[Guide] How to Root & install a custom recovery by disabling Encryption!

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johnpwu

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2007
256
13

btort1

Senior Member
Oct 20, 2013
605
71
I unlocked my bootloader but for some reason it won't find my device when I enter adb devices, adb debugging is on and oem unlocking is on and my bootloader is unlocked already. I did a fresh install and when I click on usb debugging it won't pop up on my phone

Could it be do I have to use MTP or PTP or Charging?
 

nyjumpman

Senior Member
Aug 16, 2012
171
24
NYC
I unlocked my bootloader but for some reason it won't find my device when I enter adb devices, adb debugging is on and oem unlocking is on and my bootloader is unlocked already. I did a fresh install and when I click on usb debugging it won't pop up on my phone

Could it be do I have to use MTP or PTP or Charging?

I couldn't get it to find the device on adb devices but I'm able to detect it when in fastboot mode. Perhaps give that a shot
 
Jul 11, 2010
6
1
Boulder Creek, CA
What worked for me without a wipe, still encrypted

Here's how I ended up with a rooted and encrypted Nexus 5X:

  1. Restore to factory install with ./flash-all.sh (may not be necessary from a factory install state, but not what I tested)
  2. Let the system boot to beginning of initial setup wizard (if interrupted, encryption is corrupt and you have to start over)
  3. Froce reboot into bootloader (hold down power button and volume down button at the same time until the bootloader screen appears)
  4. Flash modified boot partition with 'fastboot flash boot boot.img'
  5. Flash TWRP recovery with 'fastboot flash recovery twrp-###-bullhead.img'
  6. Boot into recovery by selecting recovery with the volume buttons and pressing the power button
  7. Sideload BETA-SuperSU-v###.zip
  8. Reboot to system
  9. Finish setup wizard
  10. Enjoy an encrypted and rooted phone

There was a ton of trial and error so I hope this is reproducible but I offer no guarantee. :)
 
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sn0warmy

Senior Member
Jul 26, 2010
3,392
1,642
Boulder, CO
I was able to add a card by temporarily disabling SuperSU after reading this page: http://android.wonderhowto.com/how-to/get-android-pay-working-rooted-device-0164604/

I'll try making a purchase with it as soon as I can.

Very curious about this. Please post back with an update. The thought of not being able to use Android Pay, ruins it for me. I'm not going to own an Android phone, especially a Nexus device, and not root it. But I also want to be able to use Android pay for purchases. I use Apple Pay with my work-purchased iPhone 6s and I must say, once you experience that, you won't ever want to go back to pulling out your wallet.
 

IwantricexD

Member
Dec 22, 2012
14
4
San Francisco
Are there any drawbacks to rooting and keeping encryption versus rooting and disabling encryption? So far it seems the fingerprint reader is working (Android Pay doesn't, but we already knew that didn't work with root). Will it mess with getting OTAs or anything of that sort? I've never had an encrypted phone (coming from a Nexus 5 and OPO) so I don't know how encryption affects the bootloader unlocking/flashing TWRP/flashing Super SU process.
 

ATOMICTB

Member
Jun 8, 2011
21
14
Ok guys,

I unlocked and decrypted my 5X.

Speed increase is very noticeable. Apps open instantly on the first launch from a reboot. Once they are in memory it's just blistering. It wasn't this noticeable when I decrypted my Nexus 6.

I did not root so Android pay still works. I just wanted decrypted without root.

Update: Interestingly though, benchmarks are scoring lower now than what I am seeing on a bunch of benchmark videos on the 5X. Google may have optimizations for encryption?
Real world use seems quicker but if you are about to do this to your own 5X run a few benchmarks before and after for the hell of it. Might be interesting.

Update 2: My bad. The benchmark decrease was caused by Google syncing 40 metric ass-tons of my data in the background. I only mentioned Benchmarks at all because it was such a drastic difference. Everything looks ok now.
 
Last edited:

ubcjack

Senior Member
Jul 11, 2008
157
13
San Jose
I'm sorry but I'm confused about the 'yep'
Do you mean it's not necessary to flash twrp and only modified boot img is needed.
 

johnpwu

Senior Member
Dec 30, 2007
256
13
Very curious about this. Please post back with an update. The thought of not being able to use Android Pay, ruins it for me. I'm not going to own an Android phone, especially a Nexus device, and not root it. But I also want to be able to use Android pay for purchases. I use Apple Pay with my work-purchased iPhone 6s and I must say, once you experience that, you won't ever want to go back to pulling out your wallet.

I was able to add a card by temporarily disabling SuperSU after reading this page: http://android.wonderhowto.com/how-to/get-android-pay-working-rooted-device-0164604/

I'll try making a purchase with it as soon as I can.

