[GUIDE][ROOT][RECOVERY][4.4.2] Lenovo A3500-H

[Sam Nakamura]

To Sam's Nakamura.
Hi Sam! I lost root privilege awhile ago so I installed Magisk manager but it didn't work till I converted to SYSTEMLESS .Then I got the boot image patched , flashed it but when I tried to flash Magisk 14.0 ,got the message'BOOT IMAGE NOT FOUND",
Got the same message when flashing SuperSU.
Where might the problem be?
Thank You in Advance!
Also I'm constantly out of space though I have a few applications installed and my emmc is 16GB.Applyinga screenshot.

Edit:Look how much space the system files occupy (impossible) and how much the applications.
Maybe I should flash the original image back to fix the space issue?

The issue is that due to the porting of the kernel it's somewhat messed up and neither SuperSU nor Magisk will be able to just patch this kernel, as I already explained (several times) SuperSU will only work in system mode, not systemless (use TWRP's terminal emulator and enter the according command lines to force system mode as the SuperSU somehow wrongly decides to use systemless mode) and magisk will only work if you install magisk manager apk (latest probably) press install and choose patch boot image (of course you need to extract the boot image first from the rom zip) after its being patched you can flash it in twrp (install image, choose boot partition), I actually wrote all the information already down, you should be able to find the respective posts by searching the last few pages...

I have no idea what apps you installed but you can check with settings -> apps or you use any storage analytics app from store and decide what to uninstall, I use a 32GB SD CARD in addition and never had such problems..

Good luck

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[jimmy19742]

The issue is that due to the porting of the kernel it's somewhat messed up and neither SuperSU nor Magisk will be able to just patch this kernel, as I already explained (several times) SuperSU will only work in system mode, not systemless (use TWRP's terminal emulator and enter the according command lines to force system mode as the SuperSU somehow wrongly decides to use systemless mode) and magisk will only work if you install magisk manager apk (latest probably) press install and choose patch boot image (of course you need to extract the boot image first from the rom zip) after its being patched you can flash it in twrp (install image, choose boot partition), I actually wrote all the information already down, you should be able to find the respective posts by searching the last few pages...

Good luck

Hi Sam, of course I followed all these steps about Magisk! Even dirty reflashed the ROM!
.However I had no success in rooting with SuperSU that's why I switched to SYSTEMLESS
I know the code you provided for a SYSTEMLY ROM but I changed the value to to TRUE!
High five!
Didn't mean to make you bored.I memorize well + plus selfstudy LINUX.
Kind regards!
Edit: Magisk can't be installed without Magisk manager.Only via it.

 

[Sam Nakamura]

New my ports https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/development/aex-n-viper-n-lineage14-port-t3711287

Thanks for sharing, I just saw your post on 4pda.ru :highfive: you're probably the most active person porting ROMs at the moment and since quite a while, I'm still on your lineageOS 13 because of the haunted Bluetooth on all nougat ROMs, otherwise they work just flawlessly, anyways I'm a big fan of all you did for this old low end device, you actually still kept me from buying a new one nice to see you around here..

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---------- Post added at 07:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:59 PM ----------

Hi Sam, of course I followed all these steps about Magisk! Even dirty reflashed the ROM!
.However I had no success in rooting with SuperSU that's why I switched to SYSTEMLESS
I know the code you provided for a SYSTEMLY ROM but I changed the value to to TRUE!
High five!
Didn't mean to make you bored.I memorize well + plus selfstudy LINUX.
Kind regards!

Don't take me too seriously, didn't meant to be harsh or anything I actually enjoy your presence as you probably know :good:

So it's working now?

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[jimmy19742]

Actually I'm going to flash to the the original boot image in a couple of minutes because a lot of applications like Chrome and many others fail to start .
Probably will root it with KINGROOT 5.4.0 when it will come out .It might be out already though!
Regards!

 

[mihael zzzzz]

Thanks for sharing, I just saw your post on 4pda.ru :highfive: you're probably the most active person porting ROMs at the moment and since quite a while, I'm still on your lineageOS 13 because of the haunted Bluetooth on all nougat ROMs, otherwise they work just flawlessly, anyways I'm a big fan of all you did for this old low end device, you actually still kept me from buying a new one nice to see you around here..

Sent from my OnePlus 3T using XDA Labs

---------- Post added at 07:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:59 PM ----------


Don't take me too seriously, didn't meant to be harsh or anything I actually enjoy your presence as you probably know :good:

So it's working now?

Sent from my OnePlus 3T using XDA Labs

try this bt fix link https://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=671898&view=findpost&p=67534954 or https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZkXOhvJvxgAsp6GXHj1kF1ptNGaplN9_

 

[Sam Nakamura]

try this bt fix link https://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=671898&view=findpost&p=67534954 or https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZkXOhvJvxgAsp6GXHj1kF1ptNGaplN9_

You're my personal hero now :victory: it worked on first attempt, finally nougat, Substratum, magisk - yeah baby!

Is it actually all right for you when we share your stuff here? just thought people should know about it, this is a largely unsupported device outside the Russian forums...

