Develop Bugs

Updated TWRP, now system only boots back into TWRP

I updated TWRP in TWRP via zip flashing and now whenever I try to reboot my phone, it only boots back into TWRP.
Previously, I was unlocked bootloader and rooted on stock.
Would appreciate any help. Thanks

I've never installed TWRP on this phone, but here is one thread Google returns that seems to be similar.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/how-to/twrp-bootloop-flashing-twrp-t3533765
One relevant thing that has changed since the time of that discussion is that the May and newer bootloaders require a signed boot image. When I installed the May update with SuperSU without signing the boot image my phone simply ended up switching to the other slot, but again I didn't have TWRP installed. There is a zip for signing the boot image and further discussion here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...signing-boot-images-android-verified-t3600606

Thanks for the response. Looks like I have to flash factory image and then the verified boot signer. I'll give it a shot and report back.
Fixed this rather easily using the June factory images. Flashed using flash-all.bat (and removed the -w) and things are updated and back to square one. Interestingly, I didn't need to sign the boot image.
Thanks for the help.

facted;72562818 Interestingly said:
You don't need to sign unless you root or flash a custom kernel that isnt signed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

TonikJDK said:
facted;72562818 Interestingly said:
You don't need to sign unless you root or flash a custom kernel that isnt signed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you need to use the signed boot image file if you are flashing an unrooted custom Rom? I thought you needed to use it when flashing anything that changed the boot image from stock, including flashing TWRP if it's going to be installed on the phone.
Actually now that I thought about it the signed boot image is SuperSu specific, isn't it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

My understanding is that at the last step before restarting the phone the boot image needs to be signed, if the bootloader has been updated to May or later. The stock image is signed, and I've read that ElementalX will also sign the boot image. If you install anything else at this time, such as TWRP or SuperSU or Magisk, then I think as the last step it's necessary to also sign the image. Now that you've updated the bootloader, my understanding is that you will need to sign the boot image if you install TWRP again.

alluringreality said:
My understanding is that at the last step before restarting the phone the boot image needs to be signed, if the bootloader has been updated to May or later. The stock image is signed, and I've read that ElementalX will also sign the boot image. If you install anything else at this time, such as TWRP or SuperSU or Magisk, then I think as the last step it's necessary to also sign the image. Now that you've updated the bootloader, my understanding is that you will need to sign the boot image if you install TWRP again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah i am stock rooted with twrp on june 7.1.2. I had to flash the verifiedbootsigner-v8 when rooting with magisk and twrp. I did NOT have to flash it when flashing elementaX 1.12

We're can I download v8?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

The first post from the following link has the latest version of the Verified Boot Signer attached.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...signing-boot-images-android-verified-t3600606

335Deezl said:
We're can I download v8?
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/how-to/guide-stock-7-1-2-root-safetynet-ok-t3617347

So, I just ran into this issue with my Pixel 2 XL when I tried to update my TWRP version from 3.2.1-2 to 3.2.3-0. Here's how it went:
1. Downloaded the TWRP zip, md5 and so on from the official TWRP website for the Pixel 2 XL
2. Booted to TWRP and installed / flashed the zip of TWRP 3.2.3-0
3. Wiped dalvik and then chose Reboot to System from TWRP -- the phone booted right back into TWRP
4. Tried again to reboot the same way. Same result.
5. Installed / Flashed the 3.2.1-2 TWRP zip which was still on my phone, in order to revert to the previous version, and then Rebooted to System -- same result
6. Flashed 3.2.3-0 zip again, then flashed the Flash Kernel that I've been using, and then Flashed the Magisk v16.0 zip that I used to root, then chose Reboot to System -- AND IT WORKED; the phone booted normally and now I'm updated to the latest TWRP successfully.
tl;dr - The solution is to flash Magisk again after updating TWRP. Pretty sure this goes for kernel updates too.

cognitivedissonance said:
So, I just ran into this issue with my Pixel 2 XL when I tried to update my TWRP version from 3.2.1-2 to 3.2.3-0. Here's how it went:
1. Downloaded the TWRP zip, md5 and so on from the official TWRP website for the Pixel 2 XL
2. Booted to TWRP and installed / flashed the zip of TWRP 3.2.3-0
3. Wiped dalvik and then chose Reboot to System from TWRP -- the phone booted right back into TWRP
4. Tried again to reboot the same way. Same result.
5. Installed / Flashed the 3.2.1-2 TWRP zip which was still on my phone, in order to revert to the previous version, and then Rebooted to System -- same result
6. Flashed 3.2.3-0 zip again, then flashed the Flash Kernel that I've been using, and then Flashed the Magisk v16.0 zip that I used to root, then chose Reboot to System -- AND IT WORKED; the phone booted normally and now I'm updated to the latest TWRP successfully.
tl;dr - The solution is to flash Magisk again after updating TWRP. Pretty sure this goes for kernel updates too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is Pixel XL forum.

