How To Guide [GUIDE][HowTo] Unlock and root Nothing Phone (1)

[Pho3nX]

ANNOUNCEMENT: I'M STOPPING THE FOLLOW UP AND UPDATE OF THIS TOPIC TODAY, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO TAKE OVER, CONTACT THE MODERATOR IN THIS LINK.

THE TOPIC REMAINS AS IT IS AND WILL NOT BE UPDATED ANYMORE (BY ME ANYWAY!)

GOOD CONTINUATION TO ALL​

Hey everyone,

It's been a few days since the Phone(1) went on sale. And already, Nothing is doing things right by making the Phone(1) Kernel available. The next step was to unlock the bootloader and root it. Both are already available and ready to use.
So don't deprive yourself and here is the process of the two operations.

You've already unlocked the bootloader and rooted a carrierless variant of either a Google Pixel or OnePlus, you should have no problem unlocking your Nothing Phone (1) and installing Magisk. For those of you with a memory lapse, here is a tutorial to guide you through the process.

- Disclaimer: I don't take any responsibility for anything you do to your tablet, which is to transform it into brick, break, or transform it into coffee machine - ​

How to bootloader unlock and root the Nothing Phone 1​

After unlocking the bootloader, you can use Magisk to root the device.
You must first unlock the bootloader in order to be able to start third-party software. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Unlock the Nothing Phone 1’s bootloader​

1. Open the Settings app on your Nothing Phone 1.
2. Tap on About phone.
3. Locate the section named Software info and tap on it.
4. On the next screen, tap on the Build number 7 times until it says you’re now a developer.
5. Go back to the main Settings page, tap on System, and near the bottom of the list, you should see Developer options. Tap on it.
6. You should see an OEM unlocking option. Enable it. For security purposes, it may ask you to input your lock screen PIN/password if you have one set.
7. Scroll down a bit until you see USB debugging. Enable it as well.
8. Plug in your Nothing Phone 1 into your PC/Mac/Chromebook. Make sure you have the Latest version of ADB and Fastboot (33.0.3) binaries installed.
9. Now open up a terminal window/Command Prompt instance and enter the following command: adb devices
10. If you see your device’s serial number and it says “authorized,” then you’re good to go. If this is your first time setting up ADB for this device, then you may see a prompt on your phone to enable USB Debugging for your PC. Grant it permission.
    • If you’re having trouble getting your Windows PC to recognize your device, try installing the latest Android USB Drivers.
11. Now, reboot to the bootloader menu. You can either do this by holding the power and volume down buttons while booting up, or by entering the following ADB command: adb reboot bootloader
12. Once you’re on the bootloader menu, you’ll now have to switch to using fastboot command to communicate with your device. To unlock the Nothing Phone 1’s bootloader, enter the following command: fastboot flashing unlock
    • In case you need to flash low-level firmware partitions like the bootloader images, you will have to execute another command afterwards: fastboot flashing unlock_critical
      [NOT A MANDATORY TO UNLOCK CRITICAL, IT'S FOR ME BETTER TO NOT USE THIS COMMAND, THIS COMMAND COULD BE THE REASON SOME PEOPLE HAVE BRICK OR NOT WHEN GO BACK STOCK NOS]
13. You should now see text on screen warning you about the potential risks of unlocking the bootloader. On the screen next to the power and volume buttons, you should see some text. Press the volume up key until it says “unlock the bootloader.” Once it says this, press the power button.
14. The phone will unlock the bootloader and reboot back to the bootloader menu. This time, the bootloader will show a red warning icon and “unlocked” text.
15. Now, reboot your phone back to the Android OS. You can do this by sending the following fastboot command: fastboot reboot
16. Congratulations, your Nothing Phone 1 now has an unlocked bootloader!
17. You’ll see a warning message that your phone’s bootloader is unlocked on every boot, but don’t worry about that as it doesn’t affect your day-to-day use.

Step 2 - Rooting your Nothing Phone 1 with Magisk​

With an unlocked bootloader, you can now boot modified boot images. For Magisk to work, you’ll need to patch the Nothing Phone 1’s stock boot image.

