Database Users

Is there any method to root the Nexus 7 without unlock the bl?

is there any method to root the nexus 7 without unlock the bootloader?
i read several posts about rooting n7, but every posts needs to unlock the bl first.
and "Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery" .
but i really don't know what the "cwm" is ! i want to use the stock nexus7 rom with rooted. is the cwm recovery will ruin something original?
could anyone solve my anxiety? thx!

You need to unlock the bootloader in order to root.
WugFresh's toolkit has a friendly interface making this extremely simple:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1766475
Follow the instructions within the toolkit to ensure drivers are correct, backup apps, unlock bootloader, root device.
After doing this your Nexus will still be identical to stock.

mythomasy said:
is there any method to root the nexus 7 without unlock the bootloader?
i read several posts about rooting n7, but every posts needs to unlock the bl first.
and "Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery" .
but i really don't know what the "cwm" is ! i want to use the stock nexus7 rom with rooted. is the cwm recovery will ruin something original?
could anyone solve my anxiety? thx!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep you need to unlock your bootloader to root.
You don't actually need Clock Work Mod recovery in order to be rooted.
In fact, I believe that the Wug Fresh toolkit posted by retrobeans above allows you to root and not install CWM.
Having said that, all CWM does is replace the stock Recovery on your device. This allows you to make backups, flash new ROMs and mods etc. If you never go into it, you will not notice a difference - you will still be running your stock rooted ROM. So i wouldnt be afraid of installing it . Or you can always do it at a later date if you want.

Bootloader can always be relocked with "fastboot oem lock" anyway...
why are you concerned about unlocking, or do you just not understand fastboot?

mythomasy said:
is there any method to root the nexus 7 without unlock the bootloader?
i read several posts about rooting n7, but every posts needs to unlock the bl first.
and "Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery" .
but i really don't know what the "cwm" is ! i want to use the stock nexus7 rom with rooted. is the cwm recovery will ruin something original?
could anyone solve my anxiety? thx!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can use a great toolkit by wugfresh which applies root without cwm. You still need to be unlocked though
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Harry GT-S5830 said:
you can use a great toolkit by wugfresh which applies root without cwm. You still need to be unlocked though
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is there any harm of being "cwm"ed? if not , i will try the easier way of one click root.(btw, i tried the wugfresh's toolkit ,but failed to install the driver...)

CWM (clockwork mod) is just a custom recovery image, from here you can flash files to your phone, wipe data, take full system backups (or restore).
Its a handy way to do key things people require when changing or modifying roms.
If in the future you will want to do any of the above then you will require a custom recovery.
Its not (in my opinion) the best recovery for the nexus 7 though, I use the Team WIN (TWRP) recovery.

You failed to install drivers? Or maybe when you installed Wug's tool it didn't download correctly? If you go and manually install the drivers which come with the tool I don't understand how they would have failed. Not trying to sound condescending or anything so sorry if I do. But Wug's toolkit (I know it's not the only one out there) is extremely easy and efficient. I would try re-downloading and on the driver install part go to
Right Click on computer
Manage
Device Manager, Here you should see a device either not detected or says that it's incorrectly installed blah blah
Right click the device and uninstall
at the top click on "Scan for Hardware Changes" (or something along those lines)
and right click your device when it comes up and the drivers are located wherever you installed his toolkit
I hope this helped and if not then just ignore. :laugh:

mythomasy said:
is there any harm of being "cwm"ed? if not , i will try the easier way of one click root.(btw, i tried the wugfresh's toolkit ,but failed to install the driver...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the pdanet drivers, cwm is just a custom recovery, for wiping data and caches. Just has a few nice options like backing up full system data and boot.img . No real disadvantage and you can always flash back stock
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Im In Same Situation
is it possible to lock bootloader after and still have root?
Also do you still recive ota updates?

jxer4567 said:
is it possible to lock bootloader after and still have root?
Also do you still recive ota updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can lock bootloader after.
You can get OTA but you would lose root and also lose your custom recovery, and with a locked bootloader you would be unable to root again
Sent from my Jelly Nexus S

Thank you bummed a little do i still recive ota with unlocked bootloader so i can have it rooted im wanting to keep original recovery no custom recovery but unlocked bootloader will i get ota?

