Root Option and ROMs - Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Questions and Answers

I have the AT&T Note 8 variant. I have installed the latest updates for the device. As I understand it, that makes rooting more difficult. It's been a while since I installed any ROM. I believe I must still root before I can install a custom ROM. What are the steps I need to take with that being the case?
Are there really no custom ROMs for the N950U? I looked through the ROMs section, and every single one of them seemed to be for the other variants.
Thanks for all pointers.

More difficult? There is no current root method if you've taken the update.
Flash ROM's? Do you know how to unlock the bootloader? I know of about 50 people that would pay good money to learn how to do that.
Start reading this thread. It will get you caught up on the status of root for the Snapdragon variant as well as all of the pitfalls.

Thanks. Will do.

Related

new to rooting & roming, very confused and need some assistance

Hi XDA members,
I need to root a HTC One (m7) on Verizon. I have been reading threads and watching videos but I still find myself confused as to how this works. I could really use some help and I would greatly appreciate any I can get.
I need to root the device so I can gain the full functionality of the program 'ispyoo'. Some of it's features work on a stock phone. But features like facebook, text, email monitoring only work if the device is rooted. Otherwise I have no need to root the device. Would like it to resemble 'stock' yet be rooted.
Looking for the most basic, simple, and stable way to go about rooting and roming this device.
Best I have gathered is I need to unlock boot loader, root the device, and install a custom rom.... What am I missing? Any suggestions or directions to a post/video I should look at will be much appreciated.
NWhtc
NWhtc said:
Hi XDA members,
I need to root a HTC One (m7) on Verizon. I have been reading threads and watching videos but I still find myself confused as to how this works. I could really use some help and I would greatly appreciate any I can get.
I need to root the device so I can gain the full functionality of the program 'ispyoo'. Some of it's features work on a stock phone. But features like facebook, text, email monitoring only work if the device is rooted. Otherwise I have no need to root the device. Would like it to resemble 'stock' yet be rooted.
Looking for the most basic, simple, and stable way to go about rooting and roming this device.
Best I have gathered is I need to unlock boot loader, root the device, and install a custom rom.... What am I missing? Any suggestions or directions to a post/video I should look at will be much appreciated.
NWhtc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Verizon blocked unlocking the bootloader .. you have to use Firewater or SunShine to get s-off to unlock a Verizon One
The steps for unrooting a HTC One are:
Unlock the bootloader.
This is normally done through HTC Developer, but the person above me says that this is not possible for Verizon M7s; I can't comment as I am from the UK, but if you follow his instructions that should be this part done.
Flash a custom recovery.
ROMs are installed through a part of the OS called recovery; this is separate to the Android system. TWRP is my personal favourite, but there are others you can use.
Instructions can be found here.
Flash a custom ROM.
For most people, the next step is to install their favourite custom operating system. If you just want to keep stock like you said, you still need to flash a custom ROM, but in this case it would be the rooted stock ROM; the Verizon rooted stock can be found here, along with instructions.
Hope this helps!

Draining battery, Root, upgrade and a lot of trouble !!!

