How To: Temporarily Root the T-Mobile G2 / HTC Vision (Visionary Method) (Updated 12.01.10)

I. Before You Begin

1. This method gives you temporary root, but you can go to the next procedure immediately after finishing this one to get permanent root and s-off.

2. This will allow you to WiFi tether (if you can find an appropriate WiFi tethering app for the phone), and even overclock the phone (see our How To Overclock the G2).

II. Root the G2

1. On your phone, go to Settings > Applications > Development > and make sure USB Debugging is ON (it MUST be ON) and make sure Fastboot is checked OFF (it MUST be OFF).

2. UPDATE, PLEASE READ: Visionary was removed from the Market, please download it from here instead. Save it to your phone’s memory card, then simply open it on your phone with any file manager app (like Linda File Manager for free from the Market for example) find the visionary apk file in the file manager and click it and follow the prompts to install it.

3. Install Visionary from Modaco.

4. Once installed, open Visionary and check ON Temp Root After Reboot, and check ON System R/W After Root. Then click TempRoot Now and wait for it to finish.

5. Once it is done, you have temp root and can use rooted apps without rebooting, OR continue to the next procedure to gain persistent root access and s-off to load custom ROMs, etc.

III. Gain Persistent Root and S-OFF

1. Head over to our How To: Gain Permanent Root and S-OFF on the T-Mobile G2 / HTC Vision

98 thoughts on “How To: Temporarily Root the T-Mobile G2 / HTC Vision (Visionary Method) (Updated 12.01.10)”

  1. i was wondering if it reverts back to an unrooted 2.2 froyo will it still void the warranty or not. I really want to root but don’t want to have a void warranty. Like for example when the G1 was rooted there was a way to unroot it and unvoid the warranty. Will the unrooting do the same thing or no.

  2. @Ryu
    If you’re worried about voiding your warranty, rooting is not for you. The G2 unroots itself on reboot, so unless you have the app installed, all it will take is rebooting your phone and it will no longer be rooted.

    1. i’m not really worried about the warranty i was just wondering if it unvoids the warranty like the g1 when unrooting the phone.

  3. I was wondering if anyone affiliated with this site is currently working on a full root and other things for the g2. If you need one to work on I would be willing to send mine in for experimentation in exchange for having you guys or someone reputable that you know modding the hell out of it and sending it back. I would also donate a little money to the cause. I wanted to contact someone from cyanogen mod but all I could find was forums and no developer email address. I currently have a g2 with temp root and overclock. I am thinking about dooping the insurance co and getting another one for 130 bucks so that I can have a back up phone. Please let me know if you or any developers you know are interested. My email is wayde85@gmail.com or wayde187@gmail.com. thank you.

    1. Thanks for the offer, we have one and a lot of people are working on getting root feverishly. If you want to help them test things go to the irc channel #g2 #root
      Thanks though! Appreciate that there are people out there that truly want to help!

  4. I have used this method but Barnacle Wifi Tether app does not work and neither does Wireless Tether. Anyone know of a Wifi tether app that works and a simple way to overclock.

  5. Here’s one way to do it – originally posted at the Tmobile forums (http://bit.ly/9TcamV) by DRT1205:

    Don’t know if this has been posted, but here is how to get the WiFi Tether on the G2

    1> Root your phone with visionary from the app store
    2> go to http://code.google.com/p/android-wifi-tether/downloads/list?can=2&q=NexusOne and download the latest update to the application
    3> Copy it to your G2’s sd card
    4> Go to your Files application, and run the apk for the wireless tether

    Trying it now – running the Visionary root at the moment. Will update with my results.

    1. finally got the G2 for free at best buy. Temp root last night and wireless_tether_2_0_5-pre11.apk works great. Getting about 3.5Mbps on tmobile. much better than my 1.5Mbps on att. love it. THANKS

  6. i cant for the life of me get the permroot to work. ive tried every method except for using the sdk but none seems to work for me.. temp root works well and im also overclocked to 1.42ghz but i want to be able to install roms and be free from htc hideous setback…

  7. I have been trying to use this method to root my UK G2. However, every time I try to install the Visionary apk I get a “parse error”. Any ideas what is going wrong here?

  8. I have been trying to use this method to root my UK G2. However, every time I try to install the Visionary apk I get a “parse error”. Any ideas what is going wrong here?

    1. I blame HTC and T-Mobile for the name confusion… This is for the G2 from T-Mobile USA (AKA the HTC Vision elsewhere in the world) so it won’t work for your G2 (which is actually called the HTC Hero everywhere else in the world).Confusing, right?Just click on How To’s at the top of the site, then Android, then HTC Hero and use those procedures for your phone.Good luck!

