[Guide][SM-T500/T505] Galaxy Tab A7 10.4 - Unlock Bootloader & Root with Magisk - Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus

I recently purchased the Galaxy Tab A7 10.4 (released in 2020) and couldn't help but notice that there's no dedicated thread in the forums for unlocking the bootloader or rooting (Although, the method should be very similar to what is followed for the Tab 10.1 (2019)).
It's been quite some time since I published a tutorial on XDA. So, I decided to put up this comprehensive tutorial, hope it helps everyone who's looking for it. We will take the direct approach of rooting the tab by patching the AP firmware and flashing the patched AP through Odin.
/* I will be using the same images I prepared for the tutorial to be posted on my blog. Sorry that they have been watermarked, that is to prevent scrapers from stealing. It took me enough time to capture them and do some post-processing. */
Before we start, here's the obligatory disclaimer and warning:
Unlocking the bootloader will erase all the data on your tab, including all the data that's on the internal storage. So, make sure that you have taken a complete backup of all your important data.
Flashing a custom binary (such as Magisk patched TAR in this guide) will trip the KNOX counter. Your device's official warranty will be void once KNOX is tripped.
You will not be able to use apps and services like Secure Folder, Samsung Pass, and anything that relies on KNOX.
Although I have tried this on my Galaxy Tab A7 (SM-500) and can confirm that this works, I will not take any responsibility of any bricked/toasted devices. Make sure that you fully understand what you're doing and accept the consequences if anything goes wrong.
If you do land your tablet in trouble, feel free to ask, I shall try my best to help.
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Update log
Updated on March 2, 2021
Added more info about the warranty. It seems like some users are still not aware of how KNOX affects the warranty. If you're getting into software modifications such as rooting, I expect you to have some prior knowledge about such things.
Redacted the part where you needed to change Magisk's update channel under Step #5. Not needed anymore as Magisk v21.x was released to the Stable channel in January 2021.
Replaced all instances of "Magisk Manager" with "Magisk App". Starting with Magisk v22, Magisk Manager is gone and merged with the core Magisk. It's now called the "Magisk App".
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Requirements
Your Galaxy Tab A7 with SM-T500 or SM-T505 model number
A compatible USB-C cable
A Windows computer. (Odin only works on Windows. If you're using Linux or Mac, you could try Heimdall)
Instructions
Step 1: Enable OEM Unlocking
In order to unlock the bootloader, you must first enable the 'OEM Unlocking' toggle. This toggle resides inside the 'Developer options' screen, which is hidden by default on most Android devices.
First, enable 'Developer options' by going to 'Settings' > 'About tablet' > 'Software Information' and repeatedly tap on the 'Build number' section five times. If you have a lock screen security set, you will need to input your PIN/Password/Pattern when prompted.
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Once you do this, you should see a toast notification on the bottom of the screen saying that "Developer mode has been enabled".
Once that is out of the way, go to 'Settings' > 'Developer options' and turn ON the toggle next to "OEM unlocking". You will instantly be prompted to enter your PIN/Password/Pattern, so do it. Then select "Enable" to allow OEM unlocking.
Note: If the OEM unlocking toggle is grayed out, make sure that you have connected the tablet to the internet first (via WiFi or mobile network, your choice).
Step 2: Unlock the Bootloader
Start by powering off your tablet completely. Then while holding the Volume Up and Volume Down keys together, connect it to your computer using the USB cable. This should take you to the bootloader screen (I call it that because logically that's what directs you to either Download Mode or Device Unlock Mode). Long-press the Volume Up key to enter the 'Device unlock mode'.
Your tab should now prompt you with a confirmation screen, so press the Volume Up key to confirm and unlock the bootloader.
Your Tab A7's bootloader is now unlocked and it should reboot automatically. You should also see a warning message right before the Samsung splash screen, just as shown in the picture below. Don't worry, it's completely normal. And no, there's no way to get rid of it (unless of course, you relock the bootloader).
The first boot after unlocking the bootloader could take some time (took around 3-4 minutes for me). So be patient.
Now that the bootloader is unlocked, let's verify it. Samsung introduced a new feature known as "VaultKeeper", which will automatically relock the bootloader if you do not perform this step.
After your tab boots, connect it to the internet. Then enable the Developer options as shown in step #1 and go to 'Settings' > 'Developer options'. The OEM unlocking toggle should be greyed out and say that the bootloader is already unlocked. Again, refer to the picture below.
Step 3: Download the firmware package
With the bootloader properly unlocked, you can begin with the rooting part. As I mentioned, we will be patching the AP firmware file via Magisk App, as instructed by John Wu in his installation guide on Github.
So, you will need to download the firmware package for the software version that's currently installed on your tab. This is very important, do not use an older firmware, as it will result in issues. You could of course use a newer firmware, which will update your tab at the same time as rooting it.
To verify your software version, you can go to 'Settings' > 'About tablet' > 'Software information' and check the "Build number". The latter half of the mentioned build number is your tab's software version, which in my case as shown in the picture below is: T500XXU1ATJ2. So, I will need to download the firmware package for "T500XXU1ATJ2" and in your case you should download the one corresponding to the info you see under 'Build number'.
Where to download? You could use online FW databases like SamMobile, Samfrew, etc. However, I would recommend using Frija or Samloader as they allow you to download the firmware directly from Samsung's Firmware Update Servers and without any speed caps. If you're operating on Windows, use Frija. On macOS/Linux, use Samloader.
Step 4: Extract the AP firmware and transfer it to your Tab A7
Once you have the ZIP package downloaded, you will need to extract it to get The extracted folder should contain the individual firmware files like BL, AP, CP (only for SM-T505 LTE variant), and CSC/HOME_CSC (in .tar.md5 file format).
The file you'll require is the AP firmware, which in my case is "AP_T500XXU1ATJ2_CL19362637_QB34980135_REV00_user_low_ship_MULTI_CERT_meta_RKEY_OS10.tar.md5". Again, in your case, the filename would be a bit different, but it should follow the same structure.
After extracting the AP firmware, connect your tab to the computer, enable File Transfer (MTP) mode on it, and copy over the AP firmware to your tab's internal storage. Copy it to the root directory, that is, outside all the folders as shown below. The location of the file doesn't matter, you can copy it anywhere, but I prefer this for easier access.
Step 5: Patch the AP firmware using Magisk App
Now's the time to patch the AP firmware. To do this, download the latest version of the Magisk app from the official Github releases page to your Tab A7. This will be an APK file. Once downloaded, install the APK file using your choice of file manager.
Warning about unofficial sources of Magisk: Magisk does not have any officially registered domain. If you Google for it, you will probably come across multiple websites that have the word "Magisk" in their domain URL. They are there to deceive the users, and often misinform users, especially those who are new to the scene.
John Wu, as well as XDA have previously warned the users from falling into these deceptive websites. The only official place to get Magisk is from Github.
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You do not need to change Magisk's update channel to Beta anymore. Starting January 12, Magisk v21.x was pushed to the stable channel (default).
After installing, go to the app drawer and launch the Magisk Manager app. Before you start patching, you would want to change Magisk Manager's update channel to Public Beta. This is because Magisk's latest version (i.e. v21.0) is only available on the beta channel and hasn't been pushed to the stable channel yet (at least at the time of publishing this tutorial).
To do this, press the settings icon on the top-right, tap on "Update channel" and select "Beta". Then go back to the app's main screen. It should refresh and show you the latest version as v21.0.
Press the "Install" button and then "Select and Patch a File" from the list of available methods. This should open the file selector, so navigate to the internal storage and select the AP firmware you transferred during the previous step.
Once the file is selected, hit "LET'S GO" to start the patching process. This should take a minute or so because the AP firmware is quite a heavy file. Once it is done, the patched AP firmware with the filename "magisk_patched_xxxxx.tar" (where "xxxxx" is an arbitrary code) should be stored inside the "Download" folder of your tab's internal storage.
Step 6: Flash the Patched AP Firmware using Odin
The last step is to flash the patched AP firmware to your Galaxy Tab A7 and root it. For this, connect your tab to the computer over USB and copy the "magisk_patched.tar" file from the Download folder. Paste this patched AP firmware inside the firmware folder that was extracted during step #5, along with the rest of the firmware files (BL, CSC, etc). Disconnect it from the PC after transferring the file.
Now, boot your Tab A7 into Download Mode. Power it off, and connect it to the computer over USB while holding the Volume Up and Volume Down keys together. This should bring up the bootloader screen. Simply tap the Volume Up key once to enter Download Mode. Here's what the Download Mode on the Tab A7 looks like.
Next, download Odin v3.14.1 from this XDA thread (NOT the patched version, but the regular one) and extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP package. Then launch Odin on your computer by double-clicking the "Odin3 v3.14.1.exe" executable and click "Ok" when prompted. You should see the Odin interface on your computer screen now.
Odin should automatically recognize your tab in Download Mode and display the COM ID on the top-left.
Click the 'Options' tab and uncheck the 'Auto Reboot' option. This will prevent the tablet from being automatically restarted after the flash is complete.
Now, load the firmware files in the respective slots of Odin.
The BL firmware file (BL_T500/5XXXXXXX_xxxxxxxxxxx.tar.md5) goes to the "BL" slot
The CP firmware file (CP_T505XXXXXX_xxxxxxxxxxx.tar.md5) goes to the "CP" slot. Note that the CP firmware only applies to the Tab A7 LTE variant with the SM-T505 model number.
The HOME_CSC firmware file (HOME_CSC_OMC_ODM_T500/5XXXXXXX_xxxxxxxxx.tar.md5) goes to the "CSC" slot. We will not be using the regular CSC, as it will erase all the data. If you want to do that, feel free to use it.
And finally, the patched AP firmware file (magisk_patched.tar) goes to the "AP" slot.
Once the files are loaded in their respective slots, hit the "Start" button to flash them to your tab.
Note: While you could get away with just flashing the patched AP firmware alone, John recommends NOT doing it. Always flash the patched AP along with the rest of the firmware files like BL, CSC, etc.
Wait for the flash to finish. Once it is, you should see the 'PASS!' message in Odin. Like so:
You can now close the Odin window and disconnect your tab from the computer.
Step 7: Perform a Factory Reset
Once the flash is complete, you will need to manually boot your tablet into the stock recovery mode and do a factory reset. This is only mandatory during the initial rooting process, which is exactly what we are doing here.
To do this, hold the Volume Down and Power keys together for about 7 seconds. As soon as the screen turns off, release the Volume Down key and quickly hold the Volume Up key, while still holding the Power key. Keep holding the keys until you see the stock recovery screen.
You should now see the stock recovery screen with some device information in yellow color at the top. Like so:
Use the Volume keys to move the selector to 'Wipe data/factory reset' and hit the Power key to confirm the selection.
You will now see a confirmation prompt on the screen. Select 'Factory Data Reset' to confirm and finally perform a factory reset.
Once done, select the 'Reboot system now' option from the recovery's main menu. Your Tab A7 should now reboot may be more than once, so be patient.
We're not done yet. After booting, you will need to open the Magisk app from the app drawer and follow the on-screen instructions to replace the Magisk stub with the actual full application, and further complete the required setup when prompted by Magisk app.
Once this is done, your Tab A7 should reboot one last time and should be rooted thereafter.
Your Tab is Rooted!
You may now go ahead and start using root applications, install some modules, etc. Since v20.4, Magisk Hide has been disabled by default on new installations in light of the new hardware-backed SafetyNet attestation. So, to use banking/security, or any other sort of apps that may detect root, you will need to turn ON Magisk Hide from within the Magisk App settings.
Before you leave, there are a few key things you should note:
Unlike some other Samsung phones, you will not need to follow any complex button combinations to boot into the stock recovery. A normal reboot will always boot your Tab A7 into the rooted Magisk system. On the other hand, the regular Volume Up + Power key combo will get your tab into the stock recovery mode.
Second, if a new software update is rolled out, you will need to repeat the same process from step #4 all the way to step #7. When updating the FW, you can simply use the HOME_CSC instead of the regular CSC to prevent your data from being wiped. A backup should still be taken.
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That's all from my side. If you run into any issues, feel free to post. Don't forget to share details like the software version your tab is on, the firmware package you downloaded and used, and of course your tab's complete model number.

Thank you for posting this! I bought a 2019 Tab A just before the A7 released and have been tempted to return it and pick up the A7 but wanted to make sure I could root it. How is the performance if this?

jserio said:
Thank you for posting this! I bought a 2019 Tab A just before the A7 released and have been tempted to return it and pick up the A7 but wanted to make sure I could root it. How is the performance if this?
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I was really inclined to the Tab S6 Lite. But being honest, I wouldn't have used the SPen that much. So, I dropped it.
I saw Tab A 10.1 (2019), the one you're referring to, and it was a steal for the specs. The reviews were good too. But then the A7 was released, an upgraded model along the same lines. I like it very much. For a budget tab, it really delivers decent performance and a premium-ish design. And, great speakers I must say.
Unlocking and rooting were really fun and easy as well. Overally, it's a pretty darn good tab for the price.

