UPDATED GUIDE: How to unlock your MOTO MAXX/MOTO TURBO bootloader/install TWRP/root

[ChazzMatt]

Updated root & TWRP installation guide for Moto XT1225 and XT1250
Plus other goodies! Also see posts #2 and #3.

[UPDATED GUIDE] How to unlock your MOTO MAXX/MOTO TURBO bootloader, install TWRP and gain root access

INTRODUCTION/EXPLANATION

I own three Moto XT1225 and the original root/recovery thread from 2014 is here. I rooted two of my XT1225 phones using that guide. However, it's a very OLD guide from 2014, made before we even had TWRP recovery and the phone was on KitKat 4.4.4. We now have factory Motorola Marshmallow firmware. You should be very cautious using it! The ADB steps are OK, but would be best to use TWRP recovery in place of the primitive recovery listed in that thread.

@alexcreto and @respider did an awesome job at the time, but a lot of dev work has happened since 2014! We have official TWRP. We are now two Android versions away from Kitkat 4.4.4.

Thus, the need for THIS updated guide. I wrote these steps as a post in that thread, but am now making it a standalone thread. @TheSt33v did a very good job writing up a similar guide for the Droid Turbo XT1254, and while the bootloader unlock portion is different for that Quark model, the TWRP installation and root are the same. With his permission, I have copied those portions of his guide, editing slightly to clarify (in my opinion) or adding some more instructions or combining a few steps for convenience.

The bootloader unlock portion for every Motorola Quark -- except the Droid Turbo XT1254 -- is very easy and free. If you have a Droid Turbo XT1254, go here. IF you have any other Quark -- Moto Maxx XT1225, Moto Turbo XT1225, U.S. Moto Maxx XT1250, keep reading...
________________________________

Section 1: UNLOCK YOUR BOOTLOADER

Before anything, go to the Motorola website and unlock your bootloader.

Unlocking the Quarks -- "international" Moto Maxx XT1225, Moto Turbo XT1225, U.S. Moto Maxx XT1250 -- is FREE, via the Motorola website.

UNLOCK YOUR BOOTLOADER
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/standalone/bootloader/unlock-your-device-a

You release Motorola from any liability, get a code and unlock your bootloader.

If you get an error message at this step that your phone is not eligible, then you have typed in something wrong (or you have a Verizon Droid phone). Helps if you Google how to copy and paste from Windows command window. There's a LOT of alphanumeric characters you have to type. First time I tried to unlock my bootloader I mis-typed something. :crying: Copying and pasting from the Windows command window fixed that problem! :good:

You'll get an email with the bootloader unlock code. The email will also have a link back to the instructions. But the code is what's important.

You will receive this fairly instantly. If you don't get it, make sure you checkmarked you agree to all the conditions. Also check your spam folder.


Of the Quark series, only Verizon's Droid Turbo XT1254 is exempt from this free Motorola bootloader unlock and this guide is NOT for the Droid Turbo XT1254.

This Motorola bootloader unlock guide will help you:

HOW TO UNLOCK MOTOROLA BOOTLOADERS
https://androidmtk.com/unlock-bootloader-on-any-motorola-device

_____________

Once you have unlocked your bootloader, follow THESE steps:

Section 2: INSTALLING TWRP
Team Win Recovery Project is arguably the most important tool to have on a bootloader-unlocked phone. This is how you install it:

0. If you haven't already, go click the Android Build number in About Phone several times to become a "Developer". Then go into Developer Options and allow USB Android Debugging. If it asks you to allow your PC one time or always, check mark always. In Kitkat it looked like this:

YAY...thats an easy one...
So, whenever you plug your phone in your PC with the USB Debugging on, it prompts you to accept the fingerprint of the PC.
You have to accept it...in your phone...

It's like this:

It's still very similar.

1. Download and install Minimal ADB and Fastboot to your PC.
Download from here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2317790.

2. Go ahead and download SuperSU from the attached file at bottom of this post. It's an older version of SuperSu but works well on the Quark Motorola Marshmallow ROM. You can always update to newer version later. We'll install this after we install TWRP. Transfer that file to a convenient location on your phone. If you downloaded the file with your phone, it's in your "Downloads folder". You can keep it there.

