I recently unrooted my phone by flashing the stock .tot rom (LS980). When I enter download mode it states unrooted. Is there any way to determine if the phone has been rooted prior?
No. That's the root check right there
Thanks for the reply.
My phone was saying UNROOTED in download mode when I was in 4.2.2. It actually was UNROOTED back then.
But after flashing 4.4.2 ,the download mode now says ROOTED. I did a factory reset and still ROOTED. I flashed official 4.4.2 KDZ using the LG support tool and offline method.
Any help?
D802 With Indian official 4.4.2 ROM KDZ.
try KDZ again 4.2.2 an saw again ROOTED or UNROOT ?
On 4.2.2 after Factory Reset shows UNROOTED. But changes to rooted on flashing KitKat.
Same thing happened to me until I did the following:
Restore to factory via the flash tool method. It still said rooted until I flashed the o 4.2.2. D still said rooted. Once I flashed o it changed to unrooted. Just for grins I went back to d, rooted and then flashed the kitkat .tot and it changed to unrooted. So, on my device anyway, the d .tot hated my face.
Sent from my LG-D800 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
If we flash 4.4.2 KDZ and do factory reset, it will still show as ROOTED.
The only way around this problem is to downgrade to 4.2.2 and do a factory reset. Now the download mode will show UNROOTED. Then take 4.4.2 OTA. After OTA firmware update is complete, it keeps the UNROOTED status unchanged.
If anyone has managed to Unroot 4.4.2 using traditional offline flashing please report.
Now that root for 4.4.2 is available I rooted and looked into the filesystem and processes and found that there seems to be no more root checker tool in 4.4.2.
ps | grep rctd shows no process with that name
in /persist there is no more rct.cfg
hidden menu (3845#*802#) LG RCT shows LG RCT Check disabled
download mode showed unrooted in 4.2.2. and showes rooted since I flashed the 4.4.2 kdz (d80220b-german-open) with LG Mobile Support Tool
Can anybody confirm these findings? Is there a new root checking mechanism?
Phone is a D802.A6DEWH running D80220b-EUR-XX
follow up with a detailed analysis
UPDATE
Another interesting find:
The reason why on 4.4.2 my phone showed ROOTED in download mode was obviously the absence of the root ckecker. To be more specific it was the absence of the two status files:
/persist/rct
/persist/rct.cfg
Luckily a had those saved back from 4.2.2 from an unrooted state and simply copied them over.
And guess what - now my phone shows UNROOTED in download mode though it really isn't.
If needed I can provide those two files. (pm me with your email)
follow up with a detailed analysis
i have 4.4.2 and it shows rooted in download mode
i used kdz file method
i dont care if it shows rooted or not because i know if i flash kdz file again without root then it will show unrooted.
we purchased this mobile and now its our, so dont want to cry over these stupid things when we can claim back warranty
If it's a 4.2.2 kdz it will, but if it's a 4.4.2 kdz and what I found is correct it won't.
Appart from that, I totally agree @mor_1228
Drachenminister said:
If it's a 4.2.2 kdz it will, but if it's a 4.4.2 kdz and what I found is correct it won't.
Appart from that, I totally agree @mor_1228
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Click to collapse
u can try it will show rooted
mor_1228 said:
u can try it will show rooted
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Click to collapse
I'm not sure if I understand exactly what you mean - when will it show rooted?
Drachenminister said:
I'm not sure if I understand exactly what you mean - when will it show rooted?
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Click to collapse
when u flash with kdz file and after factory reset then root ur device and then check
Drachenminister said:
UPDATE
Another interesting find:
The reason why on 4.4.2 my phone showed ROOTED in download mode was obviously the absence of the root ckecker. To be more specific it was the absence of the two status files:
/persist/rct
/persist/rct.cfg
Luckily a had those saved back from 4.2.2 from an unrooted state and simply copied them over.
And guess what - now my phone shows UNROOTED in download mode though it really isn't.
If needed I can provide those two files. (pm me with your email)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to save those files from Unrooted state? I am on 4.4.2 and now it's Unrooted because I went the hard way.
Flashed 4.2.2 did a factory reset and took OTA Kitkat update and finally I have Unrooted in Download mode.
Are those files device specific that is will your files work on my D802?
