Root for SM-T290 (tab a 8.0 2019)

[SvenHee]

Hi guys,

I just bought an SM-T290 for my wife and I was unable to find any info here about rooting it.

As most Tab-A tablets "are here", can I use a guide (and twrp) for an older tablet for this newer model?

 

[jerethi]

I'm interested too. Bump!

 

[collmomo]

interested too. This is somewhat confusing, so much things changed in the past 10 years. I remember using a single app and it was done...

I was reading through magisk documentation and it was saying that devices coming with android 9 are NON-A/B and requires magisk to be installed on recovery.... However, inputting the command getprop ro.treble.enabled returns true therefore confirming the device is A/B on the command line sooooooo I'm not sure what to do or where to start reading lol

Can anyone help please

 

[ashyx]

interested too. This is somewhat confusing, so much things changed in the past 10 years. I remember using a single app and it was done...

I was reading through magisk documentation and it was saying that devices coming with android 9 are NON-A/B and requires magisk to be installed on recovery.... However, inputting the command getprop ro.treble.enabled returns true therefore confirming the device is A/B on the command line sooooooo I'm not sure what to do or where to start reading lol

Can anyone help please

getprop ro.treble.enabled does not confirm the device is A/B.
All devices released with Oreo> should return that value irrespective of their file system layout.

Samsung devices released with Pie are SYSTEM AS ROOT and A only.

 

[treahuggs]

Is there a root that works for the T290?

 

[Talich52]

Is there a root that works for the T290?

With MagiskManager processed the AP file from T295 firmware.
Files boot.img;recovery.img;vbmeta.img changed.
Unlocked the bootloader, which is done in 2 stages, however the file magisk_patched.tar does not flash through ODIN

Can a line in Downloading mode KG Status: Checking interfere?

I answer my own question ... I installed a pure stock firmware for the BTU region, blocked the bootloader, made the initial configuration after a reset, went into Downloading mode, there is no KG Status line! The bootloader unlocked again, there is no KG Status line, but the problem has not disappeared - the files patched by Magisk are still not flashing ...
P.S. I came to the conclusion that the problem is in Magisk, it does not know how to work with our model ...
You need to contact the Magisk developer, but is he interested in our device?

 

[100thm0nk3y]

bump --- looking to root the sm-t290

Bump

 

[amnher]

Yeah i hope a dev will be also be able to have a custom rom for it

 

[Koerst]

With MagiskManager processed the AP file from T295 firmware.
Files boot.img;recovery.img;vbmeta.img changed.
Unlocked the bootloader, which is done in 2 stages, however the file magisk_patched.tar does not flash through ODIN

Can a line in Downloading mode KG Status: Checking interfere?

I answer my own question ... I installed a pure stock firmware for the BTU region, blocked the bootloader, made the initial configuration after a reset, went into Downloading mode, there is no KG Status line! The bootloader unlocked again, there is no KG Status line, but the problem has not disappeared - the files patched by Magisk are still not flashing ...
P.S. I came to the conclusion that the problem is in Magisk, it does not know how to work with our model ...
You need to contact the Magisk developer, but is he interested in our device?

Can you post a step-by-step explaining how you unlocked the bootloader?
Also, I found a website that has a .tar file named "T290_U1_9.0_ ROOT_ Kernel_Magisk" specifically for the SM-T290 but I can't post the link here because I am a new user. I'm not sure if it will be of any help.
I tried flashing the file on that website with Odin 3.13.1 on my tab A with download mode on but it failed with the error "RQT_CLOSE". Maybe it's because I don't have the bootloader unlocked yet? Idk. I just got the device and I'm trying to figure out how to root it, but if it's unable to be rooted it is completely fine. I also tried flashing it with two other versions of Odin; however, those versions just got stuck on "boot.img" until I manually restarted the device. Any help will be appreciated

Here is the full log when I tried flashing it on Odin 3.13.1:
<ID:0/004> Added!!
<ID:0/004> Odin engine v(ID:3.1301)..
<ID:0/004> File analysis..
<ID:0/004> Total Binary size: 10 M
<ID:0/004> SetupConnection..
<ID:0/004> Initialzation..
<ID:0/004> Get PIT for mapping..
<ID:0/004> Firmware update start..
<ID:0/004> NAND Write Start!!
<ID:0/004> SingleDownload.
<ID:0/004> boot.img
<ID:0/004> RQT_CLOSE !!
<ID:0/004> Complete(Write) operation failed.
<OSM> All threads completed. (succeed 0 / failed 1)
<ID:0/004> Removed!!

