Easy Root for Bionic Stock 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean)

[marty45714]

4th Update 5/2/2013 - Found a bug... Nothing that would affect the overall functionality, but it could cause some users to think that their phone is successfully connected via USB debugging, when it really isn't.

Update: 5/2/2013 - Per user requests, adding link to VirtualBox download site on the original post.

3rd Update 5/1/2013 - I changed the code that 'finds' the exploit file to make sure it get executed successfully. It's now using the "PATH" environment to do this. This is more reliable than the actual Linux 'find' command I was using before. Also added some additional instructions to clarify some steps based on feedback from users. Finally, added code to detect if the network adapter is not configured correctly. It will alert the user to configure the network adapter properly in the VirtualBox application.

2nd Update 5/1/2013 - I added some lines to the script to stress the importance of pressing one of the three hardware buttons on the phone (Volume up, Volume Down, or Power) once the exploit has been executed. After discussing this with the author of the exploit, this is an important step to obtaining root.

UPDATE 5/1/2013 - New and improved .ova file. Contains improved logic in the exploit script to help with some of the problems that have been encountered by users.
If you've had trouble rooting, please download the new version and try again!

Been seeing lots of posts from people who are having a hard time rooting their Droid Bionic on the stock Jelly Bean (4.1.2) because the process requires Linux.

I'm a UNIX admin by profession, so I took the challenge over the weekend to come up with an easy root process for Bionic stock Jelly Bean, specifically for those who aren't familiar with Linux.

I decided to build a Linux VM under Oracle VirtualBox on my Windows PC. This seemed like the logical choice since VirtualBox is free, a relatively small download, is easy to install and it's easy to import VMs.

My first attempt was using CentOS Linux. It worked, but the file required for users to download was over 450MB... Back to the drawing board!

Started looking for very small Linux distros and found Tiny Core Linux. This worked well. The file required for download is 46MB.

Everything you need to root the Bionic is here and it is automatic. The process will walk you through connecting to the Samba file share, connecting the phone in USB debugging mode, and OF COURSE, it will run the process to root the phone.

Here are the steps:

1) Install Sun VirtualBox on your Windows PC.
http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/4.2.12/VirtualBox-4.2.12-84980-Win.exe

Note: We've had one report that this file also works with VMWare Workstation and VMWare Player. If you don't want to install VirtualBox feel free try the file with VMWare.

2) Download the VirtualBox .ova file containing the Linux VM from one of the following links:
http://www.knite.net/Bionic/Root_Bionic_JB_20130501-4.ova

Root_Bionic_JB_20130501-4.ova

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s...fhiAIiSwc0jD1AdVFNY27QdoeKP9ot_7IdDetSvw&dl=1

3) Import the .ova file into VirtualBox. (Click "File" then "Import Appliance".)

4) Start the imported VM in VirtualBox (Click the big "Start" Button. It has a green arrow icon.)

5) Follow the instructions on the Linux console.

That should do it. If you need help I will be monitoring this thread.

 

[duckstacker]

link is not working

 

[Decon1]

Agree, link does not work!

 

[marty45714]

Sorry for the bad link. It is now fixed!

 

[bdax]

I rooted my bionic it worked great when to root my friends for him and I get /system/bin/sh: not found and it does not continue. Any help on that would be great.

 

[britt garcia]

so here is my linux minimal screenshot attempt. . noticed where it starting going wrong is

chmod: pwn: operation not permitted.
rooting phone...
phone may appear to.......
/system/bin/sh: /storage/rfs0/pwn: not found <-------Right here i noticed the file path on the phone and it's ---> storage/rfs1 Would that have something to do w/ it?

nothing ever vibrates and reboots in flash. got bad flash or something?

 

[marty45714]

Link to new version of file added to original post. I added some lines to the script to stress the importance of pressing one of the three hardware buttons on the phone (Volume up, Volume Down, or Power) once the exploit has been executed. After discussing this with the author of the exploit, this is an important step to obtaining root.

 

[marty45714]

Looks like you're using an old version of the download. I wrote logic into the script of the last 2 versions that will find the file and use the proper path.

so here is my linux minimal screenshot attempt. . noticed where it starting going wrong is

chmod: pwn: operation not permitted.
rooting phone...
phone may appear to.......
/system/bin/sh: /storage/rfs0/pwn: not found <-------Right here i noticed the file path on the phone and it's ---> storage/rfs1 Would that have something to do w/ it?

nothing ever vibrates and reboots in flash. got bad flash or something?

 

[marty45714]

My advice: If at first you don't succeed...

I rooted my bionic it worked great when to root my friends for him and I get /system/bin/sh: not found and it does not continue. Any help on that would be great.

 

[britt garcia]

ok just to confirm. after is says don't skip this step. press any of the hardware buttons. then says when fully reboot press enter.....

so i just press one of the three buttons just once, no reponse or vibrate when pushed (except volume up or dow whichever is pushed) and then sit patiently for it to reboot on it;s own? cause it seems like it was not doing anything but i could have jumped the gun and not waited long enough? or when press hardware button is it a hold, or if press power and shuts down screen is that ok? oh yeah and wondering if you could post link of most uptodate version i should be using? this was what i used last attempt after you stated u had more up to dates. is this the right one? Root_Bionic_JB_20130501-1

 

[Joshua Meehan]

Thank you for all of the work you have done. I'm following the steps, but about as green in the ways of Linux as one can get. I don't know if I'm stuck on the *daemon started successful* part of if it normally takes a while.

