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i bought a moto g 2014 yesterday and i wanna update to androi 5.0 LP but i dont know how to start... i had an iphone and im NEW with android...
its a 21.11.24.titan.niimx.niimx.en.MXniimx XT-1064, on stock conditions
please i know there is a loooooooot of posts about unlockbootloader etc etc but i didnt know what i have to do first
im on 0 please tell me what i have to doo, or put the links in order please to do all step by step.
Two options
1. Stay stock and wait for OTA
2. Go off the deep end and unlock/root and do it yourself
Keep in mind that unlocking your boot loader will most likely void any warrantee you may have.
If you are okay with that, the first thing you need to do is unlock the boot loader. Head over to Motorola.com and you will see a link for developers at the bottom, in there you will find a link to unlock...they are pretty simple and detailed instructions and should not take you more than 20 minutes if you are starting from scratch (I already have the adb tools on my computer and the whole unlocking process took me maybe 5 minutes).
Come back once you have that done for the next step
What do you recomend me? wait for OTA or do everything by myself? im from mexico and i dont know when motorola will relase the ota version
agentaaron said:
Two options
1. Stay stock and wait for OTA
2. Go off the deep end and unlock/root and do it yourself
Keep in mind that unlocking your boot loader will most likely void any warrantee you may have.
If you are okay with that, the first thing you need to do is unlock the boot loader. Head over to Motorola.com and you will see a link for developers at the bottom, in there you will find a link to unlock...they are pretty simple and detailed instructions and should not take you more than 20 minutes if you are starting from scratch (I already have the adb tools on my computer and the whole unlocking process took me maybe 5 minutes).
Come back once you have that done for the next step
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That my friend is a decision you will have to make. For me, I figure the phone only cost 179.00 off contract. If something should happen to it, its not like I'm out too much...it would cost roughly the same as an insurance claim if I were using a more expensive device.
There are many benefits to rooting, but it does open the phone for you to make a mistake and render it useless as well.
agentaaron said:
That my friend is a decision you will have to make. For me, I figure the phone only cost 179.00 off contract. If something should happen to it, its not like I'm out too much...it would cost roughly the same as an insurance claim if I were using a more expensive device.
There are many benefits to rooting, but it does open the phone for you to make a mistake and render it useless as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Common sense helps a lot here
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Free mobile app
AngelxCasas said:
i bought a moto g 2014 yesterday and i wanna update to androi 5.0 LP but i dont know how to start... i had an iphone and im NEW with android...
its a 21.11.24.titan.niimx.niimx.en.MXniimx XT-1064, on stock conditions
please i know there is a loooooooot of posts about unlockbootloader etc etc but i didnt know what i have to do first
im on 0 please tell me what i have to doo, or put the links in order please to do all step by step.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too recently switched from an iPhone 5 to the 2014 Moto X. The biggest thing is to keep things simple at first. As already recommended, keep things stock. Embrace the Google apps and ecosystem. I have also found to keep apps to a minimum to start off with. Only download and install the key apps that you need on a daily basis. The one thing I've noticed about Android, there's a higher chance of a random app causing additional battery drain. The fewer the apps installed, the less likely this is to happen. Also, I only use apps from well known developers.
After getting things setup, things should be similar. Email, Google Maps, web browsing are very similar. Multitasking is not a smooth on the Moto G (my guess the lack of RAM). But since the Lollipop update, I have found that I'm not missing anything from my iPhone.
Brice
Now that Lollipop is out what are people's thoughts about it compared to a mofo-rooted KitKat? Do the benefits of an updated OS outweigh those of root (albeit partial, but wifi-tehtering and xposed works)? What would you rather have?
Has anyone here made the switch?
From experience on other devices, lollipop is great. On the other hand, why bother sticking on xda if you were going to stay on unrooted stock (which is where 5.1 ota takers are going to stay). I'm not sure if people realize the increased difficulty finding these exploits especially on lollipop.
I guess that's the million-dollar question. Is there anything in Lollipop that would make someone switch from a mofo-rooted KK phone to Lollipop?
No, I can't stand the intrusive ads, and need Wi-Fi tethering with my unlimited plan
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using XDA Free mobile app
If we were talking about an earlier version of Android then kk I would agree in principle, but Android is so mature at this point. I love being on the latest but most missing features between the versions can be added via third party apps or xposed. Very hard for me to give up root.
For me, there are two reasons I want Lollipop... so my fitbit will display text messages.. I guess it requires 5.0 or higher... and for ART.
But to lose xposed, to lose customizing the look (white on amoled.. so dumb), to lose editing my hosts file for adblocking, just so I can have my texts readable on my wrist and a slightly faster load times for apps.. no, just not worth it. I really hope someone finds a way to root LP, until then:
Mofo'd Kitkat all that way. Been rocking the same image I made since March 28 (I nicknamed it TurboTime )
I switch to Lollipop as Wifi didn't work quite well in KK. Drop, slow connection all the time. It's rock solid when I upgrade.
Still really missed the Xposed stuffs, but I still have my nexus to play with.
Also, isn't adblock slow the internet connection too? I realize it when I started COC, it's always freeze a few secs before loading.
Onismurai said:
Also, isn't adblock slow the internet connection too? I realize it when I started COC, it's always freeze a few secs before loading.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Non root adblocking can be slower as (some) reroute all your traffic through their servers where it strips ads before it gets to you, thus creating another step.
With root you can edit the hosts file.. which basically.. when a page, app or anything wants to go to www.AdsAllOver.com your phone believes that url is located at the ip address of 0.0.0.0 instead of the real address... thus the ad never loads. No slow down of speed just the denial of seeing crap.
jawiler said:
No, I can't stand the intrusive ads, and need Wi-Fi tethering with my unlimited plan
Sent from my ARCHOS 80G9 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear ya. It's all about xposed and wifi-tethering with my Verizon UDP as well. Hopefully a root method for Lollipop will be coming soon.
root > all else
As of my post, votes are leading going towards 5.1... however those voters arent speaking up.. Im curious why they feel being on 5.1 made things better.
