How To Guide Root latest A12 US OEM (DE2117)C_21/T-Mobile-Metro(DE2118) C_20 OTA for dummies

[scanman0]

I have posted all the boot.img files for N200 A12 to AFH for DE2117 US OEM firmware and now latest for DE2118 (Tmobile/metro)

I have posted both the original file as well as pre-patched with Magisk v25.2 for each.

The T-Mobile/Metro image versioning is ONE NUMBER BEHIND the OEM version. As of today the current version with December update is:

DE2117-C_20 (OEM)
DE2118-C_19 (T-Mobile/Metro)

PREREQUISITES: (see other guides)
You must have your bootloader unlocked.
USB debugging enabled and your PC authorized. (ADB commands working)
Latest Android Platform Tools installed on PC

1. Simply allow phone to take OTA updates until your on latest version.

2. Open Settings and click: "About Device" -> "Version" and Build Number must match EXACTLY on your system information screen with the boot.img file you are going to install:

In this example it is US/OEM (DE2117) at patch level C_17.

You MUST patch the boot.img with EXACT SAME model version AND Patch level!


I wrote a simplified dummies guide to flash US OEM rom with Fastboot Enhance tool and convert T-Mobile/PCS phone to US/OEM wiith only Fastboot Enhance GUI tool along with msmtool backup.


3. Go to my "Boot.img Files" folder on AFH and download the Magisk pre-patched boot.image file for YOUR MATCHING version and place it to the same folder that you installed Android Platform Tools.

DE2117 US OEM - Pre-Patched with Magisk v25.2:

boot.img C_15

boot.img C_16

boot.img C_17

boot.img C_18

boot.img C_19

boot.img C_20

boot.img C_21

DE2118 T-Mobile/MetroPCS - Pre-Patched with Magisk v25.2:

boot.img C_5

boot.img C_17

boot.img C_18

boot.img C_19

boot.img C_20

With File Explorer in the folder with platform tools and the boot.img file you just downloaded, type "cmd" in the address bar and a dos window will open up in that folder.
4. Then switch the phone to fastboot mode:

C:\>adb reboot bootloader

You should see the phone fastboot screen and the last line MUST say the bootloader is: UNLOCKED.

5. Flash the Magisk Patched boot.img file.
In this example the command would be:

C:\>fastboot flash boot DE2117.boot.C_18.Magisk_Patched.v25.2.img

6. Reboot phone:

C:\>fastboot reboot

7. After phone boot up there will be a green android icon with Magisk v1.0 on your home screen/drawer. Run it and it will upgrade itself to the latest Magisk version.

Your now ROOTED.

8. To KEEP root and avoid an OTA update before I have posted the latest boot.img file you should:

Open settings -> "System Settings" -> "Developer Options" and then turn off "Automatic System Updates"

I should post new boot.img updates within 24 hours to the same folder.

Technical Information:

Before A12 you could use the command: "fastboot boot boot.img" and boot the previous patched Magisk boot image and then let Magisk backup your current image and then patch it as the old one was usually still working enough to get the new boot.img this way and let Magisk store the untouched boot.img file so it could remove the patch in app.

This ability has been removed starting with the first A12 C_15 image.

Also, the OP OTA update is checking for more than just the original boot.img and will fail an OTA update with Magisk installed with the boot.img restored and Magisk loaded in ram.

Hiding the Magisk app, installing safetynet-fix-v2.2. and Shamiko-v0.5.2-120 Magisk Module will allow you to pass Safetynet and get your banking/streaming apps working, but only removing Magisk completely will allow OTA updates now.

There are two ways to get partial OTA update boot.img file if you want to do it on your own at this point.

1. Grab the partial ota update .zip file by looking at syslog when OTA app on phone starts downloading it. Take the last dumped full OTA and patch it with the only payload dumper that will merge partial OTA's with existing full OTA:
https://github.com/vm03/payload_dumper

2. If you don't mind wiping your phone, you can take the newest partial OTA update and then change to inactive slot and install the last full OTA image and then pull the boot.img from the inactive slot that has the newest OTA installed. And then reinstall full ota update again and take latest partial update.

UPDATE: If you flash the last full OTA C_16 and want OTA updates to work, you must flash it TWICE now. Once in fastboot mode and only the MODEM.IMG file will flash and then switch to fastbootd mode and flash it again and every image other than the modem will flash. If the modem does not match the rom, as well as the BOOT.IMG (non modified) then OTA WILL FAIL!!