Thanks for the guide, I've been undecided for days if I should pull the trigger or not and no info on rooting was one of the things that was making me hesitate.
The other one is 3gb of ram, how's your experience been so far? I don't play games on my phone/tablet so that's not an issue.

Gitah. said:
Thanks for the guide, I've been undecided for days if I should pull the trigger or not and no info on rooting was one of the things that was making me hesitate.
The other one is 3gb of ram, how's your experience been so far? I don't play games on my phone/tablet so that's not an issue.
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You're welcome!
For me, 3GB of RAM is enough, of course given my usage. I usually use it for browsing and streaming only. Not much of a mobile gamer, use real consoles and PC for that, lol.
I like Samsung's One UI experience, compared to any other OEM skin (apart from OxygenOS). It's quite smooth IMO. Already removed the bloatware via ADB, might as well come with a guide for that.
It could however be different under heavy multi-tasking usage, like playing mobile FPS titles, etc. Couldn't tell on that.

storage problem
you can not move any app to the sdcard no option tried different formats as well tried app2sd pro creating a adaptable storage will work but you cant see the partition and you cant move apps back to the internal with out app corruption. terminal commands dont work cant edit system

You are a lifesaver, my friend. I just wanted to note for others that Frija did not work for me. It would only fetch a .zip.enc4 image for my SM-T500 (CSC is XAR). I am currently downloading the firmware from SamMobile to try. Magisk can't flash the file Frija get's for me, it needs to be .tar. Yes, I know it says zip but the file is extracted. Just a heads up for others out there! Also, have you flashed a different recovery for this tablet? And, if so, what image based on what model? TWRP and OrangeFox don't have an official image for the SM-T500. Thanks in advance!
DJ
UPDATE: the image from SamMobile was corrupt. Stuck me in a boot loop with a message about it not being offical Samsung software. Had to factory reset from recovery. This method is flawless, otherwise. Gonna try again with different firmware.

Hey guys. Followed the guide to a T (downloaded latest firmware using Friaj) and also flashed CSC (not home) so I could have a clean install. Magisk patched the file just fine. Odin flashed with no error but on first boot besides the usual "bootloader unlocked" error I get another one saying that custom binaries are installed and the tablet is locked. I cant seem to boot to download mode now. I can boot to the bootloader unlock screen but that's it. Any ideas?

Thanks, DJBhardwaj. Very good guide!
Just a note for European SM-T500 users: SafetyNet won't pass as magisk will return evalType: hardware. At least that's what I found in T500XXU2ATJ6. That's not a problem for me as the only app that requires SafetyNet that I use is Netflix and the issue can be fixed by installed a very legacy version of it, but I think people should be warned before tripping knox fuse

Cloudxddd said:
you can not move any app to the sdcard no option tried different formats as well tried app2sd pro creating a adaptable storage will work but you cant see the partition and you cant move apps back to the internal with out app corruption. terminal commands dont work cant edit system
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I suppose Scoped Storage has some effect, not 100% sure. But I am really curious now. Going to dig in.

Dj89 said:
You are a lifesaver, my friend. I just wanted to note for others that Frija did not work for me. It would only fetch a .zip.enc4 image for my SM-T500 (CSC is XAR). I am currently downloading the firmware from SamMobile to try. Magisk can't flash the file Frija get's for me, it needs to be .tar. Yes, I know it says zip but the file is extracted. Just a heads up for others out there! Also, have you flashed a different recovery for this tablet? And, if so, what image based on what model? TWRP and OrangeFox don't have an official image for the SM-T500. Thanks in advance!
DJ
UPDATE: the image from SamMobile was corrupt. Stuck me in a boot loop with a message about it not being offical Samsung software. Had to factory reset from recovery. This method is flawless, otherwise. Gonna try again with different firmware.
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Thanks for the kind words.
Frija, Samloader, SamFirm. All of those tools fetch the firmware from Samsung's Firmware Update Servers. These packages are encrypted as .zip.enc4 (for newer devices) or .zip.enc2 (mostly for old ones).
After downloading, the firmware package will automatically be decrypted and converted to a regular ZIP file, if you're using Frija or SamFirm. The ZIP file should contain the AP, CSC, and BL firmware TAR files.
I don't use custom recoveries anymore, but I was more than willing to try. Couldn't find anything for the Tab A7 (yet).

paziusss said:
Thanks, DJBhardwaj. Very good guide!
Just a note for European SM-T500 users: SafetyNet won't pass as magisk will return evalType: hardware. At least that's what I found in T500XXU2ATJ6. That's not a problem for me as the only app that requires SafetyNet that I use is Netflix and the issue can be fixed by installed a very legacy version of it, but I think people should be warned before tripping knox fuse
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It's more likely to be unit-based. For example, my OnePlus 8 still hasn't been forced to hardware-backed attestation for SN. But my friend's unit (same model and region) has been.
Have you tried enabling Magisk Hide? It is disabled by default. Another thing to try is the Magisk Props module.

jserio said:
Hey guys. Followed the guide to a T (downloaded latest firmware using Friaj) and also flashed CSC (not home) so I could have a clean install. Magisk patched the file just fine. Odin flashed with no error but on first boot besides the usual "bootloader unlocked" error I get another one saying that custom binaries are installed and the tablet is locked. I can't seem to boot to download mode now. I can boot to the bootloader unlock screen but that's it. Any ideas?
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Click to collapse
Could you share a picture of the screen you're referring to?

DJBhardwaj said:
Thanks for the kind words.
Frija, Samloader, SamFirm. All of those tools fetch the firmware from Samsung's Firmware Update Servers. These packages are encrypted as .zip.enc4 (for newer devices) or .zip.enc2 (mostly for old ones).
After downloading, the firmware package will automatically be decrypted and converted to a regular ZIP file, if you're using Frija or SamFirm. The ZIP file should contain the AP, CSC, and BL firmware TAR files.
I don't use custom recoveries anymore, but I was more than willing to try. Couldn't find anything for the Tab A7 (yet).
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Thanks for the info! I'll post an update later this week once I get it going! Take care and thanks again for posting this guide!

DJBhardwaj said:
Could you share a picture of the screen you're referring to?
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Sorry for the late reply. I went through the process again and everything worked. It's possible the issue was either a) I used the newest fw to patch and flash or b) I didn't check to make sure "oem unlocking" was greed-out after unlocking it.
Any way to block updates? I prefer not to go through this each update? Hopefully we get twrp for this tablet. I live it compared to the 2019 A with its crappy one-sided speakers.

jserio said:
Sorry for the late reply. I went through the process again and everything worked. It's possible the issue was either a) I used the newest fw to patch and flash or b) I didn't check to make sure "oem unlocking" was greed-out after unlocking it.
Any way to block updates? I prefer not to go through this each update? Hopefully we get twrp for this tablet. I live it compared to the 2019 A with its crappy one-sided speakers.
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That's great!
As for updates, I think there was a way by blocking the update services using Titanium. Might have to look it up again. I did that years ago. Yes, TWRP would be great for flashing ROMs and NANDroid backups.
I was going for the 10.1 earlier, didn't knew it had one-sided speakers.

I have a question... Unlocking the bootloader and rooting a device are mostly the first steps to a custom rom like lineageos . I find tons of threads for the SM-T510, but not the SM-T505.
Will there ever be a custom rom for the T505?

DJBhardwaj said:
I suppose Scoped Storage has some effect, not 100% sure. But I am really curious now. Going to dig in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So it's impossible to move apps to sd even with root?

Any fixes to allow apps to be moved/installed on SD card? Can't root with work/UEM apps installed. Seems super wierd for a new tablet, is this a bug or should I return?

Allow apps to be moved/installed on SD card
ormefocus said:
Any fixes to allow apps to be moved/installed on SD card? Can't root with work/UEM apps installed. Seems super wierd for a new tablet, is this a bug or should I return?
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Click to collapse
Same here i tried on 2 different sd cards(SD- HD) format them from the tablet and no one app won't move to the sd card.
I turn on the develpoers options and i fount this option: Force allow apps on external(Makes any app eligible to be written to external storage regardless of manifest values) and i tried to donwload Asphal 9 and Gangster Vegas and 2 apps downloaded to the internal storage...
I chekt if the options to move apps is visable on this apps and its not.
If any one fine how to transfer apps to the sd card i will very thankful