Ive seen it made a 'less than optimal' wifi, a better function.. better battery life...(still havent seen an issue with KK battery [ 12 hours on batt 2 hours on screen time, still 57%]) ... and outside of that, Im still unsure why the people that voted 5.1 vs root did vote that way.
I really hope someone has a good argument toward upgrading but at this point, I feel those 5.1 Turbos offer less than a 4.4.4. rooted Turbo.
ntxct said:
As of my post, votes are leading going towards 5.1... however those voters arent speaking up.. Im curious why they feel being on 5.1 made things better.
Ive seen it made a 'less than optimal' wifi, a better function.. better battery life...(still havent seen an issue with KK battery [ 12 hours on batt 2 hours on screen time, still 57%]) ... and outside of that, Im still unsure why the people that voted 5.1 vs root did vote that way.
I really hope someone has a good argument toward upgrading but at this point, I feel those 5.1 Turbos offer less than a 4.4.4. rooted Turbo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe people are voting for 5.1 because they feel the need to justify taking the OTA without thinking and losing root (sarcasm).
So far I haven't heard of any real advantages for upgrading yet (increased battery life, better camera, stronger signal strength, etc.). Maybe some folks who have upgraded can chime in?
I would really like to have Lollipop on my Turbo, but moving on without wifi tether, amplify, titanium backup, and gravity box is just not an option for me. What upsets me the most is that these functions need root to begin with. We really need all of these options in stock, especially app+data backup. It's a shame we have to resort to modding our devices just to get them to work the way we want them to.
Being one of the ones giving up mofo for 5.1. For me it came down to the only benefit root for me was ad blocking and Titanium to backup / freezer apps that I couldn't disable. The advantages of 5.1 are (hopefully) improved battery, advance calling actually working for better quality and simultaneous voice / data, location-based smart unlock, better integrated notification toggles, smoother overall phone and of course the itch to be on the latest version
So while I hope they figure out a way to upgrade the kernel and system files with mofo, for me the hurdles / odds didn't seem worth it given the above tradeoffs.
So that's my $.02 from a jumper.
Coming from 4 prior phone before the Turbo with WP Off, and able to do whatever I want, running Lollipop on my Galaxy S3 before I got my Turbo. I literally had the SAME setup via apps, configuration, interface, (Besides having ART on LP, and Dalvik on kk) between my Galaxy S3 w/ Lollipop and my Turbo 4.4 w/ 'root' where I did my own images and added in what I want.
When I got rid of my S3 to get my Turbo, I really didn't notice a difference. I really did like Lollipop because I had no issues with my apps like Xposed, Viper4Android. Then again going back to kk, no problem. Only thing that sucks is this god damn phone is plagued with the WiFi issue and there was never a hotfix that was released nor is there any build.prop fix or any config file we can edit to fix the issue.
Also depends what you do, I edited my own images, put in my own ad-block hosts file so I don't deal with that **** anymore. I have xposed, I edited my GPS .conf, I have a entropy fix running which makes it slightly snappier.
If you're like me and want these options still, stick with KK, but if you don't care for your own hosts file, new gps conf, more entropy, and Viper4Android, go ahead and update. Hopefully whoever takes the 5.1 OTA can get a mofo root if there is a exploit.
I'm definitely sticking with rooted Kk. I personally prefer the UI on Kk compared to lollipop, but it's the root that keeps me permanently on it. I have LP on my shield tablet, and am not a huge fan.
Are 32 votes enough of a sample to conclude that the slight majority of XDA'ers who own Droid Turbos would rather take the OTA and likely give up all hope of attaining root on Lollipop 5.1 (despite multiple warnings to not take the OTA and wait for a rooted IMG file that can be flashed with mofo)? Since only one "jumper" actually stated why he made the switch, is being on the latest and greatest OS really so much better, customization/control be damned (note that I did not say functionality)?
Surprising...
GeoFX said:
Are 32 votes enough of a sample to conclude that the slight majority of XDA'ers who own Droid Turbos would rather take the OTA and likely give up all hope of attaining root on Lollipop 5.1 (despite multiple warnings to not take the OTA and wait for a rooted IMG file that can be flashed with mofo)? Since only one "jumper" actually stated why he made the switch, is being on the latest and greatest OS really so much better, customization/control be damned (note that I did not say functionality)?
Surprising...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got a couple theories...
1. (Is yours from before) people need to justify taking the OTA, so will vote 5.1 just so they feel vindicated in their upgrade.
2. The 5.1 voters are just casual users that, maybe in the past have had customizable phones, thus know of xda, and saw this poll, voted for what they have and left.
3. Voters that have never truly customized their phone and are happy with whatever google decides the UI should look like.
4. Voters that think a higher number is always a better number.
5. Voters that found this forum from droid-life or other news outlets, that saw the poll, voted and left (extension of 2)
6. A group of crazies that find any poll on xda and decide to vote for the least logical solution.
I'm going with 1.. the biggest thing Im hearing about 5.1 is the battery life.. however Im also hearing most are factory resetting, which makes me wonder if they had factory resetted while on KK, if they would've see the same increase of battery life? (not installing apps you forgot you installed 4 months ago, don't use anymore, and it was those apps that were draining their KK battery)
I kinda / sorta feel bad for those that want to be on the cutting edge of tech and upgraded in excitement only to realize how screwed they just made themselves... (I mean we all found xda because at one point we all wanted to root / customize some phone right? And in upgrading, 5.1 users now have no way to root and customize)
ntxct said:
I've got a couple theories...
1. (Is yours from before) people need to justify taking the OTA, so will vote 5.1 just so they feel vindicated in their upgrade.
2. The 5.1 voters are just casual users that, maybe in the past have had customizable phones, thus know of xda, and saw this poll, voted for what they have and left.
3. Voters that have never truly customized their phone and are happy with whatever google decides the UI should look like.
