yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
What about the hiccup screen warning that the bootloader is unlocked? Do you let go of both buttons? Do you press the power button to dismiss the warning? Do you hold the Volume Up while releasing and re-pressing Power?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] gcrutchr:
Release the power button
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] zabro19:
Hello, please i'm not familiar with this , can you please help me to root my tablet sm-t295 and i will pay you . my skype : SoufMeez
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] gcrutchr:
PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS BEFORE STARTING!! VERY IMPORTANT!!

Here are the steps to root your tablet:

Make a backup of you apps & data before doing this. This procedure will

wipe all you data.

Go to settings.

Select software info

Tap build number 7 times to get into developer mode

Go back to main settings page.

Scroll to bottom and select developer mode

In middle of page find OEM unlocking

Make sure slider is all the way to the right (should say allow bootloader to be unlocked)

Unlock bootloader:

1. turn off tablet

2. press and hold down vol up & vol down keys together

3. insert usb cable (should already be connected to computer)

4. when bootloader screen appears, release all keys

5. press and hold vol up key for 5 seconds, then release

6. read instructions on screen to unlock bootloader (this will wipe all your data)

After reboot, go through normal setup.

Now for the hard part.

You need to download the complete ROM you have installed on your Tablet.

It will be better if you have the same ROM version as I do in post #1.

You need to unzip the ROM so you can flash it in ODIN.

If you are on the same ROM version as in my post #1, then you can just download my rooted files. You also need to download the complete stock ROM to be flashed.

Unzip my downloaded root files zip file.

In the AP* file, you need to replace my files in the zip in post #1: system.img, recovery.img & vbmeta.img

Start ODIN. Select files for BL*, AP*, CSC* & CP*

For CSC file, select HOME_CSC*

Uncheck auto reboot

Flash ROM.

Press vol dn + pwr key

As soon as screen goes blank press vol up key and hold

When get into recovery, select data wipe, the reboot

Set up phone as you normally would.

After setup, go to Play store and install Magisk Manager. Run Magisk Manager to see if you have root.

Additional info from Magisk web site:

Important: Uncheck “Auto Reboot” in Options!

Magisk is now successfully flashed to your device! But there are still several steps before you can properly use the device.

We now want to boot into the stock recovery to factory reset our device.

Full data wipe is mandatory! Do not skip this step.

Press Power + Volume Down to exit download mode. As soon as the screen turns off, immediately press the combo key to boot to recovery (e.g. on the S10 it is Power + Bixby + Volume Up). Since we want to boot into stock recovery, continue pressing the volume up button until you see the stock recovery screen.

Use volume buttons to navigate through the stock recovery menu, and the power button to select an option. Choose Wipe data/factory reset to wipe the data of the device.

This time, we can finally boot to the system with Magisk. Select Reboot system now, and immediately press the combo key to recovery. After seeing the bootloader warning screen, release all buttons so it can boot to the system.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LittleTivor:
Organizing instructions

Hello gcrutchr, is it okay to ask you to merge those instructions to the start of the thread? That would make it easier to follow the guide and avoid mistakes. Since I've never rooted any device after KitKat I feel a bit insecure to do so. It'd really help me to see all of the instructions clearly on the first post and in the correct order.

Thanks in advance, and sorry about the trouble.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] tiago156:
Trouble flashing T295

Hello,

i'm trying for the last few days to be able to flash the magisk tar file on my T295 (firmware XXS3ATB2), but I'm stuck with this error:

Custom Binary (vbmeta) Blocked By OEM LOCK (attached images)

Was that caused by the OEM LOCK: ON? On your tablet do you have OEM LOCK: ON as well? Im not sure if I get it right on the bootloader unlock procedure, I have the "OEM Unlocking" option activated.

Thanks!
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] tiago156:
Found a way to unlock the bootloader, I did several tries and the timing of pressing the VOL+/VOL- and connecting the USB cable was the issue, now I Have the bootloader unlocked! :victory:

Buuut, I got this error:

and on Odin I got PASS

View attachment 5024431

Anyone with this error message?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Tianhe:
Noob question - which program did you use to replace the files in original AP .tar.md5 with your patched files ? Also, will it affect md5 integrity and cause flashing failure or do we need patched Odin?

Pardon my ignorance, i am more familiar with fastboot commands / TWRP and never used Samsung.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
This is exactly what I got when I finally succeeded: tablet says "SECURE CHECK FAIL: vbmeta", Odin says pass, if I manage to go directly from download screen to recovery to wipe data, and then manage to boot towards recovery without actually getting to recovery mode, I finally have Magisk installed.

