yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Fire TV General] LiquidXed:
http://blog.hash-of-codes.com/downloads/safestrap/

Anybody willing to try the Amazon Kindle*versions?
[Fire TV General] deanemj:
FYI, to install APKs directly from your Fire TV without the sideloading nonsense, grab a SQLite editor and meander your way through Settings Storage/Settings/Global to change the value of "install_non_market_apps" from 0 to 1.
[Fire TV General] tscan:
Thank you for this, but this is reporting that this is true for 51.1.2.0_user_512073320. I'm still on 51.1.1, so I should be able to root right?
[Fire TV General] jmerrilljr2:
I don't know. I'm sure this will be a pretty active thread today.
[Fire TV General] tscan:
I did JUST get my Amazon Fire TV 2 days ago. I updated to the latest version because everything I read said root was safe on the latest update. Is it possible that root can be blocked via the _USER portion of the update?
[Fire TV General] drumst1x:
Hoping this isn't considered off-topic. AFTV is now $15 off (85 bucks) and i was gonna grab one today. Does anyone know what version it comes with when it's shipped? Meaning, if the update was yesterday, would the newly shipped ones have the update pre-installed? If not, other than blocking the update via URL-blocking on the router, is there any way i'd be able to get this thing set up, updated to the second-most-recent version, then rooted?

Here's hoping we can still root this latest version with some new towelroot update.....

Thanks in advance!
[Fire TV General] YoloCounty:
I'm thinking since the update was today that these won't be shipped with this update.

My plan is just to download everything needed to root and block OTA updates, then disconnect my router from the internet, but keep it powered and have everything joined locally but without internet, then do the root/block ota and reconnect to the internet and go yippie yippie,

I'm not sure if this will work though; but I can dream.
[Fire TV General] drumst1x:
I was planning on doing exactly the same thing, keeping the router connected to the internal network, but off of the internet. However, i'm concerned since I don't know how the Fire TV works, if when you first turn it on, it needs to do some sort of set-up, where it connects to Amazon's servers, links up your account, etc. My second thought, if that didn't work, was to figure out how to block URLs on my router. I've got an old WRT54GL with Tomato on it if i need to use that, and i can probably IP/Host/URL block using that, but my regular normal router every day is the FIOS router (MI424WR, not sure which revision, but the one that has gigabit ethernet and wireless n). No clue if I can block urls with that router.... (ahhh a little searching does wonders, looks like it's in the Parental Controls section of the router: http://www.ps3news.com/forums/ps3-g...tiontec-mi424-router-verizon-fios-118160.html)

If I can turn it on for the first time and NOT have internet access, and still be able to install all the tools needed to root it / block OTA updates, then great. Here's to my hoping/dreaming as well :) Please someone with a FireTV chime in here if they think this will/won't work.
[Fire TV General] bobq1979:
If you don't have Internet the first time that you turn on the device you can't do anything.

I only speak in my case.

Good luck

Have fun
[Fire TV General] YoloCounty:
Quite a conundrum.

I think you're right. I setup a FireTV for my girlfriend about 2 weeks ago and without a verified amazon account, it wouldn't get passed a certain position. Though, I don't believe the device updated as soon as I turned it on either, I think it gave me an alert that an update was available after a few minutes. I do think after verifying, it would be possible to disconnect the internet without an update check going off.

I have the same router and I'll probably try the same thing but I think you're right and it wont work without internet and the URL blocking seems safer.

Just a heads up: Theres an unskippable "WELCOME TO FIRE TV" video that's really bad. It starts on first launch but there's no way I saw to avoid it so dont try to restart or power-off because it will play again until its complete.
[Fire TV General] drumst1x:
I'm hearing different things from different people ... some have said that when first getting it and turning it on, it will automatically update, NOT notify you of an update. Meaning i'll be screwed if I don't block the URLs on my router.

Others have said that those URLs will need to be unblocked if you ever factory-reset, however I'm not sure if i'll need to have them unblocked for my first-run of it. Hoping I can block the URLs on my router before I turn on the AFTV, and it'll still turn on and register, but not see any updates. Then, obviously, i'll Root and Block OTA's.