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie who don't know a lot about root and upgrade.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 SN-N900A (AT&T unlocked) and my battery is draining way to much energy.
I looked over the internet and I think it might help if I change my plateform.
So I'd like to root the cellphone but I cannot figure out step by step how to do it.
After rooting, I wonder if it would help to upgrade to marshmallow or nougat without all the draining useless apps from AT&T.
I saw some post about it but I don't know how to use Odin, how to downgrade to android 4 to root or anything else for that matter.
I'm kind of desperate.
Thank you !
The bootloader on this phone is locked and cannot run a custom ROM unless the custom ROM is based on a stock Samsung ROM.
How old is the battery? When did this start happening?
You're not going to like this, but....
mauvaiscell said:
Hi everyone, I'm a newbie who don't know a lot about root and upgrade.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 SN-N900A (AT&T unlocked) and my battery is draining way to much energy.
I looked over the internet and I think it might help if I change my plateform.
So I'd like to root the cellphone but I cannot figure out step by step how to do it.
After rooting, I wonder if it would help to upgrade to marshmallow or nougat without all the draining useless apps from AT&T.
I saw some post about it but I don't know how to use Odin, how to downgrade to android 4 to root or anything else for that matter.
I'm kind of desperate.
Thank you !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mauvaiscell,
You are on a obsolete, dying platform. Your best solution is acquire a new device, if not new at least recent enough to run contemporary software. The latest stock ROM for the Note 3 is several generations behind, and will not be updated. Since many of the later apps no long run on that ROM, or at least not to their full capability, the best answer is get a replacement.
But don't discard your Note 3. Within limitations it is still a beast. Use it to learn about ROMs, apps, etc. You are obviously a smart guy because you know where to look for answers. All you need do is look a bit deeper. All the answers you need are on this forum. Start by reading about SafeStrap, rooting exploits, and custom ROMs. READ, READ, then READ some more. Once you're confident, and have all the tools at your disposal, then start experimenting with your Note 3.
Best of luck.
zancro said:
mauvaiscell,
You are on a obsolete, dying platform. Your best solution is acquire a new device, if not new at least recent enough to run contemporary software. The latest stock ROM for the Note 3 is several generations behind, and will not be updated. Since many of the later apps no long run on that ROM, or at least not to their full capability, the best answer is get a replacement.
But don't discard your Note 3. Within limitations it is still a beast. Use it to learn about ROMs, apps, etc. You are obviously a smart guy because you know where to look for answers. All you need do is look a bit deeper. All the answers you need are on this forum. Start by reading about SafeStrap, rooting exploits, and custom ROMs. READ, READ, then READ some more. Once you're confident, and have all the tools at your disposal, then start experimenting with your Note 3.
Best of luck.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In tons of forum post that I read so far (as a newbie), this was the most satisfying one ty so much! I'm struggling for 10 days to install a brillant custom rom (ie lineage ) i have only come to try with boot with safestrap recovery and error with it till now.
I gave up tired and the only thing i dont want is a brilliant Rom no longer, it's just an unheated battery.