[CLARIFICATION] and [CONCLUSION]
mor_1228 said:
when u flash with kdz file and after factory reset then root ur device and then check
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Click to collapse
I still sense a bit missunderstanding, so I try to clarify what I have found on my phone. (D802.A6DEWH)
The phone came with stock 4.2.2 (d80210d-EUR-XX)
Took the OTA to d80210e-EUR-XX (still 4.2.2)
As there was no rooting done whatsoever the phone showed UNROOTED in download mode
then I rooted only the adb shell by copying over the g2_security file from ioroot as described in the manual method.
As this doesn't trip the root checker phone still showed UNROOTED
I investigated the whole root checker tool stuff using that adb root shell and found out, that there's a process called rctd (root checker tool daemon) using two files:
/persist/rct and /persist/rct.cfg
/persist/rct is a binary file containing only 4 bytes:
Code:
40 42 0f 00
/persist/rct.cfg is a text file and in my case contained:
Code:
Not rooted
[g2:0197ec3553924872:4.16]
at this point I made a backup of those two files
then I remounted /system in rw mode knowing that this would probably trip the rct
after that /persist/rct.cfg contained something like
Code:
rooted
21.03.2014 19:56
remounted system read/write
[g2:0197ec3553924872:4.16]
and as expected download mode showed ROOTED
then I copied over a file named rct_security containing "forel.lee" as described here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=45659334&postcount=21 and rebooted
After the reboot the rct_security was gone and download mode showed UNROOTED again
After that I upgraded to 4.4.2 by flashing a kdz for some d802 using the R&D Tool offline mode as described in method two here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2432476
Looking again into download mode it showed ROOTED although it clearly wasn't
I then thought that maybe that was because of the g2_security file still on the phone or maybe the fact that the rom was not made for exactly my device version or the fact that i had used R&D tool.
As I didn't have root then (not even in adb) I could not check the /persist/rct.cfg becaus I couldnt even ls /persist/
So when the update for my phone finally arived in normal LG Support Tool
I first flashed back to 4.2.2 using R&D offline and did a factory reset
download mode showed UNROOTED once more
Then again i updated to 4.4.2 (d80220b-EUR-XX), this time using stock LG Mobile Support tool (as I remember I didn't do a factory restet then)
looking into download mode showed ROOTED like after the first update to KitKat
still without root I couldn't investigate further.
Then root for 4.4.2 arived
Once rooted again I found that at least in my phone there was no process nor binary called "rctd" anymore and also no /persist/rct or /persist/rct.cfg
Then I copied over those two files from my backup from 4.2.2 and after that download mode finally shows UNROOTED once more (despite the fact that this time the phone really is fully rooted)
MY CONCLUSIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS
Download mode only looks into /persist/rct and /persist/rct.cfg and shows ROOTED or UNROOTED acordingly (and ROOTED if the files are missing)
Stock 4.2.2 has rctd so when you flash back a 4.2.2 kdz root is removed and /persist/rct and /persist/rct.cfg get created UNROOTED
Stock 4.4.2 has no rctd (at least when flashed through kdz) and by flashing 4.4.2 kdz /persist/rct and /persist/rct.cfg get erased -> ROOTED because files are missing)
Doing the OTA from 4.2.2 to 4.4.2 maybe just doesent touch the whole /persist partition and therefor leaves those two files the way they where thus stating UNROOTED in 4.4.2 if that has been the case in 4.2.2
If taking the OTA like flashing the kdz too has no rctd then rooting the phone after the OTA should still keep showing UNROOTED in download mode.
sanke1 said:
How to save those files from Unrooted state? I am on 4.4.2 and now it's Unrooted because I went the hard way.
Flashed 4.2.2 did a factory reset and took OTA Kitkat update and finally I have Unrooted in Download mode.
Are those files device specific that is will your files work on my D802?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't really know, there is a number in /persist/rct.cfg that could be related to a serial of some sort,
you would need to copy them when you're on 4.2.2 and you only have rooted adb shell (no full root)
but If I guess correctly doing the OTA like flashing the 4.4.2 kdz does not really have a root checker anymore and so rooting your phone now would still leave you with a download mode saying UNROOTED
read this post for more details http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51580357&postcount=9
@Drachenminister, would those 2 files be phone specific? I'm on Verizon.
VZW LG G2 VS98024A
jesssiii said:
@Drachenminister, would those 2 files be phone specific? I'm on Verizon.