I'll post updates on Saturday after I've had a chance to play around. Wish me luck!
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
For those concerned about being able to root a brand new Fire TV:

I just ordered a new Fire TV for testing the "fresh out of the box rooting" scenario. It will arrive Saturday. I plan to firewall the device and dissect every internet call it makes to try and determine the best way to get the device up and running while still being able to root the device. If all goes well, I'll have a post with instructions up on AFTVnews.com Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
[Fire TV General] busventinc:
Lucky I still have my update block on thanks for the information it is much appreciated
[Fire TV General] drumst1x:
Thanks for this. I'm the "mike" on your site that has been going back 'n forth with you. Again, wanted to just send appreciation for all your hard work supporting this device! :) I'll be sure to NOT connect my device until I see a post one way or another from you on your site.

Hopefully the post won't read "No longer possible to root" in which case I'll need to return my AFTV. BOO!!!!!
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
Thanks. I just replied to you on my site.
[Fire TV General] krawhitham:
Did you block

firs-ta-g7g.amazon.com

amzdigitaldownloads.edgesuite.net

updates.amazon.com

Before 1st boot or after the tutorial video?
[Fire TV General] TripFlex:
I blocked them before I even booted the device for the first time
[Fire TV General] ver2go:
Ugh!!!! After wrestling with iptables on dd-wrt, I finally just hacked dnsmasq to block the sites. Now on the screen right after checking for updates, it wants me to create a new account on login. Login fails even though I tried several times with my account info.

I'm pretty sure Amazon set it up with my account info before sending it to me. There as an email that says welcome after I ordered. Same thing with my first AFTV. That one didn't ask me to sign in and had my account info.

So I think one of the block sites is make it fail checking the login.
[Fire TV General] TripFlex:
Hm that's a good point, and if they are able to do that, updating the firmware probably is a lot easier than we may think ... hmm hmm hmm ...
[Fire TV General] ver2go:
Only problem is I can't get pass the sign in screen now to watch the stupid video so I can root it.
[Fire TV General] TripFlex:
Just read something online that says at start one of those domains are used to register the account, must be the issue. I was playing around with it a couple times before I actually got it to work, must have been before I saved the new dns entries? Not sure, but looks like that may be the reason. Also see mixed responses about auto updating ... my guess is maybe when I pulled the plug on my cable modem right when the demo starts it cancelled any updates?
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
Wait until the new update url is found and then on your router go to keywords and block the build number. Like block 51120 and make sure it is blocked by trying to download it on your computer first. If it fails you should be good with unblocking the others to sign in and then reblock whatever you want again.
[Fire TV General] ver2go:
Got it. Thanks for confirming. Sitting through the video now.

Procedure:

1) Block the servers so that "Checking for Updates" finishes

2) Unblock for Registration

3) Immediately pull the connection for the video.

4) Reblocked the servers
[Fire TV General] byrdcfmma:
I just setup and rooted a new aftv this morning I bought from best buy last night. As we have seen, the updates are progressive so one has to install before the next. Here is what I did.

Let it take the initial update, you dont have a choice anyway. Then sideload everything xbmc, towelroot v3, super su. While you are sideloading, it will look for update #2 and put it in que. I installed the second update manually and let it reboot. Once tjis was done, I immediately rooted with towelroot and super su then turned off auto updates in adb shell.

The idea is to work fast enough to catch it between the second and third update. Since the 3rd kills root exploit. I am guessing this will probably work on all older stock bought from other suppliers except amazon.

I would be interrested in seeing what software your box arrives with from amazon.
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
Sorry, but you are incorrect about the updates being progressive. While some Fire TVs go through several updates, others will jump straight to the latest version. I haven't figured out if there is a reason for it to do one or the other (e.g., it may depended on what it starts with).

My new Fire TV arrived and I'm almost done with my post. My new Fire TV arrived with version 51.1.0.1_user_510055620 (the earliest known version) and the very first update it tried to download was version 51.1.1.0_user_511070220 (which, as far as it knows, is the current latest version since it hasn't tried to download the new software that is rolling out slowly).