 

[Talich52]

Can you post a step-by-step explaining how you unlocked the bootloader?
Also, I found a website that has a .tar file named "T290_U1_9.0_ ROOT_ Kernel_Magisk" specifically for the SM-T290 but I can't post the link here because I am a new user. I'm not sure if it will be of any help.
I tried flashing the file on that website with Odin 3.13.1 on my tab A with download mode on but it failed with the error "RQT_CLOSE". Maybe it's because I don't have the bootloader unlocked yet? Idk. I just got the device and I'm trying to figure out how to root it, but if it's unable to be rooted it is completely fine. I also tried flashing it with two other versions of Odin; however, those versions just got stuck on "boot.img" until I manually restarted the device. Any help will be appreciated

B. Unlocking Bootloader :
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=80116925&postcount=1
I found a similar file for my T295 for U1 & U2, but they also do not flash
Although the bootloader is unlocked ...

 

[xsnipuhx]

B. Unlocking Bootloader :
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=80116925&postcount=1
I found a similar file for my T295 for U1 & U2, but they also do not flash
Although the bootloader is unlocked ...

This works for the T290? What rom did you install? I would love to get away from the Samsung version.

 

[Koerst]

B. Unlocking Bootloader :
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=80116925&postcount=1
I found a similar file for my T295 for U1 & U2, but they also do not flash
Although the bootloader is unlocked ...

I appreciate the help, but the instructions on the post are unclear to me. I enabled the OEM unlocking option in developer settings, but when I tried the instructions on the post it just does not work. I am able to get into download, bootloader, and recovery modes but I'm not sure what else to do.

 

[Talich52]

...I enabled the OEM unlocking option in developer settings, but when I tried the instructions on the post it just does not work. I am able to get into download, bootloader, and recovery modes but I'm not sure what else to do.

Before entering the firmware mode, the device first enters the warning screen and here you need to press and hold the Volume Up button for more than 10 seconds, after which the device will go into reboot with data reset... After booting, the item unlock OEM will become gray and inactive, in firmware mode there will be a line OEM LOCK: OFF (U), and at each reboot there will be a warning screen that the bootloader is unlocked.

 

[Talich52]

This works for the T290? What rom did you install? I would love to get away from the Samsung version.

I can't check for T290, since I have T295 ,but both models are Tab A 8.0 2019
Unfortunately, unlocking the bootloader did not give anything,I could not root the device and even install at least one custom file

 

[Koerst]

Before entering the firmware mode, the device first enters the warning screen and here you need to press and hold the Volume Up button for more than 10 seconds, after which the device will go into reboot with data reset... After booting, the item unlock OEM will become gray and inactive, in firmware mode there will be a line OEM LOCK: OFF (U), and at each reboot there will be a warning screen that the bootloader is unlocked.

I was able to successfully unlock the bootloader after trying a number of button combinations. Thanks a lot for the help!
I will try flashing that file again soon.

 

[secretwolf98]

I was able to successfully unlock the bootloader after trying a number of button combinations. Thanks a lot for the help!
I will try flashing that file again soon.

What did you do to unlock your SM-T290? And for treble support, what do I choose? Arm or arm64, a only or A/B? And how would I install the GSI without a TWRP recovery?

 

[Koerst]

What did you do to unlock your SM-T290? And for treble support, what do I choose? Arm or arm64, a only or A/B? And how would I install the GSI without a TWRP recovery?

