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In the process of updating information for ICS update and custom ROMs, please hold tight!
A lot of folks have been coming in with newly purchased TF101's lately, which is AWESOME, it means the community will go on longer than the expected life of the device probably, since the TF201 and TF700 have come out and are seeking to replace our beloved TF, this is good news that people still buy the OG Transformer.
That said, there have been the same problems posted by new users, over and over, and sure there are guides for just about everything. But why not one on..just...EVERYTHING?
Here we go, troubleshoot problems and learn your device, the noob way! The EPIC TF101 THREAD BEGINS!
All the typical disclaimers apply, if you mess your stuff up, it is your fault not mine. I did not discover any of these methods, develop any of these tools, or do anything else but compile it all in one epic post. This should be everything you need to know as a noob, I do not take credit for anything, except for making it all easily accessible to those who are unwilling/unable to spend the hours searching that I did. In other words, I did a lot of work for you, but others had done the work for me first. Full credit to them.
What is ROOTING? And why do it?
So you bought a new TF, and you want to root it? Or you want to know what rooting is, for that matter? Rooting is a method of obtaining what is called 'Root Access' to your device, giving you control of it. The 'Root' is the parent directory of your device's internal memory, where the system files are stored. Generally this is kept from your access, you will need to get your device 'rooted' in order to change the system. Once rooted, you will have an app installed called 'Superuser' which will selectively grant applications permission to alter or access your root directory. This method differs on every device, but don't worry- we have a very easy device to root.
VERY IMPORTANT! Do NOT use any of the tools here WHILE YOUR DOCK IS PLUGGED IN!! All these are for use with the TF101 unit BY ITSELF! Please don't brick your device or mess something up by trying it with the dock plugged in!
There have traditionally been several ways to accomplish this for our device, as new applications and tools are developed to make it easier it has gotten to be a very simple process. Which method you use will depend on what SBK version (Secure Boot Key) Transformer you have, and also that model's firmware version. Your firmware version can be located by going to Settings>About Tablet. Current version is 8.6.5.21 (TF101) or 8.6.6.23 (TF101G). When either firmware version (also referred to as the 'stock ROM' sometimes) can be used, it will be listed similar to '8.6.x.19', where x can be 5 or 6 for TF101 or TF101G, respectively.
KNOW YOUR SBK VERSION
As a TF owner looking to mod your device, you need to know that there are multiple SBK versions, primarily SBK1 and SBK2. There may possibly be other versions to come even. All you need to know is, that as of right now, SBK1 is the only model that can utilize a tool called NVFlash to UNBRICK your device if you mess it up too badly, and it is difficult to tell which SBK version you have. In order to find out, there are a few tools out there- one of them is for mac only, called SBKDetect found here
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1232612
Another is primarily for Linux, but saavy Windows users can always boot from a Linux live CD on their machines to use it, called SBKDetect v2, here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1290503
The other way, if you are like me, and don't have Linux-abilities at the time of this writing (I'm working on that), you can always just GO FOR IT and try to flash a modded ROM via NVFlash. If you are SBK1 it will succeed. If not, it will fail. No harm done. Of course that means skipping ahead of a lot of learning first, so it is not advised IMO. It also means that if you DO have an SBK1 tablet, you just wiped all your data. It is not absolutely necessary to determine which SBK you have in order to root and mod your device.
A hit-or-miss way of detecting your SBK version is by looking at your device's serial number, located on the bottom of the device on a sticker. It will take the form of:
B70KAS638075
The ONLY digits you need to know are the FIRST THREE. Older models are SBK1. Manufacturing started at Bxx, and has gone to Cxx this year. All Cxx serial numbers will be SBK2. In fact it was in the middle of the B70 manufacturing that they changed the SBK version, so if you are B60, B50, B40 etc..you are sure to be SBK1. If you are B80, B90, C10, etc, you are sure to be SBK2. B70 owners, it's a coin toss. You must use one of the other methods to determine it.
The only thing that differs between SBK1 tablets and SBK2 tablets is the use of NVFlash. SBK2 cannot use NVFlash, so if you end up botching both your recovery and your ROM, and cannot boot into either, then you are SCREWED, so I would suggest reading everything before attempting to mod your device if you are an SBK2 owner.
NVFlash and APX mode
This was an early method used to root and flash recovery/roms, and is still a very useful application to have saved on a disk somewhere in the event that you own an SBK1, as it renders your tablet practically unbrickable. It can be found here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1123429
To use it you must enter APX mode on your TF101. This is tricky and confuses many users. The procedure is;
1. Press and hold volume UP and POWER buttons at the same time (it doesn't matter if the TF101 is on or off, if it is on, simply wait until it shuts off before proceding).
2. HOLD these buttons for approximately SIX SECONDS.
3. Plug TF101 into PC and listen for it to chime that it has detected it, it should load drivers and device will be listed in Right Cick>Computer/Properties/Device Manager/USB Universal Serial Bus Controller (or similar) as NVIDIA, not as ASUS.
4. If it does not, power on the TF and try again until it does.
NOTE: This is the only way to know if it is in APX mode as the screen remains powered off completely.
Once in APX mode now you can use NVFlash tool, place the system, boot, and recovery .img files into the root of the folder you extract NVFlash into and execute the download.bat file. If at any point the flash fails, this likely means you are SBK2.
ADB Mode
This stands for Android Debugging Bridge. This is not to be confused with APX mode, which is a separate thing entirely. To learn more about your device's ADB mode, see this excellent thread here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1071584
Another quick guide for ADB can be found here:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-hacks/6865-how-use-adb-all-commands-options.html
(sorry for the off-site link, trying to keep it as xda pure as possible!)
Razorclaw Root Tool
Razorclaw is by far my favorite method of rooting for the TF, it can be found here;
http://androidroot.mobi/2011/11/14/introducing-razorclaw-v1/
It does not matter what SBK version you have to use Razorclaw, that is why I prefer this method of rooting.. HOWEVER, it does require you to be using an older firmware version though. If you are on version 8.6.x.21 or above, you cannot use razorclaw. It works best on firmware 8.6.x.19. You simply install the app and follow the instructions (Root me nao!). It is a one click, native rooting tool.
If you are not on this firmware version and razorclaw will not work, there are options. You can either roll back your firmware version, the method is located here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1417006
If you are unsuccessful or want to try another way, you can use Nachoroot or ViperMOD.
Nachoroot Root Tool
This is one of the newer root tools, it is for all firmwares and all SBK versions, and can be found here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1427838
Nachoroot uses the ADB (Android Debugging Bridge) via a command prompt or terminal, all necessary drivers must be installed.
I cannot personally get this method to work because my PC will not install the drivers properly, and since I don't need the tool any longer, I must admit I've never used it, thus my bias towards Razorclaw. So, if you are having similar driver issues, rolling back firmware and using RC might be quicker and more painless.
ViperMOD Root Tool
ViperMOD is another method, similar to and related to Nachoroot, in that it uses the PC to root your TF101 and will need the appropriate drivers installed. The main difference being that this method will install Superuser as well. The other major difference is that while Nachoroot is done with a command dialogue, ViperMOD is done with a much simpler command interface (choose a number from a list of options rather than typing out commands). Interestingly enough, both of these methods work on both the TF101 and the TF201, and both methods appeared about the same time (posted on January 4th 2012). ViperMOD and Nachoroot represent the most recent methods for gaining root on the TF101. ViperMOD is unique that it has a feature to unroot your device as well, though you will need to have the stock ROM and recovery files available to completely return to stock. Find out more about ViperMOD here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1427125
I also cannot attest to the use of ViperMOD personally, I have used other methods, but many users have reported it quite simple to root with.
A quick breakdown;
Razorclaw, Nachoroot and ViperMOD will ONLY ROOT your device. No data will be wiped and you will have to install recovery later. In the case of Nachoroot, you will have to download superuser from the market, Razorclaw and ViperMOD installs it for you.
NVFlash WILL WIPE EVERYTHING! So understand that it will rewrite your TF101 internal memory competely and install a rooted ROM (or whatever you tell it to) on your device, as well as a boot and recovery image.
REGARDLESS OF THE ROOTING METHOD YOU CHOOSE, PLEASE READ THAT METHOD'S INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY!!!
[Q]How do I know if I am rooted?
[A] Simply check within your app drawer for the superuser application (or download it from the market if using Nachoroot), to verify it works, download titanium backup and begin a batch backup and see if it asks permission, and if the batch completes. If you are not rooted, either try your first method again or try an alternate method.
Tip: Immediately after rooting you should back up your system with Titanium Backup, skip ahead to that section to learn how before moving on.
Recovery Mode
The stock recovery mode on the TF101 shows one of two screens; a green android in the middle of the screen with gears turning inside it, or the same android with a yellow triangle with an (!) inside it instead. The gears obviously mean it is working (flashing firmware), the (!) means something has gone wrong (no file found, flash failed). To enter recovery mode, you need to press and HOLD Volume DOWN and POWER when the device is powered OFF. As soon as the screen comes on, RELEASE THE POWER BUT HOLD THE VOLUME STILL. You will see white letters appear in the upper left corner of the screen, it is now okay to release the Volume DOWN button and quickly (within 5 seconds) press the Volume UP button to enter recovery mode. There are also applications, such as Reboot to Recovery, available on the market, that will allow you to reboot your device with one click into recovery mode without having to toggle your power/volume buttons.
About Stock Recovery Mode
The stock recovery mode is absolutely required to install official Asus OTA (Over The Air) updates. Unless your device is unrooted with a stock recovery mode, you will not be able to install any OTA updates, this includes ICS!! It can also be used to install (or RE-install if it were) your STOCK ROM (only official, digitally signed files will be accepted by the stock recovery to flash over the firmware, no modded roms will work). The method for doing this is outlined in the link for rolling back your firmware version above but I will summarize;
Recovery mode searches your external SD card ROOT DIRECTORY(and the internal memory's cache directory, but this is not useful for any practical reason for you) for these Asus files. The files must be named either;
EP101_SDUPDATE.zip
or
XX_user-epad-Z.Z.Z.ZZ.zip (X = firmware region stamp, WW, US, DE, etc, and Z - firmware version, 8.6.5.19, 8.6.6.21 etc)
I personally find the second configuration to work best. If stock recovery finds a file named appropriately and signed with the proper digital signature it will install it, and you will see gears turning. Otherwise; (!). Remember, it has to be on the SD card in the ROOT, not in a folder or it won't find it.
CWM Recovery Mode
ClockWorkMod Recovery mode replaces your stock android recovery mode, and gives you control of;
Flashing (installing) ROMs, recovery, themes and app packs, patches, kernels and more
Wiping cache, dalvik cache, system, data, etc
Backup and Restore features
Advanced features you probably won't need like fixing permissions and mounting partitions etc.
The important thing to know is if you want to be able to change ROMs right from your device, you need this. In order to install it on the TF, you can use an app called RecoveryInstaller, located here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1346180
It is a one-click app just like Razorclaw, download and a single click will install CWM for you, though it may be an older version it will work fine to install the most recent version, directly from CWM once you enter it the first time. You will need to give it superuser permission as well. The newest CWM for the TF101 is called ROGUE XM and it is available here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1446019
Simply place the newest version on your SD card where you can find it, and use the 'install from SD card' option to navigate to the new version file and select it, which will flash the recovery..then you will need to reboot.
CWM Recovery can also be installed when flashing your device from NVFlash, and the NVFlash versions of ROMs almost always contain the most recent versions of the CWM recovery as well, thus making an NVFlash a one-step procedure (flashes both ROM and recovery at same time). The risk of the one-step procedure is if you are using corrupted images or something unexpected occurs you may end up BOTCHING both recovery and ROM at the same time..of course- if you are SBK1 anyways, just reflash it with a different ROM and it will be fixed.
Once you have installed the latest CWM recovery now you will want to start flashing ROMs and Kernels. I will not be posting links to the custom ROMs and Kernels because there are too many of them, that will be your homework.
Custom ROMs
We are blessed to have some great devs working on our humble TF101. That said, the procedure to flash a ROM through CWM is simple;
1: Download desired ROM and place into your external SD card somewhere you will be able to find it, it doesn't matter.
2: Boot into recovery and go to Backup and Restore and make a backup file. This is commonly referred to as a 'Nandroid' backup, and will backup everything from your ROM to your Kernel to user files.
3: Once backed up, proceed to factory reset and wipe cache partition and dalvik cache, located in the 'advanced' menu.
4: Install from SD card, navigate to your directory and find your ROM (ONLY FLASH THINGS THAT ARE MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE TF101! Be sure it is compatible with your device!) and select it, scroll to yes...read and follow instructions. Tapdance and sing ABC's while making some breakfast- and you are done!
5: Reboot device
Please be sure to flash only files that are meant to be flashed via CWM, as some ROMs will also have an NVFlash version, which will not work in CWM.