Canadian P20 Pro version CLT-L04, Questions about Magisk and bootloader unlock

Hi! I picked up my Canadian P20 Pro last week and couldn't be happier. It's been many years since I've owned a rootable device though and a lot has changed! I've done my best to read through all the guides for rooting the P20 Pro and it's only lead to further confusion as there seem to be many recent advancements. There seem to be a lot of different versions of this phone too. So I have some questions I'm hoping someone can answer easily! Let's assume my bootloader is already unlocked....
1) there's a really great guide on rooting the P20 Pro using All In One tool. But that requires flashing TWRP to achieve root using Magisk. I do not require TWRP as I only want root and do not wish to flash any roms.
a) is there a way to root with Magisk and NOT flash TWRP? I can't seem to find a straight answer on this...
b) failing that, can TWRP safely be removed and keep root afterward?
2) after unlocking the bootloader I was welcomed by a terrifyingly orange warning about my now 'unsafe' phone. I've read mixed things on hiding this. Is there currently a way to hide it?
3) how does the process work for OTA updates on an unlocked bootloader assuming there is no TWRP? I've read differing opinions on the necessity of flashing a no_check.img to the ramdisk and have no understanding of the new security checks on these phones. Can I run risk of bricking my phone through an automated update?
Ultimately I'm scared of forgetting TWRP is on my phone and accepting an update that'll brick it. Any information is welcome as are similar questions!
I am also curious if there is a good root process for this phone. Find anything yet?
djparent said:
Hi! I picked up my Canadian P20 Pro last week and couldn't be happier. It's been many years since I've owned a rootable device though and a lot has changed! I've done my best to read through all the guides for rooting the P20 Pro and it's only lead to further confusion as there seem to be many recent advancements. There seem to be a lot of different versions of this phone too. So I have some questions I'm hoping someone can answer easily! Let's assume my bootloader is already unlocked....
1) there's a really great guide on rooting the P20 Pro using All In One tool. But that requires flashing TWRP to achieve root using Magisk. I do not require TWRP as I only want root and do not wish to flash any roms.
a) is there a way to root with Magisk and NOT flash TWRP? I can't seem to find a straight answer on this...
b) failing that, can TWRP safely be removed and keep root afterward?
2) after unlocking the bootloader I was welcomed by a terrifyingly orange warning about my now 'unsafe' phone. I've read mixed things on hiding this. Is there currently a way to hide it?
3) how does the process work for OTA updates on an unlocked bootloader assuming there is no TWRP? I've read differing opinions on the necessity of flashing a no_check.img to the ramdisk and have no understanding of the new security checks on these phones. Can I run risk of bricking my phone through an automated update?
Ultimately I'm scared of forgetting TWRP is on my phone and accepting an update that'll brick it. Any information is welcome as are similar questions!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Canadian CLT-L04 that i rebranded and rooted to CLT-L29 with the guide on here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/hu...de-how-to-root-debrand-remove-retail-t3788326
if you want better firmware compared to version 109 thats still on clt-l04 you can follow this guide, it worked well for me. (don't wait canadian OTA it'll take too long)
1) quite sure that TWRP is the easiest and safest way to root. Currently unaware of a better way to root the phone.
b) if you remove TWRP by flashing a stock recovery_ramdisk, root is kept. If you do an OTA though you might lose root.
2) thats here to stay i believe. Cannot find a way to hide it currently.
3)In this guide under the "install an OTA Stock Update: PC Method" you will find all the information you need.
cheers
I finally found the info I needed in this thread:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/hu...ide-getting-started-unlock-twrp-root-t3806180
Overall it was a very simple process and took less than an hour including reading. Once you've got your bootloader unlock code the all in one tool handles it from there. Unlock the bootloader, flash TWRP, reboot into TWRP, flash Magisk and you're done. You can flash the no_check file over TWRP if you want to be ready for updates but I decided to leave TWRP on for now. Loving having root on this phone so far!
On a different note, has anyone discovered any ROMs for this phone yet that can handle the notch? I almost tried Lineage until I found out there is no notch support. I've grown strangely fond of the thing for some reason lol
rhinogator said:
I have a Canadian CLT-L04 that i rebranded and rooted to CLT-L29 with the guide on here.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/hu...de-how-to-root-debrand-remove-retail-t3788326
if you want better firmware compared to version 109 thats still on clt-l04 you can follow this guide, it worked well for me. (don't wait canadian OTA it'll take too long)
1) quite sure that TWRP is the easiest and safest way to root. Currently unaware of a better way to root the phone.
b) if you remove TWRP by flashing a stock recovery_ramdisk, root is kept. If you do an OTA though you might lose root.
2) thats here to stay i believe. Cannot find a way to hide it currently.
3)In this guide under the "install an OTA Stock Update: PC Method" you will find all the information you need.
cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you by any chance find a way to go back to CLT-L04 by any chance?
mrnovanova said:
Did you by any chance find a way to go back to CLT-L04 by any chance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unfortunately no
mrnovanova said:
Did you by any chance find a way to go back to CLT-L04 by any chance?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you do a full backup of the L04 in TWRP before rebranding you should be able to go back to it easily at any time, just remember to save it somewhere safe other than the phone itself. If you've already flashed and are looking to go back you may find someone willing to share a stock backup if you ask around. But always best to do your own backup first, then you can go back whenever you like!