I'm surprised you got Odin to say pass. I thought that the reason I got it was because, on my last try, the AP.tar I used only had three files in it. I've been assuming that Odin finished downloading before the tablet got around to telling Odin that the tablet didn't like the vbmeta.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] gcrutchr:
You can use winzip, 7-zip or rar. Do no worry about MD5.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] star.k:
Sm-t295n a 8.0 TWRP,Rooting

Can you convert it to SM-T295N TWRP, ROOT file? If not, can you convert T295N to the T295 file you provided?

Can you convert it to SM-T295N TWRP, ROOT file? If not, can you convert T295N to the T295 file you provided?:):)

T295N I have a full version of Android 9.0. Is it possible to ROOT?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Tianhe:
Thank you, i couldn't delete/replace files with 7-zip (error) but used another program to unzip .tar, replace files and rezip to .tar without adding .md5. Couldn't reboot to recovery so i couldn't wipe data but since the tablet was already factory reset before this process, it didn't matter much i guess. Interestingly, even adb command for rebooting to recovery only takes me to BL unlock warning screen and then reboots to system.

Some questions, if you don't mind:

1) How to apply OTA's in absence of full ROM file while keeping Magisk intact?

2) This is not an A/B device but SAR-A only; no custom recovery as yet but will applying OTA be affected if i alter some system files which compromises system integrity ?

NOTE: If somebody tries to repeatedly flash the modified files through Odin, KG Status changes to pre-normal and you are pretty much locked out.

Also, internal memory decreases from 32 GB to 8GB (even after nand erase and flashing .pit file) unless you flash stock.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Tianhe:
[MENTION=1826556]gcrutchr[/MENTION]

<In the AP* file, you need to replace my files in the zip: system.img, recovery.img & vbmeta.img>

1) Doesn't your magisk_patched.tar contain modified boot, recovery & vbmeta ? If yes, then how can it replace system.img ?

2) On XXS3ATB2 (INS) update, the relevant magisk_patched.tar fails to flash in Odin. Do we need to flash the entire modified AP file or only the magisk_patched.tar in AP ?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
I'm not sure what state you're in now. I think your best bet is to start from scratch: Download the stock firmware to your tablet. Make sure it boots. Make sure the bootloader is unlocked. Remove any accounts (Google or Samsung). Make sure you can boot to recovery. Pick a Magisk, put it on the tablet, use it to patch the AP file of the firmware you just flashed to the tablet, drag the patched AP file back to a PC, perform [MENTION=1826556]gcrutchr[/MENTION]'s magic, and build a new tar file with just three files in it: boot.img, recovery.img, vbmeta.img. Run Odin again, using your new, tiny, tar file for AP, and using the stock firmware files for the other three slots. (Use HOME_CSC in the CSC slot.)

Wu's instructions make it sound like it's important to go straight, from flashing the magisk_patched files, to recovery to wipe data / factory reset. I don't know why it's important, but do it. If you fumble it, don't even try to boot, go back to the "flash the tiny tar" step.

If you manage to get from flashing to wiping, then keep trying to boot towards but not quite to recovery to give Magisk a chance to run. Try it a dozen times before you give up.

Once you have Magisk installed, I don't think you can install an OTA update. There's lots of talk about how to install the latest firmware, but I think if you want to have Magisk when you're done, you have to find a copy of the firmware -- you can't do an OTA update of a modified system, and you can't install Magisk without a copy of the firmware for Magisk to patch.

Finally, I think you should stick to this thread. It's where you're most likely to get the attention of people who have successfully installed Magisk on a SM-T295.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Yeah, it is very stupid that the firmware is now signed and can't be edited..., but, if you need to flash an older bootloader which does allow the installation of TWRP and that things, doesn't it also allow modified firmware???
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
By the way, does it really take that long to boot the device? My device has a lot of apps and games (SM-T290 model) and still boots very fast, although the apps are installed to an SD card (main reason for root, also use other interesting stuff)...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
Back to another topic I'm confused about. Magisk is sat on my rooted device and was added as part of the instructions I followed in this thread. Somebody else said DON'T update Magisk , others said do....

So see this pic : What do I do? update both listed apps? What about the options on recovery/boot ? preserve force encryption / preserve AVB 2.0/dm-vertity whatever that means
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Of course some people say update Magisk. There have been changes, some might be good for you. On the other hand, why bother? Why did you install Magisk?

