Develop Bugs

Rooting & Rom'ing

Okay, I think I know the answer to this question, so forgive me. Just want to be sure before I go blow $500.
For the Nexus devices, regardless of the carrier, we'll be able to root them and ROM them as well as install new Kernel's because the bootloaders will be unlocked?
If that's correct please say so. If it's only partially correct, please explain it all to me.
Disgruntled Verizon User with a S6 Edge
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

Yes, its easy as pie.

nexuses are always devs favorites...

@mrbigdrawsz As a fellow Verizon user, I know exactly were your coming from. And yes since this is a nexus device coming directly from Google and not being sold or touched by Verizon, it will be good to go for all your rooting, ROM'ing, Bootloader unlocking, and custom kernel needs.

Yes! Though I am not sure about the Pixel C. I am wondering if Google giving products the Pixel name means they lock them down? Sorry, little off topic.

I'm only curious how/if Google has the fingerprint security locked down when it comes to root

shimp208 said:
@mrbigdrawsz As a fellow Verizon user, I know exactly were your coming from. And yes since this is a nexus device coming directly from Google and not being sold or touched by Verizon, it will be good to go for all your rooting, ROM'ing, Bootloader unlocking, and custom kernel needs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank the sweet, tiny, infant squishy baby Jesus! I have yet to own a nexus phone (fed up with my GS5) and am about to pre order the 5X. I miss getting to try out different roms and such, so i'm really pumped about the 5X. the 6P is just too big of a phone for me i think.
Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere, is there any word on xposed for android M?

owenrg said:
Forgive me if this has been covered elsewhere, is there any word on xposed for android M?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are still working out the bugs on getting it to run on 5.x completely as they want and those devs on the Xposed team do a phenomenal job. Support for 6.0 marshmallow will eventually come but it will be a little bit yet.

If I unlock bootload, will I have problem with OTA?

shimp208 said:
They are still working out the bugs on getting it to run on 5.x completely as they want and those devs on the Xposed team do a phenomenal job. Support for 6.0 marshmallow will eventually come but it will be a little bit yet.
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Click to collapse
Awesome thanks!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

menaceinc said:
If I unlock bootload, will I have problem with OTA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you just unlock the bootloader you will be fine for OTA's, if you root or then install a custom recovery then you'll have to apply the OTA updates a different way then usual.

Thanks, I will just do that, unlocking bootloader. I really missed OTA as my current N5 is rooted.
shimp208 said:
If you just unlock the bootloader you will be fine for OTA's, if you root or then install a custom recovery then you'll have to apply the OTA updates a different way then usual.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

shimp208 said:
If you just unlock the bootloader you will be fine for OTA's, if you root or then install a custom recovery then you'll have to apply the OTA updates a different way then usual.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will rooting affect OTA? or will OTA just update and revert the device back to a non rooted state?

Tank87 said:
Will rooting affect OTA? or will OTA just update and revert the device back to a non rooted state?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experience, installing an OTA over a rooted phone would just kill root and you'd have to root it again, however, installing a custom ROM, the developer usually kills OTA so that all the custom stuff doesn't get jacked up.

Tank87 said:
Will rooting affect OTA? or will OTA just update and revert the device back to a non rooted state?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Rooting will effect the built in method of OTA updates. This is not a problem though. 99% of the time you will have access to the updated via the nexus factory image site before you receive notification of an OTA update on your device. Download the update and extract the boot, bootloader, radio, and system images. Flash via fastboot in bootloader mode and you will update your device without losing data/settings. I believe that you can flash img files with recent TWRP builds also.
To root after update just reboot to TWRP recovery and reboot. You will be prompted to install root before system reboots.
May seem a little overwhelming if its your first nexus device but a lot easier than updating a non nexus rooted Android device.
For more info check out any one of the recent nexus routing guides sticky threads

I know many people rooted etc their Nexus 5s using the Wugfresh Nexus Root ToolKit. Undoubtably a version will be introduced for the 5X,
If you root your device then flash a custom rom, you will be notified of the update via OTA or otherwise (eg Pushbullet) for that specific rom that you have flashed.

