Database Info

Root for B70 model Transformer

I just got my transformer yesterday, only to realize that the new B70 model doesn't have an official method for rooting. I realize the new model has a different SBK, but there has to be a way to root without the need of nvflash. The Moto Atrix was rooted before we had an unlocked bootloader, so I don't see why the transformer can't be.
Basically what I'm asking is this: are there any developers working with a B70 model now? Or do they all have earlier models and don't have the ability to dev for the B70?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

im looking for one too since i just got mine a few days ago as well... words were said about using a different root method instead of Nvflash... i hope one comes out soon

This method does not utilize nvflash, only it's based on a previous hc version.
http://androidroot.mobi/asus-eee-pad-transformer-tf101-root-cwm-recovery/
If only devs revisit this procedure with updated blobs.....

ondoy1943 said:
This method does not utilize nvflash, only it's based on a previous hc version.
http://androidroot.mobi/asus-eee-pad-transformer-tf101-root-cwm-recovery/
If only devs revisit this procedure with updated blobs.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually tried this method, I left gingerbreak running for a good 15 minutes before I gave up. That's the first time gingerbreak hadn't worked for me, it took a good 5 minutes on my atrix. The version I had on the atrix was an actual apk that you install on your phone though.... Something like that for the transformer would be awesome.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

The vold exploit used in gingerbreak was fixed in one of the early 3.0 builds. It won't work on newer firmware.

Have you checked that your B70 is really locked?
I have one of those B70 that isn't locked.

There is an easy way to test if your B70 is locked with new key, just follow this post:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=16356361&postcount=50

I have not checked if my bootloader is locked, I'll do that when I get home tonight. Thanks for the reference there, I never found that thread after lots of searching. All I want is root for some of my apps and perhaps I over clock stock 3.2 if that is available.
Question though, what if nvflash rejects the test command referenced in that thread? No harmful damage to the device, I hope?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

CinderWild said:
I have not checked if my bootloader is locked, I'll do that when I get home tonight. Thanks for the reference there, I never found that thread after lots of searching. All I want is root for some of my apps and perhaps I over clock stock 3.2 if that is available.
Question though, what if nvflash rejects the test command referenced in that thread? No harmful damage to the device, I hope?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It only tries to open communication with your Transformer (and if there is new key in bootloader, it should error out here allready) and read few files from it. Of course, there is allways chance of something going horribly wrong, nobody can give you 100% correct solution.
My TF was sent today and hopefully might get it tomorrow, or wednesday the latest and will run that test then

That's awesome! I'm a little paranoid about guinea pigging that test so any feed back on it would be wonderful. For now I'll just enjoy the tablet in its natural form haha... Which is still pretty awesome.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

CinderWild said:
I have not checked if my bootloader is locked, I'll do that when I get home tonight. Thanks for the reference there, I never found that thread after lots of searching. All I want is root for some of my apps and perhaps I over clock stock 3.2 if that is available.
Question though, what if nvflash rejects the test command referenced in that thread? No harmful damage to the device, I hope?
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, please try to do an NVFlash backup. I still haven't seen a B70 with a different SBK, but I've seen 10-15 with the same one.

msticninja said:
Yes, please try to do an NVFlash backup. I still haven't seen a B70 with a different SBK, but I've seen 10-15 with the same one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1208779
Slowly starts to appear...

msticninja said:
Yes, please try to do an NVFlash backup. I still haven't seen a B70 with a different SBK, but I've seen 10-15 with the same one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll do that when I get home this evening then. I'll have to look up what command to use to do a backup. So if I can do a backup then its pretty much positive that I can do the nvflash root method?
I'll mess with it tonight and update you guys on it.
Sent from my MB860 using XDA App

bytetemplar said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1208779
Slowly starts to appear...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, they're starting to show up, no real pattern to it yet that I can see.

So I was able to root my B70 after using brk's Root Method; everything ran smoothly.
I installed CWM recovery, but I have yet to figure out how to boot into it, Rom Manager doesn't work for rebooting into it for whatever reason
I am content with being rooted for now though. And especially content that I didn't get one of the B70s with a new SBK.
Here is a link to the root method I followed if you haven't already seen it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1185104

Rooted my B70 with brk's method as well, got lucky I guess. Everything worked fine after. This is a US model ordered from Amazon last week, if anyone is wondering.

tf101g build in july have new key in bootloader. b70 is mount how build, so 7 is july. I can't root TF in any way

Bought a B70 the other day. Got lucky bootloader was not locked.
Rooted within 5 minutes.

