How to root the Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 and flash ClockworkMod Recovery

Custom ROMs are the way to go if you want to explore the custom features available. Before you can do that, you have to gain root access and install custom recovery on your phone for easy flashing. XDA Developers member shabbypenguin was kind enough to share with us  how to root the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT987 and how to install ClockworkMod Recovery on it afterwards.
For more info about rooting, you can consult our beginner’s guide to rooting your Android device. Meanwhile, ClockworkMod Recovery is a custom recovery that allows you to easily flash custom ROMs and other customizations via ZIP files. The tool also lets you perform other functions such as wiping partitions, easily backing up and restoring data, and more. It’s a faster and easier way to install customizations on your phone compared to the Odin method.
This guide shows you how to root the Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 and flash ClockworkMod Recovery.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE, model number XT897. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 with an unlocked bootloader.
  • You can unlock your phone’s bootloader via Motorola’s official support site.
• Android SDK installed on your PC.  Check out our guide on how to install the Android SDK (Software Development Kit).
• Enable USB Debugging on your phone. Go to Setting > Developer Options and tick the USB debugging option.
• Download the following files:
  • ClockworkMod Recovery image (cwmrecovery.img, 6.5 MB).
  • SuperSU app (SuperSU-v0.94+.zip, 659 kB).
• Make sure your device’s battery still has at least 70% power. You don’t want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. Copy cwmrecovery.img into the same folder where fastboot.exe is located.
2. Copy the SuperSU ZIP package to your phone’s SD card.
3. Turn off your phone.
4. Enter Bootloader Mode by holding the Volume Down, Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time. Select AP fastboot.
5. Connect your phone to your PC via a USB cable.
6. Open a command prompt from the Android SDK platform-tools folder with Windows explorer.
   • You can do this by holding down Shift on your keyboard, right-clicking with your mouse, and selecting Open command window here.
7. Type in the following commands and press Enter on your keyboard after each command.
   • Type fastboot devices to check if your phone has been recognized by your PC. If successful, it should respond with your phone’s serial number.
   • Type fastboot flash recovery cwmrecovery.img to install ClockworkMod Recovery.
8. Enter Bootloader Mode again then select Recovery to boot into ClockworkMod Recovery.
9. In ClockworkMod Recovery, do the following:
   1. Select Install ZIP from SD card > Choose ZIP from SD card > Select the SuperSU file.
   2. Once installed, select Go Back and select Reboot System Now.

Congratulations! You have rooted your Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE XT897 and installed ClockworkMod Recovery. Enjoy flashing custom ROMs, mods, kernels, and more on your device.