BETA-SuperSU-v2.62-3-20151211162651
Attached to this post or download from here:
https://download.chainfire.eu/751/SuperSU/

3. Download the latest Quark TWRP .img file from this page (courtesy our Quark maintainer @bhb27:
https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=39562
(USE THE FILE ON THAT PAGE WITH THE MOST RECENT DATE)

The file visible in that folder is the always the very newest modded TWRP by our official maintainer @bhb27. Make sure you use the one with the most recent date. I strongly suggest you use his modded TWRP file over the TWRP from the official TWRP website. He's an XDA recognized dev who knows what's best for our Quark phones, and he's added stuff to make TWRP very compatible with the latest ROMs, whereas the "official" unmodded TWRP does not have that. @bhb27 helped us get official status with TWRP, but for some reason they won't post his modded versions. Ignore them. His modded TWRP is much better (more compatible with newest ROMs) than the TWRP available on the official TWRP site.


4. Download and install the Motorola Device Manager from here:
https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/88481.

5. Rename the TWRP recovery file that you downloaded in step 3 to TWRP.img.
(Make sure you enable viewing file extensions in Windows! The file already has an ".img" extension! You are merely re-naming it TWRP. The .img extension is already there. If you don't see, then enable viewing all file extensions until you do see it.)

6. Copy TWRP.img to the directory that you installed Minimal ADB and Fastboot to. The default location on an installation of 64-bit Windows is C:\Program Files (x86)\Minimal ADB and Fastboot.

7. Turn off your phone.

8. Hold the volume down button and press the power button to boot into bootloader mode. You should see a green android lying on his back with his chest open, and some information about your phone. Poor little guy...

9. Plug your phone into your PC.

10. Double click on the Minimal ADB and Fastboot shortcut that's on your desktop. It will open a command prompt.

11. Type "fastboot devices" without quotes and press enter. If it gives you your phone's serial number, you're good to go. If it gives you nothing, your device is not detected. This can happen for several reasons, and I won't discuss them here. However, if you followed these directions and all of your hardware is functioning properly, you should be good to go.

12. Type "fastboot flash recovery TWRP.img" without quotes and press enter. It should tell you that the flash was successful. (If fastboot can't find the file, go back to point #5 and make sure you re-named it correctly. Make sure you have Windows extensions visible. You may have accidentally named it TWRP.img.img.)

13 Highlight "Recovery mode" on your phone using the volume up and down buttons.
(Because you will still be on the bootloader screen after flashing TWRP. AFTER you flash it, you will then use your volume button to arrow up or down -- doesn't matter -- through the choice until you see "recovery". THEN, in the next step you will press the power button to choose that selection -- recovery.)

14. Press the power button to choose "boot into TWRP. < THIS IS IMPORTANT! Do not reboot normally after flashing TWRP. Reboot directly to recovery by selecting recovery from the bootloader menu on the phone. After the first TWRP boot, it will be there permanently.

15. TWRP will boot, and it will ask you if you want to allow write access to the system partition. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALLOW THIS. Check the box that says to never ask this question again.

____________

Section 3: GAINING ROOT ACCESS

16. Select Install from the TWRP main menu.

17. Navigate to the location where you saved the SuperSu file that you downloaded in step 2, and select it.

18. Swipe the bar at the bottom of the screen to flash this zip file.

19. When it finishes, select Reboot System to boot your phone normally.

_______________

BETA-SuperSU-v2.62-3-20151211162651
Attached to this bottom of this post or download from here:

https://download.chainfire.eu/751/SuperSU/

Flash this version initially. You can update to newer version later. (People had problems flashing the very newest SuperSu for initial root, but this version works good. Again, you can update to newer version later, after you gain root.)

Also, here's some common mistakes people make when flashing TWRP and SuperSU:
(Read these first if you have any problems.)

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68211093&postcount=302

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68212100&postcount=306

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68222204&postcount=309

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=68224106&postcount=311
_______

BONUS TIP - SuperSu Setting

After you reboot, go into SuperSu settings and UNcheck this box. Mount namespace separation.
Uncheck that. Disable that. Then, reboot.

If it's enabled it will conflict with Titanium Backup which you will use at some point, or should. And you will have no idea why Titanium Backup is saying you are out of space, when you are not -- but it's due to this setting in SuperSu!

STRONG SUGGESTION: After successfully unlocking bootloader, installing TWRP and rooting, when you finally boot back to stock firmware, install THIS app (needs root permission) to easily facilitate rebooting to TWRP recovery in the future. Recovery Reboot

 

[ChazzMatt]

Remove annoying bootloader unlocked warning

Motorola insists upon telling you that you unlocked your bootloader every time you reboot your phone. This is the static logo you see before the moving boot animation starts, and Motorola replaces it with an UNLOCKED bootloader warning. Yes, I know -- I unlocked it on purpose!

