My question is about systemless root. Has any effort been done to get that working on the Z00A?
Systemless root is normally created for Nexus devices where their bootloader detects system partition if it's modified or not, then prevents the end user from booting. Later discovered that systemless root is also able to not trip Knox or break OTA support on Samsung devices.
Systemless root isn't useful on our device, because our bootloader detects kernel and recovery and prevents the end user from booting if these files are unsigned unless the bootloader is unlocked.
Sent from my GT-I9500
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After some vigorous searching I've found out that if you don't modify the boot loader then you should be okay receiving OTA updates. I'd like to root my nexus 7 so I can run some apps that require root access. I've looked at many methods on how to root the nexus 7, but from my noob understanding, the majority of these methods require unlocking the boot loader and getting TWRP recovery. Won't that mess up the OTA? I've searched a couple threads but I don't necessarily understand the difference between an unlocked boot loader and a rooted device. The reason I still want to have OTA updates is so that I can still update android and so on.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and help guys!
Pickle_Jr;4f86 said:
After some vigorous searching I've found out that if you don't modify the boot loader then you should be okay receiving OTA updates. I'd like to root my nexus 7 so I can run some apps that require root access. I've looked at many methods on how to root the nexus 7, but from my noob understanding, the majority of these methods require unlocking the boot loader and getting TWRP recovery. Won't that mess up the OTA? I've searched a couple threads but I don't necessarily understand the difference between an unlocked boot loader and a rooted device. The reason I still want to have OTA updates is so that I can still update android and so on.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and help guys!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On this platform, at this time, you need to unlock the bootloader to install root.
You don't need to flash/install twrp if you don't want to, but you need to boot into twrp temporarily to install the root files.
Even if you install twrp rather than boot into it temporarily, it won't cause your ota to fail.
The things that cause the ota to fail are
1) modifying or deleting any files with your root permissions
This includes root apps which do things you might not realize
2) installing custom kernel
3) installing earlier version of supersu
sfhub said:
On this platform, at this time, you need to unlock the bootloader to install root.
You don't need to flash/install twrp if you don't want to, but you need to boot into twrp temporarily to install the root files.
Even if you install twrp rather than boot into it temporarily, it won't cause your ota to fail.
The things that cause the ota to fail are
1) modifying or deleting any files with your root permissions
This includes root apps which do things you might not realize
2) installing custom kernel
3) installing earlier version of supersu
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Thanks! So if I understand correctly, as long as I be careful about what root apps I have as well as have a newer (newest) version of SuperSU installed I'll be okay? I'm assuming I'll lose root when I get an OTA update but hopefully when the time comes, there'll be a way to root android 4.4 when the n7 get's it as well. And if something goes wrong I guess I could just unroot, factory reset, and update OTA that way too. Thanks for the help!
Pickle_Jr said:
Awesome! Thanks! So if I understand correctly, as long as I be careful about what root apps I have as well as have a newer (newest) version of SuperSU installed I'll be okay?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
For example, if you freeze a stock app in titanium, that is ok, but if you remove a stock app, then an OTA will likely fail.
If you use stickmount, it modifies a system file and backs it up, then restores it when it is done, but sometimes that gets out of sync, in which case the OTA fails.
There are other examples.
Pickle_Jr said:
I'm assuming I'll lose root when I get an OTA update but hopefully when the time comes, there'll be a way to root android 4.4 when the n7 get's it as well. And if something goes wrong I guess I could just unroot, factory reset, and update OTA that way too. Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you install root through the stock recovery, you'll lose root permissions (but the files will still be there). Just re-root using the existing procedure.
If you want to save a step, boot into TWRP to install the OTA (which you download manually) and then "chain" install the OTA, then the root install files.
This way, you lose root for half a second until the 2nd install file in the chain runs. Essentially you won't lose root (or won't notice losing root) because the first time you boot into 4.4, you'll have root.
I want to root my nexus 7 .Its on 4.4.4 kitkat right now. I have rooted many devices before like samsung galaxy ace,s2,fit and micromax etc using one click root softwares (https://www.oneclickroot.com), through flashing a rooting file and have never encountered a problem. They needed a single click and never needed a clean wipe or unlocking bootloader. Is it possible to do something like that with my nexus.
I have come across a thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2233852
but i think it is for an older version of nexus 7.
is towelroot safe?
Need advice. Thank you.
Short answer: TowelRoot is safe but grants no control over root as it gives root permission to all apps that require it.