VZW LG G2 VS98024A
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I'm not sure, you would have to try
Epic find OP. I think LG forgot to add those 2 files in their KDZ or it was done purposefully to discourage KDZ flashing.
But even if we factory reset on 4.4.2 it will trip the root flag which means it is a case of pure carelessness on LG's part.
But on plus side, I can be rooted and yet be UNROOTED just by copying over those 2 files.:good:
sanke1 said:
Epic find OP. I think LG forgot to add those 2 files in their KDZ or it was done purposefully to discourage KDZ flashing.
But even if we factory reset on 4.4.2 it will trip the root flag which means it is a case of pure carelessness on LG's part.
But on plus side, I can be rooted and yet be UNROOTED just by copying over those 2 files.:good:
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Click to collapse
I should have made that the title of the thread rooted but UNROOTED
so it worked for you as well - thanks for letting me know
If this works I'm going to root my phone big time
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
vPro97 said:
If this works I'm going to root my phone big time
Sent from my LG-D802 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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if it works for you as well please let me know the exact rom version you're on
Drachenminister said:
I should have made that the title of the thread rooted but UNROOTED
so it worked for you as well - thanks for letting me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried it yet. I will try in few days when I get time.
But I approve of your findings.
instead of so much pain i will simply flash my device with kdz before going to lg service center with unrooted
mor_1228 said:
instead of so much pain i will simply flash my device with kdz before going to lg service center with unrooted
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How much pain is it to copy two files from A to B ???
I used IORoot25 on 4.4.2
Result: Rooted with SuperSu installed
Download mode: UNROOTED :highfive:
I made a backup of /persist/rct.cfg and rct too
My rct.cfg has different data. So it maybe related to IMEI or Serial Number or even based on Regional settings of ROM.
Ok, so last OTA worked. Here is what i did:
I used triangle away's feature to hide system modified warning
i downloaded the OTA update
I disabled the triangle away fix before installing OTA (like it says to do in triangle away)
Phone rebooted and installed the OTA in CWM
Done.
I tried this today to upgrade from 4.3 to whatever is being pushed by my carrier (kitkat)
this time, when i install the OTA, it reboots to CWM and CWM says "install untrusted zip?" I hit yes, it says install aborted. I hit no, it says same thing.
I have heard others mention this, and were told to restore a stock recovery. I have found instructions to do that here:
http://www.android.gs/how-to-install-stock-recovery-for-the-samsung-galaxy-s4-i9500-i9505/
But i dont have a i9500, i have the canadian model, the i337m
Can i still flash the stock recovery image from an i9500? or will i brick something.
also not understanding why i have to do any of this when it worked last time and nothing has changed....maybe because its jumping from 4.3 to 4.4 ... i dunno..
Any advice appreciated, id love to get this OTA. I just dont want roms anymore, only stock. but i want to stay up to date with my android version, and that is becoming tough for me.
thanks.
I'd flash the nb1 tar file in Odin. That'll return you to stock and you'll get the ota's
See this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=50912149
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
I was able to downgrade the phone to NB1 and root it with Towelroot, and used Safestrap in order to get recovery on the device.
After that, I booted into recovery and installed the GPE 5.0.1 ROM.: http://galaxys4root.com/t-mobile-galaxy-s4-roms/gpe-android-5-0-1-lollipop-rom-for-galaxy-s4/
Now the phone will not go past the S4 splash page, reboots and then goes into the stock recovery. Ive tried factory reset, clearing cache and removing the battery.
Any help is appreciated. I bought this phone for my fiance and am wanting to give it to her soon as a present.
Thank you so much in advance.
I think the problem is that you downgraded.
GDReaper said:
I think the problem is that you downgraded.
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I couldnt install towelroot on the 4.4.4 version it came with since it said device wasnt supported.
I was following these instructions: http://www.droidviews.com/root-att-galaxy-s4-sgh-i337-android-4-4-4-kitkat-firmware-i337ucufnj4/
It states to downgrade, then root, then go back to the 4.4.4. I thought after the steps I took, I could go straight to a custom ROM.
Thanks
I used CF-Auto-Root to root my device. Since towelroot didn't work for me either.
Maybe the rom did not flash right. Try flashing again.
problem in installing lollipop rom india to samsung i9500
I have installed the newly released lollipop rom to my samsung i9500 through odin. it was successfully flashed but the phone cant restart, it stuck with samsung written on the screen and blue light on...what i should do???