Develop Bugs

Thinking about rooting - need some advice

Hey all!
First Nexus device ever here, and I'm loving it! I've long been an amateur tinkerer with Android things (I've been through the Droid X, Bionic, Razr, Razr Maxx, and currently rocking the SGS3; Tablet wise I've had the OG Nook Color pimped out with Cyanogenmod, the HP Touchpad with Android, and more recently an Asus TF201 Transformer Prime).
Needless to say, I'm not completely useless with this type of stuff! I am, however, a little curious as to the rooting / unlocking process.
1) It looks like you need to unlock to root this device? Just double checking because that's new to me. (yes, I already know you lose your data if you do)
2) If I unlock / root but don't change the system files other than the custom recovery, can I still flash the OTAs when they come? I am not currently interested in a custom ROM, and I know I won't actually be PROMPTED for the OTAs if I have a custom recovery, but can I simply sideload the official update .zip and install via TWRP? Or is that impossible? I also understand Voodoo would be necessary (or re-rooting if Voodoo doesn't work on the update)
3) If 2 is impossible, what is the procedure to install official updates while rooted / unlocked?
Sorry for all the questions! Any help is appreciated

Yes. Unlock is needed. But it is sooo easy on Nexus: fastboot oem unlock
Now, with OTAs, I would stick with a stock deodex or odex ROM and just update when your dev updates. Trust me, saves a lot of headache.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

swagstr said:
Yes. Unlock is needed. But it is sooo easy on Nexus: fastboot oem unlock
Now, with OTAs, I would stick with a stock deodex or odex ROM and just update when your dev updates. Trust me, saves a lot of headache.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the quick response! See the thing was, I didn't want to have to have to flash a ROM because I like how quickly Nexus devices get updated and I'm worried it'll be delayed by that process.. I'm not even certain I need to root yet anyway haha..My phone is rooted (mostly for hotspot, wireless adb, etc.), but I've yet to come across a compelling reason to root the N7 in the first place. Can anyone offer some examples?

SJonesGSO said:
Thanks for the quick response! See the thing was, I didn't want to have to have to flash a ROM because I like how quickly Nexus devices get updated and I'm worried it'll be delayed by that process.. I'm not even certain I need to root yet anyway haha..My phone is rooted (mostly for hotspot, wireless adb, etc.), but I've yet to come across a compelling reason to root the N7 in the first place. Can anyone offer some examples?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanium backup. Adblockers. Etc. If you don't got a reason to root. Don't

Here's my Nexus 7 rooting notes (I use fedora linux on my system and root from there):
http://home.comcast.net/~tomhorsley/hardware/nexus7/hacking.html

you are always safe with nexus
all nexus devices have stock images located on google's site and they are flashable in fastboot so you will never be outdated only these methods you will lose your data my suggestion is with whatever you do in your tinkering is back up everything just to be safe and make data recovery a breeze good luck

albundy2010 said:
Titanium backup. Adblockers. Etc. If you don't got a reason to root. Don't
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't use Titanium Backup, and I don't use adblockers on principal (I'm an app developer and make most of my revenue from ad clicks).
At this point, I'm thinking I'm just not going to go through the trouble if I can't think of a specific reason to. Thanks everyone.

There is plenty of ways to root and unlock with AIO's out there but there is no point of really doing it at this moment as there is not that much development for N7-2

I would suggest you do the unlock, even if you don't plan on using custom recovery or rooting at this time.
Otherwise if you find something where you need root or custom recovery for in the future, you'll end up wiping your data then, after everything is set up and you've installed your apps.
Unlocking won't affect your ability to receive OTAs and neither will installing root.
Custom recovery can affect your ability to receive OTAs, but you actually don't need to install custom recovery to root. You can just temporarily boot into twrp or cwm (ie don't write the custom recovery onto your phone) and run the update.zip for SuperSU. Use fastboot boot twrp.img to do a one-time boot into custom recovery.

