yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
8.1 Final, updated adb/fastboot, & problems and fixes - update 12/17/2017 TWRP fixed

UPDATE 12/17/2017

: [MENTION=3097488]phaino00[/MENTION] and other users have reported that TWRP v3.2.1-0.img take care of the internal storage decryption problem.

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=74868928&postcount=380

Get it at https://twrp.me/. It has been reported that FLASHing the new TWRP.zip (as opposed to just fastboot boot twrp.img) will make the phone only boot back into recovery every time - never back into Android. I haven't not personally confirmed this, however.

UPDATE 12/9/2017

: Word is at https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=74782925&postcount=6238 that Magisk v14.2 (not v14.5 build 1456) both works with Android 8.1

AND

with FlashFire - which is an alternative to using TWRP. I used FlashFire 100% from Android 8.0 November for installing complete firmware images and flashing ElementalX and SuperSU, so may work just fine with ElementalX v3.00 and Magisk v14.2.

I have not tested this myself.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] patso23:
Was able to flash-all with -w removed.

Attempted to fastboot boot twrp and adb sideload supersu, but I'm not able to gain root.

Anyone else with any success?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] phaino00:
Fastboot boot TWRP and installed magisk 14.5 via usb-otg and root is successful.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
I haven't had any success getting fastboot booted twrp.img to accept my pin. Did you install magisk before setting up Android or after? But I suppose from USB-OTG bypasses that issue, so thanks for reporting.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] phaino00:
Same here concerning the option to enter pin, pattern, etc. when fastboot booted twrp.img: It does not appear. Given this, I mounted usb-otg partition and flashed Magisk 14.5. Root achieved. I completed this after flashing the Dec factory image. It was a clean flash (i.e., did not remove -w flag)

Have adaway working, removed unwanted system apps and working on getting v4a working.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Thanks again, seems to be working 100% with ElementalX v2.03 and Magisk v14.5 (build 1456).
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
PSA: I recommend avoiding ElementalX 2.03 on 8.1 Final until it's updated. At first, it seems to be working, but boot loops galore when you reboot. No boot loops without it. Also, just because it's related, SuperSU 2.82 SR5 doesn't work for me (repeated tries on fresh installs) on 8.1 Final. Magisk 14.5 build 1456 seems to, though (thanks [MENTION=3097488]phaino00[/MENTION]).
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] quinejh:
can you tell me which version of v4a you are working with? I cant seem to find a stand alone version of it but have read several posts whee it's been mentioned. I keep ending back up in the ARISE thread. thanks for the help
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Having a major problem with my most important contact not syncing. My wife! I see her in Google in the web ui but she's not on the phone. Tried clearing Contacts app data, turning off sync and back on, rebooting the phone multiple times, I exported her contact info from the web ui and reimported her so there's now two, still no change.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] phaino00:
I have been working with this:

https://xdaforums.com/pixel-2-xl/how-to/viper4android-8-1-0-t3711474/page2

The v4a is 2.5.0.5 app and 2.5.0.4 driver. This seems to be working for some on the pixel 2.

I have not succeeded yet.

---------- Post added at 03:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:32 AM ----------

I lost my son and sister....very odd issue

Besides what you did, I exported their contact info as a .vcf and imported to contacts app. Their contact info showed up and within seconds disappeared again.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] churchmice:
The latest SuperSU is not working, saying patching sepolicy failed.

A rather strange thing is that the files I have flashed in twrp does not populate after system boots, eg, I placed a file under /system/system/blabla (I have checked mount system read/write in twrp), but after a reboot, I could not find the file under /system
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] sliding_billy:
I have the same sepolicy crash. Does yours happen on a non-XL Pixel, because that issue only happened to me on the non-XL. My XL rooted fine with the USB install workaround.

https://xdaforums.com/pixel/development/twrp-alpha1-pixel-devices-t3500314/page101
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] churchmice:
Yes, mine is pixel, generation 1.

