[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
UPDATE: Please read the updated information at the bottom of this post, on my new recommendation to use the easier method, SuperSU systemless, to patch your original boot.img. This is in my quick start guide at the end of it, also. You still need to read my info on getting setup, also.

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I have started this thread as a place to post a working root solution for this tablet.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Nextbook...-System/122137749?variantFieldId=actual_color

This is a great Android tablet for the price. It features an updated Intel Cherry Trail quad core 1.92 GHz processor, 1gb RAM, 16gb internal storage. and Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

UPDATE: There is a newer version of the tablet with a manufacturing sticker date of September, 2017. Despite retaining the 8A model number, it has a slower, ARM processor and Android Nougat 7.1.1. Although it is quite snappy, It shows much slower benchmarks in AnTuTu and has a much smaller battery, about half the size. Also the boxes are about 2/3 the thickness of the older, 6.0.1 tablets.

The chances of rooting it are very slim. My solution will not work for it. Fastboot mode appears to be disabled on this and one other Nougat tablet that I own. I am returning the one I tested.

UPDATE: I now have root, a custom TWRP recovery and modified boot images for the Android 6.0.1 version of this device.

I would like to thank @vampirefo for his TWRP and original boot images, for without his work, this would not be possible.

PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT HIM ABOUT THIS HE WILL NOT PROVIDE ANY SUPPORT FOR IT, THAT WILL BE PROVIDED BY ME AND OTHER GENEROUS FORUM MEMBERS.

I strongly recommend, though that you donate to him, in his signature, for all of his hard work on this, even if it is a small amount. I asked him twice about this and he never responded, so please donate to him.

His original boot.imgs are modified to remove encryption and make the kernel permissive.

I unpacked them and removed dm_verity to remove the failed verification message, on boot then repacked them.

FILES ARE UP ON ANDROID FILE HOST

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=197521

Choose the version of the tablet that you own. Go to settings, about tablet and scroll to the bottom and look at the first few numbers of the build number. For example: V1.2.0.

Do not use this on the 1.0.8 version of the tablet or you will loose sound, wifi and maybe bluetooth. If you have this version of the tablet and can provide me a twrp, backed up, original boot.img, I can modify it to work with your tablet. You can temp boot twrp, to do this (see below). As of yet no one has provided one to me for the 1.0.8 tablet version.

UPDATE 10/24/2017: I now have a I now have a 1.0.8 modified boot.img up on android file host:

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=962021903579487577

Here is a twrp backup of the 1.2.0 rom, with userdata deleted to start fresh. It will boot to the Android setup screen. If you have any major, unexplained problems, I recommend starting fresh with this. It works great on either tablet version: 1.1.1 and 1.2.0.

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673368273298970542

UPDATE 12/15/2017: I have uploaded a pre-rooted TWRP backup of my original V1.1.1 tablet

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=235141

TO PREPARE YOUR DEVICE:

UPDATED 12/3/2017: I now have found a Version 2.1.5 of the tablet and have uploaded an unrooted, TWRP backed up version of it. It also contains the original recovery so do not check that box when flashing it in TWRP unless you intend to replace TWRP with the stock recovery

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673791459329065002

This will be long and thorough, because I see so many people who have trouble with this because they don't have their computer setup properly from the get go.

This will help you get ready to be successful in applying this.

First and foremost, unlocking your bootloader will delete all userdata on the tablet so you need a good backup of important files. If you backup to an external sd card, I strongly recommend also copying the files to an external source such as your computer. You can do that through mtp or remove the card and place it in an sd card adapter and insert it into an sd card reader. I did not do this, even though I knew better and my sd card was corrupted in the process, so I lost the original twrp backup of the virgin, untouched system partition.