4. Voters that think a higher number is always a better number.
5. Voters that found this forum from droid-life or other news outlets, that saw the poll, voted and left (extension of 2)
6. A group of crazies that find any poll on xda and decide to vote for the least logical solution.
I'm going with 1.. the biggest thing Im hearing about 5.1 is the battery life.. however Im also hearing most are factory resetting, which makes me wonder if they had factory resetted while on KK, if they would've see the same increase of battery life? (not installing apps you forgot you installed 4 months ago, don't use anymore, and it was those apps that were draining their KK battery)
I kinda / sorta feel bad for those that want to be on the cutting edge of tech and upgraded in excitement only to realize how screwed they just made themselves... (I mean we all found xda because at one point we all wanted to root / customize some phone right? And in upgrading, 5.1 users now have no way to root and customize)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One more:
7) Users who actually have a real need for Lollipop, whether it be application development or for a bug fix (even though I haven't heard of any major bugs in KK fixed in 5.1 but there might be some).
Highly doubt this would apply to the majority of people who voted for Lollipop
I will patiently be waiting for L to be rooted just as I did for KK. When MOFO came out and I was finally able to block ads and use gravitybox, any thoughts of lollipop just disappeared.
Here are some files I found if there is a specific directory you need to see I'll try to get access to it all you need to do is post the dir here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-k10MX8t9TXN0lsSGpteFRBQnc/view?usp=docslist_api
Best of luck! We T-Mobile S7 owners are crossing our fingers.
Adaway will make this phone perfect.
I've rooted every phone I've had, there's always been a reason I needed it. I got to say though, I can't find an everyday reason to really need it on my edge.
Kris
FatKris said:
I've rooted every phone I've had, there's always been a reason I needed it. I got to say though, I can't find an everyday reason to really need it on my edge.
Kris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you don't want freedom so you don't want Xposed via flashfire so you don't want Titanium Backup those are just some things I need root for idk about you but even if I didn't need those things I would still do it just because I can.....
Ghost Dragon said:
So you don't want freedom so you don't want Xposed via flashfire so you don't want Titanium Backup those are just some things I need root for idk about you but even if I didn't need those things I would still do it just because I can.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there's pros and cons to everything...
I love rooting, always have but this is the first time in a long time that I can't root and it's actually not so bad.
Granted I'd love to be able to installing ROMs, remove ads and bloat and have all these tweaks and tricks but it's sort of like... been there, done that.
If you root your phone now, you can NEVER use Samsung Pay... EVER on your device. Even if you restore stock firmware. That's actually a big issue now with mobile payments being a common thing.
I kind of like having my phone much more secure and safe to do important financial transactions and access important accounts (just like I do on my iPhone) without fear of lax security while using rooted/custom software.
I think moving into the future, flagship phones like Samsung's Galaxy line(s) won't risk bad press or the potential for bad press by allowing the modding community to easily gain root access and customize their software.
They have more to lose than gain by doing that, especially with their rivalry with Apple being so neck and neck now.
I think people like us on XDA who love rooting will have to purchase devices from up and coming OEMs if we still want to root, either that or Nexus devices.
HNIC215 said:
I think there's pros and cons to everything...
I love rooting, always have but this is the first time in a long time that I can't root and it's actually not so bad.
Granted I'd love to be able to installing ROMs, remove ads and bloat and have all these tweaks and tricks but it's sort of like... been there, done that.
If you root your phone now, you can NEVER use Samsung Pay... EVER on your device. Even if you restore stock firmware. That's actually a big issue now with mobile payments being a common thing.
I kind of like having my phone much more secure and safe to do important financial transactions and access important accounts (just like I do on my iPhone) without fear of lax security while using rooted/custom software.
I think moving into the future, flagship phones like Samsung's Galaxy line(s) won't risk bad press or the potential for bad press by allowing the modding community to easily gain root access and customize their software.
They have more to lose than gain by doing that, especially with their rivalry with Apple being so neck and neck now.
I think people like us on XDA who love rooting will have to purchase devices from up and coming OEMs if we still want to root, either that or Nexus devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. So you would sacrifice freedom for convenience
2. Geohots court session with Apple made it legal to jailbreak aka root phones so why exactly would they get "bad press"
3. Android is open source so what Samsung is doing is kind of breaking the law of Android destroying the very foundation and purpose of it's creation
Ghost Dragon said:
1. So you would sacrifice freedom for convenience
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean that's the thing with security in this day and age. No?
In order to have it, you must sacrifice the freedom (to an extent) to mod and install 3rd party software. While I personally love what XDA stands for, does and has to offer - I mean I love rooting and customizing my phones but I certainly can understand the other perspective in regards to security. XDA might be full of great individuals who are trying to improve the software experience for users, however, there are plenty of other 3rd parties who have ill intent.
It's the same reason why Apple is so strict with system access on iOS.
Samsung is trying to be their equal - in terms of quality, security and everything else.
In order to maintain that level of security in the midst of a global, albeit slow, roll out of Samsung Pay, they have to limit access to their system as well.
Which is why, like I said in my previous comment, if you EVER root a Samsung phone then you can NEVER use Samsung Pay on it.
To a lot of folks, especially those coming from the iPhone, Mobile Payments, Mobile Banking and security in general is a very important feature for them to have.
If not, it furthers the stereotype that Android is less secure than Apple. Which doesn't sit well with the plethora of users who don't care about rooting - we at XDA after all are really a niche group of users when looking at the grand scheme of consumers.
Ghost Dragon said:
2. Geohots court session with Apple made it legal to jailbreak aka root phones so why exactly would they get "bad press"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They would get "bad press" if something were to compromise the security of their devices - anywhere in the world. Especially if that compromise impacted the potential safety and security of their Mobile Payment system.
Which rooting or allowing access to certain parts of the system may or may not do. Which is a big deal to them, their investors and most of their consumers (who aren't aware or concerned about rooting).
Android already has an unfair stereotype/label that it is less secure compared to iPhone.
Ghost Dragon said:
3. Android is open source so what Samsung is doing is kind of breaking the law of Android destroying the very foundation and purpose of it's creation
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung doesn't care about what people like us on XDA think. People like us, who love to root and have the freedom to do whatever it is they want to their phones or to the software on their phones. As much as I hate to say it, we are a niche group.
I would love a developer edition of the S7/S7 Edge, that enables us to do all the wonderful things that the amazing and talented developers at XDA create for us. I would also love to be able to continue to use Samsung Pay and access and carry out important financial transactions through my mobile device.
