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I recently purchased the Galaxy Tab A7 10.4 (released in 2020) and couldn't help but notice that there's no dedicated thread in the forums for unlocking the bootloader or rooting (Although, the method should be very similar to what is followed for the Tab 10.1 (2019)).
It's been quite some time since I published a tutorial on XDA. So, I decided to put up this comprehensive tutorial, hope it helps everyone who's looking for it. We will take the direct approach of rooting the tab by patching the AP firmware and flashing the patched AP through Odin.
/* I will be using the same images I prepared for the tutorial to be posted on my blog. Sorry that they have been watermarked, that is to prevent scrapers from stealing. It took me enough time to capture them and do some post-processing. */
Before we start, here's the obligatory disclaimer and warning:
Unlocking the bootloader will erase all the data on your tab, including all the data that's on the internal storage. So, make sure that you have taken a complete backup of all your important data.
Flashing a custom binary (such as Magisk patched TAR in this guide) will trip the KNOX counter. Your device's official warranty will be void once KNOX is tripped.
You will not be able to use apps and services like Secure Folder, Samsung Pass, and anything that relies on KNOX.
Although I have tried this on my Galaxy Tab A7 (SM-500) and can confirm that this works, I will not take any responsibility of any bricked/toasted devices. Make sure that you fully understand what you're doing and accept the consequences if anything goes wrong.
If you do land your tablet in trouble, feel free to ask, I shall try my best to help.
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Click to collapse
Update log
Updated on March 2, 2021
Added more info about the warranty. It seems like some users are still not aware of how KNOX affects the warranty. If you're getting into software modifications such as rooting, I expect you to have some prior knowledge about such things.
Redacted the part where you needed to change Magisk's update channel under Step #5. Not needed anymore as Magisk v21.x was released to the Stable channel in January 2021.
Replaced all instances of "Magisk Manager" with "Magisk App". Starting with Magisk v22, Magisk Manager is gone and merged with the core Magisk. It's now called the "Magisk App".
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Click to collapse
Requirements
Your Galaxy Tab A7 with SM-T500 or SM-T505 model number
A compatible USB-C cable
A Windows computer. (Odin only works on Windows. If you're using Linux or Mac, you could try Heimdall)
Instructions
Step 1: Enable OEM Unlocking
In order to unlock the bootloader, you must first enable the 'OEM Unlocking' toggle. This toggle resides inside the 'Developer options' screen, which is hidden by default on most Android devices.
First, enable 'Developer options' by going to 'Settings' > 'About tablet' > 'Software Information' and repeatedly tap on the 'Build number' section five times. If you have a lock screen security set, you will need to input your PIN/Password/Pattern when prompted.
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"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Once you do this, you should see a toast notification on the bottom of the screen saying that "Developer mode has been enabled".
Once that is out of the way, go to 'Settings' > 'Developer options' and turn ON the toggle next to "OEM unlocking". You will instantly be prompted to enter your PIN/Password/Pattern, so do it. Then select "Enable" to allow OEM unlocking.
Note: If the OEM unlocking toggle is grayed out, make sure that you have connected the tablet to the internet first (via WiFi or mobile network, your choice).
Step 2: Unlock the Bootloader
Start by powering off your tablet completely. Then while holding the Volume Up and Volume Down keys together, connect it to your computer using the USB cable. This should take you to the bootloader screen (I call it that because logically that's what directs you to either Download Mode or Device Unlock Mode). Long-press the Volume Up key to enter the 'Device unlock mode'.
Your tab should now prompt you with a confirmation screen, so press the Volume Up key to confirm and unlock the bootloader.
Your Tab A7's bootloader is now unlocked and it should reboot automatically. You should also see a warning message right before the Samsung splash screen, just as shown in the picture below. Don't worry, it's completely normal. And no, there's no way to get rid of it (unless of course, you relock the bootloader).
The first boot after unlocking the bootloader could take some time (took around 3-4 minutes for me). So be patient.
Now that the bootloader is unlocked, let's verify it. Samsung introduced a new feature known as "VaultKeeper", which will automatically relock the bootloader if you do not perform this step.
After your tab boots, connect it to the internet. Then enable the Developer options as shown in step #1 and go to 'Settings' > 'Developer options'. The OEM unlocking toggle should be greyed out and say that the bootloader is already unlocked. Again, refer to the picture below.
Step 3: Download the firmware package
With the bootloader properly unlocked, you can begin with the rooting part. As I mentioned, we will be patching the AP firmware file via Magisk App, as instructed by John Wu in his installation guide on Github.
So, you will need to download the firmware package for the software version that's currently installed on your tab. This is very important, do not use an older firmware, as it will result in issues. You could of course use a newer firmware, which will update your tab at the same time as rooting it.
To verify your software version, you can go to 'Settings' > 'About tablet' > 'Software information' and check the "Build number". The latter half of the mentioned build number is your tab's software version, which in my case as shown in the picture below is: T500XXU1ATJ2. So, I will need to download the firmware package for "T500XXU1ATJ2" and in your case you should download the one corresponding to the info you see under 'Build number'.
Where to download? You could use online FW databases like SamMobile, Samfrew, etc. However, I would recommend using Frija or Samloader as they allow you to download the firmware directly from Samsung's Firmware Update Servers and without any speed caps. If you're operating on Windows, use Frija. On macOS/Linux, use Samloader.
Step 4: Extract the AP firmware and transfer it to your Tab A7
Once you have the ZIP package downloaded, you will need to extract it to get The extracted folder should contain the individual firmware files like BL, AP, CP (only for SM-T505 LTE variant), and CSC/HOME_CSC (in .tar.md5 file format).
The file you'll require is the AP firmware, which in my case is "AP_T500XXU1ATJ2_CL19362637_QB34980135_REV00_user_low_ship_MULTI_CERT_meta_RKEY_OS10.tar.md5". Again, in your case, the filename would be a bit different, but it should follow the same structure.
After extracting the AP firmware, connect your tab to the computer, enable File Transfer (MTP) mode on it, and copy over the AP firmware to your tab's internal storage. Copy it to the root directory, that is, outside all the folders as shown below. The location of the file doesn't matter, you can copy it anywhere, but I prefer this for easier access.
Step 5: Patch the AP firmware using Magisk App
Now's the time to patch the AP firmware. To do this, download the latest version of the Magisk app from the official Github releases page to your Tab A7. This will be an APK file. Once downloaded, install the APK file using your choice of file manager.
Warning about unofficial sources of Magisk: Magisk does not have any officially registered domain. If you Google for it, you will probably come across multiple websites that have the word "Magisk" in their domain URL. They are there to deceive the users, and often misinform users, especially those who are new to the scene.
John Wu, as well as XDA have previously warned the users from falling into these deceptive websites. The only official place to get Magisk is from Github.
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You do not need to change Magisk's update channel to Beta anymore. Starting January 12, Magisk v21.x was pushed to the stable channel (default).
After installing, go to the app drawer and launch the Magisk Manager app. Before you start patching, you would want to change Magisk Manager's update channel to Public Beta. This is because Magisk's latest version (i.e. v21.0) is only available on the beta channel and hasn't been pushed to the stable channel yet (at least at the time of publishing this tutorial).
To do this, press the settings icon on the top-right, tap on "Update channel" and select "Beta". Then go back to the app's main screen. It should refresh and show you the latest version as v21.0.
Press the "Install" button and then "Select and Patch a File" from the list of available methods. This should open the file selector, so navigate to the internal storage and select the AP firmware you transferred during the previous step.
Once the file is selected, hit "LET'S GO" to start the patching process. This should take a minute or so because the AP firmware is quite a heavy file. Once it is done, the patched AP firmware with the filename "magisk_patched_xxxxx.tar" (where "xxxxx" is an arbitrary code) should be stored inside the "Download" folder of your tab's internal storage.
Step 6: Flash the Patched AP Firmware using Odin
The last step is to flash the patched AP firmware to your Galaxy Tab A7 and root it. For this, connect your tab to the computer over USB and copy the "magisk_patched.tar" file from the Download folder. Paste this patched AP firmware inside the firmware folder that was extracted during step #5, along with the rest of the firmware files (BL, CSC, etc). Disconnect it from the PC after transferring the file.
Now, boot your Tab A7 into Download Mode. Power it off, and connect it to the computer over USB while holding the Volume Up and Volume Down keys together. This should bring up the bootloader screen. Simply tap the Volume Up key once to enter Download Mode. Here's what the Download Mode on the Tab A7 looks like.
Next, download Odin v3.14.1 from this XDA thread (NOT the patched version, but the regular one) and extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP package. Then launch Odin on your computer by double-clicking the "Odin3 v3.14.1.exe" executable and click "Ok" when prompted. You should see the Odin interface on your computer screen now.
Odin should automatically recognize your tab in Download Mode and display the COM ID on the top-left.
Click the 'Options' tab and uncheck the 'Auto Reboot' option. This will prevent the tablet from being automatically restarted after the flash is complete.
Now, load the firmware files in the respective slots of Odin.
The BL firmware file (BL_T500/5XXXXXXX_xxxxxxxxxxx.tar.md5) goes to the "BL" slot
The CP firmware file (CP_T505XXXXXX_xxxxxxxxxxx.tar.md5) goes to the "CP" slot. Note that the CP firmware only applies to the Tab A7 LTE variant with the SM-T505 model number.