If not just say a thing...


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[jimmy19742]

Congrats ,Sam! You finally got the so disarmed ROM!7.12 Viper OS
Thanks, Michael!
Sam , would like to ask you to look at this images ( during your free time while listening via your Bluetooth speakers ??)
And if the ROM is stable would you upload in Google drive and share it!
Here are the images

 

[jimmy19742]

Failed to upload it in the previous post

 

[jimmy19742]

It can't upload the images!
Sorry!
I'll explain':,switched back to SYSTEMLY
Flashed SuperSU
Boot patcher can't find the boot.img again.
So if this new ROM is prerooted, I'm eager to try it!
But don't be in a hurry!
Enjoy the benefits of Nougat!:laugh:

 

[Sam Nakamura]

It can't upload the images!
Sorry!
I'll explain':,switched back to SYSTEMLY
Flashed SuperSU
Boot patcher can't find the boot.img again.
So if this new ROM is prerooted, I'm eager to try it!
But don't be in a hurry!
Enjoy the benefits of Nougat!:laugh:

Careful, you have misspelling in the command line, it's like this :

echo SYSTEMLESS=false>> /data/.supersu

(if done correctly this will not produce any output)

Go ahead and flash latest available SuperSU

This will install SuperSU in system mode, it's not possible to patch the kernel for a systemless installation on our device, so for a successful installation of SuperSU it's mandatory to force the boot image patcher to do it in system mode, it somehow falsely decides to do it systemlessly, which won't work...
I would (dirty) flash the ROM before flashing SuperSU, just to be sure you didn't mess up the kernel with the failed attempts...



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[jimmy19742]

Careful, you have misspelling in the command line, it's like this :

echo SYSTEMLESS=false>> /data/.supersu

(if done correctly this will not produce any output)

Go ahead and flash latest available SuperSU

This will install SuperSU in system mode, it's not possible to patch the kernel for a systemless installation on our device, so for a successful installation of SuperSU it's mandatory to force the boot image patcher to do it in system mode, it somehow falsely decides to do it systemlessly, which won't work...
I would (dirty) flash the ROM before flashing SuperSU, just to be sure you didn't mess up the kernel with the failed attempts...

I



I followed your advice but it didn't work for me.Tried Magisk again but the same.
Anyway, it doesn't worry me at all.I mostly listen to music on this tablet.

But Sam , could you tell me two things:

1)How do I find the buttons on extended mode (because I couldn't find them on ViperOS
2)What were Your impressions of ViperOS?It also runs 7.1.2

Thank You in Advance!

 

[Sam Nakamura]

I



I followed your advice but it didn't work for me.Tried Magisk again but the same.
Anyway, it doesn't worry me at all.I mostly listen to music on this tablet.

But Sam , could you tell me two things:

1)How do I find the buttons on extended mode (because I couldn't find them on ViperOS
2)What were Your impressions of ViperOS?It also runs 7.1.2

Thank You in Advance!

No idea about viperOS really, haven't checked it thoroughly but I assume you mean the the problem that the software buttons / navigation bar is missing on first boot?
Just activate them in the ROM settings, that's what I did when I booted it once to check Bluetooth, this was before the fix arrived so I ditched it immediately but I remember the missing navigation bar...

Regarding supersu, before you attempt to flash the supersu zip carefully type
echo SYSTEMLESS=false>> /data/.supersu
And hit enter, now flash supersu zip...
Careful as there's on space between
echo SYSTEMLESS=false>>(space)/data/.supersu
Also flash the ROM again before starting to root, this will restore kernel and system to its default, you won't lose data...

Which viperOS version (or ROM) do you attempt to root with magisk? I could patch the kernel for you and upload it, so you would only have to flash the boot.img with TWRP and install magisk manager apk...

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[jimmy19742]

THANK YOU,SAM!
I'm still with RR 5.8.4 and will try now to force it back again to SYSTEMLY. I've been trying to root it with Magisk so I switched to SYSTEMLESS.Though it patched the boot image and I replaced the default one via TWRP I could not get root I'm curious if ViperOS is better but I doubt it.There are a lot of good things in RR
But it's not a huge problem.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN!
Have a nice day!?

 

[Sam Nakamura]

THANK YOU,SAM!
I'm still with RR 5.8.4 and will try now to force it back again to SYSTEMLY. I've been trying to root it with Magisk so I switched to SYSTEMLESS.Though it patched the boot image and I replaced the default one via TWRP I could not get root I'm curious if ViperOS is better but I doubt it.There are a lot of good things in RR
But it's not a huge problem.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN!
Have a nice day!?

All right, I'm also still using latest RR 5.8.4 and I can confirm that magisk works absolutely flawlessly, running 10 modules in addition...
I used magisk 14.0 (stable), beginning with installing magisk manager to patch the boot image, replacing it via TWRP and after reboot magisk manager works, confirming I'm rooted systemlessly, full functional...