jxer4567 said:
Thank you bummed a little do i still recive ota with unlocked bootloader so i can have it rooted im wanting to keep original recovery no custom recovery but unlocked bootloader will i get ota?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, unlocked bootloader does not affect OTA
Sent from my Jelly Nexus S

So only if i install custom recovery i lose ota just im wary with nexus 7 alot more important than v845
Sent from my Vodafone 845 using xda app-developers app

Sorry fellows, but you are wrong There IS a method to root the Nexus 7 without unlocking the bootloader.
Then you can have root without wipping your data, for instance, as happens when you unlock your BL. And with root you can unlock the BL without wipping your data too. All thanks to efrant with his awesome tutorials! It is in the Galaxy Nexus Forum, but me and some others have reported to be working on the Nexus 7 too.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1894717 -- Root without unlocking
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1731993 -- Unlock BL without wipping

Let me sum it up.
Can i root without unlocking bl? yes.
Can i unlock bl without full wipe , when i do it the first time? no.
So u install pdanet drivers(i know, i had driver problems on my old win xp company laptop), then unlock bl, root. Thats it. u dont need to install CWM(btw, I prefer TWRP).
OTA updates n recovery: As far as i know, u will receive OTA updates whether u have CWM or not, but when u click install for the update, if u have CWM/TWRP, it wont install. It will install properly only if u have stock recovery.
OTA updates n root: U will get n will be able to install updates whether or not u have root. But u will lose root if u install the update. Re rooting is esy if u already have an unlocked BL, but theres an app "voodoo ota rootkeeper", that makes a backup of your root status b4 update n then restores it after update. N its free!! Nice, huh?
Unlocking BL shindig: So u would have 2 reasons for not wanting to keep ur BL unlocked. First, if anything goes wrong(very very very unlikely, believe me I have done a lot of crap on this phone, its extremely hard to brick), u need to return it in BL locked state. Second: Security. If your phone gets stolen n ur BL is unlocked, some guy could easily flash CWM n flash a custom rom n access all your data. For both cases, I suggest a very useful technique.
1.Unlock BL.
2.Root
3.Relock BL.
4. Install app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.segv11.bootunlocker. This app will let u unlock BL from within a rooted phone without having to wipe your whole phone. If you are confused at this point, let me explain further, in case something happens to your phone n u need 2 return, u can just return it, if BL is locked, there wont b any issues. Also, if your phone is stolen, the theif wont b able to access it without completely wiping ur phone(unless he is a xda member n knows about that app!!! lol).
Got it?

Lennyuk said:
CWM (clockwork mod) is just a custom recovery image, from here you can flash files to your phone, wipe data, take full system backups (or restore).
Its a handy way to do key things people require when changing or modifying roms.
If in the future you will want to do any of the above then you will require a custom recovery.
Its not (in my opinion) the best recovery for the nexus 7 though, I use the Team WIN (TWRP) recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think The peeps who also agree twrp is much better than CWM is grown to the point where is the preimanant force for custom backup now. This Dev is 100% correct in my opinion also

adb backup w/out root

Anyone tried and confirmed working the old adb backup method that doesn't require root?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1420351
Was hoping to use this method to backup before unlocking. I got into the usual problem of not wanting to unlock right away (in case issues etc.) then once I was comfortable with the unit too lazy to want to set up all up again from scratch....

Use helium. Backup each app individually. There are some apps that will Bork restore.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

bummer screw that for a joke then LOL
it will be awhile before I unlock as I'm waiting for the next OTA to deal with the multitouch/gps etc. (hopefully!) I'm hoping it includes some firmware fixes too that we may not be able to flash like a normal ROM.

wintermute000 said:
it will be awhile before I unlock as I'm waiting for the next OTA to deal with the multitouch/gps etc. (hopefully!) I'm hoping it includes some firmware fixes too that we may not be able to flash like a normal ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocking doesn't prevent you from getting the OTAs.
If you want root to be compatible with OTAs, see this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=44597339#post44597339

yeah I know that, I know I can reflash stock recovery and unroot etc. just too lazy to be bothered setting up all my apps losing saves etc. at this point short of mucking around with carbon. TBH if the multitouch issue is fixed or at least toned down there's not a lot of incentive to root for me aside from adblock.
I've got a hunch that the next OTA will involve firmware etc. so just reluctant to tinker until the stock base is 100%. Its not directly applicable as its a Nexus but in the past some other components e.g. HTC hboot, Moto (forgot the name) would get in the way of OTA if you unlocked the BL early.