The HOME_CSC firmware file (HOME_CSC_OMC_ODM_T500/5XXXXXXX_xxxxxxxxx.tar.md5) goes to the "CSC" slot. We will not be using the regular CSC, as it will erase all the data. If you want to do that, feel free to use it.
And finally, the patched AP firmware file (magisk_patched.tar) goes to the "AP" slot.
Once the files are loaded in their respective slots, hit the "Start" button to flash them to your tab.
Note: While you could get away with just flashing the patched AP firmware alone, John recommends NOT doing it. Always flash the patched AP along with the rest of the firmware files like BL, CSC, etc.
Wait for the flash to finish. Once it is, you should see the 'PASS!' message in Odin. Like so:
You can now close the Odin window and disconnect your tab from the computer.
Step 7: Perform a Factory Reset
Once the flash is complete, you will need to manually boot your tablet into the stock recovery mode and do a factory reset. This is only mandatory during the initial rooting process, which is exactly what we are doing here.
To do this, hold the Volume Down and Power keys together for about 7 seconds. As soon as the screen turns off, release the Volume Down key and quickly hold the Volume Up key, while still holding the Power key. Keep holding the keys until you see the stock recovery screen.
You should now see the stock recovery screen with some device information in yellow color at the top. Like so:
Use the Volume keys to move the selector to 'Wipe data/factory reset' and hit the Power key to confirm the selection.
You will now see a confirmation prompt on the screen. Select 'Factory Data Reset' to confirm and finally perform a factory reset.
Once done, select the 'Reboot system now' option from the recovery's main menu. Your Tab A7 should now reboot may be more than once, so be patient.
We're not done yet. After booting, you will need to open the Magisk app from the app drawer and follow the on-screen instructions to replace the Magisk stub with the actual full application, and further complete the required setup when prompted by Magisk app.
Once this is done, your Tab A7 should reboot one last time and should be rooted thereafter.
Your Tab is Rooted!
You may now go ahead and start using root applications, install some modules, etc. Since v20.4, Magisk Hide has been disabled by default on new installations in light of the new hardware-backed SafetyNet attestation. So, to use banking/security, or any other sort of apps that may detect root, you will need to turn ON Magisk Hide from within the Magisk App settings.
Before you leave, there are a few key things you should note:
Unlike some other Samsung phones, you will not need to follow any complex button combinations to boot into the stock recovery. A normal reboot will always boot your Tab A7 into the rooted Magisk system. On the other hand, the regular Volume Up + Power key combo will get your tab into the stock recovery mode.
Second, if a new software update is rolled out, you will need to repeat the same process from step #4 all the way to step #7. When updating the FW, you can simply use the HOME_CSC instead of the regular CSC to prevent your data from being wiped. A backup should still be taken.
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That's all from my side. If you run into any issues, feel free to post. Don't forget to share details like the software version your tab is on, the firmware package you downloaded and used, and of course your tab's complete model number.
Thank you for posting this! I bought a 2019 Tab A just before the A7 released and have been tempted to return it and pick up the A7 but wanted to make sure I could root it. How is the performance if this?
jserio said:
Thank you for posting this! I bought a 2019 Tab A just before the A7 released and have been tempted to return it and pick up the A7 but wanted to make sure I could root it. How is the performance if this?
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I was really inclined to the Tab S6 Lite. But being honest, I wouldn't have used the SPen that much. So, I dropped it.
I saw Tab A 10.1 (2019), the one you're referring to, and it was a steal for the specs. The reviews were good too. But then the A7 was released, an upgraded model along the same lines. I like it very much. For a budget tab, it really delivers decent performance and a premium-ish design. And, great speakers I must say.
Unlocking and rooting were really fun and easy as well. Overally, it's a pretty darn good tab for the price.
Thanks for the guide, I've been undecided for days if I should pull the trigger or not and no info on rooting was one of the things that was making me hesitate.
The other one is 3gb of ram, how's your experience been so far? I don't play games on my phone/tablet so that's not an issue.
Gitah. said:
Thanks for the guide, I've been undecided for days if I should pull the trigger or not and no info on rooting was one of the things that was making me hesitate.
The other one is 3gb of ram, how's your experience been so far? I don't play games on my phone/tablet so that's not an issue.
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You're welcome!
For me, 3GB of RAM is enough, of course given my usage. I usually use it for browsing and streaming only. Not much of a mobile gamer, use real consoles and PC for that, lol.
I like Samsung's One UI experience, compared to any other OEM skin (apart from OxygenOS). It's quite smooth IMO. Already removed the bloatware via ADB, might as well come with a guide for that.
It could however be different under heavy multi-tasking usage, like playing mobile FPS titles, etc. Couldn't tell on that.
storage problem
you can not move any app to the sdcard no option tried different formats as well tried app2sd pro creating a adaptable storage will work but you cant see the partition and you cant move apps back to the internal with out app corruption. terminal commands dont work cant edit system
You are a lifesaver, my friend. I just wanted to note for others that Frija did not work for me. It would only fetch a .zip.enc4 image for my SM-T500 (CSC is XAR). I am currently downloading the firmware from SamMobile to try. Magisk can't flash the file Frija get's for me, it needs to be .tar. Yes, I know it says zip but the file is extracted. Just a heads up for others out there! Also, have you flashed a different recovery for this tablet? And, if so, what image based on what model? TWRP and OrangeFox don't have an official image for the SM-T500. Thanks in advance!
DJ
UPDATE: the image from SamMobile was corrupt. Stuck me in a boot loop with a message about it not being offical Samsung software. Had to factory reset from recovery. This method is flawless, otherwise. Gonna try again with different firmware.
Hey guys. Followed the guide to a T (downloaded latest firmware using Friaj) and also flashed CSC (not home) so I could have a clean install. Magisk patched the file just fine. Odin flashed with no error but on first boot besides the usual "bootloader unlocked" error I get another one saying that custom binaries are installed and the tablet is locked. I cant seem to boot to download mode now. I can boot to the bootloader unlock screen but that's it. Any ideas?
Thanks, DJBhardwaj. Very good guide!
Just a note for European SM-T500 users: SafetyNet won't pass as magisk will return evalType: hardware. At least that's what I found in T500XXU2ATJ6. That's not a problem for me as the only app that requires SafetyNet that I use is Netflix and the issue can be fixed by installed a very legacy version of it, but I think people should be warned before tripping knox fuse
Cloudxddd said:
you can not move any app to the sdcard no option tried different formats as well tried app2sd pro creating a adaptable storage will work but you cant see the partition and you cant move apps back to the internal with out app corruption. terminal commands dont work cant edit system
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I suppose Scoped Storage has some effect, not 100% sure. But I am really curious now. Going to dig in.
Dj89 said:
You are a lifesaver, my friend. I just wanted to note for others that Frija did not work for me. It would only fetch a .zip.enc4 image for my SM-T500 (CSC is XAR). I am currently downloading the firmware from SamMobile to try. Magisk can't flash the file Frija get's for me, it needs to be .tar. Yes, I know it says zip but the file is extracted. Just a heads up for others out there! Also, have you flashed a different recovery for this tablet? And, if so, what image based on what model? TWRP and OrangeFox don't have an official image for the SM-T500. Thanks in advance!
DJ
UPDATE: the image from SamMobile was corrupt. Stuck me in a boot loop with a message about it not being offical Samsung software. Had to factory reset from recovery. This method is flawless, otherwise. Gonna try again with different firmware.
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Thanks for the kind words.
Frija, Samloader, SamFirm. All of those tools fetch the firmware from Samsung's Firmware Update Servers. These packages are encrypted as .zip.enc4 (for newer devices) or .zip.enc2 (mostly for old ones).
After downloading, the firmware package will automatically be decrypted and converted to a regular ZIP file, if you're using Frija or SamFirm. The ZIP file should contain the AP, CSC, and BL firmware TAR files.
I don't use custom recoveries anymore, but I was more than willing to try. Couldn't find anything for the Tab A7 (yet).
paziusss said:
Thanks, DJBhardwaj. Very good guide!
Just a note for European SM-T500 users: SafetyNet won't pass as magisk will return evalType: hardware. At least that's what I found in T500XXU2ATJ6. That's not a problem for me as the only app that requires SafetyNet that I use is Netflix and the issue can be fixed by installed a very legacy version of it, but I think people should be warned before tripping knox fuse
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It's more likely to be unit-based. For example, my OnePlus 8 still hasn't been forced to hardware-backed attestation for SN. But my friend's unit (same model and region) has been.
Have you tried enabling Magisk Hide? It is disabled by default. Another thing to try is the Magisk Props module.
jserio said:
Hey guys. Followed the guide to a T (downloaded latest firmware using Friaj) and also flashed CSC (not home) so I could have a clean install. Magisk patched the file just fine. Odin flashed with no error but on first boot besides the usual "bootloader unlocked" error I get another one saying that custom binaries are installed and the tablet is locked. I can't seem to boot to download mode now. I can boot to the bootloader unlock screen but that's it. Any ideas?
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Could you share a picture of the screen you're referring to?
DJBhardwaj said:
Thanks for the kind words.
Frija, Samloader, SamFirm. All of those tools fetch the firmware from Samsung's Firmware Update Servers. These packages are encrypted as .zip.enc4 (for newer devices) or .zip.enc2 (mostly for old ones).
