[Recovery][UNOFFICIAL] TWRP Dirty Port For G7 Play

[Viva La Android]

I read the responses in his thread about that, and it seems like you guys aren't getting root without a working TWRP. The problem that was laid out, is that fastboot can't patch existing files, it can only overwrite them. Without a custom bootloader, Magisk would never be able to patch existing files through fastboot.

Personally, I think that's a very sh*tty position to be in, and I want to help you guys out. If you or anyone else wants to upload your most recent boot.img, it'll save me some time. I'm not too familiar with the A/B partition setup, but I am very familiar with TWRP. I think that I can get it working for you folks. I will make this happen or break my brain trying. No phone with an unlockable bootloader should go unrooted! Thank you for answering my question by the way. That's one less thing to troubleshoot.

I just want to confirm a few things before I get to work.

Is your base model number xt1952?

Is your code name Channel?

Where is the current TWRP hacked from? (Moto G7, G7 Power, G7 Plus?) - Moto G7. I found it in the OP.

And are you guys arm32 or arm64?

Thanks for your interest. Your assistance on a solid TWRP would be appreciated by many. Yes, the model number base is xt1952 and the code name is CHANNEL. I just downloaded the latest firmware package for my variant, the xt1952-4 (Sprint, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile). The most recent build is PCY29.105-134 with a June 1, 2019 security patch level. I will upload the boot image from that firmware package and post the link shortly. Again, thank you for your help.

 

[Spaceminer]

Thanks for your interest. Your assistance on a solid TWRP would be appreciated by many. Yes, the model number base is xt1952 and the code name is CHANNEL. I just downloaded the latest firmware package for my variant, the xt1952-4 (Sprint, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile). The most recent build is PCY29.105-134 with a June 1, 2019 security patch level. I will upload the boot image from that firmware package and post the link shortly. Again, thank you for your help.

No problem. Thank you for helping me out! It goes both ways. I can start working on it in about an hour or two. With any luck I'll have some tests up this evening. (Eastern standard time.)

 

[Viva La Android]

No problem. Thank you for helping me out! It goes both ways. I can start working on it in about an hour or two. With any luck I'll have some tests up this evening. (Eastern standard time.)

Sounds good friend. I'm uploading the stock boot image now, but I'm at work and service in here is crap, so it's uploading slowly but surely. I will post a link momentarily.
Update: I won't be able to complete the upload until I get off work at 5:00 p.m. EST. Very poor internet service here. The WiFi is doen and I have only 1 bar of service.
Also, on the architecture of the chipset, the Moto G7 Play is running on the Snapdragon 632, and is listed as an arm64 arch, but I'm not certain as to whether the actual firmware config is running on arm32 or arm64. I will research this a little further.

---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:04 PM ----------

It appears that the architecture is armv7l (32-bit).

 

[Viva La Android]

@Spaceminer, this is an unmodified stock boot image for the xt1952-4, from firmware build PCY29.105-134.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-hKUJ8Fy7Gr9my_iqXM2mvyJVmHIXCGD/view?usp=drivesdk

 

[Spaceminer]

@Spaceminer, this is an unmodified stock boot image for the xt1952-4, from firmware build PCY29.105-134.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-hKUJ8Fy7Gr9my_iqXM2mvyJVmHIXCGD/view?usp=drivesdk

Thanks for that. If I'm understanding the problem correctly... TWRP does work, but it's not permanent and because of this, magisk can't be installed correctly. That's all pretty normal sounding. We have A only, but get the same behavior in that scenario. (Booting vs flashing)

It sounds like the real solution is booting twrp temporarily, and installing it to both slots so it'll be permanent and work correctly. That function is actually getting implemented in the next release. It might have already been released, I'll look. The G7 Plus folks had it unofficially. If there's more to it, like the touch screen not working or if something I said is incorrect, please let me know.

 

[ninjakira]

Guys this is the current maintainer of the Moto g6 play twrp and I'm the one in charge of the root guide for the g6 play so I would def help out @Spaceminer as much as possible ? fully vouch for him as he's taught me alot which is why I suggested trying to use our root guide with your twrp. If he is able to get you guys a twrp that works could someone please try out what I suggested to gain root as long as you have a stock firmware on mirrors it shouldn't be a problem to experiment as that's the only way we'll know how to help since we don't have the device. Although I am due for a upgrade from boot so maybe will have the device soon.(I hate calling it lolinet because well dark web ??)

 

[Spaceminer]

Root Test

This is only for model xt1952-4 (sprint/virgin/boost) and you must be running firmware version PCY29.105-134. Keep a copy of your stock boot.img on hand in case it doesn't work. You'll have to unzip that first. I don't know who's bright idea it was to have an 8mb limit on image files, so don't ask.