djparent said:
If you do a full backup of the L04 in TWRP before rebranding you should be able to go back to it easily at any time, just remember to save it somewhere safe other than the phone itself. If you've already flashed and are looking to go back you may find someone willing to share a stock backup if you ask around. But always best to do your own backup first, then you can go back whenever you like!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I never thought of backing up my L04. ??? I guess I'm stuck with L29. Oh well... Thanks for the reply.
help with rebranding tutorial
mrnovanova said:
I never thought of backing up my L04. I guess I'm stuck with L29. Oh well... Thanks for the reply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bro did u use the same files as the main tutorial that you share? cause I have the L04 but the mexican one, and I want to rebrand it
but i'm a noob in this things, hope you can help me.:good:
Search for dladz's tutorial.
ON THIS THREAD : https://forum.xda-developers.com/hu...to-root-debrand-remove-retail-t3788326/page46
Page 16
Sent from my Google Pixel 2 XL using XDA Labs
Anyone unlocked bootloader and rooted recently for the L04 model with 120(C792) Sept-2018 update?
Im scared to update before unlocking and rooting as the update might do something to fastboot etc. (this has happened to LG)
If not, then Ill update but if so, Ill just not update and unlock it as it is.
JF-GINO said:
Anyone unlocked bootloader and rooted recently for the L04 model with 120(C792) Sept-2018 update?
Im scared to update before unlocking and rooting as the update might do something to fastboot etc. (this has happened to LG)
If not, then Ill update but if so, Ill just not update and unlock it as it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's really easy to update once you've unlocked, I would suggest unlocking first if you have concerns. I have an L04 as well and just updated to 120 with no problems.
djparent said:
It's really easy to update once you've unlocked, I would suggest unlocking first if you have concerns. I have an L04 as well and just updated to 120 with no problems.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, Thanks djparent, I unlocked and updated as you suggested.
Everything working properly, just need to root/twrp etc. now.
Thnaks again
No problem, glad it worked for you. I've soft bricked and recovered my phone a few times now experimenting so if you run into any problems I'm happy to help! Lots to learn with the P20.
I have a CLT-L04 8.1.0.136 C69 with October security patch from Mexico I want to rebrand it to CLT- L29 to get wifi calling and get rid of all the bloatware. Could I use this tutorial from dladz's tutorial:
ON THIS THREAD : https://forum.xda-developers.com/hua...3788326/page46
Page 16
One of the notes mentions the following: I) ]NOTE*** If you are on a later firmware than 120, please do not attempt this guide!!
I have only rooted one phone before in my life so I am no expert. I do no want to mess up my phone becuse it is the only one that I have. Also If I unlock the boot loader and rebrand can i get OTAs and the upcoming Pie release? Thanks for the help!
LineageOS 15.1 on L04
I installed LineageOS 15.1 on my L04 with out any issue. Some things to consider. USB-C will only charge the device, Titanium Backup will install but doesn't get root access and you'll miss the camera application.
Vedrick said:
I installed LineageOS 15.1 on my L04 with out any issue. Some things to consider. USB-C will only charge the device, Titanium Backup will install but doesn't get root access and you'll miss the camera application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you install it with a locked bootloader ? I really dont feel like paying for an unlock code. Would like to try Lineage though.
matever said:
Did you install it with a locked bootloader ? I really dont feel like paying for an unlock code. Would like to try Lineage though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do have an unlocked bootloader. Truth is i'm addicted to Rom's lol. That in mind I have tried every Rom, kernel, flash-able zip within this Forum and I can't brick this thing. L04 Canadian. Lineage is the best Rom for our device.
Roms that work:
- Lineage - Hauwei camera can be installed and works, dark mode works well.
------- Doesn't work: USB-C audio, NFC, RAW Option in the camera, Second ear piece as speaker, main speaker works well.
- First Ever Android 9 - Being the first build it works well. (Note: When I installed this rom I never installed the RemoveEncryption-P20Pro.zip) Seemed to work just fine without it. I did run it just because I wanted to see if it would brick my phone. It didn't.
-------Doesn't work: Dark mode, NFC, RAW Option in camera, Second ear piece as speaker, main speaker works well, seems to kill TWRP. eRecovery needed to get TWRP to function.
- AOSP 9 - Berkeley-Flex - Do Not Use...not ready.
Vedrick said:
I do have an unlocked bootloader. Truth is i'm addicted to Rom's lol. That in mind I have tried every Rom, kernel, flash-able zip within this Forum and I can't brick this thing. L04 Canadian. Lineage is the best Rom for our device.
Roms that work:
- Lineage - Hauwei camera can be installed and works, dark mode works well.
------- Doesn't work: USB-C audio, NFC, RAW Option in the camera, Second ear piece as speaker, main speaker works well.
- First Ever Android 9 - Being the first build it works well. (Note: When I installed this rom I never installed the RemoveEncryption-P20Pro.zip) Seemed to work just fine without it. I did run it just because I wanted to see if it would brick my phone. It didn't.
-------Doesn't work: Dark mode, NFC, RAW Option in camera, Second ear piece as speaker, main speaker works well, seems to kill TWRP. eRecovery needed to get TWRP to function.
- AOSP 9 - Berkeley-Flex - Do Not Use...not ready.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What did you use to unlock your bootloader ? Funky ? Also I know what you mean I am addicted to Roms as well :laugh: Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it.