After downloading, the firmware package will automatically be decrypted and converted to a regular ZIP file, if you're using Frija or SamFirm. The ZIP file should contain the AP, CSC, and BL firmware TAR files.
I don't use custom recoveries anymore, but I was more than willing to try. Couldn't find anything for the Tab A7 (yet).
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Thanks for the info! I'll post an update later this week once I get it going! Take care and thanks again for posting this guide!
DJBhardwaj said:
Could you share a picture of the screen you're referring to?
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Sorry for the late reply. I went through the process again and everything worked. It's possible the issue was either a) I used the newest fw to patch and flash or b) I didn't check to make sure "oem unlocking" was greed-out after unlocking it.
Any way to block updates? I prefer not to go through this each update? Hopefully we get twrp for this tablet. I live it compared to the 2019 A with its crappy one-sided speakers.
jserio said:
Sorry for the late reply. I went through the process again and everything worked. It's possible the issue was either a) I used the newest fw to patch and flash or b) I didn't check to make sure "oem unlocking" was greed-out after unlocking it.
Any way to block updates? I prefer not to go through this each update? Hopefully we get twrp for this tablet. I live it compared to the 2019 A with its crappy one-sided speakers.
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That's great!
As for updates, I think there was a way by blocking the update services using Titanium. Might have to look it up again. I did that years ago. Yes, TWRP would be great for flashing ROMs and NANDroid backups.
I was going for the 10.1 earlier, didn't knew it had one-sided speakers.
I have a question... Unlocking the bootloader and rooting a device are mostly the first steps to a custom rom like lineageos . I find tons of threads for the SM-T510, but not the SM-T505.
Will there ever be a custom rom for the T505?
DJBhardwaj said:
I suppose Scoped Storage has some effect, not 100% sure. But I am really curious now. Going to dig in.
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Click to collapse
So it's impossible to move apps to sd even with root?
Any fixes to allow apps to be moved/installed on SD card? Can't root with work/UEM apps installed. Seems super wierd for a new tablet, is this a bug or should I return?
Allow apps to be moved/installed on SD card
ormefocus said:
Any fixes to allow apps to be moved/installed on SD card? Can't root with work/UEM apps installed. Seems super wierd for a new tablet, is this a bug or should I return?
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Same here i tried on 2 different sd cards(SD- HD) format them from the tablet and no one app won't move to the sd card.
I turn on the develpoers options and i fount this option: Force allow apps on external(Makes any app eligible to be written to external storage regardless of manifest values) and i tried to donwload Asphal 9 and Gangster Vegas and 2 apps downloaded to the internal storage...
I chekt if the options to move apps is visable on this apps and its not.
If any one fine how to transfer apps to the sd card i will very thankful
(Problems I had when attempting a "dry" flash and patch:)
Just got the phone today (November 18) then attempted to flash the boot.img after patching it with magisk manager (after magisk patches the boot.img it renames it to "magisk_patched.img"). Got the usb debugging authorized after updating my adb drivers. If you want to make sure your phone is authorized you may need to run commands: adb kill-server and adb devices to check and stop/restart adb.
Anyone able to get it flashed? Getting error:
Code:
FAILED (remote: Failed to write to partition Not Found)
after running
Code:
fastboot flash boot magisk_patched.img
from fastboot, bootloader is unlocked. Running version
Code:
bramble-rd1a.200810.022.a4 (October)
I'd recommend patching up to the November update: Settings, System, System Update to the newest November update (11.0.0 (RD1A.201105.003.C1, Nov 2020).
EDIT: I'd recommend installing 15 second ADB https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2588979, then overwriting it with the newest adb tools from google. 15 second ADB will add the ADB folder to your system's PATH (ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES) allowing you to run adb commands from any folder (not just the folder adb resides in).
Ok, updating to usb_driver_r13-windows.zip and platform-tools_r30.0.5-windows.zip and updating the build to the Nov RD1A.201105.003.C1 will report back lol
EDIT 2: So yeah, update your drivers and platform tools, successfully patched it:
Code:
fastboot flash boot magisk_patched.img
OUTPUT:
Code:
Sending 'boot_b' (98304 KB) OKAY [ 2.310s]
Writing 'boot_b' OKAY [ 0.480s]
Finished. Total time: 3.122s
How to flash and patch:
https://www.xda-developers.com/google-pixel-4a-how-to-unlock-bootloader-root-pass-safetynet/
Prerequisites:
Download the applicable factory image https://developers.google.com/android/images The Pixel 4A 5G is codenamed "Bramble" (Pull down your shade or look in Settings, "About phone" for Build number) and extract the boot.img from factory image, then transfer it to phone and patch it with magisk manager:
Open Magisk manager -> select ‘Install’ -> ‘Select and Patch File’ -> select your boot.img file
The patched boot image should be found inside your Download folder
After magisk patches it, mount your phone's storage, copy to your computer and flash it from fastboot. Hold down the Power and Volume Down buttons to enter fastboot.
Run command
Code:
fastboot flash boot magisk_patched.img
Platform Tools (includes ADB)
https://dl.google.com/android/repository/platform-tools-latest-windows.zip
Usb Drivers
https://dl.google.com/android/repository/usb_driver_r13-windows.zip?hl=ru
Magisk
Direct Link https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v21.1/Magisk-v21.1.zip
Direct Link https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/manager-v8.0.3/MagiskManager-v8.0.3.apk
Magisk Releases page (in case of an update to magisk or magisk manager) https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/
VIPER4Android (great Digital Signal Processor)
I have been struggling with getting Viper4Android installed.
Stop-gap here:
I flashed this one, but it's distorting my external speakers and is buggy, but it does process...so BE CAREFUL. This will get you there until a more stable version is out. And the video was just taken down. All you have to do is flash it with Magisk here's a link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-NTL0miBYzk4o4v26MstAL9lOPXF3GN/view?usp=sharing
AdAway (system-wide ad blocking)
tried version 5.10 with no luck, let me know if it works for you.
AdAway 4.34 working for me on Android 11.0.0 (RD1A.201105.003.C1, Nov 2020)
Here: https://f-droid.org/repo/org.adaway_40304.apk
AdAway 4.36 (haven't tested)
https://f-droid.org/repo/org.adaway_40306.apk
Make sure to enable "Systemless Hosts" in Magisk Manager before attempting to enable ad-blocking. It's under Settings (the cog/gear in the top right) in the Magisk section.
Good luck all!
Good to see someone working on this. My phone won't be here until tomorrow.
The last time I had trouble flashing, I wasn't running the canary build of Magisk.
Thanks for info and reply on other thread...long time I use this stuff haha
I'm seeing install fail from magisk when I try to patch image .I'm on latest November build
View attachment 5138555
After successfully fastboot unlocking, when I try to patch my boot.img I get the following error from Magisk:
Code:
-Device platform: arm64-v8a
- Copying image to cache
- Checking ramdisk status
- Stock boot image detected
- Patching ramdisk
! Installation failed
- Repacking boot image
! Unable to repack boot image!
I first tried using the Australian factory image, labelled "11.0.0 (RD1A.201105.003.A1, Nov 2020, AU carriers)" and got the above error.
Then I tried with the Australian + Japan factory image, labelled "11.0.0 (RD1A.200810.020, Oct 2020, AU & JP carriers)" and got the same error.
What fixed it was switching to the BETA update channel in Magisk manager.
Once I changed to the BETA channel I saw in the changelog that they added support for a new boot.img format used by Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G.
Anyone who ends up here from Google, swap to the beta update channel in Magisk manager .
andrew207 said:
After successfully fastboot unlocking, when I try to patch my boot.img I get the following error from Magisk:
Code:
-Device platform: arm64-v8a
- Copying image to cache
- Checking ramdisk status
- Stock boot image detected
- Patching ramdisk
! Installation failed
- Repacking boot image
! Unable to repack boot image!
I first tried using the Australian factory image, labelled "11.0.0 (RD1A.201105.003.A1, Nov 2020, AU carriers)" and got the above error.
Then I tried with the Australian + Japan factory image, labelled "11.0.0 (RD1A.200810.020, Oct 2020, AU & JP carriers)" and got the same error.
What fixed it was switching to the BETA update channel in Magisk manager.
Once I changed to the BETA channel I saw in the changelog that they added support for a new boot.img format used by Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G.
Anyone who ends up here from Google, swap to the beta update channel in Magisk manager .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for info ..I changed to beta but still having issues patching boot IMG..is this correct Magisk
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Do you have a custom recovery installed? I'm trying to figure out how to install Magisk, but I can't find a custom recovery, neither TWRP nor ClockworkMod.
WhiteAsIce said:
Do you have a custom recovery installed? I'm trying to figure out how to install Magisk, but I can't find a custom recovery, neither TWRP nor ClockworkMod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no custom recovery. You need to fastboot flash a patched boot.img as described in this guide: https://www.xda-developers.com/googl...ass-safetynet/ using the links from the OP.
Just make sure you're using the latest platform tools, download the matching factory image and change magisk manager to "beta mode" before patching the boot.img.
Android 10 and TWRP
Simma said:
There's no custom recovery. You need to fastboot flash a patched boot.img as described in this guide: https://www.xda-developers.com/googl...ass-safetynet/ using the links from the OP.