wintermute000 said:
yeah I know that, I know I can reflash stock recovery and unroot etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My point is you don't need to unroot nor flash stock recovery (though it is safest to flash stock recovery)
The JSS15J OTA update will flash fine with root and twrp with just the small fix I referenced.
wintermute000 said:
I've got a hunch that the next OTA will involve firmware etc. so just reluctant to tinker until the stock base is 100%. Its not directly applicable as its a Nexus but in the past some other components e.g. HTC hboot, Moto (forgot the name) would get in the way of OTA if you unlocked the BL early.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
JSS15J already included firmware updates, it updated aboot, sbl, tz, and rpm. Bootloader went from 3.05 to 3.14 and it flashed ok with root and twrp (though again, personally I suggest using stock recovery)
Also you don't need to install twrp persistently to root. I just boot into twrp one-time by using fastboot boot twrp.img to install the root files and leave stock recovery on the tablet.
With the one simple fix referenced above, you can have stock recovery, root, and be totally compatible with future OTAs, no need to revert anything. Of course after the OTA is successful, just re-run the SuperSU zip and the fix to set yourself up with root and await the next OTA.
On this nexus, you need to unlock even to do the official factory restore google published. The official images don't come with signatures.

To answer the question re adb bu, yes it works just fine.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

January Updates

Just got my phone and I need to wait on rooting. Can I take the January OTA updates and still root later?

Yes. If you plan to root later, unlock the bootloader first before you set everything up. Unlocking the bootloader will force a wipe of all data. Rooting will not, if the bootloader is already unlocked.

fury683 said:
Yes. If you plan to root later, unlock the bootloader first before you set everything up. Unlocking the bootloader will force a wipe of all data. Rooting will not, if the bootloader is already unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I'm reading this right, I need to unlock the bootloader just to get root? Does that also mean it would take a data wipe to un-root?

blindguyinanorgy said:
If I'm reading this right, I need to unlock the bootloader just to get root? Does that also mean it would take a data wipe to un-root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocking does not provide root access, but it is a requirement for gaining root. If you wait to unlock your bootloader and set all your apps and settings on your phone, it will all be lost when you decide to root because the bootloader must be unlocked to root.
Therefore it is best to unlock first if you have the intention of rooting later to save your data and settings.

blindguyinanorgy said:
Just got my phone and I need to wait on rooting. Can I take the January OTA updates and still root later?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
blindguyinanorgy said:
If I'm reading this right, I need to unlock the bootloader just to get root? Does that also mean it would take a data wipe to un-root?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To get root access you need to install SuperSU, to install SuperSU you need TWRP recovery, to install TWRP recovery you need an unlocked bootloader. Unlocking the bootloader wipes all userdata from the device. The best way to do it is like this:
1. Unlock your bootloader.
2. Flash the factory images for the latest build to make sure you're completely up to date.
3. Install TWRP.
4. Make a nandroid backup with TWRP.
5. Install SuperSU to get root.
6. Install whatever root mods/apps you want.
Read my detailed guide:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-6p/general/guides-how-to-guides-beginners-t3206928

I see thank you. This is different from any other phone I've been on where root is found before unlock, if unlock is ever found

blindguyinanorgy said:
I see thank you. This is different from any other phone I've been on where root is found before unlock, if unlock is ever found
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the beauty of owning a Nexus, they're meant to be tinkered with so it's all very easy. No hacks or exploits required.

Can you get ROOT without UNLOCKING BOOTLOADER

I have searched everywhere for a way to get root without unlocking the bootloader. I want to enable double tap to wake on my wife's 6P, but I don't want to wipe her data during the bootloader unlock process. Thanks everyone for any help.

cagmuer said:
I have searched everywhere for a way to get root without unlocking the bootloader. I want to enable double tap to wake on my wife's 6P, but I don't want to wipe her data during the bootloader unlock process. Thanks everyone for any help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

If you don't unlock the bootloader, you can't flash a custom recovery. If you can't flash a custom recovery, you can't install a custom rom or possibly the su binary. Unlocking essentially bypasses the verify process on boot; it verifies the rom, recovery, etc. is the signed official version. I've understood some tools may be able to allow root on an locked bootloader, but I'm not sure for the 6P.
Unless you care about Pay, just backup the phone and unlock it.