how to root and what possibility gives me the root?

hello raga, I have a huawei p9 and as you probably will not see the update at oreo, I decided to root my phone. I would like to know how to do it, if it is better to do it through supersu, if through magisk (what is the difference between the two?).
Also, once I've done the root what can I do? I saw that it is and little for this phone ... Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.
https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-install-magisk/
Twisted Prime said:
https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-install-magisk/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and once magisk is installed, what can I do with it? what chance opens me?
Look, 'rooting' is complicated, you have to unlock Bootloader, you have to flash custom Recovery, then to install custom pre-rooted ROM or to root yourself the stock ROM
If you are unfamiliar with them (incl. ADB, Fastboot) then better gave up or postpone and search through XDA to becone familiar with.
It's not possible to do it all in 15 minutes (and for total novice not even in one day) and nobody can walk you through tens and tens of steps - everything is well described in the threads you can find on XDA and read
Giving you such advice for your good ,- there are too many reports on bricked phones resulted by unfamiluar users who ad-hoc juped into flashing (particularly for Huawei phones)
zgfg said:
Look, 'rooting' is complicated, you have to unlock Bootloader, you have to flash custom Recovery, then to install custom pre-rooted ROM or to root yourself the stock ROM
If you are unfamiliar with them (incl. ADB, Fastboot) then better gave up or postpone and search through XDA to becone familiar with.
It's not possible to do it all in 15 minutes (and for total novice not even in one day) and nobody can walk you through tens and tens of steps - everything is well described in the threads you can find on XDA and read
Giving you such advice for your good ,- there are too many reports on bricked phones resulted by unfamiluar users who ad-hoc juped into flashing (particularly for Huawei phones)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much, I come from a Moto g3 on which I flashed the LineageOS, so something root I know. I just needed information, maybe what thread to follow and what can i do with the root or magisk ...
O.T. The p9 is fine even with the rom stock, but what is the best custom rom for this phone?
This is IMO (see also the number of users) the best custom ROM
https://forum.xda-developers.com/p9/development/rom-huawei-p9-magicrainbow-v4-t3759292
Debloated stock ROM, pre-rooted, with additional tools ported and built in
Generally if you go for AOSP ROMs, yhey cannot use native drivers and cannot fully/properly utilize camera, etc
zgfg said:
This is IMO (see also the number of users) the best custom ROM
https://forum.xda-developers.com/p9/development/rom-huawei-p9-magicrainbow-v4-t3759292
Debloated stock ROM, pre-rooted, with additional tools ported and built in
Generally if you go for AOSP ROMs, yhey cannot use native drivers and cannot fully/properly utilize camera, etc
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, thx, as soon as I have time and I want to try flash. hopefully, from the procedure it seems a bit 'complicated ahahha. Thanks again.