Need Help - New to this

Hello. I'm pretty terrible at all this rooting stuff (or at least, I only do it once for each android phone I get, and then don't really look into it or stay up to date on all of it afterwards, I just use a few pluses that come along with being rooted).... Anyways, I really do need some help this time, as the confusion has really gotten to me, and I've lacked being able to find some simple answers (probably because they are just THAT simple) on google/reddit/on this forum.
Anyways, I've rooted my phone awhile back, lost it when my verizon pixel auto updated to 7.1.1 (idk how or why, pretty sure I had that disabled with root even, very frustrated) and even attempted to regain root by flashing SU with TWRP, but for some reason SU said I didn't have root still, and eventually just gave up in frustration. But now, my verizon pixel has been shutting off at ~40% battery power, and I read in the google forums that this was patched in the 7.1.2 update for pixels, and it was a software glitch rather than a malfunctioning/bad battery... So now I really want to upgrade to 7.1.2 from 7.1.1 not only to fix the battery/software issue, but also because I really want root.
I have an unlocked bootloader from when i first got my pixel and did this stuff, but now im unrooted on 7.1.1 because of that update awhile back, and want to update to 7.1.2 and root, but I've heard theres issues with rooting on the verizon because of bootloader, but that shoulden't be an issue since I unlocked it already (right? at least, I think? please let me know).
My only question (since i think i'll be able to follow this guide once I get the answer to this) is in the post he says: "Works with 7.1.2 (NJH47F, Aug 2017)".......... but since i have the verizon pixel (small version, not XL), should i be downloading this version: 7.1.2 (NHG47Q, Aug 2017, Verizon).... Or would it just be acceptable to allow my phone to auto download the update i have on it right now? Or must I download the NON verizon version as stated in the post and flash that one? Thanks for the help guys!
Thanks for any help!
-Synk

If your bootloader is actually unlocked then no update that you flash can lock it. The people that were having problems on Verizon had phones where the OEM Unlock option was there and then after a Verizon update was greyed out. But those people didn't have unlocked bootloaders. Once the bootloader on the phone is unlocked Verizon can't lock it again.
The Pixel phone isn't really a good one to root once and then forget about it because sometimes the instructions change--people needed to flash a boot signature file one month to maintain root but didn't need to do it anymore the following month. Sometimes a particular version of SU stops working after an update and you have to download a newer version. The Pixel isn't like a Nexus where flashing and rooting was simple and easy.
I don't know of any reason you wouldn't be able to root after flashing a Verizon image as long as your bootloader is unlocked but someone with experience rooting a Verizon phone would be better able to answer that.

jhs39 said:
If your bootloader is actually unlocked then no update that you flash can lock it. The people that were having problems on Verizon had phones where the OEM Unlock option was there and then after a Verizon update was greyed out. But those people didn't have unlocked bootloaders. Once the bootloader on the phone is unlocked Verizon can't lock it again.
The Pixel phone isn't really a good one to root once and then forget about it because sometimes the instructions change--people needed to flash a boot signature file one month to maintain root but didn't need to do it anymore the following month. Sometimes a particular version of SU stops working after an update and you have to download a newer version. The Pixel isn't like a Nexus where flashing and rooting was simple and easy.
I don't know of any reason you wouldn't be able to root after flashing a Verizon image as long as your bootloader is unlocked but someone with experience rooting a Verizon phone would be better able to answer that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you so much for the explanation. Truly, it's actually crazy how I was unable to find all of this neatly, nicely, and simply stated. Great to hear, I'm going to go on rooting, here's to hoping I don't blow it up.

unlocking bootloader and rooting.

So I just got the pixel xl 128 gb from Google because my nexus 6p had the battery issue. Just got this sucker turned on and I realized it is still on April security patch with 7.1.2. Now I am Verizon but didn't get it from a Verizon store so this should be unlockable correct? Where is the easiest method to unlock and flash twrp? I used magisk systemless on the 6p. Noticed pixel is a different beast. Can someone help me or at least guide me to the correct places since everything is so buried now with android O out and stuff. Thank you!