Slowclap

Phalanx7621 said:
Slowclap
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Rooting December Patch causes fake corruption

I updated to the December patch, all went well and as expected on reboot I was unrooted and back to the stock kernel (from elemental x) having the foresight for this I had previously downloaded the December firmware, used magisk to patch it and copied it to my computer.
So currently I can boot standard, when I try to 'fastboot boot' the patched image it boots then shows a block on screen that shows "shutting down" then reboots to a recovery prompt saying my android system is corrupt giving two options to try again or factory reset, try again works as its booting the stock boot at that point.
From there i decided to try the twrp method to see if it makes a difference, it did not and left me in a continued boot to "shutting down" cycle until i restored the stock firmware (without -w)
Interestingly I can flash elemental x through twrp and the system will boot though still without root.
anyone else having this issue or know of a fix I am over looking?
Thanks in advanced.

You can not do the patched boot. Img on dec build. Boot twrp, flash magisk, profit. Or boot twrp, flash twrp, flash magisk and custom kernel. Im on dec and had no issues. If you dont flash custom kernel after twrp, you'll have no touch response in twrp with stock kernel

Hmm.. I tried that, Nothing better to do so I'll try again, I have and will attempt again the magisk beta, if you see this and recommend the stable, let me know. Thanks!
**EDIT**
I tried both, from fastbooting twrp I flashed the beta, it did the "shutting down" loop, I did a 'flash-all' then repeated the process with stable, same issue. It seem I am the odd man out and may need to perform an actual wipe and see if it resolves.

JaceAlvejetti said:
Hmm.. I tried that, Nothing better to do so I'll try again, I have and will attempt again the magisk beta, if you see this and recommend the stable, let me know. Thanks!
**EDIT**
I tried both, from fastbooting twrp I flashed the beta, it did the "shutting down" loop, I did a 'flash-all' then repeated the process with stable, same issue. It seem I am the odd man out and may need to perform an actual wipe and see if it resolves.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@JaceAlvejetti
Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL
- fastboot flash boot --slot all boot.img (from December factory image)
- fastboot boot twrp-3.2.3-1...img
- install Magisk' uninstaller
- add more zips
- ElementalX 1.02.zip
- Add more zips
- magisk-17.3.zip
- reboot system

That worked, Is there any logic I would follow as to why?, either way I really appreciate it!

Homeboy76 said:
@JaceAlvejetti
Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL
- fastboot flash boot --slot all boot.img (from December factory image)
- fastboot boot twrp-3.2.3-1...img
- install Magisk' uninstaller
- add more zips
- ElementalX 1.02.zip
- Add more zips
- magisk-17.3.zip
- reboot system
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to hear this works, but why is everyone using TWRP 3.2.3-1 and not 3.2.3-2??

State.of.mind said:
Glad to hear this works, but why is everyone using TWRP 3.2.3-1 and not 3.2.3-2??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably because the title of the recovery thread has not been updated lol
Sent from my crosshatch using XDA Labs

Magisk Issues on Fresh System Image Install (Feb. 2019)

I'm going nuts here. I can't get Magisk to install properly on a Pixel device.
1) Pixel XL (non-Verizon and unlocked)
2) OS - Stock Android 9.0 / Feb. 2019 - System Image just installed fresh
3) TWRP 3.2.3.1 loaded image via fastboot
4) Magisk version 18.1 installed
Issue: Device stuck at Can't load Android system. The only way to fix it is to install the Magisk uninstaller but then I still don't have root.
I tried removing my pin (read that in the thread) and the issue still persists. I also tried an older version of Magsik and tried patching the boot.img file with the same result.
Has anyone rooted a clean install of the Feb. 2019 Android 9.0 system image? I'm at a loss. The only thing I can think to do at this point is try an older system image and see what happens.