I let it sit a while and got a new message.

I'm using Windows 8 and VirtualBox. Followed all of the steps multiple times.

Thanks again!

 

[marty45714]

This means that your USB is not successfully connected. You'll need to troubleshoot your USB connectivity. Once it detects the USB connection, the program will continue. This could be lots of things. Try plugging into different ports. Make sure the VirtualBox USB drivers were successfully loaded into Windows 8. Make sure the device for the phone has a checkmark beside of it in the VirtualBox USB device section.

Thank you for all of the work you have done. I'm following the steps, but about as green in the ways of Linux as one can get. I don't know if I'm stuck on the *daemon started successful* part of if it normally takes a while.

I let it sit a while and got a new message.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fott4xy3kgxnc97/Linux Minimal.png

I'm using Windows 8 and VirtualBox. Followed all of the steps multiple times.

Thanks again!

 

[marty45714]

I've updated the .ova file again. See the original post for the new link and release notes.

 

[Joshua Meehan]

Always good to have a place to start troubleshooting. I will see what I can do and let you know. From what I have seen on this and other forums, this is a life saver for our aging devices. Thanks again for the effort and continued support.

 

[Nuwan]

Hi marty45714.....this is a very nice tutorial and i'm asking you because you're a linux specialist. I don't know where else to ask. I rooted my bionic through ubuntu and a command terminal and everything went fine. My bionic is rooted. Except my super user app is not a systems app anymore. And also when i tried to put a custom recovery through bootstrap app, it goes into a weird loop saying encryption failed, you must do a factory reset. Then when i do a reset it shows that same message again over and over. I had to flash everything with rsd light and then root my bionic with ubuntu twice now. I'm wondering what else might trigger the loop. Any info you have on this would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking at all kinds of forums on here and elsewhere and i can't find anything

 

[britt garcia]

I've updated the .ova file again. See the original post for the new link and release notes.

Finally, and update that worked for me but also figured out my problem the whole entire time was in order for the root you have to time the hitting one of the three hardware buttons between prompting to do so, and the spit second you have before the command press enterr to continue once the device has vibrated. needs a sec or two between so don;'t have to time it off the line like drag racers. But awesome!!! kudos to you, gotta link for a tip marty45714?? or we could just take it out in trade i so happy to be rooted right now!!

 

[marty45714]

Glad it worked for you. No tip necessary. I'm doing this for the Android community. I always root my phone when I get a new one, so we need people to keep coming up with methods like this, and giving them to the community. Thanks!

Finally, and update that worked for me but also figured out my problem the whole entire time was in order for the root you have to time the hitting one of the three hardware buttons between prompting to do so, and the spit second you have before the command press enterr to continue once the device has vibrated. needs a sec or two between so don;'t have to time it off the line like drag racers. But awesome!!! kudos to you, gotta link for a tip marty45714?? or we could just take it out in trade i so happy to be rooted right now!!

 

[marty45714]

Update: 5/2/2013 - Per user requests, adding link to VirtualBox download site on the original post.

 

[marty45714]

So when you flashed with RSD Lite and rooted again, you should now have Superuser. That should have solved this particular issue. As far as Recovery, I was never able to get something like ClockWorkMod to work with the Bionic. What works really well is Safestrap Recovery. It works great, and the great thing about it, is you leave your stock rom in place, and add images for other ROMS so that you can either boot into those custom ROMs or boot into your stock Bionic OS. So make sure you are installing Safestrap. That's my $.02 anyway.

Hi marty45714.....this is a very nice tutorial and i'm asking you because you're a linux specialist. I don't know where else to ask. I rooted my bionic through ubuntu and a command terminal and everything went fine. My bionic is rooted. Except my super user app is not a systems app anymore. And also when i tried to put a custom recovery through bootstrap app, it goes into a weird loop saying encryption failed, you must do a factory reset. Then when i do a reset it shows that same message again over and over. I had to flash everything with rsd light and then root my bionic with ubuntu twice now. I'm wondering what else might trigger the loop. Any info you have on this would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking at all kinds of forums on here and elsewhere and i can't find anything

 

[bigv5150]

Hi marty45714.....this is a very nice tutorial and i'm asking you because you're a linux specialist. I don't know where else to ask. I rooted my bionic through ubuntu and a command terminal and everything went fine. My bionic is rooted. Except my super user app is not a systems app anymore. And also when i tried to put a custom recovery through bootstrap app, it goes into a weird loop saying encryption failed, you must do a factory reset. Then when i do a reset it shows that same message again over and over. I had to flash everything with rsd light and then root my bionic with ubuntu twice now. I'm wondering what else might trigger the loop. Any info you have on this would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking at all kinds of forums on here and elsewhere and i can't find anything

Brother you are a day late and a dollar short this has been explained by Samuri when the update first came out. I updated within hours of the update being posted and attempted to back up my system with bootstrap. Got the encryption error the only way to fix it is a FXZ. Bootstrap does not work with JB get rid of it and use safestrap for your backups from now on. I of course did this when there was no FXZ that was FUN FUN FUN trying to get it fixed.

Also get rid of CWM recovery it uses bootstrap all you need is Safestrap for your backups and then you can also test ROMs if you so choose.