May 2020 QQ2A.200501.001.B2 "FLAME" Magisk-Patched Boot Img [+UPDATE/KEEP ROOT GUIDE]

[i5lee8bit]

May 2020 QQ2A.200501.001.B2 "FLAME" Magisk-Patched Boot Img [+UPDATE/KEEP ROOT GUIDE]

Another month, another update. I'll keep churning out these patched / stock file uploads and easy noob-friendly update guides while guinea pigging the updates, so long as my area is still on lockdown and I'm not back to work yet, lol.

I've also installed and tested / verified that Kirisakura 4.2.0 is working great with this month's patch so far.
Also have EdXposed Canary 0.5.0.0 (4548) YAHFA installed. SafetyNet still passing as of now.

Magisk v20.4 Patched Boot Image: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=4349826312261796525
Factory Untouched Boot Image: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=4349826312261796524

THESE FILES ARE FOR 10.0.0 (QQ2A.200501.001.B2, May 2020, All carriers except TW) ONLY! PLEASE ONLY FLASH IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING!

If these files and/or guides are helpful, please drop a thanks and let me know. =)

 

[i5lee8bit]

EASY UPDATE / SEAMLESS KEEP-ROOT UPDATE PROCESS (using a PC - a very intuitive, effective, and relatively safe method).
** You can only follow this guide exactly if coming from build QQ2A.200405.005, Apr 2020. But the general idea is the same for other builds, you just need the correct files for your device.

flame-qq2a.200405.005-factory-dtbo.img: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=4349826312261796522
flame-qq2a.200405.005-factory-boot.img: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=4349826312261763724
May 2020 sideload OTA zip: https://dl.google.com/dl/android/aosp/flame-ota-qq2a.200501.001.b2-46940f66.zip

I DID NOT BOOT BACK INTO O/S UNTIL ALL STEPS WERE COMPLETED - I DID THIS TO ENSURE EVERYTHING WOULD BOOT BACK UP WITH MAGISK / EDXPOSED ALL RUNNING PROPERLY RIGHT AWAY

1. boot into bootloader
----------------
** I was on custom kernel, so I needed to flash BOTH the stock boot and dtbo images
2. fastboot flash boot flame-qq2a.200405.005-factory-boot.img
3. fastboot flash dtbo flame-qq2a.200405.005-factory-dtbo.img
......* these steps to restore stock recovery; dtbo.img also necessary for some kernel installations
-----------------
4. use volume keys to change selection to boot to Recovery Mode
......- when you reach the android symbol with No Command, hold power button, tap volume up, in case you've forgotten
5. choose option "Apply update from ADB"
6. adb sideload flame-ota-qq2a.200501.001.b2-46940f66.zip
7. Once the OTA sideload is done, Reboot to bootloader (you'll also notice it's now on the other slot after OTA flashed)
8. fastboot flash boot flame-qq2a.200501.001.b2-magisk_patched-20.4.img
9. done, start the phone
(Optional - Flash custom kernel. If you had a custom kernel, you need to re-flash it. I've only personally tested with Kirisakura though.)

This was a 100% seamless update that required no additional / re-setup of any of my Magisk or EdXposed setups. All of the factory files can be found here https://developers.google.com/android/images. boot.img and dtbo.img are in their corresponding full Factory Image zips, and the ota zip is under Full OTA Images.

 

[ahalol]

Thank you for making this so convenient!

 

[i5lee8bit]

Thank you for making this so convenient!

:highfive:

You can thank my wife for going with the P4 instead of P4XL . Now gives me 2 phones to keep up with, although they're basically identical in process. Might as well share with yall over on this board, which seems to get a little less love and attention. But we're definitely lovin the switch to Pixels. Awesome camera too, which is great because we just had our first child 4 months ago and these phones take amazing photos. And this is coming from 2 phones that already had great cameras (HTC U11 and U12+)! I love taking photos when he's sleeping using Night Sight mode. He's so adorable, it comes out so clean, and there's just something about that sleepy ambience .

 

[vdevl]

i just saw on my google news feed that the May patch just started dropping to our devices. i go check XDA and this post is already here. wow that was fast haha! went perfectly smoothly just like last month, thanks so much!!

 

[Vantskruv]

Why not update the OTA via Magisk, or is this only for those which devices is not able to download OTA:s?
Currently, I have rooted with Magisk, still waiting for OTA update notification in my device...

 

[redeyss]

Should i restore images in Magisk and/or disable any modules or just let 'er rip?!

 

[i5lee8bit]

Why not update the OTA via Magisk, or is this only for those which devices is not able to download OTA:s?
Currently, I have rooted with Magisk, still waiting for OTA update notification in my device...

Should i restore images in Magisk and/or disable any modules or just let 'er rip?!

