Rooting E6 (Surfna)

[EnokiPPT]

I was hoping I wouldn't have to go all the way back to stock I'll report back when I get it done. Thanks.

Did you ever flash the stock rom? If you need any help, just let me know.

 

[Droid187]

Thank you!

I just got this phone yesterday and bricked it 2 or 3 times I thought. I had to read every post to see I had to boot to recovery to get root to stick. Thank you for the guide. I'm about to try and few things on this device and I bookmarked this guide.

 

[Charuto]

Did you ever flash the stock rom? If you need any help, just let me know.

Thanks. I got root back and since lost it again. For posterity I'll list my steps.

Per: https://android.gadgethacks.com/how...actory-images-android-using-fastboot-0175277/

I tried flashing a few different things hoping to solve the bootloop and keep my data. I tried boot.img, bootloader.img, recovery.img, all the system.img, and vendor.img but none of them worked. I forget which flash did it, but eventually I couldn't get out of the bootloop no matter what I did. I had to hardware boot (Power + Vol -) into recovery mode and it gave me the option to "try again" (booting) or factory reset. I factory reset and repeated OP steps to flash recovery to get root back.

As for how I lost root again... Phone rebooted normally after moto security update. "No biggie" I thought. I'll just flash the patched recovery again--I still have the patched file. I flash and select reboot recovery. Bootloop. Have to hardware boot into recovery. I can factory reset or try again. Try again takes me back to my phone but no root. I'm just living without root at the moment. So far I've tried the following:

• Flash recovery twice before reboot recovery. Bootloop.
• Flash recovery. Reboot bootloader. Reboot recovery. Bootloop.
• Flash recovery. Unplug usb. Reboot recovery. Bootloop.
• Flash recovery. fastboot reboot recovery. FAILED 'Unknown command'
• Flash recovery. Power off. Hardware boot into recovery. Select try again. Phone boots with no root.

 

[Droid187]

I had root, I started playing with some GSI's now I can't root again. I restored to stock and when I try to push the magisk_patched to recovery I get....

sending 'recovery' .....
OKAY [0.526s]
writing 'recovery'.....
(bootloader) Image not signed or corrupt
OKAY [0.292s]
finished. total time: 0.828s


This is with restoring to stock.

 

[souperdoupe]

Followed this guide before installing any updates. Everything worked like a charm. Since the initial unlock/recovery flash, I've ran the Moto system updates — up to 29.73-85-5. Still able to access root by reflashing; but, only after patching the corresponding recovery image from the 73-85-5 rom.

One thing to note: I had some trouble finding the correct version. Worked around by running (without backticks) `fastboot getvar all` and piecing together the information from:

- sku/carrier_sku ("XT2005-5")
- version baseband ("SURFNA")
- ro.build.fingerprint ("PPB29.73-52"). Had to piece the lines together to get the full picture/string.

Then, I was able to determine the correct download from your list.

In any case, thank you for doing great work with this. Let me buy you a beer sometime.

 

[Charuto]

^^ Gave me the idea to patch the recovery.img from an updated build. The magisk_patched.img I had was from build 73-81-5-3. I had updated to 73-81-5-5 and the auto reboot afterward is what made me lose root in the first place. Unfortunately this did not work either. Same "Signature missing or corrupted" bootloop. Strangely, when I hardware boot into recovery, it says it is recovery 73-81-5-3 and not 73-81-5-5 from the build I flashed. Does this mean I didn't flash correctly? Idk the prompt said OKAY when sending/writing recovery. Not sure what it means, just something I noticed.

 

[Michele31415]

I just got one of these from Consumer Cellular and want to root it. It has a build of PPBS29.73-81-5-8. The list of files for this only seems to go up to 73-81-5-5. Can I use that anyway or will it brick my phone?

Or better yet, how about this easy looking method (from https://myphoneupdate.com/root-motorola-moto-e6/):

1.) First Off Open Play Store Search For “TWRP” & Install It.