These are the steps I took to unlock the bootloader that worked for me:
1. Power off the tablet (And make sure OEM unlocking is enabled in developer settings)
2. This is the part that was a little tough for me to figure out, but this is generally how I think I did it. I pressed the power button once, then instantly after I pressed one of the volume buttons (Not sure which one I pressed) and then held both volume buttons and the power button. You'll get to this screen with a bunch of text and a few options. If this way doesn't work then you should try out some other combinations.
3. One of the options on the screen is to unlock the bootloader, which tells you to hold volume up in order to unlock it.
4. The tablet will factory reset and the bootloader will be unlocked. To prove it is unlocked, the OEM unlock option in dev settings will be grayed out and will say "The bootloader is already unlocked"

I don't know about treble support or GSI, I've never actually heard of those things before and I'm sure you're much more of an expert at them than I am.

 

[secretwolf98]

These are the steps I took to unlock the bootloader that worked for me:
1. Power off the tablet (And make sure OEM unlocking is enabled in developer settings)
2. This is the part that was a little tough for me to figure out, but this is generally how I think I did it. I pressed the power button once, then instantly after I pressed one of the volume buttons (Not sure which one I pressed) and then held both volume buttons and the power button. You'll get to this screen with a bunch of text and a few options. If this way doesn't work then you should try out some other combinations.
3. One of the options on the screen is to unlock the bootloader, which tells you to hold volume up in order to unlock it.
4. The tablet will factory reset and the bootloader will be unlocked. To prove it is unlocked, the OEM unlock option in dev settings will be grayed out and will say "The bootloader is already unlocked"

I don't know about treble support or GSI, I've never actually heard of those things before and I'm sure you're much more of an expert at them than I am.

GitHub explanation: https://github.com/phhusson/treble_experimentations/wiki/Frequently-Asked-Questions-(FAQ)
XDA explanation: https://www.xda-developers.com/goog...ze-android-so-oems-can-update-devices-faster/

 

[Koerst]

GitHub explanation: https://github.com/phhusson/treble_experimentations/wiki/Frequently-Asked-Questions-(FAQ)
XDA explanation: https://www.xda-developers.com/goog...ze-android-so-oems-can-update-devices-faster/

Thanks for the explanations.
I would like to add that to anyone who wants to attempt to unlock the bootloader, you should do so carefully and with precautions, because your device will do a factory reset and the process can even brick your device. Backup your device before you do it.
I bricked my tablet earlier today, not right after unlocking the bootloader but after a couple of times that I rebooted it and tried flashing the file that I found on that site. I was able to somehow unbrick it by wiping the cache partition and doing a factory reset. That didn't instantly unbrick it, but after one reboot I held the volume up button and somehow my tablet started up again. Whew. Anyway, I'm most likely going to stop searching for ways to root this thing. I think I have concluded that it is unrootable until further support is given by the developers of TWRP/Magisk/whoever and someone else who has more knowledge than me is able to figure something out.
Some tips for people who may need them:
- To get into recovery mode, I discovered that all you have to do is power off the tablet, then power it on again while holding both the volume up and power buttons. Then you can let go once the screen pops up.
- From recovery mode, you can wipe the cache partition, perform a factory reset, reboot the device normally, and do a bunch of other stuff. This is what I used to unbrick my tablet.
- To get into download mode (If you're trying to flash something using Odin) I could not figure out the hardware combination for it; however, I was able to get into download mode by installing the proper drivers on my computer, downloading Minimal ADB and Fastboot, connecting my tablet to my computer, and using the command "adb reboot download" on the ADB and Fastboot command prompt.
- If your tablet does get bricked (stuck on the Samsung logo) after unlocking the bootloader, try holding down the power button and see if that reboots it. If it does, do it again but this time hold the volume up button with the power button to get to recovery mode. You can try wiping the cache or resetting the device as that is what I believe worked for me.

 

[Talich52]

- To get into download mode (If you're trying to flash something using Odin) I could not figure out the hardware combination for it; however, I was able to get into download mode by installing the proper drivers on my computer, downloading Minimal ADB and Fastboot, connecting my tablet to my computer, and using the command "adb reboot download" on the ADB and Fastboot command prompt.

With the bootloader unlocked, this is simple:
Send the device to reboot, first the warning screen for the unlocked bootloader appears ... Press any volume button and see a menu where we select Recovery with the same volume buttons and press power ... the device enters ODIN mode firmware mode