[Asus Zenfone Go Guides, News, & Discussion] dropdeadgoogle:
Impossible to root z00vd, so it seems

How to overcome the lack of an "OEM Unlock" option when trying to root "Asus Zenfone Go 2" (also called Asus Z00VD or Asus ZC500TG)

This summary mixes the ideas from this thread with ideas from elsewhere and attempts to present the methods in a way that is intelligible to non-programmers such as myself. It's the only method that worked for me after many frustrating attempts.

ARE YOU TRYING TO ROOT YOUR PHONE?

You may have been trying to root your phone by the following method

1. Unlock bootloader

2. Install the TWRP RECOVERY (by flashing "recovery.img")

3. Boot into RECOVERY and flash a zip file to give you root access in perpetuity!

WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TOLD DOESN'T WORK!

You've been told to enable "Developer Options" (which you did), then enable "USB Debugging" (which you did) and then to enable "OEM Unlock" (which you couldn't do because it just wasn't there!!)

You tried to unlock the bootloader anyway and to install the TWRP RECOVERY but it failed, every time!

You are relieved that your phone is intact at least and still operational!

You may have read some guy on the internet stating that if the "OEM Unlock" option isn't there then it's already enabled .... but by now you know that's just not true.

SO HOW EXACTLY DO YOU GET THE "OEM UNLOCK" OPTION TO APPEAR ON YOUR PHONE?

There IS a way to get the option on your phone but it means downgrading the ROM to v36, because v36 has the "OEM Unlock" option that was removed from v47 (ask Asus why!!)

Don't worry, you can return to the v47 ROM later, after the BOOTLOADER has been unlocked.

ISN'T THERE AN EASIER WAY?

This whole 'downgrading then upgrading' process may seem time consuming but it's the only way I have found to unlock the BOOTLOADER and get root access to this phone if you got the phone with the v47 rom.

(or you upgraded to v47 before you realized it would screw up your chance to root the phone)

V36 VERSUS V47

v36 is genuine ASUS rom for this phone, it preceded v47 which you probably have on your phone if you are having this problem.

v47 is correctly called "WW-12.1.0.47" (the full name is "WW-12.1.0.47-20160404?").

v36 is correctly called "WW-12.1.0.36" (the full name is "WW-12.1.0.36 -20160226")

You will have to flash v36 onto your phone.

FLASHING v36 ROM

1 - The first thing to do is to download the v36 ROM from here

https://www.asus.com/support/Download/39/2/0/11/JwN0tc2RjbiJ0WId/32/

Make sure the OS in the first drop down menu is "android"

Open up the "firmware" section and the WW-12.1.0.36 rom will be the third one down, the size is 1.03 GBytes.

2 - The next thing to do is to copy the v36 rom onto your phone's external SD card.

3 - Save any important data from the phones internal storage just in case (after I flashed the v36 on my phone and it finally rebooted into the Android OS, I found that all my installed programs were intact and my settings had been kept. I didn't do any WIPING of data or partitions in RECOVERY mode, I just flashed the ROM so that's why the phones internal storage wasn't wiped I guess, but maybe you should back up anything important from the phones internal storage just in case).

BTW, flashing the ROM as I did, didn't erase anything from my external SD card, which I left in the phone during the whole process)

4 - Disconnect the wifi (so it won't be connected to the internet when it next boots into Android, and it won't be able to auto update)

5 - Go into your phones RECOVERY menu (this is the RECOVERY menu that was on the phone when you bought it, not to be confused with the TWRP RECOVERY menu that you will flash later)

To get into the RECOVERY menu in the following way ...................

a. Power off phone

b. Boot into BOOTLOADER mode by pressing and holding the VOLUME UP button then pressing and holding the power button.