Just make sure you're using the latest platform tools, download the matching factory image and change magisk manager to "beta mode" before patching the boot.img.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WhiteAsIce said:
Do you have a custom recovery installed? I'm trying to figure out how to install Magisk, but I can't find a custom recovery, neither TWRP nor ClockworkMod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More information on Android 10 and TWRP, though there are some devices slowly getting support for TWRP. Haven't heard clockworkmod in a long time.
https://twrp.me/site/update/2019/10/23/twrp-and-android-10.html
lmt1979 said:
[...]
Adaway (system-wide ad blocking)
tried version 5.10 with no luck, let me know if it works for you.
Adaway 4.34 working for me on Android 11.0.0 (RD1A.201105.003.C1, Nov 2020)
Here: https://f-droid.org/repo/org.adaway_40304.apk
Adaway 4.36 (haven't tested)
https://f-droid.org/repo/org.adaway_40306.apk
Make sure to enable "Systemless Hosts" in Magisk Manager before attempting to enable ad-blocking. It's under Settings (the cog/gear in the top right) in the Magisk section.
[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Got v5.1.0 (from F-Droid) working properly with Magisk running with systemless hostfile. Try installing BusyBox (i have v1.32.0 installed) to '/system/bin', which will be used by Adaway (instead of running native commands on root level, which apparently cause the issue).
I can't seem to flash version of Viper in Magisk, it won't let me. I've also tried every combination of the latest viper versions, and their settings, and nothing will run. Perhaps it will on the next version of Magisk. I had posted in the Magisk forum, and none of the suggestions helped.
If anyone has any luck, let us know!
mmarcz said:
I can't seem to flash version of Viper in Magisk, it won't let me. I've also tried every combination of the latest viper versions, and their settings, and nothing will run. Perhaps it will on the next version of Magisk. I had posted in the Magisk forum, and none of the suggestions helped.
If anyone has any luck, let us know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The linked version worked for me after trying the magical downloaded version. I had the audio modification library and audio compatibility modules installed. I don't remember the exact sequence bit all I have now is the posted module l.
It does have some odd issues with file storage. I can save a new preset but putting my old one in the viper folder in internal storage doesn't work. I also can't rename or delete presets. I ended up having to go to /root/storage/self/primary which seems to be internal storage by another path. Pasting my presets in that viper folder worked. No idea how systemless works so can't even guess what's going on.
mmarcz said:
I can't seem to flash version of Viper in Magisk, it won't let me. I've also tried every combination of the latest viper versions, and their settings, and nothing will run. Perhaps it will on the next version of Magisk. I had posted in the Magisk forum, and none of the suggestions helped.
If anyone has any luck, let us know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just flash the https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-NTL0miBYzk4o4v26MstAL9lOPXF3GN/view?usp=sharing with Magisk. Choose "Modules" the right option on the bottom https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWLVPtypCjCiqUSEHiRc8sCuMtjqKdY5/view?usp=sharing
lmt1979 said:
Just flash the https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-NTL0miBYzk4o4v26MstAL9lOPXF3GN/view?usp=sharing with Magisk. Choose "Modules" the right option on the bottom https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BWLVPtypCjCiqUSEHiRc8sCuMtjqKdY5/view?usp=sharing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!!!!! Works as advertised!!!!
This was 75% of the reason I bought a pixel!!!
I'm so happy this morning, you have no idea.
It was even processing Amazon music, which didn't work before, so far so good. I only had a chance to listen in the car for 5mins this morning.
mmarcz said:
Thank you!!!!! Works as advertised!!!!
This was 75% of the reason I bought a pixel!!!
I'm so happy this morning, you have no idea.
It was even processing Amazon music, which didn't work before, so far so good. I only had a chance to listen in the car for 5mins this morning.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it stops processing, long press on the icon on the desktop, select App info, Force Stop and reopen and it'll usually start up again. I had to do this much more often on my Pixel 3 than I have on the 4A 5G.
I've followed the steps posted above. Flashed the Drive file in magisk but I'm still getting abnormal status, audio format unsupported. Tips?
VerneVerne said:
I've followed the steps posted above. Flashed the Drive file in magisk but I'm still getting abnormal status, audio format unsupported. Tips?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're sure you're rooted, some people have noted they needed to use/install Audio Modification Library and possibly Busybox. I'd attempt to clear the cache on Magisk and Viper4Android, as well.
I am on the November build and did not need Audio Modification Library, audio compatibility module (Magisk) or Busybox. I'm using Magisk 21.1 (21180) and Magisk Manager 8.0.3 (314)(14). There's a "puzzle piece" on the far right of the new Magisk Manager menu that has "Install from Storage", this is where I pointed to the Viper.zip and flashed it.
lmt1979 said:
If you're sure you're rooted, some people have noted they needed to use/install Audio Modification Library and possibly Busybox. I'd attempt to clear the cache on Magisk and Viper4Android, as well.
I am on the November build and did not need Audio Modification Library, audio compatibility module (Magisk) or Busybox. I'm using Magisk 21.1 (21180) and Magisk Manager 8.0.3 (314)(14). There's a "puzzle piece" on the far right of the new Magisk Manager menu that has "Install from Storage", this is where I pointed to the Viper.zip and flashed it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried all the above. No luck though. I remember it being very finicky on my pixel 3. I'll try again when I'm not actually at work. Thanks for the help though
VerneVerne said:
Tried all the above. No luck though. I remember it being very finicky on my pixel 3. I'll try again when I'm not actually at work. Thanks for the help though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been glhaving issues too after it worked for awhile. Couldn't deal with no presets thing so tried different Magisks, etc with no luck and now it won't process. I'll update if I find something.
EDIT: the module at https://zackptg5.com/android.php#viper works if run in legacy mode.
EDIT AGAIN: can't save presets for some reason with above module but the ViperFX XDA Labs release before the most current one works in legacy mode https://labs.xda-developers.com/store/app/com.pittvandewitt.viperfx
VerneVerne said:
I've followed the steps posted above. Flashed the Drive file in magisk but I'm still getting abnormal status, audio format unsupported. Tips?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to go into the settings for the app force stop it and then reopen it.
lmt1979 said:
You need to go into the settings for the app force stop it and then reopen it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've already tried. Started from scratch. Still unsupported status.
Edit: after reading somewhere on here that if you use legacy mode it will process. Followed all steps, set it to legacy and now it works. Thank you everyone
If you are looking for my guide on a different Pixel, find it here:
Pixel 3
Pixel 3XL
Pixel 3a
Pixel 3aXL
Pixel 4
Pixel 4XL
Pixel 4a
Pixel 4a (5G)
Pixel 5
Pixel 6
Pixel 6 Pro
For best results, use the latest stable Magisk release.
Discussion thread for migration to 24.0+.
Note: Magisk prior to Canary 23016 does not incorporate the necessary fixes for Android 12+.
WARNING: YOU AND YOU ALONE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO YOUR DEVICE. THIS GUIDE IS WRITTEN WITH THE EXPRESS ASSUMPTION THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH ADB, MAGISK, ANDROID, AND ROOT. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
Prerequisites:
Latest SDK Platform Tools - if Platform Tools is out of date, you WILL run into problems!
USB Debugging enabled
Google USB Driver installed
I recommend using Command Prompt for these instructions; some users have difficulty with PowerShell.
Make sure the Command Prompt is running from your Platform Tools directory!
Android Source - Setting up a device for development
Spoiler: Downloads
Pixel OTA Images
Pixel Factory Images
Magisk Stable, Magisk Canary - Magisk GitHub
Spoiler: Unlock Bootloader
Follow these instructions to enable Developer Options and USB Debugging.
Enable OEM Unlocking. If this option is grayed out, unlocking the bootloader is not possible.
Connect your device to your PC, and open a command window in your Platform Tools folder.
Ensure ADB sees your device:
Code:
adb devices
If you don't see a device, make sure USB Debugging is enabled, reconnect the USB cable, or try a different USB cable.
If you see "unauthorized", you need to authorize the connection on your device.
If you see the device without "unauthorized", you're good to go.
Reboot to bootloader:
Code:
adb reboot bootloader
Unlock bootloader: THIS WILL WIPE YOUR DEVICE!
Code:
fastboot flashing unlock
Select Continue on the device screen.
Spoiler: Initial Root / Create Master Root Image
Install Magisk on your device.
Download the factory zip for your build.
Inside the factory zip is the update zip: "device-image-buildnumber.zip". Open this, and extract boot.img
Copy boot.img to your device.
Patch boot.img with Magisk: "Install" > "Select and Patch a File"
Copy the patched image back to your PC. It will be named "magisk_patched-23xxx_xxxxx.img". Rename this to "master root.img" and retain it for future updates.
Reboot your device to bootloader.
Flash the patched image:
Code:
fastboot flash boot <drag and drop master root.img here>
Reboot to Android. Open Magisk to confirm root - under Magisk at the top, you should see "Installed: <Magisk build number>
Spoiler: Update and Root Automatic OTA
Before you download the OTA, open Magisk, tap Uninstall, then Restore Images. If you have any Magisk modules that modify system, uninstall them now.
Take the OTA update when prompted. To check for updates manually, go to Settings > System > System Update > Check for Update
Allow the update to download and install. DO NOT REBOOT WHEN PROMPTED. Open Magisk, tap Install at the top, then Install to inactive slot. Magisk will then reboot your device.
You should now be updated with root.
Spoiler: Update and Root OTA Sideload
Download the OTA.