2.) After That Open TWRP App & Enable Root Access

3.) Tap On TWRP Flash >> After That It Will Ask You To Allow Root Access Just Allow It

4.) Now You Have to Search Your Device & Select It

5.) After That You Will See The List Of TWRP Image Version >> Select Latest Version Of TWRP Image & Download It On Phone Internal Storage

6.) Once Download Is Completed Go Back >> Again Tap On TWRP Flash >> Now Tap On “Select a file to flash” >> Now Locate The TWRP Image File That You Just Downloaded >> Select It & Tap On Flash To Recovery

7.) It Will Take Some Seconds To Complete The Flashing Process

8.) That’s It ? You Have Successfully Install TWRP Recovery On Your Moto E6

I haven't tried this yet - does it look like it would work?

 

[EnokiPPT]

I just got one of these from Consumer Cellular and want to root it. It has a build of PPBS29.73-81-5-8. The list of files for this only seems to go up to 73-81-5-5. Can I use that anyway or will it brick my phone?

Or better yet, how about this easy looking method (from https://myphoneupdate.com/root-motorola-moto-e6/):



I haven't tried this yet - does it look like it would work?

I doubt it would, because the TWRP app only has official versions and a completely working version hasn't been made for the E6 yet.

 

[Michele31415]

I doubt it would, because the TWRP app only has official versions and a completely working version hasn't been made for the E6 yet.

Looks like you are correct. I ran the TWRP app and didn't find the E6 in their list. So even though that method is called "Install TWRP Recovery On Motorola Moto E6 Using TWRP App: Method 2", it's just BS. Sigh.

Any other options then? All I really want is root. I don't need custom ROMs and such.

 

[LgPWNd]

So I just got 1 of these from boost mobile.
I unlocked bootloader,
Seems no really working twrp for this device yet so I'll see if I can do up a device tree.

This is running a 32bit is correct?

 

[wcfrench]

can't find retus latest firmware! gone from site

pardon anybody
looking for firmware variant 81-5-8
my e6, after the latest security updates
also, I did see on the website from the firmware link
and I saw it went up to 81-6 and the website used to have them all from 81-5

anyone know where to get firmware for e6 81-5-8

I tried flashing after patching and not signed image

also, is there a way to get the recovery image straight off the phone? but it's not rooted

 

[LgPWNd]

Some sort of progress

So, I got rooted with magisk using stock recovery.
To get around the sometimes accident regular boot.
I flashed the broken twrp that's floating around to my boot partition.
Now it always reboots to recovery.

Going to work out the encryption from fstabs and from the dtb and dtb0.

Also my friends and I are trying to get the twrp working with the touch screen

I'm going to pull the firmware off my e6 for a way back to rooted stock,
Then start working towards getting custom rom

I think twrp that semi works needs the ramdisk fixed up and a point to dtbo.

I might try appending the dtb to the zimage in the recovery kernel....

Anyway just some small progress, I'll update as I have time and make advancement

 

[Dimitar G K]

I am not an expert, but will it be possible to patch the recovery.img with magisk and then replace the original recovery with the patched one in the Rescue and Smart Assistant's recovery folder (where the stock rom is) and then reinstall the OS using the Rescue and Smart Assistant but this time with the patched recovery?

 

[LgPWN'd]

I don't know about all of that.
But I can make a package that would use fastboot to unlock the device and then flash twrp and then restore a twrp backup that would set u up with magisk, in boot partition... And working twrp with touch on recovery. Also disables encryption and verity ....

An all in one tool.

Can be made for a PC,
Linux or windows..