clambert11 said:
I'm going nuts here. I can't get Magisk to install properly on a Pixel device.
1) Pixel XL (non-Verizon and unlocked)
2) OS - Stock Android 9.0 / Feb. 2019 - System Image just installed fresh
3) TWRP 3.2.3.1 loaded image via fastboot
4) Magisk version 18.1 installed
Issue: Device stuck at Can't load Android system. The only way to fix it is to install the Magisk uninstaller but then I still don't have root.
I tried removing my pin (read that in the thread) and the issue still persists. I also tried an older version of Magsik and tried patching the boot.img file with the same result.
Has anyone rooted a clean install of the Feb. 2019 Android 9.0 system image? I'm at a loss. The only thing I can think to do at this point is try an older system image and see what happens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I flashed the Feb 2019 Factory image and was able to fastboot boot TWRP and successfully install Magisk 18.1. Are you flashing TWRP (permanent install?) or booting it? You might try booting it only to install Magisk to minimize your variables. Have you tried reflashing the full Factory image clean to ensure you truly have a good initial install before trying to install Magisk? Platform tools up to date? Your steps seem to be pretty straightforward - so not sure what could be going wrong. Good luck!

sb1893 said:
I flashed the Feb 2019 Factory image and was able to fastboot boot TWRP and successfully install Magisk 18.1. Are you flashing TWRP (permanent install?) or booting it? You might try booting it only to install Magisk to minimize your variables. Have you tried reflashing the full Factory image clean to ensure you truly have a good initial install before trying to install Magisk? Platform tools up to date? Your steps seem to be pretty straightforward - so not sure what could be going wrong. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not flashing TWRP, just booting into it. My platform tools were a little out of date initially but I have since updated them. I think I was 2 major versions behind.
Guess I'll just do it again. I'll try it first without restoring data since that takes forever for me (lots of apps). Thanks for the info. It's reassuring that it should work.

clambert11 said:
I'm not flashing TWRP, just booting into it. My platform tools were a little out of date initially but I have since updated them. I think I was 2 major versions behind.
Guess I'll just do it again. I'll try it first without restoring data since that takes forever for me (lots of apps). Thanks for the info. It's reassuring that it should work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your platform-tools are r28.0.1
- fastboot flash boot boot.img --slot all
- fastboot boot twrp-3.2.3-1.img
- install ElementalX kernel
- tap Add more zips
- select Magisk-18.1.zip
- swipe slider to install
- reboot

Just wanted to update... Updating the Package Tools and reinstalling the factory image fixed my problem. Thanks for the info!

clambert11 said:
Just wanted to update... Updating the Package Tools and reinstalling the factory image fixed my problem. Thanks for the info!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I have a similar issue. I have updated platform-tools and still get the unbootable issue with Magisk. I installed the latest factory firmware and didn't erase -w so it is a fresh install. I do want to use the TWRP recovery, so I sideload that first and then side load Magisk-18.1.zip and it has the big G for a while, then reboots into recovery. I am able to run Magisk uninstaller and everything goes back to normal (sans root, of course). Any further advice?

Ivanstein said:
I have a similar issue. I have updated platform-tools and still get the unbootable issue with Magisk. I installed the latest factory firmware and didn't erase -w so it is a fresh install. I do want to use the TWRP recovery, so I sideload that first and then side load Magisk-18.1.zip and it has the big G for a while, then reboots into recovery. I am able to run Magisk uninstaller and everything goes back to normal (sans root, of course). Any further advice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Forget side loading!
- fastboot flash boot boot.img --slot all
- fastboot boot twrp-3.2.3-1.img
- tap install select Twrp-3.2.3-1.zip
- swipe slider to install
- reboot recovery
- tap install select Magisk-18.1.zip
- swipe slider to install
- reboot

Question Is booting the patched image + direct install safe to use for installing Magisk?

Hello,
In all of the steps to install Magisk on a phone, I never liked the step in which you have to flash the patched boot image on the boot partition. I always thought it is pruned to errors, especially if you do that at every update, an oversight maybe when you download the ROM or maybe you use an older version of the patched image and your device is soft-bricked. So, I always wondered if there are other, safer, solutions to do that step. When searching for various guides, I found one that instead of directly patching the boot image, boots it instead and then uses the direct installation option in the Magisk app to extract, patch, and re-flash the boot image. I know that the result is pretty much the same, but if you screw up with the patched boot image, the result is just a temporary bootloop that you can resolve by just restarting your device. But in all the guides I've read, only one suggested this alternative solution, so I was wondering why this solution isn't suggested or, at least, mentioned, for those who are afraid to do the blind flash. There are possible issues with using this method or what?
I already used this method two times for installing Magisk on a Oneplus 9 and a Pixel 6, and now I'm here with a brand new Pixel 6 Pro and I've to decide what method to use.

Because you're essentially doing the same thing. Even if you flash the incorrect boot image, just flash the correct one afterwards and problem resolved. You can do either way, the alternative just takes a step longer.