I tried to install magisk 14.5 and it works flawlessly.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Really odd. That is why they should wait longer than a week after a DP to release a Final. [emoji16]

Guess I'll type her in manually for now, at least basic info. I have her exported and since I can see her in the web UI nothing is really lost.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] m0h1t:
TWRP v3.2.0.0 is unable to decrypt the data partition. Any solution yet?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Juhler:
I removed any screen locking, had a pattern before and tried with pin and password. Removing the screen lock solved the problem.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
You can also use USB-OTG to install things (like Magisk). I'm sure TWRP will have to be updated before it'll work with decrypting the internal storage on 8.1 Final. Keep an eye on the OP - I'll update there when or if it's fixed.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] sliding_billy:
I'm sure that moving the search bar to the bottom works for some folks (AKA increases advertising revenue), but the fact that it cannot be moved or disabled like any other widget is ridiculous. Perhaps someone will write a "fix" for it that doesn't involve installing a custom launcher, or someone already has and I haven't seen it since I was not running the test builds and only installed 8.1 yesterday.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Has anyone gotten MTP working to access internal storage from a Windows PC from within Android 8.1 Final WITHOUT turning off USB Debugging? Device Manager sees it just fine on Windows 7 but it's not available until I turn off USB Debugging - or is that normal!? Actually, even with it off, Windows Explorer sees the Pixel, but when I enter it, there's no storage listed.

Once again, USB-OTG worked just fine within Android 8.1, at least.

I do use a custom launcher (Nova - can never live without it for long), but thanks for noticing since I wouldn't have. I'll add that as a known issue.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Coronado is dead:
Spent hours trying to fix contacts last night, haha.

I got a few that kept disappearing on sync to sync and stay by erasing the anniversary date listed and then manually readding it on my phone after the sync.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] phaino00:
Concerning the contact sync issue, my OCD was in hyperdrive this morning. Given this, I reflashed the 8.1 DP2 image to see if all my contacts synced since all my contacts were synced yesterday prior to flashing the OPM1 image. (BTW, all my contacts synced normally when flashing DP2 Preview image late last week).

Well, the same contacts missing on the OPM1 image were now missing on the DP2 preview image.

All the flashes of images were completed with '-w flag' intact.

I guess it's time to delete and re-add missing contacts as mentioned above.

---------- Post added at 04:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:55 PM ----------

What are you referring to with 'anniversary date'?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Coronado is dead:
Sorry, like I have my parents anniversary date in each of their contacts. Some worked by removing and then readding the birthdate as well.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
Dude, my wife is the only contact that missing out of my contact list as well. This is incredibly bizarre...wonder what they did to make this happen? Can't figure it out on my end either to get her on my phone normally.

Edit: Ooops, it seems there are others missing as well. Maybe all from my "favorites"...not 100% sure, but I think most of them are from there.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Wow, thanks all for the additional confirmations. I'm not too worried since the web UI Contacts still has my wife, so it'll likely get fixed somewhere, hopefully fast. [MENTION=3097488]phaino00[/MENTION] , check to see if they're still listed in Google Contacts on the web https://www.google.com/contacts/u/0/?hl=en-US.

There's an XL thread where someone indicates the missing contacts issue on Final 8.1, and DP2 8.1 afterwards, is happening on the Nexus, Pixel 2, and of course the XL, too. https://xdaforums.com/pixel-xl/help/android-8-1-partially-syncing-contacts-t3715298

[MENTION=2941286]xdabbeb[/MENTION] brought up a good point, I had noticed too but I forgot about. In Settings/Accounts (or whatever it's called now)/Google you can see an exclamation point beside the syncing Contacts. So the phone does know it's having a problem syncing.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] phaino00:
Yes, the missing contacts on the phone were showing on my contacts.google.com page.

I did a quick test. Deleted contact info of a contact on the contacts.google.com page. Re-added the contact info in the contacts app (Google contacts app) on the phone. From here, I did a fresh install of the OPM1 image. The re-added contact now shows on both contacts.google.com and the contacts app.

