FireTV Stick (FTVS) Root & Firmware Updates

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saiyen2012

Member
May 19, 2008
48
6
If you are getting an update when trying to manually update from About then run in ADB Shell the following commands:

The first two commands are root commands. So if they don't work is normal. We are just testing to see if your device still responses to root commands.

Code:
su

Code:
pm enable com.amazon.device.software.ota
You might get an error on the first or second command since you say you are not rooted anymore.

The following commands work without root.
Code:
pm unhide com.amazon.device.software.ota

Code:
cat /system/build.prop | grep number


What number does it report after the third command ??

Permission Denial: attempt to change component state from pid=3698, uid=2000, package uid=32011

ro.build.version.number=550145120
 

Y314K

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2008
1,507
494
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
You might get an error on the first or second command since you say you are not rooted anymore.

The following commands work without root.





What number does it report after the third command ??

Permission Denial: attempt to change component state from pid=3698, uid=2000, package uid=32011

ro.build.version.number=550145120
That is an updatable build number. Did u get any response after just the unhide command ?
 

saiyen2012

Member
May 19, 2008
48
6
And your sure you are not blocking updates thru the router or OpenDNS. Then I would just let it ride. Leave it on for a few days & see if the updates available changes.
never touched the router or opendns. somone gave me this fs. as far as leaving it to try and update on its own it hasn't been updated since it was rooted on 5.2.1.0. lol. that's why i removed the root hoping i would be able to update.

thanks for the help anyway.
 
Last edited:

Y314K

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2008
1,507
494
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
never touched the router or opendns. somone gave me this fs. as far as leaving it to try and update on its own it hasn't been updated since it was rooted on 5.2.1.0. lol. that's why i removed the root hoping i would be able to update.

thanks for the help anyway.
You might have to Root it again if it doesn't fix itself. And just update to latest PreRooted ROM.
 

saiyen2012

Member
May 19, 2008
48
6
It's not hard once you preRead the guide & understand what the steps are. If the phone won't update to stock. Yet you want the latest ROM on it. Then rooting it and updating that way might be your only option. But give it some time to see if it finds an update.
i'll look into re rooting.
 

SafiXS

Senior Member
Oct 4, 2011
644
270
Just a idea ?
Is it possible to simulate a update server for fire TV stick to tell em there is a update and give em a prerooted rom to update?
I think that sound way to easy haha

Gesendet von meinem HTC One M9 mit Tapatalk
 

Y314K

Senior Member
Dec 29, 2008
1,507
494
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
Just a idea
Is it possible to simulate a update server for fire TV stick to tell em there is a update and give em a prerooted rom to update?
I think that sound way to easy haha

Gesendet von meinem HTC One M9 mit Tapatalk
This was tested years ago. But since there is some type of encryption check on stock updates. If you are not already rooted you can not trick your way in. That is why only specific stock FW's are rootable. They are the only ones that have a precise vulnerability. If you search old posts here. You will see all the methods they tried to trick the update process in order to root or unlock FTV's.

You can always try again if you think they might of added some vulnerability to their update process but I highly doubt it. Heck, back then they where using HTTP & now they mostly use HTTPS links to the update files.
 
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aochoa03

New member
Nov 28, 2017
3
1
Help

I used the fire tv guide and rooted my Fire stick just fine. I have kodi on it as we speak. You dont plug it into the computer. You plug it into the tv and get the IP address and install everything via wifi


Do you mind sending me the steps on how to do this sorry I’m dumb when it comes to technology , greatly appreciate it
 

soulife

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2008
540
61
Do you mind sending me the steps on how to do this sorry I’m dumb when it comes to technology , greatly appreciate it

That was from 2015..
The fact that they mentioned kodi as proof of root makes me think that they just sideloaded the apk
by following 1 of the 10 million guides with a title "How to root your fire stick" that have instructions telling you to go to settings and enable ADB Debugging, as well as 3rd party apk installs.. (which isnt root btw lmao)

FYI, if you google how to root your fire stick, you will find instructions on how to install kodi (99 times out of 100).. That is not root though, that's just sideloading the installation of an app without using the market.. So depending on WHY youre searching for root, sideloading apps might just be enough for you..

As for me, my search for root continues.. I just bought the stick, so i'm a little nervous to follow a rooting guide for the fire tv.. I see it mentioned in passing that the gen 1 and 2 sticks are rootable though, just never a mention of how it was done (for example, xda referenced that the playing with fire mod should work on rooted sticks.. theres a twrp for the sticks, etc)..
 
Last edited:

aochoa03

New member
Nov 28, 2017
3
1
Help

That was from 2015..
The fact that they mentioned kodi as proof of root makes me think that they just sideloaded the apk..
By following 1 of the 10 million guides with a title "How to root your fire stick" with instructions that tell you to go to settings and enable ADB Debugging as well as 3rd party apk installs.. (which isnt root btw lmao)

FYI, if you google how to root your fire stick, you will find instructions on how to install kodi.. That is not root though, that's just sideloading the installation of an app without using the market.. So depending on WHY youre searching for root, sideloading apps might be enough for you..

As for me, my search for root continues.. I just bought the stick, so i'm a little nervous to follow a rooting guide for the fire tv.. I see it mentioned in passing that the gen 1 and 2 sticks are rootable though, just never a mention of how it was done (for example, xda referenced that the playing with fire mod should work on rooted sticks.. theres a twrp for the sticks, etc)..

So I am assuming that using Kofu would be enough ? And the steps would be easy any good links on how to do this ?
 

soulife

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2008
540
61
So I am assuming that using Kofu would be enough ? And the steps would be easy any good links on how to do this ?