There is a lot of leeway right now in getting new Fire TVs rooted without installing the blocking update since that update isn't "official" yet and is still rolling out slowly. But eventually, when Amazon feels this new software update is stable, it will roll out to everyone and become the official version, which means new Fire TVs may update right to it before ever getting to the home screen.
[Fire TV General] byrdcfmma:
I don't think That updatet closes root exploit. The user numbers on the latest update has 3's in it.

I could be wrong, but that is the second major update that puts amazon prime on the home page along with all the other changes to the ui
[Fire TV General] Hacktacular:
I was able to root without taking the update. I simply blocked url, allowed it to connect, once video started I unplugged my modem and when the video finished I was able to get to settings and enable usb debugging.

Once there I sideloaded tr.apk and su.apk.

Connected modem and ran tr and su.

From there went to adb shell, allowed shell via su app on fire tv and ran pm disable com.amazon.dcp

Loaded xbmc etc....done deal!

I did notice there isn't a menu in recovery or my home key didn't bring one up....I may revert to older fw and see if it is there...I may see if jcase needs a tester as well....
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
My point is it jump directly to the latest version it could. It didn't try to install the new "root blocking" update because it isn't the one of the very few Fire TVs that is currently selected for the slow roll out of that update. In a couple weeks when the "root blocking" update becomes the official latest version, that Fire TV would have immediately tried to install an update that blocks rooting.

We're currently in this inbetween period where a bad software update exists, but most Fire TVs won't even try to instal it. That's why it's fine to be a little laxed right now with setting up a new Fire TV. But soon, letting "the first update" go through could result in an unrootable Fire TV.

I just finished my guide to setting up a new Fire TV without blocking root. It's probably too cautious now, but I wrote it for the future when most software updates of any kind will block root.
[Fire TV General] byrdcfmma:
I get what you are saying. BTW, great job keeping your blog up to date. I thought about doing something like that in the beginning, and im glad you beat me to it, lol!!
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
[MENTION=2453972]aftvnews[/MENTION] when did you order it and when did u get it?
[Fire TV General] chrisexv6:
Cant speak for AFTV, but I ordered mine on Wed, got it Friday (yesterday)

Waited for AFTVs new post to come out and followed it to a "t" (I had blocked the update domains last night on my router but didnt pull the trigger on setting up the AFTV until this morning)

Mine immediately went into downloading an update, but it was downloading the latest official version (which is still rootable). I cancelled that download just to be sure, unblocked the updater domain then checked again for an update and it again started to download the latest official (still rootable) version. I let that version install then blocked the update domains again just to be sure (along with disabling the OTA package on the unit).
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
Ordered Wednesday morning. Received Friday afternoon. Chose 2 day prime shipping.
[Fire TV General] sunrise 495:
What To Do In 2 Months?

What happens 2 months from now when the boxes are shipping with the "non-root" version from the factory? How does one get around that? Is it possible that it can never be rooted again? This happened to the Apple TV ver. 3, i.e. 1080p box. It has never been rooted. Can the Android OS be locked down like that?

I love the Firetv.

Say it ain't so....
[Fire TV General] DHeffernan:
What if you can’t block URLs using your router? I know method 2 talks about disconnecting the cable but it still then switches over to blocking the URL..
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
The key with method 2 is only connecting the internet when you absolutely have to. This way you can get to the home screen without downloading any updates. Once on the home screen you can enable ADB and root the Fire TV. Once rooted, you can disable updates on the Fire TV itself using the recommended method in this guide. At no point with method 2 do you block URLs.
[Fire TV General] mckinsey01@gmail.com:
Updates are not progressive! Don't try an ota upgrade.
[Fire TV General] Fletch888:
Bought FireTV on impulse when I saw the $84 price. It arrived with 51.1.0.1 code on it. Intent is to use it for streaming video off of my LAN and for web surfing.

The above instructions worked for me.

I have DD-WRT running on my router and it can't block domains to save its life, so I used an OpenDNS free account for the blocking.

