Caveat(Edit)

Note: This is currently a total scratchpad area at this time.

It is my first install, and I am doing everything exactly by the book. Hopefully on my second time I can write this better. For now, I can only provide vague ideas.

Process Overview(Edit)

1. Download a ton of little bits.
1. adb (Android Debug Bridge) - very important. Once you enable Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging, you can plug the phone in and push/pull files, start a shell, etc.
2. The exploit - This will vary from version to version of Android's OS + vendor setup. I tried several, unsuccessfully, for my HTC Inspire.
3. The ROM - CyanogenMod, etc. This will be the new software for the phone once you root it.
4. Other various parts.
2. Create a "goldcard", though I am still not sure what this special SD card does - http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/Howto:_Create_a_Goldcard
1. This link is Windows-only. My suspicion is that you could accomplish this with dd if=goldcard.img of=/dev/sda1 #...but it needs to be tested. TODO
3. Downgrade the firmware to a crackable version. At the time of the writing of the docs, it was 1.32.405.6 - http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/AT%26T_Inspire_4G:_Firmware_Downgrade_%28Gingerbread%29
4. Root - Some kind of exploit (depends on the specific phone/OS/etc.) that will give you full superuser powers over your phone.
5. S-OFF - "S-OFF means that the NAND portion of the device is unlocked and can be written to." - http://www.addictivetips.com/mobile/what-is-s-off-how-to-gain-it-on-htc-android-phones-with-unrevoked-forever/
6. ClockworkMod Recovery - "ClockworkMod – also known as Clockwork and CWM – is a custom recovery for Android phones and tablets that allows you to perform several advanced recovery, restoration, installation and maintenance operations on your Android device that aren’t possible with the stock recovery." - http://www.clockworkmod.com/
7. Engineering HBoot - ...
8. Flash Cyanogenmod (or whatever other ROM you choose)

Failed Attempts(Edit)

Both of these fail at the psneuter step, saying: "Failed to set prot mask (Inappropriate ioctl for device)"

• http://www.androidauthority.com/how-to-root-att-inspire-4g-20535/ (incomplete instructions, bad download links)
• http://wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/HTC_Ace:_Rooting_%26_CyanogenMod (better, but still didn't work immediately)

The Solution(Edit)

Not only is this a working way, it is a well-done, easy solution that does

all of the above steps in one shot.

The Advanced Android Hack Kit - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1259821

Works on Windows, Linux, and OSX.