The Stock ROM currently provided with the TF101 is Android 3.2.1, which is called Honeycomb (HC) which is exclusively for tablets, we are all awaiting the release of Android 4.0 commonly known as Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) which will merge the operating systems used on phones and tablets. Asus has said it will be out soon, so don't ask when it is coming! To learn more about the different Android versions, read this;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history
I would suggest also to anyone wanting to modify their Android device to understand the history of Android itself and what it is, here;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_(operating_system)
Kernels
The kernel is the underbelly, the brain of the ROM. The kernel is what tells the hardware what to do when you interact with the software of the ROM. Most ROMs, I dare say almost every ROM unless specifically noted, does NOT come with it's own kernel but uses the kernel you have installed now on the device, unless it is a stock ROM, in which case most of them DO have kernels included. You want to be sure if what you are flashing has a kernel included or not, and you can always go back to another kernel version if you like, but understand that the OS will behave differently with different kernels. For example, if you wish to enable certain functions at the kernel-level, like overclocking, voodoo sound, etc, then you have to flash a customized kernel.
If you flash a custom kernel, then report your bugs to the developer of the kernel, not the ROM, as most bugs are produced by the kernel.
The procedure to flash a kernel is the same as with flashing a ROM, though you need not factory restore your device before installing, although every developer will agree that it is probably best to have what is called a 'clean install', where you would factory reset the device, flash your ROM, and flash your Kernel, and then restore your apps and information. How do you do that you say?
Titanium Backup
Titanium Backup is an app that is pretty self explainitory- it backs up all system files, data (this includes contacts, settings, call logs, etc) user apps, basically saves your state ON TOP of your ROM, where as the CWM Backup (commonly called a 'Nandroid') is the FULL ROM, Titanium Backup will only restore your settings and apps ON TOP of the ROM once installed. Therefore, you can backup all apps, safely factory reset. Install a clean ROM and Kernel together and then restore your data on top of them. This keeps your user files from either being accidentally overwritten or otherwise interfering with the installation of the ROM/Kernel whatever else you wish to flash.
IF YOU SKIPPED AHEAD READ THIS
Titanium Backup can be found on the market for free, if you like it, buy the paid version.
To backup and restore, simply press the settings softkey and choose 'batch' and select the appropriate action with caution. Press the 'RUN' button for the action of your choice and you will be prompted with a checklist of apps and data to run the batch on. Select which files you want or select all if it is your first time using the app and confirm the action. You will need to give Titanium Backup Superuser permission and make sure you have 'Unknown Sources' checked as well as 'Debugging Mode' checked in your settings/applications menu.
Ok, now go back to 'Recovery Mode' section and keep reading..
Also understand that if you are moving from a version that you have backed up in which apps will not be useable in the version you are moving to, the will not work either. For example, if you flash an ICS ROM and then save the ICS-only apps with titanium backup, and then try to move back to honeycomb or gingerbread (if you have a phone like I do) these apps will likely not install or if they do will FC (force close) constantly. Similar things can happen with user data, call logs from one dailer might not be compatible with an older version etc, so expect there to be instances where you have to selectively install apps one at a time to see if it causes bugs, testing the device for buggs, and uninstalling the app/data before proceding with your restore if it does.
Return to Stock
EDIT: While the below represents a review of how we used to unroot, I have now learned that merely flashing the stock ROM provided by Asus on their website will flash the recovery as well, and that there is a minor difference between the recovery img that came on the device stock versus the recovery img that comes loaded in the Asus firmware packages. If nothing else, the graphics are different, but I suspect that there could be other changes as well. To best unroot the device, simply watch and follow the video in the link.
Outdated info;
So, you played around, and you decided it was time to go back stock for that update, or maybe you just liked it better, or you wanted to give it to your grandma but knew Revolver was above her head- whatever the reason, you want to start fresh. The procedure requires you to get the Stock recovery image and a stock ROM. Luckily the stock ROMs are available on Asus' website, the recovery image isn't as easy to find, it is located here;
http://theunlockr.com/2011/11/28/how-to-unroot-and-remove-cwm-recovery-on-asus-transformer/
(Note: The recovery file is not region-specific, therefore it does not matter what version TF101 you have, it is one of the few 'universal' files for this device.
CAUTION: Unrooting with this procedure will only rewrite your system files on the system partition, if you have files located in your root directory that are user-created files that are not part of the system, these files will remain after unrooting, though you will not be able to view them as they are in the root directory, if you root the device again they will be visible. If selling your device or returning for an exchange and you are unrooting it, make sure to manually delete any files/folders that you created in your root directory and do a factory restore with CWM before flashing over your recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Procedure:
Click HERE to watch my UNROOTING How-to video.
There should also be a distinction made here between unrooting and breaking root access, while breaking root access will prevent you from having root access to your device, it does not return your device to stock. For example, deleting your superuser application and su binary files can 'break your root' as it is referred to. Yet, in order to effectively unroot your device, you should return the device to it's 100% stock configuration. If you are giving the tab to your grandma or little sister, breaking root is probably enough. If you want to return the device or sell it on XDA, you should probably return to stock completely.
Now that you have read all of this (hopefully) here is the shortcut you wished you had;
My HOW TO ROOT video (Part one)
So, now you are a BUTTFLIPPIN' PRO, you can root, you can flash recovery mode, ROMs, even Kernels, and you can flash stock files from your SD card so you can unroot and return to stock if you want. What if something goes wrong? What if you want to expand your knowledge?
Well this is what we all fear, this section will attempt to address possible outcomes of bad flashes, corrupt ROM images, bad recovery images, etc. as well as help you diagnose your problem and determine whether you need an RMA or to ask for help in the forum.
[Q] My screen won't come on! Help!
[A] In order to determine what the problem is, first try to power on normally, if that does not work try to power on with the USB device plugged into a PC, if you hear it connect you unfortuntely likely have a screen malfunction. If not, try to enter APX mode and listen for notification of connecting to your PC, if still no notification, try charging your tablet overnight and see if it is over-discharged, mine did this once and scared the CRAP out of me, I thought it was bricked, after 10 minutes of fooing with it a battery warning finally popped onto the screen for 1 second before shutting off again. Repeat the previous steps after 24 hours of charging (if TF does not power on on its' own). If none of these solutions work, try powering on and listening for the camera to 'click', if you do not hear this, then it is very likely you have a brick or malfunctioning device.
[Q] My dock drains very fast..why?
[A] This is a problem with old firmware and certain docks. The docks themselves were manufactured with hardware that prevents the updated firmware from being installed in the dock itself, which results in being unable to change the battery consumption configuration. The dock was originally designed to keep the TF awake so that a quick key press would wake it easily, but this resulted in battery drain, when Asus updated the firmware they realized some docks simply needed to be RMA'd. To test yours;
1. Make sure you are updated to the latest firmware for the dock (in Settings?About Tablet), latest firmware is EP101-0213.
2. In Settings>Screen make sure "MobileDock Battery saving mode" is checked.
3. Press the power button on the TF101 to turn the screen off, then press a key on the keyboard (not the mouse buttons).
If any key wakes the TF, then you have the defective dock and must be RMA'd. However if it does not wake, and you still have severe drain, try to resolve it by shutting off background services and checking to see if drain is bad without the dock as well. If it is still draining, as mine has done previously, contact Asus for an RMA.
[Q] My dock is making a strange squealing sound??
[A] Yes, I received one that did this myself, and returned it to the store I purchased it. As far as I could tell it only presented an annoyance, but others reported the issue and suspected that it might have been connected with some people's battery drain issue, so I returned mine as you probably should as well.
[Q] My screen has light bleeding around the edges..is this common?
[A] Unfortunately, yes, light bleed on these devices is far too common. You can try to return the device and get a better one, depending on the severity of the light bleed, and unfortunately it seems every device has it's quirks, you may end up with one that doesn't have much light bleed but has another problem..
[Q] My case creaks, is this normal?
[A] Yes, unfortunately, the plastic backplate has notches that are supposed to affix into the bezel, and sometimes these come loose. However, some people have reported being able to 'snap' it into place again within the bezel, others had to remove the bezel and backplate partially to resolve the issue- others just ignore it as it is only cosmetic.
[Q] My Transformer won't charge! Help!
[A] There could be a few reasons for this experience- the connector is a proprietary connector, and the wires inside can be easily tangled and snapped according to user experience- to verify that the cable works try plugging the device while powered on into the PC and listen for audio confirmation. If your cable is working, but the tablet doesn't seem to charge, you can try to plug in the dock to see if the led on it lights up (unfortunately the TF unit has no charging indicator except for when powered on). The charging adapter itself sometimes has connection problems inside it, and some users have reported success in simply enclosing the charger in a ziplock bag and placing it in the freezer for several hours. I don't know why this works for some, but it does. If it doesn't for you, however, you may need to order a new power adapter from Asus, or you can make your own here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1087321
[Q] My TF keeps booting and booting but never loads into my ROM..
[A] This is called a 'bootloop', and depending on how far it loads can tell you the severity of the boot loop. First thing to do, is to attempt to boot into recovery. Unless you have an SBK1 tab, this is going to be the only way you will be able to stop this. If not, you have a soft-brick. Eee Pad logo loads and reboots after this, then you have a problem with the ROM itself not wanting to boot (corrupt image, files missing, etc), and usually reflashing your previous ROM without wiping will cure the issue. Sometimes the issue is within the ROM, settings that lock up your device while initializing. If it makes it to the boot animation and reloads, there is a possibility that it is a setting within a kernel if you have a custom kernel installed, try another one, if you aren't running a custom kernel it could be user settings and a factory restore may resolve the issue, and if that fails try another ROM. If the TF will not go into recovery mode and reboots within 5-10 seconds from powering on, you might have a major problem with your system in which case only NVFlash is likely to help.
[Q] I keep getting FC's and bugs..(OR) Do I need to wipe to install...?
[A] Making sure you wipe the correct partitions before you flash new software is vital to making sure it functions properly. This is your necessary wiping procedure, although always best to have a clean install as previously stated;
Nature of the flash| Wipe cache? Wipe Dalvik? Factory Reset?
Clean ROM Flash = YES YES YES
Kernel Flash = YES YES NO
App Pack Flash = YES YES NO
Theme Flash = YES NO NO
ROM Re-flash = NO NO NO
Recovery Flash = NO NO NO
Nandroid Restore = NO NO NO
(Will work on getting this more graphlike after dinner )
Of course always better safe than sorry, and unless you are trying to preserve user apps and data while flashing a kernel or theme then it is always best to reinstall everything after a clean wipe to avoid orphan files and other messy possible errors.
[Q] I can't get into recovery! Help!
[A] The only time you really need to start worrying about not being able to get into recovery is if your ROM also will not load, and vice versa. Since you can simply use the RecoveryInstaller app to fix your broken recovery, similarly if your TF will boot into recovery mode but NOT into the ROM you simply flash (or re-flash) your previous ROM to restore your OS. For this reason, when wishing to update BOTH ROM and recovery, DO NOT FLASH BOTH AT ONCE WITHOUT CONFIRMING THE FIRST FLASH WORKED!
My general rule is to flash my recovery mode first, and then flash my ROM, this is true whether going forward in versions or rolling back to older versions. This way, as soon as you are done flashing and restart (simply holding Volume DOWN as it reboots on its own is enough to initiate recovery mode, be sure to then press Volume UP), you will know if your flash was a success and can rest easy as you flash your ROM, if done the other way around you have to boot into your OS to confirm the flash worked and then reboot back into recovery. If your recovery flash fails, simply allow the OS to load, load recovery installer again and try again.
In the case in which your ROM or recovery will not load, again, your only hope is that you are an SBK1 device and can restore your device via NVFlash.
[Q] Help! My buttons (volume, power) don't work!
[A] Unfortunately this has been discussed quite a bit, sometimes it is related to poor manufacturing, or user damage, or even a poor RMA service. In this case you have only two options- you can try to RMA it, or you can try to tear down the TF101 yourself to try and repair it. It isn't advisable if you can get it repaired under warranty, but if not, you can find discussion with photos of a teardown of the unit here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1109928
[Q] How do I edit the files in my root directory?
[A] The File Explorer app provided by Asus by design will not allow you to access the root directory, you must use an app, like Root Explorer. In order to change or delete files directly from this app, you will need to make sure the root is mounted as R/W (readable/writeable) as opposed to R/O (Read Only), there will be an option to 'mount R/W' if it is mounted currently as R/O, and vice versa.
[Q] How do I remove Asus' Pre-Installed apps (Bloatware)?
[A]While you can simply delete the app file with your Root Explorer, this may not delete all user data. You could download a tool called Root Uninstaller from the Android Market, or you can use the functions in Titanium Backup to run batch uninstalls, or just 'deselect all' and delete one at a time.
[Q] How do I get back my Asus or Google apps after flashing a modded ROM?
