[GUIDE] Android 11 GSI With GApps and Root (magisk)

[Marcos8760]

DON'T DO THIS ON A RAZER PHONE 1 OR IT WILL BE OMEGA BRICKED! ONLY DO THIS ON A RAZER PHONE 2!

This was just an experiment on if I could just get whatever GSI I want and on the Razer Phone 2 and it will just work...

AND IT DID!

And then I thought there weren't enough android 11 download tutorials for the Razer Phone 2 so I made a guide!

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VIDEO!
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Things that work and don't work:
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This section will update periodically as issues arise or fixes arise for said issues.

Note: Things that work: Bluetooth*, all sensors, audio, LTE/SIM/phone stuff, 120hz (you need to go into the settings > Phh treble settings > Misc features > Force FPS > [email protected])

Things that probably work: N/A

Things that don't work for some reason: SafteyNet with Magisk. All modules that I've used work tho...??! Verizon.

Remember, you can always flash back to stock if something doesn't work properly.

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FIXES!!!
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AUDIO FIX!!! GO TO Phh Treble Settings > Qualcomm features > Use alternate audio policy.
Bluetooth audio stops working with this enabled. Disable it for Bluetooth audio. The audio fix doesn't apply to Bluetooth audio ether way.

BLUETOOTH FIX!!! Download a root file browser from the google play store and allow it to have root access. Delete BluetoothCommonRes.apk which is found in the overlay folder which is found in the vendor folder. After you delete BluetoothCommonRes.apk, rename the RazerAuraBluetoothRes.apk to BluetoothCommonRes.apk.

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Important notes
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THIS IS ASSUMING YOU HAVE ALREADY UNLOCKED THE BOOTLOADER OF YOUR DEVICE AND HAVE GOTTEN A SERIAL NUMBER OUTPUT FROM CMD AFTER TYPING IN "fastboot devices" AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TYPED IN "fastboot flashing unlock" AND "fastboot flashing unlock-critical".

***NOTE: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY HARD BRICKED DEVICES OR ANGRY PARENTS. PLEASE DO NOT COME BACK AT ME SAYING I AM STUPID AND BRICKED YOUR PHONE. YOU DECIDED TO DO THIS. PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION AND DON'T SKIM***

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: The stock firmware is actually really good for unbricking devices. Razer made it easy to fix your bricked device. So basically, if you can get in to fastboot mode, (which you basically always can do) you can unbrick your device super easily.

AGAIN JUST PLEASE, MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW ALL THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY AND DONT SKIM OR ELSE YOU MIGHT BREAK SOMETHING!!!

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Introduction
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This is a quick and easy guide for how to install Android 11 on the Razer Phone 2. I'm kind of a noob here myself but I did this and it worked flawlessly. (also if you do run into any issues PLEASE don't count on me for troubleshooting tips (I'm not that great at that))

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Pre-requisites/Downloads
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Get the factory firmware for your phone. It's a good failsafe in case of a bootloop or a bad case of the phone not booting up. Download it here: P-SMR6-RC001-RZR-201022 (latest build at the time of writing)

Extract this with 7zip or WinRar (or windows. You will need 7zip or WinRar for the rest of this)

First you need the actual GSI. Get the latest version. (Make sure its not a pre-release). system-roar-arm64-ab-vndklite-gapps.img.xz is the version that you should get. The vndklite release will allow you to modify the system partition making it possible to get magisk. Note: If you want magisk, MAKE SURE TO COMPLETELY follow the magisk section of this guide aswell or else magisk will NOT install correctly and will NOT work.

This version also has GApps. It will give you Gmail, the google play store, google play services, etc.

Use 7zip or WinRar to extract this.

Your also gonna need the Trinity Kernel (v2). This gives you TWRP and I'm pretty sure you also need this to have the ability to boot up the phone (I may be wrong but it's required.)

use 7zip or WinRar to extract this.

You will also need this zip file made by arter97 I don't really know what it does but you need it. here is the download: Download.

Don't extract this.

Put all these in a known folder that you can access later.

Alright. Now that we're done with the downloads, time to test to make sure your ready to put this on your phone.

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Making sure your computer is ready
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First things first. Go open your platform tools folder, shift-right click and open a PowerShell, or command prompt window there. Shut down your Razer phone 2 and turn it back on with the power and volume down buttons.
Plug it into your PC and type in

fastboot devices

you should end up with the serial number of the device. if you don't, follow Razer's instructions on how to install USB drivers and then come back here. Link to PDF.
If you get a serial number, close that and flash stock firmware by going into the aura-p-release-etc. folder, then opening flash_all.bat.