Reboot to recovery and sideload the OTA:
Code:
adb reboot sideload
Once in recovery:
Code:
adb sideload ota.zip
When the OTA completes, you will be in recovery mode. Select "Reboot to system now".
Allow system to boot and wait for the update to complete. You must let the system do this before proceeding.
Reboot to bootloader.
Boot the master root image (See note 1):
Code:
fastboot boot <drag and drop master root.img here>
Note: If you prefer, you can download the factory zip and manually patch the new boot image, then flash it after the update. Do not flash an older boot image after updating.
Your device should boot with root. Open Magisk, tap Install, and select Direct Install.
Reboot your device. You should now be updated with root.
Note: You can use Payload Dumper to extract the contents of the OTA if you want to manually patch the new boot image. However, I will not cover that in this guide.
Spoiler: Update and Root Factory Image
Please note that the factory update process expects an updated bootloader and radio. If these are not up to date, the update will fail.
Download the factory zip and extract the contents.
Reboot to bootloader.
Spoiler: Update bootloader if necessary
Compare bootloader versions between phone screen and bootloader.img build number
Code:
fastboot flash bootloader <drag and drop new bootloader.img here>
If bootloader is updated, reboot to bootloader.
Spoiler: Update radio if necessary
Compare baseband versions between phone screen and radio.img build number
Code:
fastboot flash radio <drag and drop radio.img here>
If radio is updated, reboot to bootloader.
Apply update:
Code:
fastboot update --skip-reboot image-codename-buildnumber.zip
When the update completes, the device will be in fastbootd. Reboot to bootloader.
Boot the master root image (See note 1):
Code:
fastboot boot <drag and drop master root.img here>
Note: If you prefer, you can manually patch the new boot image, then flash it after the update. Do not flash an older boot image after updating.
Your device should boot with root. Open Magisk, tap Install, and select Direct Install.
Reboot your device. You should now be updated with root.
Note: If you prefer, you can update using the flash-all script included in the factory zip. You will have to copy the script, bootloader image, radio image, and update zip into the Platform Tools folder; you will then have to edit the script to remove the -w option so it doesn't wipe your device.
The scripted commands should look like this:
Code:
fastboot flash bootloader <bootloader image name>
fastboot reboot bootloader
ping -n 5 127.0.0.1 > nul
fastboot flash radio <radio image name>
fastboot reboot bootloader
ping -n 5 127.0.0.1 > nul
fastboot update --skip-reboot <image-device-buildnumber.zip>
Once this completes, you can reboot to bootloader and either boot your master patched image, or if you patched the new image, flash it at this time.
Spoiler: Update and Root using PixelFlasher <<RECOMMENDED FOR NOVICES>>
PixelFlasher by @badabing2003 is an excellent tool that streamlines the update process - it even patches the boot image for you.
The application essentially automates the ADB interface to make updating and rooting much easier. However, it is STRONGLY recommended that you still learn the "basics" of using ADB.
For instructions, downloads, and support, please refer to the PixelFlasher thread.
Spoiler: Update and Root using the Android Flash Tool
Follow the instructions on the Android Flash Tool to update your device. Make sure Lock Bootloader and Wipe Device are UNCHECKED.
When the update completes, the device will be in fastbootd. Reboot to bootloader.
Boot the master root image (See note 1):
Code:
fastboot boot <drag and drop master root.img here>
Note: If you prefer, you can download the factory zip and manually patch the new boot image, then flash it after the update. Do not flash an older boot image after updating.
Your device should boot with root. Open Magisk, tap Install, and select Direct Install.
Reboot your device. You should now be updated with root.
Spoiler: Pass SafetyNet/Play Integrity
SafetyNet has been deprecated for the new Play Integrity API. More information here.
In a nutshell, Play Integrity uses the same mechanisms as SafetyNet for the BASIC and DEVICE verdicts, but uses the Trusted Execution Environment to validate those verdicts. TEE does not function on an unlocked bootloader, so legacy SafetyNet solutions will fail.
However, @Displax has modified the original Universal SafetyNet Fix by kdrag0n; his mod is able to force basic attestation instead of hardware, meaning that the device will pass BASIC and DEVICE integrity.
Mod available here. Do not use MagiskHide Props Config with this mod.
This is my configuration that is passing Safety Net. I will not provide instructions on how to accomplish this. Attempt at your own risk.
Zygisk + DenyList enabled
All subcomponents of these apps hidden under DenyList:
Google Play Store
GPay
Any banking/financial apps
Any DRM media apps
Modules:
Universal SafetyNet Fix 2.3.1 Mod - XDA post
To check SafetyNet status:
YASNAC - GitHub
To check Play Integrity status:
Play Integrity Checker - NOTE: MEETS_STRONG_INTEGRITY will ALWAYS fail on an unlocked bootloader.
I do not provide support for Magisk or modules. If you need help with Magisk, here is the Magisk General Support thread. For support specifically with Magisk v24+, see this thread.
Points of note:
The boot image is NOT the bootloader image. Do not confuse the two - YOU are expected to know the difference. Flashing the wrong image to bootloader could brick your device.
While the Magisk app is used for patching the boot image, the app and the patch are separate. This is what you should see in Magisk for functioning root:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
"Installed" shows the version of patch in the boot image. If this says N/A, you do not have root access - the boot image is not patched, or you have a problem with Magisk.
"App" simply shows the version of the app itself.
If you do not have a patched master boot image, you will need to download the factory zip if you haven't already, extract the system update inside it, then patch boot.img.
If you prefer updating with the factory image, you can also extract and manually patch the boot image if desired.
Some Magisk modules, especially those that modify read only partitions like /system, may cause a boot loop after updating. As a general rule, disable these modules before updating. You are responsible for knowing what you have installed, and what modules to disable.
Credits:
Thanks to @badabing2003 , @pndwal , @Displax , @Az Biker , @ipdev , @kdrag0n , @Didgeridoohan , and last but not least, @topjohnwu for all their hard work!
Thank you so so much! I've successfully updated from October 2021 build to November 2021 build without any issues by following your guide. Bunch of thanks again.
I'm currently using Magisk Canary build?
May I Install Magisk Beta and also Magisk Stable build to the latest November 2021 build?
Rafiul Bari Chowdhury said:
Thank you so so much! I've successfully updated from October 2021 build to November 2021 build without any issues by following your guide. Bunch of thanks again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Coming from the Pixel 3XL, which bricked out of the blue. I did every update on that phone, but never got to do 12 before the magical brick. I want to update this phone (5a, which I just realized is different than the 5?), but this seems to be missing quite a few steps. Shouldn't there be 4 different files added to your SDK folder and flashed, or has it completely changed, and I need to do more digging? Thanks.
Is there any way to do this after already updating? Or do I have to wait for the next update (I prefer flashing factory images).
I flashed the Nov factory image but forgot to disable the verified boot. Is there any way I can disable it so i can flash the magisk patched boot?
Rafiul Bari Chowdhury said:
I'm currently using Magisk Canary build?
May I Install Magisk Beta and also Magisk Stable build to the latest November 2021 build?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly don't know. I've used Magisk 22.1, 23.0, Canary 23001 through 23011, all have worked for me.
The caveat is that Magisk 23010+ is Zygisk, which means that some legacy modules won't work anymore until they're updated - Universal SafetyNet Fix for example.
mcwups1 said:
Coming from the Pixel 3XL, which bricked out of the blue. I did every update on that phone, but never got to do 12 before the magical brick. I want to update this phone (5a, which I just realized is different than the 5?), but this seems to be missing quite a few steps. Shouldn't there be 4 different files added to your SDK folder and flashed, or has it completely changed, and I need to do more digging? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't have to add any files to your SDK folder, you can always drag and drop them into the command line window. We are only working with two files here: vbmeta.img and boot.img.
EXV said:
Is there any way to do this after already updating? Or do I have to wait for the next update (I prefer flashing factory images).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do this as many times as you want. The critical point to remember is that if you allow Android to boot after not disabling verity/verification, you will have to wipe the next time you disable it.
EXV said:
I flashed the Nov factory image but forgot to disable the verified boot. Is there any way I can disable it so i can flash the magisk patched boot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes...but you're going to have to wipe data. Extract vbmeta.img, and reflash it:
Code:
fastboot flash vbmeta --disable-verity --disable-verification <drag and drop vbmeta.img here>
Then, reboot your device. You will end up in Rescue Party, with the option to "Try again" or "Factory data reset". Choose the factory reset.
The best way to make sure you don't have to wipe your data is to always use --disable-verity --disable-verification when updating via the factory image.
Updated to November build with no problems, didn't like the new security patch - file managers targeting API 26 and below can no longer display/access other's apps data directories, hole is plugged, so went back to October build and had to wipe data to boot. So downgrading within same Android version also requires data wipe.
No more updates for me, sticking with October build...
I was on latest version of Android 11, rooted. I followed your third method using Android Flash Tool, and had both disable verity and verification checked. The Android flash tool says I may disconnect the phone. The phone is now stuck during boot, saying cannot load android system, data may be corrupt, may need to perform factory data reset and erase all user data, or try again. Trying again causes the boot loop. Any suggestions? Prefer not to perform factory data reset.
I got my phone back into bootloader and followed your second method via fastboot. I also arrived at the same error.
I tried the same thing on my wife's pixel 5a as well. Same errors.