Have root. Disabled updates. XMBC running without issue. Dolphin browser works well. MS wireless keyboard and mouse set is plug-n-play.

Need to kill the onscreen keyboard, and haven't managed to alter the input settings with the usual method.

So far I'm happy with the purchase. Thanks again, XDA. :good:
[Fire TV General] playtillyadrop:
Hey guys can you help me out. I blocked the domain but it just sits at the intial setup for checking updates it doesn't go to a different screen or finish
[Fire TV General] retroben:
Leave your Fire TV unplugged while removing the block for now.

After making sure the blocking is disabled,unplug your router before plugging the Fire TV back in to make sure the update does not slip in when going through the initial setup.

Wireless connection recommended for non-immediate update risks.

Here is a guide:

http://xdaforums.com/fire-tv/general/guide-how-to-setup-fire-tv-blocking-root-t2849790

Useful tip:Have someone else ready to unplug your router at the instant you ask them to.

After setting up your Fire TV's network,unplug your router as quick as possible to prevent the update check from getting an update.

Read the guide from the link above for all the proper connect/unplug times.

When the instruction video starts playing,unplug your Wi-Fi router to again prevent the risk of an update.
[Fire TV General] toe-rag:
why do all the How-To's keep saying to unplug the internet as quickly as possible? Isn't the update.zip about 400megs? takes awhile to download. It's not like the entire update.zip can sneek by in seconds....

I'm sure there will be some kinda of error protection during the download to popup an error - about losing or needing an internet connection -- ??:confused:
[Fire TV General] bruce7373:
My question is, can Amazon force future updates by crippling the GUI until the box is brought up to date?
[Fire TV General] rbox:
There's lots they can do. The good news is, I am working on a 2nd-init based recovery. Which if all things go well, will allow people to run recovery from a system with a locked bootloader. It would allow you to use unsigned recovery updates, so we can take the stock amazon update, strip out the bad stuff, preroot it, and call it day. Of course that requires being rooted in the first place.
[Fire TV General] Hacktacular:
Crossing my fingers....goooo rbox
[Fire TV General] roligov:
Awesome! Keep up the good work rbox :D
[Fire TV General] rbox:
So I was able to get the Fire TV to boot straight in to custom recovery using 2nd-init. That was just a proof of concept and it's going to take a lot of work to go from that to something that people can use. Right now I have 3 different AOSP trees on my computer where I compile various things, so first I need to consolidate all of that, and then I need to figure out what to do about Safestrap. It's based off of TWRP, and I don't think TWRP can be used without a touch interface. Of course, someone releasing a bootloader unlock would greatly simplify things... haha.
[Fire TV General] davekaz:
The new update is unrootable? Just got the box to replace my rooted in a last ditch effort to use netflix (never worked on old out of box..after seeing if netflix would work on new (which it still does not) I rebooted it trying to get netflix and it updated to latest software as I was getting drink in kitchen. I was told by Amazon that there were network issues they knew about...I used my tethered connection from my phone and netflix has no problem.blah blah. But if I can't even root at this point....oi?

PS.... works fine rooted and non working netflix
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
[MENTION=3991724]rbox[/MENTION] Do you have to build your own Rom to use or could you use the latest existing Amazon update and just add all the common tweaks?
[Fire TV General] rbox:
I'm not quite sure what you mean...
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
I mean take the system image out of an update and pre root it, add install unknown apps by default sorta thing. Also is this the boot loader unlock method? Was looking around over at freedreno for fire tv...

https://www.codeaurora.org/project...ypasses-signature-verification-cve-2014-4325
[Fire TV General] rbox:
Yes, that was one of the things I was planning on offering. Prerooted update packages stripped of any non essential updates like the bootloader and what not.

