Database Develop

Tutorial: How To Protect and Restore Root (4.2.2 Pre-Camera Update Only)

This tutorial will explain how to protect and restore root for the OTA update.
Disclaimer: If you wish to keep root, DO NOT accept the OTA Update before running through these steps. PwnMyMoto will not work after updating since bug 9695860 (2nd Master Key) was patched. I am not responsible if this bricks your phone. Use at your own risk.
First I would like to thank JCase. If it wasn't for his original root method this would not be possible.
Prerequisites:
Moto X
A data cable (one that came with the phone woks fine)
Root - Grab JCase's program PwnMyMoto from this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2444957
ADB & Fastboot (attached to post if anyone needs it)
RSDlite - Can find it here: http://www.4shared.com/rar/HkfWKoC5/RSD_Lite_615__MTK_Patch.html
SuperSU (in playstore, can't guarantee other Superuser programs can restore root)
SUPERCURIO's OTA RootKeeper or equivalent root keeper program (in playstore)
FXZ file for your carrier - Can be found here: http://sbf.droid-developers.org/ghost_rcica/list.php
Steps to Restore Root:
1. Make sure that there are no modifications to the system files. If there are the update will fail to flash. There are two way to go about this. You can flash back to stock using the FXZ for your carrier and rsdlite or fastboot (whichever you prefer) or remove the modifications if you know what they are. If you just removed all mods then skip to step 3.
Note: If you use rsdlite to flash back to stock remember to remove the getvar command from the xml file. If you use fastboot to flash back to stock use the following post as a reference how:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=45809324&postcount=3
2. Now you will need to install PwnMyMoto and then run it. After 2-3 reboots you should be rooted.
3. Make sure you install SuperSU and OTA RootKeeper.
4. Shutdown your Moto X. Then hold the power and down volume keys for about 5 seconds to boot into the bootloader. Scroll down with the down volume key to recovery and press the up volume key. You will be booted into android with write protection disabled.
5. Open up SuperSU. If it asks you to update the binary update it. You are going to want to make sure Survival mode is checked.
6. Open OTA RootKeeper. Grant it superuser rights and click Protect Root. It will save a backup of su. After that click Temp. un-root (keeps backup). This will hide root on your device.
7. Next we are going to flash the stock recovery. You will need fastboot, a command prompt and the stock recovery.img. For the recovery,img you can either grab the backup (recovery-stock.img) that is saved to the root of your device or you can grab the one from your carrier's FXZ. If you use the recovery from the FXZ you should also grab boot.img since we are going to be using it later. So unzip the fastboot files into a folder that you can easily locate. I placed it in C:\ for easy reference. Make sure your recovery and boot.img are in the same folder.
8. Now shutdown your Moto X and boot into the bootloader as we did in step 4. Open your command prompt by going to your start menu clicking run and typing cmd.exe (for windows 8 just use the search in the start screen and search for cmd under apps). This will bring up the command prompt. Now we need to change the directory to the folder you placed the fastboot and recovery files in. To do this type in
Code:
cd C:\ (example: cd C:\fastboot)
9. Make sure you connect your phone to you computer via your data cable and that all the moto drivers are installed. Windows will usually automatically detect them. Once your connected and set to got we are going to type the following command into the command prompt:
Code:
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img (replace recovery.img with recovery-stock.img if you pulled the backup from you device).
Don't exit the command prompt. We will be using it again shortly.
10. So now you are ready to take the OTA Update. Boot your phone up by either choosing Normal Powerup or using the following fastboot command:
Code:
fastboot reboot
Once rebooted flash the OTA Update.
11. Your phone will reboot into recovery for the flash. Once it is complete it will boot up like normal and optimize any changes made to the system. Once this is done SuperSU will try to automatically restore root, but will fail due to booting with write protection enabled. This is where boot.img comes into play
12. Shutdown your Moto X and boot into the bootloader again. Make sure to connect your phone to your computer via you data cable if you disconnected it after flashing recovery. Bring up your command prompt and type the following command:
Code:
fastboot flash recovery boot.img
This will allow you to reboot into android with write protection disabled by hijacking the recovery like JCase did with his original exploit.
13. Now boot into recovery from the bootloader. Once you are booted back up SuperSU will now be able to restore root automatically.
The next set of steps will show you how to pull the new boot.img from your phone so you can flash it to the recovery partition so there are no issues caused by using the old boot.img. These steps are completely optional. If you are uncomfortable doing this I recommend waiting for the fxz file for the update to be released to get the new boot.img.
Note: ADB is required to do this. It is now included with the fastboot files attached to this post.
14. After root access is restored you are going to go back to your command prompt. Type the following commands:
Code:
adb shell
su
dd if=dev/block/mmcblk0p33 of=/mnt/sdcard/boot.img
exit
exit
adb pull mnt/sdcard/boot.img
This will save a copy of the boot.img to the root of your phone and then save it to the directory that your fastboot and adb is in.
15. Now we are going to boot back into the booloader. Refer to step 4 for a reference how. Once booted into the bootloader type the following commands into the command prompt:
Code:
fastboot flash recovery boot.img
Now whenever you boot into recovery your phone will load with the new kernel and you should not have any more issues.
These next set of steps will allow you to fix the issue of the baseband failing to update during the OTA update.
16. If your baseband didn't update with the OTA then you will need to grab the FXZ of the update. Unzip the file NON-HLOS.bin and place it in the folder that contains fastboot.
17. Bring up your command prompt and and type the following commands
Code:
fastboot flash modem NON-HLOS.bin
fastboot erase modemst1
fastboot erase modemst2
Now your baseband will be up to date.