When it finishes and the screen goes black, hold the power and volume down buttons again to get back in to fastboot mode.
open back up the CMD/PowerShell platform tools window thing again.

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Installing/Flashing
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In your CMD or PowerShell window, (while in fastboot mode on the phone) type

fastboot flash system <file name>

in the <file name> area, just drag and drop the system-roar-arm64-etc.img file into your command line. your command will look a little something like this:

fastboot flash system C:\Users\user\Desktop\system-roar-arm64-ab-gapps.img

Wait until it says complete or something similar like done or something and has no errors.

Then, time to flash the kernel. it should just be called boot.img.
We will be typing in:

fastboot flash boot <file name>

Do the same thing that you did for the last command which is drag and drop the boot.img file for the file name.
Again, wait until it says done or complete and has no errors.

After that is done, use the volume buttons to select reboot bootloader with your power button on your phone.

Go to recovery mode and swipe where it says to swipe.

Go to the wipe menu and then tap on format data. Type yes and then press enter/ok.

Go back to your computer and open file explorer.

Put the last zip file that I was talking about earlier (the f2fs thing) on the razer phone 2's internal storage. Head back to your phone, and press install.

Scroll down until you find the zip file and press it and install it. (ignore the errors that may or may not be there) After that, go back to the TWRP home screen (with the 8 options)

Go to the reboot menu, then reboot into recovery

Tap on format data and type in "yes" and tap ok. click on "don't install" because you don't need the TWRP app on your phone.

The phone will shut down. Turn it on normally and everything will work!

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GET THESE THINGS IF YOU WANT 120Hz, GCam, and a SNAZZY RAZER LOGO.
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To get 120Hz, you need to go into the settings > Phh treble settings > Misc features > Force FPS > [email protected]

If you want your Razer logo to light up again, use Logo+. here is a download: Logo+ APK

The default camera app sucks. Make sure to get GCam 7.4 from Cyanogen Mods (v8.0 is broken). you can get it here.

Download a root file browser from the google play store and allow it to have root access. Delete BluetoothCommonRes.apk which is found in the overlay folder which is found in the vendor folder. After you delete BluetoothCommonRes.apk, rename the RazerAuraBluetoothRes.apk to BluetoothCommonRes.apk.

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Magisk
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So this part was pretty long-awaited. It half-passes SafteyNet and modules work! (at least all the modules that I've used.)

Make sure you have the vndklite variant. That is the only way that this will work.

1. Open up an adb/fastboot powershell/cmd/windows terminal window.
2. Type adb root and hit enter.
3. Type adb shell and hit enter.
4. Type mount -o remount,rw / and hit enter.
5. Type mv /bin/resetprop_phh /bin/phh-resetprop and hit enter.
6. Type phh-securize.sh and hit enter.

The phone should reboot after you approve the request (if there is one) and you are now able to install magisk!

MAKE SURE THAT THE SUPERUSER APP IS NOT THERE AFTER RUNNING phh-securize.sh.

Get specifically this version of Magisk. Download the zip file.

Boot into TWRP and tap on mount, and select everything (usb storage doesn't matter in this case. it never mounts either way.)

Transfer over your zip file via file explorer, and go back to your phone.

Tap install, then scroll down until you find the zip file and tap it. Swipe to flash and wait. After it is done, you can reboot!

You should see Magisk manager in your app drawer. Open that. It might ask you to install it, if so, install it. Allow apps from this source then install. Open it up. You should see that Magisk is installed. Update it and turn on Magisk hide.

If it passes SafteyNet, it's a miracle.

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In case of failure
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If it starts bootlooping or is perpetually stuck at the razer logo, powered by android screen, go back into fastboot mode and run the flash_all.bat stock firmware thing. it will unbrick your phone automatically. Really make sure you don't skim if you try it again. If it did work (which it probably did), then have a good time with android 11!

 

[Reznor7]

There is one bug that has stopped me from going GSI. On every one I've tried, there is a game music bug that is common in many of the games I own. If the volume is set to below 50%, the music will cut in and out constantly. It resolves itself if you keep media volume above 50%. It may not be a deal breaker for everyone, but it was for me, as I use my RP2 heavily for games. Other than that, GSIs work beautifully. Thanks for the comprehensive guide!

 

[Marcos8760]

There is one bug that has stopped me from going GSI. On every one I've tried, there is a game music bug that is common in many of the games I own. If the volume is set to below 50%, the music will cut in and out constantly. It resolves itself if you keep media volume above 50%. It may not be a deal breaker for everyone, but it was for me, as I use my RP2 heavily for games. Other than that, GSIs work beautifully. Thanks for the comprehensive guide!

Just curious, what games have that issue?

