How to root your Hudl [updated: latest supported ROM 20131016.200812]

[Guest PaulOBrien]

You can now root your Hudl! :)

YOU USE THIS TOOL AT YOUR OWN RISK! We take no responsibility for any problems caused.

Pre-requisites are as follows:

• A computer running Linux (a live CD should work) - I am currently looking at the Windows / OS X options
• A Hudl running ROM version 20130923.020558 or 20131016.200812 (check in Settings -> About -> Hudl Updates) - do NOT install on other versions
• A microUSB cable to connect the Hudl to your computer
• A pin to press the reset button

To root your Hudl...

• download this package for 20130923.020558 only! DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) - MD5: f32f67b3d7942a0d0ec2da3323833813
• download this package for 20131016.200812 only! DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) - MD5: f895af4991439be522df78ad8cd4ab78
• extract the zip
• plug the hudl in via USB and press the reset pin while holding volume up (the device will appear to stay off)
• open a terminal window to the extracted directory
• run 'sudo ./flashroot.hudl.linux.sh'
• wait for it to complete
• the device will now go into 'charging' mode, turn it on as normal
• when the device has booted, install SuperSU from the Play Store
• try a root app - it should work!

This is just an initial root - if this is too daunting or you don't have access to a Linux box, don't worry, we're working on alternative options. :)

Note that the process creates a backup of your stock system image... just in case... :)

P

PS ROM developers? This flashes a regular Ext4 system image. If you want to mod your device? You can, by modding the image and re-flashing! :)

[Guest Frankish]

And it starts... :)

[Guest Rem1x]

Does the update that appears when first booting up the hudl effect this (I assume you could skip the update with the 4 corners trick)

[Guest ptbw]

Works like a charm. Thank you. Tested using su from an adb shell.

 

 

@Rem1x I checked the version after the initial update and it is the one Paul quoted.

 

 

[Guest glossywhite]

You can now root your Hudl! :)

YOU USE THIS TOOL AT YOUR OWN RISK! We take no responsibility for any problems caused.

Pre-requisites are as follows:

• A computer running Linux (a live CD should work) - I am currently looking at the Windows / OS X options
• A Hudl running ROM version 20130923.020558 (check in Settings -> About -> Hudl Updates) - do NOT install on other versions
• A microUSB cable to connect the Hudl to your computer
• A pin to press the reset button

To root your Hudl...

• download this package DOWNLOAD (ROMraid) - MD5: f32f67b3d7942a0d0ec2da3323833813
• extract the zip
• plug the hudl in via USB and press the reset pin while holding volume up (the device will appear to stay off)
• open a terminal window to the extracted directory
• run 'sudo ./flashroot.hudl.linux.sh'
• wait for it to complete
• the device will now go into 'charging' mode, turn it on as normal
• when the device has booted, install SuperSU from the Play Store
• try a root app - it should work!

This is just an initial root - if this is too daunting or you don't have access to a Linux box, don't worry, we're working on alternative options. :)

Note that the process creates a backup of your stock system image... just in case... :)

P

PS ROM developers? This flashes a regular Ext4 system image. If you want to mod your device? You can, by modding the image and re-flashing! :)

 

Paul, when I released my cross-platform tools for the San Diego, I used "GnuWin32" as a base for the tools - it allowed me to port BASH scripts to windows, with a very substantial, portable BASH environment read-baked, just needing a minor script tweak to allow the GNU+Linux scripts to run, unaltered, on Windows PCs.

All the environment executables needed for trivial operations are included, and the ones that are missing can be thrown in a directory and packaged up with the rest.

Take a gander at the "Root / Un-root" kits I made for both Linux and Windows - the windows version is a direct port of the GNU+Linux version, not the other way around (because Windows CMD syntax is so utterly clunky and messy; it's far more elegant to allow Win to run Lin, than the reverse):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sy07kaopwc6dbtw/osd_root_unroot_windows.exe?dl=1 << WIN

http://www.modaco.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=87206 << LIN

Thanks Paul - just something I learned, which makes porting SO easy.

