Droid X Hacking Guide(s)

[NoKz]

Disclaimer: The below method(s) can be dangerous to your device if done incorrectly. I recommend that only experienced rooters and/or members comfortable enough to use RSDLite attempt this. Neither I nor DroidForums.net shall be held responsible for bricked/damaged devices. Continue at your own risk.

Now, with that out of the way, let me explain what this guide will do. This is for users who want to know how to do the following on their Droid X;

• Root The Droid X
• Unbrick/Unroot w/SBF
• Install Froyo 2.2 w/Root

Per request of DF and Moto, I will not be posting links to the rooted Froyo 2.2 and/or SBF.
​

Required Downloads:

• RSDLite 4.7: GOOGLE
• Droid X SBF: GOOGLE
• Droid X 2.2 Root: GOOGLE
• Droid X Root Program: DOWNLOAD (Windows Users Only, includes USB device drivers)
• Droid X Bootstrap App: DOWNLOAD

Now that you have all the necessary files, let's get started!

Step A: Using RSDLite to reset/unbrick/unroot the Droid X.

1. Install Windows 32-bit or 64-bit (Depending on your OS) Droid X USB Drivers.
2. Install RSDLite 4.7
3. Connect your phone to USB and turn it off. Turn your phone on and hold VOLUME DOWN and the CAMERA button.
4. Run RSD Lite 4.7 as Administrator.
5. Click the '...' next to the filename box and browse to where you saved the .sbf file and double click the .sbf file.
6. Hit start and below it should give you "Completion Progress" information.
7. Once your phone is done being flashed (It may take a while so don't unplug it) it will reboot and you will be back at stock 2.1 no root.

Step B: Rooting The Droid X.

1. Install the Droid X Root Program.
2. Run the program as Administrator, while your Droid X is connected to USB.
3. The program will Present itself with 2 buttons. ROOT ME and UNROOT ME. Obviously, you will select "ROOT ME".
4. Follow the instructions the program gives you. If done correctly, you will have 2.1 rooted.

Step C: Installing A Rooted 2.2 Froyo ROM.

1. Since you are rooted, you can now proceed with preparing for installing 2.2. You will need to go to the market and download "Astro File Manager".
2. Connect your USB on your DX and set to "USB MASS STORAGE". Once done, copy the "Bootstrapper.apk" to a directory on your SD card.
3. While you still have the USB mounted, copy the rooted 2.2 Froyo ROM to the SD card's root. And make sure it's named "update.zip". Then unmount the USB connection.
4. Go to settings > applications and make sure "UNKNOWN SOURCES" is checked.
5. Open Astro File manager and locate the Bootstrapper.apk. Open and install the app.
6. Once installed, it should be in your App menu. Open the app and select "Bootstrap Recovery". Then select "Reboot Recovery".
7. While in recovery, navigate to install zip from sdcard. Install update.zip.
8. Once completed, you should now have Froyo 2.2 with root.

 

[NoKz]

Useful & Informative Links On The Droid X


Here's some more useful information that can be located on DF that might aid in fixing any troubles and answering the most common questions about the Droid X.
​

• Diagnosing & "Unbricking" Your Device (Credit to xlivewire7x)
• Manually Rooting Droid X 2.1 (Credit to Abe21599)

 

[hookbill]

In the event that I get banned; I just want to say in my defense, the above is all public information gathered online. I provide no direct links to the files that have been involved with the Cease & Desist order by Motorola. Therefore, everything should be in compliance with the forum rules.

Nobody is banning somebody for doing a good thing. Thank you for the effort.

 

[BACAbone]

We could always use more good write ups. But needed less claims that u can unbrick imo

 

[1694kyle]

So say I do all this and I'm sitting pretty with 2.2, but i want to go back to 2.1 for an OTA update. If I've got an unthemed 2.1 backup via koush's recovery on my sd, can I just use the bootstapper and go into recovery and install from zip, my backup? Will that take me back to 2.1, or will I need to flash sbf to return to 2.1 and then reinstall bootstrapper and my backup?