Un-modified BOOT.IMG files for DE2117 US OEM N200:

boot.img C_15

boot.img C_16

boot.img C_17

boot.img C_18

boot.img C_20

boot.img C_21

Un-modified BOOT.IMG files for DE2118 Tmobile/MetroPCS N200:

boot.img C_5

boot.img C_7

boot.img C_8

boot.img C_9

boot.img C_11

boot.img C_12

boot.img C_15

boot.img C_16

boot.img C_17

boot.img C_18

boot.img C_19

boot.img C_20

The C_5 through C_16 DE2118 images are pointing to towardsdawn's AFH section.
I added them here so one post has all the boot.img files in one place to make it easier to find.

 

[gtxaspec]

waiting for your tmo to us oem conversion guide! thanks

 

[jayram1408]

I have posted all the boot.img files for A12 to AFH for DE2117 US OEM firmware.

I have posted both the original file as well as pre-patched with Magisk v25.2 for each.

As of now there are three versions. (C_15, C_16, and C_17)

PREREQUISITES: (see other guides)
You must have your bootloader unlocked.
USB debugging enabled and your PC authorized. (ADB commands working)
Latest Android Platform Tools installed on PC

1. Simply allow phone to take OTA updates until your on latest version. (C_17 as of today)

2. Open Settings and click: "About Device" -> "Version" and Build Number must match EXACTLY on your system information screen with the boot.img file you are going to install:

View attachment 5696281
In this example it is C_17.

If it says DE18CB then STOP!
This is the T-Mobile/MetroPCS infected firmware and is NOT the same as the US OEM firmware.

I wrote a simplified dummies guide to flash US OEM rom with Fastboot Enhance tool and convert T-Mobile/PCS phone to US/OEM wiith only Fastboot Enhance GUI tool along with msmtool backup.


3. Go to my "Boot.img Files" folder on AFH and download the Magisk pre-patched boot.image file for YOUR MATCHING version and place it to the same folder that you installed Android Platform Tools.

https://androidfilehost.com/?a=show&w=files&flid=335815

With File Explorer in the folder with platform tools and the boot.img file you just downloaded, type "cmd" in the address bar and a dos window will open up in that folder.
4. Then switch the phone to fastboot mode:

C:\>adb reboot bootloader

You should see the phone fastboot screen and the last line MUST say the bootloader is: UNLOCKED.

5. Flash the Magisk Patched boot.img file.
In this example the command would be:

C:\>fastboot flash boot DE2117.boot.C_17.Magisk_Patched_v25.2.img

6. Reboot phone:

C:\>fastboot reboot

7. After phone boot up there will be a green android icon with Magisk v1.0 on your home screen/drawer. Run it and it will upgrade itself to the latest Magisk version.

Your now ROOTED.

8. To KEEP root and avoid an OTA update before I have posted the latest boot.img file you should:

Open settings -> "System Settings" -> "Developer Options" and then turn off "Automatic System Updates"

I should post new boot.img updates within 24 hours to the same folder.

Technical Information:

Before A12 you could use the command: "fastboot boot boot.img" and boot the previous patched Magisk boot image and then let Magisk backup your current image and then patch it as the old one was usually still working enough to get the new boot.img this way and let Magisk store the untouched boot.img file so it could remove the patch in app.

This ability has been removed starting with the first A12 C_15 image.

Also, the OP OTA update is checking for more than just the original boot.img and will fail an OTA update with Magisk installed with the boot.img restored and Magisk loaded in ram.

Hiding the Magisk app, installing safetynet-fix-v2.2. and Shamiko-v0.5.2-120 Magisk Module will allow you to pass Safetynet and get your banking/streaming apps working, but only removing Magisk completely will allow OTA updates now.

There are two ways to get partial OTA update boot.img file if you want to do it on your own at this point.
1. Grab the partial ota update .zip file by looking at syslog when OTA app on phone starts downloading it. Take the last dumped full OTA and patch it with the only payload dumper that will merge partial OTA's with existing full OTA:
https://github.com/vm03/payload_dumper

2. If you don't mind wiping your phone, you can take the newest partial OTA update and then change to inactive slot and install the last full OTA image and then pull the boot.img from the inactive slot that has the newest OTA installed. And then reinstall full ota update again and take latest partial update.

Is there a Bootimg. file for DE_2118_11_C.16 I could not find one?

 

[scanman0]

Is there a Bootimg. file for DE_2118_11_C.16 I could not find one?

!!! This is ONLY for Tmobile/MetroPCS A12 running C_16 firmware !!!

boot_11_C.16_DE2118_tmobile_stock.img | by towardsdawn for Nord N200 5G

Download GApps, Roms, Kernels, Themes, Firmware, and more. Free file hosting for all Android developers.

www.androidfilehost.com

 

[weirdfate]

What's changed in the update or was it just security updates?

 

[scanman0]

What's changed in the update or was it just security updates?

It is NOT new and it is for the MetroPCS/T-Mobile infected rom.
I posted it OFF TOPIC and this is why I used all the !!! marks.

 

[scanman0]

I updated the parent thread with the September security patch C_18 boot.img files as promised!