Alas, that's not the case. So we have to choose between a bootloader locked version of the S7/S7 Edge or no S7/S7 Edge at all.
I think this phone is amazing and after years of nonstop rooting and customizing ROMs I don't mind sacrificing that aspect of customization in order to have a secure phone that I can do all the same things I can do on my iPhone 6s Plus.
Do I miss it sometimes? Sure
However, it's not the end of the world for me and the S7 Edge is still the best Android phone I've ever owned or used (I've owned alot too).
It is the "iPhone" of the Android world in terms of premium look/feel and quality and I think that is exactly the correlation that Samsung wants more consumers to have and think.
I was using Samsung Pay on my S6 Edge, and I decided to root it, unlock the bootloader, and flash a new ROM on it. 2 days later, someone had all of my personal info, all the info for a credit card I had on file and was using on my phone, and ran up $6000. I got a text from the bank to verify a purchase which I didn't make, and I responded that I did not make the transaction, but someone had enough information about me to call the bank, verify all of my information along with the purchase. I'm not saying the unlocking and flashing allowed someone to access this information, but it's a fairly large coincidence. Moving forward, any device that I use for financial transactions and such will remain stock, and if I root a device and flash it, it will be a separate device that doesn't contain any confidential information.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using XDA-Developers mobile app
Rolldog said:
I was using Samsung Pay on my S6 Edge, and I decided to root it, unlock the bootloader, and flash a new ROM on it. 2 days later, someone had all of my personal info, all the info for a credit card I had on file and was using on my phone, and ran up $6000. I got a text from the bank to verify a purchase which I didn't make, and I responded that I did not make the transaction, but someone had enough information about me to call the bank, verify all of my information along with the purchase. I'm not saying the unlocking and flashing allowed someone to access this information, but it's a fairly large coincidence. Moving forward, any device that I use for financial transactions and such will remain stock, and if I root a device and flash it, it will be a separate device that doesn't contain any confidential information.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly my point...
This is what makes so many consumers out there trust Apple because, whether true or not, they feel safe with Apple.
Samsung - being Apple's equivalent in the Android world - wants that same recognition and consumer trust.
I can't blame them either.
In this day and age, it is simply the world we live in, security is paramount for businesses and consumers alike.
I been rooting all my phones and my wife's phones for about 5-6 years and can say this phone is perfect jus the way it is. Since launch I had the gs7 edge and not once have I got the urge to root this beautiful device. And I'm sure I speak for most of us here that we can't go 2 days with a new phone without gaining root, flashing roms or xpose etc. For me it's more than jus keeping security. Samsung jus made a phone worth keeping stock, finally.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using XDA-Developers mobile app
I've rooted every single android phone I've owned. I was one of the first people to run CyanogenMod on my Droid when some crazy no-named guy named Koush appeared out of nowhere and said SPRecovery that we had ALL had wasn't "real" recovery and created his own recovery in order to flash the real CyanogenMod ROM. Later this recovery would be called Clockwork Mod. I remember flashing .sbf files that replaced everything on the phone just for a silly custom boot logo. I used to kang features and themes from N1 threads on here, back when that was really the only phone on XDA. I used to build ROMs and custom themes and all that craziness. I remember when changing the clock color was unbelievably complicated. Google integrated many features first pioneered by devs into their main product that these phones all run on now. Taking away our ability to do that may very well slow the development of Android. It defeats the purpose of open-source. If you wish to forgo the freedom of root for the security of KNOX, or Samsung Pay, or whatever feature that conflicts with root, you're free to do so, even if rooting is possible. And manufacturers have always warned against rooting because it takes away from the security features they worked hard to include, and none have ever been held accountable for someone rooting a device before. It wouldn't be any different now. I guess, in summary, they really have nothing to lose by allowing root. Even if I have no real reason to root, I still would like the option to do on a device that I shelled out $700+ for. Rooting never was for everybody. But because some developers were nice enough to simplify the process to the point a chimp could do it. Literally. People that probably shouldn't root, did it anyways, but then felt that they shouldn't be responsible for their own actions. But for those of us that don't need our hand held throughout the entire process of owning a device, having the freedom to treat our property as we like doesn't seem like it's asking all that much. Especially for a device that runs on open-source software...
(Good God, I rambled a lot longer than intended. Sorry about the novel)
52brandon said:
I've rooted every single android phone I've owned. I was one of the first people to run CyanogenMod on my Droid when some crazy no-named guy named Koush appeared out of nowhere and said SPRecovery that we had ALL had wasn't "real" recovery and created his own recovery in order to flash the real CyanogenMod ROM. Later this recovery would be called Clockwork Mod. I remember flashing .sbf files that replaced everything on the phone just for a silly custom boot logo. I used to kang features and themes from N1 threads on here, back when that was really the only phone on XDA. I used to build ROMs and custom themes and all that craziness. I remember when changing the clock color was unbelievably complicated. Google integrated many features first pioneered by devs into their main product that these phones all run on now. Taking away our ability to do that may very well slow the development of Android. It defeats the purpose of open-source. If you wish to forgo the freedom of root for the security of KNOX, or Samsung Pay, or whatever feature that conflicts with root, you're free to do so, even if rooting is possible. And manufacturers have always warned against rooting because it takes away from the security features they worked hard to include, and none have ever been held accountable for someone rooting a device before. It wouldn't be any different now. I guess, in summary, they really have nothing to lose by allowing root. Even if I have no real reason to root, I still would like the option to do on a device that I shelled out $700+ for. Rooting never was for everybody. But because some developers were nice enough to simplify the process to the point a chimp could do it. Literally. People that probably shouldn't root, did it anyways, but then felt that they shouldn't be responsible for their own actions. But for those of us that don't need our hand held throughout the entire process of owning a device, having the freedom to treat our property as we like doesn't seem like it's asking all that much. Especially for a device that runs on open-source software...
(Good God, I rambled a lot longer than intended. Sorry about the novel)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Preach on brotha!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk
Loving this phone so far. Great battery life! Don't really care about root atm.
Hey All!
I've been a user at xda since 2009 (I lost my old account's password). And I was deeply in love with it and all the people.