 

[NoKz]

We could always use more good write ups. But needed less claims that u can unbrick imo

Thanks. But, if you corrupt your ROM and Recovery, then yes....you're bricked. Using RSD Lite fixes that. Because without RSD Lite, you WOULD be bricked and would have to resort to going back to Verizon. So the claim that it unbricks your phone, is correct.

So say I do all this and I'm sitting pretty with 2.2, but i want to go back to 2.1 for an OTA update. If I've got an unthemed 2.1 backup via koush's recovery on my sd, can I just use the bootstapper and go into recovery and install from zip, my backup? Will that take me back to 2.1, or will I need to flash sbf to return to 2.1 and then reinstall bootstrapper and my backup?

You should be able to restore that backup and update just fine. However, you must remember that you WILL lose root with the update.

 

[1694kyle]

Bricking is circumstantial. If my wife gets the bootloop and I’m not here to flash .sbf then it’s bricked right? She has no clue how to recover the phone. If a dev gets bootloop he’s probably enjoying the experience. So any inoperable error scenario is a potential brick for some user, and as this forum is addressed to all droid users, he has the right to use the term “brick”, because in any case a new user has the potential to harm their phone to the point of “unrecoverable”. That is until they get the knowledge of how to fix it, and then they fall in the category of enjoying their phone without brickphobia.

 

[NoKz]

Bricking has many definitions. In this case, I used it as a way to fix a FUBAR'd Droid X.

 

[BACAbone]

Bricked means just that.... A brick. If my alternator on my car goes out its not totaled... Having to recover or sbf in no way means your phone is bricked

 

[1694kyle]

I'm sorry, but I've never heard someone say their car is totaled when their alternator goes out.

So how do I "Brick" my phone then? Without physically damaging it.

 

[alex1311]

I'm sorry, but I've never heard someone say their car is totaled when their alternator goes out.

So how do I "Brick" my phone then? Without physically damaging it.

Thats his point! It is almost impossible to BRICK a phone without basically physically damaging it. Read this thread as an example.

How to brick my phone?? - xda-developers
Again, a brick is a brick. Completely useless. Beyond ANY recovery. End of story.

 

[1694kyle]

But this term is used/was coined to describe software modification peril. Even in your case phones are repairable. What do you think refurbished phones are. About the only way to achieve your level of bricking is sending the phone through a wood chipper. It’s vernacular of the community. When a computer says a “fatal error” has occurred, my computer doesn’t die and become unusable. It’s still recoverable to some degree in dang near every scenario. Are you going to write Microsoft and tell them to stop using the idiom because It’s ambiguous?

BTW your link was 85% software mods to "brick" the phone, which are repairable by the manufaturer. Phones are made with 0 software and thats pretty bricked if you ask me. A couple of flashes and they are running.

 

[BACAbone]

But this term is used/was coined to describe software modification peril. Even in your case phones are repairable. What do you think refurbished phones are. About the only way to achieve your level of bricking is sending the phone through a wood chipper. It’s vernacular of the community. When a computer says a “fatal error” has occurred, my computer doesn’t die and become unusable. It’s still recoverable to some degree in dang near every scenario. Are you going to write Microsoft and tell them to stop using the idiom because It’s ambiguous?

BTW your link was 85% software mods to "brick" the phone, which are repairable by the manufaturer. Phones are made with 0 software and thats pretty bricked if you ask me. A couple of flashes and they are running.

Brick (electronics)
Seems I'm not the only one who thinks differently

 

[NoKz]

Hey, go debate in somewhere else. This thread is supposed to be informative.

 

[BB1980]

I keep getting a "can't find Droid X Device" error while trying to run the DroidX Root program. The phone is connected to the computer and can be seen by the computer. It is a stock 2.1 at the moment. I click Root Me, and it goes through some drivers and gives the error. Any ideas?

I also, cannot get RSD Lite to flash SPRecovery sbf. RSD Lite is reckognizing the phone as well.
It gives "Failed flashing process. Failed flashing process. Unable to retrieve initialization values from INI file (0x7029). Phone Connected."

I have even uninstalled moto drivers and installed the 4.6.0 that was in your drivers folder with the same results.

EDIT: I DID NOT HAVE USB DEVELOPER MODE TURNED ON ON MY DX! I've got root per your program, but still cannot get RSD Lite to install SPF RECOVERY while in bootloader mode.