Now that restore images/flash to inactive slot after ota is fixed on Magisk (canary 24306 and later), I would boot the patched image, then do a direct install.
This ensures that Magisk makes a backup of the stock boot image so next update can be taken OTA if desired.
Note: the re-root after OTA method may not work on custom kernels which often make changes to partitions other than boot

shoey63 said:
Now that restore images/flash to the inactive slot after OTA is fixed on Magisk (canary 24306 and later), I would boot the patched image, then do a direct install.
This ensures that Magisk makes a backup of the stock boot image so the next update can be taken OTA if desired.
Note: the re-root after OTA method may not work on custom kernels which often make changes to partitions other than boot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the answer, this is really helpful. So, should I use the canary version for the first installation or can I use the stable and update to the canary when I have to OTA update? This is just to be sure, I don't know how "stable" is the canary since I never used it.
And since I'm, I'll take the opportunity to ask another related question: how bad can I screw up with the boot image? For example, if I flash a boot image of another device (oriole for example), should I still be able to boot into fastboot and flash the original, or this will prevent me to boot in the fastboot mode at all?
Because I'm still not sure if the initial bootloader phase (the one that boots up the fastboot) is included in the boot image or not, since the recovery has been included in the ramdisk of the boot image since the introduction of the A/B devices (or, at least, I think so).

@fuji97
You can patch intially with stable and change to canary before next OTA if stable hasn't been updated by then.
Booting or flashing boot images can't affect the bootloader partition, which is seperate.
Fastboot boot the patched image, if it boots up you are good to go with a direct install from within Magisk. If it bootloops you will just boot up to your original setup with stock boot intact. Then you can troubleshoot.
If you directly flash a scewed up boot image, it will probably boot to bootloader, and you can flash a working boot.img.
If it bootloops 3 times, the phone will boot to the opposite slot, and you will have a working system again.

shoey63 said:
@fuji97
You can patch intially with stable and change to canary before next OTA if stable hasn't been updated by then.
Booting or flashing boot images can't affect the bootloader partition, which is seperate.
Fastboot boot the patched image, if it boots up you are good to go with a direct install from within Magisk. If it bootloops you will just boot up to your original setup with stock boot intact. Then you can troubleshoot.
If you directly flash a scewed up boot image, it will probably boot to bootloader, and you can flash a working boot.img.
If it bootloops 3 times, the phone will boot to the opposite slot, and you will have a working system again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, thank you! You clarified a lot of my concerns.

fuji97 said:
When searching for various guides, I found one that instead of directly patching the boot image, boots it instead and then uses the direct installation option in the Magisk app to extract, patch, and re-flash the boot image.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do this exact procedure for every OTA. It's just easier for me and I've had numerous problems trying to "keep" root versus just booting to a patched image and reinstalling.

Question Can't Root After May Update?

I was rooted with Magisk on the April build and attempted to update to May. So I used Magisk to uninstall, accepted the OTA, then used Magisk to reinstall (before rebooting) but I got an error about the phone being corrupt,. So I've spent the past several hours flashing the stock boot image to both boot slots, creating new Magisk patched images, flashing those to both boot slots, rebooting, and flashing stock boot images again to both boot slots. I've done every combination of flashing stock to one boot slot and patched to another, patched to both slots, and now stock to both slots. Any time I try to boot a patched boot image the phone reboots a few times and finally tells me it's corrupt and asks to reset it (which I haven't done and prefer not to do).
I can confirm that I'm on the May update and that I'm using the May boot image in my attempts to root again. At this point, I've wiped the Magisk app (thinking a module could be causing the issue when I root) and I'm back on the stock boot image and the phone seems to be working fine, just without root.
I feel like I'm missing something simple. Can someone point me in the right direction?

I stopped to update ROM with this method since march because i had always a bootloop.
Now i install the update by android flash tool and flash boot patched with fastboot command.
You could do it. I hope Twrp wil be released quickly.

Vincent_40 said:
I stopped to update ROM with this method since march because i had always a bootloop.
Now i install the update by android flash tool and flash boot patched with fastboot command.
You could do it. I hope Twrp wil be released quickly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I successfully updated to May and I've flashed the patched boot image in fastboot at least a dozen times (stock to patched, different partitions, patched to stock). The phone won't boot whenever I flash the patched image. It just bootloops and eventually gives me an error about being corrupt and asks if I want to factory reset.