Confused, but that's technology. Tons of points of failure on the string between the tin cans.;)
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
:D :D :D

Another user posted another workaround in the XL thread. I link to it in the OP (down below the issue listed). Hopefully Google fixes it today rather than tomorrow.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
8.1 DP2

For some reason, this official release also wants to download and install the 8.1 DP2 (OPP6.171019.012). It keeps notifying me the beta version is ready to download and install.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Huh! I haven't seen that myself. Was your 8.1 a clean install, OTA, or how exactly did you install (FlashFire, ADB...)?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] TonikJDK:
I had that. Unenrolling from the beta solved it.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Ah! Thanks for the confirmation. I'll add to the list of issues since Google should know better. :)
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
Yeah, clean install, wiped all. Installed using SkipSoft Toolkit.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Sync still not working for me yet. I checked the Sync icon again, no ! either before or after disabling and re-enabling contacts sync, rebooted, my wife still isn't there, but she is still in the web contacts. A friend of mine had his sync start working again, though.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] michaelh99:
I've got a noob question but since I don't risk having to wipe my phone and start over...

Several times it's been mentioned that one can use USB-OTG to install *something* to get around the fact that twrp won't decrypt the data partition.

That sounds reasonable.

But nobody has clearly said what this will fix.

I'm using twrp 3.1.1 and it won't accept any pattern unlock I throw at it. If I disable pattern unlock, it still asks for a pattern and then says it's wrong. I've tried setting a pin and clearing the unlock and it always asks for a pattern. It never asks for a pin or password.

Q1. Is there a fix for this?

Q2. Is it safe for me to attempt to unroot in this state by mounting USB-OTG and running from there?

Thanks in advance.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Hi!

There's no fix, there's only workarounds. Press Cancel and then press the button to keep System Read Only.

Did you mean to say root instead of unroot? Yes, it's safe to root. No idea about unrooting, you'd have to give more details.

The file(s) to flash from USB-OTG are Magisk v14.5 build 1456 if you want to root Android 8.1, and optionally (but do this before flashing Magisk if you want it at all) a custom kernel like the excellent ElementalX v3.00 kernel, then flash Magisk after it. ElementalX always requires that the boot.img be completely stock before flashing it, and Magisk modifies the boot.img too so that's why you only flash Magisk after ElementalX (if you want the custom kernel). The files flashing from USB-OTG have nothing to do with fixing anything - it's just that since the internal storage and all of the data partition are unable to be decrypted in TWRP while on Android 8.1, then you can't flash files that you have stored on internal storage - hence the use of an unencrypted flash drive through USB-OTG.

Hope that helps!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
What TWRP tries to do is decrypt your internal memory/storage, etc. Since it never can match your pattern with what it's actually looking for, everything appears like gibberish. By using an OTG device, TWRP doesn't need to try to decrypt that since it was never encrypted. So it can read your OTG device so you can choose folders/files to flash.

As far as I know, there is no fix until Team Win irons things out with the new OS.

Edit: dang, [MENTION=2560614]roirraW "edor" ehT[/MENTION] beat me to it! LOL Should have known better.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Thanks mate! :) Sorry I inadvertently ninja'd you. ;P LOL

Muhahahaha!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] michaelh99:
Thanks to both of you for the replies and yes, I did mean to say root instead of unroot.

Now to give the old OTG a try.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] michaelh99:
Double thanks. I had to reload the latest OTA but magisk installed fine after that.

Now to see if there's a replacement for afwall+ that's magisk friendly
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Good to hear! Whenever TWRP gets fixed and I make full nandroid backups, I might always use USB-OTG because I noticed with my USB 3.0 flash drive, it's blazingly fast.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Anonymous Vagrant:
Flashed to 8.1 with TWRP 3.2 and Magisk 14.5 and ElementalX 3.0. I use flash-all with -w removed. However i'm getting an error dialog after every bootup. Is anyone getting "there's an internal problem with your device. Contact your manufacturer for details"? I googled and it has something to do with vendor.img. I flashed back the vendor.img thru twrp but the error is still there. Halp! :(
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] henk-jan:
+1 (without magisk)
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Check the OP.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Anonymous Vagrant:
Is there no fix to the dialog error?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
No, but if I or anyone ever comes across a fix (please let me know), I will update the OP.