I just need to feel motivated

 

[Dimitar G K]

pardon anybody
looking for firmware variant 81-5-8
my e6, after the latest security updates
also, I did see on the website from the firmware link
and I saw it went up to 81-6 and the website used to have them all from 81-5

anyone know where to get firmware for e6 81-5-8

I tried flashing after patching and not signed image

also, is there a way to get the recovery image straight off the phone? but it's not rooted

Check if you can find it here: https://mirrors.lolinet.com/firmware/moto/surfna/official

 

[y3kt]

I had success rooting this device (Moto E6 Surfna) by following the "Boot Image Patching" method here: https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html
mingkee had success with the same method on the G7 https://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g7/how-to/root-g7-magisk-t3907084

Summary:
1. Unlock bootloader, this can help https://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g7/how-to/guide-unlock-g7-bootloader-t3906858
2. Download the firmware for your variant: https://mirrors.lolinet.com/firmware/moto/surfna/official/
3. From the firmware zip, extract the recovery.img
4. Install the Magisk Manager https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445 on the phone
5. Push the recovery.img to the phone
6. From the Magisk Manager, tap "Install" then "Select and Patch a File", find the recovery.img and patch it.
7. Pull the patched img to the PC, Magisk Manager will put in /sdcard/Download/magisk_patched.img
8. Flash the patched img as recovery (fastboot flash recovery magisk_patched.img)

I used the recovery.img instead of the boot.img because the boot.img didn't work for me. Check out the "Magisk in Recovery" section https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html
Start the phone in recovery mode and Magisk will start the phone normally. In the future, the phone will need to boot in recovery mode to start Magisk. A normal boot will cause Magisk to deactivate.

Proceed at your own risk. I give no guarantees, implied or otherwise.
Also, I might've missed a step here or there.

Good luck, happy rooting.

This worked for me. Got some fastboot errors regarding image signature but I was root after I completed the process.

 

[tiptop87]

So, I got rooted with magisk using stock recovery.
To get around the sometimes accident regular boot.
I flashed the broken twrp that's floating around to my boot partition.
Now it always reboots to recovery.

Going to work out the encryption from fstabs and from the dtb and dtb0.

Also my friends and I are trying to get the twrp working with the touch screen

I'm going to pull the firmware off my e6 for a way back to rooted stock,
Then start working towards getting custom rom

I think twrp that semi works needs the ramdisk fixed up and a point to dtbo.

I might try appending the dtb to the zimage in the recovery kernel....

Anyway just some small progress, I'll update as I have time and make advancement

Hey this msg keeps popping up when I try to turn on my phone

AP fastboot flash mode (secure)
Error: failed to load kernel
Error: Linux boot failed

 

[wunderdrug]

pardon anybody
looking for firmware variant 81-5-8
my e6, after the latest security updates
also, I did see on the website from the firmware link
and I saw it went up to 81-6 and the website used to have them all from 81-5

anyone know where to get firmware for e6 81-5-8

I tried flashing after patching and not signed image

also, is there a way to get the recovery image straight off the phone? but it's not rooted

Don't know if you have solved this or not, but I had ran into a similar. I had accidentally-purposely hit the Firmware Upgrade option on the phone, which sent me to 81-5-8, but was only able to find the 81-5-8 firmware when trying to re-root the system. Long story short, I did a bunch of crazy things, and thought I had bricked my phone since 81-5-8 included a boot partition change.

Anyway, I gave up for a while, but thought I'd give it another go. You can download the firmware using the Lenovo Rescue and Smart Assistant software located here:

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds101291

You will have to register for an account to use the software, but after this, all you need to do it attach your phone to your computer and use the "Rescue" feature. This will download the latest firmware and place it in:

C:\ProgramData\LMSA\Download\RomFiles\SURFNA......

Hope this helps.

 

[Valicore]

I have a feeling that this is really stupid and I'm missing something obvious, but I have no option to install and select and patch file in Magisk Manager. What am I doing wrong?

 

[wunderdrug]

I have a feeling that this is really stupid and I'm missing something obvious, but I have no option to install and select and patch file in Magisk Manager. What am I doing wrong?

Make sure that your phone is connected to the Internet.