Replace that annoying warning with something cool looking... I have attached FIVE choices with Motorola logo!

* Black and White

* Dark Google ATAP

Graphic for this above was used from this Moto X Pure thread by @XDleader555 -- but I adapted it for our Quark so it wouldn't be upside down. All the other bundled graphics in the bin file like "recovery", "bootloader" are taken from the Black & Teal logo below. However the "splash screen" is this artistic black & white boot logo.

* Black and Teal

*White and Teal

* Black and Red

(The last three with color are custom graphics made by @fenix3nk0r3 from this thread. I am using the black and teal on my daily phone.)

And here's two ways of installing the new boot logos...

REMOVE ANNOYING BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED WARNING



1. FASTBOOT ADB

Prerequisites:

• Bootloader Unlocked
• Fastboot and ADB On your PC (i personally recommend Minimal ADB and Fastboot )

Installation:
Assuming you already have Fastboot on your pc just flash it with the following command:

Fastboot flash logo "name_logo".bin

(Replace "name_logo" bin with whatever the .bin file is named, without quotes. IF you simply re-name it logo.bin, remember you will be typing the word logo twice in that command. Just remember to actually type it twice!)

2. FLASH LOGO IN TWRP
Courtesy @bhb27, here's a boot logo flasher app for use in TWRP:

This can be used to flash the logo via TWRP. No need to fastboot or PC

Logo_Flasher.zip

This zip must be used with a logo.bin file. The file can be find on stock Moto ROM and modified using the logo flasher app.

Place the logo.bin on the root of this zip, the file name must be named logo.bin

Then just flash the zip via TWRP.

Great tool, once I figured out "place the re-named logo.bin on the root of this zip" meant INSIDE the zipped logo flasher folder.

I first placed it in the same folder as the zipped file (my Download folder). Didn't work. Then, I re-read and realized it meant the logo.bin file had to placed INSIDE the zipped folder. My fault. So, I did that and worked smoothly!

Note that whichever .bin image you use, it MUST be re-named simply "logo.bin" to work inside this logo flasher app.

____

EDIT: SEE POST #5 FOR TWRP FLASHABLE ZIP FILES WITH LOGO ALREADY PREPARED! NO PC NEEDED!

 

[ChazzMatt]

Flash new boot animation

FLASH NEW BOOT ANIMATION.

1) Google Bootanimation 60fps for all QUARK

There are plenty of boot animations available. I like this one...

Google Bootanimation 60fps for all QUARK

Looks like this:

But a LOT smoother in real life

See attached file. This is a TWRP flashable zipped file. Download and flash it in TWRP.

Do NOT unzip it! Just boot into TWRP recovery and flash it.


Thanks to @LuanGuima14 for the file!

[emoji23] I made a zip containing the bootanimation that google uses the nexus at 60fps and also bootlogo the Droid turbo has dark background

____________________

Also we now have this:

2) Motorola stock "Spinnning World"

Thanks to @metpolds from this post.

Yes, it works on our Quarks. I just flashed it in TWRP recovery to test.

 

[fenix3nk0r3]

Men I Like your post, thanks for adding my publication

 

[ChazzMatt]

No pc needed to flash these boot logos!

TWRP-FLASHABLE: REMOVE ANNOYING BOOTLOADER UNLOCKED WARNING

This is the static logo you see before the moving boot animation starts.

Due requests, I have attached TWRP-flashable files with boot logos already inside. No need for a PC!

NOTE: Flash one of these boot logos as a separate TWRP session if you are also flashing the boot animation. For some reason both cannot be flashed in the same session.
___________

Motorola insists upon telling you that you unlocked your bootloader every time you reboot your phone.

Replace that annoying warning with something cool looking... I have attached FIVE choices with Motorola logo!

* Black and White

* Dark Google ATAP

Graphic for this above was used from this Moto X Pure thread by @XDleader555 -- but I adapted it for our Quark so it wouldn't be upside down. All the other bundled graphics in the bin file like "recovery", "bootloader" are taken from the Black & Teal logo below. However the "splash screen" is this artistic black & white boot logo.

* Black and Teal

*White and Teal

* Black and Red

(The last three with color are custom graphics made by @fenix3nk0r3 from this thread. I am using the black and teal on my daily phone.)

 

[Steve One]

Boot animation zip worked but not the logo bin zip Sir.