Secondly, if you are on windows you need the proper drivers for adb and fastboot installed on your system. Proper drivers are the number one issue I see with windows users. For this Intel device get them here:

https://software.intel.com/en-us/android/articles/intel-usb-driver-for-android-devices

Here are the steps to install adb and Intel drivers, in the proper order:

The best way to to set up adb and fastboot in windows is to install it system wide. Here is an installer to do this that works well:

https://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2588979

Install process for 15 sec adb:

1. Run it (Require administrator privileges)

2. Press Y/Yes to install ADB and Fastboot

3. Press Y/Yes to install ADB system-wide

4. Press N/No to skip installing Drivers

5. 15 seconds passed - finished!

6. Now install the Intel drivers listed above and here, again:

https://software.intel.com/en-us/android/articles/intel-usb-driver-for-android-devices

Third, enable developer options by going to settings, about tablet, and tap on the build number seven times to enable it.

Then go to developer options and make sure usb debugging is enabled. watch on the tablet screen for a popup dialog the approve usb debugging. check the box to always allow for this computer and hit ok.

Now, with the proper drivers installed, adb and fastboot properly installed, You need to test that it is functioning properly. This is done with the tablet booted into Android. If you used the adb I recommended, go to my computer, C drive and open the newly created adb folder. Left click in an open area of the folder to select it. then shift right click to open a contextual menu, then select: open a command prompt here. Once the command window is open, type:

adb devices

and hit enter:

you should see the device serial number listed. I am now doing this from linux, so it may differ,slightly:

adb devices

List of devices attached

YFGV1216059870 device

Sometimes you get starting daemon on port... and you have to type it again to see the device listed. If you don't see this, then your drivers or adb/fastboot aren't properly installed.

If you see your device, then type:

adb reboot bootloader

and hit enter. your device should now reboot to bootloader mode. once in bootloader mode, type:

fastboot devices

enter and you device should once again be listed.

the next step, is to unlock your bootloader. Warning: ALL OF YOUR USERDATA WILL BE DELETED, HENCE THE BACKUP CREATED EARLIER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

It has come to my attention that this is not clear: after unlocking the bootloader, all userdata will be deleted, like doing a factory reset.

Go into developer options and select OEM unlocking. This does not unlock your bootloader, it only enables the ability to do it from a fastboot prompt.

Now jump to the Quick Start guide for updated instructions:

Older, system mode method hidden, please use the instructions in the Quick Start Guide

Now, while still booted into bootloader mode, type:

fastboot flashing unlock

and hit enter to unlock your bootloader. All data will be deleted and the tablet will be re-encrypted upon boot, without encryption option removed from the bootloader. Now type

fastboot reboot

t, to reboot the tablet and you should reboot to the android setup screen, You can set it up again if you want, but you will be deleting userdata later when you flash the modified boot.img, so keep this in mind.

So you may want to wait to unlock until I release twrp and the boot.img, so you can continue using the tablet.

UPDATE: The files are now live.

To summarize, the above steps are to prepare you for the next exciting adventure to come and to realize the full potential that a rooted device offers..................

To be continued.

THE FILES ARE NOW ON ANDROID FILE HOST. DOWNLOAD HERE:

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=197521

Boot or flash TWRP Recovery and flash boot.img

These instructions are for Windows, for Linux you must type sudo before fastboot commands

Instructions: first make sure you read the instructions above to be sure you have the proper drivers and adb and fastboot are installed and tested before proceeding. Unlock your bootloader per above instructions. WARNING! DANGER WILL ROBINSON! THIS PROCEDURE WILL DELETE ALL USERDATA ON YOUR TABLET SO BE SURE YOU HAVE A BACKUP OF ANY IMPORTANT DATA.

First, unzip the files to a directory. I usually do it in C:\adb, and leave the SR2-SuperSU-v2.82-SYSTEMMODE.zip, zipped.

Now, left click in that folder in an empty spot, or where ever you unzipped it and select it. Now right click and choose open a command prompt here from the contextual menu. once the command window is open type

adb devices

, hit enter, to confirm your device is listed. Now type

adb reboot bootloader

and it should reboot to bootloader mode.