I installed Magisk as the first way I found to get setuser privilege. Maybe the only way. That's all I want.

If you are not trying to use Magisk's other capabilities -- being able to "modify" /system, being able to install "modules" that do magic things -- why bother? Especially since you say you tried once and had problems.

(If you are really interested in updating Magisk, it might be that the version you started with is so old that the direct update through the manager just won't work. You might have an easier time if you uninstall Magisk, restore the original ROM, then install the latest version of Magisk.)

As for your struggles to do what you think should be simple things -- eliminate nag screen, boot when power applied -- I don't think it's a matter of your technical expertise. I think it just can't be done.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
On the Magisk issue, the only reason its on my tablet is purely because on page #1 of this thread on instruction #18 it said install the Magisk file attached on the header post. Thats literally how its there...not because I was doing anything clever, just following instruction. Totally happy to uninstall it providing I keep root ( can I keep root ..because the moment I trigger uninstall..the first warning I get is that Root will be removed.. ??? )
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
This is the supplied instruction per your recommended thread about the param file, also what my PC session shows when I try. Just the word "soc" and a fresh prompt "gto: / $" whatever that means

Also ,the device is definitely listed when I type adb devices
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
The point of this thread was to celebrate being able to get "root". Magisk was the means to obtaining root.

If you want root, do not uninstall Magisk -- keep Magisk.

If all you want is root, I do not think you will be missing anything if you use the old Magisk, so do not update Magisk.

Also, do not allow your tablet to update: It is bad news if a system update is run while the things changed while installing Magisk are changed. It is also possible (likely?) that an update will drag you kicking and screaming to a version of the bootloader that is not even as cooperative as the one that you have now.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Add the "-l" option to "ls" to get more information:

ls -l /dev/block/platform

If the first letter of a line of output is a "d", the item is a directory. It might be useful to see what's in the directory:

ls -l /dev/block/platform/soc
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
Thanks J.Michael , all above now makes perfect sense to me. Just on the stock rom side, mine is presently on an older "TI4" rom at Andriod 10 from Sept 2020. There are newer ones if I chose to upgrade and try go through the whole root process again, but I remember somebody posting at note saying don't allow bootloader version 4 or 5? otherwise root or bootloader access gets blocked? So going off the enclosed list there is a 'Security Patch level column displaying 3/4/5 values. So am I right to conclude DON'T upgrade beyond rom "UA6" ?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
Yes, do not update above UA6, because on T295XXU4CUD4 already version 4 of the bootloader cannot go back to 3. And besides, on the 4th and 5th bootloader, even if the bootloader is unlocked, you still cannot install any custom file such as a patched kernel for Root or custom TWRP recovery.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
I advise not updating at all. What new feature or so-called security patch is worth the risk?

I think you are right about which update is the most recent but still at rev. 3 for the bootloader.

There has been talk of using a rev. 3 bootloader file with the other three files from a later ROM when running Odin. Read the thread, it's in there somewhere.

I will leave it to someone like @Talich52 to tell you what, how, and how safe.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
I wrote about it somewhere in this or another topic. You can even upgrade to the latest firmware with bootloader 5, but first replace the aboot.mbn & vaultkeeper.mbn files from Android 9 in the BL part. Then it is possible to rewrite, install TWRP ...

Here is such a modified BL file,use it instead of the regular BL when updating via ODIN :
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Okay, so I must flash every file as the update like normal, but flash that BL files instead of the other one? Will download it as soon as the update comes available in my country.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
Yes, yes. Upon the release of the full firmware T295XXS5CWA1 for your region, use the AP; CP; HOME_CSC files and the attached BL file from the firmware zip-archive. For rooting, if the bootloader was unlocked, it is enough to patch the boot.img & vbmeta.img files from the AP part and flash the tar archive with these files via ODIN. Or install TWRP and apply Magisk.zip ... It is possible to save data at the same time if you do not let the device boot before applying multidisabler and Magisk.zip from TWRP.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
OK just a quick check. Yesterday to was clear to me that in my image share, I should not attempt to install anything above UK image 'UA6' as that was highest image with Bootloader v#3 ? But there is now other replies saying its possible to get newer Android 11 stock roms ( in UK case 'WA1 ) providing the BL file is swapped out for a modded v3 BL version. Is that correct or am I totally misunderstanding what posts I've seen?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
All mumbo jumbo to me but hope this helps :
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I've tried to change my CSC code using the SamFW FRP Tool without losing data, and it looks like it worked as my device lists 'XER' CSC instead of 'PHN' CSC at 'Software Provider' section. I think I will update tomorrow, also: my phone gives the error "The operating systemm on your device has been modified in an unauthorised way" when I try to search for updates.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
Yes, that's right. In the modified BL file, the aboot.mbn (bootloader) and vaultkeeper.mbn files are taken from android 9. You do the same replacement when rooting Android 10 ... But if the bootloader of version 4 or 5 is already installed, then the replacement cannot be made. I repeat - you cannot update the bootloader to version 4 or 5 ...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
On the T290 model, the bootloader has been updated to version 4 and there is no rollback. Therefore, do not update the firmware over the air, only through ODIN with a preliminary modification of the BL file, or do not flash it at all so that version 3 remains.