    2. I blame HTC and T-Mobile for the name confusion… This is for the G2 from T-Mobile USA (AKA the HTC Vision elsewhere in the world) so it won’t work for your G2 (which is actually called the HTC Hero everywhere else in the world).Confusing, right?Just click on How To’s at the top of the site, then Android, then HTC Hero and use those procedures for your phone.Good luck!

    3. I blame HTC and T-Mobile for the name confusion… This is for the G2 from T-Mobile USA (AKA the HTC Vision elsewhere in the world) so it won’t work for your G2 (which is actually called the HTC Hero everywhere else in the world).Confusing, right?Just click on How To’s at the top of the site, then Android, then HTC Hero and use those procedures for your phone.Good luck!

    4. I blame HTC and T-Mobile for the name confusion… This is for the G2 from T-Mobile USA (AKA the HTC Vision elsewhere in the world) so it won’t work for your G2 (which is actually called the HTC Hero everywhere else in the world).Confusing, right?Just click on How To’s at the top of the site, then Android, then HTC Hero and use those procedures for your phone.Good luck!

  9. I am not able to root my G2… screen just stay as it is with the message “rooting device, please wait”. it does nothing after that..

  10. does this root (visionary/temp method) allow me to unlock (sim) my phone or do i need to do the permanent htc g2 root for that. Also is there a way i can unlock (sim) without the permanant root?

  11. does this root (visionary/temp method) allow me to unlock (sim) my phone or do i need to do the permanent htc g2 root for that. Also is there a way i can unlock (sim) without the permanant root?

  12. does this root (visionary/temp method) allow me to unlock (sim) my phone or do i need to do the permanent htc g2 root for that. Also is there a way i can unlock (sim) without the permanant root?

    1. tyvm i understand it better now because i recently switch from an iphone. So is there something similar to to the redsnow or ultrasnow for the htc g2 where i download something and it unlocks (carrier) my phone for me ?

      1. No, only the iPhone needs a program like that. All other GSM phones, you just buy an unlock code from an unlocking site on the internet (under $20 usually and permanently unlocks your phone).
        Otherwise, you can just call T-Mobile and tell them you need the phone unlocked cause your going to Europe for a vacation and they should give you the code for free.

      2. No, only the iPhone needs a program like that. All other GSM phones, you just buy an unlock code from an unlocking site on the internet (under $20 usually and permanently unlocks your phone).
        Otherwise, you can just call T-Mobile and tell them you need the phone unlocked cause your going to Europe for a vacation and they should give you the code for free.

      3. No, only the iPhone needs a program like that. All other GSM phones, you just buy an unlock code from an unlocking site on the internet (under $20 usually and permanently unlocks your phone).
        Otherwise, you can just call T-Mobile and tell them you need the phone unlocked cause your going to Europe for a vacation and they should give you the code for free.

    2. tyvm i understand it better now because i recently switch from an iphone. So is there something similar to to the redsnow or ultrasnow for the htc g2 where i download something and it unlocks (carrier) my phone for me ?

    3. tyvm i understand it better now because i recently switch from an iphone. So is there something similar to to the redsnow or ultrasnow for the htc g2 where i download something and it unlocks (carrier) my phone for me ?

  13. after attempting to temp root, its still saying rooting device please wait, its been 10 minutes and it hasnt closed and went back to the original page, i need help on what to do??

  14. after attempting to temp root, its still saying rooting device please wait, its been 10 minutes and it hasnt closed and went back to the original page, i need help on what to do??

  15. Attempting perm root tonight and getting all my ducks in a row.
    Would u advise doing a factory reset before I attempt?
    I have only done a temp root on the phone when visionary first came out. Deleted it and never done it again.
    Also… its inevitable that I’m gonna lose my 48thousand 72 hundred and 21 apps I have now nomatter what when I perm root and load custom rom right? As none r saved to sd.
    Thanks.
    Larry

  16. 1. If you don’t mind doing the reset it might be a good idea, just to undo anything you might have done with Visionary the first time.
    2. Your apps technically should be backed up by Google and should automatically restore after you sign in again (like your contacts do) but that doesn’t always work. You’ll just have to download then (you won’t have to pay for any apps again as it definitely remembers what you’ve paid for etc).

  17. Dugh!! I did the Temp Root and downloaded the app and all. When I went to check in the Terminal Thing, it told me (Permission Denied) but I have the superuser app in my app drawer. I’m confused now. I didn’t do anything different. Dugh!!