hopefully someone makes a video
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Thanks so much for this! Quick question. If I am completely stock (never rooted this device before) I can start on step 2 correct?
Sent from my White Moto X

capathy21 said:
Thanks so much for this! Quick question. If I am completely stock (never rooted this device before) I can start on step 2 correct?
Sent from my White Moto X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. Step 1 is only for those that have already rooted and have modded the system files.

I'm receiving my Verizon moto x tomorrow so if I read this right I don't except the update, root the moto x continue with these steps, and we will continue to receive updates and maintain root?

Dark9781 said:
Yup. Step 1 is only for those that have already rooted and have modded the system files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! One last question I promise. Can I go ahead and go through the process up to step 10 that way I'll be ready when the ota comes, or should I wait till the ota comes then begin the process?
I've always rooted and flashed updates on past devices so I'm not real familiar with ota's and don't want to take it before I'm able to run this process.
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my White Moto X

capathy21 said:
Thanks! One last question I promise. Can I go ahead and go through the process up to step 10 that way I'll be ready when the ota comes, or should I wait till the ota comes then begin the process?
I've always rooted and flashed updates on past devices so I'm not real familiar with ota's and don't want to take it before I'm able to run this process.
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my White Moto X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup. You could do that.

Thanks! I really appreciate your work!
Sent from my White Moto X

mmad81 said:
I'm receiving my Verizon moto x tomorrow so if I read this right I don't except the update, root the moto x continue with these steps, and we will continue to receive updates and maintain root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should work on Verizon when they release an update. I can't say this will work for future updates or even for 4.3 when it comes around, but for this round of updates it will work to keep root.

Dark9781 said:
It should work on Verizon when they release an update. I can't say this will work for future updates or even for 4.3 when it comes around, but for this round of updates it will work to keep root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what has been the success rate of this? I'm surprised more haven't jumped on this! Why are so many trying to unroot to get the camera update?

mj0528 said:
what has been the success rate of this? I'm surprised more haven't jumped on this! Why are so many trying to unroot to get the camera update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought this method would work when I saw the T-Mobile update come out, but couldn't test it myself until 2 days ago. That's why I released a tutorial last night. For those unroofing to get the update, they were told prior to the release of the tutorial that they will lose root and have to return to stock to run the update. As for success rate I'm not sure how many have successfully done this and kept root. I'll add a poll to get an idea.
Sent from My Moto X