 

[scanman0]

Bump.

Updated guide and added latest DE2118 boot.img files for Tmobile/MetroPCS that do not want to convert to US/OEM firmware

 

[Angelk3]

Are you able to get boot image for 11.0.1.12.DE18CB device DE2118? Ty

 

[scanman0]

Are you able to get boot image for 11.0.1.12.DE18CB device DE2118? Ty

If someone posts it anyplace I will add it here. The best solution is to convert phone to US OEM. Then you can use the pre-patched boot.img files I post here.

 

[towardsdawn]

Are you able to get boot image for 11.0.1.12.DE18CB device DE2118? Ty

It's hosted here

 

[towardsdawn]

@scanman0 thanks for making this post! very helpful to have it all in one place

I don't know if you uploaded T-mobile C.18 and forgot to post the link or not, but I uploaded it here. AndroidFileHost still isn't working for me for whatever reason

 

[Galaxy-Geek#1]

I have successfully converted my T-Mobile phone to a DE2117 and have it at version C_19 with the boot.img patched with Magisk. Magisk is updated to the latest and I have been looking into the things I should do with Magisk. However what I read online isn't matching with what I'm seeing on my phone. Is Magisk the Magisk manager? I'm also not seeing an option to check the Safety Net? I've also read I can look for Magisk modules in Magisk but I don't see a way of searching for modules to install? Am I missing something? Any insight would truly be appreciated!

 

[Link575]

I have successfully converted my T-Mobile phone to a DE2117 and have it at version C_19 with the boot.img patched with Magisk. Magisk is updated to the latest and I have been looking into the things I should do with Magisk. However what I read online isn't matching with what I'm seeing on my phone. Is Magisk the Magisk manager? I'm also not seeing an option to check the Safety Net? I've also read I can look for Magisk modules in Magisk but I don't see a way of searching for modules to install? Am I missing something? Any insight would truly be appreciated!

The ability to check for Safety Net in Magisk was taken out, as was the ability to search modules through Magisk. Both must be done outside the app now though installing modules can still be performed in through Magisk.

 

[Galaxy-Geek#1]

The ability to check for Safety Net in Magisk was taken out, as was the ability to search modules through Magisk. Both must be done outside the app now though installing modules can still be performed in through Magisk.

Thank you! That makes sense then. Is there a post or guide how to check safety net (and what it does tbh last root I used was SuperSu for Android 7) and where I can find some good Magisk modules?

 

[towardsdawn]

Thank you! That makes sense then. Is there a post or guide how to check safety net (and what it does tbh last root I used was SuperSu for Android 7) and where I can find some good Magisk modules?

There is a big list of magisk modules here

I use YASNAC but if you just search for safety net checker in the Google play store there's plenty of them. It fails on my rooted N200. You only need it to pass if you want to use apps that check for it (generally financial apps like Google Pay or games that have anti cheat checks)

 

[Link575]

Thank you! That makes sense then. Is there a post or guide how to check safety net (and what it does tbh last root I used was SuperSu for Android 7) and where I can find some good Magisk modules?

Np and towardsdawn answered that question pretty completely right above. In case you do want or need it to pass safety net you can download magisk module called universal safety net fix here.

Should that not work (it should unless you're on lineage) you can try magiskhide props config found here with instructions. I just use the fingerprint for the de2117 and everything works fine.

 

[Galaxy-Geek#1]

There is a big list of magisk modules here

I use YASNAC but if you just search for safety net checker in the Google play store there's plenty of them. It fails on my rooted N200. You only need it to pass if you want to use apps that check for it (generally financial apps like Google Pay or games that have anti cheat checks)

Np and towardsdawn answered that question pretty completely right above. In case you do want or need it to pass safety net you can download magisk module called universal safety net fix here.

Should that not work (it should unless you're on lineage) you can try magiskhide props config found here with instructions. I just use the fingerprint for the de2117 and everything works fine.

Thank you both! I'll look into those modules and the safety net stuff (but may not be needed much in my case since it's not my main device). One last question if you don't mind, do I need to install TWRP? From the looks of it, there isn't a good working version for this phone but just wanna confirm before I assume I'm done with any factory reset or things like that.

 

[towardsdawn]

Thank you both! I'll look into those modules and the safety net stuff (but may not be needed much in my case since it's not my main device). One last question if you don't mind, do I need to install TWRP? From the looks of it, there isn't a good working version for this phone but just wanna confirm before I assume I'm done with any factory reset or things like that.

From what I've read in the forums I don't recommend it, seems like it's easy to brick your phone or lose important functionality. You can factory reset by going to fastboot mode or with msm download tool. You can unroot by flashing stock boot image

 

[cezar1]

Does anyone have Pre-Patched with Magisk v25.2 boot.img for the last December update DE2118_11_c.19?