https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/6p-refuge-pixel-xl-mail-t3670556/page2
Refugees over here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/6p-refuge-pixel-xl-mail-t3670556/page2
You should be ok with unlocked device from Google.
Magisk method doesn't work yet on PixeXL...coming soon.
We also don't have a flashable TWRP for Oreo. Guess we have to fastboot into it.
There seem to be 2 threads in this Guide form detailing unlock/root for Oreo. Haven't figured out which one to use yet.

akenis said:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/6p-refuge-pixel-xl-mail-t3670556/page2
Refugees over here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/6p-refuge-pixel-xl-mail-t3670556/page2
You should be ok with unlocked device from Google.
Magisk method doesn't work yet on PixeXL...coming soon.
We also don't have a flashable TWRP for Oreo. Guess we have to fastboot into it.
There seem to be 2 threads in this Guide form detailing unlock/root for Oreo. Haven't figured out which one to use yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya everything is much different. I'm avoiding the update as I hope I can unlock the bootloader and root on 7.1.2 thank you though!

theDK10 said:
Ya everything is much different. I'm avoiding the update as I hope I can unlock the bootloader and root on 7.1.2 thank you though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just throw the switch and then do what you want. The update has nothing to do with it.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers Legacy app

theDK10 said:
So I just got the pixel xl 128 gb from Google because my nexus 6p had the battery issue. Just got this sucker turned on and I realized it is still on April security patch with 7.1.2. Now I am Verizon but didn't get it from a Verizon store so this should be unlockable correct? Where is the easiest method to unlock and flash twrp? I used magisk systemless on the 6p. Noticed pixel is a different beast. Can someone help me or at least guide me to the correct places since everything is so buried now with android O out and stuff. Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This guide is the easiest to follow.
I am in the same boat as you and after some researching it's fairly straight forward. Don't root or flash a kernel via fastboot, that is the outdated method, use TWRP.
Follow the guide. The biggest thing is flashing RC2. Magisk isn't working, don't even bother with it until it's updated, use SuperSU for the time being. From what I've read Magisk is close to being done.
When flashing ROMs or anything via twrp, keep an eye on which slot is active (go to reboot in twrp, it will tell you which slot is active) If you flash something and it boots back to twrp, reboot into the other slot and try restarting the system.
The biggest thing is to not mess with installing/flashing stuff when you're not around a computer you can use fastboot on. You might get stuck with a non-booting phone or not have TWRP to boot into and would need to fastboot into the RC1.img

How to root Google fi pixel 2 xl?

Is there a how to on rooting the pixel 2 xl for Google fi yet? Also a how to on enabling the built in call recording function? Thanks

This might depend on whether you bought from Google or Verizon (edit: just noticed you said Project Fi 2 XL). I've heard Verizon locks down the bootloader.
But even if your bootloader is unlockable, I think it still takes some time. The most important part is to have a recovery image that you can install on your phone to allow you to install anything from the menu. The developers of TWRP (or your preferred recovery) have to build that for the phone. I'm not sure if it's the case, but they may need access to the required open source bits to build it (like kernel source), and usually that's released shortly after the phone is.
After that, I think you can just install your SU apk of choice, unless they need to customize that on a per-phone basis as well.

I remember reading a long time ago, there is a file you change from a 0 to 1 in google that turns on the native call recording feature. I've got my phone unlocked now. I can't remember if it requires root or not to enable that simple feature. Does anyone here know? If so, where is that file and variable I have to edit? Thanks

Right now we cannot root yet, because of 2 reasons. If either of these were not the case we'd be able to root
1) Google has not released factory images for these phones yet. When they do, we will be able to root our phones without a custom recovery using the newest version of Magisk.
2) There is no custom recovery for our phones yet. When this is available, we can flash either SuperSU or Magisk in recovery to root.
Both rooting options above would require an unlocked bootloader of course.
ElementalWindX said:
I remember reading a long time ago, there is a file you change from a 0 to 1 in google that turns on the native call recording feature. I've got my phone unlocked now. I can't remember if it requires root or not to enable that simple feature. Does anyone here know? If so, where is that file and variable I have to edit? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe a build.prop feature? If so, yes, that would require root, or custom recovery (you could technically modify this file in recovery without rooting)

BUT, since rooting requires an unlocked boot loader AND unlocking wipes your device, might as well unlock as soon as you can.