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THE PUBLIC VERSION OF THE TOOLKIT INCLUDES EVERYTHING YOU COULD NEED TO MANIPULATE YOUR DEVICE. NO MAIN FUNCTIONS ARE RESTRICTED.
ACTIVATING THE PROFESSIONAL VERSION ADDS THE MOST USEFUL FUNCTION IN THE TOOLKIT, THE ABILITY TO CHECK FOR ‘AUTO UPDATES’ DIRECTLY VIA THE TOOLKIT AND HAVE THEM PUSHED TO YOUR PC RIGHT AWAY AS SOON AS THEY ARE UPLOADED WITHOUT NEEDING TO DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE TOOLKIT EVERY TIME. YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE LATEST VERSION AS SOON AS IT IS MADE AVAILABLE. THIS MEANS SMALLER UPDATES CAN BE SENT OUT MORE FREQUENTLY, SUCH AS ADDING A SINGLE FUNCTION, FIXING A BUG OR ADDING COMPATIBILITY FOR A SINGLE CARRIER. THE SMALLER UPDATES WILL BE COMPILED AND RELEASED TO THE XDA COMMUNITY AS A FULL (PUBLIC) DOWNLOAD VERSION SO PROFESSIONAL VERSIONS ARE ALWAYS UPDATED SOONER.
THE PRO VERSION ALSO ADDS THE ABILITY TO CHECK FOR THE LATEST VERSION OF SUPERUSER AND RECOVERY FILES AND DOWNLOAD THEM DIRECTLY TO THE TOOLKIT.
THE ‘QUICK PICKS’ SECTION[/B] ALLOWS YOU TO PROGRAM UPTO 10 SLOTS WITH TASKS THAT YOU MAY PERFORM ON A REGULAR BASIS OR JUST WANT TO KEEP A SET OF TASKS IN 1 PLACE. THEN JUST SELECT THE SLOT AND IT WILL REMEMBER ALL YOUR SETTINGS FOR THAT TASK AND RUN IT.
IF YOU FIND THIS PROGRAM USEFUL PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO YOUR CHOSEN DEVICE TO GET AN ACTIVATION CODE FOR THE PRO VERSION. YOU WILL FIND THE PRO FEATURES VERY USEFUL, GET UPDATES DIRECTLY FROM THE PROGRAM AND SUPPORT FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. WITHOUT DONATIONS DEVELOPMENT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
AUTO REPLY LINKS FOR PAYPAL TO GET A CODE INSTANTLY CAN BE FOUND AT http://goo.gl/nyGqv
--------------------------------------------------------------
2. USING THE UNIFIED ANDROID TOOLKIT
When starting the Toolkit you will first be asked which device you want to work with. The basic Toolkit files are included in the full install package but if you select a device then the working folders will be created and the device files downloaded. Once the files have been extracted the Toolkit will ask if you want to check if an Update is available (for pro users to download/install). If you type ‘no’ then you will be taken to the Model/Build selection screen where you can do a number of things:
Type ’00' to enter your activation code and enable pro features, ‘i’ will take you to the Information and Help Section, ‘a’ will give you information on how to add support for a new build, ’99' will take you to the Basic Toolkit for quick use or if you do not have a supported device and want to perform general android tasks.
Supported builds are listed in the Model/Build selection screen and typing the associated number (i.e. 11) will download needed boot and recovery files (stock and custom recovery) then check for and download the latest custom recovery and superuser files available (pro versions only), verify all the files and start the Main Menu. You can now use all the functions and tools the Android Toolkit offers.
The Information section which you can get to from the Model Selection screen or from the Main Menu has a wealth of help and frequently asked questions. If you need help then please look there first before asking questions in the thread.
--------------------------------------------------------------
USEFUL INFORMATION
Enable Developer options for usb debugging
Go to Settings, Gear Info, About Gear and tap on Software version 7 times until it says you are now a developer. You can now go to Settings, Gear Info and enable USB debug.
How to get into Recovery Mode
1. Open the charging case (if the device is in it) and hold the power button [on the side] in for about 10 seconds until you see a “Rebooting…” message on the screen.
2. Release the power button then press it 3 times quite fast. Wait a second then press it 3 times again and a screen should appear with 3 reboot options [continue, download and recovery].
3. Tap the power button to scroll down to recovery then hold the power button in for 5 seconds and release.
You should now boot to recovery.
How to get into Download Mode (For Odin)
1. Open the charging case (if the device is in it) and hold the power button [on the side] in for about 10 seconds until you see a “Rebooting…” message on the screen.
2. Release the power button then press it 3 times quite fast. Wait a second then press it 3 times again and a screen should appear with 3 reboot options [continue, download and recovery].
3. Tap the power button to scroll down to download then hold the power button in for 5 seconds and release.
You should now boot to download mode.
--------------------------------------------------------------
ChangeLog
Unified Android ToolKit v1.2.6 [Galaxy Gear V1.0.0] 31st March 2014
+First version of Samsung Galaxy Gear ToolKit Module released
--------------------------------------------------------------
*DISCLAIMER*
I take no responsibility for any fault or damage caused by any procedures within this guide. No warranties of any kind are given.
**FAQ**
Q. Help me I can't find my build in the Model Selection Screen
The Toolkit includes a selection of Insecure Boot Images to cover all the different builds available. As there are very many different builds it is impossible to include an image for every single build but some builds share the same Boot Image. If you have a build that isnt listed on the Model Selection Screen you can therefore use a similar build. The best way to go is up to the next available build as it should offer more compatibility with the build you are using but if that isn't available then try the next build below your one as it should still be almost identical as long as it is the same version (ie. 4.1.1).
The Model Selection Screen is there so that if a task in the ToolKit requires an insecure kernel [to perform adb root commands] and your phone doesnt already include one, a compatible boot image [with an insecure kernel included] can be flashed to provide adb root access.
If you have a Custom Rom flashed to your phone then it will most probably have an insecure kernel included so it doesn't really matter if your build is not listed on the Model Selection Screen and when asked [by certain functions] if you have an insecure kernel on your phone you can answer 'yes'. However if the function fails then your kernel may not be insecure in which case you can flash one from the ToolKit. If you need to do this make sure the right build [or closest available build] is set so you flash the right image for your phone.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. What is ADB Shell?
Adb shell is a linux command line tool (because android is based on linux) used to send commands to your android device. For S-ON devices, this is crucial for modifying files in the /system partition (where the rom sits) as you cannot modify anything in /system when the rom is running without S-OFF like removing system apps.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Why do I need to back up my IMEI/EFS and how do I do it?
There well protected section of your device that is virtually immune to any kind of flashing and manipulation (unless of course you know how to access it). This part of the device contains information such as IMEI (or MEID and ESN in the case of CDMA devices), programming parameters for the device such as your account information (phone number, etc), data provisioning parameters, and a whole bunch of other things that, when not handled properly, can render a device completely useless. All of these are contained in the infamous \EFS folder. If anything messes with your EFS folder, unlike flashing a device (which could potentially lead to bricks as well) it could render your device completely useless as it will no longer be recognized by your carrier. If you are not planning on flashing anything to your device and want to stay on pure Stock then you may never have any problems but it is still advisable to backup this information just in case (better to be safe than sorry).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Does flashing a custom image increase my flash counter?
Any image that is flashed via Odin that has been modified will increase the flash counter that can be viewed in the Download Mode on your device (if booted by holding the Volume Down, Home and Power buttons). You can reset the flash counter using an app by Chainfire called Triangles Away and can find instructions on how to use that in the Downloads section in the Toolkit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. Will flashing Stock ROM via odin using the toolkit replace everything that was flashed before? recovery? etc?
Yes a Stock Image flashed via Odin will replace all your key partitions (boot, recovery, system) with the stock firmware. If you want to reset the phone back to an 'out of the box' state then you want to enter recovery and do a wipe first which will reformat your userdata partition.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. I flashed Custom Recovery but each time I reboot the Stock Recovery is back
There is an auto recovery restore system on certain Stock Android Builds that will reflash the Stock Recovery if you flash CWM on a Stock Rom.
Use Root Explorer to Mount the system folder as R/W (or use a free app from Google Play such as ES File Explorer). Rename the files /system/recovery-from-boot.p and /system/etc/install-recovery.sh (requires root). Now when you flash Custom Recovery it will NOT be overwritten after a reboot. You can also do this via the Toolkit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. My AntiVirus program says the Toolkit files may be harmful
The exe compiled files are not digitally signed with a Microsoft certificate (as they cost money) so certain AntiVirus programs (mainly Norton and AVG Free) may pick it up as potentially harmful when it is not. They will pick up ANY file that doesn't contain a purchased Microsoft certificate in the same way. Just Restore the deleted file and exclude it from further scans and it will be fine. Or switch to a better AntiVirus program such as BitDefender.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. I flashed the Toolkit Boot Image, now my wifi + bluetooth won't work
The boot images are made from Stock with only needed changes made to the insecure boot images [modified adbd, default.prop and rc.local edited] and will work on all stock roms. If you flash them to a custom rom and the rom has been altered or uses a custom boot image then it will boot but certain modules may not load such as wifi or bluetooth. In this case you can use the boot image to root or perform adb root functions but will need to flash back the boot image for the custom rom to get other functions working again. This is not a fault of the Toolkit but a difference to stock in the custom rom.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. I am having trouble getting adb working with the drivers installed
Try switching your connection type from media (MTP) mode to camera mode (P2P). To do this open the notification area, click where it says connected as and change from MTP to PTP.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. I want to send my device back for warranty purposes
1. Follow the instructions to reset your flash counter with TriangleAway.
2. Download and flash a Stock Firmware image from the download section.
3. Boot into Stock Recovery and perform a wipe/factory reset
.
Your internal storage will be formatted and data and cache wiped. Your device should now be back to an out-of-the-box FULLY STOCK state with the flash counter [shown if you boot to download mode manually] reset and ready to send back.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. When connecting the phone I get 'USB Device not Recognized' and no serial number shows in the ToolKit
I actually had this problem recently and what fixed it for me was to make sure that the drivers have been installed, then shut my phone down plug the usb cable in and restart it. The phone booted up and the device was recognized and drivers installed correctly. May not work for everyone but worth trying.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q. "Superuser/SuperSU has stopped" message after rooting
After updating Samsung device to newer builds of Android [4.3 and later] which contains the new security from Samsung "Samaung KNOX", you might face a problem if you tried to root your device.
This might happen because of KNOX security, it blocks/disables the Superuser app and you will see this notification after the first boot:
"Unfortunately, SuperSU has stopped" or "Unfortunately, Superuser has stopped" depending on the root method you used.
The easiest way to fix this problem is by installing the superuser apk file. Select option 6 from the Rooting Section and the Toolkit will attempt to extract the superuser.apk file from the root zip file in the Root folder and if successful it will then be installed. You can then run the app [Superuser or SuperSU] from the apps list. A warning message will pop up saying Samsung KNOX has been detected and ask if you want to try and disable it. Click OK, KNOX should be disabled and your device should now be properly rooted.
There is more Information/Help at http://www.skipsoft.net/?page_id=1269
**VIDEOS**
**UPDATES**
Well, there's a name I'm happy to see in Gear dev! Thanks mskip!
Thank you for the application.
Chosed option 5. Allinone. Now in Odin and starting the flashing process. How long is the process supposed to take. Or am I not just patient enough lol?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
darkchyldx101 said:
Chosed option 5. Allinone. Now in Odin and starting the flashing process. How long is the process supposed to take. Or am I not just patient enough lol?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flashing twrp only takes a few seconds. What exactly have you doneand what is happening on the pc and watch? I will start making some youtube vids soon to help users.
Mark.
Installed drivers. Started toolkit. Choose my Gear section. Choosed option 5 for Allinone root, recovery, busybox, backups. Then Watch went into download mode. USB debug enabled. Odin opened. I put tar file in pda slot toolkit provided. Hit start. Then it hangs for awhile.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Hey Mskip, I have used a few of your toolkits in the past and have found all of them very useful. I have donated to upgrade to the pro version of all of them. I was just curious if you were planning on doing anything for the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 tablet. I know there is the CF-Auto tool but I need something to root the Verizon version which is the SM-905V. Thank you in advance and keep up the excellent work!
Question
First thank you for your hard work in coming up with this process!!
Do we know if this will work with the newest galaxy gears? (gear 2, gear 2 neo and gear fit) My understanding is these devices aren't running android at all but an OS called Tizen. I know very little of this OS but I can say that the UI of my neo is nearly identical to my OG gear which makes me wonder if this method will work.
kingnarkissos said:
First thank you for your hard work in coming up with this process!!
Do we know if this will work with the newest galaxy gears? (gear 2, gear 2 neo and gear fit) My understanding is these devices aren't running android at all but an OS called Tizen. I know very little of this OS but I can say that the UI of my neo is nearly identical to my OG gear which makes me wonder if this method will work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The new Gear smartphones work on Tizen as you said and the Galaxy Gear module will not work with them. I don't have a Gear 2 yet and don't know if its even rootable but if anything can be done with it in the future I will definitely look at adding it.
Mark.
Hi Op, I have used your toolkit on my nexus 5 and other samsung phones..so first thanks a lot man. Now I just bought a new gear. Whenever I select option 5 allinone and try to go to the folder in my C drive I dont see any tar file. I selected version 4.2.2 in the start. It says no extra files will be downloaded. I really want to root and install TWRP.
pro version not seeing tar.files in galaxy gear !!!!
Hi, just to say ive donated tonite to buy the pro version and when i go to root my galaxy gear , it gives me the option to enter number 3/root/unroot options/ then go to the root galaxy gear folders and select the root file for odin, but there are no files there !! can you help as i have donated but unable to root my galaxy gear. I can supply you with the pro code when i donated to prove i did buy.
---------- Post added at 09:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:18 PM ----------
viny2cool said:
Hi Op, I have used your toolkit on my nexus 5 and other samsung phones..so first thanks a lot man. Now I just bought a new gear. Whenever I select option 5 allinone and try to go to the folder in my C drive I dont see any tar file. I selected version 4.2.2 in the start. It says no extra files will be downloaded. I really want to root and install TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah im getting the same problem !!
any support please
Hi, are we getting any support please ?
has this thread been closed !!
read007 said:
Hi, are we getting any support please ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi all, i posted last on the 27th may and have had no replys to my post, any help please
read007 said:
Hi all, i posted last on the 27th may and have had no replys to my post, any help please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
read007 said:
Hi, just to say ive donated tonite to buy the pro version and when i go to root my galaxy gear , it gives me the option to enter number 3/root/unroot options/ then go to the root galaxy gear folders and select the root file for odin, but there are no files there !! can you help as i have donated but unable to root my galaxy gear. I can supply you with the pro code when i donated to prove i did buy.
---------- Post added at 09:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:18 PM ----------
Yeah im getting the same problem !!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
viny2cool said:
Hi Op, I have used your toolkit on my nexus 5 and other samsung phones..so first thanks a lot man. Now I just bought a new gear. Whenever I select option 5 allinone and try to go to the folder in my C drive I dont see any tar file. I selected version 4.2.2 in the start. It says no extra files will be downloaded. I really want to root and install TWRP.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi I just got a gear and am about to root... And wanted to make sure this toolkit was fully functional?
I see the most recent post were having trouble.. Was it fixed?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Its not donation, its purchasing and no i dont want to buy your product, you could have warned me before i did all of this. good day
Hey MSkip, I guess the latest updates put the Gear 1 on Tizen also. Your program ask to make the tar file and upload. I was wondering if you already have this update and are working on adding that to your program. Thanks. I also donated for the gear but have not done anything to it yet. I may root / install TWRP according to the forum threads in the mean time. Here is a link to the latest rom unrooted http://samsung-updates.com/details/30439/Galaxy_Gear/SM-V700/BTU/V700XXUCNF1.html it's the Great Britain file, but from what I understand it's the same for the US. Take it easy.
Chris
UPDATE: Tizen became really boring...so I'm back to Null rom. What was I thinking, it's nice and slick and good on battery. But even with root and setting up SDB (Sammy's ADB) and trying to customize a clock it was no longer exciting. So I came back to what I know and can use the MSkip's tool again.
Chris
Great work! Thanks!