[A]GApps and Asus apps generally are not included with many custom ROMs for copyright reasons, but GApps can be found here;
http://goo-inside.me/gapps/
Asus apps can be found in Gnufabios' package 'Asus Removed Apps' that can be acquired through his Revolver Parts package if you are running that ROM, or can be downloaded here if not;
http://www.gnufabio.com/revolver/dls/
Or you can always make a Titanum Backup of your valued system apps before you flash your ROM. You can then do what I do, find the Titanium Backup folder on your internal and rename it 'TitaniumBackupStockApps' and move it to your SD card, then backup your user apps, rename THAT folder 'TitaniumBackupUserApps' (you may even want to date it or name which ROM it came from, this is your choice), and remove that from your internal memory. You could then do the same with user data, if you decide to do that separately. To flash them back, simply replace the folder and rename it to the 'TitaniumBackup' as it was originally, or, if the folder already exists you can simply copy over the contents, run the batch, then delete the contents and copy the user data contents over as well. This is a great way to keep your apps and data organized and backed up safely. You should make sure this stays up to date and delete old backups after 2 to 3 iterations.
[Q] Can I run Linux?
[A] Yes, look here;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1364095
[Q] How do I install themes?
[A] Depending on the ROM and Launcher you are using, some of the theming options can be built in and accessed in settings menus inside the Android UI (User Interface). However, there are other themes that change files within your root directories and these files will generally need to be installed either via CWM or via ADB. The themes' developer should have clear instructions on installing it.
One more reserved.. This one is for my thank-yous and anything else I miss guys
Roach2010, mike1986, gnufabio, xboxfanj, blades, Clemsyn, baseballfaz, danzano, paulburton, kaijura, daoist, supercurio, MrNago, jcarrz1, rayman84, lilstevie, rburrow, solarnz, fonix232, daxtsu, dipje, frankc123, Sharpe351, chatch15117 ,K900 ,earthbound, AproSamurai, TOO MANY TO REMEMBER YOU ALL!!
You guys are why I am able to do what I do now..
Mods: Stickie this!!!!
This is great! Have my tf a month and had to search all over to root/rom/etc.wish I'd had this info
Great help for us tf noobs.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Thanks for taking the time to write this up!
Absolute champ!
nice one..thanks mate
Get work this is a must have guide
Sent from my EVO Titan 3D
Fantastic! Having current info all in one place is rare, especially on "older" devices.
Edit: Maybe add a section or note about ViperMOD
Nice job Luna.
+1 on the vipermod. That is what I used and it was extremy simple.
ViperMOD..the one thing I have no experience in on this device it seems; I did a crash course, seems it was actually based right off of Nachoroot, just a cleaned up command prompt interface, and interestingly works on TF101 and TF201. Perhaps that is why I never used it- the post is located in the Prime forum section
Added to OP, guys help me check for accuracy, and correct me if I get anything confused.
Next have some few things to polish up in my thank-yous and try not to leave anyone slighted. Also, thinking of a few more common problems to add to post two. Anything not addressed here just comment or PM me about it I will amend these posts.
THANKS!
Hi Luna
I tried to follow the Return to Stock instructions you listed but there seems to be some problems.
I know these problems are not your fault but maybe you know of another alternative which is as easy to follow as well?
I need a WW Version of the packed stock Rom but neither US nor WW are available due to the mediafire problem.
And the recovery is called 8239USrecovery so I assume I can't use it with my WW version?
Return to Stock
So, you played around, and you decided it was time to go back stock for that update, or maybe you just liked it better, or you wanted to give it to your grandma but knew Revolver was above her head- whatever the reason, you want to start fresh. The procedure requires you to get the Stock recovery image and a stock ROM. Luckily the stock ROMs are available on Asus' website, the recovery image isn't as easy to find, it i located here;
http://theunlockr.com/2011/11/28/how...s-transformer/
Place both files on your SD, but make sure the ROM file is in root (they can both be in the root it doesn't matter) and then use CWM to flash the recovery image, then WIPE EVERYTHING before rebooting into recovery mode again to confirm you have stock recovery in place, and allow it to flash stock ROM. Double check that you are unrooted by downloading superuser and installing it and seeing if it allows you root access (it should not).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
luna_c666 said:
About Stock Recovery Mode
The stock recovery mode is absolutely required to install official Asus OTA (Over The Air) updates. It can also be used to install (or RE-install if it were) your STOCK ROM (only official, digitally signed files will be accepted by the stock recovery to flash over the firmware, no modded roms will work). The method for doing this is outlined in the link for rolling back your firmware version above but I will summarize;
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So theoretically this stock recovery mode will allow us to recover to a stock Asus signed ROM in case the main ROM get damaged? for example if rooting goes wrong or any other reason?
I have an SBK2 TF101, and I don't want to install CWM for the moment but want to have root, and don't want to brick my pad.
Outstanding post. Thanks a lot...
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Malandro2011 said:
Hi Luna
I tried to follow the Return to Stock instructions you listed but there seems to be some problems.
I know these problems are not your fault but maybe you know of another alternative which is as easy to follow as well?
I need a WW Version of the packed stock Rom but neither US nor WW are available due to the mediafire problem.
And the recovery is called 8239USrecovery so I assume I can't use it with my WW version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The recovery mode can be used regardless of region or firmware version, and if you are unable to locate the firmware files due to mediafire and megaupload etc. being down, simply retrieve them from Asus' website here;
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_TF101/#download
I'll update the OP to make this more clear
mcbyte_it said:
So theoretically this stock recovery mode will allow us to recover to a stock Asus signed ROM in case the main ROM get damaged? for example if rooting goes wrong or any other reason?
I have an SBK2 TF101, and I don't want to install CWM for the moment but want to have root, and don't want to brick my pad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, if you retain your stock recovery mode then it will be able to flash your firmware in the event that your ROM gets messed up for whatever reason, so long as you use the Stock signed copies of your firmware from Asus (i.e. the official files), recovery mode as stated will only flash official Asus files, they are digitally signed by Asus and without the signature recovery mode will fail.
And to put you at ease, the likelihood of anything going wrong while rooting is much smaller than flashing custom ROMs or recovery mode. Rooting is fairly fail-safe if you follow directions well.
luna_c666 said:
Yes, if you retain your stock recovery mode then it will be able to flash your firmware in the event that your ROM gets messed up for whatever reason, so long as you use the Stock signed copies of your firmware from Asus (i.e. the official files), recovery mode as stated will only flash official Asus files, they are digitally signed by Asus and without the signature recovery mode will fail.
And to put you at ease, the likelihood of anything going wrong while rooting is much smaller than flashing custom ROMs or recovery mode. Rooting is fairly fail-safe if you follow directions well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am asking because, as mentioned earlier, I only need to root for now without going the whole mod thing, because at the moment I am still not convinced that an android tablet suits me, so in case I still don't like it I want to be able to restore the stock ROM without going more into modding CWM and risking a brick.
So, in the case I root then later decide that I want to unroot, it is enough to put the signed stock Asus firmware on the SD card and boot into recovery mode, and it will be unrooted? why is it then that most unrooting guides does this with a special repacked zip file? why not just stock asus zip?
sticky!
mcbyte_it said:
I am asking because, as mentioned earlier, I only need to root for now without going the whole mod thing, because at the moment I am still not convinced that an android tablet suits me, so in case I still don't like it I want to be able to restore the stock ROM without going more into modding CWM and risking a brick.
So, in the case I root then later decide that I want to unroot, it is enough to put the signed stock Asus firmware on the SD card and boot into recovery mode, and it will be unrooted? why is it then that most unrooting guides does this with a special repacked zip file? why not just stock asus zip?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First, you should know that if you do not install CWM and flash a custom ROM, you will never actually know what you can do with an android tablet
But to answer about why others use special zips, unrooting with the Asus file actually does not delete anything on your system partition, it will simply rewrite all the system files, if there are other files that are unrelated to the rooting process leftover in your system partition those files will remain after unrooting. That is what the unroot zip files do usually, is they delete everything and reformat the system partition before installing (instead of just overwrite installing) to avoid leaving orphan files. But these orphan files usually do not impact your system (the entire system has been rewritten anyway) and for sake of argument your TF is unrooted, as you no longer have root access. To avoid leaving anything in your system after unrooting you should factory restore and delete all user apps/data with something like titanium backup before installing the stock firmware over your old rooted ROM. I will think of how to add this to the OP to make it more clear.
Basically though, if you unroot you will want to manually remove any files that are in your system partition (root directory) that were not there when you first rooted your TF or flashing the stock ROM will simply leave those and overwrite the other folders/files.
Just to throw something in here about that. Vipermod does have an unroot setting in it's commands.
Or using terminal emulator or adb
su
rm -r /system/app/Superuser.apk
rm -r /system/xbin/busybox
rm -r /system/bin/su
reboot
Having recently purchased a TF300T with intent to customize the hell out of it, I ran into a big problem. There wasn't one definitive guide for my general case, some of the steps I read weren't completely clear, and I often had to put pieces together from multiple guides to get where I wanted. Halfway through the process it occurred to me that sharing my experience in form of a guide could give the community something I wish that I had when I began. So enough with the intro, let's visualize the process before we begin.
This guide is for new owners of TF300T devices that have Jelly Bean 4.1.X preflashed from the factory. ​
joelalmeidaptg said:
If your tablet has 4.2.1 Android version from Asus, DO NOT FLASH A RECOVERY THAT WAS ACTUALLY MADE FOR 4.1 TABLETS! You will end up on a PERMANENT BRICK with no solution until now. You won't be able to use fastboot ever again. You won't be able to flash anything ever again. You will be stuck with a bricked tablet!
If you are looking for a Recovery for a 4.2.1 bootloader (and a complete guide for updating), read this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2187982 Don't do it with any other tutorial: they are for 4.1 bootloaders!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For those curious...
My TF300T was one of the Champagne Gold models purchased from Groupon with a serial that begins with C9. I recall seeing a user with a Champagne Gold from Amazon that still had ICS. If you're still on ICS, this guide isn't for you-- Read up on NVflash and decide if you want to take advantage of it BEFORE you upgrade to JB.
Here's an overview of what we will be doing:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlock the TF300T
Backup apps, app data and files (Recommended, Optional)
Install ClockworkMod Recovery (soon to be replaced with TWRP; I gave in)
Root the TF300T (Optional)
Backup your stock Asus ROM (Recommended, Optional)
Flash a Custom ROM
Backup your working Custom ROM (Optional)
Additional information you should know:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This guide has been made with the total android noob in mind. Having only owned an android tablet for a week, I too am an android noob. On the flipside, I'm no noob to hardware and software exploits and modifications. I've tried to make this friendly for any type of noob, but there are a few instances where I expect basic menu and Windows 7 navigation skills.
ClockworkMod Recovery doesn't appear to have a "Shutdown" function, nor does it display current battery level-- for this reason, the recommendation and warning to have a battery charged to at least 60% is extremely heavy. The worst thing that can happen to any device is usually an incomplete flash. Don't let it happen to you-- start charging your TF300T NOW.
I have seen reports that "Fastboot" doesn't work properly on Windows 7 64-bit. This guide addresses that issue, as I also encountered it. If you don't know what "Fastboot" is, in the words of an admirable comedian, "You gonna learn today". Don't worry about it for now!
Your device came with JB-- you didn't miss the bus for NVflash. In your case, the bus never came.
I am not responsible for any damages caused to (but not limited to) yourself or your device.
Even if you think you're pretty good at figuring this stuff out, stick to the directions as close as possible.
If you love tweaks, you're going to love your custom ROMs.
Let's get started!
Unlocking Your TF300T
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WARNING: Unlocking your TF300T will void your warranty. If your device breaks or fails under normal use, don't expect Asus to pick up the tab! Be aware that once unlocked, it cannot be relocked.
There are two ways you can go about this-- Either download the official Asus unlock utility for Windows or download the .apk and install from your tablet (Asus utility still working! I successfully unlocked mine on JB 4.1.1). I chose to download the .apk and install directly on my tablet, therefore this is the method I will cover.
To download the .apk file, scan the QR Code below with Barcode Scanner (free; on Play store) and open the URL to the Asus Support page for the TF300T. Alternatively, if you are viewing this thread on your TF300T, you may simply tap the code below.
​
On the Asus Support page, select "Android" as your OS. The page will reload and present you with a list. Click on "Utilities", then after it has loaded, download the Unlock Device App. When it is done downloading, a notification will pop up in the lower right corner. Click on it to install the Unlock tool. You'll also be able to open the app immediately after the install completes-- open it now.
After scrolling to the bottom of the End User Licence Agreement, select the checkbox indicating that you agree to those terms. You should now have access to the slider that will unlock your tablet. Stay connected to your wifi and unlock when ready. The unlock will not work without access to the internet.
If I recall correctly, your tablet should reboot. Just let it do what it wants. After it's done doing it's thing, take this opportunity to make backups! when you and your tablet are ready, we'll continue on to the next step.
Setting Up The Android SDK and Installing ClockworkMod Recovery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
​Perhaps this was the most frustrating part of my experience-- Installing the Android SDK went fine when I could actually find the .exe download. After that it was a matter of getting the drivers for Fastboot working properly. I was able to narrow it down to a problem for users of Windows 7 64-bit.
From your PC, go HERE, scroll down and click on "Download For Other Platforms". Scroll down more and under the "SDK Tools Only" downloads, you should find a download that looks like: "installer_r##-windows.exe" where "##" is the revision number. Download this .exe and assuming Windows is installed on C:\, install it to either "C:\tools\android-sdk" or "C:\android-sdk". If Windows is not installed to drive letter C, replace the drive letter with the correct letter for your system. Do the same when following the command prompt examples that follow.