Dark9781 said:
I thought this method would work when I saw the T-Mobile update come out, but couldn't test it myself until 2 days ago. That's why I released a tutorial last night. For those unroofing to get the update, they were told prior to the release of the tutorial that they will lose root and have to return to stock to run the update. As for success rate I'm not sure how many have successfully done this and kept root. I'll add a poll to get an idea.
Sent from My Moto X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm ready to go. Un froze all my apps and just waiting for ATT to push my update. Anything special I have to do to get the OTA or is it just a slow roll out? Also, do I need the default recovery to see the OTA, or will I see the OTA before I change anything to prepare for it?

rmead01 said:
I'm ready to go. Un froze all my apps and just waiting for ATT to push my update. Anything special I have to do to get the OTA or is it just a slow roll out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right now the AT&T version is still in a soak test. A soak test can usually go for 3-7 day. After that there will be an official release. Just need to hang tight until the release. As of right now the saok has been going for about 2 1/2 days.

Dark9781 said:
Right now the AT&T version is still in a soak test. A soak test can usually go for 3-7 day. After that there will be an official release. Just need to hang tight until the release. As of right now the saok has been going for about 2 1/2 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gotcha. Thought a bunch of people were saying they had the ATT OTA rolling out. Maybe I just misread and it was tmobile or something. I've never actually done an OTA update on any of my android phones. Always running a custom software, so I'm not 100% sure what needs to be setup correctly on the phone to receive it.
As of now, all system files are stock except for the hosts file which is modified from adfree. All apps on the phone are unfrozen and in their default from the store state. I still have the writable system recovery installed because I wasn't going to install the default recovery until I was absolutely ready to flash the OTA. I may still need root until then.

Dark9781 said:
Right now the AT&T version is still in a soak test. A soak test can usually go for 3-7 day. After that there will be an official release. Just need to hang tight until the release. As of right now the saok has been going for about 2 1/2 days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you have to wait on the official release for this too work? I know some people are putting the soak test build which is most likely the official release on their phone and upgrading from the stock recovery. Basically manually taking the OTA in case I explained that weird. Can you still use your method of keeping root by manually taking the OTA? I am on verizon so I will most likely be manually upgrading when the soak test comes out assuming I can still keep root.

jayboyyyy said:
do you have to wait on the official release for this too work? I know some people are putting the soak test build which is most likely the official release on their phone and upgrading from the stock recovery. Basically manually taking the OTA in case I explained that weird. Can you still use your method of keeping root by manually taking the OTA? I am on verizon so I will most likely be manually upgrading when the soak test comes out assuming I can still keep root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The soak test versions usually end up as the official version. It is rare for a soak test version to not make it to official unless there are detrimental problems discovered during the soak. You can flash the OTA manually and use this method to keep root.

Dark9781 said:
It should work on Verizon when they release an update. I can't say this will work for future updates or even for 4.3 when it comes around, but for this round of updates it will work to keep root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to confirm. Will this work on Droid Maxx? I haven't purchased yet, but root and tethering ability are very important to me. Also, does anybody know where Verizon is on the OTA schedule for the Maxx?

docslate said:
Just to confirm. Will this work on Droid Maxx? I haven't purchased yet, but root and tethering ability are very important to me. Also, does anybody know where Verizon is on the OTA schedule for the Maxx?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would think it should work for the Maxx too, but I can't be sure until someone with a Maxx tests it. My sister just got the Ultra while she was on vacation. She'll be home this weekend. I'll see if she would let me play with her phone.

ready for the OTA and I'll give it a go
so what would the rsdlite to default look like if we took the OTA but then wanted to go back to complete stock one day. Would the rsdlite work since the OTA is installed?

mj0528 said:
ready for the OTA and I'll give it a go
so what would the rsdlite to default look like if we took the OTA but then wanted to go back to complete stock one day. Would the rsdlite work since the OTA is installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as long as the file packages are available you will always be able to go back to stock.