1. Since your device has been wiped earlier, you’ll need to go back and re-enable Developer Options and then re-enable USB Debugging. Make sure your Nothing Phone 1 is still recognized by your PC.
2. Download the full OTA package corresponding to the installed software version on the Nothing Phone 1.
   • Depending of your model, you have Global or EEA (European) firmware availables.
     You can download the latest full OTA firmware package here.
3. Extract the stock boot image from the OTA package. For more information, take a look the “You have access to the recovery-flashable ZIP file” section our “How to Install Magisk on your Android Phone” tutorial.
   • In case you don’t want to download the whole OTA file, you can separately download the boot image just to the post #2 or from this post. However, to avoid version mismatch and other unforeseen errors, it is always advised to extract the boot image yourself.
4. Now that we have the stock boot image to patch, push it to your device with this command: adb push <path_to_file> /sdcard/Download
5. Download and install the Magisk app on the Nothing Phone 1.
6. Open the Magisk app and tap on the Install button.
7. Choose Select and Patch a File. A file manager will pop up.
8. Select the boot image that you pushed earlier and let Magisk patch it.
9. Pull it off your phone with this command: adb pull /sdcard/Download/magisk_patched_[random_strings].img
10. Reboot the Phone 1 into the bootloader: adb reboot bootloader
11. Flash the patched boot image: fastboot flash boot /path/to/magisk_patched_boot.img
12. Reboot the phone: fastboot reboot
13. Open the Magisk app and your Nothing Phone 1 should be rooted.

Keep in mind that unlocking the bootloader and rooting your Nothing Phone 1 will impact how you take advantage of updates. You'll have to learn to manually load monthly security patch updates. But don't worry, it's easy enough to do.​

-=o#0#o=-​

WARNING: I wrote this step to allow you to re-lock your bootloader, but it seems that for this step, there are some problems. So after this warning, if you continue on this path, I could not be held responsible for what you will have as a result: soft-bricked, bootloop, etc.​

Spoiler: Relock the bootloader of your Phone(1)

menu. You can either do this by holding the power and volume down buttons while booting up, or by entering the following ADB command: adb reboot bootloader
[*]Once you’re on the bootloader menu, you’ll now have to switch to using fastboot command to communicate with your device. To unlock the Nothing Phone 1’s bootloader, enter the following command: fastboot flashing lock
[*]Reboot your phone back to the Android OS. You can do this by sending the following fastboot command: fastboot reboot

Many thanks to Skanda Hazarika for his tutorial which you can read on the xda news page.
And thanks to Qiyue_ for the 1st Boot Magisk Patched for the Phone1

#root #nothingphone

 

[Pho3nX]

Unbricking Nothing phone 1: Flash Stock Firmware with Fastboot

- Disclaimer: I don't take any responsibility for anything you do to your tablet, which is to transform it into brick, break, or transform it into coffee machine -​

Warning : The process below will erase all the data on your device. So, I invite you to make a full backup of the device beforehand.
Unfortunately, as I don't own the Phone(1) yet, I am unable to take screenshots with the Phone(1) at the moment. As soon as I can, I will put them online to finalize the tutorial. Thank you for your understanding


STEP 1: What you need and read before the process.
It’s really important for a process without problems

1. Install Android SDK and the Platform-tools folder
2. Download the Nothing OS version you need (see this post)
3. Extract the "payload bin" file from the rom
4. Extract the Firmware Stock "boot.img" from the rom (see this tutorial)
5. Unlock the bootloader of your Phone(1) (see this tutorial)

STEP 2: Boot the bricked phone 1 into Fastboot mode
Very often, a soft-bricked or boot-looped device may already be in Fastboot mode. However, if you are stuck in a boot-loop, long press the Power key to turn it off.

Then press and hold the Power and Volume Down keys (or Power and Volume Up keys on some devices) simultaneously to boot your device into Fastboot mode.

In case you are unable to turn off your device, let the battery discharge. Once it is drained, connect it to the charger. Then, as soon as it is about to start, use the Power and Volume Up/Down keys and it will start directly in Fastboot mode.