 

[ChazzMatt]

Boot animation zip worked but not the logo bin zip Sir.

EDIT: We figured out these boot logos have to be flashed in a separate TWRP session if you are also flashing the boot animation.
______________

Works for me. How are you downloading? How are you flashing?

I flashed the white and teal before I uploaded the zipped files, as I was already using the black and teal.

Now I just reflashed the black and teal from the exact same file I attached to post #5.

Using Chrome browser, I just re-downloaded the red and black -- even though I already had it stored on my phone. I used the one from this post and flashed it. It works.

So, that's 3 of the 4 I've personally flashed...

Boot into TWRP and "install" (flash) the zipped file you downloaded.

 

[Steve One]

Just reflashed and it worked great. Maybe it didn't work the first time because I flashed both the logo bin zip and boot animation together.
Thank you very much for your continued support kind Sir.

 

[ramiro128]

Hola, thanks for this exceptional guide to root MM in XT1225!

Im having same issues making backups with TWRP.

First its not backing up in my OTG device, i get error 255.

If i make backup in internal memory then i cant see it in root explorer or in windows.

I see TWRP folder but nothing inside, but in TWRP i can restore it.

Hope you understand me.

Sorry for my bad english and thanks for you work again!

 

[ChazzMatt]

Hola, thanks for this exceptional guide to root MM in XT1225!

Im having some issues making backups with TWRP.

First its not backing up in my OTG device, i get error 255.

If i make backup in internal memory then i cant see it in root explorer or in windows.

I see TWRP folder but nothing inside, but in TWRP i can restore it.

Hope you understand me.

Sorry for my bad english and thanks for you work again!

You are welcome. I am not a TWRP expert. I would suggest you re-flash the latest version of TWRP and see what happens. But you will get a better answer in the TWRP thread run by @bhb27... Good luck!

[RECOVERY][OFFICIAL TWRP 3.0.2-0][For all Quark][Moto Maxx/Turbo and Droid Turbo]
http://forum.xda-developers.com/mot...recovery-twrp-2-8-7-0-touch-recovery-t3180308

 

[moriturim]

correct me if I'm wrong..

5. Rename the file that you downloaded in step 2 to TWRP.img. (Make sure you enable viewing file extensions in Windows! The file already has an ".img" extension! You are merely re-naming it TWRP. The .img extension is already there. If you don't see, then enable viewing all file extensions until you do see it.)

Are you sure you're refering to step 2 and not 3? The file downloaded at step 2 has zip extension. The file downloaded at step 3 has img extension.

 

[ChazzMatt]

Are you sure you're refering to step 2 and not 3? The file downloaded at step 2 has zip extension. The file downloaded at step 3 has img extension.

Yes, you are correct since I specifically mentioned TWRP.

I wrote this guide then went back and added another step (downloading SuperSu) between #1 and #2 (TWRP), thus making the TWRP download step actually #3. It made more sense to download SuperSu first, to have it ready. So, in the revision, the TWRP download became step #3.

Then, I didn't change the TWRP file re-naming/windows extension warning to reflect that number change, still referring to "step #2".

I'll change it now. Thanks.

 

[Garden98]

I was trying to get the bootloader unlocked, but I still haven't received any code by Motorola. How long do they usually take to send it?

I tried to contact them too, but their site is terrible, every device that I try on that site has issues, in can't even send a question or get into the chat, the buttons don't work

 

[ChazzMatt]

I was trying to get the bootloader unlocked, but I still haven't received any code by Motorola. How long do they usually take to send it?

I tried to contact them too, but their site is terrible, every device that I try on that site has issues, in can't even send a question or get into the chat, the buttons don't work

It's fairly instant. Did you agree to the conditions?

You'll get an email with the bootloader unlock code. The email will also have a link back to the instructions. But the code is what's important.

Check your spam folder.

 

[Garden98]

It's fairly instant. Did you agree to the conditions?

You'll get an email with the bootloader unlock code. The email will also have a link back to the instructions. But the code is what's important.

Check your spam folder.

Thanks, it worked. I can't believe I had to try three times.


Motorola site is still sh*t for help ahah

 

[sebamerca]

Stock in the boot animation

Hi.

First thanks for you complete guide.

Now, I did all the steps correctly, but in the final, when I tryed to flash de boot animation logo TWR show me that is all ok, but my phone don't boot... It's stock in the animation all the time. What happend?

What can I do for return at before steps?

The last moment that my phone works, was before to flash the SuperSU. After that, the phone stock it in the big M screen (the white one), then I flash the animation logo zip.