I selected factory data reset and my phone boots up fine. Guess I had to reset my phone anyway, despite this guide. Hoping I don't have to reset my wife's phone. It's currently stuck at boot, but I can get into fastboot.
tintn00+xda said:
I was on latest version of Android 11, rooted. I followed your third method using Android Flash Tool, and had both disable verity and verification checked. The Android flash tool says I may disconnect the phone. The phone is now stuck during boot, saying cannot load android system, data may be corrupt, may need to perform factory data reset and erase all user data, or try again. Trying again causes the boot loop. Any suggestions? Prefer not to perform factory data reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This guide is for only Android 12. And you can't get your now at any cost.
That's a bummer. Guess there should be a disclaimer about going from Android 11 to 12. Good thing everything is backed up.
tintn00+xda said:
I tried the same thing on my wife's pixel 5a as well. Same errors.
I selected factory data reset and my phone boots up fine. Guess I had to reset my phone anyway, despite this guide. Hoping I don't have to reset my wife's phone. It's currently stuck at boot, but I can get into fastboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This guide was intended for updating, not for root.
If it wasn't clear in the guide, you will have to wipe data when you disable verity and verification, if they were not already disabled.
tintn00+xda said:
That's a bummer. Guess there should be a disclaimer about going from Android 11 to 12. Good thing everything is backed up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's at the very top of the post...
V0latyle said:
As many of you know by now, in order to run a patched boot image on Android 12 requires disabling Android Verified Boot.
Verified Boot on Android 12 devices, at least Pixels with the SD765G and Tensor, is tied to device encryption. Therefore, disabling Verified Boot requires a wipe, if it was not previously disabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is why it's important to read the entire post, and ask questions if you don't understand something before you proceed.
Thanks a lot! This is my first device with verified boot / encryption linked - after crosshatch, and I have almost messed things up (just manually typed commands from memory), until I remembered this post.
Updated, everything is great.
December patch has brought bootanimation with different colours (Material You blahblah), made me freak out a little bit - I thought something went wrong.
I was always used to updating factory images (removing the -w) via ADB so none of my data would be wiped. But since the methods listed above don't include removing the -w from the zip, will any of those methods wipe my data while applying the update? I wanted to try the Android Flash Tool but got a bit paranoid since I didn't want my data wiped (I know there was a checkbox option to wipe the data, but I just want reassurance since with my luck, it'll probably brick my phone for no reason).
EXV said:
I was always used to updating factory images (removing the -w) via ADB so none of my data would be wiped. But since the methods listed above don't include removing the -w from the zip, will any of those methods wipe my data while applying the update? I wanted to try the Android Flash Tool but got a bit paranoid since I didn't want my data wiped (I know there was a checkbox option to wipe the data, but I just want reassurance since with my luck, it'll probably brick my phone for no reason).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you already rooted?
I personally don't use the flashall.bat method; I'm "old fashioned" and prefer to type the commands myself.
If you do use the script, just edit the "fastboot update" command to omit -w and include --disable options:
Code:
fastboot update image-barbet-buildnumber.zip --disable-verity --disable-verification
If you patch the boot image beforehand, you can add --skip-reboot, then once the update finishes, reboot to bootloader and flash the patched image.
Followed directions for recommended Android Flash Tool and everything worked flawlessly. If you've already rooted your phone once then you have somewhat of an idea of what you're doing. Just read everything twice and follow the directions. Thank you OP for such a clear path to update and root!
Magisk Canary was updated to 23016 last night. This includes a fix for the vbmeta header issue, meaning that disabling verity/verification should no longer be required, and we should be able to root as we did before.
I will be updating the OP to reflect this.
V0latyle said:
Magisk Canary was updated to 23016 last night. This includes a fix for the vbmeta header issue, meaning that disabling verity/verification should no longer be required, and we should be able to root as we did before. This needs testing, make sure you back up your data and photos before you try this!
I will be updating the OP to reflect this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just updated my wifes 5a-5G (non-root, verity/vbmeta enabled) to Dec update. Was able to root via flashing the patched boot.img with v23016 without a factory reset! Great news that John is still working on this tool and making all of our lives easier.
Someone want to test this?
Requirement: Pixel 4a, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro rooted with Magisk 23016
Reboot into bootloader and reflash vbmeta without flags.
Reboot to system.
Reboot to bootloader again, re-reflash vbmeta with disable flags.
Reboot to system. If you get the Rescue Party corruption message, just reboot to bootloader and reflash vbmeta without flags.
Report results here.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
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Notes:
What's posted below is a work in progress, but it should suffice to unblock efforts to build custom ROMs for this impressive tablet.
This is unofficial and unsupported, so the usual caveats apply. Since we don't flash the bootloader, you should be able recover from any problems...but nothing is guaranteed.
Not working:
Support for metadata encryption (which causes mounting errors in log)
Downloads:
twrp_3.7.0_12-2_X200XXS1CWA3.tar.md5
twrp_3.7.0_12-2_X200XXS1CWA3.img
Change Log:
v3.7.0_12-2 (2023-02-28):
Updated to X200XXS1CWA3 (Android 13) OEM stock kernel (Jan 2023 Update).
v3.7.0_12-1 (2023-01-22):
Updated to X200XXU1CVL5 (Android 13) OEM stock kernel (Dec 2022 Update).
v3.7.0_12-0 (2023-01-01):
Fixed issue with MTP sometimes not starting until state is toggled in the Mount panel.
Switched to TWRP 3.7.0 release built from new AOSP-12.1 branch.
Updated to X200XXS1BVJ1 (Android 12) OEM stock kernel (Oct 2022 Security Update).
v3.7.0_11-1 (2022-10-24):
Adjusted dynamic partition size and removed redundant backup image.
v3.7.0_11-0 (2022-10-09):
Updated to TWRP 3.7.0 release built from AOSP-11 branch.
Updated to X200XXU1BVI6 (Android 12) OEM stock kernel.
v3.6.2_11-1 (2022-09-11):
Fixed Fastboot Mode (fastbootd) so that dynamic partitions (system, product, vendor) can be managed in TWRP.
v3.6.2_11-0 (2022-09-04):
Initial TWRP 3.6.2 release built from AOSP-11 branch.
Instructions:
From OEM stock firmware:
Unlock bootloader
Hold Vol Up & Vol Down buttons during restart to enter Download mode
Install TWRP to AP with Odin
Hold Power & Vol Up buttons during restart to enter TWRP recovery
From existing TWRP install: (No need for data wipe.)
Hold Power & Vol Up during restart to enter TWRP recovery
Tap Install->Install Image, select your image (.img) file, pick Recovery partition, and then swipe to install
Reboot to Recovery
What about rooting with Magisk?
These images are not supplied pre-rooted with Magisk, since it's against the terms of use laid out by Magisk's developer, John Wu. To root the TWRP image yourself, simply use Magisk Manager to Select and Patch the boot.img file. More details on this process are available here. Note that you should just patch the boot.img file and not the whole AP tarball, since this device's bootloader doesn't like the empty vbmeta.img that Magisk will provide.
Source:
android_device_samsung_gta8wifi
Donations:
Your support is always appreciated! Just click here.
Additional Notes:
Ian's Multidisabler script has an issue on this device preventing it from disabling stock recovery auto-restoration. I'm hoping that a fix is forthcoming.
If you root this device with Magisk, be sure to patch only the boot.img file. Patching the AP tarball will generate a blank vbmeta.img, which this device's bootloader doesn't like for some reason.
Works on LTE version sm-x505 ??
Also which is better tab A7 or tab A8 ??
works perfectly. what i did was after rooting with magisk, i downloaded the official twrp app from playstore and downloaded your img to my tab. then i just flashed it from within the app. no issues.
Magendanz said:
Notes:
What's posted below is a work in progress, but it should suffice to unblock efforts to build custom ROMs for this impressive tablet.
This is unofficial and unsupported, so the usual caveats apply. Since we don't flash the bootloader, you should be able recover from any problems...but nothing is guaranteed.
Not working:
Support for metadata encryption (which causes mounting errors in log)
MTP doesn't start until you disable and reenable in the Mount panel
Downloads:
twrp_3.6.2_11-0_X200XXU1AVG1.tar.md5
twrp_3.6.2_11-0_X200XXU1AVG1.img
Change Log:
v3.6.2_11-0 (2022-09-04):
Initial TWRP 3.6.2 release built from AOSP-11 branch.
Instructions:
From OEM stock firmware:
Unlock bootloader
Hold Vol Up & Vol Down buttons during restart to enter Download mode
Install TWRP to AP with Odin
Hold Power & Vol Up buttons during restart to enter TWRP recovery
From existing TWRP install: (No need for data wipe.)
Hold Power & Vol Up during restart to enter TWRP recovery
Tap Install->Install Image, select your image (.img) file, pick Recovery partition, and then swipe to install
Reboot to Recovery
What about rooting with Magisk?
These images are not supplied pre-rooted with Magisk, since it's against the terms of use laid out by Magisk's developer, John Wu. To root the TWRP image yourself, simply use Magisk Manager to Select and Patch the boot.img file. More details on this process are available here. Note that you should just patch the boot.img file and not the whole AP tarball, since this device's bootloader doesn't like the empty vbmeta.img that Magisk will provide.