I donno wtf a Kofu is, so i cant really help you there.. I also dont know what it is youre trying to root for..
All i'm saying is, depending on why you were trying to root your stick in the first place (were you trying to root just to use kodi? were you trying to root just to install apps that arent available on amazons play store? etc.. what are you trying to accomplish through root?) you might not even need root.. But if you were trying to root so you could ultimately gain root access to the system for whatever reason, then that depends on which generation firestick you own, and what version of software it is running and no amount of sideloading can help you there (at least from what ive read.. i never tried checking the os for unpatched vulnerabilities to gain root access since i assume that would have been the first step anyone would have taken before they deemed them un-rootable)

If you want to install kodi, or any other app for that matter, just sideload it.. to sideload apps, just follow the bogus instructions for how to root.. If you want to root, then follow instructions that dont explain how to simply install kodi by enabling adb and 3rd party apk installations.. Thats not root, its sideloading the installation of apps..
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=aftv+root
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=amazon+fire+sideload

Oh, and just a word of advice from what ive discovered in my very limited amount of time playing with my stick :eek: is that most sideloading instructions you are likely to stumble upon first are full of mostly outdated info and extra unnecessary steps.. All you really need to do to sideload apps easily is to enable adb and 3rd party app installs, and then, depending on how you want to send apps to the stick, install one of the "send apps to fire tv" apps available for android, windows, mac, etc, that will connect to your stick via adb over wifi (or via usb if youre feeling adventurous) and then push the app to the stick and install it. Or obviously, if youre familiar with adb you could just do it via terminal or commandline.. Or download the apk you want to install via the web browser on the stick..

And as for rooting the stick, so far, it seems like it can only be done on the 1st gen sticks and only using a select number of older OS versions.. Or you can open it up and modify the hardware to do it.. But thats all ive found so far.. Google is your friend.
 
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Jubileeme

New member
Jan 11, 2018
1
0
I have a firestick how can I know what gen it is? And if I should root it - I don't care about updates since I won't be using it for anything amazon related.
 

oscha

Member
Feb 9, 2020
16
0
Android Wear
1. Downgrades are not possible
2. There was never a software-rootable stock fw from amazon for the stick

Just look here in the future.

Greetings by I_did_it_just_tmrrow
it is not for Gen 1 or 2, halooooo. why even comes tutorials for 4k, when gen 1 or 2 asked??? Why? Gen 1 or 2 are the first Stick generations. 4k is the new one! Not the old! 4k new, gen 1 and 2 old. 4k new-gen 1 and 2 are old
 

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  • 3
    can we load on a new fire tv stick one or two revision ago to root it?

    Thanks
    1. Downgrades are not possible
    2. There was never a software-rootable stock fw from amazon for the stick

    Just look here in the future.

    Greetings by I_did_it_just_tmrrow
    3
    I'm seeing multiple references to rooted sticks, but no guides.
    I'm guessing those that have done it are coming from the FireTV original.

    Who has successfully rooted the FireTV Stick?
    What Firmware was device successfully rooted with?
    Can Android OS be changed to a different ROM?

    I have 2 that I got on the $19 promotion and don't want to plug them in if there is a chance I can root first.
    Thx for your thread. Sadly pirates take your thread for its own topics :)

    I wanna go back to your first post.
    For about 3 weeks I hardware-root the EMMC of a FireTV-Stick.
    Difficult but possible :DI root succesfull the stock firmware: 54.1.1.0_user_110031420

    My sources for the solder points where gtv-hacker or now known as exploiteers:
    &
    From here.

    Two importand facts, I dont know before:

    • You dont have to connect the stick with usb-power to get access to the nand!
    • The ground (gnd) solder point should go from the marked-gnd-point to the hdmi/usb shield to the gnd-point on your board. 1 hole wire is good.
    &
    PX5Gkqpt.jpg

    &
    Here is Video, when fully-connected:
    And the console when conected: (command: mount | under lubuntu 14 | all the sda's are from the stick)

    All as gallery. (THX imgur!)



    What I would like to find out with your help, before I root the next device or somebody, would be to find out what is the newest hardware-rootable stock firmware from amazon, where I should update, before making a hardware-root.
    Because at the moment there is no pre-Rooted rom's like, like builded from rbox or realbbb for the Fire-TV-Box-1. Also there is no unlocked-bootloader or custom recovery.


    I like the hardware from the stick for that prices! And the software is getting better and better.
    Sadly I had some problems with rbox x-posed modules, see here. (Got muted kodi, when enabled)


    So theese are my informations about rooing an fire tv stick.


    Greetings by I_did_it_just_tmrrow
    2
    I'm seeing multiple references to rooted sticks, but no guides.
    I'm guessing those that have done it are coming from the FireTV original.

    Who has successfully rooted the FireTV Stick?
    What Firmware was device successfully rooted with?
    Can Android OS be changed to a different ROM?

    I have 2 that I got on the $19 promotion and don't want to plug them in if there is a chance I can root first.

    Nobody. The firetv stick cannot be rooted currently on any firmware. Standard fire tv's could be rooted as of 1 or two firmware revisions ago.

    Edit - looks like there might be a potential hardware root referenced here:

    http://www.gtvhacker.com/index.php/Amazon_Fire_TV_Stick​

    They had something similar posted for the original fire tv but noone has been able to reproduce it to my knowledge.

    Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
    2
    I used the fire tv guide and rooted my Fire stick just fine. I have kodi on it as we speak. You dont plug it into the computer. You plug it into the tv and get the IP address and install everything via wifi
    1
    I'm seeing multiple references to rooted sticks, but no guides.
    I'm guessing those that have done it are coming from the FireTV original.

    Who has successfully rooted the FireTV Stick?
    What Firmware was device successfully rooted with?
    Can Android OS be changed to a different ROM?

    I have 2 that I got on the $19 promotion and don't want to plug them in if there is a chance I can root first.