How to flash mod.zip without TWRP and root? - Google Pixel 5 Questions & Answers

Hello all,
I want to flash a mod.zip (in my case it is the v4a rootless driver) on my unrooted redfin with A12.
As you might know there is no TWRP right now for our Pixel 5 with A12, therefore I qm looking for other ways to flash this particular zip file.
I am trying to remove root from my device as it makes life more complicated which is not really necessary.
So is there any way to flash a mod.zip on an unlocked device without using a custom recovery?
Thanks in advance!

No. Only a custom recovery can be used to flash something, and a custom recovery requires unlocked bootloader.
It IS possible to install a Magisk module by temporarily booting a Magisk patched boot image, but again that requires an unlocked bootloader, and I don't think Magisk can install modules without root. Even if it could, root would still be required in order to load said modules.
If this driver doesn't require root, I would imagine it can be installed from within V4A.

The problem here is that Android checks for signatures which are only known by the makers of the phone. So that only developers of the phone can push updates. Custom recovery just bypasses the check which helps you flash anything

Android 11 + root is working wonderfully.
We have permanent TWRP.
I don't believe nandroid backups work but haven't tried really yet.
If you are only routing for V4A, I guess it comes down to is it worth it for you, as I haven't known a way to use V4A on A12 while un-rooted.
Best of luck.

andybones said:
I don't believe nandroid backups work but haven't tried really yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm that as of a few days ago, TWRP didn't create a working Nandroid backup for me even though it finished the process and prompted "success"!
Before I started to mess around with my phone, I created a Nandroid copy thinking if anything happens, I can always restore using this backup. I was so disappointed after I soft bricked my phone but my Nandroid copy was useless to save me. As a result, I flashed with a Google ROM for the 1st time in my Android ownership without root.
In the past 6 months, I've had to combat Google 3 times to pass SafetyNet. Though I could get it to work on the 1st 2 times, it was a lot of time investment since I had to research for a solution. The 3rd time I bricked my phone and had to factory reset the phone and start over.
If Google keeps beefing up SafetyNet every few months, this cat and mouse game is simply too time-consuming to make up for the convenience of a rooted phone.

Passing safety net is easy. Just install magisk canary it's just that easy. But the only thing is that magisk hide is not there in canary

