[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
Nextbook Ares 8A quick start Guide Revised

Here is a quick start guide for the already initiated.

Please read the updated information at the bottom on my new recommendation to use SuperSU systemless to patch your original boot.img

Older information using system mode root:

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.

Unlock the bootloader. From bootloader mode issue:

fastboot flashing unlock

and hit enter to unlock your bootloader.

For temp twrp:

fastboot boot Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

hit enter.

For permanent twrp:

fastboot flash recovery Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

hit enter.

In twrp backup your stock system, recovery and boot.

From bootloader mode:

fastboot flash boot boot.img

substituting the

name of the boot.img in the command above for the version of the tablet you have: "Ares8A_111_boot.img" or: "Ares8A_120_boot.img" Or "unsigned-new.img" then hit enter

fastboot format userdata

hit enter, wait to finish

fastboot format cache

hit enter, wait to finish

fastboot reboot

hit enter, first boot will take some time, you will see the boot animation for a while, so be patient.

You should now be booted to the android setup screen where you can set it up.

now to flash supersu booted normally into android if you have twrp installed permanently:

Issue:

adb reboot recovery

hit enter, to boot into twrp

Or you can temp boot it again also, from bootloader mode

Hit the install button in twrp choose storage, select microsd card or internal, depending in where you have it stored.

Choose SR2-SuperSU-v2.82-SYSTEMMODE.zip or SuperSU-v2.82-201705271822.zip

depending on if you have the 1.1.1 or 1.2.0 of the tablet Or the newer, 2.1.5 version of the tablet.

then swipe to flash, choose the reboot button from the main menu of twrp and hit system to reboot to android rooted.

Setup Android, SuperSu and enjoy!

UPDATE 1/4/2018 Revised 1/8/2018

My newer, easier way to root is to use SuperSU systemless or Magisk, instead of my included SuperSu system mode:

It appears that toggling: "OEM unlocking" in developer options, is sufficient to unlock the bootloader, before proceeding. I did just that on my newest, V3.0.4 tablet.

Thanks to @billybleu97 for this info. If this doesn't always work, please let me know so I can revise this.

Here is the command, just in case, when booted into bootloader/fastboot mode:

fastboot flashing unlock

hit enter on your computer.

TWRP:

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673791459329072366

Extract the Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img to your folder where you have adb and fastboot installed.

Download SuperSu:

https://download.chainfire.eu/1220/SuperSU/SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip

Or:

Magisk 15.2 or newer:

https://xdaforums.com/apps/magisk/official-magisk-v7-universal-systemless-t3473445

BusyBox:

https://xdaforums.com/android/software-hacking/tool-busybox-flashable-archs-t3348543

Choose this one: Busybox-1.28.0-YDS-X86.zip, or newer.

If you are already rooted with SuperSU and want to unroot to switch to Magisk, you need to flash UnSu.zip, to first remove it:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=63615067

For Magisk only:

You will need an original copy of your boot.img to then flash, before flashing the Magisk.zip.

Copy the TWRP backup, original boot.img, named: boot.emmc.win, to either your External or Internal SD card and rename it: boot.img. You can reflash it also in TWRP by clicking the install button, then the image button, select the boot option, then swipe to reflash, then finally hit the delete dalvik and cache button.

If you don't have a copy of your original, you can start with one of my patched versions that matches your Rom version on your tablet. Example: V1.1.1 modifed boot.img with the V1.1.1 ROM. You can also reflash it in TWRP, instead of fastboot.

My Twrp backups have boot.imgs for many versions of the tablets. Just rename boot.emmc.win to boot.img or boot304.img, for an example of the V3.0.4.

If you are flashing Magisk, you need to have a copy of the Magisk Manager and the Magisk Uninstaller also on your device, ext. or Int. SD, in addition to the Magisk.zip there.

After you reflash your original boot.img or my modifed one, immediately flash either the SuperSu.zip or the Magisk.zip, followed by the BusyBox.zip.

If flashing SuperSu or Magisk the first time, or switching to SuperSu systemless, you don't need to reflash your boot.img, you only have to if you already have a SuperSu sytemless modifed one and are switching to Magisk or vice versa.

SuperSu or Magisk will patch your boot.img to remove encryption and dm_verity, on successful completion message. Please read the message to comfirm success.

If you already have a SuperSu systemless patched boot.img and attempt to flash Magisk.zip over it, instead of an original copy, you will get and error message that it can't patch the SuperSu patched one. Hence the need for an unpatched one.

My patched ones should work fine or a renamed one from the TWRP backup, for your tablet version, though. If they don't, please let me know.

For SuperSu or magisk with your original boot.img intact or reflashed if you unrooted to use Magisk:

Reboot into fastboot/bootloader mode:

adb reboot bootloader

then issue:

fastboot format userdata

Hit return, wait for successful completion. Then:

fastboot format cache

Hit return, wait for successful completion.

fastboot boot recovery Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

Hit return on your computer to boot into temp TWRP

hit the backup button choose your location, External or Internal SD card and check the boxes, boot, system and recovery and swipe to backup.

I recommend now that you backup these TWRP backup files to another location such as your computer before you proceed with flashing SuperSu or Magisk and busybox.

Now permanently flash TWRP in bootloader/fastboot mode:

fastboot flash recovery Ares8A_recovery_twrp.img

Hit enter on your computer and watch for successful completion.

Now reboot to TWRP: Toggle the volume rocker until you see recovery, then hit the power button. That is the easiest way to do it from bootloader mode, assuming you permanently flashed it.

First, in TWRP settings, set your time zone and language.

In TWRP click install, select SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip or Magisk-v15.2.zip and swipe to flash and read the message that it has successfully patched your original boot.img. Click the install button again and flash the Busybox-1.28.0-YDS-X86.zip. read that it has succeeded. Now hit the button to wipe cache and Dalvik cache and swipe to wipe. Now, finally, hit the reboot system button in TWRP.

If at anytime you have trouble getting back to the TWRP home screen, use your volume down button until it goes back home. This may also work with volume up, I haven't tried it.

The tablet will reboot to the Android setup screen. The first boot will take a very long time. The last time I did it, it took about 7 1/2 minutes of seeing the Android boot animation before it completed.

Setup Android and SuperSu, or install the Magisk Manager and set it up and enjoy!