[Android General] gbkelley:
New Improved Root Method For 5-0-11 Now Available

There is a new root method created by [MENTION=4177701]perpe[/MENTION] (send him many thanks) over at the German MemoPad Users Group. I have duplicated his efforts here with the US version. The new method creates a fake OTA update file that you install using the ASUS SDcard procedure. It only installs a few files and is only 1.5Mb compared to the old root method file which was the entire /system folder image at 780Mb! If you use the ASUS SDcard method, you no longer need fastboot or fastboot usb drivers, although having them is a good idea in case you need to downgrade the fastboot image to 4-7-3 and do updates that way. You can also "fastboot flash update US_ME302C-V5.0.12-0-ota-user.zip" if you want to use fastboot instead of SDcard.

US Version available from here: http://support.mediafire.com/download/1v42nl58n7gmq6x/root-us-5011.zip

WW Version available from here: http://www.android-hilfe.de/attachm...fhd-10-ab-android-4-3-me302c-root-v5.0.11.zip

Install Instructions (some parts written by [MENTION=4177701]perpe[/MENTION] taken from German Forum. Recommend you print this out):

* Ensure that you have the correct firmware version (5-0-11). If not, update your system as described above.

* If you were never rooted with 4-7-3, install a root file manager of your choice and Chainfire's SuperSU

* If SuperSu Pro is already installed it may not not be started since the 5-0-11 update (if it is, it's OK)

* Load the downloaded root-us-5011.zip to your device and unzip it. Depending on the file explorer the files are unpacked into a subdirectory or end up in the download folder. Or, download to PC and send over using FTP.

* Copy US_ME302C-V5.0.12-0-ota-user.zip to the root directory of the internal SDcard (not external SDcard)

ASUS instructions: http://www.service.asus.com/#!manual-firmware-update/cam2

* The status bar will now appear and show that a new system update file was found (warning triangle). If not, reboot (I use Reboot Manager app by Ju, works great).

* Make sure WiFi is switched off

* Confirm the update, it boots into the recovery, flashes the update and restarts. The respective restarts can take some time, so be patient...

* Now you have root!

However, we still need to clean up, the following steps are necessary!

1. Start SuperSU. If you use the Pro, go into the settings and disable survival mode

2. With a root file manager, mount the system partition with write permissions (rw)

3. Replace the file /system/build.prop with the build.prop from the zip.

4. Check the permissions for /system/build.prop after replacing it and make sure they are 0644 (-rw-r--r--).

5. Go to the directory /cache/recovery and delete all the files there (so they will not be shipped to ASUS with an active WiFi)

6. Unmount /system, Reboot...Done!

7. Activate survival mode in SuperSU Pro again, and turn on WiFi* (see Notes).

8. Downgrade fastboot (some call it the bootloader but ASUS names the file fastboot) to 4-7-3 using 'fastboot flash fastboot fastboot.img' (if you have/use fastboot). You need the older fastboot in order to do any future 'fastboot install update' as this has been removed from 5-0-11 fastboot (thanks, ASUS). Get it here: http://support.mediafire.com/download/dk487lcxqfsgau6/fastboot473.zip

Post Installation Notes:

- I don't know if the automated update sends the logs to ASUS after the update process, so it's better to root with WiFi disabled. Delete the log files in /cache/recovery after the rooting and before you turn on WiFi again.

- If you use SuperSu Pro with OTA survival on, disable it and start SuperSu once after you rooted and before you replace the build.prop. With OTA survival on, it sticks at first reboot with the original build.prop.

Install Notes:

- You can download and unzip directly to your Pad using Firefox Beta. Or, download to your PC and transfer via WiFi using FTPServer by Liebig on the Tab and Filezilla on the PC. On server, set user:android, Password:ftp, port:2021, directory: /root of sdcard. I never plug my Pad into the PC, wears out the Mini SUB slot, gets enough wear just charging.

- You can use ES File Manager and enable root in tools and tap on root manager to mount /system as rw or you can use 'Mount /system (rw / ro)' app by Beansoft on Tab and any File Manager (except ASUS as it only shows SD cards). Remember to unmount when done.