I recommend booting into twrp temp first so you can backup your original boot, recovery and system.

now:

fastboot boot Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

enter and it should reboot to twrp temp. Don't choose read only after it boots. Once in twrp choose backup and hit select storage and choose micro sdcard. now swipe to backup. You can later install twrp permanently if you want to. To flash permanently:

From bootloader mode:

fastboot flash recovery Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

UPDATE: See the the end of my updated quick start guide for updated info on a simpler method to patch your original boot.img with either systemless SuperSU or Magisk. I no longer recommend flashing my patched boot.imgs, but instructions are still provided here for historical reference and for the few who still want SuperSu in the unofficial, system mode.

I have hidden the older method here, but is still here for those who still want system mode SuperSU:

Now

fastboot flash boot Ares8A_111_boot.img

enter, for the 1.1.1 version, or

fastboot flash boot Ares8A_120_boot.img

enter, for the 1.2.0 version, to flash the appropriate boot.img

For the newer 2.1.5 version of the table:

fastboot flash boot unsigned-new.img

hit the enter key, to flash.

Next, again in bootloader mode issue:

fastboot format userdata

enter, and wait for a successful message in the command window and on the tablet. it will take a little while.

Next

fastboot format cache

enter, wait. Now

fastboot reboot

hit enter, and the tablet should reboot to the android setup screen where you can set it up. It will take some extra time to reboot, so be patient. You may see the boot animation for awhile. This will be booted unencrypted now without root. I recommend doing a backup again in twrp before rooting.

There has been some misunderstanding about the above. Your data is encrypted and will not be accessible it twrp, hence, the backup before you do anything with this tablet.

You must wipe the userdata, so a new, clean data partition can be created that is unencrypted. A factory reset is not enough. You will have problems if you don't format userdata in the above step to created a decrypted data partition.

Flashing SuperSu for root

For the v1.1.1 and v1.2.0 tablets:

Make sure you have the SR1-SuperSU-v2.82-SYSTEMMODE.zip on your ext sd card.

For the newer 2.1.5 you need a systemless version of SuperSU:

SuperSU-v2.82-201705271822.zip Get it at:

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/supersu/download/zip/SuperSU-v2.82-201705271822.zip Copy it to your external SD card.

When flashed, this systemless version will also patch your boot image for sytemless mode.

Furthermore, to install SR1-SuperSU-v2.82-SYSTEMMODE.zip, or SuperSU-v2.82-201705271822.zip, either boot twrp temp again, from bootloader mode issue:

fastboot boot Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

, or if you already have it installed permanently and you are booted normally, issue

adb reboot recovery

enter to boot to it.

Next hit the install button in twrp and choose SR1-SuperSU-v2.82-SYSTEMMODE.zip or SuperSU-v2.82-201705271822.zip and swipe to confirm flash. after it is complete, go back to the main menu and choose reboot system. I choose not to install the twrp app before reboot.

Once rebooted, open the supersu app, making sure the following are selected in settings enable superuser, default access prompt or grant, enable su during boot, trust system user and enable pro, then go back and enable full content in logging. Next download a root check app to confirm root.

congratulations you should now be rooted! Now download a desired app that requires root and test to confirm you have no problems with root.

If you want an app that makes it easy to reboot in the various modes, I recommend Simple Reboot by Francisco Franco. It works great with this device and android version.

I was using Easy Reboot [ROOT] by Simone Luconi with my older, ares 8 with 5.1.1 and it had worked well.

Apparently it is not compatible with this device or rom. when I rebooted to recovery with it, I was not able to mount my external sd card and the card was corrupted on reboot. That is why I don't have a virgin, unrooted, copy of my system image now.

Good luck!

Here is a quick start guide for the already initiated:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=72970060&postcount=82

Here is a link to my post for some apps I personally find useful:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=72995672&postcount=112

Please report successes and problems on this thread, not to @vampirefo.

Thanks