Source:
android_device_samsung_gta8wifi
Donations:
Your support is always appreciated! Just click here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am so delighted to see that there is major development for this device.
This will open the door for future custom ROMs.
Thank you Magendanz for your effort in bringing this to us.
I can say that is working as expected, thank you so much man. I thought that with TWRP we could be able to install a GSI ROM at least, but nothing at all lol
Tony Ronaldo Matute said:
I can say that is working as expected, thank you so much man. I thought that with TWRP we could be able to install a GSI ROM at least, but nothing at all lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's possible, but just using ChonDow_Flasher didn't work for me...I suspect because the bootloader isn't seeing an AVB hash footer on the GSI image. I had a similar experience when I built TWRP without the hash footer.
Unfortunately, I'm getting a segmentation error when trying to add a hash footer to the GSI using avbtool. It's probably a partition size issue, but I haven't had the time to troubleshoot.
Magendanz said:
I think it's possible, but just using ChonDow_Flasher didn't work for me...I suspect because the bootloader isn't seeing an AVB hash footer on the GSI image. I had a similar experience when I built TWRP without the hash footer.
Unfortunately, I'm getting a segmentation error when trying to add a hash footer to the GSI using avbtool. It's probably a partition size issue, but I haven't had the time to troubleshoot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had tried different ways also but I give up, the only thing that I can think now is try to use the "reboot to bootloader" feature in TWRP. But well, this processor is going me crazy.
Magendanz said:
Reserved
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once we get TWRP can't we just flash Magisk's zip file within TWRP like normally we do?
Also, after restart the tablet, when I tried to get back into TWRP it took me back to Android regular recovery. I had to flash TWRP again using Odin, after enabling MTP, local storage doesn't mount, I wasn't able to copy data in it.
zfk110 said:
Once we get TWRP can't we just flash Magisk's zip file within TWRP like normally we do?
Also, after restart the tablet, when I tried to get back into TWRP it took me back to Android regular recovery. I had to flash TWRP again using Odin, after enabling MTP, local storage doesn't mount, I wasn't able to copy data in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you should patch the boot.img using the Magisk app, then flash it using TWRP or pack in a tarball and use Odin. Don't patch the whole AP, as Magisk will substitute a blank vbmeta.img that the bootloader on this device doesn't like.
Rularick5 said:
works perfectly. what i did was after rooting with magisk, i downloaded the official twrp app from playstore and downloaded your img to my tab. then i just flashed it from within the app. no issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was just going to try this method but I'm on AVC1...I'm assuming I need to be on AVG1?
As long as the binary number is the same, im assuming dont quote me, you should be able to flash avg1 then magisk then twrp. Just update to the latest firmware.
I figured that's what I had to do but was trying to avoid that....just rooted a week ago and had no idea about AVG1.
So if I want to upgrade to AVG1 or any other firmware in the future I have to do the whole process again of patching boot.img, flashing through Odin, factory reset and setting up everything again? There's no way to upgrade and retain root?
Not unless you can recieve ota while rooted.
New release is posted...
Downloads:
twrp_3.6.2_11-1_X200XXU1AVG1.tar.md5
twrp_3.6.2_11-1_X200XXU1AVG1.img
Change Log:
v3.6.2_11-1 (2022-09-11):
Fixed Fastboot Mode (fastbootd) so that dynamic partitions (system, product, vendor) can be managed in TWRP.
Magendanz said:
New release is posted...
Downloads:
twrp_3.6.2_11-1_X200XXU1AVG1.tar.md5
twrp_3.6.2_11-1_X200XXU1AVG1.img
Change Log:
v3.6.2_11-1 (2022-09-11):
Fixed Fastboot Mode (fastbootd) so that dynamic partitions (system, product, vendor) can be managed in TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any news for GSI?
Tony Ronaldo Matute said:
Any news for GSI?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I successfully tested fastbootd with OEM images, but the LineageOS GSI I tried was still getting kernel panics. I assume it has to do with this bootloader's AVB 2.0 requirements, which we can't seem to work around in the usual way with a blank vbmeta.img.
Magendanz said:
I successfully tested fastbootd with OEM images, but the LineageOS GSI I tried was still getting kernel panics. I assume it has to do with this bootloader's AVB 2.0 requirements, which we can't seem to work around in the usual way with a blank vbmeta.img.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"OEM images", so the Google GSI? Also, maybe could the vb meta zip disabler works?
Tony Ronaldo Matute said:
"OEM images", so the Google GSI? Also, maybe could the vb meta zip disabler works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, the OEM for this device is Samsung. Please provide a link for this vbmeta disabler, since I've just been using the ones generated by Magisk and my own using avbtool make_vbmeta_image --out vbmeta.img.
Magendanz said:
No, the OEM for this device is Samsung. Please provide a link for this vbmeta disabler, since I've just been using the ones generated by Magisk and my own using avbtool make_vbmeta_image --out vbmeta.img.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, first you can try this disabler:
[Deprecated] Universal DM-Verity, ForceEncrypt, Disk Quota Disabler [11/2/2020]
Hi all! For the past couple of months, I've been looking into making a more universal solution to disable dm-verity and forceencrypt. Needing to take different zips, modify them for different devices, and then cross your fingers when you switch...
forum.xda-developers.com
as well, you can try to use this fastbootd command:
[Solved] VBmeta Flashing and Disable Verity Verification Command Problem
Thought to share with you guys, as many of people like me face problem while disabling the verification while flashing VBMETA.img. Most of the time the below command does not work and causes bootloop, when Installing Custom recovery. So i...
forum.xda-developers.com
Root Instructions for SM-T290 (Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 2019)​
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Welcome! This is my first guide on XDA Developers. This will tell you how to root a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 2019, specially for the SM-T290 model of it. I hope you like it and it works! It has exactly 30 steps.
Disclaimer​
* Your warranty will or is now be void. It might already been void (if your warranty is over...)
* I'm not responsible for any damage to your device when following this guide. It's your choice to do it.
* If you still say it's my fault, I'll probably say that I had warned you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPDATE YOUR TABLET TO VERSION T290XXU3CVG3 AND NOT HIGHER!!!​Please update your tablet to the version listed above and NOT higher. Make sure it is fully upgraded to Android 11, so that you can use the better version of TWRP. BUT NOT HIGHER THAN THE VERSION ABOVE, AS THE DEVICE WILL LIKELY NEVER BE ABLE TO BE ROOTED AGAIN. Update by flashing T290XXU3CVG3 with Odin. Download the firmware for your country. Soon I might will update this guide so that TWRP will work on the latest firmware, but for now, DO NOT GO HIGHER THAN T290XXU3CVG3!!! If you have bootloader version 4, it is impossible to flash any of the stuff described here and your device won't be able to have a downgraded bootloader, making it currently impossible to flash any custom stuff when you have bootloader version 4!
MAKE A BACKUP!​Be sure to make a complete backup first of all important stuff you have! When you have TWRP (and likely also ROOT), you are able to make a COMPLETE backup of your tablet, including partitions like boot and data and allows apps with complete data to be restored, be sure to use this feature when you have installed TWRP.
Known issues​
Charging the device while it is powered off will power it on again. The device will always be on when charging.
Sometimes, when you wipe and/or format data, the storage space is seen as 8GB, while it has 32GB. You can find the fix here.
The battery may drain fast. If this is your case, check this fix.
You may get a black screen after you have flashed TWRP. This means that this method likely doesn't work for your device, because your device came with Android 10 instead. This means that the Android 9 bootloader doesn't work properly on this device. We know the device can be used by using screen mirroring from ADB, but we need more research.
Issue tracker​You can report issues here. This repository is used to report issues for all my XDA threads. You MUST add the label 'Root Instructions For SM-T290', so I know where to post this issue.
Instructions for ROOT​1. Power on your device.
2. Open the settings app.
3. Go to 'About device/phone/tablet'
4. Click on 'Software info'.
5. Tap on the build number for 7 times until a message pops up saying "You are now a developer!".
6. Go back to home menu of settings app and click on 'Developer options'.
7. Enable the OEM unlock switch.
Optional: Unlock the bootloader using the steps below, go through setup, enable developer options and check if the option is still enabled.
8. Turn your device off and reboot into download mode by plugging the device into a PC using an USB cable and holding Pwr+VolUp+VolDown after being plugged in.
9. Disable the OEM lock and enable bootloader by holding VolUp for 10 seconds and then follow the instructions.
10. After that, you should see a download icon saying (downloading...).
11. Download Odin Flash Tool 'Odin3-v3.14.4.zip' from the files below.
12. Extract the ZIP file.
13. Open the ODIN executable.
14. Connect your tablet with a micro-USB to USB-A adapter (Your charging cable).
15. Download TWRP recovery image by clicking here. It should work with any version on your tablet. (TWRP XDA Thread)
16. Go back to ODIN, click OK.
17. Go to 'options' tab.
18. Disable 'Auto Reboot'. (not required, keeping enabled may be needed if you can't install and/or use the device.)
19. Click the check box before 'AP'.
20. Click on 'AP'.
21. Select the TWRP file 'twrp-3.7.0_11-0-T290XXU3CVG3-20221120.tar.md5'.
For users with auto-reboot enabled: read step 22, 23 and 24 first to do it correctly.