[SM-N935F/DS] How to flash TWRP & Root with Magisk (Int. Ver.) [Pie Updated]

UPDATE OF JULY, 13th 2019 : IMPORTANT INFO : This guide is no longer updated. The recent update of June 2019 broke compatibility with my Bootloader Ver. 2 I was using which worked fine from the first Nougat release to the first Pie update (included). As I'm still daily running Android Nougat (7.0), I can't risk to upgrade to BL Ver. 5 and find myself locked under Pie. And the main risk is that I can't know if BL v5 is breaking modem compatibility or not and if it does it means that I'll lose all wireless connectivity under Nougat. So, as I can't risk my device (which is my daily) I have no choice other than dropping the support of this device. I apologize.
SAMSUNG Galaxy Note Fan Edition
Exynos 8890 - International Ver. [SM-N935F/DS]
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Current Status :
(Pie 9.0) - POST 06/21/2019 Update - Unknown
(Pie 9.0) - PRE 06/21/2019 Update - Rootable
(Oreo 8.0) - Rootable
(Nougat 7.0) - Rootable
Latest Ver. of TWRP: v3.3.1-0
Latest Ver. of Android: Pie (Android 9.0)
1 - ▼ DISCLAIMER ▼​
- I DECLINE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU DAMAGE OR BRICK YOUR PHONE WHILE TRYING THIS METHOD ! YOU'RE DOING IT AT YOUR OWN RISKS !
- THIS METHOD IS ONLY VALID FOR THE GALAXY NOTE FAN EDITION (EXYNOS Ver.) SM-N935F/DS VERSION ! IT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR THE KOREAN VARIANTS !
- FLASHING ANY CUSTOM BINARY WILL IRREMEDIABLY VOID YOUR WARRANTY AND KNOX COUNTER WILL BE TRIGGERED (0x1).
- MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DEVICE HAS AT LEAST 70% BATTERY BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEPS !
- ALL THE DATA ON THE INTERNAL STORAGE WILL BE DELETED ! BACKUP ALL YOUR FILES IN A SAFE PLACE BEFORE PROCEEDING !
2 - ▼ Important Infos ▼​
To avoid making any mistakes, I HIGHLY recommend you to READ CAREFULLY the WHOLE guide BEFORE attempting anything! Prevention is better than cure remember
The Galaxy Note FE (like many other Samsung devices) use dm-verity and data partition encryption.
► Android 9.0 (Pie) - UPDATE OF THE 06/21/2019 (Bootloader V5) :
The Note FE (International Ver.) Android Pie update of (June 2019) support is unknown.
As I can't try if my patch works, (see above), I can't test if the latest update is rootable or not.
However, the problem is probably similiar to the first Pie release of March 2019, the fix is also probably the same
but due to changes to the kernel or boot routines, the old fix dosen't work anymore.
If you're under an older Pie release (typically with a v4 BL or less) or even under an other Android version, you can still follow this guide.
► About RMM State :
The Note FE (International Ver.) is shipped with a component called "RMM".
This component is able to prevent the end-user from flashing any custom binary on the device while it's active.
You can check if your RMM is enabled or disabled by putting your device in Download Mode :
- If the line "RMM State: Prenormal" is present, then RMM is enabled and you won't be able to flash any custom binary.
- If it's absent, then it has already been disabled which means that you'll be able to flash any custom binary.
This component suddenly disable itself after 7 days of continuous uptime since the device has been last powered on.
You can check your device actual uptime by going into : "Settings" > "About phone" > "Status" > "Uptime"
Or use CPU-Z : "System" tab and "System Uptime". (CPU-Z displays the uptime in days rather than hours.)
Once 7 days are elapsed, it will be desactivated BUT! If you format the data partition for example, which's required to disable data encryption for rooting, it will be back!
Even worse, if you reboot once you've setup your phone, you'll get blocked with a message when you'll powering it on saying ("custom binary has been block due to remaining installment balance") and you'll have to reflash stock to get your device working again...
To avoid that, once the /data partition has been wiped, you'll need to apply the RMM fix (prerequisites section, see below) which prevents the device from re-self-locking itself after rebooting, once the initial setup has been completed.
Everytime you install a new official firmware, RMM might be active again.
It is triggered by an hidden system app called "Rlc" which acts on the bootloader lock.
If your Rlc app is still present, the best thing to do is to simply delete it ASAP to prevent any unpredictable action on your bootloader. (system/priv-app/Rlc)
For custom ROMs, normally they're safe. But still, check if the dev has already deleted Rlc, otherwise you'll have to do it by yourself.
3 - ▼ Prerequisites ▼​
1 - A SAMSUNG Galaxy Note FE [SM-N935F/DS]
2 - The Samsung USB Drivers (If not already installed, => [HERE] <= )
3 - Download the lastest Odin (v3.13.1) => [HERE] <=
4 - Download TWRP for the Galaxy Note7 [SM-N930F] (v3.2.1-0.img.tar) => [HERE] <=
5 - For Android Nougat (7.0) :
Download Magisk (v18.1) [HERE]
Download the RMM Patch [HERE]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5 - For Android Oreo (8.0) :
Download Magisk (v18.1) [HERE]
Download the RMM Patch [HERE]
Download the /data partition fix (for Android Oreo) [HERE]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
5 - For Android Pie (9.0) :
Download Magisk (v18.1) [HERE]
Download the RMM Patch [HERE]
Download the Kernel Patch (for Android Pie) [HERE]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
6 - A PC and a USB-C Cable
7 - A brain, a pair of eyeballs and some fingers (Yeah, that could help... especially the first one..)
4 - ▼ Flashing TWRP 3.2.1-0 on the Galaxy Note FE ▼​
If Your RMM is locked you will have to wait 7 days (or 168 hours) while maintaining your device up and running. (NEVER REBOOT DURING THIS TIME ! IT WILL RESET THE RMM TIME COUNTER!)
=> For more info and/or if you don't understand what I'm talking about, please refer to section 2 of this page and read it all.
Once RMM is desactivated (or already desactivated), you can proceed to the next steps :
Make sure to enable "USB Debugging" and "OEM Unlock" in the Dev Options.
Connect your phone to your PC and drag and drop the Magisk package and the RMM fix at the root of your microSD card.
Now, depending on the Android version you're running, drag and drop the additional fix that you've downloaded earlier at the root of your mSD card too. (Only if you're on Oreo or Pie)
Once it's done, backup everything valuable and power off your device.
Enter the Download Mode by pressing simultaneously the "Home" + "Vol. Down" + "Power" buttons for 5 sec. Read the warning message and just answer "Continue".
Launch Odin and select TWRP 3.2.1-0 archive by clicking on the "AP" button.
Go to the "Options" tab and untick "Auto-reboot"
Connect your phone which is in DL Mode to your PC.
/IMPORTANT!\ Make sure Odin is seeing your device properly.
(Once connected, you should see the box under the "ID:COM" tab displaying "0:[COM*]" in blue, meaning your phone has been detected successfully. If not, Install the Samsung USB Drivers, link available in the prerequisites section.)
Flash TWRP.
Wait while Odin in flashing the recovery. /AVOID TOUCHING ANYTHING DURING FLASH PROCESS\
When Odin shows "PASS", take your device in hands, disconnect the USB-C cable and press simultaneously the "Home" + "Vol. Down" + "Power" buttons until the DL mode disappears.
When at the precise moment the screen becomes black, immediately release the "Vol.Down" button and press the "Home" + "Vol. UP" + "Power" buttons during 10 to 15sec to enter TWRP recovery.
You should see TWRP logo just after the Note FE splash-screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now TWRP is successfully installed. But we're not done yet ! We still have to deal with the data encryption and disable dm-verity in order to boot properly.
5 - ▼ [9.0] Rooting the Galaxy Note FE under Android Pie ▼​
Once TWRP is showing up, tick the option labeled "Never show this screen during boot again" and slide the cursor to allow modifications.
On the main menu, tap on "Wipe"
Then, tap on "Format Data" and confirm that you want to erase all data by entering "YES" in the text box and validate.
Data is now wiped and encryption removed.
Return to the main menu and tap "Reboot" and then "Recovery"
Once the device has rebooted in Recovery again, tap "Install" and Install the RMM fix package from your SD card.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Install the kernel patch for Android Pie.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Install the Magisk package, the root solution.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Last step, tap "Reboot" and then "System"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your device will now reboot. It may stay a couple of minutes on the "SAMSUNG" logo as the whole ROM is being reinstalled. Once the setup screen is appearing, setup your phone as usual.
Note : All Samsung Pay, Pass, Knox etc.. features and Secure Folder won't be usable anymore as Knox as been triggered. For Samsung Health, there is an easy fix. Just read the whole guide
6 - ▼ [8.0] Rooting the Galaxy Note FE under Android Oreo ▼​
Once TWRP is showing up, tick the option labeled "Never show this screen during boot again" and slide the cursor to allow modifications.
On the main menu, tap on "Wipe"
Then, tap on "Format Data" and confirm that you want to erase all data by entering "YES" in the text box and validate.
Data is now wiped and encryption removed.
Return to the main menu and tap "Reboot" and then "Recovery"
Once the device has rebooted in Recovery again, tap "Install" and install Magisk package from your SD card.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Install the RMM fix package.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Install the /data partition fix package.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Last step, tap "Reboot" and then "System"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your device will now reboot. It may stay a couple of minutes on the "SAMSUNG" logo as the whole ROM is being reinstalled. Once the setup screen is appearing, setup your phone as usual.
Note : All Samsung Pay, Pass, Knox etc.. features and Secure Folder won't be usable anymore as Knox as been triggered. For Samsung Health, there is an easy fix. Just read the whole guide
7 - ▼ [7.0] Rooting the Galaxy Note FE under Android Nougat ▼​
Once TWRP is showing up, tick the option labeled "Never show this screen during boot again" and slide the cursor to allow modifications.
On the main menu, tap on "Wipe"
Then, tap on "Format Data" and confirm that you want to erase all data by entering "YES" in the text box and validate.
Data is now wiped and encryption removed !
Return to the main menu and tap "Reboot" and then "Recovery"
Once the device has rebooted in Recovery again, tap "Install" and install Magisk package from your SD card.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Install the RMM fix package.
Once it's done, wipe cache & dalvik and return to the main menu.
Last step, tap "Reboot" and then "System"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your device will now reboot. It may stay a couple of minutes on the "SAMSUNG" logo as the whole ROM is being reinstalled. Once the setup screen is appearing, setup your phone as usual.
Note : All Samsung Pay, Pass, Knox etc.. features and Secure Folder won't be usable anymore as Knox as been triggered. For Samsung Health, there is an easy fix. Just read the whole guide
8 - ▼ Disable SecurityLogAgent pop-up & Samsung Anti-Malware ▼​
Samsung provides an anti-malware on their phones and the Note FE is one of them. The system will detect that Magisk has been installed and a service called "SecurityLogAgent" will regularly
pop-up in your notification bar to invite you to launch the Device Maintenance app and reboot the device using an orange button to "eliminate" the threat. => DO NOT REBOOT USING THIS BUTTON ! <=
You'll end up soft-brick your phone. And this, won't disappear on it's own.
Here's how to disable and definitively hide that anti-malware crap from the Device Management app :
Download the lastest version of MiXplorer => HERE <= (Or any file manager of your choice. MiXplorer is lightweight, nice to use, free and made on XDA.)
Access the root partition in the left panel and go into the "/system/csc" folder
Open the file "others.xml" with the text editor.
Add the following line at the end :
Code:
[I]<CscFeature_SmartManager_DisableAntiMalware>TRUE</CscFeature_SmartManager_DisableAntiMalware>[/I]
Save the changes, and close the app.
Reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Samsung Anti Malware is now disabled as well as the annoying pop-up.You're good to go, enjoy!
9 - ▼ Fix Samsung Health ▼​
For whatever reasons, Samsung locks-up Samsung Health once Knox has been triggered.. But go figure why, there's only a simple thing to do to re-enable the app and be able to use it again easily.
You can either use a file manager or the app "BuildProp Editor".
Download the lastest version of MiXplorer => HERE <= (Or any file manager of your choice. MiXplorer is lightweight, nice to use, free and made on XDA.)
Access the root partition in the left panel and go into the "/system" folder
Open the file "build.prop" with the text editor.
Simply change the line
Code:
ro.config.tima=[COLOR="Red"][B]1[/B][/COLOR]
to
Code:
ro.config.tima=[COLOR="SeaGreen"][B]0[/B][/COLOR]
Save the changes, and close the app.
Reboot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung Health is now working again. :good:
10 - ▼ Troubleshooting ▼​
You have a problem with your Note FE ? Take a look at those answers before posting :
Q: I try to flash TWRP with Odin but a message pops up on my device and says "custom binary has been block due to remaining installment balance". What's happening ?
A: RMM. This message is more likely to appear if you still have RMM enabled. Boot your phone, keep it powered on and running and never reboots during 7 days and it should disappear.
Q: I've flashed TWRP with success, formatted data and stuff but I see the message "custom binary has been block due to remaining installment balance" at boot and I can't boot ! What's happening ?
A: RMM again ! Once data has been formatted and Android first reinstalled, RMM lock is back! Same thing can happen if you did not install the RMM fix with TWRP. To unbrick it, you have 2 options : 1 - Flash stock BUT with HOME_CSC. (It will keep the RMM elasped time, but you'll have to keep in mind since how much time has elapsed already.) or 2 - Reflash stock and follow the entire procedure again and the waiting again. The first one might work, if not, then try the 2nd one.
Q: I've managed to install TWRP, root and get my phone up and running but I've clicked on the orange "Reboot" in the Anti-Malware tab in the Device Management app.
Now my phone bootloops (or) shows the message "custom binary has been block due to remaining installment balance" and I'm stuck with it.
A: You've got trapped into Samsung Anti-Malware crap. This utility can't delete Magisk. Any solutions ? Restore one of your previous TWRP backup but if you have none, the only solution is to re-flash stock, repeat the entire procedure, disable SecurityEventLog service to get rid of those annoying security pop-ups AND stay away from the anti-malware utility !
11 - ▼ Extras ▼​
Thanks. If there is any mistakes or errors, please feel free to report them to me, I'll correct them
Credits goes to :
Magisk (@topjohnwu & @phhusson, @Chainfire, @nkk71, @osm0sis, @Captain_Throwback, @Didgeridoohan, @jenslody, @digitalhigh, @DVDandroid)
TWRP Recovery (@TeamTWRP)
The RMM Fix (@BlackMesa123)
The /data partition Fix (@dr.ketan & @RicePlay33)
Odin Soft (@anycallmongolia)
MiXplorer File Manager (@HootanParsa)
How to keep the elasped time (@societyragdoll)
SAMSUNG... (@Samsung) (duh)
Author : RicePlay33​
Thanks ! I'll give it a try.
Do you think we can use all the flashable mods and custom roms from S7/S7 edge?
Well the answers are : Maybe and No.
Some mods that you can apply with TWRP may work, some not.
Concerning custom ROMs it's totally no. ROMs are designed for specific hardware and phone models. Unless someone creates a custom ROM for the Note FE, it's not possible.
RicePlay33 said:
Some mods that you can apply with TWRP may work, some not.
Concerning custom ROMs it's totally no. ROMs are designed for specific hardware and phone models. Unless someone creates a custom ROM for the Note FE, it's not possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can use custom roms from the Note 7 or Note FE of Korea [emoji12]
Envoyé de mon SM-N935F en utilisant Tapatalk
benyou54 said:
Yes you can use custom roms from the Note 7 or Note FE of Korea [emoji12]
Envoyé de mon SM-N935F en utilisant Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't try it lol. At your own risks
@RicePlay33 just out of curiosity, what mods have you tried ?
Paninno12 said:
@RicePlay33 just out of curiosity, what mods have you tried ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've only tried the Dual Speaker mod for the S7 edge as it was my previous device, but it only works partially on the FE actually. Whenever I make a phone call for the first time just after rebooting, the microphone works fine but then if I try any more times after, the microphone stops working without any reasons :/ Quite a weird problem.. Like I said, some mods may work, some not.
any mod you want to try i suggest take it from s8/s8+ version. anyway since you guys has root your device... try to update some of the old apps in system. got a better one out there.
I've tried the Dual Speaker for the Note 8 (Magisk mod) but it simply didn't work. That would be awesome if the dev of this mod for the S7/ S7 edge version could release a NFE one (@zubi182)
Does anyone know if Secure Folder can be somehow enabled? I managed to do it on my rooted S7 Edge , but with dark lord rom and some sort of kernel. I'm guessing this isn't possible on this rooted stock rom?
Anyone know where i can get an international note fe?dont want dual SIM version
Secure Folder can be fooled with a modified kernel yeah. To my knowledge too, it's not possible with the stock one.
please help me remove knox on samsung s7 nN935F. picture in attach. thanks all
Hi ! Was able to reboot and edit some lines (using root explorer) in build.prop ro.securestorage to false and ro.config.tima to 0. Problem is.. the securestorage even at false value i still cant view the saved wifi passwords. So i tried changing the permission to 777 thats when i had the red custom binary blocked and rmm prenormal. Flashed to stock rom last night. Not sure how but i tried flashing only with csc_home but red warning is still there. But with ap it worked. Didnt flash bl, cp etc. Am i doing this right? So now i have to wait again. Can i use supersu instead of magisk? the root is not giving me full privelege in this androdumpper app (on the saved password section ). Thank you for your awesome post RicePlay33.
@donart81 I've searched a bit and I've found this => http://phuongpn.com/how-to-decrypting-wifi-password-on-samsung-galaxy-phone-solved/ Did you done the rest of the operation ?
Also, changing the value of "ro.securestorage to false" maybe triggers the RMM lockdown as it seems related to the security of the device. (Encrypting WiFi passwords)
The message was still there because you've ONLY flashed "HOME_CSC", it was specified to flash stock (so including everything BL/AP/CP etc) but for the CSC, choosing the HOME_CSC one. It will flash stock 99% like usual but the HOME_CSC will keep the time elapsed of RMM, reducing the time needed to re-root it again.
You should have tried to disable RMM Maybe it wouldn't have bricked itself.
oh so that's how you flash hehe. i'm such a noob.
yup i think i have done the rest of the operation. I've successfully rebooted after changing the value of the build.prop (ro.securestorage + ro.config.tima) to see if it was not reverted back to original. device was working. it was only when i changed its permission checked it all suddenly it bricked my phone hehe.
next time i'll try to change the value of the "Support Rmm" in the experiment section and report back if it worked
thank you for your informative reply.
There has been some development about a possible RMM State Fix Over here.
Did anyone try it?
I'm just waiting for the 7 days to pass, and this wait itself is killing me!
Yeah I saw that. I was thinking to talk about it but I didn't had the time recently.
I'll update the main post, although I may need someone to try it first and report me what is going on on his device to be able to document it as clear as possible and also to see if it works without any problems.
Don't worry, 7 days and you'll be free like a bird is
hello i installed twrp on the device and made root and then waited 7 days and 7 days is completed. When the device is off and the device is open, the device has failed.
My fault : custom binary blocked due to remaining installment balance
Please melp me mate
what should I do ?
RicePlay33 said:
Yeah I saw that. I was thinking to talk about it but I didn't had the time recently.
I'll update the main post, although I may need someone to try it first and report me what is going on on his device to be able to document it as clear as possible and also to see if it works without any problems.
Don't worry, 7 days and you'll be free like a bird is
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will do it as soon as I'm released from the jail.!
However, "This being free is temporary" I guess as it seems like after a new firmware update from Samsung, This will be a routine process.
mest47 said:
hello i installed twrp on the device and made root and then waited 7 days and 7 days is completed. When the device is off and the device is open, the device has failed.
My fault : custom binary blocked due to remaining installment balance
Please melp me mate
what should I do ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, Im not really qualified to answer your query, But from What I have learned -
You need to flash a Stock Rom,
Do the 7 Day wait until the RMM State is disappeared,
Then Follow the steps in the OP, and Flash the RMM State fix immediately to prevent getting locked again.