Open the Android SDK Manager. Search for "SDK Manager" in the start menu and you should find a result with the same name and a little android icon. Once it's open, you'll be presented with a list. Check the box next to the "Tools" folder, then expand the "Extras" folder and check the box next to "Google USB Driver". In the lower right corner, click "Install packages...", agree to all when ready and begin your downloads.
In the settings application of your tablet, go to the "Developer options" tab near the bottom. Ensure that the switch in the top right corner is in the "ON" position, then under the "Debugging" header, enable "Android debugging". Read the following carefully before you continue: Shut down your tablet and connect your USB cable. Hold the power and volume down buttons at the same time. Keep holding until you see a menu. The menu will consist of a few items, among them there is "RCK", a USB icon, an Android icon, and a "Wipe Data" icon. Tap volume down until the USB icon is selected, then press volume up. Cross your fingers and hope drivers install automatically.
They probably won't, so have windows look in the \android-sdk\extras\ folder. It should say the drivers installed successfully. Either way, open the start menu, and right click on "Computer". Click "Manage", then in the left hand pane of the new window, click "Device Manager". The "Other Devices" section may be already expanded in the center pane. If it is, look to see if "Fastboot" appears in that section with a yellow exclamation mark.
If it isn't there, you shouldn't be worried-- check for a section called "Android Phone" or "Portable Devices". Look for a device called "Android ADB Interface" or "Fastboot". It shouldn't have a yellow exclamation mark next to it.
In the event you have the device appearing with a yellow exclamation mark next to it, go HERE and download PdaNet. This was my remedy for this error. Unplug your TF300T from your computer and install PdaNet following instructions. During the install a warning will appear to install unsigned drivers. Install the driver anyway, and let the installation finish. You can now plug your TF300T back in, and it should be recognized automatically. Just in case, hold the volume down and power buttons again until your tablet restarts and you see your hidden menu again. Once again, tap volume down until the USB icon is selected, then press volume up again to select it. Check the Device Manager again and you should find the "Android Phone" section at the top. Within it, you'll find a device called "Android ADB Interface".
Now that we have your tablet and computer set up nicely, we can finally install ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery. Go to THIS thread and download the attachment called "recovery-jb.img" (thanks XpLoDWilD!). It is VERY important that you download "recovery-jb.img" as this is the version for users with Jelly Bean bootloader!
Rename the file you just downloaded to "recovery.img" and place it in \android-sdk\platform-tools . In Windows 7, open the Start Menu and search for "cmd". You should see a result called "cmd.exe". Right click that result and click "Run as Administrator". Now type the following commands into the new command prompt window in order to flash CWM Recovery:
Code:
cd C:\tools\android-sdk\platform-tools\
fastboot -i 0x0B05 flash recovery recovery.img
DON'T unplug your tablet!! Don't close the window either! Wait for the command prompt to finish what it's doing, then you can type the final command:
Code:
fastboot -i 0x0B05 reboot
Your tablet will reboot. Once it has fully rebooted, shut it down and hold volume down and power again to access our tablet's hidden menu. This time, instead of selecting the USB icon, select "RCK" and press volume up. If I'm not mistaken, "RCK" stands for "ReCovery Kernel". ClockworkMod Recovery should load up. If it doesn't, then you were not successful in flashing CWM. If it does, then you can go to the Backup and Restore menu and create a backup.
I was overconfident when I went through all this, and I didn't make a backup-- for me, I wasn't able to get my SD card detected (64GB fat32), but even in this case you should be able to make a backup to your "Internal SD card". Unfortunately, you are on your own for this step. Make sure that you transfer this backup to your PC after creating it. You may need to disable Developer options in your TF300T's settings before you can transfer files over again.
In THIS post, XpLoDWilD gives instructions on how to Root your tablet. If I'm not mistaken, this applies to users who are using a ROM that does not already have root. If you care about Root right now, you can go ahead and flash his attached .zip file using CWM to your TF300T.
When I did this, I selected the .zip file with CWM and then went back to the main menu to select reboot. CWM then prompted me that it needed to fix permissions in order to keep Root. I tried it both ways-- first I let it fix permissions, then used a Play store app to check for root. Test came up negative, so I tried again without allowing it to fix permissions. Negative again. I tried again, allowing it to fix permissions again and then left it alone. If you are successful in rooting your TF300T, you can use Titanium Backup to backup your device later. However I used an app that did not require root that worked fine. The choice is yours.
Flashing a custom ROM
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now it's time to find a custom ROM to flash. For my guide I will cover Baked TF300T Blackbean #6-- Based on CyanogenMod10, and quite a nice upgrade from the stock ROM. The only downside I found is the Asus App Backup application is not included and cannot be installed. I'm unsure why this is the case-- I have even attempted to install it via CWM with no success. If you need this app or the App Locker app, I suggest you choose a non-CM10 ROM. You are on your own in deciding an alternative, but I have heard great things about CleanROM and I seem to recall reading that these incompatible Asus apps work on it. Don't take my word for it-- do your own research to make sure!
It should also be noted that ROMs like Blackbean #6 have some potentially dangerous settings that can make a power user salivate profusely.
Spiderman's Dad said:
With great power comes great responsibility
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, so it was his uncle, whatever. But either way, if you're going to install this ROM (or any other with overclock tweaks), BE CAREFUL when selecting different settings for CPU speed and overclocking. I used to overclock my PC as a hobby and pushed a 1.8GHz CPU to 2.77GHz on air cooling.. The thing I learned in the process is if you don't have the proper settings, your computer becomes unstable and weird things start happening. Data corruption, clicking the Start Menu does something crazy and unusual, PC crashes randomly, etc... Some of these errors are due to insufficient cooling-- a problem you cannot remedy when working with a portable device.
Assuming you are new to this tablet like I am, use this rule of thumb when dealing with foreign and potentially dangerous things: DON'T TOUCH IT until you understand it. Then when you understand it, understand it again. Then when you feel you've understood it twice, take baby steps. It's like jumping up a cement set of stairs-- you're definitely not going to try to jump five steps in your first attempt, unless you want to risk smashing your face and bloodying yourself up. Take it one step at a time-- make sure you can land on your feet before deciding to go further.
There's a lot of other options Blackbean #6 has that the average user can still appreciate, so ignore those overclocking/CPU stuff and focus on the other tweaks. Nova Launcher is included and is pretty sweet. I upgraded to Nova Launcher Prime and feel it's worth the extra $4, but I'll leave that for you to decide. There are more options than merely Nova Launcher alone, and not all of them have a price tag.
Without further adieu, let's download the Blackbean #6 ROM and Gapps. Head over to THIS official release thread for the downloads. The names of the files you want are:
baked_tf300t_blackbean-6_jb-bl_b6.zip
gappsinverted-jb-20121029-signed.zip​
Put them into a folder called "bb6" and copy the folder over to your TF300T. If your SD card is working in CWM (from CWM, go to the "mount" menu and try to mount SD card), copy the folder to your SD card.
NOW is the time to do any final backups before your fresh ROM install! I recommend "App Backup & Restore" on the Play store. If your tablet is rooted, you can also use Titanium Backup. Both will work fine, though generally speaking people seem to prefer Titanium Backup. People also seem to prefer TWRP over CWM, but I personally find the design unappealing. More importantly, I could only find a proper guide on installing CWM on a factory flashed JB TF300T.
Once you've made your backups, don't do anything until these backups are safely transferred to your PC! Don't forget to backup your music, movies and photos...
Now that you're 100% confident you've made all the backups you need and your battery is well charged and ready to go, let's flash your custom ROM! Shutdown and enter our hidden menu you should be very familiar with by now. Boot into CWM (with RCK icon from hidden menu selected, press volume up), then press volume up/down to navigate.
READ THE FOLLOWING SECTION BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE:
Select "install zip from sdcard" and tap power. If you placed your "bb6" folder on your SD card, tap the power button once more. If it says "Can't mount /sdcard/" in the bottom left corner, then select "choose zip from internal sdcard" and tap power. Earlier you should have put your ROM and Gapps in a folder called "bb6". If you can't find this folder in either the SD card or internal SD card locations, GO BACK, reboot, and make sure you put the folder on your TF300T or your SD card. You should also make sure that the ROM and the Gapps file are inside that folder as well. Do NOT unzip them! They are just fine as they are. We are NOT flashing the ROM and Gapps yet, we are merely making sure they are there before you wipe your tablet. If the files are there, go back to CWM's main menu.
Select "wipe data/factory reset" and tap the power button. Confirm that you want to wipe, wait for it to finish.
Now select "wipe cache partition" and press the power button. Confirm that you want to wipe, wait for it to finish.
Go back to the main menu and select "advanced" and tap power, then select "wipe dalvik cache" and tap power. Confirm that you want to wipe, wait for it to finish.
Don't worry! Your ROM and Gapps should still be in your bb6 folder. Navigate to "install zip from sdcard" again, and let's make the magic happen. We are going to install the ROM first, then install Gapps. Only after both the ROM and Gapps are installed will we reboot our tablet.
So select the ROM first, confirm that you want to install, wait for it to finish. This one will take a long time compared to the Gapps. Just be patient and wait, even though it looks like it's not doing anything.
Then select the Gapps, confirm that you want to install, wait for it to finish.
Finally, reboot your tablet and cross your fingers. You should be greeted with the sweet victory of the startup animation. Go through the first time setup routine, and make sure the tablet works. From here you can optionally backup your custom ROM, but I recommend getting your settings the way you like them before you backup.
Give yourself a pat on the back--you survived! Hope this guide helped someone out-- I was able to sort through my problems fine, but I felt it important to share my experience. I know I couldn't have been the first to hop through these hoops anyway.
Congrats on your custom ROM Transformer Pad. Enjoy your tablet.
P.S. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? If you have any of the three, feel free to share! If it's a suggestion, please PM me and I'll see about making edits to my guide. All are appreciated, and especially anything that clears up any uncertainties I've expressed.
Special thanks (individuals and groups I owe credit for my process):
Drgravy, Team Baked, and everyone who wrote code that was used in the Blackbean ROMs. Blackbean #6 is my first custom ROM, and so far it's been great!! Keep up the awesome work!
XpLoDWilD, for CWM Recovery + Root on TF300T. These files and instructions were the major keys in making my endeavor a success
I also want to send out a big thank you to every other individual and team who has released a custom ROM for the TF300T-- admirable work, and far more than I could ever do. Thanks for giving us options and making us excited to have a customized tablet!
(....And many more! Currently in finals week (yikes) and can't recall everything right now-- will add more as I remember)
It's a shame that such a well written guide has so little thanks. Have mine.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app
Very nice. hopefully this helps people just getting the tf300.
note, if you want to install TWRP recovery instead, your command will change accordingly, just make sure you type in the exact file name you want to flash. so if your recovery file is named twrp.blob:
fastboot -i 0x0B05 flash recovery twrp.blob
Thanks!
Your guide helped me a lot. I had problems only with root. Flashed 4 times, but always got "no root acces". Finally, I downloaded root package from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1845377 and it works well
is there any way around that "unknown error..." when i try to use the unlock app yet?
I keep trying but the same error message keeps coming up
sq1ne said:
is there any way around that "unknown error..." when i try to use the unlock app yet?
I keep trying but the same error message keeps coming up
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your tf300 new? first hand? or have u ever sent it to asus for repair before?
Well written, well thought out instructions. Many, many thanks!! I'm still having some trouble though. I get stuck once I download the unlock app, open it, agree to the EULA, then another warning appears that is a black screen white text and a yellow triangle. Nothing happens after that. There are no buttons to agree, no checkboxes, nothing happens. Any advice?
*UPDATE* Figured it out. Be sure to sent the font in settings->display->font size to small, then you will see it. The large font pushes the agree button off the bottom of the screen.
It would be great if CWM in this OP were replaced with TWRP. Many are having issues with CWM. Me being one of them. I flashed TWRP with fastboot and no more problems!
I agree with the post above. Sad that such a well written post has so little thanks. :good:
thnx for this amazing guide, but I am still unsure of this guide will work for me.
I am from Holland (Europe)
specs from my ASUS Transformer TF300T:
Android 4.1.1
Kernel 3.1.10 ([email protected])
Buildnr JR003C.WW_epad-10.4.2.18-20121122
Pad EC Version PAD-EC20T-0216
My question is...will this guide also work for me? ...since I have JB 4.1.1 & build 10.4.2.18
I am also worried about the fact that this guide in for an american(?) transformer I gues...so do I need other files then the files mentioned?
I would love to have ROOT and install a custom rom and remove bloatware etc.
thnx for the help in advance!
Thank you so much, perfect for so many people here.
Can you edit it with TWRP? I would use this right now but as above poster said there have been issues with CWM so don't want to try it.
P.s. i got mine from groupon too
Tamaskan said:
Is your tf300 new? first hand? or have u ever sent it to asus for repair before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bought mine brand new just this past Black Friday.
updated to .18 firmware
I don't want to have to send it in.