Related

One-time temp TWRP boot to install SuperSU

I think I already know the answer, but with a £550 device I'd rather double-check with the experts.
Is there any reason that I should not boot temporarily to TWRP to install SuperSU 2.62 ("fastboot boot twrp.img")? I don't believe that a permanent TWRP installation is a necessity, and if I understand Chainfire's comment correctly:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/chainfire-systemless-root-android-6-0-t3271137
leaving the device as stock as possible, including stock recovery, means an easier upgrade path for OTAs. The best of both worlds - regular OTA security updates plus root.
Any reason that this would not work, and more importantly any reason that it might risk the integrity of my N6? I don't want an expensive paperweight...
Thanks...
dahawthorne said:
I think I already know the answer, but with a £550 device I'd rather double-check with the experts.
Is there any reason that I should not boot temporarily to TWRP to install SuperSU 2.62 ("fastboot boot twrp.img")? I don't believe that a permanent TWRP installation is a necessity, and if I understand Chainfire's comment correctly:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/chainfire-systemless-root-android-6-0-t3271137
leaving the device as stock as possible, including stock recovery, means an easier upgrade path for OTAs. The best of both worlds - regular OTA security updates plus root.
Any reason that this would not work, and more importantly any reason that it might risk the integrity of my N6? I don't want an expensive paperweight...
Thanks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
having root = no ota, so having twrp is besides the point. anyways, twrp is one of the mist useful tools to have if you mod your device. you can make, and restore, a nandroid backup. if you make a mod, and it messes up, you probably wont noot anymore, but a nandtoid backup restored will bring your device back to how it was.
Yes, thanks, Simms, I get all that, but it's not really answering my question. Is there any problem with using temporary TWRP to install SuperSU?
Also if you read Chainfire's comment he makes it clear that his systemless root doesn't prevent OTA, whereas having a non-stock recovery might.
dahawthorne said:
I think I already know the answer, but with a £550 device I'd rather double-check with the experts.
Is there any reason that I should not boot temporarily to TWRP to install SuperSU 2.62 ("fastboot boot twrp.img")? I don't believe that a permanent TWRP installation is a necessity, and if I understand Chainfire's comment correctly:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/chainfire-systemless-root-android-6-0-t3271137
leaving the device as stock as possible, including stock recovery, means an easier upgrade path for OTAs. The best of both worlds - regular OTA security updates plus root.
Any reason that this would not work, and more importantly any reason that it might risk the integrity of my N6? I don't want an expensive paperweight...
Thanks...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't usually encourage use of toolkits but Wug's toolkit includes and option to do this kind of one time boot, I don't know off the top of my head what actual process it uses for that or I'd just tell you that. But yea I'd just recommend leaving TWRP on and after first flashing it and booting into it twrp should prompt you something along the lines of keeping /system mounted as read-only, do that and make a backup including the "system image" and boot. Then in Advanced>uncheck "mount system as read-only."
Whenever an ota rolls around you can go back into twrp and restore that boot and system-image backup when you boot up android will replace twrp with stock recovery and the ota should work.
Thanks again - I appreciate the answer, but again it doesn't really answer my question. I've been using TWRP for years and I'm well aware of its benefits. What I want to know if there's any problem with using it as a one-off to install SuperSU, leaving stock recovery in place when I reboot so that TWRP can't interfere with the OTA.
I'm also very well aware of NRT, which again I've used for years and have donated to several times (excellent program), but I don't need it when "fastboot boot recovery twrp.img" will do the job faster.
Am I not explaining myself properly?
dahawthorne said:
Thanks again - I appreciate the answer, but again it doesn't really answer my question. I've been using TWRP for years and I'm well aware of its benefits. What I want to know if there's any problem with using it as a one-off to install SuperSU, leaving stock recovery in place when I reboot so that TWRP can't interfere with the OTA.
I'm also very well aware of NRT, which again I've used for years and have donated to several times (excellent program), but I don't need it when "fastboot boot recovery twrp.img" will do the job faster.
Am I not explaining myself properly?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nah there should be no problem with that.
theres no issue with it, just keep your bootloader unlocked, or you can have issues in the future. btw..
fastboot boot recovery recoveryname.img as opposed to fastboot flash
Thanks, both - I appreciate the help.
Just in case anyone might find the confirmation useful, yes, it did work. I used "fastboot boot twrp.img" to install SuperSU 2.62-3 and it's all working fine. If I understand Chainfore correctly in the link quoted above, using SuperSU's "full unroot" will allow the next OTA, then I can repeat the fastboot install, which should be far simpler than overwriting the system.img.
why would you want an OTA? this is XDA Developers, the worst ROM here is better than ANY OTA that you can have, plus you get it sooner and can try them all and have a backup of your favorite one. This sort of thing always makes me laugh!
I am glad to have brought some laughter and joy into your life. Though I hope that you can find better in your real life, right...?
buschris said:
why would you want an OTA? this is XDA Developers, the worst ROM here is better than ANY OTA that you can have, plus you get it sooner and can try them all and have a backup of your favorite one. This sort of thing always makes me laugh!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For noobs, Android Pay is one reason they may want to stick with factory stock with OTA capabilities. Systemless root is not easy for noobs to grasp.

