Actually I've been trying to do it for weeks, but each time I've run into problems with drivers on Windows, not behaving properly, and the phone not being recognised.
Then I came across the latest one-click root procedure from unrEVOked today and thought this looks more like it. There are actually two methods, detailed here and here - I started with the Windows version but again ran into trouble with the drivers. So I decided to try the Linux route (root?!).
My wife has Ubuntu 10.04 installed on her netbook so I guessed I didn't need to mess around with live CDs and all that.
Here's what I did:
- Go to http://unrevoked.com/recovery/ and click 'Download for Linux'
- Save the package somewhere (Downloads folder)
- Go to the folder where the downloaded package is and unpack it.
- Open a console application
- Navigate to the download location (cd Downloads)
- Type 'sudo ./reflash' to launch it as super user
- Plug the phone in to the computer (select charge only)
- Go into settings > applications > development and tick 'Enable USB debugging'
- Wait for the phone to be rooted - it takes 30 seconds or so. When it's done it'll reboot.
Simple as that!
It doesn't wipe any data, settings or apps - in fact the only way of telling whether it has worked is that you'll see a new app in the app launcher called 'Superuser Persmissions' (which just shows a blank screen if you open it, by the way).
To double check I downloaded Titanium some apps from the market that require root permissions, and they work!
So now I have a rooted HTC Desire. Next step is to install a custom ROM. I'll keep you posted!