Keep pressing both even after the phone vibrates into life, only take your fingers off when you see the bootloader screen (black screen with 5 short lines of writing).

c. Use the VOLUME UP button to move the pointer to RECOVERY (it's at the top of the list of RECOVERY, FASTBOOT and NORMAL). The VOLUME DOWN button does not move the pointer in this mode.

d. press the VOLUME DOWN button to activate your choice and this will take you from this menu into the RECOVERY menu (in the Bootloader menu context the VOLUME UP button is used to select options and the VOLUME DOWN button is used to activate your choice, just like the enter/return key in Windows)

e. If your phone doesn't enter the RECOVERY menu, but instead you just see a green Android icon and the word "no command" then it is not a problem, you can easily enter RECOVERY from this screen by holding down the power button and pressing the VOLUME UP button once (don't hold the VOLUME UP button, just press it once)

6- Flash the WW-12.1.0.36 rom in the recovery menu by selecting "apply update from SD card" then choosing the v36 rom you put on the sd card earlier (it is in the form of a ZIP file)

(in this Recovery menu context the VOLUME UP and VOLUME DOWN buttons are used to move the selection up and down the the POWER button is used to activate your choice)

7 - When the flashing is over, it will say the install is complete (bottom of screen), and you choose the option from the top "reboot the system"

8 - It will take a long time to reboot back into the Android OS, you will see the circular progress icon moving then you will see a message saying "preparing apps" - when it has prepared all the apps it will be done.

You can check that you really do have the v36 installed by going into "Settings>>About Phone" and scrolling down to the bottom, you should see "WW_Phone-12.1.0.36 -20160226" in the section "Build Number"

9 - Goto "Settings>>Developer Settings" and there you will see that the "OEM Unlock" option is switched on and that the "USB Debugging" option is also on. (you should already have activated Developer Mode by tapping 7 consecutive times on the last section, called "build number", of the "About Phone" part of SETTINGS. If Developer Mode is not activated, you won't be able to access "Developer Settings").

DO NOT CONNECT THE WIFI AT THIS STAGE.

WHAT TO DO AFTER FLASHING THE V36 ROM

You should be able to unlock your phone now using the widely reported method involving adb drivers and the fastboot utility.

If you successfully unlock the bootloader it WILL reformat the internal storage of the phone so be sure to backup any important data.

Rebooting after the unlock procedure will take a long time, it will be installing the ROM to factory defaults, all your personal settings will be gone.

DO NOT FLASH THE TWRP RECOVERY IMMEDIATELY AFTER UNLOCKING THE BOOTLOADER

Open your internet connection and allow the auto-update feature to update the OTA (this means it will upgrade v36 back to v47)

That process is quick, requiring a download of just 55 mb. Follow the onscreen instructions.

It means you will have v47 on your phone but the bootloader will remain unlocked, so you'll still be able to flash the TWRP recovery and then root the phone.

AFTER ROM V47 is UP AND RUNNING, ONLY THEN INSTALL TWRP RECOVERY AND FLASH THE ZIP TO GIVE YOU ROOT ACCESS

One you are rebooted back into the v47 OS you will need to re-enable DEVELOPER mode (not sure if this is essential but do it just to be safe - the same goes for re-enabling USB DEBUGGING, do that too just to be safe. Of course "OEM Unlock" will not be available but the bootloader is already unlocked)

Now you can follow the widely reported method of flashing TWRP recovery (involving adb drivers and the fastboot utility) and finally rooting your device.

THIS IS NOT EXACTLY THE METHOD I FOLLOWED

but it is the method I should have followed, that was recommended.

I installed TWRP recovery IMMEDIATELY AFTER unlocking the bootloader. which was not advised, though not fatal.

V36 installed again correctly and when the phone tried to automatically update the OTA to v47 it failed. The phone downloaded the update just fine and I followed the instructions. But after the download and after I followed the instructions, the phone rebooted into the TWRP recovery from which I chose to "Reboot System". It rebooted into the Android OS and the phone is fine but the OTA did not update and the option to update it has gone. The phone is rooted however and working perfectly.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK - YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BRICK YOUR PHONE, NOT ME - YOU SHOULD VERIFY ANY METHOD YOU DECIDE ON

I welcome comments and feedback that may improve this method or highlight any errors it may contain, I did my best to make it accurate.

I am trying to "give back" by making this guide.