[Upgrading, Modifying and Unlocking] malleus:
Yes, it can be rooted, but...

Hi,

Yes, much more progress. I've gained ADB root access using the restore method (i.e., restoring a backup which has been modified to install a file to a strange path, e.g,: ../../../system/bin/su), I recommend creating your own restore file rather than using one of the many out there and using it to install the necessary SU software to the appropriate locations.

If your device isn't detected by ADB, check that the device ID has been added to the ADB config file. The Thub2 ID is not recognised automatically. Also, when using fastboot remember to specify this ID or it won't find your THub.

The biggest issue with the THub2 is that Telstra have (in an oddly intelligent move) adopted SquashFS for the root file system; this is the FS used on things like linux liveCD's, and it's 100% RO (well, 99% RO :). I have gotten around this in a number of ways. 1: I copied the SquashFS partition using DD to an Ext4 partition, then forced a dirty unmount of the SquashFS partiition chained to a mount of the new Ext4 partition to /system. RW access no problems, SU installs OK, but no persistence without forcing the dirty unmount each boot. 2: I copied the SquashFS partition to my ~ using DD, mounted and edited the partition, then re-flashed to the thub. worked much better, persistence across reboots, but dangerous and dodgy method that could risk many NANDs. 3: I cross-compiled a busybox containing UnionFS to Android.

Option 3 is by far the best option. UnionFS provides a transperent RW layer for SquashFS filesystems, writing the updates that couldn't be written to a RO system like squash to another partition (e.g., Ext4 on SD card). Mount a UnionFS system over /system to enable write access to the system. Maybe a better idea to mount it at /, but that raises other problems I couldn't be bothered dealing with.

I mentioned above that SquashFS is on 99% RO (in all my other experiences, it has been well and truly 100% RO, so this indicates something else a-going on that we should be able to use; I haven't looked into it yet.). For some reason, files installed to the Thub2 using the Restore method

are persistent.

Very useful, and should lead to a cleaner method.

So rooting so far:

Root with Restore method to install (1 & 2., SU bins, or 3., UnionFS Busybox)

Remount / as RW

-->Path 1 & 2

Dirty unmount /system && dirty unmount /system2 && mount /dev/block/etc.. NOTE: Once you dirty unmount /system, you will need to reference the location of the Ext4 partiition using the absolute (real) name of the device. You will also need to invoke busybox from a fully qualified path, eg. /data/local/tmp/busybox, as the internal /bin applications are no longer available (eg., mount).​

-->Path 3

No need to umount /system, just mount the UnionFS system over the top.​

Finally, for Paths 1 & 3...

Install Superuser application and be free!​

So to sum up; I have easily rooted the Thub2 to root over ADB using a number of methods, however the Restore method works 100% of the time. I have mounted an Ext4 system to /system in order to have RW, but this isn't persistent. I have re-flashed the SquashFS with modified content, and this works a treat, but is RO and dangerous to NAND. I have mounted a UnionFS system over the SquashFS system, and this seems to provide the best all round performance.

I also wrote a short and nasty .apk to mount the UFS system without terminal, so that's a go as well.

Have fun pulling it all apart; I don't read these message boards, so I probably won't se any questions. More than enough to get rooted though.