  18. I did the Temp Root and downloaded the app and all. When I went to check in the Terminal Thing, it told me (Permission Denied)

  19. I did the Temp Root and downloaded the app and all. When I went to check in the Terminal Thing, it told me (Permission Denied)

  20. I did the Temp Root and downloaded the app and all. When I went to check in the Terminal Thing, it told me (Permission Denied)

  21. I did the Temp Root and downloaded the app and all. When I went to check in the Terminal Thing, it told me (Permission Denied)

  22. i just got a htc evo shift 4g and i know that the g2 and it are basically the same with some phisycal and cosmetic changes so i was wondering if i could do the same with this root the phone is from sprint

  23. What is the SU binary? It told me I need to update that, but when it tried to update it, there was an error, so it told me to flash the zip file. I have to start my phone in recovery mode, how do you start the G2 in recovery mode?

    1. If I’m not wrong you have to press the volume up button along with the power button when you are turning on your phone to get into recovery mode.

  24. please help. ive been trying to temp root my htc g2 using the visionary r14 but it only stays on the “rooting device.. please wait” page. my phone never got temp root. Ive tried so many times..

    please help me

  25. I just did a Temp Root and when I typed in “su” in the Terminal Emulator it is saying “permission denied” Does this mean I can’t PermRoot?!!!!!!

  26. I have been using Visionary for temp root like a month and a half. Sometimes you have to attempt to temp root multiple times before it works without lag. I never temp root with things checked, I leave everything unchecked. Does this make a difference. I want to perm root, and I know you can do it without using ADB, using Visionary to temp root first. But some say Visionary can mess up system files. If I used the gfree way, after temp root, to gain perm root. Does Visionary have to say on my phone, after I perm root it? What do you recommend, perm root using Visionary to temp root, or ADB way for temp then perm root?

  27. i only want to root my phone for a couple of minuets then go back….will all my stuff still be on the phone??

  28. not working, just black screen appears when i press “temproot now”. sometimes it just flashes many times and thats it. is there better temproot app for desire z?

  29. I pressed “temproot” and it supposedly was done but when it went back to the application screen both of the checkboxes (temproot on boot and system r/w after root) were unchecked. When I tested for superuser permission, it failed.

  30.  Hi, I was led to the previous article where it was not updated and temp rooted using that and then followed through with the permanent rooting process, how can I undo all this so that I may restart the process?

  31. windows 7 64bit says that the device did not install properly, and it says something like the adb didnt install properly. do i need to install SDK?

  32. My phone wont go to recovery mode it keeps showing the black screen with the phone and ive all ready use Rom Manager to flash the image and still nothing happens?

  33. okay so i done everything you said was going really well then i got up to the bit where you have to type in the su and it says assess denied whats happened?!, i rooted it but do i need internet to make the root work or something please tell me what im doing wrong, send me a message @ lil-kris2@live.co.uk
       

  34. sorry im going to repost what i said again but a little more detail.
    I done everything you said to the tee, the only thing i didnt get was the superuser app, but then i though i would do the SU thing just incase i needed to do that to get the app so i did, i used terminal emulator as you said but at the top myn said 
    “export PATH=/data/local/bin:$PATH” and under that is says
    “$ export PATH=/data/local/bin:$PATH” under that is says
    “$” so after the $ sign i typed in su with no spaces but now under what i typed “$su” is says
    “su: permission denied” 
    as i said i am running on HTC Desire z which in the video you said it will work
    and i also followed everything you said i should do but it didnt work
    but i have no internet atm i am useing a wifi spot so that could be the problem or not?
    so could you hit me back with a email or reply on here please as i have been trying to root my phone for so long now and this seemed to be the best way but i just incountered on problem.
    Thanks :):):)

  35. Can someone please help me. I tried not for several hours to root my phone but it won’t work. I get to the part where I can Get Visionary+, I click on the 2 options noted in the video, then I click temp root and it then begins to attempt to root. However, I don’t think it is actually rooting as my screen never returns until I hit the Home button a bunch of times and my phone lags the entire time. I continued with the steps and go to the Emulator but then it says SU is denied. I know this is happening because the Visionary won’t root my phone temporarily.

    I have a US Tmobile HTC G2
    The Version is 2.3.4
    I received it brand new in May 2011
    I am using a Windows 7 64 bit

    I’ve attempted to instal and reinstall the Visionary+ several times through Astro but still no luck.

    Please help.

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