GodfleshNL said:
thnx for this amazing guide, but I am still unsure of this guide will work for me.
I am from Holland (Europe)
specs from my ASUS Transformer TF300T:
Android 4.1.1
Kernel 3.1.10 ([email protected])
Buildnr JR003C.WW_epad-10.4.2.18-20121122
Pad EC Version PAD-EC20T-0216
My question is...will this guide also work for me? ...since I have JB 4.1.1 & build 10.4.2.18
I am also worried about the fact that this guide in for an american(?) transformer I gues...so do I need other files then the files mentioned?
I would love to have ROOT and install a custom rom and remove bloatware etc.
thnx for the help in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it will work, I've tried it. But i suggest you use TWRP custom recovery though. CWM has high chances of getting bricked.
Tamaskan said:
Yes, it will work, I've tried it. But i suggest you use TWRP custom recovery though. CWM has high chances of getting bricked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you also please add a NOOB tutorial for installing TWRP Recovery (this forum is very confusing in getting the right tutorials / avoiding outdated tutorials which would brick my TF300T etc)?
Example:
quote from XDA forum in TWRP topic: "The fastest and easiest way to install TWRP is to use the GooManager app" <--- GooMnager needs ROOT so I can't use this method?
My ASUS TF300T is completely untouched & unrooted still and don't won't to mess it up.
GodfleshNL said:
Could you also please add a NOOB tutorial for installing TWRP Recovery (this forum is very confusing in getting the right tutorials / avoiding outdated tutorials which would brick my TF300T etc)?
Example:
quote from XDA forum in TWRP topic: "The fastest and easiest way to install TWRP is to use the GooManager app" <--- GooMnager needs ROOT so I can't use this method?
My ASUS TF300T is completely untouched & unrooted still and don't won't to mess it up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
www.mediafire.com/?7v1gwbbzqzvzto7 <- fastboot and twrp, the twrp is out dated so if you want you can download new one from twrp website.
2)Extract the recovery with fastboot files zip and open a command prompt in the same folder of the adb and fastboot files (you must click the fastboot and adb when extracred and i suggest you put your extracted fastboot and recovery zip in C:\(foldername) and then open cmd)
3) Reboot into the bootloader of your tablet, type: adb reboot bootloader
4) When your tablet has reached the bootloader navigate with volume down to the usb icon and press volume up to confirm.
5) To flash the recovery type:
fastboot -i 0x0b05 flash recovery tf300t-jb.blob
Credits to krabappel2548.
Tamaskan said:
www.mediafire.com/?7v1gwbbzqzvzto7 <- fastboot and twrp, the twrp is out dated so if you want you can download new one from twrp website.
2)Extract the recovery with fastboot files zip and open a command prompt in the same folder of the adb and fastboot files (you must click the fastboot and adb when extracred and i suggest you put your extracted fastboot and recovery zip in C:\(foldername) and then open cmd)
3) Reboot into the bootloader of your tablet, type: adb reboot bootloader
4) When your tablet has reached the bootloader navigate with volume down to the usb icon and press volume up to confirm.
5) To flash the recovery type:
fastboot -i 0x0b05 flash recovery tf300t-jb.blob
Credits to krabappel2548.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a little update on my progress...
- I unlocked the bootloader of my TF300T
- I managed to install latest TWRP
- Made a (COMPLETE) backup of the untouchedl system with TWRP <--- DO THIS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!
- Rooted the TF300T with the WW file in this topic: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2033205 <----works awesome!
- Made a second (COMPLETE) backup of the now ROOTED system with TWRP
- Tried installing the latest "Cleanrom 3.01 Inheritance", but got the infamous "bootloop" too...the rom has been pulled down from the forum till that is fixed ( I thought I had done something wtong flashing a custom rom, but actually a lot of others had the same problem)
- Waiting for a "bootloop fixed" Cleanrom Inheritance 3.02....and gonna try flashing it again.
first of all thanks a lot ive been going crazy looking for this!! my question is will it work for me?
i bought my tf300t in sept with ics and upgraded to jb....
also i tried this not to long ago and ran into a problem after i unlocked
so right now its just unlocked but not rooted do i need to reverse that or what?
my apologies im extremely noob haha
GodfleshNL said:
Here is a little update on my progress...
- I unlocked the bootloader of my TF300T
- I managed to install latest TWRP
- Made a (COMPLETE) backup of the untouchedl system with TWRP <--- DO THIS BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!
- Rooted the TF300T with the WW file in this topic: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2033205 <----works awesome!
- Made a second (COMPLETE) backup of the now ROOTED system with TWRP
- Tried installing the latest "Cleanrom 3.01 Inheritance", but got the infamous "bootloop" too...the rom has been pulled down from the forum till that is fixed ( I thought I had done something wtong flashing a custom rom, but actually a lot of others had the same problem)
- Waiting for a "bootloop fixed" Cleanrom Inheritance 3.02....and gonna try flashing it again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i never backup.... I only backup app using titanium backuo, if something on the rom goes wrong i just reflash latest firmware from asus website. If you like custom roms, i suggest you use Energy Rom if you want OC or Hydro rom if you want just modified stock rom with better performance.
I have a problem while I try to run the flash recovery command. I have done all steps prior to this.The only difference I see is in device manager I get "ASUS Android Devices". Now, the error I am getting comes after trying to run the command, I get "error: cannot load 'recovery.img' No error" . I have also tried the pdanet solution. Thank you for your help in advance.
Stupid question... but I am going to ask it. Having never rooted my TF300 it is on latest firmware will this guide still apply to be even though I bought my device running ICS but have updated to latest firmware? Have never rooted tablets before so all new to this.
Agera said:
Stupid question... but I am going to ask it. Having never rooted my TF300 it is on latest firmware will this guide still apply to be even though I bought my device running ICS but have updated to latest firmware? Have never rooted tablets before so all new to this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will work as long as you are using Jelly Bean
Hello. I have a few questions on rooting this phone. (My first time rooting)
First off, Is this the same model as the ze550kl (I assume so but not 100% sure). I have attempted to root this phone through the instructions provided in posts on this website for model ze550kl but I must be doing something wrong with the programs ect. I have never rooted a phone and so this is my first try and I would really like a full in detail screenshot follow through if available to do with the programs once downloaded and any other programs you may need on windows 10 to get to where I need to be. I dislike the zenui so much that is my main reason to root the phone is to remove this and other bloatware as well as some of my friends have some apps that are pretty neat that I would like that are only available through root.. I have also tried other methods posted on YouTube but I think I'm doing something wrong on all of my attempts. I would also like to know if there is a way to make a backup of the original files prior to rooting so I can send my phone in because I have a 2 year warantee if something was to happen (dropped, broken, ect.). In relation to the screenshots if there is any files that have to be placed on the phones hard drive from something I download off the internet please state this specifically, I believe that one or 2 ways I have seen required this but it seems vauge and I don't think it was done correctly by me. I am great at following detailed instructions but I don't know what exactly it is I need to do as I have never done this before so if something has to have a specific name please note that.
Thank you for the help.
My ZF2L should be showing up any minute now, so I'll let you know when it gets here. I'm no expert, but I've been rooting my Android devices since 2009. I think I can help you out.
HampTheToker said:
My ZF2L should be showing up any minute now, so I'll let you know when it gets here. I'm no expert, but I've been rooting my Android devices since 2009. I think I can help you out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, I think I'm just missing an important step. The zenui just isn't my style. Will be nice to be able to remove
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Yeah, I think you just need more comprehensive instructions. It happens from time to time. From what I can tell so far, it's a pretty straightforward process for those that are familiar with root, but to a beginner it can be a bit much. As soon as mah lazah is dunna chargin' I'll walk you through the steps I took to root it, install custom recovery, and make a backup of your entire system just in case you ever need to restore your phone to a stock-rooted-but otherwise unmodified state. I should have something up in the next couple hours ?
Updated, rooted, and installed custom recovery. I'll post a short write-up shortly.
First off, I'm going to answer your questions since I didn't previously.
Sorvas33 said:
First off, Is this the same model as the ze550kl (I assume so but not 100% sure).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, they're different, but I'm not entirely sure by how much. I'm 100% sure that they're probably maybe 90% or so compatible, but there are differences. I just don't know them without checking. I wouldn't go flashing anything that doesn't explicitly state that it's for the 551 or is compatible or has had a 551 user test and report success. There are some things that are kind of universal (and we'll get into that a little), but for now let's just stick with using caution.
Sorvas33 said:
I would also like to know if there is a way to make a backup of the original files prior to rooting so I can send my phone in because I have a 2 year warantee if something was to happen (dropped, broken, ect.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We'll make a backup using TWRP, but you'll have to be rooted. A TWRP backup (or nandroid backup) is like a snapshot of your current system. You can customize it and only backup certain parts of the system as well as restore certain parts, but I wouldn't worry about that. Most of the time you'll want a complete backup, anyway. But, to answer your question, no, you'll have to be rooted, but you can always unroot from the phone using the Supersu app. If the damage is physical an unrooted backup wouldn't matter anyway.
So, here's my (hopefully) brief write-up to acquire root, install recovery, make a backup, and ,optionally, install the Xposed framework. Before getting started be sure to have plugged your phone into your computer for Windows to download and install drivers for your ZF2L. Also, you will need to download and install adb in order to use command prompt to flash files to your phone. This link will take you to a thread here at XDA for Minimal ADB and Fastboot. This is the easiest way to install and use adb and fastboot on your computer. Once you have it installed you can proceed to the next steps.
First, you'll need to unlock your bootloader using the app found here. It's in a .zip files for whatever reason, so you'll need to use 7zip or WinZip or WinRAR or something on your computer to extract it and install to your phone. You can plug your phone in and place the extracted app on your external or internal storage or use a cloud storage app like Dropbox or Google Drive to transfer it to your phone. If you plug it in and place on your internal or external storage, then you'll need to use File Manager (it's a stock app) to find and install it. Once installed just run the app. It's extremely user friendly and straightforward. Your phone will reboot when it's done.
Next, you'll have to temporarily boot a modified boot.img using Minimal adb and fastboot. Once this step is completed and the phone boots up you'll need to go to the Play Store and install Supersu as well as Busybox if you want your root apps to work properly.
Go here on your computer and download the modified boot.img named boot_200007.img and place it in the Minimal adb and fastboot folder. As you can see in this screenshot:
my adb and fastboot folder is located at C:\Windows\Minimal ADB and Fastboot. Once you have the boot.img copied to the right folder go ahead and connect your phone, if it isn't already. Hold the power button and restart the phone. As soon as the screen goes off hold the volume up button until the phone boots into fastboot mode. If you have trouble with this, you can just turn the phone off, and then press and hold power and volume up until it boots into fastboot mode. Right click the Minimal adb and fastboot icon and select run as administrator. As long as it's installed correctly, the following commands shouldn't give you any error messages. Before we go further, let me briefly explain what we're doing at this point. We have two options: we can flash the boot.img which will physically write it to the proper partition on your phone, or we can simply boot the phone while the modified boot.img remains on your computer and unwritten to the phone, which is what we want to do in this case. To do this we enter the following command:
fastboot boot boot_200007.img
Your phone should reboot on it's own and once it does open the app drawer and check to see if Supersu is installed. If it isn't, open Play and install it, as well as Busybox. Open Supersu and make sure you have root. Once your done, open Busybox and install Busybox to /system/xbin and reboot when finished. At this point, you can disconnect your phone and ensure the Supersu does give you any errors. Test it by installing your favorite root apps, and since you're new to root, I'll give you some suggestions. You can do a google search to find Adaway. It isn't available in the Play Store because it's an adblocker and ads are Google's bread and butter, but it sure is nice to use apps without intrusive apps trying to sell you something no matter where you go. Root + Adaway have been solving that problem for years. Next we have Root Explorer which is my root file manager of choice. Another community favorite is ES File Manager. Both are great. Titanium Backup, Flashify (install it for the next step), and Viper4Android (not in Play search XDA) are all must have apps for root users. Install and open some of those (especially Flashify) just to verify that they work and let's move on the next step.
Download TWRP here and place it on either internal or external storage. Open Flashify and select Recovery Image and then find and select recovery551_200431.img. This will write the TeamWinRecoveryProject custom recovery to the recovery partition of your phone which will allow you to view, backup, restore, and modify all the relevant partitions that make up the Android operation system. At this moment, it's important to understand that you are now more than capable of completely and totally bricking your phone...but you're also capable of recovering from most problems that can arise from flashing mods and using root apps. This is where we'll make a complete backup for just that very reason.
After you've flashed TWRP using Flashify, you'll be prompted to reboot. Do so, and your phone will reboot into recovery. You'll see a message one the first run with a check box to disable modifications to system or something along those lines (can't remember exactly what it says lol), just don't check it. Leave the box uncheck and swipe the bar to allow modifications to system. Now, you should see the main menu. Select Backup and make sure that Boot, System, Data, and Cache are selected and rename the backup to something along the lines of "stock_rooted" or "stock_backup" if you wish and you're ready to create a nandroid backup. Swipe the button and give it a few minutes. Once done, just reboot and you're good to go.
