[ Advanced ] Rooting

1/ WARNING: Unlocking the Bootloader WILL PERFORM A FACTORY RESET on your phone. Please backup your data BEFORE PROCEED.

2/ Should you run into any issues, please post here

Here is the good stuff. The rooting process is divided into 2 parts: Bootloader unlock and Rooting itself.

Before you begin, please download the Following

  • Download platform-tools on your computer here

  • Optional for Windows PC: MTK VCOM USB drivers here (the default Windows driver works sometimes but not always. If the default driver doesn’t work for you, install this one)

  • Download factory-prepared patched stock BOOT.IMG here (this is patched to Magisk 20.4)

  • (OLD) patched stock BOOT.IMG here (this is patched to Magisk 20.3)

Bootloader Unlock

  1. Goto Teracube’s Developer Options (via Settings/System/About and tap Build number several times to unlock Developer Options if this is not already available)
  2. Goto Settings > System > Developer settings
  3. Turn on OEM unlocking
  4. Shutdown the phone
  5. Press Vol+ and Power buttons simultaneously for 5/6 seconds
  6. You’ll see 3 options in tiny fonts. Use Vol+ to toggle option
  7. Select Fastboot and press Vol- to select it
  8. Connect Teracube to your PC/computer using the USB-C cable came with the package.
  9. Using platform-tools on your computer run the command

fastboot flashing unlock

  1. A confirmation message will be displayed on the screen, press Vol+ to say accept
  2. Bootloader is now unlocked. You will see some messages during the boot sequence each time you boot/reboot your phone. This is an expected behavior.

Do not reboot or shutdown phone yet if you plan to continue with the root process (see below)

Root

  1. Perform Bootloader unlock steps (as above). Otherwise, the phone will complain of verification and will not allow you to proceed
  2. Connect Teracube to your PC/computer using the USB-C cable came with the package.
  3. Use platform-tools on your computer and flash the patched BOOT.IMG file to your phone as follow:
  4. Run the command to flash the patched bootloader to your phone (your BOOT.IMG filename may vary)

fastboot flash boot teracube_patched_boot_sw1.img

  1. Run the following command to complete reboot your phone and complete the process

fastboot reboot

  1. That’s it. Your Teracube should be rooted.
  2. Install Magisk manager from github to check and use root.
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according to the XDA Developers forum post by the author of Magisk:
“Magisk does NOT have a website. Do NOT download Magisk from unofficial sites.
Official Links: Magisk Github Release”

other websites seem to be putting up advertising and then serving up the file, but it could also present a risk if they serve it up themselves and don’t link directly to Github

another issue: when I try to install Magisk from Magisk Manager, I do NOT get the 3rd option “Direct install (recommended)”
My version of Magisk Manager is from github directly, version 7.5.1

I am not able to get root via this method (flash completed, teracube patched boot .IMG downloaded from emailed link)
I get warnings at boot that the phone is in “Orange state” and not trusted, but Magisk Manager and other apps do not verify root.

I have requested access to the Google Drive file. Once I get it, I will proceed and post how everything went.

Thanks for pointing out the google drive permissions. Those are fixed - you should not have any problems downloading the files now.

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Thanks for giving the XDA reference. The link now points to the github repository for Magisk Manager.

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A newbie will not be able to follow these instructions as is, I’ll try to post step by step instructions later.

1 down 3 to go :blush:

Great - thanks for posting your update. We knew our instructions are little raw and would love to see yours.

Hi William - I just tried our listed steps again. Magisk manager (from github) downloads something it needs on the 1st run. However there is no action needed inside magisk - the root should already be there. I verified it with the root checker app (similar to L Hamilton).

What are you seeing on your side?

Just want to double check - I understand obtaining root voiding software related problems (such as bricking phone), but if the hardware has problems will they still be covered?

Yes - the warranty will cover all hardware issues for rooted users. And we will continue to assist you even for software related issues as much as possible.

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I suggest downloading Minimal ADB & Fastboot
Run the setup.

Then put the IMG file in the same folder - You will have to navigate there in windows explorer. Once the img file is there, click cmd-here.exe. Type “fastboot devices” to make sure your computer is ‘talking’ to your phone. Then type in the fastboot commands as they are in the instructions. Hope this helps someone :slight_smile:

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While I have unlocked the bootloader, flashed the patched IMG using platform-tools, and get the expected warnings on bootup, Root Checker says that I am not rooted, as does Titanium Backup, etc

so it seems like flashing the patched boot img did NOT give me root.

just a warning on the boot screen. I would dump output logs from the system, but not sure how to access them without root or a custom recovery

Did you try flashing again?

I have flashed it a couple of times, and all seemed successful except for not having root.(including “Orange state” warning like the bootloader had changed)

When one tries to “Direct install” Magisk, does one have to approve it having root privileges?
What enables Magisk Manager to install the main Magisk stuff?
(or in my case apparently isn’t enabling it)

Can you copy your cmd window when attempting to flash? Here is mine: (accidentally said restart instead of reboot first, oops lol)

Once the IMG is flashed… on your PHONE download and install Magisk MANAGER from github, open it and it will tell you it needs to finish or something like that, then it will reboot.

I ill retry it again.
Should I not restore settings and passwords from my other phone?
Should I not let it restore apps?
Do I need to keep it from doing other things first?

I just click through everything skip or ok without putting anything in until after I flash the new IMG file. Then when it reboots I enter my info.

Since you have the “orange state” warning, we know your bootloader is unlocked.
I suspect that your IMG file is not in the same directory as your platform_tools.

Try using the minimal ADB & Fastboot instructions I posted above. Hope it helps.