Alternative method magisk root [stock android 9][NO TWRP][Samsung A70 FN/DS]

purpose of this post is to share an alternative method for those who fail to root using @topjohnwu recommended method or the method posted by @Grarak here on A70 forum that involves patching recovery.img in magisk and then flashing that in twrp>install to boot.
failing to root means either bootloops or unstable magisk root or magisk root disappearing randomly or after a module installation.
this is not my original guide , i was told this method by @raeumler via PM and i am sharing it on A70 forums incase other methods dont work.Some of the steps may not be neccesary , but i did them ritually anyway
my phone model is SM-A705FN /DS and firmware version is A705FNXXU5ASL4( with 1st jan 2020 updates) . country is PAK
do this at your own risk! i will not be responsible for any negative consequences
appropiate links and files will be posted as attachments
rooting procedure( read each step twice)
1- UNLOCKING BOOTLOODER= this will factory reset device . backup your data
read step 02 of this linked guide https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-a70/development/recovery-twrp-galaxy-a70-t3955984
DOWNLOAD FIRMWARE AND ATTACHMENTS= now i am assuming you have stock samsung android 9. if not, download your firmware via SamFirm windows program and flash in odin to go to stock[ program available in attachements]. Download other attachements too
2-Find vbmeta.tar in downloaded attachments and unpack it. you will get vbmeta.img file.
3. unzip stock Samfirm downloaded firmware. you will get 5 files in it (BL,AP,CP,CSC and CSC_HOME).open the AP File from the factory rom with 7zip
4. remove userdata.img, vendor.img and system.img from the AP file
5. replace vbmeta.img with the one you have downloaded in step 2.
6. repack AP as AP.tar [ use 7zip or peazip. i used peazip windows program, ensure file type is TAR]. transfer this AP.tar to your phone
7. install magisk manager 7.5.1 on your phone and open it. connect your phone to internet.
8. hit the upper install button and choose "patch a file"
9. choose the repacked AP file and patch it[ this requires active internet as magisk needs to download its zip file]
10. copy the AP file which magisk creates in internal storage/download/magisk_patched.tar back to your pc (better keep it named as such for differentiation, its irrelevant how the file is named as long its a tar file)
11. download,unzip and open Odin 3.1.3.1[available in attachements]. i used Odin3+v3.13.1_3B_PatcheD.exe , there is a simple version too inside the zip
12. go into download mode on your phone (shut down completely then hold vol+ vol- togather and plug in cable connected to PC ). Odins should show Com port X as blue
13. in odin: put the BL, CP and HOME_CSC in its place (the files from the factory firmware you downloaded in step 1 from SamFirm windows program) and place the magisk patched AP on AP
16. check if you want autoreboot or not, its your own taste (some feel safer with autoreboot unchecked, both works)[ i kept autoreboot checked]
15. hit start and let it finish (when it stucks on something try another cable and install latest samsung adb driver.)
16. let the system reboot
17. if you get stuck in bootloop or freeze >10 min on samsung logo, try to force reboot.press volume down + power till screen turns blank then press volume + and power till bootloader unlock screen appears and then let go of all keys.
if still it doesnt boot, then press volume down and power togather to force shutdown and then press volume up and power till stock recovery boots up. Mine at this stage said firmware is corrupt ,factory reset needed so thats what i did in stock recovery. power off system in stock recovery and then press volume+ and power till bootloader warning screen , let go of all buttons, it should now boot up fine with magisk manager app in app drawer. DONT OPEN IT YET
download this app from play store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.petrus.tools.reboot&hl=en_US. open app and press reboot. No need to press any keys
on reboot complete ,connect to internet,open magisk, let it check for updates, it should say installed in both portions. magisk will do additional enviromental steps and then reboot. on booted up, use the linked reboot app to reboot again.
now magisk should be installed all fine
for viper4android>open magisk>swipe left and tap downloads> installed 2.7.1.6> reboot with linked app
on reboot check if app is installed, if not > install and login on xda labs and download viper4android 2.7.1.6> open app> give it root accesss> let it reboot device on installtion> on bootied up reboot again with linked app and then check drivers on viper4android[ make sure master switch is on and then play some music ,tap the chip icon to see driver status and processing status
from here onward, always use the linked reboot app to reboot device. if an app or module reboot device automatically( like viper4android does ) then on boot complete,reboot again with the linked app
Credits to @Grarak for his original work and files
 @raeumler for his guide.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work on Android 10.
There is an error in Odin when flashing files.
The error is when flash the AP file, more specifically vbmeta.
kac222 said:
Unfortunately, it doesn't work on Android 10.
There is an error in Odin when flashing files.
The error is when flash the AP file, more specifically vbmeta.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is for stock android 9 as the title says.
Follow @MarvinMod guide to root android 10
Yes i know but i tried for yourself. I know how rooted on Android 10. Regards.
Wysłane z mojego SM-A705FN przy użyciu Tapatalka
Looks like a useful guide, thank you for putting it up. I'm really not sure how to get the firmware though from the SamFirm program. I found this ( https://androidmtk.com/use-samfirm-tool - might be useful info?) since I have never used the samfirm tool before I am lost at that step. I don't know if there's a list of region codes somewhere? I have an 'international version' A70. Using SM-A705MN, baseband version A705MNXXU3ASI1 .. Since I'm in the US, should I look to getting that type of ROM or should I find out what region this particular ROM already on the phone is, and use that?
I've done rooting before (Samsung S4, HTC M9, LG V20) but these phones seem even more complicated.
Even if all this works, then the root is not 'permanent'? I'm not sure why a different 'reboot app' would be needed if the system is modified in a way to enable things like magisk/super su?
DelphisDoofer said:
Looks like a useful guide, thank you for putting it up. I'm really not sure how to get the firmware though from the SamFirm program. I found this ( https://androidmtk.com/use-samfirm-tool - might be useful info?) since I have never used the samfirm tool before I am lost at that step. I don't know if there's a list of region codes somewhere? I have an 'international version' A70. Using SM-A705MN, baseband version A705MNXXU3ASI1 .. Since I'm in the US, should I look to getting that type of ROM or should I find out what region this particular ROM already on the phone is, and use that?
I've done rooting before (Samsung S4, HTC M9, LG V20) but these phones seem even more complicated.
Even if all this works, then the root is not 'permanent'? I'm not sure why a different 'reboot app' would be needed if the system is modified in a way to enable things like magisk/super su?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Download phone info app and note pda, csc and phone codes.
Use these codes to Google your exact firmware and download that ( you may have to visit various websites that offer better speed)
The samfirm, frija only allows latest firmware to be download, not the currently installed one.
One you have the stick firmware file, then you can proceed with rooting.
If you are on android 9 use this guide
If you are on Android 10 use MarvinMod guide.
This reboot app is what I currently use. Haven't experimented with other apps.
The root is permanent as long as your reboot with the mentioned key combination or the reboot app.
The reboot app simple allows you to reboot without the key combination. If you don't want to use this app then you must reboot with the mentioned key combination to retain root. Otherswise you wouldn't have root unless you reboot again with correct combination.
To make this easy I suggested that reboot app
Yes I feel you bro, I had Samsung note 2 then note 4 phone and they were easier to root.
But with Google changing things the best way to root is to use magisk and this complicated methods
i think you can make a little script for rebooting. should work. i really want to know how the bootpartition is corrected, at boot its recovery-from-boot.p as image and install-recovery.sh for reenabling stockrecovery. if you rename this files bootup should work without reflashing boot or recovery. there have to be something similar to the rebootprocess, a script that flashes a sparse image (the *.p file to delete su binary or something like that..) or it just kills the su binary in the folders itself. im to stupid for dmesg and logcat i couldnt find out whats going on at reboot. also the petrus reboot app reboots instant, keys doesnt. seems to be that adb reboot deletes root too. yesterday, somehow my fone did sonething last night, which crashes root again.....i need twrp urgent to make backup. but the binary let not decrypt it. U5 is android 10 bootloader and there are some issues with twrp (decrypt). last time it has saved my backuptry to /data/backupfolder as internal is encrypted. i dont want to factoryreset this phone....is it complicated to build a recovery ? or is there something like a clickitalltogetherapp?
---------- Post added at 09:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 AM ----------
following reboot variants keeping root:
hold all keys for 10 seconds
reboot via terminal or script
petrus app
following kills root:
standartreboot with hw-keys
adb reboot (on a dosprompt from pc)
boot to stockrecovery
magisk module reboot
but thats is such a XXXX .. i dont have a word for it, in the beginning computers and so are working logical....seems that samsungs security trends are not that logical as needed... i hate samsung :/. there have to be someone who find the "unsu"-files...cannot be....
raeumler said:
i think you can make a little script for rebooting. should work. i really want to know how the bootpartition is corrected, at boot its recovery-from-boot.p as image and install-recovery.sh for reenabling stockrecovery. if you rename this files bootup should work without reflashing boot or recovery. there have to be something similar to the rebootprocess, a script that flashes a sparse image (the *.p file to delete su binary or something like that..) or it just kills the su binary in the folders itself. im to stupid for dmesg and logcat i couldnt find out whats going on at reboot. also the petrus reboot app reboots instant, keys doesnt. seems to be that adb reboot deletes root too. yesterday, somehow my fone did sonething last night, which crashes root again.....i need twrp urgent to make backup. but the binary let not decrypt it. U5 is android 10 bootloader and there are some issues with twrp (decrypt). last time it has saved my backuptry to /data/backupfolder as internal is encrypted. i dont want to factoryreset this phone....is it complicated to build a recovery ? or is there something like a clickitalltogetherapp?
---------- Post added at 09:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 AM ----------
following reboot variants keeping root:
hold all keys for 10 seconds
reboot via terminal or script
petrus app
following kills root:
standartreboot with hw-keys
adb reboot (on a dosprompt from pc)
boot to stockrecovery
magisk module reboot
but thats is such a XXXX .. i dont have a word for it, in the beginning computers and so are working logical....seems that samsungs security trends are not that logical as needed... i hate samsung :/. there have to be someone who find the "unsu"-files...cannot be....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't messed with boot or recuvery files like the way you DM me.
But I have been noticing strange behavior with petrus app.
Reboot option in petrus app is kinda of like fast reboot or reboot UI. Because all apps opened and present in task manager remain so after reboot with petrus app.
Also once you power off with petrus app,
1= booting up with root key combination results in phone getting freeze Or bootlooping
2=. Force shutting phone again bootloop phone.
3= Going to stock recovery and rebooting system bootloop.
4= going to stock recuvery and shutting off phone from there and then simply pressing power button without key combination, successfully bootup phone with root intact.
This is such a bizzare behaviour
Oh and i am still on Android 9 pie.