The great adventure of rooting the XZ1C

Hello everyone,
I have to say I am completely lost regarding the whole rooting process for the XZ1C. I usually manage to get where I want just by carefully reading the forums, but with this device, I feel overwhelmed by information. And I sometimes feel like what I am reading contradicts what I though I understood from previous reads...
I will try to sum up what I know so far.
First of all, I have a just-out-of-the-box Sony model G8441 with firmware 47.1.A.12.179 / Oreo 8.0.0 (never been connected to the outside world yet), and I want to properly root the device and install TWRP with no loss of feature.
What I think I understand:
To root, I first need to unlock the bootloader, which seems to be a trivial operation. However, this will break some functionalities due to DRM keys being erased. Once it is done, there is no way, ever, to get them back. There are however ways to "trick" DRM-related functionalities into believing DRM keys are still there.
Alternatively, there seems to be a way to backup the DRM keys prior to unlocking the BL, and this backup can somehow be reused and injected back into the unlocked device. If true, then this would certainly be a preferable method than the previous one, which would then be obsolete. However, it obviously doesn't look obsolete when I read the related topics, so I must be missing something...
Another thing I noted (but do not quite understand): There are ROMs for this device that "include" a DRM fix.
Last important thing I read: there is a paid "do-it-all" tool which takes my locked device and, with one click, makes it unlocked - rooted - DRM-fixed - TWRP-enabled. Now that sounds really good! Maybe too good?
As far as i know (but I learn new stuff every day on this topic) this DRM stuff is the main difficulty here. I understand that the rest of the process (root + TWRP) will be much simpler (although I'm old-school and completly missed all this magisk trend...!)
What I don't understand:
I read that some people downgrade to Oreo to be able to root properly, and at the same time, I read that Pie removed the restrictions on unlocked bootloader. So I still have no idea if I should connect and receive Sony updates, or avoid them.
Another thing I don't get, is how many ways do we have to root this thing? In the past, I was used to see, for a specific device, always one major and widly used rooting method. Here I fail to identify it...
What I think I will do:
1. Backup TA partition with j4nn's tool. This will probably imply flashing an older firmware right? Is there any link that could help me with this flashing process? (I only know Odin - did I mention old-school?) I saw this page for generic sony Z devices, but the thread is from 2013 and now closed. Is it still up-to-date or is there a newer thread?
2. Unlock bootloader and restore TA partition.
3. Wait for Sony updates? Or should I first hide unlock status?
3bis. Alternaltively to waiting for updates, maybe I can just flash the latest build? (47.2.A.8.24 if I am not mistaken)
4. Flash modpunk's TWRP.
5. Flash janjan's Boot.img to get root functionalities?
Alternaltively to all the above (except maybe step 1 that I will probably do in any case), buy the paid all-in-one tool (Xperifix), plug, click and wait... But will I really end up the same as with the manual way?
I saw a few other methods in the forums but it seems my brain is currently refusing to bring them back...
That's all I have right now. I would really appreciate if you guys could share some insight and tell me what you think about this, whether there are missing steps, useless steps, incorrectly ordered steps, silly steps, or if I'm just completely wrong about the whole thing.
Feel free also to correct me on the assumptions I made at the beginning.
Thank you very much for reading this repulsive piece of text.
SunJu22 said:
I would really appreciate if you guys could share some insight and tell me what you think about this
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the looks of it you have done a great deal of research on the project.
Yes, go down the route of backing up your TA partition first, but that is not a small step in itself, it's pretty complicated and if you get that working then the rest of the project will be a breeze.
You don't say what version of firmware you want to end up on. If you want to end up on Pie then forget the DRMfix . But if you're staying on Oreo and can't be bothered with lots of files & flashing, then this is the easy way out, I bought the paid version and can verify it works.
More recently I ended up janjan's kernel (Oreo build). Hidden root (Google Pay works), lots of performance tweaks, DRM completely working.
It's unlikely that anyone will bother making a DRM fix for Pie as the camera works and there are only a couple of other features that get disabled.
It sounds like you're not the sort of person who's only going to read the first couple of pages of a thread (or the last) flash the xxxxxx and then complain when it's broken.
The people on the forum here are very helpful and if you go into any of the threads you mentioned in your post with a question, you'll get a reply.
Good luck.
I agree, there is a lot of information out there and different methods of achieving what you want - very confusing if you have not been following the threads since the beginning.
In my opinion, the preferred method is j4nn's method outlined here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/xp...devonly-exploits-temp-root-to-backup-t3795510
Use that post as your main guide (the final step in that guide, #13, is how you will achieve root). You will use Newflasher to flash the various firmwares along the way (this is linked from j4nn's procedure in step #2). User munted made a very detailed pdf file that fills in some of the details on j4nn's procedure - see the following post and download the pdf attached: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78255334&postcount=382
Most of the other methods out there came before j4nn's work - they didn't include DRM backup/restore.
