[GUIDE] Downgrading from ICS BUILDS ONLY!!!! .29 or .26 to .17 and rooting

---

NEW WAY TO ROOT NO NEED FOR DOWNGRADE NOR UNLOCK

Check out this thread , give thanks to miloj

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you updated to .26 you will need to downgrade to .17 to be able to root your device. If you are on .17 just skip to step #2

STEP ONE

You will need to downgrade using Wolf's 2nd method found here

For this you will need to use ADB, meaning you will need to have Android SDK installed. In order to get ADB working watch this helpful video tutorial (found by tomween1)

There's also a one click script that will do this for you automatically, found here Important note: remember that the automatic script does the same as the 2nd method, so you will need to leave your tablet connected to your pc while doing this. Once you run the script your tablet will reboot in the first couple of seconds (it hasn't finished just yet), then the script will move to the next step, which will take about 10 mins to finish. After this it will reboot and load up the new firmware.

Both processes ask that you have the .17 BLOB file in your Internal SDCard, ASUS had the firmwares previously posted but they took them down. You can Find links to the FWs in the following threads:

US .17 Blob

http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1642614 (courtesy of wideopn11)
The BLOB file can be found inside the 2nd zip file downloaded from those mirrors.

DE .17 Blob Should work for downgrading from WW firmwares.

See this post (courtesy of costcutter)

Once downgrade to .17 you can root your device.

STEP TWO

In order to root you will need the apk for SparkyRoot, which you can download here. Just follow the instructions on that thread and you will have a rooted device.

STEP THREE

Do not update your device to .26 just yet! First get Voodoo OTA RootKeeper from the Google Play Store. This application will help you retain root after upgrading. Once you have installed it, open it and follow the instructions inside the app. After making sure that all the check boxes are marked in OTA RootKeeper, you can update to .26

Once you have update you won't have root. So, go into OTA RootKeeper once again and restore your root. Voila!

STEP FOUR

Download and run Titanium Backup from the Google Play Store. It will say that you need to fix some permissions in order to have a fully working root, just tap "Ok" or "Yes" (don't remember which one was it). Then reboot tablet and you are done. Enjoy your rooted tablet!

NOTE:

Remember it is advised that you shouldn't update manually, since you might not be able to restore root. Some people have said that they were able to restore, even while updating manually. Also after rooting, it might take a while to receive the update notification for .26, just keep trying to refresh in Settings>About Tablet>System Firmware Update (be patient, it took me a while to get the update). The firmwares posted in the thread I linked to are for the US, if you have another firmware, non US, for now I don't have links to them. If you do know mirrors hosting non US FWs please post them in a reply message.

This guide hasn't been made from scratch by me, it is a collective work that has expanded through various threads. I would like to thank the following users: wolf849, bpear96, sparkym3, anduzer, wideopn11, demandarin, Gam3r 4 Life, edgemaster191, costcutter, tomween1 and many others that have contributed in finding and hosting this information.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE .29

It has been confirmed by user Gam3r 4 Life that downgrading from .29 to .26 is possible using the same method stated here. I'm pretty sure that you can go straight from .29 to .17, if you haven't rooted your device yet, with the same method. Someone confirmed a downgrade from .29 to .17 here

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNLOCKED ROOT

There is another way to root your tablet, this only for the people that want to unlock their devices (REMEMBER UNLOCKING YOUR DEVICE VOIDS THE WARRANTY FROM ASUS, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET SUPPORT FROM THEM NOR AUTOMATIC OTA UPDATES....). So, if you want to take this path please look into this thread, in that thread you will find an explanation on how to get CWM running on your unlocked tablet and you will find a flashable file that will root your device. Please read that thread carefully. Also remember to give thanks to XpLoDWilD for preparing it.

I can confirm that the above method works great. Just a heads up DO NOT I repeat DO NOT mess with the build.prop file, I ended up bricking mine all because of some dumb Gameloft game. I now am on my second TF300 and highly recommend staying away from the build.prop until we have a working CWM.

Nice simple guide. I've upgraded and downgraded. Only thing irritating me right now is that I've been able to get the OTA update and Asus cant give an answer as to why other than "keep waiting". I might be on my 3rd tablet soon.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda premium

What about people already at .17?

---

First off, thank you for your original post (Post #1)!

I will get my 300 in about an hour and I would think it will be on .17. If that is the case, I will, of course, decline any offers to update to .26 via OTA message.

I assume, then, I start with Step Two and go from there. Right?

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by ptgay49

First off, thank you for your original post (Post #1)!

I will get my 300 in about an hour and I would think it will be on .17. If that is the case, I will, of course, decline any offers to update to .26 via OTA message.

I assume, then, I start with Step Two and go from there. Right?

Thanks again.

The first time I turned on mine, the update got automatically downloaded but it doesn't run until you decide to. The answer is yes, just skip to step 2 and go from there.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

Originally Posted by ptgay49

First off, thank you for your original post (Post #1)!

I will get my 300 in about an hour and I would think it will be on .17. If that is the case, I will, of course, decline any offers to update to .26 via OTA message.

I assume, then, I start with Step Two and go from there. Right?

Thanks again.

Yes sir, just download the sparkyroot.apk and follow the onscreen directions! Just make sure you back up the root with Voodos rootkeeper (can be downloaded from the Play Store) and then update the tablet. Once update restore the root from the rootkeeper app, and that is it! Your rooted and on the latest firmware!

AWESOME! worked like a charm on TF300 .27

Originally Posted by medic999

AWESOME! worked like a charm on TF300 .27

Do you mean .26?

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda premium

Originally Posted by jgaf

The first time I turned on mine, the update got automatically downloaded but it doesn't run until you decide to. The answer is yes, just skip to step 2 and go from there.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using Tapatalk 2

Even without wi-fi connected?

Originally Posted by bFORTIFIED

Even without wi-fi connected?

Well when you first set up the Pad it ask you if you want to connect to WiFi so I ded and got the update quickly.