[GUIDE][SM-T290/SM-T290N] Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) - How to Install LineageOS 18.1 (GSI) + Gapps

Hello!
So recently I was able to install LineageOS 18.1 (GSI) + GApps on my Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8 (SM-T290) tablet and wanted to share how I did it. I noticed a lack of decent step-by-step guides to modding this tablet so I figure I'd share what I learned through scouring multiple threads and through multiple headaches. Fun fact: I also got this working with LineageOS 19 (GSI), however it ran pretty poorly and Android 12 is ugly as hell so why bother anyway? ALSO interestingly enough, you'll see I wrote [SM-T290N] in the title as well. That is the model of the Kid's Edition of this phone, which happens to be the one I had. So I can confirm this process works for the Kid's Edition of this tablet as well as the original.
Some Things To Note
Below I'll list the software/firmware I used in this process. You don't necessarily need to follow this exactly but I don't see any reason not to. The end result is a working install of LineageOS with GApps so if that's what you want I would just follow along step-by-step. ALSO I'm writing this from memory so if I make a mistake please let me know and I'll try and correct it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What You'll Need
Your tablet
A USB Cable to connect your tablet to your PC
A 4GB+ MicroSD card
A Windows PC
Some patience
Instructions
Preparing Your MicroSD Card
1. Place the LineageOS 18.1 .img file from this thread (On SourceForge, there is a section below the files about the naming conventions and how they relate to the hardware of your device and configuration of your ROM. I used the lineage-18.1-20220315-UNOFFICIAL-arm64_bvS-vndklite.img.xz image for my device. If your device is slightly different, you can use Treble Info to determine what ROM you should use. Just make sure to use the VNDKLITE rom if your device supports it.
2. Place the multidisabler .zip folder on there as well. This will preserve encryption provided by TWRP after rebooting.
3. Finally, place the MindTheGapps .zip folder on your SD card (make sure to get the correct version. In my case this was the 11.00-arm64 version).
4. Insert your MicroSD card into your device.
Unlocking the Bootloader
So the first thing you're gonna want to do is unlock your OEM bootloader on your Samsung device.
1. Go to Settings->About Phone->Software Information and look for a field called "Build Number". Tap this Five Times until you see a notification saying developer settings were enabled.
2. Go to Settings->Developer Settings and look for the setting labeled OEM Unlock and turn it on.
If you don't see this setting try connecting to wifi, changing your date and time to around two months prior (I set mine to back to May 2021 since the firmware I was using was set in July 2021), then go back to your developer settings and switch them off and back on again. You should now see the OEM Unlock option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. From here, you can reboot your device into Recovery Mode by holding the Vol+ and Vol- buttons when the device begins to boot again.
4. You should see a blue screen with some options. Press the Vol+ button to enter Download Mode. This is where you'll use Odin to flash the firmware you need as well as TWRP.
Flashing Firmware
So when I attempted this process I used Magendanz's Unofficial TWRP 3.6.0 as it is the only version of TWRP I found for this device. I also used Odin v3.14.1_3B Patched from this XDA thread. Magendanz's TWRP requires you to have the T290XXU3CUG4 Firmware (I used the XAR region) in order to flash TWRP to your device (you can check wether or not you already have this firmware on your phone by looking the About Phone section again). It takes a while to download though make sure you have some time.
1. Download Odin and run the program. Unzip your firmware folder and use the relevant files when selecting the BL, AP, CP, CSC fields in Odin. I didn't use the HOME_CSC just leave it blank.
2. Connect your device via USB and Flash this firmware to your device.
3. Once your device restarts, go through the setup process and then repeat the Unlocking the Bootloader instructions above in order to make sure it is unlocked again.
4. Reboot your device the same way as stated above.
Flashing TWRP
Before starting, be aware that after you flash TWRP to your device, your device will restart and attempt to open the stock system again. You're going to want to hold the Power and Vol+ buttons simultaneously. You will likely get a warning screen saying that the bootloader is unlocked and may ask you to do a factory reset, this (I believe) is fine. The key here is that once you press the Power Button to continue (as instructed on the warning screen) you'll want to immediately press and hold the Power and Vol+ keys for around 6 Seconds before letting go again (you should be seeing the Samsung Galaxy Tab A logo screen). After letting go, wait around 3-4 seconds, if nothing changes, restart the device by holding all three buttons (Power, Vol+,Vol-) and attempt the process again. It's a pain in the ass but you'll get it eventually. Just make sure not to let the device boot into the system again as that can cause problems in TWRP and you'll likely have to start the process over (from flashing the firmware).
1. Once your tablet is once again in Download Mode, open Odin again and flash the TWRP (tar.md5 file) to the AP (recovery) partition. Do not use any of the other partitions.
2. If this is successful, your phone will begin to reboot. Quickly press and hold the combination of buttons Power and Vol+ until you see the warning dialog pop up. Once you do, release all buttons and be ready to quickly press and release the Power button continue, and then immediately after press and hold the Power and Vol+ buttons again for 6 seconds. After around 6 seconds, release all buttons. Wait around 3-4 seconds and, if the screen does not change to the TWRP logo, restart the device by pressing and holding all buttons simultaneously and try this step again.
3. If you have entered into TWRP, congrats!
Installing Custom ROM + Software in TWRP
1. The first thing you'll want to do is select the Wipe->Format Data. Type 'yes' and hit enter (or swipe I forget which).
2. Next, select Install, and then select your MicroSD card as your storage device. You should see your zip files (if not switch from the install image option).
3. Install the multidisabler, do not reboot
4. Go back into Install and select Install Image (might not be the exact naming) option. Select your MicroSD card as the storage device again and install the LineageOS 18.1 rom. Do not reboot.
5. Go back into Install and select your MindTheGapps zip file and install it.
Now, a lot of people run into a problem when trying to install Gapps which is your device complaining about no more available space in the system partition. If this is the case, go back to Wipe and select Advanced Wipe. Select your system partition and then select Change or Repair Partition. Once you're here you should see the size and available space of your partition. You'll want to hit Resize Partition and let it do it's thing. To confirm it worked, go back to Wipe->Advanced Wipe->Select System->Change or Repair Partition and your available space should be much larger now. Now just attempt to install MindTheGapps again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Final Steps
Once you reboot you should be able to successfully reach the setup screen for Lineage. Go through the steps of setting up your device as usual and be sure that Gapps are installed. Go ahead and re-enable developer settings and enable USB-Debugging and Root Debugging. The reason for this is that, when I first installed Gapps, Google Play Protect would keep throwing warnings at me about my device not being Google Play Certified. This means I couldn't actually use any of the google play services. If you run into the same issue, here are the steps you can take to fix it:
1. First, go into Settings->Apps and find your Google Play Services app. Clear the cache and delete the app data, then reboot your device. If you try and sign into the Google Play store and you are able to without getting any play protect warnings, then you're good you can disregard the following steps.
2. If you are still receiving these warnings, you'll want to head over to this site and follow the instructions (I'm not gonna tell you how to use ADB here). Once you submit your framework ID, reboot your device. Everything should be working fine now.
And that's it! If I am forgetting any steps please let me know, again I am writing this from memory of the process so it may be missing some minor details. I hope this helps!!!
How's the stability, speed and the responsiveness on Lineage with a t290? I have mine rooted debloated and twrp installed but it is slow on stock OS
kkdamion said:
How's the stability, speed and the responsiveness on Lineage with a t290? I have mine rooted debloated and twrp installed but it is slow on stock OS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It runs surprisingly well! Much better than stock. There’s virtually no input lag and the battery life is also very solid on lineage.
Where i run into some lag is when trying to use apps that have embedded video in them. For whatever reason the T290 cannot handle video very well at all.
So yeah I would definitely recommend trying it, it’ll really breathe new life into that tablet
i cant get google play services to work and i cant fetch device_id to register the device
i get "no closing qoute" message
adb shell 'sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.gsf/databases/gservices.db \
/system/bin/sh: no closing quote
EDIT: downloaded "android device id" APK from the internet and gathered the framework id information from the app
kkdamion said:
i cant get google play services to work and i cant fetch device_id to register the device
i get "no closing qoute" message
adb shell 'sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.gsf/databases/gservices.db \
/system/bin/sh: no closing quote
EDIT: downloaded "android device id" APK from the internet and gathered the framework id information from the app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad it worked out for you! Let me know if you have any more questions and I'd be happy to help.
Hi! is this applicable also for SM-T295?
for those trying to figure out the Google Play Certified page with the adb command
Code:
adb shell 'sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.gsf/databases/gservices.db \
"select * from main where name = \"android_id\";"'
do : adb shell
first then paste in :
sqlite3 /data/data/com.google.android.gsf/databases/gservices.db \
"select * from main where name = \"android_id\";"
and it shouldn't give you the error
i must say. linageos on my sm-t290 is really nice
its fast and smooth way much better then stock fw
i would reccomend anyone with a t290/t295 to install this GSI
Im into a bootloop right now after a few fails with installing Lineage on my SM-T290..
Seems like i cant install any rom? not sure how to fix this issue, can anyone point me in the right direction?
Im able to get into TWRP and download mode. but cant install any rom?
thepalek1ng said:
Hello!
So recently I was able to install LineageOS 18.1 (GSI) + GApps on my Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8 (SM-T290) tablet and wanted to share how I did it. I noticed a lack of decent step-by-step guides to modding this tablet so I figure I'd share what I learned through scouring multiple threads and through multiple headaches. Fun fact: I also got this working with LineageOS 19 (GSI), however it ran pretty poorly and Android 12 is ugly as hell so why bother anyway? ALSO interestingly enough, you'll see I wrote [SM-T290N] in the title as well. That is the model of the Kid's Edition of this phone, which happens to be the one I had. So I can confirm this process works for the Kid's Edition of this tablet as well as the original.
What You'll Need
Your tablet
A USB Cable to connect your tablet to your PC
A 4GB+ MicroSD card
A Windows PC
Some patience
Instructions
Preparing Your MicroSD Card
1. Place the LineageOS 18.1 .img file from this thread (On SourceForge, there is a section below the files about the naming conventions and how they relate to the hardware of your device and configuration of your ROM. I used the lineage-18.1-20220315-UNOFFICIAL-arm64_bvS-vndklite.img.xz image for my device. If your device is slightly different, you can use Treble Info to determine what ROM you should use. Just make sure to use the VNDKLITE rom if your device supports it.
2. Place the multidisabler .zip folder on there as well. This will preserve encryption provided by TWRP after rebooting.
3. Finally, place the MindTheGapps .zip folder on your SD card (make sure to get the correct version. In my case this was the 11.00-arm64 version).
4. Insert your MicroSD card into your device.
Unlocking the Bootloader
So the first thing you're gonna want to do is unlock your OEM bootloader on your Samsung device.
1. Go to Settings->About Phone->Software Information and look for a field called "Build Number". Tap this Five Times until you see a notification saying developer settings were enabled.
2. Go to Settings->Developer Settings and look for the setting labeled OEM Unlock and turn it on.
3. From here, you can reboot your device into Recovery Mode by holding the Vol+ and Vol- buttons when the device begins to boot again.