STEP 3: Format the device via Fastboot
1.Go to the platform-tools folder where the extracted ROM is located.
2.Then go to its address bar, type CMD in its address, and press Enter. This will launch the CMD window.
3.Now run the following command to perform a factory reset (optional but recommended)

fastboot -w

STEP 4: Flash the Nothing Phone 1 firmware via the Fastboot commands

1. Run the commands below in the CMD window [which is open in the platform-tools folder] to flash the partition file.
2. Very Important: Only run one command at a time. If you get an error, however, do not exit the process halfway, but go on to the next flashing command instead.
3. Don't forget to check your command line before validating it, because often a small error blocks you!

Spoiler: Command Lines

fastboot flash abl abl.img

fastboot flash aop aop.img

fastboot flash bluetooth bluetooth.img

fastboot flash boot boot.img

fastboot flash cpucp cpucp.img

fastboot flash devcfg devcfg.img

flash fastboot dsp dsp.img

flash fastboot dtbo dtbo.img

fastboot flash featenabler featenabler.img

fastboot flash hyp hyp.img

fastboot flash imagefv imagefv.img

fastboot flash keymaster keymaster.img

fastboot flash modem modem.img

fastboot flash multiimgoem multiimgoem.img

fastboot flash odm odm.img fastboot

fastboot flash product product.img

fastboot flash qupfw qupfw.img

flash fastboot shrm shrm.img

flash fastboot system system.img

flash fastboot system_ext system_ext.img

flash fastboot tz tz.img

flash fastboot uefisecapp uefisecapp.img

flash fastboot vbmeta vbmeta.img

flash fastboot vbmeta_system vbmeta_system.img

fastboot flash vendor vendor.img

fastboot flash vendor_boot vendor_boot.img

flash fastboot xbl xbl.img

fastboot flash xbl_config xbl_config.img

Step 5: If you have not had any errors, then you can run the command below to boot your device onto the operating system.

fastboot reboot

Well done , you have just debricked your Nothing Phone 1 by flashing the stock firmware via the fastboot commands.
I hope this tutorial has helped you find your Phone(1).
Thanks

 

[Pho3nX]

Reserved

 

[Pho3nX]

FILES FOR NOTHING OS - (stock-boot, etc. )
UPDATE 15/12/2022


Stock_Boot for Nothing OS here

Be carefull, be sure to select the good Stock Boot "Global" or "EEA" for your device.​

 

[Pho3nX]

Extract Payload.bin via Payload Dumper Go

To start, download the payload-dumper-go 1.0.0 from Github [Credits: XDA Member @ssssut].

Then extract it to any convenient location on your PC. The file name will be something like payload-dumper-go_1.0.0_windows_amd64.

Rename it to payload-dumper-go.

Next, download the liblzma-5.dll file and transfer it to the same folder where the payload-dumper-go.exe file is located.

After that, transfer the payload.bin file to this folder as well.

So, from now on, you should have the 3 files payload-dumper-go.exe, payload.bin and liblzma-5.dll in one folder.

Now go to the address bar of that folder, type "cmd" and press Enter. This will launch the command prompt window.

Type the command below to extract the payload.bin file:

payload-dumper-go payload.bin

The extraction process will now begin and will only take a few seconds.

Once this is done, all extracted files will be placed in a folder named extract_date_time which is created in this directory like this name : extracted_20220731_145751

The process is very simple and very fast. Anyone can do it. So don't hesitate, you have everything you need to do this yourself.
it's up to you now
If this has helped you, and if you appreciate my help.
Thanks

 

[Krullendhaar]

Is it possible to relock the bootloader?
Is it possible to relock the bootloader on an third party ROM?

 

[Active-Hawk]

@Sib64 does the device keep Widevine L1 when the bootloader has been unlocked?

 

[Displax]

Is it possible to relock the bootloader?

Yes.

Is it possible to relock the bootloader on an third party ROM?

No.

 

[lauwie007]

Could you also do a tutorial on how to update the OS when you're rooted?

 

[QTeknology]

I hope to find an EDL QPST full rom... better to stay safe and restore It in any case...
Mod is coming...