SafetyNet validation fails after last maintenance update

I rooted my Z3C some time ago with the instructions from this forum and kept it through various updates. Once PoGo (yes, I know...) added checks through Google SafetyNet I removed the root (SuperSU - Complete Unroot) and got the CTS validation back again (double checked with the example app from the play store)
Although I removed the root, the recovery is still there so I could reinstall it, when I need it again w/o going through the whole downgrading-upgrading process again which would mean I'd loose all my data/settings.
Now there where 2 maintenance updates from Sony (11th Oct, 12th Oct) and after the 2nd PoGo wouldn't start any more. Checking with the SafetyNet helper shows that CTS validation fails.
Does anyone experience similar issues? How could I solve this? Is SafetyNet e.g. detecting the custom recovery (TWRP)? I already searched for remaining *su* files but found none (only .superSU files which I removed)
I thought about reflashing the FTF. If I don't repartition I won't loose my recovery, right? Or should I also exclude the system partition?
My Idea for that is, that systemless SU changes the boot partition which might get detected. SO flashing the FTF should solve that.
Any help is appreciated.
Not exactly the same, but my few cents:
I have been running SLiMM Rom from the forums. Also I used root when I needed it and removed it to play PoGo.
After the update this week, PoGo would not start anymore although I am unrooted.
As I did not use the Root "features" much (mostly another hosts.txt to block adds) I decided to go back to a Stock Rom.
After flashing the Stock .291 ftf everything went back to normal. I did a full wipe and installed it "clean".
PoGo starts again now...
However, I'd rly like to know which feature or whatever SafetyNet is checking.
I have been thinking about rooting the Stock Rom again to regain adblock... But due to your description it seems to lead to a fail again.
same issue, im using stock rom .575 and i flash TWRP with this way and i cant play:c
using Z3C LB
@Ministry87 Did your FTF flash? Or what would I need to check/uncheck to keep it?
Also: If I reflash the FTF, is it enough to NOT check the 2 WIPE options to make sure my data is not erased? Or does it still erase something?
Ministry87 said:
Not exactly the same, but my few cents:
I have been running SLiMM Rom from the forums. Also I used root when I needed it and removed it to play PoGo.
After the update this week, PoGo would not start anymore although I am unrooted.
As I did not use the Root "features" much (mostly another hosts.txt to block adds) I decided to go back to a Stock Rom.
After flashing the Stock .291 ftf everything went back to normal. I did a full wipe and installed it "clean".
PoGo starts again now...
However, I'd rly like to know which feature or whatever SafetyNet is checking.
I have been thinking about rooting the Stock Rom again to regain adblock... But due to your description it seems to lead to a fail again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it maybe has to do with GMS Optimizer included in SLiMM ROM

Unroot/Relock/revert to stock

Hey everyone,
I'm over rooting. Had an issue today where a backup refused to restore and in trying to fix it, I've deleted my OS. Yes, I'm bad at this. No big deal, I have backups of all my photos and other important stuff.
I don't really want to do the rooting/flashing thing anymore and just want to get my phone back to normal/out of the box as possible so that it will receive regular OTA updates etc. I just want to simplify things.
TWRP is installed. Is it as simple as flashing the latest official update? Or do I need to relock the phone somehow too?
I was going to follow: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3t/how-to/guide-to-revert-oneplus-3t-to-stock-t3676210 but wanted to be sure that it would work even though I don't currently have an OS installed.
Thanks!
Southrncomfortjm said:
I'm over rooting. Had an issue today where a backup refused to restore and in trying to fix it, I've deleted my OS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That isn't root. That is your lack of knowledge of the functions of custom recovery, and what the results will be. Better learning and knowledge, and a little more care could have easily prevented it from happening. You wiped the selections in the "Advanced" wipe section of TWRP. And the fact it's called "Advanced" should have been a good clue to not mess with it, unless you know exactly what you are doing.
It's also an easy condition to recover from.
Southrncomfortjm said:
I don't really want to do the rooting/flashing thing anymore and just want to get my phone back to normal/out of the box as possible so that it will receive regular OTA updates etc. I just want to simplify things.
TWRP is installed. Is it as simple as flashing the latest official update? Or do I need to relock the phone somehow too?
I was going to follow: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3t/how-to/guide-to-revert-oneplus-3t-to-stock-t3676210 but wanted to be sure that it would work even though I don't currently have an OS installed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That guide is needlessly complicated. Just download the flash the "full" update zip using TWRP, from here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-3t/how-to/official-oxygenos-5-0-1-android-8-0-t3728119
Make sure you are using a version of TWRP which supports Oreo (if you were on Oreo when you wiped OS, it should be okay). And that is all there is to it. You will be fully restored to stock, and after rebooting, stock recovery will replace TWRP.
You don't need to lock the bootloader to do this, and you don't need it for future OTAs. But a locked bootloader is arguably more secure, if you really don't need custom recovery or root.
On the other hand, if you still want to give root/phone mods a shot; the way to restore, and still have root is the same (flash full update zip). But just flash Magisk or SuperSU before rebooting, and you will be rooted, and still have TWRP.