4. You should see a blue screen with some options. Press the Vol+ button to enter Download Mode. This is where you'll use Odin to flash the firmware you need as well as TWRP.
Flashing Firmware
So when I attempted this process I used Magendanz's Unofficial TWRP 3.6.0 as it is the only version of TWRP I found for this device. I also used Odin v3.14.1_3B Patched from this XDA thread. Magendanz's TWRP requires you to have the T290XXU3CUG4 Firmware (I used the XAR region) in order to flash TWRP to your device (you can check wether or not you already have this firmware on your phone by looking the About Phone section again). It takes a while to download though make sure you have some time.
1. Download Odin and run the program. Unzip your firmware folder and use the relevant files when selecting the BL, AP, CP, CSC fields in Odin. I didn't use the HOME_CSC just leave it blank.
2. Connect your device via USB and Flash this firmware to your device.
3. Once your device restarts, go through the setup process and then repeat the Unlocking the Bootloader instructions above in order to make sure it is unlocked again.
4. Reboot your device the same way as stated above.
Flashing TWRP
Before starting, be aware that after you flash TWRP to your device, your device will restart and attempt to open the stock system again. You're going to want to hold the Power and Vol+ buttons simultaneously. You will likely get a warning screen saying that the bootloader is unlocked and may ask you to do a factory reset, this (I believe) is fine. The key here is that once you press the Power Button to continue (as instructed on the warning screen) you'll want to immediately press and hold the Power and Vol+ keys for around 6 Seconds before letting go again (you should be seeing the Samsung Galaxy Tab A logo screen). After letting go, wait around 3-4 seconds, if nothing changes, restart the device by holding all three buttons (Power, Vol+,Vol-) and attempt the process again. It's a pain in the ass but you'll get it eventually. Just make sure not to let the device boot into the system again as that can cause problems in TWRP and you'll likely have to start the process over (from flashing the firmware).
1. Once your tablet is once again in Download Mode, open Odin again and flash the TWRP (tar.md5 file) to the AP (recovery) partition. Do not use any of the other partitions.
2. If this is successful, your phone will begin to reboot. Quickly press and hold the combination of buttons Power and Vol+ until you see the warning dialog pop up. Once you do, release all buttons and be ready to quickly press and release the Power button continue, and then immediately after press and hold the Power and Vol+ buttons again for 6 seconds. After around 6 seconds, release all buttons. Wait around 3-4 seconds and, if the screen does not change to the TWRP logo, restart the device by pressing and holding all buttons simultaneously and try this step again.
3. If you have entered into TWRP, congrats!
Installing Custom ROM + Software in TWRP
1. The first thing you'll want to do is select the Wipe->Format Data. Type 'yes' and hit enter (or swipe I forget which).
2. Next, select Install, and then select your MicroSD card as your storage device. You should see your zip files (if not switch from the install image option).
3. Install the multidisabler, do not reboot
4. Go back into Install and select Install Image (might not be the exact naming) option. Select your MicroSD card as the storage device again and install the LineageOS 18.1 rom. Do not reboot.
5. Go back into Install and select your MindTheGapps zip file and install it.
Final Steps
Once you reboot you should be able to successfully reach the setup screen for Lineage. Go through the steps of setting up your device as usual and be sure that Gapps are installed. Go ahead and re-enable developer settings and enable USB-Debugging and Root Debugging. The reason for this is that, when I first installed Gapps, Google Play Protect would keep throwing warnings at me about my device not being Google Play Certified. This means I couldn't actually use any of the google play services. If you run into the same issue, here are the steps you can take to fix it:
1. First, go into Settings->Apps and find your Google Play Services app. Clear the cache and delete the app data, then reboot your device. If you try and sign into the Google Play store and you are able to without getting any play protect warnings, then you're good you can disregard the following steps.
2. If you are still receiving these warnings, you'll want to head over to this site and follow the instructions (I'm not gonna tell you how to use ADB here). Once you submit your framework ID, reboot your device. Everything should be working fine now.
And that's it! If I am forgetting any steps please let me know, again I am writing this from memory of the process so it may be missing some minor details. I hope this helps!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bro, I have a problem, my tablet is in a bootloop and I don't know what to do, try with other custom roms but it's the same, what do I have to do so that when I install a custom room it doesn't give me that error?
Flashing the Gapps package resulted in an error: Failure to mount '/system_root' (Invalid argument)
V0latyle said:
Flashing the Gapps package resulted in an error: Failure to mount '/system_root' (Invalid argument)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the bother, new to Android modding scene.
I went into the recovery menu (oem unlock on) and tried to flash TWRP as written on this guide, but I get a secure check fail : aboot on my device and fail on Odin. What do I do here?
Edit: Aparently my device is SM-T295, basically the LTE version of the same device, which is why it isn't recognising it. My bad.
Do you have any video to teach better ???
HyruleanKnight said:
Sorry for the bother, new to Android modding scene.
I went into the recovery menu (oem unlock on) and tried to flash TWRP as written on this guide, but I get a secure check fail : aboot on my device and fail on Odin. What do I do here?
Edit: Aparently my device is SM-T295, basically the LTE version of the same device, which is why it isn't recognising it. My bad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shouldn't matter, TWRP is the same for both variants.
There's two ways to get around the secure check fail problem:
After updating via Odin, make sure you immediately interrupt the boot and force reboot into Download Mode. Then, flash TWRP.
Or, after updating, allow your device to boot to Android, skip through the setup wizard (make sure you connect to the internet), and enable Developer Options. Ensure OEM Unlocking is there and grayed out. If not, leave it for a bit until it is. This disables Vaultkeeper on the bootloader. Then, reboot to download mode and flash TWRP.
In both cases, after flashing TWRP, DO NOT let the device boot into Android. Force boot into recovery, then install the Multidisabler from here.
Now to my own problem...
I don't know what I did differently (or wrong) but I cannot get LineageOS to boot correctly on my T290. I was running 18.1 before. I recently updated to CVG3 and followed the same process as I did before - flashed TWRP, then installed the LineageOS GSI to /system.
18.1 continuously bootloops without even loading LineageOS.
19.1 gets to the LineageOS splash screen, and occasionally the setup screen, but continuously reboots also.
After flashing TWRP, I'm installing the multidisabler, then wiping /system, /data, /cache.
Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
@J.Michael any thoughts? You're more familiar with Samsung than I am
V0latyle said:
Shouldn't matter, TWRP is the same for both variants.
There's two ways to get around the secure check fail problem:
After updating via Odin, make sure you immediately interrupt the boot and force reboot into Download Mode. Then, flash TWRP.
Or, after updating, allow your device to boot to Android, skip through the setup wizard (make sure you connect to the internet), and enable Developer Options. Ensure OEM Unlocking is there and grayed out. If not, leave it for a bit until it is. This disables Vaultkeeper on the bootloader. Then, reboot to download mode and flash TWRP.
In both cases, after flashing TWRP, DO NOT let the device boot into Android. Force boot into recovery, then install the Multidisabler from here.
Now to my own problem...
I don't know what I did differently (or wrong) but I cannot get LineageOS to boot correctly on my T290. I was running 18.1 before. I recently updated to CVG3 and followed the same process as I did before - flashed TWRP, then installed the LineageOS GSI to /system.
18.1 continuously bootloops without even loading LineageOS.
19.1 gets to the LineageOS splash screen, and occasionally the setup screen, but continuously reboots also.
After flashing TWRP, I'm installing the multidisabler, then wiping /system, /data, /cache.
Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
@J.Michael any thoughts? You're more familiar with Samsung than I am
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I have a solution.
I see that you are installing the multidisabler after you booted TWRP and by wiping the partitions, however, what you are supposed to do is this:
After you have booted into TWRP and have swiped to allow modifications, go to Wipe> Format Data and type yes. Don't reboot, and don't wipe any other partitions.
After that, go to install and then install the multidisabler, don't reboot.
Then install the latest LineageOS gsi to the system partition, and finally install gapps, then reboot.
Make sure you are choosing the arm64_bvS_vndklite variant, otherwise it will bootloop.
Hope this helps!
Just Mike said:
I think I have a solution.
I see that you are installing the multidisabler after you booted TWRP and by wiping the partitions, however, what you are supposed to do is this:
After you have booted into TWRP and have swiped to allow modifications, go to Wipe> Format Data and type yes. Don't reboot, and don't wipe any other partitions.
After that, go to install and then install the multidisabler, don't reboot.
Then install the latest LineageOS gsi to the system partition, and finally install gapps, then reboot.
Make sure you are choosing the arm64_bvS_vndklite variant, otherwise it will bootloop.
Hope this helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, so install Multidisabler AFTER wiping data. I'll try that.
I'm using the bgS image so it's already got Google apps. I didn't have any success flashing any of the Gapps packages on the vanilla images.
Is Multidisabler still necessary on Android 11 on this device, or do we just need a patched vbmeta.img?
V0latyle said:
Okay, so install Multidisabler AFTER wiping data. I'll try that.
I'm using the bgS image so it's already got Google apps. I didn't have any success flashing any of the Gapps packages on the vanilla images.
Is Multidisabler still necessary on Android 11 on this device, or do we just need a patched vbmeta.img?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, Multidisabler is necessary, otherwise it'll bootloop. I haven't tried anything with a patched vbmeta and frankly don't want to.
The bgS version will work just fine for Android 11.
Currently running Android 13 with LineageOS 20.0, the bvS version. Gotta say it works great. MindtheGapps 13 will work, I haven't encountered any "This device is not certified" issues.
Just Mike said:
Yes, Multidisabler is necessary, otherwise it'll bootloop. I haven't tried anything with a patched vbmeta and frankly don't want to.
The bgS version will work just fine for Android 11.
Currently running Android 13 with LineageOS 20.0, the bvS version. Gotta say it works great. MindtheGapps 13 will work, I haven't encountered any "This device is not certified" issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do I need to wipe /system or /boot or anything before installing? I did exactly as you said - rebooted to recovery (was running Samsung stock), formatted data, installed multidisabler, then installed a LineageOS 19 image to /system. It begins to boot (LineageOS animation) then reboots.
Are you using Andy Yan's builds?
V0latyle said:
Do I need to wipe /system or /boot or anything before installing? I did exactly as you said - rebooted to recovery (was running Samsung stock), formatted data, installed multidisabler, then installed a LineageOS 19 image to /system. It begins to boot (LineageOS animation) then reboots.
Are you using Andy Yan's builds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, you don't have to wipe any other partitions, only format data
Yes, I'm using Andy Yan's builds. I'll link the thread here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/gsi-13-lineageos-20-trebledroid-based.4517345/
If I may ask, which type GSI from Andy Yan did you use?
Just Mike said:
Nope, you don't have to wipe any other partitions, only format data
Yes, I'm using Andy Yan's builds. I'll link the thread here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/gsi-13-lineageos-20-trebledroid-based.4517345/
If I may ask, which type GSI from Andy Yan did you use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trying to get back into TWRP, just a sec...
-arm64_bgS.img
Flashing the vndklite one now to see if it works
If I can get this working, I plan on using a bgN flavor so I can just install Magisk, since I don't use SuperSU
Edit: vndklite is bootlooping too

Root Instructions for SM-T290 (Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 2019)