Using fastboot:

fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot reboot

You should see it bootloop at least one time. That's normal when installing Magisk. It should not bootloop more than 3x. If it does...

Go into fastboot and enter the following commands.

fastboot erase userdata
fastboot erase DDR
fastboot reboot

If it still fails to boot after that, then reflash your stock boot.img and I'll get back to the drawing board.

If it does boot up...

Give it 1-2min to settle down, then open up Magisk from the app drawer. It should offer to install Magisk Manager, and ask to download additional files to finish setting up. Do both. It'll reboot on it's own when it's finished and you should be rooted. (You might need to manually allow access to storage in "settings > apps" for Magisk.)

* If Magisk is not in your app drawer, install the one in the attachments and open it up.

 

[ninjakira]

If it does boot up and if you get twrp going. After flashing twrp. Press cancel, swipe right to allow system modifications, hit wipe, hit format data next to advanced wipe button, type yes, reboot recovery, and you should hopefully be decrypted temporary, flash encryption disabler from zackptg5 here https://zackptg5.com/android.php#disverfe then flash the latest magisk beta which is here https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445 (you can use stable but I personally use beta so that's why I say use magisk beta), reboot system and hopefully congrats. You have successfully decrypted and root your Moto g7 play. And remember We are not responsible for bricked devices, thermonuclear war, ligma, or anything else so please keep that in mind before wanting to blame us lol the risks are laid out. And please if able send recovery logs and logcats as well as information on what went wrong so we can try to help ? Moto g family gotta stick together so we can help each other. MAKE BACKUPS OF STOCK BOOT AND STOCK RECOVERY because it's always good to be in that habit lol

 

[Viva La Android]

This is only for model xt1952-4 (sprint/virgin/boost) and you must be running firmware version PCY29.105-134. Keep a copy of your stock boot.img on hand in case it doesn't work. You'll have to unzip that first. I don't know who's bright idea it was to have an 8mb limit on image files, so don't ask.

Using fastboot:

fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot reboot

You should see it bootloop at least one time. That's normal when installing Magisk. It should not bootloop more than 3x. If it does...

Go into fastboot and enter the following commands.

fastboot erase userdata
fastboot erase DDR
fastboot reboot

If it still fails to boot after that, then reflash your stock boot.img and I'll get back to the drawing board.

If it does boot up...

Give it 1-2min to settle down, then open up Magisk from the app drawer. It should offer to install Magisk Manager, and ask to download additional files to finish setting up. Do both. It'll reboot on it's own when it's finished and you should be rooted. (You might need to manually allow access to storage in "settings > apps" for Magisk.)

* If Magisk is not in your app drawer, install the one in the attachments and open it up.

Nice. I will try this out first thing tomorrow morning and will report back on my experience. Thanks again @Spaceminer, and @ninjakira.

 

[Fdraco10]

If it does boot up and if you get twrp going. After flashing twrp. Press cancel, swipe right to allow system modifications, hit wipe, hit format data next to advanced wipe button, type yes, reboot recovery, and you should hopefully be decrypted temporary, flash encryption disabler from zackptg5 here https://zackptg5.com/android.php#disverfe then flash the latest magisk beta which is here https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445 (you can use stable but I personally use beta so that's why I say use magisk beta), reboot system and hopefully congrats. You have successfully decrypted and root your Moto g7 play. And remember We are not responsible for bricked devices, thermonuclear war, ligma, or anything else so please keep that in mind before wanting to blame us lol the risks are laid out. And please if able send recovery logs and logcats as well as information on what went wrong so we can try to help Moto g family gotta stick together so we can help each other. MAKE BACKUPS OF STOCK BOOT AND STOCK RECOVERY because it's always good to be in that habit lol

Oohh!! This is good news!!

Thanks man

 

[ninjakira]

Just wanna help you guys out since it was a ***** for us when the g6 play first came out ? we figured it out from trial and error so here's to hoping the same logic can be applied lol

---------- Post added at 03:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:02 PM ----------

And if it does manage to work I'll make you guys a proper guide that will clearly explain it all with all the needed links. Just post recovery logs on here and logcats on here because we both are busy people irl like I'ma manager for example lol but posting them in the forum instead of pm will allow other people with the knowledge to help in case we can't get to it which is how our g6 play is where it is now. Share everything ? just don't steal cause we have absolutely no shame in calling it out lmao. Since logcats can be long try to save it in .txt format at least to make the comment section less cluttered

 

[jwreidmoto]

No Boot

I tried it with no luck. Just shows bad key screen without changing would that be considered a multi bootloop?. Anyways, I reflashed my phone back to normal.
Thanks.

 

[Viva La Android]

I tried and no root. However, my device did boot into the OS normal. Magisk Manager was not installed upon reboot. I installed the apk manually and it indicated that Magisk was not installed. Thank you @ninjakira and @Spaceminer for helping on this. I feel as though root and TWRP are just around the corner.