[Q] XT1068 OTA Lollipop update failing

Today my XT1068 offered me the 22.26.1.en.GB update, but it's failing to install.
The phone reboots and attempts to install the update. The progress bar gets to approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the way across before a red triangle appears and the phone reboots back to KitKat.
My phone was rooted (using SuperSU), but I used SuperSU's built-in clean-up feature to unroot my phone before applying the Lollipop update.
The bootloader is unlocked, but the recovery is stock; I did not install a custom recovery but instead booted TWRP temporarily to install SuperSU.
I'm comfortable fiddling with adb and fastboot, and with digging around the filesystem. Any suggestions of where I can look to find any error messages which might shed some light on why the update failed? Could the failure be related to the previous rooting of my phone, or could something else be breaking the update?

@Loganberry
Have you modified /system files in any way?
If yes you have to restore them back.
If nothing helps, with unlocked bootloader it's propably much faster to just flash your stock firmware again and do ota than to search why it doesn't work.

I can confirm that ota update can be performed on rooted phone .I was thinking that is not possible but I was curious and tried.
I was on unlocked bootloader and rooted KK , german firmware 21.85.23 with instaled xposed framework and gravity box.
Update was successful without any error and for now everything work ok.

Loganberry said:
Today my XT1068 offered me the 22.26.1.en.GB update, but it's failing to install.
The phone reboots and attempts to install the update. The progress bar gets to approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the way across before a red triangle appears and the phone reboots back to KitKat.
My phone was rooted (using SuperSU), but I used SuperSU's built-in clean-up feature to unroot my phone before applying the Lollipop update.
The bootloader is unlocked, but the recovery is stock; I did not install a custom recovery but instead booted TWRP temporarily to install SuperSU.
I'm comfortable fiddling with adb and fastboot, and with digging around the filesystem. Any suggestions of where I can look to find any error messages which might shed some light on why the update failed? Could the failure be related to the previous rooting of my phone, or could something else be breaking the update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
flash the GB 4.4.4 in my signature then try to update OTA again

dpdp73 said:
@Loganberry
Have you modified /system files in any way?
If yes you have to restore them back.
If nothing helps, with unlocked bootloader it's propably much faster to just flash your stock firmware again and do ota than to search why it doesn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
reefuge said:
flash the GB 4.4.4 in my signature then try to update OTA again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'd forgotten about Busybox and a couple other apps which modifed /system. Reflashing from scratch was the easier option.
I flashed GB 4.4.4 as advised and the Lollipop update then applied without any problems. Thanks for the assistance.

OTA will not take, (mac osx, 4.4.4, small update)

Forgive me here. I have a VZW dev edition.
Currently running 4.4.4 stock rom. I had it rooted before and I think I recently lost root. Forgot why but I didn't really need it.
EDIT: I remember now. I did a factory reset. Did I lose root?
anyways the OTA that came a few weeks ago the small one will not install. I have enabled my apps again that I had disabled. I do not remember if I did a tether hack before which was just replacing a file. Bootloader is unlocked still.
So after the OTA downloads and reboots the android shows up the bar starts to move and then red exclamation mark.
Update unsuccessful.
What do I need to do? I also do not want to wipe data.
The OTA alert is annoying me to no end.

It sounds like the pre-flash validation checks are failing for some reason.
A few things don't add up in your post...
You have a Dev Edition, so to root you unlock the bootloader, flash TWRP, boot into it, and when it prompts you too, allow it to root (or if you don't get rooted, install SuperSU while booted to TWRP). IN that state, a Factory reset doesn't remove root. So did you root by some other method? If so, that is why the OTA is failing.
Next.. you say you did a tether hack that was just replacing a file. Did you put the ORIGINAL file back? If no, that will cause the OTA to fail.
The only way to really know exactly why is to NOT install the OTA, instead just download it. Move the OTA zip from /cache to your /SDCard (which takes root) after it finished downloading. Again Do NOT install it the "normal way". Make sure you have a working STOCK Recovery on your phone. Manually boot to stock recovery and apply the update zip via the menu options. When it errors, it will pause and tell you why, what caused the issue. You need to correct it and try again.
One final option... See -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/general/faq-how-to-prepare-ota-update-carriers-t3126425 you can take some time and read the first post... then skip to Post #2, and use the Requirements section, and Option 2.