The first thing I do when I get a new phone is unlocked bootloader, then it can Rock!

I thought the newer versions of SuperSU can be applied from factory recovery.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Colchiro said:
BUT, since rooting requires an unlocked boot loader AND unlocking wipes your device, might as well unlock as soon as you can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since my first Android phone (Motorola Atrix 4G) back in 2011, the first thing I do when I receive the phone is to unlock the bootloader. Then I wait for the root to arrive.

abuttino said:
I thought the newer versions of SuperSU can be applied from factory recovery.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It can but that wasn't built for the Pixel 2 and you might brick it..

Well, that sucks. I hope that ChainFire will update SuperSU one or two more more times before he actually leaves.
I believe he's still consulting for now but, I hope he takes the ropes of the last phones of 2017.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

New Pixel 2 XL owner, questions concerning OTA updates, unlocked bootloader, etc.

Hi guys, I finally decided to replace my good old Galaxy S7 edge and I came to the conclusion that I wanted, after using Samsung, OnePlus and Sony phones for years, the most streamlined Android experience possible without having to deal with OEM bloat, delayed updates, etc. anymore.
Result: I made the most obvious choice and I got an unlocked white 128GB Pixel 2 XL from the Google Store directly (I can't wait to receive it!).
I have a few questions though...
1) Will unlocking the bootloader alone (without actually rooting the phone) cause OTA updates to fail?
2) It's now possible to root your phone with Magisk without installing a custom Recovery (TWRP). Once installed, Magisk allows you to temporarily restore the stock, unrooted "boot.img". Is it enough for OTA updates to install properly or will they fail as soon as Magisk has been installed, even if the stock boot.img has been restored?
3) Does the Pixel 2 have an "e-fuse" that will get triggered once the bootloader is unlocked that will cause features to not work properly anymore, like on Samsung phones?
4) Any other recommendations or things I should be aware of?
Thanks guys

Only other thing I would read up on is how to work around the whole dual slots "feature" that these Pixel phones have. The last couple times I've tried to update to the latest security update, I get a "your device is corrupt and cannot be trusted" message and the phone won't boot. I end up have to scramble to flash stock boot.img to both slots A and B, flash the factory image to both slots, and hold my breath as to whether or not it's going to work. I wish there was an idiot's guide to updating firmware for this phone. Everyone that posts on this subject has a different opinion on how to do it properly. Going form any given security update rooted with Magisk, how does one update to the next month's firmware, without temporarily bricking the phone or wiping data? I've been unlocking phones and flashing custom roms since before Android was even invented. So I'm no stranger to this stuff, but it has become quite a production to keep up to date with this stuff.

Phazonclash said:
Hi guys, I finally decided to replace my good old Galaxy S7 edge and I came to the conclusion that I wanted, after using Samsung, OnePlus and Sony phones for years, the most streamlined Android experience possible without having to deal with OEM bloat, delayed updates, etc. anymore.
Result: I made the most obvious choice and I got an unlocked white 128GB Pixel 2 XL from the Google Store directly (I can't wait to receive it!).
I have a few questions though...
1) Will unlocking the bootloader alone (without actually rooting the phone) cause OTA updates to fail?
2) It's now possible to root your phone with Magisk without installing a custom Recovery (TWRP). Once installed, Magisk allows you to temporarily restore the stock, unrooted "boot.img". Is it enough for OTA updates to install properly or will they fail as soon as Magisk has been installed, even if the stock boot.img has been restored?
3) Does the Pixel 2 have an "e-fuse" that will get triggered once the bootloader is unlocked that will cause features to not work properly anymore, like on Samsung phones?
3) Any other recommendations or things I should be aware of?
Thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To answer your questions.....
1. No
2. Yes. But you'll have to unroot and completely uninstall magisk to take the OTA.
3. No
4. There are several guides to explain how to unlock the bootloader, install twrp, kernels, and root. Let me know if you'd like links, or you can search on your own if you'd like. Welcome to the P2XL. We hope you enjoy your stay ??