Video: Flashing SPRecovery SBF to Stock 2.1

Less than a week after the DroidMod team ruffled some feathers with their announcement that a real 2.1 root exploit would likely never be found, they come through with a method that’s almost as easy.  The process involves using RSD Lite and the flashing of an SBF file (which you might be shuttering at), but is only changing the recovery image of your phone and as far as I know, is much less risky than flashing the full 2.0.1 SBF which was previously mentioned.  Let me try to explain this.

If you go through with the process I’ve outlined below and in video, your phone will NOT be rooted, but will have SPRecovery installed instead of the stock Droid recovery.  So why is this good news?  Because SPRecovery will allow you to flash a 2.1 custom ROM which will give you 2.1 root access.  That make sense?

Recap: This process will NOT give you root access to 2.1, but will allow you to get there much easier than previous instructions.  When we are finished, this process will give you the opportunity to flash a custom ROM which will in turn, give you root access.  (Yay!)  Now please read the warning.

*Warning* – The process we are about to layout is extremely risky.  If you choose to do this, we are not liable should you brick your phone or cause any sort of permanent damage.  If you do harm to your phone, please do not email us asking for help as you have already been warned and accept all risk involved. Cheers!

Initial steps…

1.  Download the SPRecovery SBF:  SPRecovery_ESE81.sbf
2.  Place the file somewhere other than your desktop.
3.  DO NOT RENAME OR ATTEMPT TO UNZIP OR ANYTHING.

Video instructions…

Step-by-step instructions…

1.  Remember this post?  Well we’re back to it only simplifying.
2.  Download your correct Motorola USB drivers and install.  (32-bit)  (64-bit)
3.  Download and install RSD Lite 4.6.  Link to download at this post.
4.  Connect your phone to USB and turn it off.
5.  Open RSD Lite (run as administrator).
6.  Slide open your keyboard, hold up on the d-pad, then the power button for 5 seconds and release.

Your phone should then boot to a black screen which is your bootloader.

7.  Click the … next to the filename box and browse to where you saved the SPRecover_ESE81.sbf file.
8.  Double click and open the file.
9.  Click “start” and allow the SPRecovery SBF to flash.  This should not take long.
10.  Allow for your phone to reboot and for RSD Lite to show that you are 100% and completed.
11.  Close RSD Lite and disconnect your phone.  You are done.

What about root and custom ROMs?

Your phone is now still sitting at official stock 2.1, but has SPRecovery as your recovery image.  This is great news as it will allow us to install a 2.1 custom ROM with root access.  If you are familiar with flashing ROMs manually in SPRecovery, go for it!

For instructions on how to install a custom 2.1 rooted ROM, visit this post.