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Root, Backup Apps+Data and Install Cyanogenmod 7 Gingerbread on G2/Vision Phone

Posted in Android, Featured, Mobile By rajivvishwa On March 28, 2011

This post explains about rooting a Tmobile G2/HTC Vision and then installing Cyanogenmod 7 (Gingerbread) while retaining the apps and data that were in use with stock ROM. Entire process from rooting till installation of Cyanogenmod should not take more than half an hour.

Root Your G2

1. Install Terminal Emulator and a file manager (such as Astro File Manager) from the Market.
2. Extract the contents of the zip file (Download from XDA site / here) to the SD card (this will create a directory called root_files on the card). When done, make sure you unmount your SD card from your computer if you had mounted it as a storage device to transfer the files.
3. Enable Unknown Sources (under Settings->Applications) and USB Debugging (under Settings->Applications->Development).
4. Using your file manager, navigate to the root_files directory on your SD card and select “com.modaco.visionaryplus.r14.apk” to install the Visionary app.
5. Start the Visionary app and click on “Temproot now.” Leave all other settings unchecked.
6. Start the Terminal app and type the following commands (the $ and # symbols represent the command prompt and should not be typed):

$ su
# cp /sdcard/root_files/perm_root /data/local/perm_root
# chmod 777 /data/local/*
# /data/local/perm_root

Select Temproot now in Visionary

Temp Root in progress via Visionary Plus

Perm Root commands

Perm Root execution in progress

You will see multiple messages scroll by as the programs run. Once you are returned to the prompt in terminal, you will have permanent root (S-OFF), as well as subsidy unlock and SuperCID.

Steps to Backup Installed Apps + Data to SD card (using Titanium Backup)

1. Install Titanium Backup from Market (free version would do the job, though it will take only one version of backup).
2. Make sure the latest / good version of BusyBox is installed (hit the “Problems” button lower right in Titanium home screen)
3. Un-check “Auto-sync TB settings” under Preferences
4. Only Run “Backup all user apps” under ‘Batch’.
5. Titanium takes a backup of app and user data to SDCard.

Batch backup

Steps to Backup Stock ROM to SD card (Using Clockworkmod Recovery)

1. Install ROM Manager from Market (free version)
2. Open ROM Manager and select ‘Flash ClockworkMod Recovery’. Confirm the phone model and wait until flash operation is complete.
3. Now ‘Select Reboot to Recovery Option’.
4. In Recovery console, scroll to ‘backup/restore’ (Trackpad button to scroll and select, Power button to go back) and then select ‘backup’ to initiate stock ROM backup process. (It will take 5-10 mins).
5. Once the backup is complete you will be redirected back to recovery console.
6. (Optional: copy Titanium backup folder & Clockworkmod backup folder form the SDCard root folder to your PC, just in case)

Flashing Clockworkmod Recovery

Rom Manager Requesting for SuperUser access

Recovery Console

Backup in Progress

Backup Complete

Install Custom ROM – Cyanogenmod 7 based on Gingerbread

1. Download the latest Cyanogenmod ROM zip file for G2 from here.
2. Download Google Apps bundle from here. Its recommended to keep the zip on the root of SDCard.
3. Copy the zip file to Sdcard root directory. Unmount Sdcard from computer.
4. On your phone recovery console select wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache partition and Advanced > ‘Wipe Dalvik cache’. (Ensure that this step is complete before proceeding ahead).
5. Now select the option ‘install zip from sdcard’ and choose cyanogenmod 7 zip that was copied earlier.

Wipe Cache, data ans Select Cyanogen zip from sdcard

Cyanogen Boot Screen

G2 with Honeycomb Theme

Install Google Apps

1. In recovery console select ‘install zip from sdcard’ and choose the google apps zip file. Reboot the device.

Note: Now Cyanogenmod bootloader will be displayed. It might take one or two minutes to boot to the new OS. My phone started looping through the boot screen and the home screen. If that happens reboot your device once or twice.

Restore Backed-up Apps + Data via Titanium Backup

1. Install Titanium Backup from Market.
2. After opening Titanium, selectively restore apps from the “Restore all apps with data” (these will only be user apps per 3. above) by selecting this batch operation and un-checking the apps I do not want to restore via Titanium prior to running the batch operation (by default all apps will be selected). You can also select here to restore just the app, app + data, or just data.

Restore Apps and Data

Content extracted from

• xda-developers (link), g2hacks (link1, link2), addictivetips (link1, link2)

CyanogenMod 7 Info
App Name	CyanogenMod 7
License	free
Type	code
App URL
More Info	link