@Vantskruv: FYI, you won't get the OTA update notification because you're modified right now. You can restore the boot image in Magisk first and wait for the OTA notification (what you're thinking of is something like this: https://xdaforums.com/pixel-4-xl/how-to/guide-update-retain-root-t4003839). But from what I understand, it's pretty hit or miss. Apparently it's hit or miss even on complete bone stock anyway lol. The method I outlined just works nice and reliably even when rooted and modded.

@redeyss: Restoring the stock boot image in Magisk Manager is similar to the method linked above, and then taking the OTA the normal way. But if you flashed a custom kernel, keep it mind it won't restore the dtbo partition (not sure if it's necessary with that method tbh). You shouldn't need to restore images in Magisk, nor diable any modules. When you flash the factory April boot and dtbo images, it's doing the same thing as restoring the images through Magisk (plus dtbo). Just let er rip, and if you have any issues, you can always flash the new unmodified factory boot image, which will essentially disable Magisk, and then work from there. It's a very safe method. =)

edit: also in the event of bootloop, this is a great thread to read and understand: https://xdaforums.com/pixel-4/how-to/magisk-modules-disabler-booting-magisk-t3991739

 

[Vantskruv]

Thank you @i5lee8bit for your answer. Luckily I have restrained myself yesterday to update, thought I where in the Pixel 4XL thread, while this is for the Pixel 4. :laugh:

I am just curious, do any of you expert guys/girls know why this is happening, that OTA updates is not pushed on rooted phones?
Do Google have algorithms that temporarily bans systems which is rooted?
Or is it so simple that some type of fingerprint is changed when rooted, so Google update services does not recognise the device, and not pushing OTA:s?

Sorry for the questions, no need to answer them. It was a long time ago I rooted Android:s, and I have forgot many things.

I think I will try to manually update everything, even though there are more steps included, just to learn how to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZY8qiz2SZ0

 

[i5lee8bit]

Thank you @i5lee8bit for your answer. Luckily I have restrained myself yesterday to update, thought I where in the Pixel 4XL thread, while this is for the Pixel 4. :laugh:

I am just curious, do any of you expert guys/girls know why this is happening, that OTA updates is not pushed on rooted phones?
Do Google have algorithms that temporarily bans systems which is rooted?
Or is it so simple that some type of fingerprint is changed when rooted, so Google update services does not recognise the device, and not pushing OTA:s?

Sorry for the questions, no need to answer them. It was a long time ago I rooted Android:s, and I have forgot many things.

I think I will try to manually update everything, even though there are more steps included, just to learn how to do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZY8qiz2SZ0

No worries, the process for the 4XL is the exact same, but good catch; you definitely need to use the correct files for the device. I actually posted a similar thread with the relevant 4XL files over on that forum.

Not sure exactly the mechanism used to prevent the normal OTA, but probably just checks for a modified boot partition. In any case, the normal factory OTA if I understand correctly relies in part on factory recovery commands at some point, and a modified boot partition won't be able to use them. In fact, try booting to recovery with the modified boot partition flashed and you'll notice it can't load recovery. I may be wrong about the exact reason though. But think about it: even if we had TWRP, the factory OTA mechanism can't make use of it. Even if the OTA popped up while rooted, it probably wouldn't be able to do it, or worse, cause a failure and corruption. I would dare say we're fortunate they prevent factory OTA when running modified.

Anyway, there are a lot of complicated guides out there, and that's why I wanted to share my method. I didn't need to do any further research and it's very intuitively sound. Steps 2+3 essentially restore stock boot and therefore recovery (and dtbo), the rest pretty much follows a standard OTA sideload, and then it's structured in such a way that you're flashing the new Magisk patched boot image before even starting the phone back up. Making it a seamless, keep-root easy upgrade.

 

[jbehlend]

Wow ..... what an easy, elegant way to get my Coral device updated while keeping root. Followed the OP process, but used these commands instead to get the June 2020 security update:

- fastboot flash boot coral-qq3a.200605.001-factory-boot.img
- fastboot flash dtbo coral-qq3a.200605.001-factory-dtbo.img
- adb sideload coral-ota-qq3a.200605.001-3b5bb1bd.zip
- fastboot flash boot coral-qq3a.200605.001-magisk_patched-20.4.img

Thanks, @i5lee8bit . Well done. :good:

 

[in_dmand]

does anyone have a thread to point me to that is a step by step guide for setting up ADB and how to flash? I did everything a year ago but now I just factory reset and am stuck in boot loop, can't remember all the commands and everything.

 

[darkriff]

does anyone have a thread to point me to that is a step by step guide for setting up ADB and how to flash? I did everything a year ago but now I just factory reset and am stuck in boot loop, can't remember all the commands and everything.

Did you fix the issue?