 

[ErChisus]

I tried this with the latest 1.1.0 ROM (got the ROM from https://www.xda-developers.com/nothing-phone-1-nothing-os-1-1-0-update/) but after relocking the bootloader the phone says that it's corrupt and can't get to boot Android.

 

[Naveenakash]

I tried this with the latest 1.1.0 ROM (got the ROM from https://www.xda-developers.com/nothing-phone-1-nothing-os-1-1-0-update/) but after relocking the bootloader the phone says that it's corrupt and can't get to boot Android.

Is rooting success with 1.1.0 Rom?

 

[ErChisus]

Is rooting success with 1.1.0 Rom?

I didn't try it with an actual app, but it was showing properly in Magisk. But bootloader needs to stay unlocked.

 

[Naveenakash]

I tried this with the latest 1.1.0 ROM (got the ROM from https://www.xda-developers.com/nothing-phone-1-nothing-os-1-1-0-update/) but after relocking the bootloader the phone says that it's corrupt and can't get to boot Android.

Did you fix that issue?

 

[ErChisus]

Did you fix that issue?

I didn't. I'm trying to factory reset the phone, but I can't seem to flash the ROM from bootloader.

 

[lba810701]

I tried this with the latest 1.1.0 ROM (got the ROM from https://www.xda-developers.com/nothing-phone-1-nothing-os-1-1-0-update/) but after relocking the bootloader the phone says that it's corrupt and can't get to boot Android.

Hi! I don't know what the best solution would be, but I would definitely try it if I access the fastboot mode from recovery, reunlock the previously modded and closed bootloader, that is currently on the phone. Ater restarting the phone and its boots up, i would put back the one corresponding to the original software's in recovery fastboot mode and then close it. if the phone started, I do the next sw ota update, restart it and patch its bootloader with magic, then open again the new sw's bootloader from fastboot then flash the magisk patched one. But with thiese solution, you will lose all of your data and application from the phone, same like after you first unlocked the bootloader. ( like factory reset ). I hope it's understandable, unfortunately my English is not very good.

 

[ErChisus]

No matter from which partition (A/B)

Hi! I don't know what the best solution would be, but I would definitely try it if I access the fastboot mode from recovery, reunlock the previously modded and closed bootloader, that is currently on the phone. Ater restarting the phone and its boots up, i would put back the one corresponding to the original software's in recovery fastboot mode and then close it. if the phone started, I do the next sw ota update, restart it and patch its bootloader with magic, then open again the new sw's bootloader from fastboot then flash the magisk patched one. But with thiese solution, you will lose all of your data and application from the phone, same like after you first unlocked the bootloader. ( like factory reset ). I hope it's understandable, unfortunately my English is not very good.

I'm just testing the phone (driving another one yet) so I have no issues with losing data. But the only thing that worked for me was to unlock again the bootloader and then change the active partition (from B to A) within fastboot. After that I could boot the system and do a factory reset.
My issue now is that I'm still with an unlocked bootloader and whether I lock it with one partition marked as active or the other I can't boot to system.

 

[lba810701]

No matter from which partition (A/B)

I'm just testing the phone (driving another one yet) so I have no issues with losing data. But the only thing that worked for me was to unlock again the bootloader and then change the active partition (from B to A) within fastboot. After that I could boot the system and do a factory reset.
My issue now is that I'm still with an unlocked bootloader and whether I lock it with one partition marked as active or the other I can't boot to system.

And what if you flash back the original bootloader to over the unlocked one, and after it you close it, not the modded one?

 

[ErChisus]

No matter from which partition (A/B)

I'm just testing the phone (driving another one yet) so I have no issues with losing data. But the only thing that worked for me was to unlock again the bootloader and then change the active partition (from B to A) within fastboot. After that I could boot the system and do a factory reset.
My issue now is that I'm still with an unlocked bootloader and whether I lock it with one partition marked as active or the other I can't boot to system.

Also, doing a factory reset from recovery doesn't relock the bootloader either.

 

[ErChisus]

I've tried now to sideload the .zip but it seems that even the supposed 1.1.0 full OTA zip available in the other post is older than my current ROM, so it can't be flashed like that. I'll have to wait for the next update.