Root Instructions for SM-T290 (Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 2019)​
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Welcome! This is my first guide on XDA Developers. This will tell you how to root a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 2019, specially for the SM-T290 model of it. I hope you like it and it works! It has exactly 30 steps.
Disclaimer​
* Your warranty will or is now be void. It might already been void (if your warranty is over...)
* I'm not responsible for any damage to your device when following this guide. It's your choice to do it.
* If you still say it's my fault, I'll probably say that I had warned you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
UPDATE YOUR TABLET TO VERSION T290XXU3CVG3 AND NOT HIGHER!!!​Please update your tablet to the version listed above and NOT higher. Make sure it is fully upgraded to Android 11, so that you can use the better version of TWRP. BUT NOT HIGHER THAN THE VERSION ABOVE, AS THE DEVICE WILL LIKELY NEVER BE ABLE TO BE ROOTED AGAIN. Update by flashing T290XXU3CVG3 with Odin. Download the firmware for your country. Soon I might will update this guide so that TWRP will work on the latest firmware, but for now, DO NOT GO HIGHER THAN T290XXU3CVG3!!! If you have bootloader version 4, it is impossible to flash any of the stuff described here and your device won't be able to have a downgraded bootloader, making it currently impossible to flash any custom stuff when you have bootloader version 4!
MAKE A BACKUP!​Be sure to make a complete backup first of all important stuff you have! When you have TWRP (and likely also ROOT), you are able to make a COMPLETE backup of your tablet, including partitions like boot and data and allows apps with complete data to be restored, be sure to use this feature when you have installed TWRP.
Known issues​
Charging the device while it is powered off will power it on again. The device will always be on when charging.
Sometimes, when you wipe and/or format data, the storage space is seen as 8GB, while it has 32GB. You can find the fix here.
The battery may drain fast. If this is your case, check this fix.
You may get a black screen after you have flashed TWRP. This means that this method likely doesn't work for your device, because your device came with Android 10 instead. This means that the Android 9 bootloader doesn't work properly on this device. We know the device can be used by using screen mirroring from ADB, but we need more research.
Issue tracker​You can report issues here. This repository is used to report issues for all my XDA threads. You MUST add the label 'Root Instructions For SM-T290', so I know where to post this issue.
Instructions for ROOT​1. Power on your device.
2. Open the settings app.
3. Go to 'About device/phone/tablet'
4. Click on 'Software info'.
5. Tap on the build number for 7 times until a message pops up saying "You are now a developer!".
6. Go back to home menu of settings app and click on 'Developer options'.
7. Enable the OEM unlock switch.
Optional: Unlock the bootloader using the steps below, go through setup, enable developer options and check if the option is still enabled.
8. Turn your device off and reboot into download mode by plugging the device into a PC using an USB cable and holding Pwr+VolUp+VolDown after being plugged in.
9. Disable the OEM lock and enable bootloader by holding VolUp for 10 seconds and then follow the instructions.
10. After that, you should see a download icon saying (downloading...).
11. Download Odin Flash Tool 'Odin3-v3.14.4.zip' from the files below.
12. Extract the ZIP file.
13. Open the ODIN executable.
14. Connect your tablet with a micro-USB to USB-A adapter (Your charging cable).
15. Download TWRP recovery image by clicking here. It should work with any version on your tablet. (TWRP XDA Thread)
16. Go back to ODIN, click OK.
17. Go to 'options' tab.
18. Disable 'Auto Reboot'. (not required, keeping enabled may be needed if you can't install and/or use the device.)
19. Click the check box before 'AP'.
20. Click on 'AP'.
21. Select the TWRP file 'twrp-3.7.0_11-0-T290XXU3CVG3-20221120.tar.md5'.
For users with auto-reboot enabled: read step 22, 23 and 24 first to do it correctly.
22. Click 'start'.
23. Wait until you see 'PASS' in the left upper corner.
24. READ THIS WHOLE STEP BEFORE YOU EXECUTE IT! On your tablet, hold the Pwr+VolDown button for 10 seconds until it reboots. From then, you need to be fast. When you see the logo, hold Pwr+VolUp. When you see a warning, IMMEDIATELY press ONLY Pwr for once. After that, hold Pwr+VolUp again as fast as you can until you see the TWRP logo. You successfully managed to install custom recovery! If you fail, you must redo step 16-18 until you get into TWRP.
25. Swipe the box to the right so that you can make modifications and can install Magisk (App for ROOT) and Multidisabler (Disables VaultKeeper, so that ROOT and TWRP will not be uninstalled after normal boot).
26. On the computer, download 'Magisk-v25.2.apk' from here and 'multidisabler-samsung-3.1.zip' from below (under thread), and copy these 2 files to the root directory of the tablet's internal storage by selecting the tablet in Windows Explorer, selecting 'Internal Storage' and pasting them there. If you see weird directories, you may need a SD card connected to the tablet and paste the file there, which was my case. For SD card, you are going to select 'SD Card' instead of 'Internal Storage'.
27. Press 'Install' on tablet.
28. If you have an SD Card, click 'Select storage' and click on '(micro)SD Card'. Select 'Magisk-v25.2.apk' and then swipe to install. Wait until this is done. After that, repat step 21-22 for 'multidisabler-samsung-3.1.zip' and do the same, but this time, also click 'Wipe cache/dalvik' afterwards to make sure it can build new, fresh cache.
29. When you are done, click 'Done'.
30. Click 'Reboot' and then 'System'.
Hooray! You have rooted your SM-T290 tablet successfully. You can close/exit everything now! The app for root is 'Magisk', so verify that you have root completely by opening it, and looking at the 'Installed' column in the 'Magisk' section. If it says 'Installed 25.2 (252XX)', and ROOT is succesfully installed! If it doesn't say this, reboot into TWRP and repeat step 21-22.
(Maybe edited so please stay tuned.)
TWRP image could not be upload here due to XDA not allowing me to upload it due to the .tar.md5 file extension.
Recommended TWRP flashable ZIPs​
Open Gapps - Replaces/Installs more up-to-date apps from Google: https://opengapps.org
Samsung Game Services (by me) - Installs Samsung Game Booster + Launcher + Optimizing Service on any Samsung device with OneUI: https://github.com/minionguyjpro/Samsung-Game-Services-Installer
Troubleshooting​Problem: 8GB on a 32GB device
Fix: Turn your device off, boot into TWRP by holding Pwr+VolDown, pressing Pwr once immediately on the warning prompt, and pressing Pwr+VolDown again, until you boot into TWRP. Then go to Wipe > Advanced Wipe > Select System > Repair or Change File System > Resize File System > Swipe to the right. If that doesn't work, you can also try the Data partition, and/or the other option 'Repair File System'.
Problem: Fast battery drain
Fix: Turn your device off, boot into TWRP by holding Pwr+VolDown, pressing Pwr once immediately on the warning prompt, and pressing Pwr+VolDown again, until you boot into TWRP. Then go to Wipe > Advanced Wipe > Select Dalvik / ART Cache > Swipe to Wipe. If that doesn't work, try to factory reset the device, look for apps that may cause a fast battery drain or use a Custom ROM that is faster and has a better battery life.
Offline instructions and data​The offline guide and data are also available below:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
V0latyle said:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While you say SD is not required, on mine my internal storage had random dirs. And didnt show files so i needed SD, but that depends of someone else has this too.
Minionguyjpro said:
While you say SD is not required, on mine my internal storage had random dirs. And didnt show files so i needed SD, but that depends of someone else has this too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's normal. TWRP is unable to decrypt storage, so the random directory names are because everything is scrambled. Still, you should be able to transfer files to internal storage via USB; just put them in the root of internal storage. The files you transfer will be unencrpyted.
That being said, it IS easier to use an external SD card...
V0latyle said:
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to this link, the file twrp-3.6.1_11-0-T290XXU3CUK4-20220327.tar.md5, which includes 4 files: recovery.img (actually TWRP), vaultkeeper.mbn, vbmeta.mbn and finally the file aboot.mbn, and this android bootloader 9 T290XXS3ATF1. That is, when installing TWRP, the android bootloader 11 is replaced with the android bootloader 9 ... Naturally, then we get a positive result
Talich52 said:
According to this link, the file twrp-3.6.1_11-0-T290XXU3CUK4-20220327.tar.md5, which includes 4 files: recovery.img (actually TWRP), vaultkeeper.mbn, vbmeta.mbn and finally the file aboot.mbn, and this android bootloader 9 T290XXS3ATF1. That is, when installing TWRP, the android bootloader 11 is replaced with the android bootloader 9 ... Naturally, then we get a positive result
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. I'm getting set up now after installing CVG3, I'll update when done.
Edit: Yep, bootloader version shows as T290XXU3CVG3. I'll flash TWRP and update when done.
V0latyle said:
Interesting. I'm getting set up now after installing CVG3, I'll update when done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
V0latyle said:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, great!
Talich52 said:
According to this link, the file twrp-3.6.1_11-0-T290XXU3CUK4-20220327.tar.md5, which includes 4 files: recovery.img (actually TWRP), vaultkeeper.mbn, vbmeta.mbn and finally the file aboot.mbn, and this android bootloader 9 T290XXS3ATF1. That is, when installing TWRP, the android bootloader 11 is replaced with the android bootloader 9 ... Naturally, then we get a positive result
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, it does still work.
Talich52 said:
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I understood you the first time.
V0latyle said:
Couple points of note:
To enter recovery mode, hold Volume UP (+), not Down (-). Do not hold Power, it will force a reboot again.
After unlocking the bootloader, the best course of action is to allow the device to boot into Android and enable Developer Options, then check to ensure OEM Unlocking is still there and grayed out (should show Bootloader is already unlocked). If not, this may cause problems when attempting to flash TWRP. See here
TWRP 3.6.0_11 is here: XDA Thread Download link
It's not necessary to change the Magisk extension from .apk to .zip. TWRP will still install it as a ZIP.
The only acceptable source for Magisk is the Magisk Github
It is not necessary to use an SD card, although it's recommended given the tablet's limited storage. MTP should work while in TWRP; the user can transfer both Magisk and the Multidisabler to the internal storage via USB and install them before wiping data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I made a few changes. VolDown and VolUp are now correct. And removed Magisk and changed to direct download link from GitHub.
Talich52 said:
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should be no issue if you have Android 11. I installed it this exact way while i already had Android 11. I think the bootloader just gets a different version. I have latest T290XXU3CVG3 version with the android 9 bootloader from that TWRP version.
Minionguyjpro said:
This should be no issue if you have Android 11. I installed it this exact way while i already had Android 11. I think the bootloader just gets a different version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Turns out flashing TWRP does overwrite the bootloader.
After updating via Odin, I was at T290XXU3CVD3.
After flashing TWRP, it's at T290XXS3ATF1.
Talich52 said:
Pay attention to the bootloader version. This is clearly visible in the Phone Info application in the Firmware Information tab...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is no
V0latyle said:
Yes, I understood you the first time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First flash update, then flash only AP with TWRP. Make sure to disable auto-reboot.
V0latyle said:
Turns out flashing TWRP does overwrite the bootloader.
After updating via Odin, I was at T290XXU3CVD3.
After flashing TWRP, it's at T290XXS3ATF1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, maybe that the bootloader is overwritten. But this is only a issue if you want the latest security patches. But i have the latest version of Android 11 installed. May it be possible that the software will be updated, but the bootloader/firmware will stay on an older version?
V0latyle said:
Turns out flashing TWRP does overwrite the bootloader.
After updating via Odin, I was at T290XXU3CVD3.
After flashing TWRP, it's at T290XXS3ATF1.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's why it works. And the author of the TWRP file modestly kept silent that he was changing the bootloader to Android 9 ...
There is no trouble in this, the device is fully functional on Android 11 with 9 bootloader. One trouble - charging does not work, more precisely, there is no display of charging when charging the switched off device. This is critical for someone, but I don’t turn off the device, it only blocks ...
Minionguyjpro said:
May it be possible that the software will be updated, but the bootloader/firmware will stay on an older version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A rooted device will not be updated over the air or via SmartSwitch. But you can update the firmware via ODIN, saving the data. But the bootloader should remain 9 android ...
Talich52 said:
Yes, that's why it works. And the author of the TWRP file modestly kept silent that he was changing the bootloader to Android 9 ...
There is no trouble in this, the device is fully functional on Android 11 with 9 bootloader. One trouble - charging does not work, more precisely, there is no display of charging when charging the switched off device. This is critical for someone, but I don’t turn off the device, it only blocks ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works for me
Minionguyjpro said:
Yes, maybe that the bootloader is overwritten. But this is only a issue if you want the latest security patches. But i have the latest version of Android 11 installed. May it be possible that the software will be updated, but the bootloader/firmware will stay on an older version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Talich52 said:
A rooted device will not be updated over the air or via SmartSwitch. But you can update the firmware via ODIN, saving the data. But the bootloader should remain 9 android ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung devices are a bit weird. On "proper" devices like my Pixel, you can force update system without updating bootloader or radio. Not sure if Samsung works the same way; I suppose someone could try only flashing AP, CP, CSC and see if it works?
V0latyle said:
Works for me
Samsung devices are a bit weird. On "proper" devices like my Pixel, you can force update system without updating bootloader or radio. Not sure if Samsung works the same way; I suppose someone could try only flashing AP, CP, CSC and see if it works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The weird thing is that you need to flash TWRP as AP, not BL. Indeed the charging will turn the device on.this issues is listed in the thread.
Minionguyjpro said:
The weird thing is that you need to flash TWRP as AP, not BL. Indeed the charging will turn the device on.this issues is listed in the thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah...so updating will always overwrite TWRP. My theory is by not flashing the BL tar, maybe it won't overwrite the older bootloader?
V0latyle said:
Yeah...so updating will always overwrite TWRP. My theory is by not flashing the BL tar, maybe it won't overwrite the older bootloader?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could be. Im not really sure. But... is the root workimg?

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