Flash your patched image, then boot to safe mode, then reboot. It should work. I had the same issue and it ended up being something I had in Magisk, even though I had everything disabled. I ended up uninstalling everything in Magisk, and reinstalling.

shiftr182 said:
Flash your patched image, then boot to safe mode, then reboot. It should work. I had the same issue and it ended up being something I had in Magisk, even though I had everything disabled. I ended up uninstalling everything in Magisk, and reinstalling.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if this doesn't work you might have to wipe your phone and re-flash the appropriate build. I remember seeing posts in the past with users discussing a wipe and re-flash resolving the "phone is corrupt" issue.

shiftr182 said:
Flash your patched image, then boot to safe mode, then reboot. It should work. I had the same issue and it ended up being something I had in Magisk, even though I had everything disabled. I ended up uninstalling everything in Magisk, and reinstalling.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wiped data in Magisk since I can't access the modules to disable them right now (no root) and I also wiped data in Rice Tweaks since it was one of the mods I was using. I'll try this tonight and see if it works.

joshw0000 said:
I wiped data in Magisk since I can't access the modules to disable them right now (no root) and I also wiped data in Rice Tweaks since it was one of the mods I was using. I'll try this tonight and see if it works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Before you wipe everything try this:
** ALSO: booting into safe mode automatically disables all Magisk modules **
How I root and update (which is identical whether rooting the first time or updating):
Use the latest Magisk Stable (in my case, I keep the app "hidden" / renamed)
Used the full firmware zip, extracted to the same folder as the latest Platform Tools (S:\platform-tools)
Extracted the new boot.img
Copied new boot.img to the phone
Patched the new boot.img with Magisk Stable
Renamed Magisk'd boot.img so I know what version of firmware it's for
Copied the Magisk'd boot.img back to the computer
Disabled all my Magisk Modules
Removed the "-w " from the flash-all.bat
Re-edited the flash-all.bat to verify I saved it with the "-w " taken out
Open a Command Prompt, navigated to S:\platform-tools
adb reboot bootloader
flash-all.bat
Let phone boot, unlock it, check that it's working, allow the update process to finish (gave it five minutes or so)
adb reboot bootloader
fastboot flash boot kernel.img (renamed Magisk'd boot.img)
fastboot reboot
Unlock, check everything's working
Re-enabled the most basic Magisk Modules which I was sure wouldn't cause a critical issue
Reboot, unlock, made sure everything's working
Back to modding!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...central-repository-of-relevant-links.4352027/

biTToe said:
Before you wipe everything try this:
** ALSO: booting into safe mode automatically disables all Magisk modules **
How I root and update (which is identical whether rooting the first time or updating):
From here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...central-repository-of-relevant-links.4352027/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Do you know if I can run the flash-all.bat if I'm already on the current update? I have the full firmware on my PC (so I could get the boot image).
It sounds like booting to safe mode is the one thing I haven't tried.
When I updated last night I tried to disable Magisk from within the app but Magisk didn't have a backup (because I had rooted on the April build from fastboot) so I flashed the factory April boot.img, then fastboot boot magisk-boot.img, then allowed Magisk to root my phone. Then disabled all the modules, unrooted with Magisk, accepted the OTA which took unusually long to install (2+ hours), then used Magisk to restore root but I think I forgot to tell it to do the inactive partition which may have cause all of my issues. When I rebooted it gave me the corrupt error.
From there I spent a bunch of time fastboot flashing and fastboot booting the stock and modified May boot images. I've got about 4 copies of the modified boot image where I kept recreating it hoping it'd work again.
Tonight I'll try to flash the modified boot.img and boot directly into safe mode to see if I can get it to load. I may also try wiping cache in recovery to see if that helps.

joshw0000 said:
Thanks. Do you know if I can run the flash-all.bat if I'm already on the current update? I have the full firmware on my PC (so I could get the boot image).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YES you can.
Just make sure to edit the flash-all.bat and remove -w
otherwise you WILL wipe.
THEN... after you save the edited flash-all.bat, edit it again to make sure the -w is in fact not there.
Ive been where you are before. I forgot to disable a mod and boot-looped.
I booted to safe mode then re-flashed with flash-all, patched the boot.img and flashed that via Magisk and I was golden.
I always use this method. I even went from 12-beta to 12.1 w/o so much as a hiccup.
OTA can be problematic (or has been for me in the past). this is simple, quick, and works every time.
My suggestion is to start from scratch: delete all those previously used/attempted files -especially the patched image.
d/l the new factory image, extract/patch that boot.img This way you know everything is from the same place.
cheers

Thanks guys for all the help. Safe Mode is going to work for me. I was able to root, boot to safe mode, and reboot normal. I'm slowly enabling modules until it errors again and I've found that Renovate Ice was the culprit. But whenever it errors, I can just boot to safe mode, reboot, and start fresh with modules. Thanks!