I’m using the following tools:

android-sdk-linux-1.5r3

cm-hero-recovery.img

fastboot

su

superuser.apk

First step is to install the sdk, I’ve installed it in ~/bin/android-sdk

and I have added the tools folder to my PATH.

I’ve copied fastboot, recovery.img, su and superuser to the tools folder.

Shut the phone down and turn it on by pressing both the powerbutton and the back button.

The phone booted a fastboot bootscreen and I plugged in the usb-cable and ran:

fastboot device

(should return you phones productcode if everything is working)

And then

fastboot boot <path-to>/cm-hero-recovery.img

This boots the the phone with the recoveryimage, I used this oppetunity to make a backup by choosing nandroid backup.

It makes a snapshot of the filesystem on the sdCard and can be used like this to recover your phones original software:

fastboot flash boot <path-to>/boot.img

fastboot flash system <path-to>/system.img

fastboot flash userdata <path-to>/data.img

fastboot reboot

The above steps are “just” prep. Now to actally root the bastard 😉

The adb-tool sends commands and files to the phone, I did this:

adb shell mount /system

adb push su /system/bin/

adb shell chmod 4755 /system/bin/su

adb push Superuser.apk /system/app/

adb shell reboot

….waiting for the phone to boot

Then I do:

adb devices

(to make sure the phone is talking with my computer)

adb shell

su

(Click Always allow on the phone)

All the above keyboardgymnastics was to get paid apps in Market, this will help me do just that:

MarketEnabler

I’m considering rooting my HTC Hero. My first step is to make sure that I can make a backup of my current image and how to make sure I doesn’t brick my phone. But my research so far indicates that the backup shouldn’t be a problem 🙂

More will follow