[ GUIDE ] [ ANDROID 10 ROOT ] [ HOW TO ] Patching Boot.img with Magisk

[ibolito]

Just updated the 1st post and removed the part with Canary magisk because stable magisk is doing the job now.

 

[BillyTheBull]

Works perfectly thanks. Nov 5 OTA update failed to install from update manager. Is there a way to apply OTA update without losing all data ?

Unfortunately, with the latest (Nov) security patch something seems to have changed. It seems to me as if Google has recently decided to start ignoring the disabled "automatic system updates" toggle in developer options and will try to apply updates on its own terms; I have that setting disabled, of course, but today I woke up to a message of "system update failed", which shouldn't have happened on its own. Subsequently I tried the proven Magisk A/B procedure; unfortunately, not only did the OTA fail to install again, but - what's worse - upon rebooting, Magisk also seems to have failed to (re-)install, at least in my case. So, now I'm stuck without root/Magisk and without the latest security patch. Ugh. :crying:

Has anyone had the same issue and/or found a workaround of any kind?

 

[jd1639]

Unfortunately, with the latest (Nov) security patch something seems to have changed. It seems to me as if Google has recently decided to start ignoring the disabled "automatic system updates" toggle in developer options and will try to apply updates on its own terms; I have that setting disabled, of course, but today I woke up to a message of "system update failed", which shouldn't have happened on its own. Subsequently I tried the proven Magisk A/B procedure; unfortunately, not only did the OTA fail to install again, but - what's worse - upon rebooting, Magisk also seems to have failed to (re-)install, at least in my case. So, now I'm stuck without root/Magisk and without the latest security patch. Ugh. :crying:

Has anyone had the same issue and/or found a workaround of any kind?

Download the full nov. factory image. Edit the flash-all batch file in it to remove the -w (make sure you save it). Run it. Copy the boot.img from the factory image to your device and patch it with magisk. Move that to your pc and flash it with fastboot.

 

[BillyTheBull]

Download the full nov. factory image. Edit the flash-all batch file in it to remove the -w (make sure you save it). Run it. Copy the boot.img from the factory image to your device and patch it with magisk. Move that to your pc and flash it with fastboot.

Done, thanks!

I was actually able to "take" the OTA on the third try ------- come to think of it, I may have caused the problem myself by accidentally rebooting from the OTA update-prompt rather than the Magisk reboot-button. I'm not a hundred percent sure ... but I think I totally did that, like an idiot.

In any case, I would appreciate feedback from others who may have tried it and succeeded (or failed); just so I know whether I caused the issue, or whether the A/B procedure indeed no longer works. Either way, I'm finally on the latest patch and re-rooted, so it's all good!

 

[jd1639]

Done, thanks!

I was actually able to "take" the OTA on the third try ------- come to think of it, I may have caused the problem myself by accidentally rebooting from the OTA update-prompt rather than the Magisk reboot-button. I'm not a hundred percent sure ... but I think I totally did that, like an idiot.

In any case, I would appreciate feedback from others who may have tried it and succeeded (or failed); just so I know whether I caused the issue, or whether the A/B procedure indeed no longer works. Either way, I'm finally on the latest patch and re-rooted, so it's all good!

You are still able to use magisk to restore the stock boot image, take the ota, and then root with magisk. You just need to be careful when you reboot.

 

[puma3u]

Pixel launcher crashes

I followed all the steps without any issues, but when I reboot after flashing the patched boot image and unlock my phone the pixel launcher just keeps crashing. Any ideas on what's happening?

 

[BBobby]

It appears as if Magisk Hide does not work for Google Pay in this Nov 5 security patch. It was working for me in October. Any workarounds?
Thanks!

 

[sliding_billy]

It appears as if Magisk Hide does not work for Google Pay in this Nov 5 security patch. It was working for me in October. Any workarounds?
Thanks!

Are you using the rest of the steps in this thread or just hiding GPay? https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/magisk-google-pay-gms-17-1-22-pie-t3929950

 

[BBobby]

Are you using the rest of the steps in this thread or just hiding GPay? https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/magisk-google-pay-gms-17-1-22-pie-t3929950

no i had not. THANKS! It now works. i dont use mobile pay much, but for those "i forgot my wallet moments" it is a marriage-saver

 

[sliding_billy]

no i had not. THANKS! It now works. i dont use mobile pay much, but for those "i forgot my wallet moments" it is a marriage-saver

Excellent. Glad it's working for you.

 

[Vinotas]

Hello All,

I just got a new Pixel 3a with Android 10 and have been enjoying it for several weeks on T-Mobile. So now it's time to root it. A few (partial noob) questions:

• will the instructions in Post 1 work with the 3a? I've searched but can't find a separate forum for the 3a, so apologies if I missed something;
• will I lose T-Mobile's Wifi calling? I seem to recall this is more an OS thing than a root issue but just want to make sure it doesn't disappear;
• I've read through parts of this thread but I'm curious if we'll still get OTA updates and if doing so will unroot the device?
• where can I find instructions on how to extract the boot image? I downloaded Blueline to my phone and when I unzip it I don't find a boot.img file, but there is a bootloader-blueline....img file;

Thank you in advance, and thanks for the instructions on rooting this great phone.
Cheers!