SlyUK said:
I know many people rooted etc their Nexus 5s using the Wugfresh Nexus Root ToolKit. Undoubtably a version will be introduced for the 5X,
If you root your device then flash a custom rom, you will be notified of the update via OTA or otherwise (eg Pushbullet) for that specific rom that you have flashed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why use a Toolkit to root? Just using ADB and Fastboot is better/easier since you can actually see what is happening during the process. Using a toolkit removes that element and if it hangs you don't where in the process it failed on.

metpage said:
Why use a Toolkit to root? Just using ADB and Fastboot is better/easier since you can actually see what is happening during the process. Using a toolkit removes that element and if it hangs you don't where in the process it failed on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes thats true, but I haven't heard of many people who have had problems with Wugfresh and it is a popular method. Everyone is different

I always rooted my Nexus (N4, N5 & N7), but I am not going to root my new upcoming Nexus 5X. Why? It just too much to flash/root since Google will release monthly security updates. Yes, I did use "fastboot flash xxx xxx.img" method. However, I will unlock the bootloader in case I change my mind in the future. With unlocked bootloader, I can always fix phone via flash factory images.

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.

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

Pixel 2 XL Root Undetected

First of forgive me if this question has been posted before:
I rooted my device - Pixel 2 XL (Oreo 8.1, Android 8.1.0 OPM1.171019.021) a couple of days after acquiring it. I used the Unified Android toolkit Ultimate version.
Root procedure worked successfully (as far as I can tell, no errors observed during the process). One major problem all my apps that require root will not work:
- Activating Titanium Backup,
- Installation of Busy Box
- Activating SupserSUE
All the above respond with a "Root cannot be detected" popup. Any ideas what I did wrong or what is missing?
Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if there are any details the I left out that would be helpful.
Thanks.

As far as I know, magisk is the only root option for the 2xl.

muyela said:
First of forgive me if this question has been posted before:
I rooted my device - Pixel 2 XL (Oreo 8.1, Android 8.1.0 OPM1.171019.021) a couple of days after acquiring it. I used the Unified Android toolkit Ultimate version.
Root procedure worked successfully (as far as I can tell, no errors observed during the process). One major problem all my apps that require root will not work:
- Activating Titanium Backup,
- Installation of Busy Box
- Activating SupserSUE
All the above respond with a "Root cannot be detected" popup. Any ideas what I did wrong or what is missing?
Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Please let me know if there are any details the I left out that would be helpful.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What file did you flash for root?? It's like Larzzzz82 said, magisk is the only root method ?
Larzzzz82 said:
As far as I know, magisk is the only root option for the 2xl.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Badger50 said:
What file did you flash for root?? It's like Larzzzz82 said, magisk is the only root method ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WOW! That was quick Badger50 & Larzzzz82. Nice to be heard and accommodated and assisted!
There were three files mentioned in the process, all of which I flashed in order as per instructions.
- recoveryl-twrp-3.2.1.0-ysimr.xip
- BETA-SuperSU-v2.28-SR5.zip
- UPDATE-suhide-v1.09.20171001222116.zip
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If magisk is the only way to root the Pixel 2 XL. Is there a particular way I can unroot (the current root) without loosing all the data I imported and then re-root using magisk? Or is it best to factory reset/wipe my device and then go ahead with magisk root? Is there a link you can send me for using magisk (I've heard/read of it peripherally but never researched the exact procedure.
Thanks!

muyela said:
WOW! That was quick Badger50 & Larzzzz82. Nice to be heard and accommodated and assisted!
There were three files mentioned in the process, all of which I flashed in order as per instructions.
- recoveryl-twrp-3.2.1.0-ysimr.xip
- BETA-SuperSU-v2.28-SR5.zip
- UPDATE-suhide-v1.09.20171001222116.zip
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If magisk is the only way to root the Pixel 2 XL. Is there a particular way I can unroot (the current root) without loosing all the data I imported and then re-root using magisk? Or is it best to factory reset/wipe my device and then go ahead with magisk root? Is there a link you can send me for using magisk (I've heard/read of it peripherally but never researched the exact procedure.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the only way to fully unroot is to flash factory March update. I did that to my 1 day old pixel 2xl, than re-root.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pi...ol-tool-one-driversunlocktwrpfactory-t3730226
Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

If you have TWRP just flash a custom kernel, TWRP, and Magisk in that order. If I understand your situation, then you are not rooted yet. Don't know why the tool kit would try to use SU unless you chose a wrong option somewhere.
Be sure you upgrade the toolkit first if you use it again.

wtherrell said:
If you have TWRP just flash a custom kernel, TWRP, and Magisk in that order. If I understand your situation, then you are not rooted yet. Don't know why the tool kit would try to use SU unless you chose a wrong option somewhere.
Be sure you upgrade the toolkit first if you use it again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The device is actually rooted and shows the "insecure device... " warning (I guess typical with rooted Google Oreo devices) when booting.
Will this method preserve or delete my data. I may have to find a way to backup my data without having to use cloud storage solutions, then factory reset and go from there.
Thanks.

muyela said:
The device is actually rooted and shows the "insecure device... " warning (I guess typical with rooted Google Oreo devices) when booting.
Will this method preserve or delete my data. I may have to find a way to backup my data without having to use cloud storage solutions, then factory reset and go from there.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That insecure device warning is because your bootloader is unlocked. If you haven't flashed magisk in twrp you are not rooted.