Got a B70 (Europe/WW) about week ago and rooted it just fine. I haven't tried to install cwm just yet, though.

JimmyLeeBillyBob said:
Got a B70 (Europe/WW) about week ago and rooted it just fine. I haven't tried to install cwm just yet, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root how? If you root you can use nvflash, but new bootloader don't send command to nvflash

Nvflash

Hey
I habe a Short question...
As we Do now have an unlock Tool... Does that give us Access to nvflash?
Do we now have nvflash in any way?
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using xda app-developers app

no, not now. But there is a solution for the prime, so hopefully it will come our way,too

Shouldnt wheelie theoretically also work for the tf300t?
Or the prime workaround? I mean isnt the 300 tegra 3, too?
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using xda app-developers app

NVFlash and Wheelie should work fine. The problem is that the method to use NVFlash requires a modded bootloader. There's a chance (possibly small; possibly large; either way, too much for me) you could brick your TF300 by flashing it. I would recommend waiting until someone comes up with a TF300-specific solution.

Well is there someone working on it?
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using xda app-developers app

No clue. AndroidRoot.mobi have a sentence at the bottom of the Prime guide saying that they're working on adding support for other devices. There aren't too many tablets that can use NVFlash (Tegra 3 required for this specific version of NVFlash), so besides the TF300 and TF700, what else is left? Acer Iconia A510 and A700? And considering that the Asus tablets will most likely have similar hardware to the Prime, I think the TF300 will just have to wait a short amount of time. I'm just as anxious as anyone else to see this happen.

Access to nvflash is the only thing stopping me unlocking my tf300. I want to wait until it is really difficult to brick.

EndlessDissent said:
NVFlash and Wheelie should work fine. The problem is that the method to use NVFlash requires a modded bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean wheelie flashes an own bootloader in the background?

dark alex said:
You mean wheelie flashes an own bootloader in the background?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. You can go to AndroidRoot.mobi and check the instructions. You have to flash the bootloader with fastboot. Then, wheelie will work to access nvflash commands.

Well you told me that it "might" work. So did someone already try it and your warning is just because flashing might fail due to for example a crash?
Or did you mean it might be incompatible at all?

I mean that since the Prime and TF300 are built similarly, there's a chance that the modded Prime bootloader would work for our tablets. There's a bigger chance that it would just brick our tablets. I only said "might" because it hasn't been tested, let alone proven, to work or not work. If you'd like to try the AndroidRoot.mobi method with the Prime bootloader, you're welcome to do so and report back whether or not it worked. But don't blame anyone if you brick your tablet instead.

EndlessDissent said:
I mean that since the Prime and TF300 are built similarly, there's a chance that the modded Prime bootloader would work for our tablets. There's a bigger chance that it would just brick our tablets. I only said "might" because it hasn't been tested, let alone proven, to work or not work. If you'd like to try the AndroidRoot.mobi method with the Prime bootloader, you're welcome to do so and report back whether or not it worked. But don't blame anyone if you brick your tablet instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I do not really know the differences from programmatic side (probably other partition sizes and positions and so on) I do not want to try this method for now. The reason is that I to neighter know exactly how the bootloaders on tablets work, no what you have to look at before you can try this more or less safely.
This is the reason why I will wait and try to find out more.

Any updates on when nvflash will support our TF300's?

It looks like the guys that developed the nvflash unbrick process for the TF101 put the steps of how they did here:
http://androidroot.mobi/2011/06/13/nvflash-on-asus-transformer/
I wonder if someone with a bootable TF300 would be able to extract the info needed for the TF300? It looks like the same process should work for the TF300, just with the change of the partition table configuration, etc.

jrfaulkin said:
I wonder if someone with a bootable TF300 would be able to extract the info needed for the TF300? It looks like the same process should work for the TF300, just with the change of the partition table configuration, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For the TF300T you also need the secure boot key. I'm not sure how they got nvflash for the TF201, but AFAIK the only way you can get the SBK is from Asus.

so basically what your saying is we're ****ed

mikeseguin said:
so basically what your saying is we're ****ed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well not exactly, I'm only saying that (hard) work getting the partition table and such won't do it alone. We also need another shot of the luck or whatever else it took for the TF201 SBK to be disclosed. But since it was possible for the TF201 it should be possibe for the TF300.