I need my phone D:

EDIT: I add the next --> When I connect my phone to PC, while the first is in the TWRP mode, the windows explorer showme 2 folders: "TWRP" and "0". Is this Correct?

EDIT 2: I flashed the Resurrection Remix ROM (http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-maxx/development/rom-resurrection-remix-t3316232) using TWRP and my phone works, but I losed the active display

Pd: sorry my english, but I larning yet.

 

[ChazzMatt]

Quark Ambient Display settings

Hi.

First thanks for you complete guide.

Now, I did all the steps correctly, but in the final, when I tryed to flash de boot animation logo TWR show me that is all ok, but my phone don't boot... It's stock in the animation all the time. What happend?

What can I do for return at before steps?

The last moment that my phone works, was before to flash the SuperSU. After that, the phone stock it in the big M screen (the white one), then I flash the animation logo zip.

I need my phone D:

EDIT: I add the next --> When I connect my phone to PC, while the first is in the TWRP mode, the windows explorer showme 2 folders: "TWRP" and "0". Is this Correct?

EDIT 2: I flashed the Resurrection Remix ROM (http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-maxx/development/rom-resurrection-remix-t3316232) using TWRP and my phone works, but I losed the active display

Pd: sorry my english, but I larning yet.

From all your edits it seems you actually figured most of it out? You have now flashed Resurrection Remix Marshmallow ROM. If you did that, then you unlocked your bootloader, installed TWRP, rooted and rebooted successfully!

I'm not sure exactly the steps you did, but for some reason the TWRP-flashable boot animation and TWRP-flashable boot logos cannot be flashed in the same TWRP session. If you try to flash both in the same TWRP session, one will not flash and you will still have the logo or animation you were trying to replace. I provided two versions of boot logos -- either ADB or TWRP-flashable. You can either flash the boot logo via ADB and then boot animation via TWRP... OR you can flash the TWRP-flashable boot logo via TWRP, reboot to ROM, then go back into TWRP recovery, and then flash the TWRP-flashable boot animation in a separate session.



QUARK AMBIENT DISPLAY SETTINGS

EDIT 2: I flashed the Resurrection Remix ROM (http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-maxx/development/rom-resurrection-remix-t3316232) using TWRP and my phone works, but I losed the active display

For the active display, in CM-based ROMs it's called "Ambient Display". Our CM dev @Skrilax_CZ, put a lot of effort into coding it so it works with the the Quark (Moto Maxx/Moto Turbo/Droid Turbo) IR sensors very much like Moto Display.

All the other ROMs, like Resurrection Remix, Bliss, etc use the same coding.

It's a lock-screen notification system. You will not see any notifications if you display is not locked when it is off/dark/sleeping.

In Settings,

• First, you need to turn on Ambient Display.
• Then, you need to configure the actions of Ambient Display. For example, some want to see notifications when they wave their hands over the phone, some do not want that action.

Below are the Ambient Display settings screenshots I took when I was using CM12.1. I am now using Resurrection Remix Marshmallow, like you. The settings are either identical or very, very similar.

____________

_____________

2)

___________
3)
______________

______________

4)
In Lock Screen, you need to have some sort of of screen lock, even if it's just swipe/slide lock. Either swipe, pattern or PIN. You can't choose "none". I choose pattern, but it's up to you.

IF you choose swipe, you may accidentally unlock your phone if you keep it in your pocket. PIN or pattern is better, in my opinion.

In RR, these settings below are under "Security". In CM12.1 it was under "Lockscreen".

Also, helps if you have "Automatically Lock" and "Power Button Instantly Locks" Some people put a delay on those for some reason, and then Ambient Display isn't going to show you notifications on the dark screen because the Display isn't actually locked.

NOTE: After you turn on all the other options, sometimes it's best to then turn off Ambient Display, then turn it back on to make sure it recognizes the other settings you have enabled.

 

[sebamerca]

You are awesome.

Works perfectly (just check one time).

Thanks again from Chile.

And sorry for my English, I expect understand me

Sent from my Moto MAXX using Tapatalk

 

[MusashiBR]

Thank you man.
I had troubles to root with SuperSU 2.78, but with your tip, now it's working again.

 

[ChazzMatt]

Thank you man.
I had troubles to root with SuperSU 2.78, but with your tip, now it's working again.

Yes, the beta SuperSu 2.62 I have in post #1 works great for initial root. Then, after that you can update to newest SuperSu if you wish.