[RANT]Believe me, I'm not happy either, but I'm mostly upset that the new official maintainers of SuperSU haven't updated it since May. Especially since [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION] was able to make a v2.82 SR5 that worked on 8.0, the official maintainers should've been able to have a final release at least for 8.0, so I don't have much hope that they'll update it for 8.1 at least anytime very soon.

I preferred having a pin access set to my SuperUser access, which I don't seem to be able to do with Magisk. I don't hate Magisk, and all props to the author(s), and at least it's open source, I believe. I'd be willing to donate $50 to [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION] to keep maintaining SuperSU, but he probably has no choice now since it got turned over and he likely had a contract to stop working on it at some point, but that's just speculation.

[/RANT]

That was merely a rant regarding SuperUser access, not against you, or [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION] for that matter. :)

At least Magisk is actively developed, so it won't surprise me if there's a fixed update to it eventually.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
Fix for Contact Sync Issue:

[MENTION=2560614]roirraW "edor" ehT[/MENTION]

Ok fixed it.

Go to system settings>apps. Show all then click three dots to show system apps

Then find Contacts Storage and tap that. Then storage and clear app data.

Then everything will update...my wife is back!

Thanks to ScottG_TC over in the Pixel User Community Forums.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
I tried that once already but I'll try it again just in case. Thanks! I'll report back. [MENTION=3130300]Jank4AU[/MENTION] , no luck for me.

[MENTION=3130300]Jank4AU[/MENTION] OH! Contacts Storage app. I thought was just meaning Contacts, then go into Storage. WORKED, THANKS!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
Yeah, I edited it to place Contacts Storage in italics and bold. I initially thought it was just the contacts app, then storage. I'm much happier now that my contacts are all back. :highfive:
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Yarp! I'm out of thanks again! Thanks for clarifying the post!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] Jank4AU:
Ha ha, no need for thanks bro. I don't do much around here these days anymore. Just glad I can contribute from time to time still. ;)
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Anyone who had contact sync trouble - check your emergency contacts. Settings/Users & accounts/Emergency information.

Down below, in the Emergency contacts, there were three contacts set as my emergency contacts who were most definitely not who I had previously set. I'm wondering if it's related to the previous sync trouble, or if it's another bug. Thanks!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] pWEN:
Do you know if [MENTION=3297454]thedude420[/MENTION] 's DTBO patch method for the Pixel 2 XL will also work on other Pixels?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Thanks for making me aware, I'll take a look as soon as I get a chance. I don't know, offhand.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] TheDude:
It should, do not know why it would not. dtbo patching has been removed... Give it a shot and report back!

Just make sure that you uninstall the official Magisk Manager app before flashing!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] pWEN:
Thanks for the input! Going to try it out when I get a chance, later tonight if not sooner. Here's my plan of attack, if I'm understanding the various threads properly:

1. Clean flash 8.1 to both slots (I want to)

2. Set up the basics WITHOUT a PIN

3. fastboot boot TWRP-3.2.0-0

4. Copy over thedude420's modified Magisk files and ElementalX-P-3.0.0

5. Flash Magisk

6. Without rebooting, flash stock boot.img

7. Without rebooting, flash ElementalX

8. Reboot to system

9. Install Magisk Manager
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Word is at https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=74782925&postcount=6238 that Magisk v14.2 (not v14.5 build 1456) both works with Android 8.1

AND

with FlashFire - which is an alternative to using TWRP. I used FlashFire 100% from Android 8.0 November for installing complete firmware images and flashing ElementalX and SuperSU, so may work just fine with ElementalX v3.00 and Magisk v14.2.

