How to root, S-OFF and install custom recovery on HTC Desire A8181 running Gingerbread 2.3.3

After you have upgraded your HTC Desire A8181 to Gingerbread 2.3.3, you might want to root it, S-OFF it and install custom recovery on it. There is one method to do that at once, here is the steps :

• First if you haven’t installed HTC driver, download it here or mirror and install it


• Download Superuser-3.0.7-efgh-signed.zip from here or mirror


• Power on the phone then go to Settings->Connect to PC, set Default connection type to Charge Only and unthick Ask me option


• Go to Settings->Applications->Development and thick USB Debugging option


• Make sure your phone have internet connection either by wifi connection or by mobile data


• Connect HTC Desire A8181 to PC (install driver if asked and driver should be installed as adb devices)


• Open web browser (ie firefox or chrome or Internet explore, etc) and go to http://revolutionary.io


• Scroll down until you see download link and then click it (new form to generate beta key will appear)

[caption id="attachment_291" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Download revolutionary-0.4pre4.zip and generate beta key"][/caption]

• Save revolutionary-0.4pre4.zip and extract it.


• Do not close the browser! this is important because generated beta key will be valid only if downloaded revolutionary-0.4pre4.zip and beta key generator form has same session/code. in other words, if you close the browser and run revolutionary.exe then you open browser again to generate key, it will be invalid beta key. So how to make it works? it's simple, just download again revolutionary-0.4pre4.zip, don't close browser, extract zip, run exe and generate beta key.


• Open revolutionary.exe, wait until it detect your phone and show your device information (model,HBOOT version and serial number).


• Switch to browser, fill all required field in beta key generator form. Fill as exactly readed from revolutionary.exe and then click Generate Key


• Mark the generated Beta key, right click on it then copy


• Back to revolutionary.exe, and paste your Beta key (you can not paste it inside command prompt like revolutionary.exe, you have to right click on the top bar at the text showing path to your revolutionary.exe and click paste or  edit->paste) then hit ENTER


• Rooting, S-OFFing and installing custom recovery process will be started.


• In the middle of the process you will be asked if you want to install custom recovery, answer y then hit ENTER since custom recovery is needed to install Superuser-3.0.7-efgh-signed.zip (internet connection is needed)


• After process finished, your phone will have S-OFF and Revolutionary CWM v4.0.1.4 installed, but not rooted yet

[caption id="attachment_292" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="HTC Desire A8181 S-OFF and custom recovery installed"][/caption]

• Now it's time to root your  HTC Desire A8181


• Power off your phone


• Copy Superuser-3.0.7-efgh-signed.zip to root directory of sdcard


• put back sdcard into phone


• Boot your HTC Desire A8181 into recovery mode by pressing and holing Volume Down button + Power On button


• Select Recovery then press Power On button to enter Revolutionary CWM v4.0.1.4

[caption id="attachment_293" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="HTC Desire A8181 Revolutionary CWM v4.0.1.4"][/caption]

• Select "install zip from sdcard" (navigate using Volume button and or select using trackball button)


• Select choose zip from sdcard


• Select Superuser-3.0.7-efgh-signed.zip


• Wait until process finished


• Press back button then select reboot system now


• Congratulations, your HTC Desire A8181 running Gingerbread 2.3.3 has been rooted now, S-OFF ed and installed custom recovery also.

[caption id="attachment_294" align="aligncenter" width="180" caption="Superuser installed on HTC Desire A8181 running Gingbread 2.3.3"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_295" align="aligncenter" width="180" caption="Absolute System Root Tools granted superuser permission on HTC Desire A8181 running Gingbread 2.3.3"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_296" align="aligncenter" width="180" caption="HTC Desire A8181 running Gingerbread 2.3.3"][/caption]