 

Edited October 1, 2013 by glossywhite

[Guest]

Does the update that appears when first booting up the hudl effect this (I assume you could skip the update with the 4 corners trick)

The update to v1.2 is fine

[Guest glossywhite]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YINoUJNqwQs

Edited October 2, 2013 by glossywhite

[Guest PaulOBrien]

Paul, when I released my cross-platform tools for the San Diego, I used "GnuWin32" as a base for the tools - it allowed me to port BASH scripts to windows, with a very substantial, portable BASH environment read-baked, just needing a minor script tweak to allow the GNU+Linux scripts to run, unaltered, on Windows PCs.

All the environment executables needed for trivial operations are included, and the ones that are missing can be thrown in a directory and packaged up with the rest.

Take a gander at the "Root / Un-root" kits I made for both Linux and Windows - the windows version is a direct port of the GNU+Linux version, not the other way around (because Windows CMD syntax is so utterly clunky and messy; it's far more elegant to allow Win to run Lin, than the reverse):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sy07kaopwc6dbtw/osd_root_unroot_windows.exe?dl=1 << WIN

http://www.modaco.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=87206 << LIN

Thanks Paul - just something I learned, which makes porting SO easy.

The problem isn't scripting, unfortunately rkflashtools for Windows doesn't seem to work for me and the OSX version has a libusb dependency, hence Linux only for now.

P

[Guest Grumpydev]

Cool :-) It's annoying that the bottom nav bar won't disappear (I assume because of the lack of a hardware back button) so tempted to root just so I can override that.

 

If and when Tesco release a new version will it update this and remove the root, or not update, or just soft-brick or any of the above? :D

[Guest PaulOBrien]

It should update fine and keep root.

P

[Guest Grumpydev]

It should update fine and keep root.

P

 

Thanks - I have to return mine today because the charger doesn't work, but assuming they can swap it I will give it a go later.

 

Nice work :)

[Guest PaulOBrien]

Don't flash this before you've updated to the version listed in the first post!

P

[Guest tautology]

The root just adds the su binary to /system/xbin. The system partition is just an ext4 filesystem stored on the NAND. This means that unless the Hudl updater checks for /system/xbin/su (which it doesn't - I've had a look at the bytecode already) then it should keep root as well as anything else you add (e.g. sqlite3, gdb - busybox is already installed).

The clever bit was working out the partition start and size, which was nicely done by Mr O'Brien!

[Guest Grumpydev]

Thanks for the info - I'm hoping they just swap my charger (less hassle), but if they don't then I'll make sure I let it update itself before I have at it with the flash tool ;)

[Guest tautology]

After some messing around I've found that "rkflashtool p" will dump the partition table. I wish I'd worked this out earlier :-). First time I've played with rkflashtool though...

So the process for a new root would be:

• Use rkflashtool p to dump the partition table
• Use rkflashtool to read the system partition
• Use mount -o rw,loop imagefile /mnt/image to mount it
• Copy a known good Jelly Bean su file to /mnt/image/xbin/su
• Use rkflashtool to write the system partition

 

Paul, have I missed something?

I'd still love to know how you got rid of the Tesco button though!

[Guest PaulOBrien]

After some messing around I've found that "rkflashtool p" will dump the partition table. I wish I'd worked this out earlier :-). First time I've played with rkflashtool though...

So the process for a new root would be:

• Use rkflashtool p to dump the partition table

   

   

• Use rkflashtool to read the system partition

   

   

• Use mount -o rw,loop imagefile /mnt/image to mount it

   

   

• Copy a known good Jelly Bean su file to /mnt/image/xbin/su

   

   

• Use rkflashtool to write the system partition

Paul, have I missed something?

I'd still love to know how you got rid of the Tesco button though!

Yes, that's how I did it. :) I'll post the mod to remove the Tesco button soon!

