51 replies to this topic

[PaulOBrien]

Introducing.... Superboot!

Superboot is a boot.img that when booted, will root your device the first time you boot (installing su and the superuser APK). No need to flash any partitions, no need to mess around with ADB, no messing with the contents of your data partition, no overwriting the shipped ROM on your device, just boot the boot image using the instructions below and you're done!

APPLY THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

• Superboot r4 - DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) - MD5: f53825a2df09277f899b6738b3a059d5

How to use Superboot - Windows, Linux and OSX

- Download the Superboot zip file above and extract to a directory
- Put your device in bootloader mode - Turn off the phone then turn on with the 'volume up' and 'volume down' buttons both pressed to enter the bootloader (as pictured below)
- WINDOWS - double click 'superboot-windows.bat'
- MAC - Open a terminal window to the directory containing the files, and type 'chmod +x superboot-mac.sh' followed by './superboot-mac.sh'
- LINUX - Open a terminal window to the directory containing the files, and type 'chmod +x superboot-linux.sh' followed by './superboot-linux.sh'

Note: If you are using a retail device, you may need to unlock the bootloader first, using './fastboot-windows oem unlock' (or the appropriate version for your machine, included in this zip). Note that the OEM unlock sequence wipes your device, so consider doing an 'adb backup' beforehand if required!

Enjoy!

P

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[FrankieADZ]

great work Paul.
I was undecided with regards getting 1 but your certainly tipping me in the balance of getting 1 now

[Sebastian404]

'as pictured below' ?

[Sebastian404]

Oh, you might want to note that this boot image is from the dev unit, and while it will work on the retail devices, it will more than likely be different...

[PaulOBrien]

Doesn't matter too much, as it only boots doesn't flash...

P

[masterpfa]

Slightly off topic I know, but will you be doing a video review of the Nexus 7 Paul?

[comicbookguy]

sooooo.........   Stickmount?.......... :-P

[PaulOBrien]

masterpfa, on 08 July 2012 - 11:30 AM, said:

Slightly off topic I know, but will you be doing a video review of the Nexus 7 Paul?

Probably!

P

[PaulOBrien]

comicbookguy, on 08 July 2012 - 08:09 PM, said:

sooooo.........      Stickmount?.......... :-P

Just updated to work with the N7!

P

[comicbookguy]

PaulOBrien, on 09 July 2012 - 09:14 AM, said:

Just updated to work with the N7!

Ahhh.... now I've got to buy one then....

[Jele09]

Hi guys, quick question if your able to help....

I unlocked my bootloader then appllied the superboot, but when i installed Rommanager im unable to boot into recovery?

Any thoughts?

[the juggernaut]

PaulOBrien, on 09 July 2012 - 09:14 AM, said:

Just updated to work with the N7!

P

there is a mass effect reference in there

[PaulOBrien]

Updated to r2 - this now removes the file that overwrites the custom recovery image on boot.

P

[youareme7]

I tried rooting with this script right after i unlocked my 16gb retail version and i'm stuck in a boot loop. All I have done is turn it on and let it update; then I unlocked it and tried this r2 script. I also tried running the r1 with no luck either; any tips on getting it to boot? I'm on windows.

[ChazW123]

youareme7, on 17 July 2012 - 04:29 PM, said:

I tried rooting with this script right after i unlocked my 16gb retail version and i'm stuck in a boot loop. All I have done is turn it on and let it update; then I unlocked it and tried this r2 script. I also tried running the r1 with no luck either; any tips on getting it to boot? I'm on windows.

Same here   only got the N7 yesterday.  Have unlocked bootloaders a plenty before and had no issues at all.  Help Paul!!

[PaulOBrien]

Tell me exactly what you did...

P

[ChazW123]

PaulOBrien, on 18 July 2012 - 12:13 PM, said:

Tell me exactly what you did...

P

As per the OP   Ran the .bat (on Windows 7) after unlocking the bootloader first (obviously) but I just get the Google splash screen (with the lovely unlock symbol at the bootom) for a few seconds then it reboots.
I have managed to get a recovery installed by booting into the boot loader and flashing it via fastboot, then booted into it ok but for some reason the /sdcard mount is not accessible in it?  Have managed to adb over your custom rom (which was the whole point of this! lol) but to sd-ext as sdcard is inaccessible but now can't select that from within recovery

[PaulOBrien]

What should happen is...

- you get the google splash screen for a few seconds
- it reboots

...and then when it comes back up you are rooted - what the superboot does is mount system rw, copy the su binary and Superuser APK (and set those up as required) then reboot...

You could download the stock images and try fastboot flashing those?

https://developers.g...id/nexus/images

P

[ChazW123]

PaulOBrien, on 18 July 2012 - 12:57 PM, said:

What should happen is...

- you get the google splash screen for a few seconds
- it reboots

...and then when it comes back up you are rooted - what the superboot does is mount system rw, copy the su binary and Superuser APK (and set those up as required) then reboot...

You could download the stock images and try fastboot flashing those?

https://developers.g...id/nexus/images

P

Way ahead of you and downloading the stock rom now as you suggested.  Looking via adb, when the N7 is in recovery) it looks like the /system partition got wiped completely?  All that is there is a /bin folder which is empty too?  Bizarre.
I'm no expert but also not a Noob (have had plenty of experience flashing phones since back in the G1 days!) so not sure where I went wrong!
Will post an update if/when I get it working again

[PaulOBrien]

ChazW123, on 18 July 2012 - 01:03 PM, said:

Way ahead of you and downloading the stock rom now as you suggested.  Looking via adb, when the N7 is in recovery) it looks like the /system partition got wiped completely?  All that is there is a /bin folder which is empty too?  Bizarre.
I'm no expert but also not a Noob (have had plenty of experience flashing phones since back in the G1 days!) so not sure where I went wrong!
Will post an update if/when I get it working again

YOu have to 'mount /system' in recovery before you can see what's on it!

P