I followed Larzzzz82 & evolishesh advise. I flashed the factory image to the phone then rooted using magisk. Luckily I still have my old phone and had not wiped so I can slowly retrieve most of my data.
Thanks for the support! Appreciated.

OnePlus 7T vs Pixel 4a - Android 10 - Root without TWRP?

Longtime OnePlus owner (3T and then 5). The 5 is still a great device for me overall but I've never been thrilled with the camera (no OIS) or the intermittent GPS Lock issues I've had.
The 7T is on sale though it may be a bit large for me. The 4A looks like it will be very cheap and have a good camera.
Anyway, I know that devices that ship with Android 10 don't yet have TWRP so this would apply to both devices, but I've never rooted without it. I've seen the instructions using the patched boot image method. It seems straight-forward, but also risky.
Any thoughts from those of you who've always used TWRP and are now unlocking the bootloader, rooting with Magisk, and installing Edxposed without TWRP? Do you find that to be overly risky for a daily driver, or just fine if you follow instructions?

It's been good for me personally on my 7t, as I follow instructions. I sim unlocked mine within 3 days, bootloader unlocked within a week, converted to international firmware and then to a custom rom and I've landed on msm extended. You generally extract a bin file with python to get the fastboot files for a custom rom, and then flash them in fastboot or some roms have fastboot files with a bat file for windows that's super easy to use, just one click to install like in msm extended vs extracting files and then manually flashing like in omni.
Aside from my ramblings root is really easy to get, you generally(not always it depends on the rom I think) boot the patched boot img and then direct install in magisk manager. So fastboot boot \magisk.img ( or whatever file path and img name) or you can direct install to the inactive slot if you took an update(depends on rom I think) So basically take the boot.img from the rom or update, patch in magisk manager, boot it from your pc, and then direct install or to the inactive slot.
TLDR: it is safe if you follow instructions and can read.
Side notes, xposed is generally a privacy risk and threat so I wouldn't use that. Mods like xprivacylua are crap and don't actually work, use Blocker for trackers and analytics blocking.
And twrp is not too far off at this point, they've been slowly developing it and the chinese already have a full functioning one for the 7t(don't use it, not open source)

Grin59 said:
Side notes, xposed is generally a privacy risk and threat so I wouldn't use that. Mods like xprivacylua are crap and don't actually work, use Blocker for trackers and analytics blocking.
And twrp is not too far off at this point, they've been slowly developing it and the chinese already have a full functioning one for the 7t(don't use it, not open source)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I might just wait for the non-Chinese TWRP before jumping in. TWRP has saved me from a few mis-steps along the way.
EdXposed - Yes, there are security issues with it and it's a hassle getting the correct variant these days, but I use GravityBox which requires EdXposed.

digger16309 said:
Thanks, I might just wait for the non-Chinese TWRP before jumping in. TWRP has saved me from a few mis-steps along the way.
EdXposed - Yes, there are security issues with it and it's a hassle getting the correct variant these days, but I use GravityBox which requires EdXposed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We just got another twrp update for thee 7t, not perfect yet but better than the first version.

digger16309 said:
Longtime OnePlus owner (3T and then 5). The 5 is still a great device for me overall but I've never been thrilled with the camera (no OIS) or the intermittent GPS Lock issues I've had.
The 7T is on sale though it may be a bit large for me. The 4A looks like it will be very cheap and have a good camera.
Anyway, I know that devices that ship with Android 10 don't yet have TWRP so this would apply to both devices, but I've never rooted without it. I've seen the instructions using the patched boot image method. It seems straight-forward, but also risky.
Any thoughts from those of you who've always used TWRP and are now unlocking the bootloader, rooting with Magisk, and installing Edxposed without TWRP? Do you find that to be overly risky for a daily driver, or just fine if you follow instructions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my first one plus device coming from a pixel 2 XL which I honestly loved so much like the way it just felt and I never rooted or messed with things like that since my Motorola nexus 6 lol I was a bit nervous but followed the steps and instructions and I'm rooted latest stock oos with blu_spark kernel and yet to run into any issues yet so if I can you would be able to aswell as long as you follow all steps on whatever it is you want to do your good.