[Resolved] Understanding what Locked BL w/JB & root did

I just wanted to understand where I am and what happened.
I have a locked boot loader TF300T, it came with .30.
I rooted with the debugfs root process.
I downloaded and ran OTA root keeper,
and saved root.
Later JB was offered to me. I took the update
and lost root. I thought I had to rerun the
debugfs script again, but that doesn't work
in JB.
After a reboot, I re-downloaded and reinstalled
OTA root keeper, and it prompted me to restore
root. After another reboot, root is back.
I'm guessing whatever the debugfs script did
to get root is fixed in 4.1.1, but OTA root
keeper was successful in doing its job.
So I have root again in a locked otherwise
stock TF300T with JB 4.1.1.
Did I do it right?
Do I understand correctly?

If you have a root checker, run it to make sure. Just search for root check in the market. If you still have root, then you are lucky. Many others have lost half or all their root access.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app

Results of checker
funnel71 said:
If you have a root checker, run it to make sure. Just search for root check in the market. If you still have root, then you are lucky. Many others have lost half or all their root access.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Checker reports success

That's pretty cool that you kept it. Don't do a data wipe or you won't be able to get it back without unlocking the bootloader.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app

Followup Root on TF300T & 4.1.1 OTA
I'm hoping the nice folks here will figure out
a new way to root for jelly bean eventually.
I personally do not like ASUS's approach
of blacklisting unlocked serial numbers.
Realisticly, while some issues can be
caused by bad flashes. There are still
real hardware failures that should
be covered by warranty regardless
of content.
Loose ports or other obvious deflects,
for example. They would be there stock or
not.
For the time being, I'm staying locked
& rooted. At least I can use root apps
to backup apps and data.

That's pretty good thinking. I feel the same, hence waiting for a stock and lock root solution.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app

fuzzynco said:
I'm hoping the nice folks here will figure out
a new way to root for jelly bean eventually.
I personally do not like ASUS's approach
of blacklisting unlocked serial numbers.
Realisticly, while some issues can be
caused by bad flashes. There are still
real hardware failures that should
be covered by warranty regardless
of content.
Loose ports or other obvious deflects,
for example. They would be there stock or
not.
For the time being, I'm staying locked
& rooted. At least I can use root apps
to backup apps and data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
funnel71 said:
That's pretty good thinking. I feel the same, hence waiting for a stock and lock root solution.
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1... The desire to upgrade to JB has been eating me up but at only 3 weeks old I want to keep my tf300t locked a little while longer. And I also think the blacklist thing is a poor testament to ASUS's customer support. As a VAR I sold a lot of their product and had few issues, but their attitude toward open source is lame. If I wanted to be treated like an Ipad owner I would have bought an Ipad.
The upgrade bug had me so bad that I did put JB on my SGSII4G since I can restore that without issue. Really was not all that impressed. I agree with what others have said it is a resource hog. I know that is not as big a deal with android but it is getting kind of windoz like (every release is 33% fatter (IMHO). And Flash does have issues with the Bean.
For now I will stay with rooted ICS on the ASUS until I'm comfortable with the reliability or their is a truly safe way to run Bean. Anyone know how to get rid of this annoying upgrade nag screen, besides upgrading?

Rooting Newest Firmware Update?

Hey all, just got my TF700 on Friday. So stoked.
I am about to root my tablet, but I want to make sure the current tools with work (sparkym3 and Debugfs) with the newest update. I would rather root the latest release than root what I have and use Voodoo. I have had issues doing that in the past.
My current firmware is IML74K.US_epad-9-4-5.26-20120720
How many update as I away from current? Will the current tools work with the most recent updates? Which method do you guys recommend?
Thanks!