Long answer and tip: First remember that if you in future want to flash a factory image, it is required to unlock the bootloader and also if u want to update the Android version via OTA , it will fail as the system partition will be modified and OTA does not like that. When I bought my Nexus 7 2013 WiFi (a.k.a Flo) last year I have rooted using TowelRoot without unlocking the bootloader and it ran for 2 weeks flawlessly, so I say it is safe in a way. But TowelRoot does not give you any control over the apps or services that request root access as it grants them access without asking I did not like that so I have unlocked the bootloader (which completely wiped all apps, data and files from my Nexus 7 2013 as this is normal because unlocking also performs a factory reset) and flashed a new factory image of 4.4.4 just to be sure I got TowelRoot removed and rooted using Wug's Nexus Root Toolkit with SuperSU so I have control over the root granting or denying. My advice is root with TowelRoot , then backup all your apps using Titanium Backup and all your storage files that you need, to your PC, then unlock the bootloader and root with SuperSU so you have control over root, using Nexus Root Toolkit ( it has fantastic instructions and it's super easy to use and understand and install adb drivers). If you ever want to flash a custom ROM, you need an unlocked bootloader to flash TWRP recovery and the custom ROM and/or custom kernel of choice through it. Also flashing a factory image requires unlocked bootloader as I specified in the beginning of the post.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
idCyber said:
Short answer: TowelRoot is safe but grants no control over root as it gives root permission to all apps that require it.
Long answer and tip: First remember that if you in future want to flash a factory image, it is required to unlock the bootloader and also if u want to update the Android version via OTA , it will fail as the system partition will be modified and OTA does not like that. When I bought my Nexus 7 2013 WiFi (a.k.a Flo) last year I have rooted using TowelRoot without unlocking the bootloader and it ran for 2 weeks flawlessly, so I say it is safe in a way. But TowelRoot does not give you any control over the apps or services that request root access as it grants them access without asking I did not like that so I have unlocked the bootloader (which completely wiped all apps, data and files from my Nexus 7 2013 as this is normal because unlocking also performs a factory reset) and flashed a new factory image of 4.4.4 just to be sure I got TowelRoot removed and rooted using Wug's Nexus Root Toolkit with SuperSU so I have control over the root granting or denying. My advice is root with TowelRoot , then backup all your apps using Titanium Backup and all your storage files that you need, to your PC, then unlock the bootloader and root with SuperSU so you have control over root, using Nexus Root Toolkit ( it has fantastic instructions and it's super easy to use and understand and install adb drivers). If you ever want to flash a custom ROM, you need an unlocked bootloader to flash TWRP recovery and the custom ROM and/or custom kernel of choice through it. Also flashing a factory image requires unlocked bootloader as I specified in the beginning of the post.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you. Got just about every bit of information i needed.
and i believe i can unroot using this wug toolkit as well?
Now do you root a HTC 10. Will you still be able to download system updates.
Osakpa said:
Now do you root a HTC 10. Will you still be able to download system updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting doesn't affect your ability to take OTAs. It's what you do AFTER you root that will impact OTA. Any modifications to System partition will break OTA. The modification can be as simple as just mounting system as read-write, as opposed to leaving it read-only.
Modifying system partition while using the unmodified stock kernel (we think) will also trip verity mode logging which will cause the you to get an error that system is corrupt when you go to check for OTA.
The TWRP FAQ (second post) has all the info you need regarding root and restoring your ability to ota.
Additional information regarding how to fix verity mode logging can be found here
Obviously, if you root and use only systemless exploits and never mount system as read-write, you should never break your ability to OTA. But, that's a lot easier said than done.
jollywhitefoot said:
Obviously, if you root and use only systemless exploits and never mount system as read-write, you should never break your ability to OTA. But, that's a lot easier said than done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Magisk makes it super simple.
I have magisk'd phhh super-su, xposed, and now Dolby Atmos (that I converted to magisk), all still playing well enough together to so that at least android pay works. I won't know about OTA's until the next dev/unlocked one which could possibly just be N.
Without a custom recovery, and without an updated suhide, is it possible to trick SafetyNet into working?
I'm running the latest ElementalX kernel, which worked while I was not rooted, because it disabled the unlocked bootloader check, but once I rooted, the response validation fails.
While we wait for a custom recovery, is there a way to hide root with a kernel modification or some other method?
Not that I know of because when you go to root using the fastboot boot boot-to-root.img image that Chainfire provides all it's doing is modifying the current boot image so whatever modification that was done to, say, ElementalX kernel (I'm using Sharky myself) it basically modifies something else or conflicts with a modification that will cause the SafetyNet check to fail with no way to work around it. So you will either have a working SafetyNet or you won't depending on what's more important to you. (I'm assuming you're concern about SafetyNet because of Android Pay so it basically comes down to what's more important: Android Pay or root). Don't think that will change any time soon unless there's a major breakthrough on getting a custom recovery and start seeing roms with su cooked in that allows for bypassing SafetyNet.
Hi
I'm currently running a fully stock (used to be running 6.0, then 5.0, then rooted + twrp then fulmics.... before discovering that safetynet didn't like that) and was wondering if there is a way to get root without having safetynet detecting anything, on either 5.x or 6.x
I've seen suggestions to install TWRP and then flash a systemless supersu or magisk, but in order to install TWRP, I need to be rooted, plus I think (?) having TWRP installed would trigger safetynet, but don't quote me on that.
I've been thinking about whether it's possible to set up root methods like this or this install supersu systemlessly, but I don't understand enough to be able to do that by myself.
edit: bootloader is locked... I'm not sure you can unlock it?
Thanks for any help
Max