Even with stock firmware, there will be an error when trying to update due to an unlocked bootloader.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Yes, I was not planning to update using OTA. I just wanted to test whether the new CSC could find the new update, so to know that it could work to update using Odin.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Stop jumping around.

I do not understand why you are talking about changing your CSC code. If you install a ROM, that ROM will determine everything about your installed software -- that ROM becomes your installed software.

Where are you searching for updates, that you are getting a message about your device being modified?

DO NOT use the update function in Android settings. If you tell it to update your software, it will not give you a chance to do one of @Talich52's little dances to retain the ability to modify the software. You are not going to get a second chance -- if you install too high a version of the bootloader, you will never be able to modify this device.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ebod:
OK so right now I'm on the TI4 Android 10 rom with unlocked bootloader & root. I have downloaded the most up-to-date stock rom "WA1" for the SM-T295 an you are saying if I hook my device up to ODIN and flash the new Android11 "WA1" AP/CP/CSC files and DO NOT flash the BL file, then all will work fine and I keep a rooted Android 11 stock rom?

Also its not 100% clear to me whether I should select the CSC or the HOME_CSC file ? Whats the difference?

Thx
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
It is better to flash the BL file, but modified, which I posted on the previous page. Root of course It will not be saved, because you will flash the stock firmware ... I recommend getting Root rights again using the current version of Magisk 25.2.

P.S. when using the CSC file, the data will be reset, that is, the firmware will be completely clean. When using the HOME_CSC file, all data and settings will remain, that is, the update option.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I know it is a bit weird how I'm doing it, because I wanted to change the CSC from within Android without data loss so that I could flash a firmware from a different country that gets the updates faster (for firmware packages). And if you looked at my new reply, you saw that I was searching the update to test whether the update could be found and changing the CSC worked so I could flash the firmware package for that new CSC...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Oh wait Talich, I need the one for T290...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Maybe I don't understand what a "CSC" is. I thought it was a code that is part of the name of the giant zip file that you can download from a site like "sammobile". If you choose to burn a ROM with a different CSC to your tablet, then your tablet is now *that* CSC. There's no "change the tablet CSC so the tablet will accept a different ROM".

I repeat, you cannot allow OTA updates if you have installed Magisk. If you're lucky, it will refuse to update. If you are not lucky, it will try to update and screw up your tablet.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I SAID, I wanted to test whether an update was found, no more.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
OH NO, the device is now in a bootloop after I flashed the new firware and the older bootloader from an other thread (for the SM-T290)...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I will try to reinstall and only flash Multidisabler, and not Magisk yet. Will do that later when I get it to work...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I think I will downgrade for now. I think it will be possible as my device did never boot into the system itself and so I think it will stay good without losing data.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
You have changed the region from PHN to XAR USA, which has already received an update to T290XXS4CWA1 with an increase in the bootloader version from 3 to 4. You can change the region using the Samkey or SamFW_FRP_Tool program with saving data...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
No problem, here is the modified BL file:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I just migrated to LineageOS. It only stopped working somehow....
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
Might need a data reset and a clean install.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I had the exact same issue earlier this day. Did reset of data, but the same again now... worked the first few boots. I think it has something to do with the Gapps I have flashed.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I think I may have resolved it, because also GAPPS were not working. Fixed that by flashing Gapps with LineageOS, and now it started using Google and works. Hope it to work fully now...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
YEAH!!! It is working correctly now, boots up properly, and, what is interesting: THE CHARGING ISSUE IS RESOLVED ON LINEAGEOS 20!!! By the way, it is now officialy supported for the SM-T290! I heard someone which managed to install this on an SM-T295 too. Links:

Info about gtowifi | LineageOS Wiki

wiki.lineageos.org

LineageOS Downloads

download.lineageos.org