How to root the Amazon FireTV

[FRooter]

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[sammy98]

I just opened up my firetv to look what should be done.

The pins are tiny - but not really a problem. The problem is, you have to remove or cut open the shield around the cpu to get the clk line.
On the picture of the emmc pinout, they removed the flash chip and the shield on top is already cut open.The picture is also lacking the pinout of vss and cmd
So only for the hard ones - and i am out now

Sammy98

 

[Luxferro]

I just opened up my firetv to look what should be done.

The pins are tiny - but not really a problem. The problem is, you have to remove or cut open the shield around the cpu to get the clk line.
On the picture of the emmc pinout, they removed the flash chip and the shield on top is already cut open.The picture is also lacking the pinout of vss and cmd
So only for the hard ones - and i am out now

Sammy98

Shields should just pop off. They removed the EMMC to ohm out the locations of the pins to other components, as seen on the bank of resistor contacts between the CPU and EMMC. You wouldn't need to remove the EMMC. Also CMD is shown, and VCC and VSS could be gotten for any other chip that uses the same supply voltages, which is likely a lot of the chips on board.

Here's a high res photo from iFixit: https://d3nevzfk7ii3be.cloudfront.net/igi/34OAJmxtAhMOgFDZ.huge

 

[sammy98]

Alright. Didnt notice you can pop off the shield. In older mobiles i often desoldered it. I know i dont have to desolder the chip...
Will probably play with it when the second ftv arrives

Sammy98

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[kairnage]

It's odd how much effort they have put into blocking root on the FTV yet on the Kindle Fire HDX they have updated a few times in the last couple of months and Towelroot v1 still restores root with no issues.

 

[simondo22]

Can someone show the points to solder vss and vcc?


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[superkoal]

Can someone show the points to solder vss and vcc?

They will be connected to the board's general power lines/planes, so usually you should be able to access them on some resistors/caps/planes on the pcb. Don't know about the vcc voltage or if the board uses different voltages though, so it would be best to check the datasheets of the emmc chip AND do measurements before you start soldering wires to the pins.

EDIT:
I think there should be a separate thread for this, as it's quite a different thing than using towelroot or any other software tool. Until there is a new linux kernel exploit this might also be the only way to root newer aftvs.

EDIT 2:
So I created a thread to collect information about hardware root via emmc chip
Link to the thread

 

[roligov]

Hopefully something comes of this attempted hardware root

 

[d1dd1]

It's odd how much effort they have put into blocking root on the FTV

Not much effort. Towelroot uses a known linux kernel bug.

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[stanleyopar2000]

Great find! Here's how to do it:

Either sideload Titanium Backup which includes SQLite3, or SQLite Installer for Root.

Connect to your Fire TV with adb, and launch a root shell:

adb start-server
adb connect x.x.x.x
adb shell
$ su

Edit the settings database with SQLite3 (I am using the TitaniumBackup binary; with the other one, you might not need to specify the path):

# /data/data/com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup/files/sqlite3 /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db
sqlite> SELECT * FROM global WHERE name="install_non_market_apps";
22|install_non_market_apps|0
sqlite> UPDATE global SET value=1 WHERE name="install_non_market_apps";
sqlite> SELECT * FROM global WHERE name="install_non_market_apps";
22|install_non_market_apps|1
sqlite> .quit

Reboot:

# reboot

This is for anyone who was too intimidated by the ADB commands or had problems

I had this same problem today...I couldn't get the ADB commands to work...But I found out it's done via SQLITE editing ...so I did another solution

*buy* (or find) SQLIte Editor...(or an app that can edit SQL database files) and sideload it.

Download LanMote Lite from the play store(you need mouse support) and Sideload it. Once done RUN LanMote Lite and start the server (Free version is limited to 30 minutes so act quickly) On your HTML 5 device (preferrably a smartphone or tablet) [PC works but mouse is slow and wonky] connect to the same wifi as the FTV (if you didnt do it already) and open your web browser and put in the address LANMOTE will show on the FTV (example http://xx.xx.xx:9999) also enable different cursor.

Go to FTV home and go to settings>>APPLICATIONS >> your SQLITE editing program.
(in SQLITE Editor) Allow SU permisions and use your amazon remote (it works for simple navigation for now) to go to FILES TAB and go to
DATA>>>DATA>>>com.android.providers.settings >>SETTINGS.DB
go to the GLOBAL folder. You should see a list with different settings (BE CAREFUL)

(now this is where you need a mouse)

on your HTML 5 device (smartphone) go the MOUSE Tab and use the mouse pad to mouse near the entry that says INSTALL_NON_MARKET_APPS you will notice that default for this option is 0 (which means off/ disabled) Mouse over the 0 and tap the "click" button on your HTML device. you will notice the entire row becomes gray.

Use your Amazon Remote and click EDIT RECORD. cursor down to the 0 and change it to a 1

use your remote and scroll below it should give a CANCEL and SAVE button. Click save with the remote.

go back to home and enjoy sideloading unknown sources.

 

[inwisso]

Here is a way to root :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Kbk12R_DI&list=PLq4EPW92B28eDxt-e-tKL1oRDw7A6-CtT&index=2

Then a list for all you need to know/how to root :
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq4EPW92B28eDxt-e-tKL1oRDw7A6-CtT

 

[sammy98]

Here is a way to root :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3Kbk12R_DI&list=PLq4EPW92B28eDxt-e-tKL1oRDw7A6-CtT&index=2

Then a list for all you need to know/how to root :
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq4EPW92B28eDxt-e-tKL1oRDw7A6-CtT

Dude read again the threads containing firetv and root. If it could be done with software, we were not in need to solder to the firetv chipsets....

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[inwisso]

It is the same software jute in a video watch be for you write...

 

[sammy98]

It is the same software jute in a video watch be for you write...

And you should learn to use a forum and not to spam the threads. Towelroot does not work an the latest firmware, we tried to root here. But you are not the only "no-searcher" ... http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/general/possibility-to-root-fire-tv-fire-os-t2911813

 

[inwisso]

If you failed to root let others get root , there is people that what to know how to block Update to keep a routable software like what I showed in the "all you need to know/how to root" list... there is no harm of sharing. I have rooted 2 Fire TV so I'm experience and my goal is to help.
Sorry anyway you are right in the end Peace.

 

[sammy98]

If you failed to root let others get root , there is people that what to know how to block Update to keep a routable software like what I showed in the "all you need to know/how to root" list... there is no harm of sharing. I have rooted 2 Fire TV so I'm experience and my goal is to help.
Sorry anyway you are right in the end Peace.

We are talking here about a ftv version that CANNOT be rooted and the ftv is sold with them. So no block and no towelroot in this thread. We have plently of threads here covering block and get root with older version. So post there

 

[inwisso]

Thank you for your advice

 

[0xi]

Good stuff, thought I had the update domains blocked in my router but wanted to disable updates on the system too just to be sure. I do the pm disable amazon thing for the whole service and then the next day AFTV has restarted and is mysteriously restored completely to factory defaults. Still have the early software it shipped with so no big deal but pretty annoyed, go to root it again and reinstall everything later and hooray it's already updated itself to the newest firmware so that won't be possible. I'm just wondering what the hell caused it to reset itself and eventually screw me out of root access.

 

[altanava]

Firmware version rootable?

Hello! I just got the Fire TV and did the stupid thing connected and got the last Software version, its has 51.1.4.1 is it rootable?

Thanks

 

[rubinho]

No