July 2015 OTA update concern.

I have (or had) an AT&T branded S5 that was previous rooted and running Safestrap (I don't recall the BL version). Due to some EXTREME idiocy on my part, I took an OTA update two days ago, which updated and synched everything to G900AUCU2ANG3.
Naturally, this borked root. But there's some weirdness going on. Even after the OTA update, the phone's device status still says "Custom". And I still see the custom text when the phone boots. Is this Knox related?
Further oddness is that the phone keeps trying to pull down a second OTA update that looks identical to the first based on the filesize (over 400 MB). It goes through the motion, boots into recovery, and starts installing this second update, but stops partway through. Upon rebooting, the phone tells me the update was interrupted and can't be installed.
I realize I may never get root back, but I'm alarmed the phone's status still says "Custom" and that it's trying (and failing) to install this second OTA update.
I've tried factory resetting the phone, both within KitKat and via recovery, but these issues remain. Should I just reapply NG3 via Odin?
Thanks in advance!

fleggett1 said:
I have (or had) an AT&T branded S5 that was previous rooted and running Safestrap (I don't recall the BL version). Due to some EXTREME idiocy on my part, I took an OTA update two days ago, which updated and synched everything to G900AUCU2ANG3.
Naturally, this borked root. But there's some weirdness going on. Even after the OTA update, the phone's device status still says "Custom". And I still see the custom text when the phone boots. Is this Knox related?
Further oddness is that the phone keeps trying to pull down a second OTA update that looks identical to the first based on the filesize (over 400 MB). It goes through the motion, boots into recovery, and starts installing this second update, but stops partway through. Upon rebooting, the phone tells me the update was interrupted and can't be installed.
I realize I may never get root back, but I'm alarmed the phone's status still says "Custom" and that it's trying (and failing) to install this second OTA update.
I've tried factory resetting the phone, both within KitKat and via recovery, but these issues remain. Should I just reapply NG3 via Odin?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What does your "android version" say in settings. If your still on 4.4.2 you can downgrade bank to nce and reroot with towel root.

dirtydodge said:
What does your "android version" say in settings. If your still on 4.4.2 you can downgrade bank to nce and reroot with towel root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I'm still on 4.4.2. Like I wrote in my OP, though, I'm VERY concerned that this second OTA update keeps failing. I'm also perplexed as to why the device is still in some sort of custom state since I thought taking the OTA update would, in essence, reset everything except user data.
Is my phone borked in some way? I mean, it works just fine otherwise, but the device's inability to install this second OTA update really sticks in my craw.
I might reapply NG3 via Odin and see what happens. Couldn't hurt, right?

fleggett1 said:
Yes, I'm still on 4.4.2. Like I wrote in my OP, though, I'm VERY concerned that this second OTA update keeps failing. I'm also perplexed as to why the device is still in some sort of custom state since I thought taking the OTA update would, in essence, reset everything except user data.
Is my phone borked in some way? I mean, it works just fine otherwise, but the device's inability to install this second OTA update really sticks in my craw.
I might reapply NG3 via Odin and see what happens. Couldn't hurt, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=3149146
If you want root, go to the OP in that post, scroll down to step 4 or the notes section and download the "downgrade to nce.zip" flash that in odin "ap" slot. Then root with towel root. After that you can either download titanium backup and fees the ota's or use that same thread to upgrade to the OF2 version and keep root.
Edit:
If you want to just take the OTA's and not root your phone then still download the "downgrade to nce.zip" flash in odin but don't root. The ota's will push through with no problem then. But you won't be able to downgrade and root if you take the OTA's all the way up to oc4 i believe.

