Root/adb problems

[ryanf8]

My phone got updated to the 98.15.66 (XT907.Verizon) and it locked my phone and unrooted it. I attempted to use the motochopper tool, and the only thing it seemed to do was put the superuser.apk app on the phone without it rooting it. Even doing a factory reset, the SU app is still there. I'm terrified the latest OTA is going to install itself while I'm not looking!

Here's what I've done so far:

Failed to gain root with motochopper
Downloaded and installed latest Motorola Device Drivers (as of today)
Downloaded and updated my Android SDK
Replaced the fastboot file with the Motorola fastboot file the link below mentions.

I've been following the instructions on [How-To]UNIVERSAL Recovery and Root ANY {Unlocked Bootloader XT926 & XT907}, but I'm stuck as adb won't list my device. I've done a phone restart, made sure the screen is on, but nothing. I'm on a Mac, do I need to do this on Windows and install something special for Motorola?

I'd like to unlock the bootloader, but I'll settle for root short term. I've been searching for two days now, and there's so much information I'm just frazzled as it's hard to tell what should work with my device. So it's time to ask for help...

 

[bweN diorD]

im not sure if i can help you, partially because your explanation is quite confusing. please elaborate on my comments below and we will see what can be done from there.

My phone got updated to the 98.15.66 (XT907.Verizon) <updated when? this isn't recent and it locked my phone and unrooted it.<almost not possible the bootloader got re-locked. are you sure it was unlocked? how do you know and how do you know its locked now? as for root, thats normal, in the future use VooDoo from the market to TRY and keep root through an OTA I attempted to use the motochopper tool, and the only thing it seemed to do was put the superuser.apk app on the phone without it rooting it. Even doing a factory reset, the SU app is still there.<motochopper should work on the build you said above. you got that build number from your current "about phone" screen? I'm terrified the latest OTA is going to install itself while I'm not looking! <that would just render your device locked permanently, root can still be achieved.

Here's what I've done so far:

Failed to gain root with motochopper
Downloaded and installed latest Motorola Device Drivers (as of today)
Downloaded and updated my Android SDK
Replaced the fastboot file with the Motorola fastboot file the link below mentions.

I've been following the instructions on [How-To]UNIVERSAL Recovery and Root ANY {Unlocked Bootloader XT926 & XT907},<this only works on an UNLOCKED bootloader, above you stated yours was locked but I'm stuck as adb won't list my device. I've done a phone restart, made sure the screen is on, but nothing. I'm on a Mac, do I need to do this on Windows and install something special for Motorola? <it should work on a mac, although some have had issues and resorted to a windows machine. all you need is the moto drivers and the correct one click utility (witch one is correct, to be determined later).

I'd like to unlock the bootloader, but I'll settle for root short term. I've been searching for two days now, and there's so much information I'm just frazzled as it's hard to tell what should work with my device. So it's time to ask for help...

 

[ryanf8]

It just got updated about 5 days ago. I was using a custom rom, but booted into the stock rom using safestrap because I was looking for a new rom. I stupidly allowed the update without doing research first. I came from Nexus devices, so I'm not used to phone makers not liking people to have control of their phones!

Doesn't the bootloader have to be unlocked to allow me to use a custom rom with safestrap? I know it's locked now because when I boot using the power + volume down, the screen says "Device is LOCKED" and my safestrap is gone.

Looking at my device's about settings:

System Version: 98.15.66.XT907.Verizon.en.US
Android Version: 4.1.2
Build #: 9.8.1Q-66

It's good to know I can still get everything unlocked and rooted with my current version. I think my next step is to get a copy of Windows going on my machine and see if I can get the Android SDK to recognize my phone and try motochopper again. Thanks so much for your reply, I hope this helps!

 

[bweN diorD]

It just got updated about 5 days ago. I was using a custom rom, but booted into the stock rom using safestrap because I was looking for a new rom. <that explains it, the update was likely available for a while but on a custom rom you wouldn't know it. I stupidly allowed the update without doing research first. I came from Nexus devices, so I'm not used to phone makers not liking people to have control of their phones!

Doesn't the bootloader have to be unlocked to allow me to use a custom rom with safestrap? <no it doesn't, actually safestrap was made primarily because of locked bootloaders. it is used to flash roms while protecting the locked parts from being flashed. I know it's locked now because when I boot using the power + volume down, the screen says "Device is LOCKED" and my safestrap is gone. <if it was unlocked before, you would have seen a big WARNING prompt when you powered on the phone, you use to see that? i only ask because i haven't seen anyone report it got re-locked until now. it wasn't part of the update you took and isnt part of the new one.

safestrap is gone because you lost root, has nothing to do with the bootloader.

Looking at my device's about settings:

System Version: 98.15.66.XT907.Verizon.en.US
Android Version: 4.1.2
Build #: 9.8.1Q-66

It's good to know I can still get everything unlocked and rooted with my current version. <you should be able to, but the trick will be finding the right script. these scripts get updated as needed for new builds, and they don't usually put what build exactly its for, or they update it then delete the old build as it is obsolete. I think my next step is to get a copy of Windows going on my machine and see if I can get the Android SDK to recognize my phone and try motochopper again. > all you need is the moto drivers and this script Dev-Host - DROID_RAZR_M_Utility_1.20.zip - The Ultimate Free File Hosting / File Sharing Service (hopefully lol), it has every thing you need in one script (root/unlock/and more). Thanks so much for your reply, I hope this helps!

give that a try and cross your fingers lol, trying to find old scripts to match your build could be challenging, mostly for me lol because i dont have this phone to remember which script i used for which build.

 

[ryanf8]

give that a try and cross your fingers lol, trying to find old scripts to match your build could be challenging, mostly for me lol because i dont have this phone to remember which script i used for which build.

Thanks, I'll give it a go when I have some free time and post my results.

 

[ryanf8]

give that a try and cross your fingers lol, trying to find old scripts to match your build could be challenging, mostly for me lol because i dont have this phone to remember which script i used for which build.

Thank you! It worked! I ended up getting a copy of Windows XP, setting up the drivers there and running that utility you linked to. It rooted my phone beautifully, so I'm now I'm trying to delete and disable the OTA update/notification.

Will deleting/renaming the updater app work? If so, where is the file located? I don't see it in /system/app...

 

[bweN diorD]

Thank you! It worked! I ended up getting a copy of Windows XP, setting up the drivers there and running that utility you linked to. It rooted my phone beautifully, so I'm now I'm trying to delete and disable the OTA update/notification.

Will deleting/renaming the updater app work? If so, where is the file located? I don't see it in /system/app...

what i would suggest before modifying anything else is, unlock the bootloader. then you will be able to get root back no matter what.
after you unlock, get voodoo https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.projectvoodoo.otarootkeeper open the app, protect root, then temp unroot.
after that you can take the ota, then go back to voodo and re-enable root. you most likely wont loose root (occasionally it happens), but being unlocked you will be able to re-root even on the new ota.
if you loose root use this to get it back [How-To]UNIVERSAL Recovery and Root ANY {Unlocked Bootloader XT926 & XT907} Easy! - Development Guides and How-To-Do - DroidRzr.com

if your set on staying where you are and neutralizing the updater, look for these and add .bak to the file name Keychain.apk
there is another one i think but i cant seem to remember what it is. these are found in root/system/apps