was hoping a dev could figure this out. i just want root for root apps and flashfire to flash things. kind of sucks having a nexus that requires an unlocked bootloader for root but i been on stock rom with locked bootloader after going two weeks with custom roms and no android pay. still hoping it will happen eventually.

rob219 said:
was hoping a dev could figure this out. i just want root for root apps and flashfire to flash things. kind of sucks having a nexus that requires an unlocked bootloader for root but i been on stock rom with locked bootloader after going two weeks with custom roms and no android pay. still hoping it will happen eventually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
People have had success using Android Pay on a rooted 6P. I think people use magisk and Phil's SU and they are able to hide root from Android Pay and other apps. You should do a search through the forums. A lot of people talk about doing it successfully.

Can't update my Moto G5 Plus after rooting. How to unroot it easily?

Recently I rooted my G5 plus and it worked really well for me. I didn't use SuperSU, instead, have Magisk installed. Unfortunately, now my phone isn't updating. What should I do to unroot it without much problem and without losing any data on my phone? And will it update if I unroot it?

It's a little more complicated than that... to bad there isn't a guide to doing it here somewhere... Hmmm....
https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5-plus/how-to/guide-complex-ota-update-magisk-rooted-t3688175

acejavelin said:
It's a little more complicated than that... to bad there isn't a guide to doing it here somewhere... Hmmm....
https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5-plus/how-to/guide-complex-ota-update-magisk-rooted-t3688175
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So like can't I simply unroot my phone and install the updates? Isn't there any easy way of uprooting?

dt.dragonborn said:
So like can't I simply unroot my phone and install the updates? Isn't there any easy way of uprooting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root is only part of the problem, TWRP is another big one.
OTA updates can only be installed on a purely stock device, the install script will check multiple things to verify the device is unmodified and in the correct state before applying, then it applies changes to specific files or partitions, they must be at a known starting condition before changes can be applied.
So, can you simply "unroot and install updates"? No, you must undo all changes to the device that are system related... Return the recovery, boot, and system partitions to their original state or any update will fail. Unrooting does not undo any changes, adds, or deletions you performed with root access, those actions are permanent.
Isn't there an easy way of unrooting? Sure, Magisk and SuperSU both have methods of removal, but that doesn't gain you what is needed to apply an OTA update.
I provided a link previously, that is what you need to do.

dt.dragonborn said:
Recently I rooted my G5 plus and it worked really well for me. I didn't use SuperSU, instead, have Magisk installed. Unfortunately, now my phone isn't updating. What should I do to unroot it without much problem and without losing any data on my phone? And will it update if I unroot it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which OTA(s) isn't installing?
Sent from my Moto G Plus (5th Gen) using XDA Labs

cdysthe said:
Which OTA(s) isn't installing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not much of a tech guy but the update says
New Version-NPN25.1 37-67
Improved audio in Video Capture
Data traffic improvements

acejavelin said:
Root is only part of the problem, TWRP is another big one.
OTA updates can only be installed on a purely stock device, the install script will check multiple things to verify the device is unmodified and in the correct state before applying, then it applies changes to specific files or partitions, they must be at a known starting condition before changes can be applied.
So, can you simply "unroot and install updates"? No, you must undo all changes to the device that are system related... Return the recovery, boot, and system partitions to their original state or any update will fail. Unrooting does not undo any changes, adds, or deletions you performed with root access, those actions are permanent.
Isn't there an easy way of unrooting? Sure, Magisk and SuperSU both have methods of removal, but that doesn't gain you what is needed to apply an OTA update.
I provided a link previously, that is what you need to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for this. I unlocked the bootloader, and installed TWRP and Magisk to gain root. This worked fine. However, I decided I wanted to go back to complete stock yesterday. So I uninstalled Magisk and flashed stock firmware using ADB. My phone is now unrooted, has a locked bootloader, and is running stock firmware which is what I wanted. Once I get the phone to boot, almost everything functions normally. However, it seems as though I now do not have any recovery whatsoever (and I assume that's because I did not specifically replace TWRP with stock recovery). So when I boot my phone, it goes to the bootloader and stops. If I then hit "start" on the bootloader, the ROM loads up normally after that. f that were the only issue, I could live with it. But not being able to get to recovery is concerning. And I am not able to get OTAs at the moment.
So, I'll check the other thread you mentioned. I assume I will need to flash stock recovery in order to get where I need to be.
Thank you for the post!