 

[Reznor7]

Just curious, what games have that issue?

All of The Room games, Battle Chasers: Night War, and most premium games that I've bought. For some reason, Monster Hunter Stories doesn't. It seems like mostly games that have more complex audio/music.

 

[Marcos8760]

All of The Room games, Battle Chasers: Night War, and most premium games that I've bought. For some reason, Monster Hunter Stories doesn't. It seems like mostly games that have more complex audio/music.

Thanks for the info. I added that to the top of the thread.

EDIT: Fix at the top of the thread

 

[rrusek]

Ultimately at the end of the day I could not get Dolby Atmos and the RGB lighting on the back of the phone to work on GSI 10. Hopefully someone will come up with a work around for those 2 items in GSI 11.

RJR

 

[Marcos8760]

Ultimately at the end of the day I could not get Dolby Atmos and the RGB lighting on the back of the phone to work on GSI 10. Hopefully someone will come up with a work around for those 2 items in GSI 11.

RJR

I got the Razer logo working flawlessly with logo+. I didn't really see the appeal for Dolby Atmos as all it did was made it louder and made the audio clip more.

 

[Reznor7]

I did have success getting Atmos to work with this module: https://github.com/reiryuki/Dolby-Atmos-Razer-Phone-2-Magisk-Module

 

[Marcos8760]

I did have success getting Atmos to work with this module: https://github.com/reiryuki/Dolby-Atmos-Razer-Phone-2-Magisk-Module

How can I get magisk on the phone though? it has Superuser pre-installed but it doesn't have support for modules and stuff (as far as I can tell). I really would like some info on how to install magisk if possible.

 

[Reznor7]

How can I get magisk on the phone though? it has Superuser pre-installed but it doesn't have support for modules and stuff (as far as I can tell). I really would like some info on how to install magisk if possible.

Actually, I may be misremembering. That may have been on a 10 GSI. I don't think I ever did get Magisk to work on an 11.

 

[Marcos8760]

Actually, I may be misremembering. That may have been on a 10 GSI. I don't think I ever did get Magisk to work on an 11.

Alright good to know. like the other info I've gathered, ill put that at the top of the thread until further notice.

 

[Reznor7]

The unofficial LOS GSI just got updated with supposed Magisk support. I'm going to give it a try in a few.

 

[Reznor7]

The unofficial LOS GSI just got updated with supposed Magisk support. I'm going to give it a try in a few.

Nope, Magisk doesn't work.

 

[Veridiux]

Thank you. I got it all set up and mostly working well. I was wondering if you could try Minecraft and let me know if it will let you get to the actual login screen.

 

[AgentXGhost]

I cannot get flashing the Android 11 GSI to work.

I downloaded the latest factory image (MR6) and proceeded to install it. To do that, I had to copy the "fastboot.exe" from the SDK platform tools download to the "aura-p-release..." folder with the factory image.

I open a CMD line and type in "fastboot devices" which get me a string of numbers. Then I type in "fastboot flash system system-roar-arm64-ab-gapps.img.xz" which tries to install it but concludes with an error message, being 'Error: Last flash failed : Bad Buffer Size'.

I tried using different computers and cables, but I end up with the same thing. I'm able to flash the factory image just fine, but can't flash Android 11.

 

[Marcos8760]

I cannot get flashing the Android 11 GSI to work.

I downloaded the latest factory image (MR6) and proceeded to install it. To do that, I had to copy the "fastboot.exe" from the SDK platform tools download to the "aura-p-release..." folder with the factory image.

I open a CMD line and type in "fastboot devices" which get me a string of numbers. Then I type in "fastboot flash system system-roar-arm64-ab-gapps.img.xz" which tries to install it but concludes with an error message, being 'Error: Last flash failed : Bad Buffer Size'.

I tried using different computers and cables, but I end up with the same thing. I'm able to flash the factory image just fine, but can't flash Android 11.

You forgot to extract it with winrar or 7zip. make sure it is a .img file and not a .xz file.

 

[AgentXGhost]

Wow. I spent close to 7 hours trying and trying again. But that's what I get when I don't read all the instructions. -____-

Thanks very much. It works perfectly.

 

[Marcos8760]

Wow. I spent close to 7 hours trying and trying again. But that's what I get when I don't read all the instructions. -____-

oh noes!

 

[Gurcharan5]

When in TWRP, the system is not mounted, and I cannot see it on my PC nor in TWRP itself. Any ideas what I did wrong?

 

[Marcos8760]

When in TWRP, the system is not mounted, and I cannot see it on my PC nor in TWRP itself. Any ideas what I did wrong?

Try going to wipe, then format data. That might fix the problem. If not, try everything again.