I don't think that vulnerability effects the Fire TV because it flat out rejects the boot and flash commands when the bootloader is locked.
[Fire TV General] rbox:
So it turns out TWRP supports mice, which makes things a bit easier. And based on a quick read of the code, I suspect it supports the arrow keys on the keyboard, and if not, adding that shouldn't be too hard. I now feel pretty confident I can get Safestrap compiled and working in 2nd-init.
[Fire TV General] roligov:
Awesome find man!
[Fire TV General] Hacktacular:
Get r done Xbox let me know if I can help test or anything. You on irc?
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
[MENTION=3991724]rbox[/MENTION] I'm not doubting you since I'm sure you know more than I do about this stuff, but on this site the 2nd update says "this is the cve used to bypass the locker bootloader". That site looks to be aimed at the FireTV right?
[Fire TV General] rbox:
Hrm, I could have sworn that the vulnerability that was released a while ago was the one that page was using, but maybe August 5th was "a while ago", haha. Unfortunately, a vulnerability in fastboot boot isn't all that useful for most people. It requires a USB A to A cable and it requires doing it every time you reboot the Fire TV. But I suppose it might be useful for people who are bricked or need to get in to a useful recovery.
[Fire TV General] rbox:
I played around with this a little, and fastboot is refusing to allow the boot or flash commands because it's locked, even if I give it a signed image. The error it throws is not in any little kernel source I've seen, which means Amazon modified it. Looking at the OTA update packages, 51.1.0.1 and 51.1.0.2 had the same bootloader but starting at 51.1.1.0 it had a different one. After talking with the author of the wiki, it seems he linked to the wrong CVE, and he updated it to point to the correct one. Which is a much older one, which is why I was confused originally. Based on the timing of the announcement of the CVE and the fact that the first 51.1.1.0 was incomplete and took 2 times before it was rolling out, I'm guess that is patched in 51.1.1.0. The good news is, I believe [MENTION=5957312]AFTVnews.com[/MENTION] has gone back and forth between 51.1.0.2 and 51.1.1.0.

I think I'll try to get a recovery working against 51.1.0.2's bootloader. If that's the case, then as long as you still have root, downgrading to 51.1.0.2's bootloader is pretty easy. That's a much better path than screwing around with Safestrap.
[Fire TV General] Dukester2002:
OK I'm still on the first firmware.. Still holding out as per jcase instructions to not upgrade.. Rbox what should I do.. Upgrade or stay put? I don't want to flash anything yet without knowing that I won't be forced into taking the latest update. Im blocking updates currently via the "pm disable" update.
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
Stay where you're at until further developments. That's what I'm doing just to be safe.
[Fire TV General] stick30:
I am having the same issue where superSU is failing to install after the binary normal update. Can someone post a link or pm me the towel root v1

Thanks
[Fire TV General] billsam38:
rbox, thanks for your effort, and totally agree with you. since we would like to put AOSP into it, it won't matter what version of fire tv to us.
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
[MENTION=6002911]stick30[/MENTION] What build are you running? I just rooted 51.1.0.1 with the latest towelroot so what's goin on?
[Fire TV General] stick30:
Running 51.1.1.0 and 511070220

I have tried to side load both towelroot and supersu and used adbfire and AFTV appinstaller.

Each time I root makingitrain then I go to launch the supersu and get to the update the hit normal. Each time I get installation fail.
[Fire TV General] krasny2k5:
Maybe this cve can be useful:

https://www.codeaurora.org/projects...bypasses-signature-verification-cve-2014-4325
[Fire TV General] rbox:
Which was already mentioned a few posts above... the Fire TV doesn't allow the boot command to begin with.
[Fire TV General] AFTVnews.com:
I've got a bricked (stuck on registration due to a modified hosts file blocking registration) running 51.1.0.2 (I think) that I'll throw whatever you want at it if you need a guinie pig.
[Fire TV General] stick30:
So reading through some mobile device threads with similar issues, I launched the application which will let me in if I don't select normal. I disabled superuser and then exited out and went back in. It work and I got the GRANT prompt but I did not se any updating of the binary. I don't know if that will affect anything down the line but at least I am now working.

Thanks!!
[Fire TV General] {ParanoiA}:
You could probably manually update it. Download the latest supersu flashable zip and extract the contents. Then push the binary to the firetv.
[Fire TV General] Annunneo:
Did anyone ever experience problems with xbmc after rooting their ftv. Also do you always have to keep the daemon server connected?