I have not been able to get those two methods to work for me on the newest update. I think I am a rare exception, most seem to have success. I have even returned a tablet becuase of defect and the second would not root either. It wasnt a big deal because i knew i was going to unlock the bootloader and then i could install a custom recovery and rom and achieve root that way. If you are planning on unlocking I suggest you do a little more research in the NVFlash page because if you update from your current firmware that will no longer be an option. Just my 2 cents

(Imo) i would just root what you have now and use voodoo. Checkout the nvflash thread while your at it. ( doesn't work with .30 update, i wish i had noticed that before i upgraded to .30 )
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

I know it was mentioned but just for good measure... If you plan on unlocking at all make sure you do it before upgrading to .30 so that you can get nvflash setup for your device.
Sent from my Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

Is .30 the next update? How many update am I away from current?
I have some thinking to do, I wasn't planning on unlocking (at least until CM and AOKP officially support the TF700) but if NvFlash won't work on any other updates I may need to rethink.

And to be honest, I don't really see the purpose in unlocking. I ROMed my TF101 but ASUS does such a good job of only altering AOSP with small (and beneficial) changes I may just leave my Infinity as is. Especially if I have to stick with the shipped firmware and once I update NvFlash won't work. I guess I can always just flash ROMs without NvFlash though...
But my two questions above still stand.
One more question as this is the first device I have owned that had NvFlash available. What is the benefit of having NvFlash vs just CWM? Just protection in case I do something really stupid?
Sent from my EPAD using Tapatalk 2

You are one update away from the latest which is .30. (soon to be two) The debugfs root method will root you.
you should check out my thread on root and jellybean: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1908304
Nvflash allows you to flash anything even if the bootloader is corrupted or prevents it, it also allows you to downgrade when the bootloader prevents it e.g. .30 to .26. it is also required to flash custom bootloaders which is useful if someone develops a dual-boot bootloader. You can even relock and reunlock your bootloader with nvflash. If you don't plan on using non-stock fw though, stay locked so that you can get your updates and support.

Thanks for the help guys.
So what I'm thinking is just to root, unlock, and NOT flash NvFlash. It isn't terribly dangerous not to use right? I mean as long as I have CWM installed I am pretty safe unless I do something completely stupid right?
Sent from my EPAD using Tapatalk 2

I_EAT_BABIES said:
Thanks for the help guys.
So what I'm thinking is just to root, unlock, and NOT flash NvFlash. It isn't terribly dangerous not to use right? I mean as long as I have CWM installed I am pretty safe unless I do something completely stupid right?
Sent from my EPAD using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have .26 and are going to unlock, you may as well create your nvflash files. It isn't so much as flashing nvflash. Nvflash is already hardcoded in the tegra chip. You would just be creating the encrypted files needed to utilize it on your device. You save these in triplicate in case the worst happens. Unlocking is necessary for generating the nvflash files, but it voids your warranty and leaves you unable to recieve OTAs (you can still update manually using methods listed in the development forums).
I'm not explicitly recommending that you unlock, but if you do, it's best to do it on the .26 update, so you can get those nvflash files from your device.

So if I do install NvFlash can I still waiting install official updates from Asus by downloading them from Asus website?
I really want to try Asus's stock Jelly Bean ROM, so anything that removes that as an option is not for me.
Thanks for the clarification.
Sent from my DROID SPYDER using Tapatalk 2

you don't install nvflash. you use it to interface with the device's apx mode.
as for the official firmwares, you can still install those even if you are unlocked. you just have to do it manually.

Yup, you can just download the firmware zip from asus's website:
http://www.asus.com/Tablet/Transformer_Pad/ASUS_Transformer_Pad_Infinity_TF700T/#download
Unzip it once(it'l be another zip) and flash that in TWRP. (not sure if it works in cwm. I am biased but I definately recommend twrp:angel Make sure you uncheck flash recovery. reinstall recovery using fastboot because the update deletes it.

I_EAT_BABIES said:
So if I do install NvFlash can I still waiting install official updates from Asus by downloading them from Asus website?
I really want to try Asus's stock Jelly Bean ROM, so anything that removes that as an option is not for me.
Thanks for the clarification.
Sent from my DROID SPYDER using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you need to unlock to take a bootloader backup, which you will not able to take OTA Jelly Been, however, you can download the new Jelly Bean from Asus website and manually flash it.