January ota update help needed

OK I got the notification to update today it's MMB29S, I am on K. I am rooted but stock, unlocked using systemless root for root. I've always been rooted and expected it to fail and have to install manually but this time because I'm not rooted like the old way. So i downloaded and went to install to my surprise dead Android with the triangle didn't show but it went to custom recovery screen twrp. I just hit restart because I've never not had a fail and never seen it do this before. Well when it restarted I was not updated and still on K. I also for the life of me can't get it to redo the ota. Tried to clear system service in apps and recheck but nothing.
So my question is since I'm new to systemless root what should I have done when it went to custom recovery? So that way if I can get it to pop up again I can be updated. Thank you in advance for any help and it would be awesome if possible to update this way without having to manually do it.

My best guess, based on what Chainfire replied to me when I asked about OTA, is that because you're somehow rooted the OTA will refuse to install. He said that using the "unroot" function in v2.63 (and I suppose in subsequent versions) he was able to apply the OTA and then just had to re-root.
As to the OTA, I read in the long-distant past that once it's been provided to your device you sort of go to the back of the queue, and even pressing the "check for system update" button has no effect. One day your turn will come again. When it happens, before you press the "install now" button, use the unroot function, reboot, and give it another go.
And I would really appreciate it if you could report back on the success or failure, just so we all know - thanks...
And before I close... your alternative is just to download the full ROM from Google, unzip everything in sight (including the zip within the zip), copy system.img to a convenient folder, and use Fastboot to flash system. After that you'll need to re-root (simple flash) and when you reboot everything will be as it was, apart from the version and security update date. I did it myself to MMB29S a week or so ago.
But my lawyer advises me to advise you to take a full backup first and store it off your device before you do anything to your device - just in case, you know?

I will definitely reply if I get the update again in a few days. If it doesn't I'll probably do it manually. I was just really surprised I hadn't gotten the error, just so used to it. Thank you for the info though.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but to install an OTA don't you need to be completely stock, including recovery?

If I'm not mistaken but since 4.3 (I'm probably wrong) if your rooted (before systemless root) when you try to the ota you will always get the dead Android because rooting changes the system files causing the update when it does is checks to think your system is corrupt.
Also it was really bad when people tried going from 5.x.x to 6.x even doing it manually some of us got bootlooped or when starting the phone up after updating manually saying system is corrupt but still starting up fine. Leaving like me having to completely clear out everything and installing the factory image just to not be corrupt and able to use Android pay.
Systemless root though I've not had a single problem and still able to use AP. And is also the first time in years I've gotten as far as I did with the OTA.

Rbh50815 said:
OK I got the notification to update today it's MMB29S, I am on K. I am rooted but stock, unlocked using systemless root for root. I've always been rooted and expected it to fail and have to install manually but this time because I'm not rooted like the old way. So i downloaded and went to install to my surprise dead Android with the triangle didn't show but it went to custom recovery screen twrp. I just hit restart because I've never not had a fail and never seen it do this before. Well when it restarted I was not updated and still on K. I also for the life of me can't get it to redo the ota. Tried to clear system service in apps and recheck but nothing.
So my question is since I'm new to systemless root what should I have done when it went to custom recovery? So that way if I can get it to pop up again I can be updated. Thank you in advance for any help and it would be awesome if possible to update this way without having to manually do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These small ota's can be done with boot modifications because they don't include any boot.img changes and if they do then they just blanket overwrite what's already there. The only part that is checked is /system. However TWRP won't ever install an ota update for compatibility reasons. Even if you reflash the stock recovery then you'll fail the ota because when you installed TWRP it protected itself (by modifying /system) from being overwritten by the stock recovery which is what unmodded stock android will always do on boot by default. And there are 2 things the ota verification looks for when updating: 1. It looks for whether /system has been ever mounted as Read/Write. 2. It hash checks the /system, if it finds any mismatch it fails. As for the update not showing up again, the ota checker hides the update after a failure to stop from flooding the download server. If you want to extract the update zip you can look in /cache for the zip. But since you don't have an unmodded /system you might as well just download the newest factory image and manually flash the system.img

You can use Wug NRT, unroot with MMB29S provided in the NRT , then root.