Op 3T not bricked, all working, stock ROM, yet I CAN'T re-lock bootloader in any way

Hi all,
I am trying to relock the bootloader on 3T, with no success. I want to do it because of too many apps nagging me or not working with unlocked bootloader
here's what I did to unlock in the past and relock:
unlocking:
- enable dev options, enable oem unlocking & usb debugging
- flashed TWRP & fastboot oem unlock from command line (don't remember which I did first)
- got my phone wiped which was an an unexpected surprise!
- bootloader unlocked, the fist of those lovely warning screens telling me so
- tried to root without success, so no custom ROMs for me
- lived with it like this for a while, too many apps telling me they won't work, decided to relock
- got latest stock ROM, flashed it via TWRP, wiped, tried to fastboot oem lock ==> success reported by CLI, BUT device still unlocked
- flashed just the 3t recovery img, wiped, fastboot oem lock ==> success reported by CLI, BUT device still unlocked
- tried the qualcomm unbrick tool after installing the recommended drivers, can't have it see my device maybe because it's not bricked or maybe some other reason, I don't know. it doesn't show up in the app. Will uninstall and reactivate driver signature checks soon unless someone explains me how to make the bloody phone show up ...
So at this moment I have a many times-wiped phone with latest 9.0.4 stock ROM whose bootloader won't lock back. I am quite at a loss. I haven't tried any magisk or similat, SuperSU at the time told me I am not rooted.
I am tearing out the few hairs I have left. Any help for this poor family man so that he may not be allowed to walk in darkness? (quote from Uninvited). Thanks
Why don't you use Magisk hide to hide root/unlock status to those apps instead of loosing root/adaway and more?
pitrus- said:
Why don't you use Magisk hide to hide root/unlock status to those apps instead of loosing root/adaway and more?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have never investigated Magisk, I think I installed it at the tima but there was some problem with it so I uninstalled it and didn't think much more about it. The problem is, my phone is not rooted (even though I tried it failed, I unlocked the bootloader to root it in the first place but was not successful), only OEM unblocked. So, so to say, I'm stuck in the worst of the possible worlds except for a bricked device. unlocked with no apparent way to relock it, and not rooted.
I feel like my phone is in some strange state where the normal procedures do not work. If I could at least figure out what's wrong with the rooting, I could go the full way AND then, in case use Magisk. but at the moment I feel like there is a need to put the phone in a known definite state whichever it is and work from there. I'd be happy to revert to stock and locked and then redo everything when needed in the future.
How could I troubleshoot further or get to such a "known state"? many thanks
The thing you did wrong was using the outdated SuperSU method of rooting which is not supported anymore. You should just flash the latest Magisk zip of their github page and then you will have root with the possibility of hiding it for bank apps and others.
https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v20.4/Magisk-v20.4.zip
pitrus- said:
The thing you did wrong was using the outdated SuperSU method of rooting which is not supported anymore. You should just flash the latest Magisk zip of their github page and then you will have root with the possibility of hiding it for bank apps and others.
https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v20.4/Magisk-v20.4.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks pitrus, I'll have a look at it tomorrow and will update with what happened
MassiB said:
Thanks pitrus, I'll have a look at it tomorrow and will update with what happened
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, update. I installed Magisk but, seeing that it had a way to put the phone in EDL mode, instead of going full root I decided to go the other way around and try to make my phone as stock as possible and reserve the experiments to an unit other than my primary. So I used the Qualcomm "unbrick" tool, and was able to flash the OxygenOS version that came with it - a rather old Android 6 whose networking (wifi, mobile...) wasn't working. But an adb sideload of the latest version after having put the phone in recovery mode allowed me to restore the networking and to update to the last supported version.
Magisk made the difference in getting me out of the spot. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