I have not tested this myself.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Any news? Get a chance to try?
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] pWEN:
Sorry for the late response... Okay, I followed my own setup instructions.

I got the error after rebooting. When I installed the Magisk Manager apk, it asked if I wanted to install the Magisk-v14.0.zip file, which I declined. It also says Magisk is not installed.

I then re-flashed to stock, set things up without a PIN, and this time I did ElementalX BEFORE [MENTION=3297454]thedude420[/MENTION] 's Magisk zip file. (And I didn't flash the stock boot.img as I was already on stock before flashing ElementalX.) I got the "internal problem" error again on reboot, but Magisk was installed, and after updating Google Play services, it passes SafetyNet.

I did some more Googling and apparently misunderstood something: DTBO is NOT something in the boot.img, it's a separate img file. I see that I need to extract the "dtbo.img" from the firmware zip, but I looked all through it, and no such file exists. I downloaded and extracted the Pixel 2 XL's 8.1 firmware and found it there, so I'm guessing it's just not something the first Pixel has.

The error message isn't a big deal, as I rarely reboot my phone. Magisk and ElementalX are working (and I don't bother installing TWRP to recovery anymore as it doesn't work well, and even flar2 has said he doesn't bother anymore either), so I guess I'll run with this for now.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] pWEN:
Last night I couldn't get into Animal Crossing Pocket Camp (error 802-5808), so I checked it off in MagiskHide, force-closed ACPC and cleared its cache and data, and then it worked. This morning it failed with the same error again, so I checked Magisk, and SafetyNet failed both counts. Did a phone reboot and now it works again. Does this random(?) Magisk failing happen on 14.2? If not, I might completely wipe and reflash the phone and try Magisk 14.2 instead.

Edit: My complaint/concern here is about Magisk, but I happened to come across a way to keep playing ACPC when it throws that error, for those interested:

1. Use a file manager to go to /data/data/com.nintendo.zaca/shared_prefs

2. Make a backup of the deviceAccount.xml file

3. Delete the deviceAccount.xml file

4. Open ACPC and log in to your Nintendo account

5. On the Main Menu, select "data restore"
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] pWEN:
Just an update to say I've reflashed my phone from stock and installed Magisk 14.2 (1420) with ElementalX 3.00. On first boot, Magisk passed SafetyNet, though it harasses me about updating the app, which doesn't work. I don't know if installing a newer app on an older Magisk will cause issues, but I might flash it later. So far Animal Crossing works (yay); if that changes (affecting all of the other SafetyNet-sensitive apps I have), I'm going to full stock and skipping root. It'd suck, but I guess I'd learn to live with it until someone comes up with a more stable method.

Edit: forgot to mention that I still get that "internal problem" error on booting
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Thanks for the update! Good luck in your continued endeavors!
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] cnkhanh:
I'm having problem updating to 8.1 from official 8.0 stock FW...

Can anyone give me any idea?

https://xdaforums.com/pix...o-8-1-t3719879
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Your link is corrupted. Here it is for anyone who hasn't already seen the thread Unable to update to 8.1 in anyway. Any replies, please leave them in that thread.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
[MENTION=3097488]phaino00[/MENTION] and other users have reported that TWRP v3.2.1-0.img take care of the internal storage decryption problem.

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=74868928&postcount=380

Get it at https://twrp.me/. It has been reported that FLASHing the new TWRP.zip (as opposed to just fastboot boot twrp.img) will make the phone only boot back into recovery every time - never back into Android. I haven't not personally confirmed this, however.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] pWEN:
Another quick update: I had to reboot my phone for some unrelated reason. When I did, Magisk failed the SafetyNet check. Rebooted again and it was fine. So 14.2 isn't any more stable than 14.5. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I saw topjohnwu posted a few hours ago on Twitter that a new Magisk build is in the works, so I'll just hold out until then.
[Google Pixel Guides, News, & Discussion] roirraW "edor" ehT:
Nice ASCII!