P

[Guest glossywhite]

Just called Tesco, to reserve me a "hudl",

but the poor young girl, she got in a mudl.

I'll be there by midnight, to hand them my cash,

then fly right back home, and give rooting a...

 

 

[Guest glossywhite]

486MB??

Is that correct? Seems a tad large for a root tool.

[Guest glossywhite]

Just to clarify, you need to be looking at THIS screen with these exact build numbers, before you may root:

[Guest glossywhite]

Folks, make sure you set the script to executable mode before running, else it will fail:

 

1/ Open bash/terminal.

 

2/ 

chmod +x *sh

3/ Proceed.

 

"lsusb" output (bash) when in "rktool" mode, described in the above:

Bus 002 Device 015: ID 0bb4:0c01 HTC (High Tech Computer Corp.) Dream / ADP1 / G1 / Magic / Tattoo

 

 

 

@Paul

Flashing is all very well, but how does one *reverse* the flashing, and flash back our *stock* "system.img", if you please? Same offsets as in your script?:


?? V V ??

./rkflashtool w 0x00142000 0x00200000 < system_orig.img
./rkflashtool b

Edited October 3, 2013 by glossywhite

[Guest glossywhite]

## Error ##.

Please clarify which state (IE: on/off?) the hudl is in, when you start the process of holding VOL (+) and pressing (or holding in?) the reset button please, thanks.

 

 

##__UPDATE__##

 

Turn hudl *OFF* first, connect via USB to PC, then...

HOLD DOWN VOL UP (+) & then push the reset button for one sec (back, top-right - RECESSED [hole with gold dot in it] ) and when you've pressed the reset button, CONTINUE holding the VOL (+) button. To check that this has put the hudl in flashing mode, and to verify that it isn't merely in charging mode, release the VOL (+) after around 10 seconds, and TAP ONCE on the power button; if you see a battery, it has failed, so try again. :)

 

 

Note the location of the buttons (power, vol + and vol -) and the reset button:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Paul - you say it makes a backup of "system.img", but neglected to mention where that is stored - it's not in ./ when executing script :)

Thx

 

matt@i3-550 ~/Desktop/hudl.system.withsu.20130923.020558 $ sudo ./flashsystem.hudl.sh 
rkflashtool: info: rkflashtool v3.3
rkflashtool: fatal: cannot open device
rkflashtool: info: rkflashtool v3.3
rkflashtool: fatal: cannot open device

Edited November 3, 2013 by glossywhite

[Guest glossywhite]

^ Thanks - I used the newest (release) version and it works fine. The precise button presses were not detailed - please read the posts I have made to amend this omission. 

Thanks, and again - thank you Paul. :D

[Guest dahooool]

Hello,

 

this unfortunately did not work for me.

BUT you can try this: http://www.mgyun.com/vroot

 

This actually works, it will detect your tablet (as it is Archos hardware) and apply a Chinese SU which you can then replace with an English SU from the market.

 

Cheers

 

Andrei

 

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2376077

Edited October 3, 2013 by dahooool

[Guest Tigerlight]

Hello,

 

this unfortunately did not work for me.

BUT you can try this: http://www.mgyun.com/vroot

 

This actually works, it will detect your tablet (as it is Archos hardware) and apply a Chinese SU which you can then replace with an English SU from the market.

 

Cheers

 

Andrei

 

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2376077

 

Does not work, following XDA's procedure, nor does ANY universal android root method I have tried thus far.

SU binary installation always fails, and root is lost on reboot.

 

EDIT:  Take it back, it does root...but will not accept installation of any other superuser app but the chinese c**p.

Edited October 3, 2013 by Tigerlight

[Guest dahooool]

Yeah, I did not manage to replace it with english su, but to be honest I did not try hard because it enables me to do whatever I wanted now, like freezing the shizz out of the bloat :)

UPDATE: installed superuser app from chainfire which replaced the Chinese su successfully. Purrfect :-)

Edited October 3, 2013 by dahooool