MY EXCITING XDA EXPERIENCE-
1) Galaxy Y
I got here when I bought my first Android device Samsung Galaxy Y (S3560)*(Totoro) in 2010 when I was 11 and in 8th grade. It has Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread. But I wasn't happy as most games like Temple Run and Subway Surfers didn't run on it due to it being Armv6.
And somehow, I found a youtube video which linked to xda where it explained if I rooted and upgraded my device, it would've got m running all my favorite apps! I was happy and then I learnt upgrading and all. I never knew that there was a fake ICS Update with build.prop modded on it and believed it to be original
It wasn't easy. I ended up bricking my device and crying all night unable to fix it. My dad took it to Samsung and they repaired it and warned me never to do this again or it will get spoiled forever. I got **** scared and never touched it for another 6 months until curiosity struck me when I got a notification of an ICS Mod (I still didn't read the log and thought it to be real). And I ended up bricking it again. I was so scared. Later I found out Odin. Yup. Odin was literally an angel that saved my life and boom! I had my original device back! I tried thrice and then got the ICS mod! It looked so cool that I used to stare at my phone for days without doing anything. Later I installed an unstable CM9 which was original but didn't have Bluetooth, WiFi, Mobile Network, Brightness, Sound, and Playstore working. It was useless. I got to know that Broadcomm didn't release the drivers and needed large donation to do so. I never got to know about it.
I ended up trying hard to install GTA, etc on it but everything failed.
2) Blackberry Playbook
Now this wasn't on xda I believe when I got it. My father bought it as a gift in 8th grade. It had almost nothing except NFS Undercover. I heard that you could install Android on BB Playbook by rooting it and all once it has OS ver. 2.0.4 or 2.0.6. But I already upgraded it to 2.1.x. Now I felt like breaking my head because there was no going back.
3) MOTO G (XT1033) (Falcon)
This was my first google device and I was so happy to get it because it was super mod friendly. I got it after my 10th board exams in 2014 and I loved it through and through. Suddenly upgrading from 2.3.6 (Galaxy Y) to 4.4.4 with a bigger screen and armv7 processor was heaven! I enjoyed it a lot and loved it! It was like a treasure for me. I had to slap myself 4 times when it came to me through Flipkart online shipment. And I installed tons of mods on it. i loved it. Especially the android 5.0 part.
4) MOTO G4 Plus (XT1064) (I dont even know it's developer name)
I got it when I completed my 12th grade
Now comes the boring part. The phone was capable of multitasking, etc but it was still boring. This is the only device that I haven't unlocked the bootloader yet. Why?
NOW COMES MY POINT ABOUT ANDROID BECOMING BORING -
The phone Moto G4 had everything I needed. 32 GB, great camera, great RAM, great processor and only 208.30$. Great deal. It's still with me and I'm in College B. Tech. 1st year doing Electrical Engineering. But I've lost the excitement of modding and rooting. Have I grown up? Newer versions of Android do not interest me. I remember waking up till midnight 3 to watch the unveiling of android 5.0! Loved it but now it's all done. BORED!
Maybe because we have everything that we need in android.
And I do not know what more can be added to android to make it interesting. CyanogenMod used to excite me with its features but I don't feel like I need them now. Everything seems so changed.
Do you guys think it i common to feel like this? Or I'm a special snowflake who is a boring person....
Dude even I have left flashing ROMs. I have HTC Desire. Even I feel that rooting, modding, theming android is waste of time. I am not happy with stock ROM, but now I also dont want to go back and start the flashing game and install CM. Got tired of this. I have also lost interest in Android versions. They nowadays are pretty much same eg: Lolipop=Marshmallow=Nougat (90% are same).
Mr.KM said:
Dude even I have left flashing ROMs. I have HTC Desire. Even I feel that rooting, modding, theming android is waste of time. I am not happy with stock ROM, but now I also dont want to go back and start the flashing game and install CM. Got tired of this. I have also lost interest in Android versions. They nowadays are pretty much same eg: Lolipop=Marshmallow=Nougat (90% are same).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So did ICS = JB = KK.
You cannot expect radical changes in open source software such Android or Linux distros . They need some time to settle in. Although the UI is pretty much the same with different versions of Android, under-the-hood, the features are pretty exciting :laugh: . I used to have a mindset that Lollipop == Marshmallow, but the native Google API support for Fingerprint was darn exciting. before Android M, OEMs used to have their own APIs for fingerprint support, but when Google introduced the FP API, you can now authenticate purchases using your FP rather than entering that darn password. You just need to save your FP once and it used to work everywhere. The Doze feature in Android M was awesome, although it can be achieved in L using apps, it was a big reason for me to uninstall 'Boosting apps' from my friend's phone. Now the doze feature got even better in android N.
The reason why '90% of the code are the same' is because it is an Open source and is an update, not a complete rewrite of the code.
That '90%' is the 'Android part' and the remaining '10%' is the 'update part'.
Fun fact: Human gene is 98% similar to Gorilla gene. That 2% difference makes us humans .
T.Ru said:
So did ICS = JB = KK.
You cannot expect radical changes in open source software such Android or Linux distros . They need some time to settle in. Although the UI is pretty much the same with different versions of Android, under-the-hood, the features are pretty exciting :laugh: . I used to have a mindset that Lollipop == Marshmallow, but the native Google API support for Fingerprint was darn exciting. before Android M, OEMs used to have their own APIs for fingerprint support, but when Google introduced the FP API, you can now authenticate purchases using your FP rather than entering that darn password. You just need to save your FP once and it used to work everywhere. The Doze feature in Android M was awesome, although it can be achieved in L using apps, it was a big reason for me to uninstall 'Boosting apps' from my friend's phone. Now the doze feature got even better in android N.
The reason why '90% of the code are the same' is because it is an Open source and is an update, not a complete rewrite of the code.
That '90%' is the 'Android part' and the remaining '10%' is the 'update part'.