If you follow j4nn's procedure, you won't need to use the janjan kernel as you assumed - janjan method is different and does not overlap with j4nn.
SunJu22 said:
Feel free also to correct me on the assumptions I made at the beginning.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I didn't point out that I was one of the early 'jumpers' who unlocked their bootloader without any backups, so I have been forced into always using fixes and all the information I have is based on having to fix your phone for it to work, but that's all changed now. I'm so out of date :-/
 @camaro322hp is right, if you follow j4nn's method correctly you'll be rooted with no DRM loss. All of the other stuff is not required.
Thank you Digesteve and camaro322hp for your help.
From what I understand the XZ1C didn't get as much love as other devices, thus there was a long period of tinkering before a "do-it-all guide" could be considered "the" solution. That could explain all these different approaches that are proposed. Like you said camaro322hp it's rather difficult to jump on this train, and I can only guess how interesting this ride has been.
Anyway, I didn't see that the TA backup thread from j4nn also encompassed all the information I needed; I am glad to finally know that there is indeed a centralized "do-it-all guide" . To make it easier for XZ1C newcomers, I think j4nn should update his opening post to make this clearer.
Since I managed to grab the attention of 2 XZ1C power users, I would like to ask you: Did you keep stock? Did you try alternative ROMs? Do you like some of them? Do you prefer Oreo or Pie?
For information, the most up-to-date experience I have on a Android phone is my LG90 with CyanogenMod 11 (KitKat 4.4.4! Yes sir!). I heard that it's becoming less and less useful to flash a custom ROM due to major OS improvements, but I would still enjoy the simplest and lightest Android possible.
SunJu22 said:
Did you keep stock? Did you try alternative ROMs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've always been on stock, the camera is an important part of what I want from my phone and although there's lots of alternative camera apps, there's no competition to the stock camera app. Then I theme it black with swift installer and just uninstall or freeze any apps I don't want with Titanium Backup. I have stuck with Oreo, everything works perfect and I remember seeing so many people jumping to 9 then wanting to go back to 8 because they didn't like it. Something about changing the way the drop down menu works, among other things, but having never installed it, I'm not the person to comment on if it's any good or not.
I have been watching the XZ1c thread and Lineage is gaining ground, it even has a stock camera now. I would have thought something like that with miniGapps is going to be pretty lightweight and very similar to your carbon rom of before. At the moment this is based on 8, but is working well. Depends how keen you are to move to Pie.
Thank you Digesteve.
One thing I still don't understand. Part of the process is to hide unlock status. If I do this, FOTA will be applied and I will automatically end up on Pie, right? Should I skip this step if I want Oreo?
EDIT: when you say "a stock camera", you mean the Sony camera?
@SunJu22 I've stuck with the Sony ROM. A rooted stock ROM meets all my needs, so I've never felt the need to experiment with custom ROMs. There are some custom options out there that people seem fairly happy with, so if that's your thing, I'd encourage it.
Without going into too much detail, I'm still on Oreo for the moment, for a variety of reasons, but I don't know of anything that would keep me from recommending Pie.
One thing you should note is that once you unlock, there is no going back. AFAIK there is no known or working method to relock the bootloader.
SunJu22 said:
FOTA will be applied and I will automatically end up on Pie, right? Should I skip this step if I want Oreo?
EDIT: when you say "a stock camera", you mean the Sony camera?
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Click to collapse
Yes, I'm not entirely sure why having your rooted phone try and update itself is an advantage, but something I'd recomend avoiding.
Stock camera is the Sony camera, yes.
Thank you everyone, I believe I now have enough information to jump into this with confidence. The adventure begins, and will be reported in this thread for future reference, in the hope that it will help others like me!
Well, I am a bit sad... I wanted to report my "adventure" here in detail, but I'm afraid I have nothing to say.
Indeed, following the procedure from j4nn with a printed copy of munted's awesome guide, I managed to do all I wanted on the first attempt.
I don't have anything to add to this guide, everyone wanting to root their XZ1C can do it just by reading the opening post from j4nn and the mentioned guide. It takes a bit of time but nothing complicated thanks to the clear and detailed explanations.
I now have a fully functional rooted XZ1C (including camera) on Pie with Magisk root and TWRP.
Thank you all again from pointing me to the right direction.
I however have a slight disappointment. I wanted to start with Oreo and make an Nandroid backup before moving to Pie, but I didn't find Oreo builds on Xperifirm. So I jumped straight to Pie.
In case I want to test Oreo, I read that a downgrade is more complicated than an upgrade, but apart from the fact that a factory reset is needed for downgrade, I couldn't find an explanation for this. Any idea?
Last but not least: I looked for the latest Oreo build version number but couldn't find it. Do you guys know what it is and where I can download it?
I guess this will be all for this thread after this. Although it is very convenient to have my own thread to ask questions rather than finding the relevant page for each one, I don't want to annoy you too much...
EDIT: Please ignore the last question. I found out last Oreo build is 47.1.A.16.20, and I found the files via the download link in the opening post of the Lineage thread.
SunJu22 said:
In case I want to test Oreo, I read that a downgrade is more complicated than an upgrade, but apart from the fact that a factory reset is needed for downgrade, I couldn't find an explanation for this. Any idea? Lineage thread.
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Click to collapse
There is an easy solution to downgrade:
Newflasher
Hi, I've been thinking about rooting my XZ1c for a long time now. So, do I understand correctly that the ONLY disadvantage compared to non-rooted device is not possible to receive the OTA updates from Sony anymore?
mEREHAIGE said:
Hi, I've been thinking about rooting my XZ1c for a long time now. So, do I understand correctly that the ONLY disadvantage compared to non-rooted device is not possible to receive the OTA updates from Sony anymore?
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Click to collapse
No, you can flash a kernel to hide the bootloader unlock flag, this will mean that you will receive OTA updates, although depending on how you're rooted an update will most likely break your phone, so not that useful.
*made a thread*
Thanks--rooted withOUT adventure too
Very happily rooted now. Just wanted to say a quick thanks and add a few notes:
1. j4nn's renoroot to enable TA key backup and restore is fantastic. My advice: use and donate
2. munted's guide is excellent. clear and thorough...a rare combination.
3. do expect that renoroot may need to be restarted a couple of times. it took me 3 or 4 attempts to get temp root to pull the TA keys, although it took only 1 effort to get root back to restore.
4. topjohnwu's magisk is, of course, a key component to all this. Thx and $s there too.
I did a few things slightly differently/additionally than SunJu22.
5. I am on T-Mobile US, so I opted to create a hybrid Pie FW to get wifi calling and VoLTE. There are a number of discussions on this. I did it by combining the vendor**.sin and system**.sin files from custom-CH FW with the other files from custom-US FW. Of course (a) use IDENTICAL release numbers only, e.g. 47.A.2.10.28 w/ 47.A.2.10.28 and (b) you still need to delete .TA and persist files from the hybrid before you flash it.
Note: I don't really care about these features, but I have *heard* that T-mobile won't allow BYOD on their band-12 sites if they don't have VoLTE. Don't know if it is true (or where it is true) but figured why not?
6. I decided (for now, at least) to leave boot and recovery stock. So, I am using fastboot to run TWRP or a rooted kernel. Thanks again to j4nn for the method.
Note: I don't plan on allowing FOTA upgrades---I just like passing all the security checks and being able to *see* if updates are available.
That's all. Fine work in development and guides has made life simple and happy for me
kirkzp said:
Very happily rooted now. Just wanted to say a quick thanks and add a few notes:
1. j4nn's renoroot to enable TA key backup and restore is fantastic. My advice: use and donate
2. munted's guide is excellent. clear and thorough...a rare combination.
3. do expect that renoroot may need to be restarted a couple of times. it took me 3 or 4 attempts to get temp root to pull the TA keys, although it took only 1 effort to get root back to restore.
4. topjohnwu's magisk is, of course, a key component to all this. Thx and $s there too.
I did a few things slightly differently/additionally than SunJu22.
5. I am on T-Mobile US, so I opted to create a hybrid Pie FW to get wifi calling and VoLTE. There are a number of discussions on this. I did it by combining the vendor**.sin and system**.sin files from custom-CH FW with the other files from custom-US FW. Of course (a) use IDENTICAL release numbers only, e.g. 47.A.2.10.28 w/ 47.A.2.10.28 and (b) you still need to delete .TA and persist files from the hybrid before you flash it.
Note: I don't really care about these features, but I have *heard* that T-mobile won't allow BYOD on their band-12 sites if they don't have VoLTE. Don't know if it is true (or where it is true) but figured why not?
6. I decided (for now, at least) to leave boot and recovery stock. So, I am using fastboot to run TWRP or a rooted kernel. Thanks again to j4nn for the method.
Note: I don't plan on allowing FOTA upgrades---I just like passing all the security checks and being able to *see* if updates are available.
That's all. Fine work in development and guides has made life simple and happy for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now riddle me this cause I'm on Tmo USA as well and I did the hybrid work fine as well but heres the question, does googlepay and banking apps still work with a unlocked bootloader or did you flash a modified kernel to hide the unlocked status.
Sitting on the fence about unlocking mine so I can do a full nandroid before trying out some gsi pie roms infact this is the first phone I haven't unlocked or least put twrp on since my samsung sidekick 4g o.o
kernel with hide-unlock
T_Tank said:
Now riddle me this cause I'm on Tmo USA as well and I did the hybrid work fine as well but heres the question, does googlepay and banking apps still work with a unlocked bootloader or did you flash a modified kernel to hide the unlocked status.
Sitting on the fence about unlocking mine so I can do a full nandroid before trying out some gsi pie roms infact this is the first phone I haven't unlocked or least put twrp on since my samsung sidekick 4g o.o
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Full disclosure: I don't use Google pay or too many banking apps, so YMMV. But, I am using j4nn's kernel with unlock hidden. (See link in my note 6.) You can flash this, or you can leave in your stock kernel and merely fastboot to this. From what I have seen, it hides most - if not all -- indicators that the phone is rooted and the BL in unlocked.
Does somebody has :
G8441_1310-7123_47.1.A.16.20-R7B_Customized_CE1.ftf ?
Only backup i did not make, and its gone from XperiFirm.
Still have the feeling battery life was better in Oreo, and would be nice for experimenting.
Would be nice.
Thanks in advance.

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