[Google Pixel XL Guides, News, & Discussion] FreeSoftwareServers:
Heres my adventure installing Andriod 9 Pie on my Pixel XL w/ Magisk for root and ElementalX Kernel.

TLDR: The GitHub 16.7 Zip WILL NOT WORK with Pixel XL, you can use patched_boot.img or use MagiskMGR to download Magisk-16.7(1671).zip for Pixel{XL} and I *suspect* 1674 for Pixel 2{XL} (Aug 7th 2018)

I ran into bootloop installing Magisk via zip and did a lot of troubleshooting, hopeing this can save others time.

* I use Minimal ADB and Fastboot and Unified Android Toolkit

How I Did It:

* I go way overkill and start as fresh/clean as possible

* Install Stock FW >> wipe userdata >> using Unified Android Toolkits "Manual Method"
* Enable USB Debugging and File X-Fer Mode and run Minmal ADB and Fastboot
* adb reboot bootloader >> fastboot boot twrp.img >> install twrp >> wipe cache >> reboot
* adb reboot recovery >> (test TWRP)
* Install ElementalX Kernel >> wipe cache >> reboot
* Install MagiskMGR >> Switch to "Beta" track >> Download Magisk Zip
* Reboot to TWRP >> Install Magisk Zip
* Reboot >> Check SafetyNet Status and Root(SU) >> Success!!

Download Links:

Magisk 16.7:

Uninstaller Zip:

https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v16.7/Magisk-uninstaller-20180719.zip

Magisk Zip:

https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/v16.7/Magisk-v16.7.zip * USE MAGISKMGR!~

Magisk Manager:

https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/download/manager-v5.8.3/MagiskManager-v5.8.3.apk

TWRP:

Fastboot IMG:

https://dl.twrp.me/marlin/twrp-3.2.3-0-marlin.img

TWRP Installer Zip:

https://dl.twrp.me/marlin/twrp-pixel-installer-marlin-3.2.3-0.zip

ElementalX Kernel:

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=5862345805528061089

http://qc4.androidfilehost.com/dl/1...23/5862345805528061089/ElementalX-P-4.06.zip?

Factory 9.0 Image for Pixel XL:

https://dl.google.com/dl/android/aosp/marlin-ppr1.180610.009-factory-90a4fa8b.zip

Minimal ADB and Fastboot:

https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=962187416754459552

https://nl2.androidfilehost.com/dl/...9552/minimal_adb_fastboot_1.4.3_portable.zip?

Run One:

Same as above >> except I used 16.0 Magisk and got bootloop

Run Two:

Same as above >> except I used 16.7 Magisk and got bootloop
After bootloop >> ran "uninstaller" then immediatley "installer" and rebooted (no wipe cache) and got bootloop
Rebooted into TWRP >> uninstalled magisk >> booted fine.
Rebooted into TWRP >> installed magisk >> bootloop.
Rebooted into TWRP >> uninstalled magisk >> installed supersu >> rebooted fine. (SuperSU root worked fine)
Rebooted into TWRP >> installed Magisk and got bootloop

Run Three:

* Install Stock FW >> wipe userdata >> using Unified Android Toolkits "Manual Method"
* fastboot boot twrp.img
* Install Magisk 16.7 >> rebooted into Android Recovery!? >> "Try Again" >> Recovery Loop >> "Factory Reset" >> Recovery Loop... (This was HARD to get out of >> but I eventually got to bootloader and re-started)

Run Four:

* Install Stock FW >> wipe userdata >> using Unified Android Toolkits "Manual Method"
* Install Magisk Manager APK and Patch stock boot.img
* Copy img to PC and flash via: fastboot flash boot patched_boot.img
* Got error about no "boota/bootb" >> researched >> had to update minimal adb!

>fastboot flash boot patched_boot.img
target reported max download size of 536870912 bytes
sending 'boota' (25788 KB)...
OKAY [ 0.549s]
writing 'boota'...
FAILED (remote: No such partition.)
finished. total time: 0.562s
Can anyone help with that?

>fastboot flash boot patched_boot.img
target reported max download size of 536870912 bytes
sending 'boota' (25788 KB)...
OKAY [ 0.549s]
writing 'boota'...
FAILED (remote: No such partition.)
finished. total time: 0.562s

- Booted fine YAY! >> Safety Net Passed
- fastboot TWRP >> forgot to copy twrp.zip >> Rebooted and swiped to install TWRP app >> Bootlooop [headbang...]

Note: This was a "different/real" bootloop as in, before it would loop back to TWRP or Android Recovery, now it just shutoff mid loading and then back to attempting to load.

Run Five:

* Start fresh as above, but install TWRP, reboot and confirm working
* Flash Magisk Patched_Boot
* Reboot >> Bootloop

Run Six:

* Start Fresh
* Flash Magisk Patched_Boot >> Reboot >> Success! Pass SafetyNet >> Reboot >> Success!
* Install TWRP >> Reboot >> Recoveryloop
* Uninstall Magisk >> RecoveryLoop
* Install MagiskZIP << Booted!~ WTF
* Theory: Magisk16.7 "Generic" from Github doesn't work, need 1671 version that MagiskMGR downloads, retry using that ZIP from Fresh, but first
* Test installing ElementalX Kernel >> Booted fine :eek:, I expected Boot Loop, going to test installing TWRP + Kernel 1st as I planned to do from a fresh stock flash.

Run Seven!:

* Start Fresh
* Install TWRP, reboot and confirm working
* Install ElementalX, reboot and confirm working
* Install Magisk16.7(1671).zip >> Reboot >> Success!!!!!!!

Q: Does patched_boot.img need to be re-created each flash? Is file shareable/re-useable or unique to device/current flash?

Q: Did I just have a corrupted Magisk Github DL? If anybody wants to try again and test, I ran out of energy once it worked!