Fun fact: Human gene is 98% similar to Gorilla gene. That 2% difference makes us humans .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That made a lot of sense though! But I don't give a damn about FP and wallet (I've never done online purchases). I feel my interest towards games going down as I'm growing up as well.( It's so boring to grow up )
Anyways, I hope Google changes the UI in the next update. Never felt so bored. And most of the CM themes are pretty old and not innovative. You'll get bored after 2 days of installing themes and will want to revert back.
I really do hope Google changes the UI. I'm desperate for some new UI now. Not 1 or 2 apps but the whole thing like it was from KK to Lollipop and GB to ICS! Yummy!
[email protected] said:
That made a lot of sense though! But I don't give a damn about FP and wallet (I've never done online purchases). I feel my interest towards games going down as I'm growing up as well.( It's so boring to grow up )
Anyways, I hope Google changes the UI in the next update. Never felt so bored. And most of the CM themes are pretty old and not innovative. You'll get bored after 2 days of installing themes and will want to revert back.
I really do hope Google changes the UI. I'm desperate for some new UI now. Not 1 or 2 apps but the whole thing like it was from KK to Lollipop and GB to ICS! Yummy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can feel you, the urge, passion or whatever-you-call-it for modding have definitely come down. I don't know if it is because of the age or is modding is becoming easier and easier. Back then was the days of CWM and CM10 while Paranoid Android was for the elite devices. Now you can find modding easier than ever, everything is just a few clicks away. You can find each and every ROMs for each and every device, which made the whole fun of modding only for the end results rather than the sheer fun of the process of modding.
I remember when I got my first Android device, a tablet with Allwinner A13 chipset with a single core processor and 512 MB RAM. Before I got that tablet I was using Nokia N70 and Nokia E71, both based on Symbian S60 OS. I learned a lot about 'hacking the phone' (it's just like rooting but allows you to install apps not signed by Nokia) app signature, app installation and modifying the system partition. So when I got my tablet, modding it came to me naturally. It was a device totally off the RADAR of android devices, but fortunately, it came with a pure AOSP version of Android without any manufacturer modifications in it which made it a tad bit easier for me to mod that tablet. I discovered rooting, apps to bypass in-app purchase called as 'Freedom' (Lucky patcher got this feature long after freedom was released), Xposed modules and Game guardian. All these mods and apps let me enjoy my device without getting bored. But it was not enough for me, then I came to know about custom ROMs, there is no custom ROM available for my device, I did vague searches on Google and got links to some 5 ROMs made specifically for my chipset (not my device). I tried all of 'em but they had a lot of bugs etc. So I went back to the stock firmware by doing a fastboot flash. At the same time I also discovered ADB, I still remember when my little brother entered the wrong pattern more than 40 times, and when there was no other way, I used ADB to disable screen lock and factory reset my device. I did the same for two of my friends.
And that's how I came to learn a lot about Android.
BTW,
Now look at any kind of Android modding, there is some kind of 'one-tap' app available. Take, for example, Enabling Google Assistant on non-pixel devices, you have to edit your build.prop manually but there are 5+ apps available on Play store that does the same thing. There is no hard work involved, and the end result will always be underwhelming unless you yourself mod your system.
One of the best thread I came across recently was enabling Pixel's Round icons on other 7.1 devices. It requires you to decompile and recompile your framework.res file. Now that's what I call as real modding. Although the result is minor and can be easily achieved by installing a third party app and applying a custom icon pack, the sheer feeling of accomplishment you get by modding is just unparallel.
And one last thing,
The best modification you do for your phone is getting back the new features of the new Android version in your current Android version.
A thousand thanks to Xposed and N-ify
Thanks for reading till the end, signing off -Thiru
T.Ru said:
I can feel you, the urge, passion or whatever-you-call-it for modding have definitely come down. I don't know if it is because of the age or is modding is becoming easier and easier. Back then was the days of CWM and CM10 while Paranoid Android was for the elite devices. Now you can find modding easier than ever, everything is just a few clicks away. You can find each and every ROMs for each and every device, which made the whole fun of modding only for the end results rather than the sheer fun of the process of modding.
I remember when I got my first Android device, a tablet with Allwinner A13 chipset with a single core processor and 512 MB RAM. Before I got that tablet I was using Nokia N70 and Nokia E71, both based on Symbian S60 OS. I learned a lot about 'hacking the phone' (it's just like rooting but allows you to install apps not signed by Nokia) app signature, app installation and modifying the system partition. So when I got my tablet, modding it came to me naturally. It was a device totally off the RADAR of android devices, but fortunately, it came with a pure AOSP version of Android without any manufacturer modifications in it which made it a tad bit easier for me to mod that tablet. I discovered rooting, apps to bypass in-app purchase called as 'Freedom' (Lucky patcher got this feature long after freedom was released), Xposed modules and Game guardian. All these mods and apps let me enjoy my device without getting bored. But it was not enough for me, then I came to know about custom ROMs, there is no custom ROM available for my device, I did vague searches on Google and got links to some 5 ROMs made specifically for my chipset (not my device). I tried all of 'em but they had a lot of bugs etc. So I went back to the stock firmware by doing a fastboot flash. At the same time I also discovered ADB, I still remember when my little brother entered the wrong pattern more than 40 times, and when there was no other way, I used ADB to disable screen lock and factory reset my device. I did the same for two of my friends.
And that's how I came to learn a lot about Android.
BTW,
Now look at any kind of Android modding, there is some kind of 'one-tap' app available. Take, for example, Enabling Google Assistant on non-pixel devices, you have to edit your build.prop manually but there are 5+ apps available on Play store that does the same thing. There is no hard work involved, and the end result will always be underwhelming unless you yourself mod your system.
One of the best thread I came across recently was enabling Pixel's Round icons on other 7.1 devices. It requires you to decompile and recompile your framework.res file. Now that's what I call as real modding. Although the result is minor and can be easily achieved by installing a third party app and applying a custom icon pack, the sheer feeling of accomplishment you get by modding is just unparallel.
And one last thing,
The best modification you do for your phone is getting back the new features of the new Android version in your current Android version.
A thousand thanks to Xposed and N-ify
Thanks for reading till the end, signing off -Thiru
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mate, you've got an excellent point. Modding is not modding anymore. It's one touch and boom! You get CyanogenMod. It used to be fun to try and use CWM and get the result but now.... It's too easy. That's what's made it boring. Also, I'll try a few mods later. You actually motivated me! Thanks.