Question US Unlocked but using T-Mobile SIM - How to Root safely, many ??s

Long story, but after travails with an Amazon-purchased Oneplus 9 Pro due to it being locked (T-Mobile!) and them refusing to unlock it....
I went to OnePlus and got myself a OnePlus 10 Pro Unlocked. Still have the T-Mobile sim, though.
My question....
I have been out of the rooted phone scene for some time. I had a Oneplus 2 rooted and a Samsung Note 4 and 5 rooted. But things are different now, I'm gathering. Plus this is a new phone and I don't want to toss away hundreds of dollars by bricking it.
I used TWRP back in the day. Flashed many a custom rom back then. But with this OnePlus, I already unlocked it which... is that the same as rooting it? And what are the benefits of rooting / flashing roms vs just going with what is currently on this US phone (Oxygen 13 but not 13.1 yet)? I kinda want to see TWRP on here, and back up my whole set up into files I can then copy to my computer(s) for safety's sake. At least I liked that feature when I had it w/ the OP 2 and others.
Trying to get back up to speed in the world of rooting as it stands now.
Thanks.
TWRP on this device is really, "make of it what you will." It doesn't fully support this phone officially, and the leaked versions don't support device decryption, so you'll be forced to not use a passcode on your phone.
You don't need TWRP anymore, you just need to be careful and know what you're doing. There's guides for every model here, although they're all basically the same. Try to avoid flashing anything from your PC to the phone, just flash inside Magisk and BOOT images.
From my knowledge the reason for this is there's hidden partitions from OPPO all over the filesystem and normal flashers don't take this into account, anyone just trying to flash a full zip has bricked.
Which leads me to, there's no full recovery for this device that's free. If you brick a file and end up boot looping both slots, you're gonna have to pay for a restore. Even with TWRP, from what I hear, full backups sometimes fail to restore properly on this device.
TL;DR Be careful, read guides, you'll be fine. Rooting (on this device, with a lack of full recovery, hence no custom ROMs or Kernels) is really just used for audio mods, photo mods like free google photos, extensive app mods, etc. If you're not actively looking into any of these, stock Android is pretty solid.
Prant said:
TWRP on this device is really, "make of it what you will." It doesn't fully support this phone officially, and the leaked versions don't support device decryption, so you'll be forced to not use a passcode on your phone.
You don't need TWRP anymore, you just need to be careful and know what you're doing. There's guides for every model here, although they're all basically the same. Try to avoid flashing anything from your PC to the phone, just flash inside Magisk and BOOT images.
From my knowledge the reason for this is there's hidden partitions from OPPO all over the filesystem and normal flashers don't take this into account, anyone just trying to flash a full zip has bricked.
Which leads me to, there's no full recovery for this device that's free. If you brick a file and end up boot looping both slots, you're gonna have to pay for a restore. Even with TWRP, from what I hear, full backups sometimes fail to restore properly on this device.
TL;DR Be careful, read guides, you'll be fine. Rooting (on this device, with a lack of full recovery, hence no custom ROMs or Kernels) is really just used for audio mods, photo mods like free google photos, extensive app mods, etc. If you're not actively looking into any of these, stock Android is pretty solid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this.
I got as far as unlocking the phone and installing Magisk. But haven't gone further until I understand what the next step is.
Can I root non-destructively? Or is the phone wiped?
If you're unlocked and have Magisk installed, rooting is as easy as booting a patched boot image, then using Magisk to install it to your boot image. You have the choice of finding a matching one in one of the guides or pulling your own from a full zip.
It must match the firmware revision, I know for a fact personally that region matters little in case of NE2215/3, as you're only doing a one time boot.
I recommend @g96818 's guide here, you can find almost every firmware's boot image posted there if you prefer patch it yourself using Magisk or just boot an already patched one.
I have a 10 Pro (NE2215) rooted as a daily driver using TMO US.
Unlocked means 2 things in the android phone scene. Either it's carrier unlocked and can take any sim from any phone company or it bootloader unlocked which is needed to root and load custom roms.
There aren't any custom roms for the 10pro because of the lack of a full recovery system. Basically the ability to force full flash a stock rom in case the custom ROM soft bricks the phone. So that leaves rooting as the reason to unlock your bootloader.
I suggest reading the guide for rooting this phone, it's relatively easy. TWRP is unnecessary as it doesn't offer much without custom ROMs. Also you should back up everything on the phone that you don't want to lose because during the rooting process a factory reset will occur (android safety feature).

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