Bad news :( I gave it a try today and it wouldn't let me pay. I'm planning on trying one more place and will post an update when I do, but things aren't looking good.
 

nyjumpman

Senior Member
Aug 16, 2012
171
24
NYC
I got it working, I had to reinstall the drivers for some reason :confused: BUT I was able to unlock bootloader fine, which was weird

Hmm how did you end up doing that? I have access to adb in fastboot mode but not when the phone is booted up into regular system.

Where did you end up getting the ADB Interface driver?
 

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  • 23
    This method successfully worked for me & @lysm bre (Thanks to him for the guiding)!

    Your phone will be unencrypted after folllowing this guide and successfully rooted too if I didn't mention that :D
    To flash ROMs in future you have to disable encryption so this method will make you ready for that too :)

    Here is my video in which I explained in detailed and I've done all the steps from beginning! So you can follow this guide too here- https://youtu.be/mUq1xdJ-7-E


    To Boot into Bootloader mode use command adb reboot bootloader or hold power and volume down button once its switched off!

    I'll modify & beutify the guide in future so stay tuned for that! :confused:

    1] Unlock bootloader- fastboot oem unlock [select yes by pressing volume up and then power button to confirm] :cowboy:
    2] Reboot & skip everything in setup as we data will be wiped again!
    3] Reboot into bootloader & flash the modified boot image- fastboot flash boot boot.img
    4] Reboot into system to make sure it's booting properly! [May not be necessary!]
    5] Reboot into bootloader again & flash twrp- fastboot flash recovery "recovery name".img
    6] Boot into TWRP & select allow modifications ! :cool:
    7] Goto Wipe & select format data !
    8] After that is done, reboot into system without rooting& skip through setup again!
    9] Now if you check the encryption status of your phone (Settings -> Security - Encrypt phone), it won't be encrypted anymore as it'll give you the option of encrypting it, which means it currently isn't encrypted.
    10] Now transfer the SuperSU zip file in the internal storage of the phone, reboot into TWRP, and flash SuperSU! :cool:

    BOOM! You have successfully rooted with encryption disabled.! Congratulations! ;)
    Just a reminder that for video explanation watch this- https://youtu.be/mUq1xdJ-7-E :D
    Downloads-
    Modified boot.img- http://bit.ly/1MVtrNr Thanks to @Chainfire ONLY FOR build no mdb08i as of now! Do not flash on any other build!
    TWRP recovery image- https://dl.twrp.me/bullhead Thanks to @Dees_Troy
    SuperSU zip- https://download.chainfire.eu/743/SuperSU Thanks to @Chainfire

    Modified boot images for all nexus devices- http://bit.ly/modifiedbootimages Thanks to @Chainfire
    7
    Ok guys,

    I unlocked and decrypted my 5X.

    Speed increase is very noticeable. Apps open instantly on the first launch from a reboot. Once they are in memory it's just blistering. It wasn't this noticeable when I decrypted my Nexus 6.

    I did not root so Android pay still works. I just wanted decrypted without root.

    Update: Interestingly though, benchmarks are scoring lower now than what I am seeing on a bunch of benchmark videos on the 5X. Google may have optimizations for encryption?
    Real world use seems quicker but if you are about to do this to your own 5X run a few benchmarks before and after for the hell of it. Might be interesting.

    Update 2: My bad. The benchmark decrease was caused by Google syncing 40 metric ass-tons of my data in the background. I only mentioned Benchmarks at all because it was such a drastic difference. Everything looks ok now.
    2
    guys, i just got a Android System Update for November's security patches, i have modified boot and custom kernel, also Selinux permissible and encription disable, since its security patches its ok to restart/install? thanks in advanced.

    You probably shouldn't attempt to install OTAs if you are running a custom kernel and modified boot.img. If you have TWRP recovery installed, it simply won't install. If you have stock recovery, there is the possibility that it will install and render the device unbootable.

    The process for me for updating to build MDB08M was to download the zip file, and then flash:
    radio-bullhead-xxxxxxx.img
    bootloader-bullhead-xxxxx.img
    boot.img (might be unnecessary, since we will flash a modified version later on.)
    cache.img
    system.img
    vendor.img

    While ignoring these:
    recovery.img (would overwrite TWRP)
    userdata.img (would erase your data)

    I used this guide for the syntax and order for flashing, especially part 8. "How To Flash The Factory Images (And Return To Stock)". We're not going back to stock 100% but the process for flashing is very similar.

    Before you reboot, flash the modified boot.img for your build (this allows your data to remain unencrypted and allows you to install SuperSU afterwards):
    http://xdaforums.com/nexus-5x/gener...-beginners-t3206930/post63781454#post63781454

    At this point I would do a regular boot just to make sure everything is working correctly.

    Then you would flash your custom kernel again if you wanted to (I believe flashing system.img will bring you back to the stock kernel). Also this is the point where you would install the SuperSU zip in TWRP if you wanted to root.
    2
    hello, what about current 6.0.1 ? if i do understand everything correctly, we need a new boot.img, right?

    Here is the modified boot.img for the first 6.0.1 release