Now to install Xposed, you'll first need to install the Xposed Installer .apk on your phone from here. To flash Xposed, reboot into recovery (turn off then hold power + volume down) and select Install then select the Xposed .zip package xposed-v80-sdk21-arm64.zip that you downloaded and placed on your internal (preferrably) or external storage beforehand. Once finished just reboot and you're done. Be warned that the first boot after installing Xposed will take a long time (approx. 5-10 minutes). Greenify, Gravitybox (LL), Youtube Adaway, Flat Style Bar Indicators, MaxLock, and NotifyClean are just a few of my favorite Xposed modules. Be sure to read the descriptions for these modules carefully and do not forget that Xposed modules can be tricky and cause problems if they're not compatible with your phone. Honestly, you should ask here before installing any modules that I haven't already mentioned.
Anyway, that's my brief write-up lol. Hopefully, that isn't too hard to follow. Don't hesitate to reply back if you encounter a problem, have any questions, or simply want to report your success and ask for tips. I'll leave you with this little tip: don't give up on ZenUI. It definitely doesn't hold a flame to stock Android, but if you use a third party launcher like Nova Launcher and use Developer Options to increase animation speed to .5 seconds (or turn them off entirely) it's really not so horrible, in my opinion. It's damn sure not TouchWiz.
HampTheToker said:
So, here's my (hopefully) brief write-up to acquire root, install recovery, make a backup, and ,optionally, install the Xposed framework. Before getting started be sure to have plugged your phone into your computer for Windows to download and install drivers for your ZF2L. Also, you will need to download and install adb in order to use command prompt to flash files to your phone. This link will take you to a thread here at XDA for Minimal ADB and Fastboot. This is the easiest way to install and use adb and fastboot on your computer. Once you have it installed you can proceed to the next steps.
First, you'll need to unlock your bootloader using the app found here. It's in a .zip files for whatever reason, so you'll need to use 7zip or WinZip or WinRAR or something on your computer to extract it and install to your phone. You can plug your phone in and place the extracted app on your external or internal storage or use a cloud storage app like Dropbox or Google Drive to transfer it to your phone. If you plug it in and place on your internal or external storage, then you'll need to use File Manager (it's a stock app) to find and install it. Once installed just run the app. It's extremely user friendly and straightforward. Your phone will reboot when it's done.
Next, you'll have to temporarily boot a modified boot.img using Minimal adb and fastboot. Once this step is completed and the phone boots up you'll need to go to the Play Store and install Supersu as well as Busybox if you want your root apps to work properly.
Go here on your computer and download the modified boot.img named boot_200007.img and place it in the Minimal adb and fastboot folder. As you can see in this screenshot:
my adb and fastboot folder is located at C:\Windows\Minimal ADB and Fastboot. Once you have the boot.img copied to the right folder go ahead and connect your phone, if it isn't already. Hold the power button and restart the phone. As soon as the screen goes off hold the volume up button until the phone boots into fastboot mode. If you have trouble with this, you can just turn the phone off, and then press and hold power and volume up until it boots into fastboot mode. Right click the Minimal adb and fastboot icon and select run as administrator. As long as it's installed correctly, the following commands shouldn't give you any error messages. Before we go further, let me briefly explain what we're doing at this point. We have two options: we can flash the boot.img which will physically write it to the proper partition on your phone, or we can simply boot the phone while the modified boot.img remains on your computer and unwritten to the phone, which is what we want to do in this case. To do this we enter the following command:
fastboot boot boot_200007.img
Your phone should reboot on it's own and once it does open the app drawer and check to see if Supersu is installed. If it isn't, open Play and install it, as well as Busybox. Open Supersu and make sure you have root. Once your done, open Busybox and install Busybox to /system/xbin and reboot when finished. At this point, you can disconnect your phone and ensure the Supersu does give you any errors. Test it by installing your favorite root apps, and since you're new to root, I'll give you some suggestions. You can do a google search to find Adaway. It isn't available in the Play Store because it's an adblocker and ads are Google's bread and butter, but it sure is nice to use apps without intrusive apps trying to sell you something no matter where you go. Root + Adaway have been solving that problem for years. Next we have Root Explorer which is my root file manager of choice. Another community favorite is ES File Manager. Both are great. Titanium Backup, Flashify (install it for the next step), and Viper4Android (not in Play search XDA) are all must have apps for root users. Install and open some of those (especially Flashify) just to verify that they work and let's move on the next step.
Download TWRP here and place it on either internal or external storage. Open Flashify and select Recovery Image and then find and select recovery551_200431.img. This will write the TeamWinRecoveryProject custom recovery to the recovery partition of your phone which will allow you to view, backup, restore, and modify all the relevant partitions that make up the Android operation system. At this moment, it's important to understand that you are now more than capable of completely and totally bricking your phone...but you're also capable of recovering from most problems that can arise from flashing mods and using root apps. This is where we'll make a complete backup for just that very reason.
After you've flashed TWRP using Flashify, you'll be prompted to reboot. Do so, and your phone will reboot into recovery. You'll see a message one the first run with a check box to disable modifications to system or something along those lines (can't remember exactly what it says lol), just don't check it. Leave the box uncheck and swipe the bar to allow modifications to system. Now, you should see the main menu. Select Backup and make sure that Boot, System, Data, and Cache are selected and rename the backup to something along the lines of "stock_rooted" or "stock_backup" if you wish and you're ready to create a nandroid backup. Swipe the button and give it a few minutes. Once done, just reboot and you're good to go.
Now to install Xposed, you'll first need to install the Xposed Installer .apk on your phone from here. To flash Xposed, reboot into recovery (turn off then hold power + volume down) and select Install then select the Xposed .zip package xposed-v80-sdk21-arm64.zip that you downloaded and placed on your internal (preferrably) or external storage beforehand. Once finished just reboot and you're done. Be warned that the first boot after installing Xposed will take a long time (approx. 5-10 minutes). Greenify, Gravitybox (LL), Youtube Adaway, Flat Style Bar Indicators, MaxLock, and NotifyClean are just a few of my favorite Xposed modules. Be sure to read the descriptions for these modules carefully and do not forget that Xposed modules can be tricky and cause problems if they're not compatible with your phone. Honestly, you should ask here before installing any modules that I haven't already mentioned.
Anyway, that's my brief write-up lol. Hopefully, that isn't too hard to follow. Don't hesitate to reply back if you encounter a problem, have any questions, or simply want to report your success and ask for tips. I'll leave you with this little tip: don't give up on ZenUI. It definitely doesn't hold a flame to stock Android, but if you use a third party launcher like Nova Launcher and use Developer Options to increase animation speed to .5 seconds (or turn them off entirely) it's really not so horrible, in my opinion. It's damn sure not TouchWiz.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you man, I will try this when I get a chance (working 14 hour days ATM) but I will let you know how it goes.also what model member do you have. Because the box I have is we're I got my model number. I can't find the one listed on my box in the device itself.
Exact same model...ZE551KL.
In About Phone the model number is ASUS_Z00TD.
HampTheToker said:
Exact same model...ZE551KL.
In About Phone the model number is ASUS_Z00TD.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what I have. Sweet. I'll update you once I'm done. Thank you for your help and assistance. Any app advice? For uninstalling and cleaning hdd/ram. And theme?
Come on, bro...I gotta know if that's friendly enough to get you squared away...
HampTheToker said:
Come on, bro...I gotta know if that's friendly enough to get you squared away...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have time either tomorrow or next weekend all depending and I'll let you know then. Depends on how much I have to work. I check this post about once to twice a day. Thank you for your effort and time. I really do appreciate it.
Now I do have one more question on my mind. Does the Asus zenfone that we have keep a flash tracker? Meaning that it keeps track if a phone was rooted. The reason I ask is that I have a 2 year warantee and I know that this will "void" it unless I flash it back. But if they have a tracker then I need to make sure there is a way to reset that as well. From what I have read personally it is only Samsung that is keeping track in this way. Thanks for your help Mr.Toker
Yeah, that's mostly a Sammy thing. I'm coming from a Galaxy S4 that's been passed down to my six year old. I'm all too familiar with flash counters and KNOX security. Thankfully, I don't believe Asus has anything like that. That's one of the many reasons I chose this phone over anything Cricket had to offer. I don't care how good the hardware is, if it can't be unlocked and rooted, then I don't want it.
But, to answer your question more directly, no, I don't believe your warranty will be affected.
Also, I'm going to paste this warning from the developer that built TWRP for us.
Warning
Do not try to fix permission, if you do not know exactly what this is ?
Home > Advance > Fixpermission
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just figured I'd add that I believe I read unlocking your boot loader voids the warranty. As of right now, I'm pretty sure there's no way to root without unlocking it, and no way to re-lock it after unlocking.
Sent from my ASUS_Z00TD using Tapatalk
CKtheProblem said:
Just figured I'd add that I believe I read unlocking your boot loader voids the warranty. As of right now, I'm pretty sure there's no way to root without unlocking it, and no way to re-lock it after unlocking.
Sent from my ASUS_Z00TD using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"oem relock bootloader" should do the trick, but I haven't tried it. Sure, technically unlocking your bootloader and rooting voids your warranty, but it's not like either sends a message to Asus in the background stating that you've voided your warranty. The only way they'd know is if you sent it to them for a claim while still rooted. Even then, if it's bricked, it's bricked. They still won't know. If it's not bricked and it's just hardware, then you should be able to unroot.
Honestly, rooting your device has always been a risk to your warranty, but I've yet to have any issues with it since I started rooting my devices in 2009.
HampTheToker said:
"oem relock bootloader" should do the trick, but I haven't tried it. Sure, technically unlocking your bootloader and rooting voids your warranty, but it's not like either sends a message to Asus in the background stating that you've voided your warranty. The only way they'd know is if you sent it to them for a claim while still rooted. Even then, if it's bricked, it's bricked. They still won't know. If it's not bricked and it's just hardware, then you should be able to unroot.
Honestly, rooting your device has always been a risk to your warranty, but I've yet to have any issues with it since I started rooting my devices in 2009.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah you're probably right. Luckily, I've never had to send a phone I rooted back in for repairs so I can't say anything about the process.
Sent from my ASUS_Z00TD using Tapatalk
Thanks for those root/recovery instructions, just got this same phone and model number yesterday and just now found the files needed ! You rock! What roms do you suggest?
tmjm28 said:
Thanks for those root/recovery instructions, just got this same phone and model number yesterday and just now found the files needed ! You rock! What roms do you suggest?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
at present we have only stock rom, no custom rom is available for zenfone laser.
Update March 8 2017: As you can probably tell, this is very old. I have not worked on the device in several months and I have no idea if these methods are still safe. Please proceed with caution. I will be using one of these on a daily basis in the near future, so I probably will get back into development, and hope to release new content for the phone to help out the community. Please accept this as an official warning that the following is probably out of date and that you should be very careful should you decide to try it. The original post in it's entirety is spoilered below. You have been warned.
Update: A new update was released for the Prime model, V6.6, which replaces the preloader and completely breaks SPFT. If you unlocked your bootloader (so you can use fastboot) in any capacity before taking that update, there may be hope for you yet, but as of right now V6.6 is unsupported. Update: If you used this method to safely* take* the V6.6* update*, this will still work.
Update: I just checked the stats, and this has been downloaded more than 3 thousand times. I never thought my humble little conversion guide would help out so many people. I have also added a new mirror at [REDACTED], so anyone in North America who was having trouble with the Europe mirror, give that one a shot. It should be faster! I have updated all links in the guide to use the new North America mirror, and added a separate Europe mirror link after each link.
Hello! This is a tutorial for converting the Amazon Prime Edition BLU R1 HD to the OEM BLU version. This will overwrite the relevant partitions on your Amazon version of the device with the non-Amazon version. The physical model number on your device will still be a tell (obviously), but besides that, there will be no way to tell your device apart from the regular model! You can also use this method to convert non-Prime to Prime version, and undo OTAs or system modifications. This will restore a 100% out of the box image from either edition on your device.
This will work if you have software version...
V12
V6.1
V6.4
V6.5
SAFE V6.6 FROM THIS THREAD
This will NOT work on software version...
V6.6
The V6.6 update brought a new preloader that breaks our ability to use SPFT. I am currently working on ways to reverse the damage, but as of right now, there is no way to convert (or downgrade) from software V6.6
You can use this on any 16/2 R1 HD with supported software version to...
Convert to the non-Prime OEM version
Convert to the Prime version
Remove ads (via conversion to non-Prime version)
Unroot
Downgrade to V6.1
Downgrade to V12
Undo system alterations/tampers
Restore the system image to the way it was when you first opened the box
Unbrick a device (if bricked because of bad system/recovery/boot image)
There are a handful of reports about this working flawlessly on the 8/1 model as well. I have not personally tested this, so there is still some risk factor.