-Yash
It got so boring. Now as an adult I just want something that works. Ip7
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Hello Fellow XDA Users!
Some of you might remember me from over the years or maybe just from SamPWND root on the S8/S8+. I have had a number of devices since SamPWND with a few being Sammy's. I have been real busy with life and work but of course every spare time I get has been breaking Samsung devices!
I've found some exploits I never released publicly due to the devices being "unpopular" but figured since I am close now as well as what I have found so far most likely works on most Samsung devices (I've only tested on Tab S4 and N9 from Big Red) that I wouldn't keep this one away from everyone.
With that being said, I do not have FULL root yet but am very close. I wanted to create this thread as I don't have let's of free time these days to hopefully bounce ideas around to achieve our end goal a lot faster.
I am going to spare all the specific details to the masses but will let you know what I got so far. I prefer to collaborate over other applications that are more "real time" if there are any developers that read this then PM me and we can share contact info. If you just want to toss ideas in here then that is ok. I just don't want to have someone potentially take my hard work and claim it as their own before I can achieve root. I have been almost non stop since the N9 was released so you can understand hopefully why I want to be the one to bring root to you all!
With that being said, I will begin telling my story and what I have so far.
Some time last year I was working on another Sammy device after SamPWND as I wanted root of course. I spent weeks and weeks trying to find exploits until I finally did! For this time I wanted to see what Sammy would offer for it as it was a tablet, the XDA forum was deserted etc. They did pay out a 2500$ reward so it was ok.
The reason I bring this up is because the exploit plays a factor here as well. The exploit was a mix of SamPWND and SamFAIL as I used the same rooting script as SamPWND but with a custom partition that wasn't checked for integrity when flashing in ODIN.
On this partition there were some init rc scripts. I noticed these scripts could be executed on combo firmware as root user. This means I could mount the partition in Linux, modify the scripts to my liking, sparse it back up and flash in ODIN. Then I could execute them. Believe it or not, they were executed by entering a simple setprop command in ADB. So from start to finish I simply extracted this partition, modified the scripts to install root as well as packaged the root package in with the image, flash it and then execute an adb command and viola! I felt like a loser it took me so long to find yet was so simple to exploit.
This ties in to where I am at now. I spent months looking through various attack vectors with no luck due to enhanced security not just with Sammy but Android also. So one day last week I decided to take a look at combo firmware again. In no time I found something interesting and then I slapped myself for spending months again when I should have looked at init scripts first.
I found it on my Tab s4 initially but wanted to see if the same file was on my N9 on combo and it was!
The first script runs as system user. For some reason the entire folder it is in is world readable/writable which means there is a script I can modify. This one is not an init script but is a script none the less that runs as system user that I can modify and execute with a simple adb command. Of course we want root, not system so I keep looking.
So I started writing all sorts of scripts/commands and executing it as system user since it's better than running as shell user right? One day I decide I am going to try and change permissions on the entire device. To my surprise it actually changed permissions to ALOT of partitions/files including EFS. I start messing with efs but don't want to break my phone so I settled with backing it up, enabling hidden menu, changing my sales code, enabling factory test mode etc. Etc.
One day I decided to see if I could access the same scripts I used previously. The partition was not readable (perms denied) so initially I thought it was a dead end. Then for some reason I tried to go into the sub-directory where I knew the scripts were and guess what!? The parent directory perms were not changed but its sub directories were! Now I am somewhere I have been before and now I have some scripts that I know are executed by init and as root and how to trigger them.
I spent over a week and all my spare time trying to gain full root but progress is slow moving due to new security. I can make a script that backs up every partition on the device, mounts "most" partitions as rw, dd magisk boot images (of course secure check fail due to locked bl but I had to try lol), create folders and push files to roots etc. Etc. Its basically like having full root but you have to run it in a script for everything you do.
Since we have locked bootloaders, we cannot boot modified boot.img. There's also more security causing me to have issues with system root. One of those issues is the fact that system, vendor and odm partitions cause the kernel to panic instantly as soon as they are mounted.
I managed to force some stuff quickly before the crash but they also have something called "secure write protect" which basically backs out anything you might have written before it reboots. I have tried installing chains systemless root and even tried to install magisk without modifying the boot but I am just getting frustrated and tired.
One thing I am currently trying is a safestrap recovery. The end goal is to try and get a GSI on that is pre rooted. Yes, I also tried to dd a gsi and tried with a file manager... it appears to write but it doesn't. I think there is some security going on as it along with odm and vendor are "protected" partitions.
I can modify rootfs and just about every other partition on the device with ease but haven't successfully gained root via su or magisk etc. Some stuff will cause device to boot with good old custom unlock splash screen and even say custom and custom binary in ODIN. That plus it being project treble certified indicates we shouldn't have any issues using GSI's and more soon as we can get ot nailed down!
So in a nutshell, I now have the ability to do almost anything as root user using init scripts on our locked bootloader devices but we only have a little bit left to go in figuring out how to get su binaries onto the device thanks to sammy and googs enhanced security updates.
Hopefully this gets the convo going and I wanted everyone to know that it's not "impossible" and now seems like a guarantee! Let's get some ideas going in here on this last hurdle! If you are a developer please also PM me as I tend to forget to check xda sometimes plus I like a more real time conversation when it comes to this stuff.
We are almost there!
Donation Link: https://forum.xda-developers.com/donatetome.php?u=3812611
Forgot as a reminder that I can confirm the scripts there on tab s4 and n9 combos.. it's very likely they are present on S9/S9+ also and potentially other devices but they will need to be confirmed once we get to that point.
