Root 1.5.7 on a mac/linux (updated for 1.8.3)

[slushy]

Hello, all of you frustrated Mac users out there!

This method is tested on my MacBook Pro (10.6.7)

Linux users should be able to use this if they replace the copy of adb that is in the zip file with the appropriate executable from Linux version of the SDK. If you know enough to run Linux then you can do that on your own

Warning -- AT&T Atrix only! No Bell!

So you're on 1.5.7 (or a brand new 1.8.3) -- let's root it!

Part A -- Revert software back to 1.26

1. Download this file and unzip it (Deposit Files) (New DepositFiles Upload) MD5 hash: 950e8dd3a1dd28a6c8f06da7f48ea5a9
2. Make sure your phone is FULLY CHARGED
3. Turn off your phone
4. Remove your SIM card and SD card if you have one
5. Turn your phone ON and hold the Volume UP button
6. It will say ?Starting RSD protocol support? at the top of the boot screen
7. Connect your phone to the computer via USB
8. Run the downgrade.sh script. This will reflash your phone to 1.26 so that we can gain root access.
9. it can take up to 5 minutes to flash depending on your computer speed. My MacBook Pro takes just under 4 minutes. If you get any errors that look something like
   
   >> uploading RDL03: 0.0%usb_bulk_write -5
   >> uploading RDL03: failed at 00000000/00300000
   !! failed
   >> rebooting
   usb_bulk_write -104
   
   Don't get nervous! That happens occasionally. Just run the script again.
10. Phone will reboot and it takes longer than usual to come up
11. disconnect USB and power down.
12. Put your SIM and SD cards back in
13. Power up and verify that you are running 1.2.6 in Settings -> About Phone. You'll have to reenter your Motoblur account info.
    
    Part B -- Root it!
14. Enable USB debugging (Settings -> Applications -> Development).
15. Connect your phone and set USB Connection to 'None'.
16. cd to the aRoot directory and run aRoot.sh and follow the on-screen directions
    
    If you see this:
    ?
    Getting temporary root access...
    mmap() failed. Operation not permitted
    ?
    
    then the rooting operation failed. Try running the aRoot.sh script again. If it fails manually run this:
    
    ./adb kill-server
    
    If it keeps failing you may not have flashed back to 1.26 successfully. Start again.
    
17. Verify that there are no errors before updating.
18. Go to Settings -> About phone -> System updates
19. Follow the on-screen instructions. First download the update (you will need a Wi-Fi connection for this), then it will prompt you to install.
20. The update will reboot the device and install itself. If this part fails it's because you are not on stock 1.2.6 firmware. Start over and read the directions.
21. When it boots back up, verify USB debugging is still on. Some users report that disabling and re-enabling USB debugging solves a few issues with the script detecting your device (Settings -> Applications -> Development).
22. Run afterupdate.sh
23. Make sure you allow the superuser request on your phone or it WILL fail.
24. All done! Enjoy your rooted Atrix on 4.1.57!

See this post for further directions on 1.8.3


thanks to
OpticalDelusion (OPTICALDELUSION)
DesignGears([SCRIPT] aRoot for Atrix 4G [ root - init.d - sideloading - tethering ] - xda-developers)
Ririal ([SCRIPT] GladRoot v4 (Bell 0.37.4, AT&T 1.26/1.52/1.57 Supported) - xda-developers)
Kennethpenn ([GUIDE] Flash SBF to Motorola Atrix 4G - xda-developers)

 

[slushy]

In case it was not obvious...

In case it was not obvious...

Following this method is destructive to the system settings of your phone! The first part flashes your phone back to the 1.26 firmware.

Music, movies and pictures in your camera roll are OK. Your contacts will be OK (you're using your Gmail ,right?).

But you WILL LOSE your Angry Birds progress. Unless you had managed to root prior to the update and run Titanium Backup, all of your application settings are toast.

 

[tyler.ring]

I will give this a try here in 4 days 2 hours 53 minutes and 42 seconds after the file downloads

 

[slushy]

I will give this a try here in 4 days 2 hours 53 minutes and 42 seconds after the file downloads

Yeah, the zip contains the SBF image of the 1.26 software. Uncompressed it is 1.51GB.

 

[slushy]

Update for 1.83 -- if you previously rooted your phone using this method you will be OK when you get the 1.83 update. Follow the directions:

1. Start with your phone on 1.57 which was rooted using this method
2. download and install the 1.83 update when it is pushed to you
3. Enable USB debugging (Settings -> Applications -> USB debugging)
4. Hook up your phone
5. run the afterUpdate.sh script from the command prompt
6. Your phone reboots
7. congrats! you are rooted again. Verify root via Titanium Backup or RootCheck in the Market

 

[tyler.ring]

Thank you!

As a mac user I am very appreciative of this script! Thank you so much!

 

[tyler.ring]

Update for 1.83 -- if you previously rooted your phone using this method you will be OK when you get the 1.83 update. Follow the directions:

1. Start with your phone on 1.57 which was rooted using this method
2. download and install the 1.83 update when it is pushed to you
3. Enable USB debugging (Settings -> Applications -> USB debugging)
4. Hook up your phone
5. run the afterUpdate.sh script from the command prompt
6. Your phone reboots
7. congrats! you are rooted again. Verify root via Titanium Backup or RootCheck in the Market

So i downloaded the 1.83 update and tried to install. Phone rebooted, installed about 25% then hung with the android and the Triangle with the exclamation point in it. Any suggestions?

 

[slushy]

So i downloaded the 1.83 update and tried to install. Phone rebooted, installed about 25% then hung with the android and the Triangle with the exclamation point in it. Any suggestions?