This only overwrites the system, recovery, and boot partitions. Any other partitions that have been altered will not be restored. In most cases, other partitions should not have been altered, so this is not a concern. I have a full system backup of all partitions, but there is currently evidence to suggest that it is not safe to flash all of the partitions, so I will not release that backup until more is known.
You *should* be able to safely pull this off without wiping your data. This does not require your phone to be rooted or have any other modifications. You can pull it straight out of the box and do this process! If your phone is rooted, you'll lose it. This will make your phone EXACTLY like the non-Prime version comes out of the box! You can also convert a non-Prime device (or a converted Prime device back) to a Prime device using the same method, but I'm not exactly sure why you would want to. I did this all on Linux, but the Windows should work fine too as long as you have drivers dealt with. If you don't have drivers dealt with, I'm not your guy. I'll just tell you to use a better operating system. You'll also need an archive program that can deal with tar.gz files, because that's how my computer zipped them.
And the standard disclaimer: If this bricks your phone or makes it become sentient and plot with other sentient phones to murder your entire family, it's not my fault. That's all on you, buddy.
Ok, without further ado, on to the tutorial!
First, you need these things. Some of the files are quire large, so it might take a while to download:
You'll need the latest version of Smart Phone Flash Tools, or SPFT for short. You can download that from this site, or from [REDACTED]. Please use the latest version for your OS.
You'll need to download the system image. If you're converting to the non-Prime version, [REDACTED]. If you're converting to the Prime version, [REDACTED]
You need the scatter file. This will tell SPFT where the partitions are. This is the same for both variants, so just download [REDACTED]
Once you have those things, you can start actually flashing your phone:
Power your phone completely OFF! This will not work if your phone is powered on. SPFT writes directly to the phone's memory, bypassing all security measures the phone has, so it requires the phone to be completely OFF to get safe and exclusive access to the memory. DO NOT PLUG IN YOUR PHONE YET!
Extract SPFT into a folder on your computer. If you can't figure out how to do that, please stop tinkering with your phone. It's only a matter of time until you break something.
Extract the system image into the same folder you put SPFT in. The three files (boot.img, recovery.img, system.img) should be in the same folder as all the other SPFT files, including the binaries.
Run SPFT. On Windows, simply double clicking the SPFT executable should do the trick. On Linux, you must run the flash_tool.sh script as root. Open a terminal emulator, cd to the SPFT folder, and run `sudo ./flash_tool.sh`. If you recieve an error about permissions, run `chmod +x flash_tool.sh` and try the first command again.
Go to the Download tab in SPFT and click the Scatter-loading button on the far right side. DO NOT click the Download Agent button. When the file picker dialog pops up, find and open the r1hd-spft-scatter.txt file you downloaded earlier.
You should see a list of partitions. Only three of them (boot, recovery, system) should be checked, and the location should point to the files you extracted from the tar.gz file earlier. If this is not the case, double-click the location block of the boot, recovery, and system partitions, and select the boot.img, recovery.img, and system.img files from your filesystem respectively. After selecting the files, the boxes should check themselves.
From the dropdown in the upper left of the partition list, make sure Download Only is selected. Any other option could damage your device.
Click the Download button in the upper left.
While your phone is OFF, plug it into your computer with a data safe USB cable. The cable that came in the box from the factory is ideal, but any good quality cable will work just fine.
SPFT should start overwriting your phone. If you receive an error from SPFT, unplug your phone, close SPFT, and repeat steps 4 through 9. The whole process takes about 10 minutes, after which you should see a window with a large green checkmark. Once you see that window, you can safely unplug your phone and start it up. You're all done!
And as a bonus, I've also included a guide for unlocking the bootloader, getting custom recovery, and rooting the device after you've done this in post #2. That makes this your one stop shop for getting a brand new Prime phone out of the box!!
HUGE THANKS TO @mrmazak FOR THEORIZING THIS METHOD AND GETTING ME THE NON-PRIME SYSTEM IMAGE TO USE!
As always, if you have any questions, just ask in a thread reply or send me a private message on XDA. And by the way, hit the Thanks button in the lower right corner of the post if my guide helps you. It motivates me to keep this up to date and write more helpful guides. If you feel like giving me even more motivation and help fund future development, [REDACTED].
{OUTDATED}[GUIDE][OEM][Stock] Bootloader Unlock, TWRP, and root!
Update March 8 2017: As you can probably tell, this is very old. I have not worked on the device in several months and I have no idea if these methods are still safe. Please proceed with caution. I will be using one of these on a daily basis in the near future, so I probably will get back into development, and hope to release new content for the phone to help out the community. Please accept this as an official warning that the following is probably out of date and that you should be very careful should you decide to try it. The original post in it's entirety is spoilered below. You have been warned.
Ok, now you've converted your brand new Prime phone to the non-Prime version. How do you unlock this sucker? The conversion process actually unlocks the standard unlock method from the factory, so it's VERY simple! No hoops to jump through or anything. You'll need adb and fastboot. You can get those as part of the official Android developer kit, your distro's repos (on Linux) or Homebrew (on Mac). Of course, this guide works for the normal non-converted non-Prime version as well. This WILL wipe your phone, so make sure you back up any important data before doing this.
This guide is for the OEM (non-Prime) version. If you have the Prime version, convert it to OEM using the guide above BEFORE doing this guide.
The standard disclaimer from above still applies.
This guide is broken up into two parts. Unlocking the bootloader, and rooting the phone. If you are preparing to install Magisk, do the bootloader unlock, skip the rooting part and move on to the Magisk guide. You do not need the files above if you are only unlocking the bootloader. If your bootloader is already unlocked, skip the bootloader unlocking part and skip to rooting the phone. If you are preparing to install Magisk and your bootloader is already unlocked, you shouldn't be here. Also please note that the bootloader can sometimes re-lock itself after completing a conversion/restore from the guide above, especially to/from the Prime version, so if you're not sure, play it safe and re-unlock your bootloader.
Part 1 - Unlocking the bootloader:
Boot up your phone. If you haven't already gone through the initial setup process, go through it. The bootloader unlock process will wipe your phone, so skip as many questions as possible so you don't waste your time.
Open the Settings app, go to About device, fine the Build number (it's toward the bottom), and tap on it 8-10 times (until it says you are now a developer. If it says there's no need and you're already a developer, you can skip to the next step)
Go back to the main Settings menu. You should see a new option where About device used to be, Developer options! Click on it.
Toward the top of the long list of developer options, there is an option called "OEM unlocking". If it's switched off, switch it on. If it's switched on, switch it off and back on again. You may get a warning saying that device protection features won't work. Click Enable and proceed. You may also be prompted to enter your password/PIN/pattern lock if you have one.
Scroll down a little bit to reveal USB debugging. Switch it on if it's not already.
Connect your phone to your computer using a data safe cable. Do not disconnect it until the very end.
On your computer, open a terminal emulator (or Command Prompt with ADB access) and run `adb reboot bootloader`. If you get a message complaining about keys or authorization, check your phone. There should be a window asking for permission for your computer to access the device. Allow it and run the command again.
Your phone will reboot into fastboot mode.
On your computer, run `fastboot oem unlock`. On the phone you will get a warning message talking about the implications of unlocking the bootloader. Press Volume Up to accept them. If everything goes smoothly, your bootloader should now be unlocked. You're not ready to flash quite yet! Flashing at this stage WILL brick your phone, so it's important that you continue following the guide carefully.
On your computer, run `fastboot reboot`. Your phone should reboot anywhere from 3 to 5 times. If it reboots more than that, your phone is bricked and you need to start again by following the guide above again.
Once Android starts up again, you should see the setup wizard. Your bootloader is now unlocked!
Part 2 - rooting the phone:
BEFORE YOU PROCEED: If you want your phone to be encrypted AND rooted, it's important that you unlock the bootloader using the steps above first, then use the encryption APK to encrypt your phone BEFORE installing TWRP and rooting your device. This device is an exception to the general rule of flashing TWRP first and then rooting afterwards. Repeat, if you want your phone encrypted and rooted, unlock the bootloader FIRST, then encrypt SECOND, then flash TWRP THIRD, and root your phone LAST.
This is the guide for rooting the actual phone. You must unlock the bootloader using the steps above before doing this part.
First, you'll need these things on your computer.
The TWRP image for the R1 HD. You can download [REDACTED]).
A copy of the latest SuperSU zip from Chainfire. You can get it from the official forum post, or Chainfire's website.
Linux Users: On Linux, you must add `sudo` to the beginning of all fastboot commands, because most Linux distributions will not give you enough access to the hardware without being root.
And finally, the guide:
Hold Volume Up and Power until the phone turns on with the boot menu. Once the boot menu appears, use the volume keys to scroll to [Fastboot Mode] and press the power button to select it. It's the middle option.
On your computer, cd to the folder where you downloaded twrp-3.0.2-1-r1hd-lopestom.img and do `fastboot flash recovery twrp-3.0.2-1-r1hd-lopestom.img`.
On your computer, do `fastboot boot twrp-3.0.2-1-r1hd-lopestom.img`.
Once TWRP boots up, dismiss the prompt about mounting the system, go to Reboot, then choose Recovery. Your device will reboot back into TWRP. I know this step seems odd, but just trust me.
Make a backup if you want. It's not a bad idea, but seeing how you just unlocked your bootloader so your data is gone and we have the images in case you somehow brick the system, I doubt you actually need it.
In TWRP, go to Advanced, then ADB Sideload. Slide the confirmation slider all the way to the right to confirm.
On your computer, cd to the folder where you downloaded SuperSU and run `adb sideload [SuperSU-zip-name.zip]`, replacing the last argument with the name of the SuperSU zip you downloaded, of course. If your computer says "waiting for device" for a long time, cancel with Ctrl+C, run `adb kill-server`, then run the first command again but with `sudo` in front this time.
Reboot the phone. If everything worked correctly, you should now have a rooted phone with SuperSU, bootloader unlocked, and custom recovery! Yay for cheap phones!
As always, if you have any questions, just ask in a thread reply or send me a private message on XDA. And by the way, hit the Thanks button in the lower right corner of the post if my guide helps you. It motivates me to keep this up to date and write more helpful guides. If you feel like giving me even more motivation and help fund future development, [REDACTED].
reserved 3
reserved 4
reserved 5
Can you verify the image you uploaded for the non-Prime version? I'm getting unexpected EOF errors when extracting in Windows using 7Zip and TarTool, and I'm also getting an "operation not permitted" error when extracting using the built in Archive Utility in OS X.
abs0lute said:
Can you verify the image you uploaded for the non-Prime version? I'm getting unexpected EOF errors when extracting in Windows using 7Zip and TarTool, and I'm also getting an "operation not permitted" error when extracting using the built in Archive Utility in OS X.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's because the image isn't fully uploaded. My internet is very slow, so it's taking a while to upload. Sorry about that. I was hoping it would be finished by the time I finished writing this, but alas, nope. I will have all files uploaded by tomorrow, along with .md5 files so you can verify the checksums, so come back then. Again, sorry. I guess I should have posted this _after_ I got those uploaded. Oh! And I have North America mirrors coming within the next couple months. It seems a little oxy-moronic to host files for a US only device on an EU server, but unfortunately, servers in the US are significantly more expensive.
ColtonDRG said:
Yeah, that's because the image isn't fully uploaded. My internet is very slow, so it's taking a while to upload. Sorry about that. I was hoping it would be finished by the time I finished writing this, but alas, nope. I will have all files uploaded by tomorrow, along with .md5 files so you can verify the checksums, so come back then. Again, sorry. I guess I should have posted this _after_ I got those uploaded. Oh! And I have North America mirrors coming within the next couple months. It seems a little oxy-moronic to host files for a US only device on an EU server, but unfortunately, servers in the US are significantly more expensive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem - thanks for your work on this!
abs0lute said:
No problem - thanks for your work on this!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just finished uploading the non-Prime version. I will start the other upload before sleeping and update the post removing the warning when I awaken, assuming everything has gone well. You're free to attempt a non-Prime conversion now. Just don't do it the other way around yet.
Sent from my LG G4 using XDA Labs
Can't wait to give this a shot. Well, at least after someone else reports success first...
followed post 1 convert to non prime steps on windows, did not do the bootloader unlock steps.
phone booted up ok, followed by android is upgrading x of 37.
phone working and no ad's on lock screen
the amazon apps are still there but appear to be disabled, causing errors at first boot.
disabled or uninstall the apps. - used cleanmaster
everything seems ok now
Hello, I have now finished uploading the files, so you can now safely flash away! Enjoy! @abs0lute
bupkis said:
Can't wait to give this a shot. Well, at least after someone else reports success first...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I report success. Of course I did everything in the guide here before posting it. I'm not irresponsible. It's completely safe. I just finished uploading the files, so please go ahead and give it a shot.
ColtonDRG said:
I report success. Of course I did everything in the guide here before posting it. I'm not irresponsible. It's completely safe. I just finished uploading the files, so please go ahead and give it a shot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, away we go! :laugh:
When I try to download the scatter file it just opens the file in a new browser window.
>nevermind, figured it out...success!
...on to bootloader unlock, TWRP, root...
bupkis said:
...