22. Click 'start'.
23. Wait until you see 'PASS' in the left upper corner.
24. READ THIS WHOLE STEP BEFORE YOU EXECUTE IT! On your tablet, hold the Pwr+VolDown button for 10 seconds until it reboots. From then, you need to be fast. When you see the logo, hold Pwr+VolUp. When you see a warning, IMMEDIATELY press ONLY Pwr for once. After that, hold Pwr+VolUp again as fast as you can until you see the TWRP logo. You successfully managed to install custom recovery! If you fail, you must redo step 16-18 until you get into TWRP.
25. Swipe the box to the right so that you can make modifications and can install Magisk (App for ROOT) and Multidisabler (Disables VaultKeeper, so that ROOT and TWRP will not be uninstalled after normal boot).
26. On the computer, download 'Magisk-v25.2.apk' from here and 'multidisabler-samsung-3.1.zip' from below (under thread), and copy these 2 files to the root directory of the tablet's internal storage by selecting the tablet in Windows Explorer, selecting 'Internal Storage' and pasting them there. If you see weird directories, you may need a SD card connected to the tablet and paste the file there, which was my case. For SD card, you are going to select 'SD Card' instead of 'Internal Storage'.
27. Press 'Install' on tablet.
28. If you have an SD Card, click 'Select storage' and click on '(micro)SD Card'. Select 'Magisk-v25.2.apk' and then swipe to install. Wait until this is done. After that, repat step 21-22 for 'multidisabler-samsung-3.1.zip' and do the same, but this time, also click 'Wipe cache/dalvik' afterwards to make sure it can build new, fresh cache.
29. When you are done, click 'Done'.
30. Click 'Reboot' and then 'System'.
Hooray! You have rooted your SM-T290 tablet successfully. You can close/exit everything now! The app for root is 'Magisk', so verify that you have root completely by opening it, and looking at the 'Installed' column in the 'Magisk' section. If it says 'Installed 25.2 (252XX)', and ROOT is succesfully installed! If it doesn't say this, reboot into TWRP and repeat step 21-22.
(Maybe edited so please stay tuned.)
TWRP image could not be upload here due to XDA not allowing me to upload it due to the .tar.md5 file extension.
Recommended TWRP flashable ZIPs​
Open Gapps - Replaces/Installs more up-to-date apps from Google: https://opengapps.org
Samsung Game Services (by me) - Installs Samsung Game Booster + Launcher + Optimizing Service on any Samsung device with OneUI: https://github.com/minionguyjpro/Samsung-Game-Services-Installer
Troubleshooting​Problem: 8GB on a 32GB device
Fix: Turn your device off, boot into TWRP by holding Pwr+VolDown, pressing Pwr once immediately on the warning prompt, and pressing Pwr+VolDown again, until you boot into TWRP. Then go to Wipe > Advanced Wipe > Select System > Repair or Change File System > Resize File System > Swipe to the right. If that doesn't work, you can also try the Data partition, and/or the other option 'Repair File System'.
Problem: Fast battery drain
Fix: Turn your device off, boot into TWRP by holding Pwr+VolDown, pressing Pwr once immediately on the warning prompt, and pressing Pwr+VolDown again, until you boot into TWRP. Then go to Wipe > Advanced Wipe > Select Dalvik / ART Cache > Swipe to Wipe. If that doesn't work, try to factory reset the device, look for apps that may cause a fast battery drain or use a Custom ROM that is faster and has a better battery life.
Offline instructions and data​The offline guide and data are also available below:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
V0latyle said:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While you say SD is not required, on mine my internal storage had random dirs. And didnt show files so i needed SD, but that depends of someone else has this too.
Minionguyjpro said:
While you say SD is not required, on mine my internal storage had random dirs. And didnt show files so i needed SD, but that depends of someone else has this too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's normal. TWRP is unable to decrypt storage, so the random directory names are because everything is scrambled. Still, you should be able to transfer files to internal storage via USB; just put them in the root of internal storage. The files you transfer will be unencrpyted.
That being said, it IS easier to use an external SD card...
V0latyle said:
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to this link, the file twrp-3.6.1_11-0-T290XXU3CUK4-20220327.tar.md5, which includes 4 files: recovery.img (actually TWRP), vaultkeeper.mbn, vbmeta.mbn and finally the file aboot.mbn, and this android bootloader 9 T290XXS3ATF1. That is, when installing TWRP, the android bootloader 11 is replaced with the android bootloader 9 ... Naturally, then we get a positive result
Talich52 said:
According to this link, the file twrp-3.6.1_11-0-T290XXU3CUK4-20220327.tar.md5, which includes 4 files: recovery.img (actually TWRP), vaultkeeper.mbn, vbmeta.mbn and finally the file aboot.mbn, and this android bootloader 9 T290XXS3ATF1. That is, when installing TWRP, the android bootloader 11 is replaced with the android bootloader 9 ... Naturally, then we get a positive result
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I'm getting set up now after installing CVG3, I'll update when done.
Edit: Yep, bootloader version shows as T290XXU3CVG3. I'll flash TWRP and update when done.
V0latyle said:
Interesting. I'm getting set up now after installing CVG3, I'll update when done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
V0latyle said:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, great!
Talich52 said:
According to this link, the file twrp-3.6.1_11-0-T290XXU3CUK4-20220327.tar.md5, which includes 4 files: recovery.img (actually TWRP), vaultkeeper.mbn, vbmeta.mbn and finally the file aboot.mbn, and this android bootloader 9 T290XXS3ATF1. That is, when installing TWRP, the android bootloader 11 is replaced with the android bootloader 9 ... Naturally, then we get a positive result
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it does still work.
Talich52 said:
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I understood you the first time.
V0latyle said:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I made a few changes. VolDown and VolUp are now correct. And removed Magisk and changed to direct download link from GitHub.
Talich52 said:
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should be no issue if you have Android 11. I installed it this exact way while i already had Android 11. I think the bootloader just gets a different version. I have latest T290XXU3CVG3 version with the android 9 bootloader from that TWRP version.
Minionguyjpro said:
This should be no issue if you have Android 11. I installed it this exact way while i already had Android 11. I think the bootloader just gets a different version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turns out flashing TWRP does overwrite the bootloader.
After updating via Odin, I was at T290XXU3CVD3.
After flashing TWRP, it's at T290XXS3ATF1.
Talich52 said:
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is no
V0latyle said:
Yes, I understood you the first time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First flash update, then flash only AP with TWRP. Make sure to disable auto-reboot.
V0latyle said:
Turns out flashing TWRP does overwrite the bootloader.
After updating via Odin, I was at T290XXU3CVD3.
After flashing TWRP, it's at T290XXS3ATF1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, maybe that the bootloader is overwritten. But this is only a issue if you want the latest security patches. But i have the latest version of Android 11 installed. May it be possible that the software will be updated, but the bootloader/firmware will stay on an older version?
V0latyle said:
Turns out flashing TWRP does overwrite the bootloader.
After updating via Odin, I was at T290XXU3CVD3.
After flashing TWRP, it's at T290XXS3ATF1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's why it works. And the author of the TWRP file modestly kept silent that he was changing the bootloader to Android 9 ...
There is no trouble in this, the device is fully functional on Android 11 with 9 bootloader. One trouble - charging does not work, more precisely, there is no display of charging when charging the switched off device. This is critical for someone, but I don’t turn off the device, it only blocks ...
Minionguyjpro said:
May it be possible that the software will be updated, but the bootloader/firmware will stay on an older version?
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A rooted device will not be updated over the air or via SmartSwitch. But you can update the firmware via ODIN, saving the data. But the bootloader should remain 9 android ...
Talich52 said:
Yes, that's why it works. And the author of the TWRP file modestly kept silent that he was changing the bootloader to Android 9 ...
There is no trouble in this, the device is fully functional on Android 11 with 9 bootloader. One trouble - charging does not work, more precisely, there is no display of charging when charging the switched off device. This is critical for someone, but I don’t turn off the device, it only blocks ...
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Click to collapse
Works for me
Minionguyjpro said:
Yes, maybe that the bootloader is overwritten. But this is only a issue if you want the latest security patches. But i have the latest version of Android 11 installed. May it be possible that the software will be updated, but the bootloader/firmware will stay on an older version?
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Click to collapse
Talich52 said:
A rooted device will not be updated over the air or via SmartSwitch. But you can update the firmware via ODIN, saving the data. But the bootloader should remain 9 android ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung devices are a bit weird. On "proper" devices like my Pixel, you can force update system without updating bootloader or radio. Not sure if Samsung works the same way; I suppose someone could try only flashing AP, CP, CSC and see if it works?
V0latyle said:
Works for me
Samsung devices are a bit weird. On "proper" devices like my Pixel, you can force update system without updating bootloader or radio. Not sure if Samsung works the same way; I suppose someone could try only flashing AP, CP, CSC and see if it works?
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The weird thing is that you need to flash TWRP as AP, not BL. Indeed the charging will turn the device on.this issues is listed in the thread.
Minionguyjpro said:
The weird thing is that you need to flash TWRP as AP, not BL. Indeed the charging will turn the device on.this issues is listed in the thread.
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Yeah...so updating will always overwrite TWRP. My theory is by not flashing the BL tar, maybe it won't overwrite the older bootloader?
V0latyle said:
Yeah...so updating will always overwrite TWRP. My theory is by not flashing the BL tar, maybe it won't overwrite the older bootloader?
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Could be. Im not really sure. But... is the root workimg?