Ouch.

If it won't come back up after pulling in that update you will have to flash it back with an SBF. Pull the battery and see if you can get it to start up in "Starting RSD protocol support? mode, per the instructions at the top. If you get that going you will be able to recover.

If your Android hacking-fu isn't super-strong you should start at the very beginning of the instructions. It will take a while but you'll eventually get back to a 1.83 phone that is rooted.

Reflashing the SBF is not destructive to the storage on the phone, so any TitaniumBackup folders you have will be OK.

If you are adventurous you can flash 1.83 (grab the SBF here) and do a Gingerbreak on it. Much more direct but I haven't worked out the kinks on the Mac just yet. You would be on your own

 

[Deltroid]

My Atrix is on 1.8.3. How do I downgrade to 1.5.7?

 

[slushy]

Why would you want to downgrade to 1.5.7? well, none of my business

If you have a brand new 1.8.3 you can use the method described in the first post and skip the downgrade to 1.5.7. What'll happen is in step 18 you'll jump from 1.26 straight to 1.83 but the afterupdate.sh step still should work OK.

But if you have some other reason to be on 1.57:

Go here and download the SBF and unzip it. Note that this is an AT&T SBF, not Bell.

if you don't have the SBF flashing utility included in the link from the first post go here and download that utility.

Follow directions 2-7 in Part A of the first post. Then you run the utility via the command prompt in place of step 8:

./sbf_flash -v OLYFR_U4_1.5.7_SIGNED_OLPSATTSPE_P012_HWolympus_1g_1FF.sbf

This will leave you with an unrooted 1.5.7

 

[tyler.ring]

Slushy,
Thanks for the input.
I'm not too bad when it comes to android, but the atrix and moto are kinda new to me. I'm used to HTC products.
I figured out there was a problem with the Webtop app that caused the update to hang. (I think i tried to do the webtop hack once upon a time but never finished), but I ended up just using the SBF and finally go it all to work.
Thanks again for your instructions and files here.

 

[Meursault-]

I get this error message:


line 9: ./sbf_flash: No such file or directory
Exiting...
logout

I can see the sbf_flash file. Any ideas?

 

[slushy]

I get this error message:


line 9: ./sbf_flash: No such file or directory
Exiting...
logout

I can see the sbf_flash file. Any ideas?

when i 'cd' into the mac-aRoot-v3 directory and look around, I get this:

spiffy:mac-aRoot-v3 eric$ ls -las
total 120
 0 drwxr-xr-x   8 eric  staff    272 Apr 12 20:41 .
 0 drwxr-xr-x+ 67 eric  staff   2278 May 23 21:48 ..
16 -rw-r--r--@  1 eric  staff   6148 May 15 17:50 .DS_Store
 8 -rw-r--r--@  1 eric  staff   3224 Apr 10 22:17 Untitled.rtf
 0 drwxr-xr-x@ 12 eric  staff    408 May 22 21:15 aRoot
 8 -rwxr-xr-x@  1 eric  staff    284 Apr  9 14:47 downgrade.sh
 0 drwxr-xr-x   3 eric  staff    102 Apr  8 20:10 sbf
88 -rwxr-xr-x@  1 eric  staff  44019 Apr  7 21:53 sbf_flash

Does your sbf_flash file have the same permissions ("-rwxr-xr-x@") and file size (44019)? If not then the file you downloaded may have been corrupted.

 

[Meursault-]

Thanks for the reply. I just went ahead and used a friend's PC.

 

[odub]

I get this error when I try to downgrade any help?

line 9: ./sbf_flash: No such file or directory

 

[slushy]

I get this error when I try to downgrade any help?

line 9: ./sbf_flash: No such file or directory

That sounds like the problem someone else above had. I wonder if the upload isn't corrupted.

I'm reuploading another copy of the file to depositfiles. I'll update the first post with the new link when it is done.

 

[slushy]

That sounds like the problem someone else above had. I wonder if the upload isn't corrupted.

I'm reuploading another copy of the file to depositfiles. I'll update the first post with the new link when it is done.

OK, the .zip has been re-uploaded here

to validate your download use the command prompt

spiffy:~ eric$ md5 mac-aRoot-v3.zip 
MD5 (mac-aRoot-v3.zip) = 950e8dd3a1dd28a6c8f06da7f48ea5a9

it can take a few seconds to run that op

MD5 hash: 950e8dd3a1dd28a6c8f06da7f48ea5a9

 

[Spocket]

Ok I think I am going to attempt this today, this is my first time rooting, so I have a few questions:

1) What does "cd to the aRoot directory" mean?

2) I haven't started yet, so I dont know if I will have to do this, but in step 16, it says "If it fails manually run this: ./adb kill-server" -- How do I do that?

3) Once rooted, what are some good ROMs that can be installed from a mac? Are there guides for this?

 

[iamldavis]

I suggest not even trying

 

[slushy]

Ok I think I am going to attempt this today, this is my first time rooting, so I have a few questions:

1) What does "cd to the aRoot directory" mean?

2) I haven't started yet, so I dont know if I will have to do this, but in step 16, it says "If it fails manually run this: ./adb kill-server" -- How do I do that?

3) Once rooted, what are some good ROMs that can be installed from a mac? Are there guides for this?

Well, the guide as written assumes a modest level of technical prowess on the part of the user. I don't have the time or inclination to write a SuperOneClick alternative for the Mac.

Jerry, one of the writers for Android Central, wrote a missive not too long ago covering this topic. I suggest you give it a read:
http://www.androidcentral.com/sometimes-root-isn’t-answer

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