two line after wrote emmc hboot ? what the hell is that.can anybody help me????????? sory for my bad english

  53. I tried it on my HTC Desire Bravo a8181 Gimgerbread 2.3.3 and it worked perfectly.To make selections donot use power button but use the track ball.Everything will be fine

    1. That is something you would have to check with the ROM developer. I dont see why it would require that, almost all the ROMs I know of you just need to do this procedure and then after that you’re good to go.

  54. Alright, I made it all the way to the flashing SU zip, and it aborts the installation. It says:

    E:Error in /sdcard/Superuser-3.0.7-efghi-signed.zip
    (Status 0)
    Installation aborted.

    What am I doing wrong here?

  55. ermogenis pavlou

    HTC Deisre
    I tried to use Revolutionary method to gain S-off, Flash custom recovery and root.
    It went well to gain S-off and flash custom recovery. Then while trying to root gets stacked on Revolutionary logo and not able to continue.
    Then tried to go back to “factory” settings by using a RUU from the list given from XDA developers.
    Now when i strart my device i get only the white screen with the HTC logo.
    When starting the divice while holding volume down, I can see fast boot but cannot go to recovery as it shows only the white screen with HTC logo.
    I have tried to “clear storage” but nothing. Booting without sd card is not helping.I can see in my Bootloader that i am on “Revolutionary”, S-off, HBOOT 6.93.1002
    Any ideas??

    1. For HTC Desire, always use the track ball to make selections. Never use the power button. Then everything will be fine.

  56. HTC Sensation Z710e from IUSACELL (Mexico) with Android 2.3.4, Software Number 1.45.513.5; worked.

    REMARKS: The first time I flashed the root.zip file, I got an “instalation aborted”. So I rebooted into the OS; found out that the SuperUser was actually there, but AddFree (and other root-based apps), couldn’t find root. I rebooted into recovery mode and flashed again. This time I had success. Everything is running smoothly now.

    Now I gotta get a nice ICS AOSP rom.

    Thank you!

  57. Faizan Patel

    Dear Friend
    I am using HTC Chacha with S on. I am trying to root my device but the S-on feature is not letting me to flash my device.
    Pls help by including HTC Chacha in your list or kindly let me know if there is some other way to root my device.
    Regards
    Faizan

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  61. Saiful Zulkifli

    hai dear!…I want to root HTC DESIRE.
    When I put the beta key in Revolutionary, invalid beta key.
    why? help me please..^__^

  62. guys if anyone can help me please after i ran revolutionary i got a failed error message but my phone has s-off as well as it changed the hboot but i dont have recovery idk if i messed up my phone. please help me :/

  63. It says “If the phone reboots to the clockworkmod recovery screen you are all set”. The title on clockworkmod recovery screen has been shortened to CWM which I didn’t immediately realise was the same thing.

  64. I tried to use with myTouch, but its not supported. I request to please provide the steps to gain the root access and flash the ROM and update my mobile OS. The details for HTC mytouch is as below;

    SAPPHIRE PVT 32A SHIP S-ON G
    HBOOT-1.33.0013 (SAPP31000)
    CPLD-13
    RADIO-2.22.28.25
    OCT 21 2009,22:33:27

    1. It’s there, just very hidden (stupid hosting company). Just click the Download or Watch button in the center. Then click the Download button under the giant arrow on the next page.

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