OK I feel like I understand now. There really aren't any downsides to setting up NvFlash (Asus warranty not an issue, I have Best Buy's super program where I can return the tablet even if I just scratch the screen if I want to).
My initial impression was that if I unlocked I would not be able to update any stock firmware period, and that if I set up NvFlash I could not move from .26.
If I understand correctly I just have to be on .26 to set up NvFlash, and can manually install official Asus firmware after unlocking.
Thanks for the help all! I am not new to flashing ROMs etc. but have never had the ability to use NvFlash.
Have a great night all!

nVFlash with Jellybean

is such a thing possible at all with the tf700? i'm hesitant to root/unlock/flash roms until there is an unbrickable option out...

NVFlash works fine - it doesn't matter what version of Android your tablet is currently on. The only pre-requisite is that you have saved your TF700 "blobs" while you were on the .26 firmware or earlier. Once you have the saved the files, NVFlash will *always* work, regardless of the Android version.
If you've already upgraded to .30 or JB *before* saving your blobs with NVFlash, then you are stuck, there is currently no way to obtain the "blobs" needed to use NVFlash if you are past the .26 firmware before saving your blobs.
Hope that makes sense...
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2

jtrosky said:
NVFlash works fine - it doesn't matter what version of Android your tablet is currently on. The only pre-requisite is that you have saved your TF700 "blobs" while you were on the .26 firmware or earlier. Once you have the saved the files, NVFlash will *always* work, regardless of the Android version.
If you've already upgraded to .30 or JB *before* saving your blobs with NVFlash, then you are stuck, there is currently no way to obtain the "blobs" needed to use NVFlash if you are past the .26 firmware before saving your blobs.
Hope that makes sense...
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am kind of a newbie so excuse my lack of knowledge. Is it possible to use the nvflash backups from another Tf700 to restore a possible bricked one?

Do you think we will get nvflash for jellybean in the future?

georgecarstoiu said:
I am kind of a newbie so excuse my lack of knowledge. Is it possible to use the nvflash backups from another Tf700 to restore a possible bricked one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO, the nvflash backup is for your device only.

I wonder whether the guys from Asus service use nvflash to rewrite everything in case the bootloader gets messed up as many users did with TWRP 2.2.2.0 or CWM 6.0.1.3?
I read somewhere in the forums that they actually have to replace the entire motherboard in this kind of a situation. Any truth to this?

Yep. All hard bricks with the TF201 got new main boards. No one can unlock either after they get their tablets back from RMA after this. There's a big thread about not being able to unlock on the prime forum.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using xda premium

paddycr said:
Yep. All hard bricks with the TF201 got new main boards. No one can unlock either after they get their tablets back from RMA after this. There's a big thread about not being able to unlock on the prime forum.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So let me get this right...if the motherboard is changed than you can no longer unlock the device and port other OSs? Are they putting in a superboard of some sort that cannot be unlocked?
I find this hard to believe especially when you can get the unlocking tool from the Asus website. At least let's hope it's not like this, otherwise my tablet would lose some of its appeal.

georgecarstoiu said:
So let me get this right...if the motherboard is changed than you can no longer unlock the device and port other OSs? Are they putting in a superboard of some sort that cannot be unlocked?
I find this hard to believe especially when you can get the unlocking tool from the Asus website. At least let's hope it's not like this, otherwise my tablet would lose some of its appeal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hard to believe?? Please, be my guest:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1764917
Sent from my Transformer Pad Infinity TF700T using xda premium

georgecarstoiu said:
So let me get this right...if the motherboard is changed than you can no longer unlock the device and port other OSs? Are they putting in a superboard of some sort that cannot be unlocked?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but the problem is that after a motherboard exchange, the CPU ID doesn't match the serial number anymore. The unlock tool must contact ASUS to get the unlocking token (unique for each motherboard), and it fails if the CPU ID doesn't match in their database anymore. It simply can't get the right token anymore.

Ok....this makes a lot of sense actually. Let's see if the same thing applies to TF700. I'll keep you posted to whether I'll be able to unlock my tablet once it gets returned.