Superboot - Nexus 4 root solution

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

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 r1 - DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) - MD5: 824ec82dfa9ecd0c411dad9121f1f32d

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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[cmberry20 4]

Thanks Paul!

I'm guessing that when you mean 'Retail' version, you mean N4s that are sold by O2 or T-Mobile.

So the ones sold directly by Google come with the bootloader unlocked - is this right?

Cheers.

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

It's locked even on those. ;)

P

[xzyk 8]

Hi Paul, I've just got my google N4 (at last) and saw your thread on xda. I've left a question on the thread there which I shall repeat here since it may also interest users on this site.

1. How to unroot after using this method ?

Is it simply a matter of fastbooting the stock boot.img ? Could we possibly see a 'superunroot' utility from you that will reverse the changes ?

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

To unroot, just delete Superuser.apk from /system/app and su from /system/xbin :)

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[xzyk 8]

To unroot, just delete Superuser.apk from /system/app and su from /system/xbin :)

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thanks for the reply Paul. I understand that deleting those files will stop root acess but does that still leave me with an insecure boot or am i totally back to factory ? thanks again..

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

Superboot doesn't install an insecure boot. By doing that you'll be back to factory!

P

[xzyk 8]

Superboot doesn't install an insecure boot. By doing that you'll be back to factory!

P

sorry about this, but i'm just trying to learn and understand...someone asked you a question on xda of how this works and your reply was .."The boot image itself remounts system, copies superuser files then reboots back into the stock boot image. Job done"....so if i simply delete the files you mention above but still have superboot r1 on there wouldn't it just re-copy the files back in on the next boot. Your superboot-windows.bat simply does a 'fastboot-windows.exe boot boot.superboot.img', deleting the files you mention has left the superboot.img on there, correct ? or am i missing something here ?

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

sorry about this, but i'm just trying to learn and understand...someone asked you a question on xda of how this works and your reply was .."The boot image itself remounts system, copies superuser files then reboots back into the stock boot image. Job done"....so if i simply delete the files you mention above but still have superboot r1 on there wouldn't it just re-copy the files back in on the next boot. Your superboot-windows.bat simply does a 'fastboot-windows.exe boot boot.superboot.img', deleting the files you mention has left the superboot.img on there, correct ? or am i missing something here ?

My boot image only ever gets booted, not flashed.

P

[timbo347 0]

I'm not far off being a newbie at rooting phones, having done only a couple of ZTE Blades successfully. So now I'm thinking of rooting my shiny new LG Nexus 4, using Paul's instructions above, and wondering what or how anything might go wrong. Is this a fairly safe project, or should I think again? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks - Tim

[andysalmon 7]

I've just rooted my N4. The bootloader was locked and I just could not get the drivers installed to unlock it...we are talking about 6/7 computer reboots and umpteen attempts on the handset, but once that was done it rooted using this program in less than a second. Thanks Paul.

[Mr.Clark 1]

Nexus 4 rooted less than 5 mins after getting it out of the box... thanks!

That said, the SuperUser app doesn't appear able to update itself. I get "making sure new su works: fail"

Phone is definitely rooted, as OTA Rootkeeper and RootExplorer work fine. Very strange. Maybe I'll try a manual update of the APK and binary files.

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

Odd! Keep us posted! I'll probably update the superboot to the latest Superuser app anyway.

P

[TouchyAndalou 39]

This doesn't work for me. When I run './fastboot-windows oem unlock' a black box flashes up and then closes on my PC too fast to see what it says, and running 'superboot-windows.bat' it just constantly says "waiting for device".

Help please?

[cmberry20 4]

Have you loaded the drivers for Nexus 4. You will need them installed for your PC to see your Nexus 4.

btw - its 'Vol Down' + 'Power Button' to get the Nexus 4 into bootloader.

If everything is working ok you should see 'Android Bootloader Interface' in 'Devices & Printers' (Windows 7)

[TouchyAndalou 39]

Have you loaded the drivers for Nexus 4. You will need them installed for your PC to see your Nexus 4.

btw - its 'Vol Down' + 'Power Button' to get the Nexus 4 into bootloader.

If everything is working ok you should see 'Android Bootloader Interface' in 'Devices & Printers' (Windows 7)

It was a driver problem, although I've got it working now. I had to use the program from this guide, which worked perfectly. I highly recommend it as an alternative method for anybody having problems.

I had the same issues trying to unlock my ZTE Skate, although thankfully this wasn't half as bad. Vista just doesn't seem to play nice when it comes to this kind of stuff.

Thanks for your response, though.

[toge64 10]

Does your superboot solution still work on stock 4.2.2 Paul? Many thanks

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

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[PaulOBrien 1,477]

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[toge64 10]

??? were you trying to answer my question paul?

[PaulOBrien 1,477]

??? were you trying to answer my question paul?

Yes, and yes it does!

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[Clark80 0]

Hi guys, I finally caved and have ordered a Nexus 4. I have sold my old iPhone 4 and will swap out the sim on Monday. The N4 will be coming from 3 network. Am I right in thinking that unlocking it from the network is as simple as using terminal on my Mac and using the oem unlock command? Seems too easy? I will be unlocking and rooting. I prefer standard rom. Reason for rooting is to be able to use any apps I need. Any other tips for an Android convert?

[Clark80 0]

Had another think about this and actually don't need to unlock or root. What I need is to sim unlock only - is this possible.

I have my N7 for root apps

[toge64 10]

Yes, and yes it does!

P

many thanks.

[Mr.Clark 1]

Odd! Keep us posted! I'll probably update the superboot to the latest Superuser app anyway.

P

Sorry, didn't notice you said that.

I never found out what happened, although I did somehow end up with SuperSU and SuperUser installed. SuperSU updates properly, so I've uninstalled SuperUser and it seems happy enough.