[Magisk] zgfg:
Follow up to the @lindsaysxda case/discussion, some general comments, just to make things clear:

- Magisk app, formerly named Magisk Manager is still just a manager app or some kind of user interface for the Magisk

Therefore, it is possible to have Magisk app installed, but without Magisk. Ie, installing only the Magisk app does not mean that Magisk was installed

In the normal circumstances one would install in parallel both Magisk app and Magisk of the SAME version (like BOTH Stable 24300 or BOTH Canary 24313 or so)

Anyway, Magisk app displays both the version of Magisk (at the top) and Magisk app version below.

One SHOULD pay attention that they both show the same version (it doesn't display are they Stable, Canary etc, but it clearly displays the full version number like 24313 with the hex build like 8bfb30fe) - hence, MAKE SURE they both display the same version (and the same hex build id, although in fact they come in diff pairs)

It's possible to run with diff versions but no guarantee what kind of problems may happen if one would be substantially older than the other

Wen patching/direct installing/installing to inactive slot, Magisk app also clearly displays what is the target version - PAY ATTENTION that it prints the same target version as for your Magisk app running

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If Magisk app displays N/A for the Magisk version it means that app (think again about as for the "manager') cannot find Magisk

It usually means that Magisk is not installed (yet or no more) - hence again, always PAY ATTENTION to that N/A case

There is also a possibility that Magisk is installed but user has two Magisk apps, ie also an old one, that was previously hidden/renamed but was not restored or deleted before updating to the new Magisk app - then only one of them can 'communicate' with Magisk and the other would display Magisk N/A - again something to be AWARE about and to be immediately resolved

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Finally, if Magisk app displays Magisk N/A, it means that either Magisk is not installed or that app does not 'communicate' with - in either case the Magisk app has no root grant for itself and CANNOT do Direct install neither Install to inactive slots (hence it doesn't even display those options) - because ONLY with root, the app could patch the (live) boot partition (the active one or inactive one in case of A/B devices)

Without root, Magisk app can ONLY patch the boot image (file). User then has to flash himself the patched boot img:

- through Fastboot (recommended)

- through TWRP (applicable only to devices and Android versions with the TWRP available and 'fully'' working)

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Btw, to cut-off my time and to avoid unnecessary booting the PC and device in Fastboot or TWRP mode, I usually flash my patched boot img through the Terminal app with:

su
dd if=/sdcard/Download/patched-boot.img of=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/boot
reboot

Here, to make it easier and to be able to always copy/paste that same command (dd if=...), I first rename the every-time different patched boot img to always the same name: patched-boot.img

Also, on A/B device you would need to specify for of= to be boot_a or boot_b (you must know which one is active and do you want to patch the active or inactive boot partition)

Ofc, disk-dump (dd) requires root (su), hence this is not applicable to the Magisk N/A case