When I try to download the scatter file it just opens the file in a new browser window.
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's a problem with my server configuration. I'll fix it later. For now, you can save the file by opening it in a browser window and pressing Ctrl+S
I have completed the process successfully-TWRP, root, no ads but do still have all the Amazon apps so something is screwy but not the end of the world.
bupkis said:
I have completed the process successfully-TWRP, root, no ads but do still have all the Amazon apps so something is screwy but not the end of the world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, it's not screwy. The non-Amazon version does include a lot of the Amazon apps. You can uninstall some of them the normal way (they're pre-installed user apps), and others you can either disable or uninstall using your favourite system app remover.
Anyone else missing Encrypt section in Settings > Security after converting to non-prime?
When I try to load the scatter, SPFT says "Error: Initializing scatter file failed. Please check the name of scatter file which you load is legal." I downloaded it from both the primary link and your mirror, same error. Any ideas? Thanks.
EDIT: Looks like I downloaded the oldest version, not the newest version of SPFT. Whoops! I'll leave my mistake on here to help others who may assume the first link is the right one.
notfix said:
Anyone else missing Encrypt section in Settings > Security after converting to non-prime?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is missing. How peculiar. I will attempt to implement a workaround in a little bit. Sorry about that.
Update: The Encryption activity exists on the phone, we just can't get to it from the settings menu. You can launch it by manually launching com.android.settings.Settings$CryptKeeperSettingsActivity using your preferred method for launching arbitrary activities. I will release an app that will launch this activity for you ASAP!
This is probably in the wrong section and I'm very sorry as I'm new to this forum and posting.
BUT! I've made a video and this tutorial to help others just fine their way around here I guess.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7eqUkueyyw&feature=youtu.be
How I Flashed My Note 4 Back to Stock! And then Root with Magisk and Having Working Mods or Some Minimal Extras!.
Just a tutorial for new people or in general to just felt like a help in need of doing this process.. and haven't seen anyone else post in exact details.
I haven't had any problems after I've done this and i will be posting a follow up video soon. .. But Yeah, I hope this helps everyone. :/
===
So, first off I'd have to say thank you for the support everyone, now let 's get down to business.
Also, please take this to a high acknowledge as this WILL! ERASE!! EVERYTHING!
Off your device, I'm not responsible for your misguided actions.
So, PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! BACKUP! YOUR PHONE!
Let's Start Shall We
==Steps====
(... I'm Using Windows 10 64Bit ...)
1st.) DRIVERS!
Make Sure that you have Installed the Drivers for your Device.
the "SM-N910P" Varient.
What I have installed is "SAMSUNG USB Drivers for Mobile Phones - v1.5.63.0 "
You can find this on the sam-mobile website, or you're own provided sources. Google.
2nd.) BACKUP!
So, we're at the stage where we need to back the phone up.
After you had finished install driver's it's important that you Restart YOUR PC.
Just in case, so that you're able to Connect your Device and View your Files!.
I Typically Connect my phone either Usb 2.0 or 3.0 doesn't matter,
Allow Permissions to Access My DATA and then I just backup my "Internal Storage" by going inside and selecting everything
and then pasting it Onto a "New Folder" On My Desktop.
I Mainly Copy over everything that's listed on my device, except the folders called
.Android and Com.Facebook.Orca Folders.
As that's just a folder just for the app to function or the app data,
which doesn't even consist of anything from your picture or videos. Just app stuffs, rendered as useless.
After wards, I Highly recommend Downloading an app called "Easy Backup & Restore"
AS this app WILL! actually backup your Contacts, SMS and call Logs and even MMS in the text per contact.
All you have to do from there is set a save location, Allow the app to think it's the stock messages app, back it up.
it saves it as an XML File and then afterwards. Your Done, and just tap the button to switch it back to normal.
!!!!You Might need to back this file on your PC ASWELL! or else you will lose your texts in general!!!!
Moving Forward....
3rd.) Triple Checking!
AS a Side "Note" no pun intended.....
THIS WILL VOID ANY WARRENTIES! you have for your device.
Unless you had bought this from Online or Secondhand, like me
From Ebay for 120$ Used. Then You can bypass this part. as this step isn't covered by your
Mobile Insurances plans like "TEP". All they would suggest is to grab another phone or if you're lucky.
Like my old phone an S6, i literally tried flashing the OTA and it wouldn't boot, but that's all they know.
EFS issues..lol.... you know what i mean.
4th.) FLASHING!
Now! that you don't have any warrenties and have backed up your phone for sure, Made sure you remeber all your logins and passwords.
I"d Highly suggest to Safely Remove your SDCARD!, so it won't get formatted by accident, I'd know this.
Afterwards, you will Likely make sure your phone is at least 30% or 50% or Recommended 100% Battery Life to Coninute the process.
Without sudden power loss failure.
Another thing make sure you go into your "Settings" and then Select "About Phone" And then Tap the
"Build Number" Several of times until it says it's activated, Afterwards go Into "Developer Options" and select
"OEM Unlocking" so you won't have that nasty FRP LOCK issue. if that's the case. if it's not there then no need to worry.
AS soon as that's Completed. You're All Set!.
5th.) Let's Flash Baby! ;D
So, for this step you need to download these Files, "Odin" STOCK Image/Tar and Custom Recovery!.
I'm using "Odin3 v3.10".
and Download The Stock Image or in this case ".Tar" file.
I'm using, "N910PVPS4DPJ1_N910PSPT4DPJ1_N910PVPS4DPJ1_HOME.tar" for the day.
and Also Team Win Recovery Project "TWRP" V3.1.1.0 .img or .tar whatever you prefer for this one.
///Note ////
What I usually do but isn't recommended is, when This file is done download from one of your own sources.
I'd Extract the same label file but with ".rar" at the end of it with Winrar
and then GO INTO THE EXTRACTED FOLDER, look for the file and then I'd erase the extension "..md5" and keep
the whole "..tar" extension instead, to "SKIP" File Intergrity, from Odin. Makes flashing easier for me, Haven't had any problems.
///////////
Anyways, you would then Start Up ODIN with ADMIN RIGHTS, then Select the Label "AP".
Afterwards Select that TAR file you just extracted.
Then, Make Sure "Auto-Reboot" Is Selected and "F. Reset Time"... Don't Check the other labels, please.
Unplug Your Phone (if it's still connected and done being backed up and what not)
Restart the Phone into DL MODE or Download Mode,
via Powering Off the Phone or Taking out the Battery, Putting it back in.
Then Pressing Vol Down, Power And Home Buttons! Simultaneously! You Shoud Feel 1 small Vibrate and then let go of those buttons.
You should then see a Continue or Restart Phone text.
You would then select Continue, And then It should Prompt to a new screen saying "Downloading..."
Now at this point you may connect your Device, Your PC should be Installing New Drivers, wait for that to be Done.
And or By Then if it's already installed, Check back with Odin to See if anything's Listed under "ID:COM"
Mine was Com 3, Highlighted Baby Blue.
After you see that, go ahead and say bye bye and select "Start" to Flash your phone back to Stock!... this should take roughly 10 Minutes.
After this is all done and your phone may have rebooted 3 or 4 Times during the process.
6th.) Going through setup!.
You're now prompted with the "Welcome Screen" HOORAY! SUCCESS!! You're Now Back to Stock! but we're not done yet.
Now go ahead and skip this setup by just speeding throught like i always do.
Enabling Wifi of course, unallow data being sent to samsung or google , yada yada, add google account, don't restore apps
I will do that later, yada yada.
Once that's done, it should reboot or not.
What I alway before I commence the next step is to make Sure that I Installed Snapchat 1st and Logged into it.
As this now has ROOT detection, and if it's preinstalled or even just freshly installed you won't be able to login to it.
Unless you went ahead of this then well,
You need to erase the ROOT and try again, you might even need to contact the support team of snapchat because it can
lock your account from this issue *(goodluck)*
This method doesn't matter, as long as your google play services is updated and the play store.
Than you can intsall Snap from the Store or from your SDCARD saved APK File.
Now you're ready to move onto the next step.
7th.) CUSTOM RECOVERY!
Flashing Custom Recovery.
Okay so, after you have successfully logged into Snap, you may now, REBOOT your phone back into "DL MODE" again
So, This Time we're now going to flash your custom recovery.
I've always been using "TWRP v3.1.1.0"
So, what we do next is Open Odin back up again, or if you had it Open already Click the Reset Button,
SELECT the "AP" button again BUT THIS TIME!
Select the TWRP File as I mentioned earlier.
After that's been done, go ahead and Click Start.
Once that's done it should automatically BOOT into Recovery but if not, Go Ahead and as soon as it Reboots.
go ahead and holding the VOL UP HOME AND POWER Simultanesly
Until you feel the 1st Vibrate and then 2nd Vibrate with a Visual of Saying REBOOTING INTO RECOVERY.
Then You've successfully made it into "TWRP".
( Same sequence like DL MODE except, going ahead and holding the VOL UP HOME AND POWER Simultanesly )
Either by Powering Off UI or Battery Pull Method or Auto Reboot from ODIN.. anyways
At this point I inserted my SDCARD back into my phone because it has the necesarry files for this partm you should do the same.
8th.) ROOTING PROCESS!
Now onto the ROOT.
From Here this Is OPTIONAL...
What I do tho is... I Pop in my 16GB SDCARD, size doesn't matter as in space.
Now for this step you need to download another 3 files
As long as you have these 3 Files you're good to go,"Magisk v14.0", "Magisk Manager APK", and "UN7 Modset",
Slap those files onto your SD CARD or Internal Storage or OTG even, the choice is yours.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Actual ROOT Process~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'd then reboot My phone into TWRP and then
Allow Flashing in TWRP, then Selecting the "INSTALL" button, and Selecting MY SDCARD as the Storage Location.
I'd then Start by Selecting The, Magisk v14.0 and Flashing that file first, once that's completed go ahead and select.
"Reboot Back To System" and then Selecting "DO Not Install" so you wouldn't have to install TWRP to the System Partition.
Afterwards, it should Reboot, and then Vibrate once, and then Reboot again like a soft reboot,
and then the phone will be back to normal.
( optional battery pull, then holding power button )
I'd then go into the app called "My Files" and then I'd Go into my 16GB SDCARD and Installing the Magisk Manager APK, that's only
if it's not already insatlled... if it isn't do that and if it is.
Then I'd go into the APP to see if it's a Success with installation. Once It is. I'd then Press the tab and Select Magisk hide
then selecting the Snapchat app.
=====================================================================
Afterwards I'd then Reboot back into Recovery.
Flash the "UN7 Modset" for the, Beast mode kernal r61 ZL PJ1 Based by Freeza and then V4A 2.5.0.5 and then the Camera UHQ+ Tweak.
Everything else is up to you for the Boot Animation Changes, and or Dolby Atmos even tho I'm not sure how V4A and dobly will interefere.
Once you have selected those few tweaks, go ahead and let them flash and once that's done, go ahead and let it reboot....
======================================================
AS soon as the phones Back to normal, Check the V4A app to see if it's successfull, and if it is then you have Successfully.
ROOTed your device With a V4A Audio Mod, Camera Tweak and even a Custom Kernel.
LAST STEP!
Is to now go back into TWRP and Flash Magisk, one more time, and then Reboot The Phone Back to Normal.
Have fun with your customizations.
I take no credit for the following flash files, just a tutorial to install all of the above properly.
I hope this helped out you alot today, and as always take care and godbless.
Profit????.....
As a side note....
IF YOU HAVE THE MMC READ FAIL MESSAGE!!!
Which consists of Random Reboots, Heating Issues when theirs hardly no apps on, or even Lag or Glitchyness.
The Temp FiX that I've been using everyday and haven't had these issues since was downloading this app
WakeLock Manager and setting to PARTIAL LOCK! on Level 4.
====Links===
Anything Higher than 3.10+ will work.
And Making sur that your selecting AUTO REBOOT AND F RESET TIME THATS IT>>>> ONLY USING AP METHOD FOR TAR.
.
Odin3 v3.10: http://odindownloader.com/download/odin3-v3-10-7
TAR:
http://downloadmirror.co/1Ksy/N910PVPS4DPJ1.zip
https://www.sammobile.com/firmwares/galaxy-note4/SM-N910P/SPR/download/N910PVPS4DPJ1/109071/
https://samsung-firmware.org/download/GALAXY Note4/7sk8/SPR/N910PVPS4DPJ1/N910PSPT4DPJ1/
http://samsung-updates.com/details/81541//SM-N910P/SPR/N910PVPS4DPJ1.html
TWRP 3.1.1.0 TRLTE: https://dl.twrp.me/trlte/
UN7 AROMA MODSET: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=817550096634768841
DRIVERS: http://samsungusbdriver.com/download/samsung-driver-v1-5-63-0
Easy Backup & Restore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mdroidapps.easybackup&hl=en
MAGISK!!
https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445
Just click on Latest Magisk and Latest Manager, it should still be Magisk v14.0 and 5.3.0 for the Manager
hi thanks very much
thanks very much for explain ... oh l'm not understant