Was just barely reading up on Samsung defex security.. hope that's not the problem since only fix I can find requires hex patching the boot.img
so i noticed you gave quite a lot of info without going too much into details. i understand that you don't want anyone to steal your ideas and take credit.
would be a shame to get root.
and not get the credit where it is due..
now, that being said, isn't making these statements public open up the door for samsung to notice these possible exploits and patch them up for good? thus rendering all your efforts in vain? As even if the details were kept at a minimum from kangers to use them, the samsung devs can probably read through the lines quite easily.
anyways, hope your effort will bare fruit for as long as it is possible.( samfail lasted what 3 or 4 months? before patches made it too difficult to keep up)
Regards
bober10113 said:
so i noticed you gave quite a lot of info without going too much into details. i understand that you don't want anyone to steal your ideas and take credit.
would be a shame to get root.
and not get the credit where it is due..
now, that being said, isn't making these statements public open up the door for samsung to notice these possible exploits and patch them up for good? thus rendering all your efforts in vain? As even if the details were kept at a minimum from kangers to use them, the samsung devs can probably read through the lines quite easily.
anyways, hope your effort will bare fruit for as long as it is possible.( samfail lasted what 3 or 4 months? before patches made it too difficult to keep up)
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can see where youre coming from but I dont think they can glean exactly what I have as theres are probably hundreds of scripts throughout the system.
Also, this approach is far from new. People have been using init scripts for rooting purposes for many years.
I also tried it with newer firmware and it actually didnt work. So it already requires an older frmware and I expect Sammy will increment bootloaders soon making it unavailable to those who have updated at that poimt in time. I figured best to put out the word on progress now and those can choose to wait or not.
Exploits never last very long. The only way to ensure longevity is to remain on old firmware. There was SamPWND before there was SamFAIL. This could be the perfect time. Unless I am the only one working on this device there will be other exploits to be found.
With that being said, only you have posted all day and no devs have reached out to join in the fun so at this rate by the time full root is achieved it most likely will already be patched.
Thats just my thoughts though.
elliwigy said:
I can see where youre coming from but I dont think they can glean exactly what I have as theres are probably hundreds of scripts throughout the system.
Also, this approach is far from new. People have been using init scripts for rooting purposes for many years.
I also tried it with newer firmware and it actually didnt work. So it already requires an older frmware and I expect Sammy will increment bootloaders soon making it unavailable to those who have updated at that poimt in time. I figured best to put out the word on progress now and those can choose to wait or not.
Exploits never last very long. The only way to ensure longevity is to remain on old firmware. There was SamPWND before there was SamFAIL. This could be the perfect time. Unless I am the only one working on this device there will be other exploits to be found.
With that being said, only you have posted all day and no devs have reached out to join in the fun so at this rate by the time full root is achieved it most likely will already be patched.
Thats just my thoughts though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the note 9 kinda missed the party bus.
ive had almost all Sammy's devices and i have to unfortuanly say this is by far the most bleek state of development ive ever experienced.
but back in the day, there was far less android competition.
edit:
and i think that if not the competition, the fact that alot of people feel content with what stock samsung is offering. when the device came out, the forums were littered with Shakespearean: 'to root or not to' type of threads.
This is great news. Hopefully some devs contact you. Loved your work with the S8.
Yeeeeeeeesssssss!
Very exciting! If we're updated to Pie, are we out of luck then though, regarding the firmware?
I remember you doing some great stuff but I don't recall the phone... Galaxy S3? Note5? Note7? Note8? HTC M8? EVO 4G LTE? OG EVO? Anyway, I am excited to see you here. ?
Wow, this is very interesting, and I loved reading your detailed post. I am super exited, and can't thank you enough for all your work elliwigy! :good:
Full on beast!
Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
PsiPhiDan said:
Yeeeeeeeesssssss!
Very exciting! If we're updated to Pie, are we out of luck then though, regarding the firmware?
I remember you doing some great stuff but I don't recall the phone... Galaxy S3? Note5? Note7? Note8? HTC M8? EVO 4G LTE? OG EVO? Anyway, I am excited to see you here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wanna say s8/+ and the note 8.. both of which root solutions I used.
Word brotha ?? thank you for your diligence. I love that your hobby can help out so many who don't have the time, will, or discipline to learn it.
PsiPhiDan said:
Yeeeeeeeesssssss!
Very exciting! If we're updated to Pie, are we out of luck then though, regarding the firmware?
I remember you doing some great stuff but I don't recall the phone... Galaxy S3? Note5? Note7? Note8? HTC M8? EVO 4G LTE? OG EVO? Anyway, I am excited to see you here. ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you should be fine as long as you remain on rev1 firmware..
PsiPhiDan said:
Yeeeeeeeesssssss!
Very exciting! If we're updated to Pie, are we out of luck then though, regarding the firmware?
I remember you doing some great stuff but I don't recall the phone... Galaxy S3? Note5? Note7? Note8? HTC M8? EVO 4G LTE? OG EVO? Anyway, I am excited to see you here. ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol ive had a lot of devices thats for sure but most my work is on samsung
teknowiz23 said:
I wanna say s8/+ and the note 8.. both of which root solutions I used.
Word brotha ?? thank you for your diligence. I love that your hobby can help out so many who don't have the time, will, or discipline to learn it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeeeeeeeesssssss!
You are always the loveliest "Rev1 firmware baby"
elliwigy said:
you should be fine as long as you remain on rev1 firmware..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So.. I had to get a replacement via Asurion, and before setting it up I installed the earliest unlocked firmware. Sm-n960u on Verizon plan. I understand that this should work as long as I don't update, correct?
teknowiz23 said:
So.. I had to get a replacement via Asurion, and before setting it up I installed the earliest unlocked firmware. Sm-n960u on Verizon plan. I understand that this should work as long as I don't update, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, just make sure you stay away from anything that says N960UxxU2 or S2
Jammol said:
Yes, just make sure you stay away from anything that says N960UxxU2 or S2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine says Rev 1.1. Does that mean game over for me?
PsiPhiDan said:
Mine says Rev 1.1. Does that mean game over for me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No that's for hardware revision. Is normally for when a device has had a hardware fix that changed something from the original design. So if they realized the fingerprint readers on rev1 were crappy and changed it out for future ones, they would show rev1.1 or whatever numbers they want to classify it as.
I'm not sure what they may have changed on the Note 9 though. Could have been camera or even something internal such as memory or radio chip.
What you want to stay away from is any changes to the attached image. Don't update to anything that says U2 or S2 at that section of the firmware.
Thank you for your hard work on this .