 

[jd1639]

Hello All,

I just got a new Pixel 3a with Android 10 and have been enjoying it for several weeks on T-Mobile. So now it's time to root it. A few (partial noob) questions:

• will the instructions in Post 1 work with the 3a? I've searched but can't find a separate forum for the 3a, so apologies if I missed something;
• will I lose T-Mobile's Wifi calling? I seem to recall this is more an OS thing than a root issue but just want to make sure it doesn't disappear;
• I've read through parts of this thread but I'm curious if we'll still get OTA updates and if doing so will unroot the device?
• where can I find instructions on how to extract the boot image? I downloaded Blueline to my phone and when I unzip it I don't find a boot.img file, but there is a bootloader-blueline....img file;

Thank you in advance, and thanks for the instructions on rooting this great phone.
Cheers!

I don't have a 3a but would think the same procedure to root would apply. After you've unzipped the factory image you'll find another zip file in there. Unzip that too and you'll find the boot.img.

OTA's won't work while you're rooted but you have two ways to update. One is to download the full factory image and edit the flash-all batch file in it to remove the -w you'll find in it. Run that batch file to update. Then you'll need to patch the boot.img again to root. Or, you can unroot with magisk, take the ota, root again with magisk, then reboot the device. Don't reboot until you've completed the process. There is a magisk tutorial for this process.

 

[Pete02]

Hello All,

I just got a new Pixel 3a with Android 10 and have been enjoying it for several weeks on T-Mobile. So now it's time to root it. A few (partial noob) questions:
will the instructions in Post 1 work with the 3a? I've searched but can't find a separate forum for the 3a, so apologies if I missed something;
will I lose T-Mobile's Wifi calling? I seem to recall this is more an OS thing than a root issue but just want to make sure it doesn't disappear;
I've read through parts of this thread but I'm curious if we'll still get OTA updates and if doing so will unroot the device?
where can I find instructions on how to extract the boot image? I downloaded Blueline to my phone and when I unzip it I don't find a boot.img file, but there is a bootloader-blueline....img file;

Thank you in advance, and thanks for the instructions on rooting this great phone.
Cheers!

I don't think you should be using a Blueline factory image. The 3a is listed as Sargo.

 

[Vinotas]

I don't think you should be using a Blueline factory image. The 3a is listed as Sargo.

Any clue where to find that? There doesn't seem to be a dedicated 3a forum so I apologize for all the noob questions. Also, once I download it and extract its boot.img, will the procedure be the same? There are multiple YouTube videos showing how to root the 3-series Pixel, but none specifically for the 3a.

I just don't want to brick my new toy.
Cheers!

 

[Pete02]

Any clue where to find that? There doesn't seem to be a dedicated 3a forum so I apologize for all the noob questions. Also, once I download it and extract its boot.img, will the procedure be the same? There are multiple YouTube videos showing how to root the 3-series Pixel, but none specifically for the 3a.

I just don't want to brick my new toy.
Cheers!

Just Google 'Pixel factory images' and scroll down till you get to the 3A. The procedure will still be the same. I did this same procedure for my bros Pixel 2 and it worked just fine.

 

[wangdaning]

Only thing I will mention is please put adb/fastboot into your path. There really is no reason to be stuck sticking things in the same folder as they are in. If you set it in PATH, then wherever you run command prompt from will be where it reads files or pulls files. Makes life easier.

 

[eneka]

looks like it's not working for december update. Pixel 3, magisk canary build.

 

[schalacker]

looks like it's not working for december update. Pixel 3, magisk canary build.

Just updated my wifes & my P3 with the December update and used the same Android 10 root process on both. Worked like a charm. Just make sure you're running the latest platform tools (r29.0.5)

1. Download blueline Factory Image
2. extract Dec Factory zip file to its own folder on PC (windows 10 for me)
3. edit the "flash-all.bat" and remove the "-w," save, close editor
4. open factory image sub-zip (image-blueline-qq1a.191205.008) to extract the "boot.img," upload that to phone running latest Canary Magisk
5. open MM and "install magisk" with the "select and patch a file" method. Use the uploaded Dec "boot.img" file uploaded from the previous step
6. take the newly created "magisk_patched.img" file off phone, transfer it to the pc in your same Dec folder
7. adb reboot bootloader
8. fastboot devices (sanity check)
9. flash-all.bat make sure it runs to completion & reboots fully to system
10. make sure the Dec update took in "Settings/about phone/build number""
11. adb reboot bootloader
12. fastboot devices (same sanity check as always)
13. fastboot flash boot magisk_patched.img
14. fastboot reboot
15. go to MM and make sure you're rooted

 

[kkjb]

I did a both slots Full flash (wiped) of dec images and I tried both canary release manager, Manager v7.4.0. Didn't work.
Edit 1: Wrong tried again, working fine Ignore.
I was on a working rooted Nov. I did notice a lot more file structures being written during the Dec install. So I am guessing the different file structures will require some patience for Magisk Dev's to correct. Welcome to 10, it is a moving target.
Edit 2: Now it could have been hadn't allowed magisk canary to check for something on wifi. Had nothing on just a first system start, install try.

 

[sliding_billy]

OK, root worked on my wife's P3. Canary 7.4.1-72edbfc4 (260) Manager an 20.2.72-edbfcr (20108) Magisk after flashing patched. Both show up to date. Install was a hyrbrid of flash-all and OTA. Still nobody seams to have found a reason why the flash-all (no -w) fails in fastbootd at product, but if you then switch to recovery while still on and then ADB sideload the OTA all is fine. 29.0.5 platform tools of course.