Let me know if you need any help, I could assist you or share my boot image backup to restore via TWRP... Just say something

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[jimmy19742]

All right, I'm also still using latest RR 5.8.4 and I can confirm that magisk works absolutely flawlessly, running 10 modules in addition...
I used magisk 14.0 (stable), beginning with installing magisk manager to patch the boot image, replacing it via TWRP and after reboot magisk manager works, confirming I'm rooted systemlessly, full functional...

Let me know if you need any help, I could assist you or share my boot image backup to restore via TWRP... Just say something

Yes,if it's not a problem , would you upload the patched boot image because yesterday I followed your instructions to switch to SYSTEMLY but they failed because SuperSU always detected SYSTEMLESS.
Thank You for being so kind!
Thank You in Advance! Just woke up!

Edit: Because I was absent minded I performed a clean re-installation of RR5.8.4 yesterday.?

 

[Sam Nakamura]

Yes,if it's not a problem , would you upload the patched boot image because yesterday I followed your instructions to switch to SYSTEMLY but they failed because SuperSU always detected SYSTEMLESS.
Thank You for being so kind!
Thank You in Advance! Just woke up!

Edit: Because I was absent minded I performed a clean re-installation of RR5.8.4 yesterday.?

Here we go:
RR N patched boot to flash via TWRP
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bOwRagzrMKMa1L2JbT7gsdLtYwM0ySO0/view?usp=drivesdk
then install magisk manager 5.4.3 apk from here:
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/topjo...se/magisk-manager-5-4-3-android-apk-download/
Maybe reboot and you should be good to go....

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[jimmy19742]

Here we go:
RR N patched boot to flash via TWRP
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bOwRagzrMKMa1L2JbT7gsdLtYwM0ySO0/view?usp=drivesdk
then install magisk manager 5.4.3 apk from here:
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/topjo...se/magisk-manager-5-4-3-android-apk-download/
Maybe reboot and you should be good to go....

It's really a pleasure to gain back root privilege!
I guess I have downloaded a wrong Magisk manager before!
Thank You ,Sam!:good:

Edit:
I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP!

 

[Sam Nakamura]

It's really a pleasure to gain back root privilege!
I guess I have downloaded a wrong Magisk manager before!
Thank You ,Sam!:good:

Edit:
I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP!

Nothing to worry, it's a pleasure any time when it finally works out...
--------------------
Could very well be, it will lead to issues if magisk manager and the patched kernel don't fit well enough, anyways - have fun!
--------------------
By the way, rooting with magisk requires certain knowledge, especially when you plan to use the potential of the magisk modules, this can lead into bootloop (!) but easy to fix, use either "magisk manager for recovery mode" from the magisk download section or a module called "magisk mount", this is the only way to get rid of some faulty module, download the modules/zips beforehand, if you ever get into trouble flash them...
It's generally a very good thing to read the magisk FAQ once!

Magisk Mount
https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/collection-magisk-modules-t3445257/page1

Magisk troubleshooting
https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445/page1


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[BobToss]

Sam Nakamura, Thanks so much for all your posts. I've read many and learnt a lot. Please could you help me with an issue I have installing custom ROMs on 3500-f.
I've installed a number of ROMs posted in this thread (most recently RR 5.8) using TWRP 3.1.1 I go from Stock ROM, wipe Dalvik Cache, System and Cache, then install Custom ROM and Gapps.
Everything works fine except I'm not able to access the internal SD card via file manager or within apps - it says "/SD Card not found!" I'm not able to download content from a browser to the internal SD either. However, I am able to install apps to the internal SD using Google Play so clearly that can access and write to the internal storage. This happens with all the custom ROMs I've tried, however when I reflash the stock ROM everything works fine and both internal and external SD cards are available.

Any ideas or advice. Thanks so much.

 

[Sam Nakamura]

Sam Nakamura, Thanks so much for all your posts. I've read many and learnt a lot. Please could you help me with an issue I have installing custom ROMs on 3500-f.
I've installed a number of ROMs posted in this thread (most recently RR 5.8) using TWRP 3.1.1 I go from Stock ROM, wipe Dalvik Cache, System and Cache, then install Custom ROM and Gapps.
Everything works fine except I'm not able to access the internal SD card via file manager or within apps - it says "/SD Card not found!" I'm not able to download content from a browser to the internal SD either. However, I am able to install apps to the internal SD using Google Play so clearly that can access and write to the internal storage. This happens with all the custom ROMs I've tried, however when I reflash the stock ROM everything works fine and both internal and external SD cards are available.

Any ideas or advice. Thanks so much.

You did nothing wrong, I initially had issues with having the SD card recognized properly too... I just can't remember what I did, I need to check when I'm home from work having the device at hand - I use mixplorer and also the device itself has no issues using the SD card, it's definitely possible to fix, probably even simple...
I check it out later and see what I can tell you

By the way, I suggest you to use TWRP 3.0.2 for stability reasons, just remember that TWRP 3.1.1 uses a differently named folder for backup, so you cannot see previously made backups on the other TWRP version, just copy & paste the files from /TWRP/BACKUP/000000000 to /TWRP/BACKUP/lenovo a7 (and vice versa) to make them appear in your booted TWRP -> restore

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