 

[ninjakira]

I tried and no root. However, my device did boot into the OS normal. Magisk Manager was not installed upon reboot. I installed the apk manually and it indicated that Magisk was not installed. Thank you @ninjakira and @Spaceminer for helping on this. I feel as though root and TWRP are just around the corner.

Can you grab a recovery log or logcats and send them over to spaceminer?

 

[Spaceminer]

I tried it with no luck. Just shows bad key screen without changing would that be considered a multi bootloop?. Anyways, I reflashed my phone back to normal.
Thanks.

I'm not sure if it counts. Your device might be using different display drivers. You should've at least seen the boot animation try to run. If you've ever gotten a black or unresponsive touch screen in twrp, that would be why. (I read someone on here had that problem.) We have Moto G6 Play variants like this. It caused me all sorts of hell getting twrp to work for those ones. That's a long story for another day though.

I tried and no root. However, my device did boot into the OS normal. Magisk Manager was not installed upon reboot. I installed the apk manually and it indicated that Magisk was not installed. Thank you @ninjakira and @Spaceminer for helping on this. I feel as though root and TWRP are just around the corner.

I have some ideas what the problem is. I'll have to do some research. I might just buy one this weekend so I can work with it directly. I'm seriously considering it. Ninja may do the same as well. I can grab the Virgin model for like $120 right now so it's very tempting. In any event, I'll try to help you folks out. We'll probably open up a new thread specifically for this root business. It seems like the appropriate thing to do rather than clutter up this one. I was hoping the boot.img would be a one shot deal and we could make a guide from there, but this will need more work unfortunately.

 

[Viva La Android]

I'm not sure if it counts. Your device might be using different display drivers. You should've at least seen the boot animation try to run. If you've ever gotten a black or unresponsive touch screen in twrp, that would be why. (I read someone on here had that problem.) We have Moto G6 Play variants like this. It caused me all sorts of hell getting twrp to work for those ones. That's a long story for another day though.



I have some ideas what the problem is. I'll have to do some research. I might just buy one this weekend so I can work with it directly. I'm seriously considering it. Ninja may do the same as well. I can grab the Virgin model for like $120 right now so it's very tempting. In any event, I'll try to help you folks out. We'll probably open up a new thread specifically for this root business. It seems like the appropriate thing to do rather than clutter up this one. I was hoping the boot.img would be a one shot deal and we could make a guide from there, but this will need more work unfortunately.

Yeah, I agree. A dedicated rooting thread may be the most appropriate venue for this. By the way, I found my Boost Moto G7 Play for an amazing deal on eBay for $89, new and sealed, with a full month of unlimited service included. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/113694163907
I'm very thankful that you and Ninja have stepped up offering your skills and experience on this device.

 

[jwreidmoto]

So anything from here on in this thread will not work with my variant?

 

[Spaceminer]

So anything from here on in this thread will not work with my variant?

Not if I can help it! What model number do you have xt1952-(?), and what firmware build are you on? Also, are you able to elaborate on what twrp can, or can't do in it's current state? Like...

Can it boot?
Does the touch screen work?
Can you mount partitions?
Can you format data with it?
Has anyone tried flashing it? (Just an FYI: You must flash the stock rom to slot A & B first or you'll brick. Slot B can't be empty when installing twrp.)

I've done this before and I'm sure I can do it again. I just need some solid info on what, if anything, is wrong with twrp.

 

[jwreidmoto]

My Phone Info

I am from Canada and I use Virgin Mobile. XT1952-4_CHANNEL_RETCA_9.0_PPY29.105-134
Yes, it boots. I can format data thru fastboot commands if that's what you mean. I have flashed my original boot file to get my phone back to normal after I tried the above instructions. I am a bit of a newbie but I have rooted 2 other previous phone for which there was a recovery for. This new A/B partition stuff is new to me. I am patient and willing to learn more about fastboot to get this phone rooted though. Any help would be immensely appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Spaceminer]

I am from Canada and I use Virgin Mobile. XT1952-4_CHANNEL_RETCA_9.0_PPY29.105-134
Yes, it boots. I can format data thru fastboot commands if that's what you mean. I have flashed my original boot file to get my phone back to normal after I tried the above instructions. I am a bit of a newbie but I have rooted 2 other previous phone for which there was a recovery for. This new A/B partition stuff is new to me. I am patient and willing to learn more about fastboot to get this phone rooted though. Any help would be immensely appreciated.
Thanks

The questions I had are in regards to twrp. Can you boot twrp, can twrp format data on your phone, etc? Sorry for the confusion. I'm moving root related testing elsewhere since this is the twrp thread. I'm willing to work on twrp if you guys need it, but I also need to know what (if anything) is wrong with it.