yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] creezalird:
I am on stable magisk, passed safetynet just by flashing latest safetynet magisk 2.10 from kdrag0n gits

Forgot to mention, the new version since 2.0, it requires Riru magisk to be installed (then restart) first before installing the safetynet
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
@creezalird, thanks for the information. :)

My Motto

If your current USNF configuration is working, why install a newer USNF (v2. 1.1)?

If it ain't broke don't fix it. :)

(y)Kudos to the developer of USNF (@kdrag0n) and all the XDA members that have helped with the development of USNF. They deserve all the accolades they can get for the development of the USNF module.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] TheUndertaker21:
Did you manage to get this to work? I installed both riru and ls the module keeps saying they aren't installed
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
Yes, I used USNF 1.2.0.

Did you install XPrivacy Lua?

OP, #7, Pass SafetyNet, 4.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Scottay5150:
Silly question.

I just received my warranty device. How do I know if the BL is unlocked for rooting? I am able to check off the OEM unlocking in developer options?

I do not want to brick my phone by rooting my phone that is BL locked.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
OP,

Index

, #3,

Unlock Bootloader

, #9 Notes:

After unlocking your bootloader, you'll see a warning: The bootloader is unlocked and...
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] mn1968:
Question about Step 7 - Root/Reroot with Magisk and Pass SafetyNet

Just received my used 4a 5g. Updated to September firmware. Rooted per the instructions and I pass SafetyNet. I have Magisk v23 installed, along with Universal SafetyNet Fix v 2.1.1, Riru, & Riru - LSPosed. I did not install XPrivacy Lua. Anyway, everything works as intended. But I'm wondering what is the purpose of Riru LSPosed and XPrivacyLua? It seems I could probably uninstall LSPosed.

Hmmm, re-reading the instructions further, perhaps LSPosed and XPrivacyLua allow for Google Play Services to work and trick device certification. I have not completely set the phone up with my Google account, hence I cannot log into google Play to check certification. I guess I'll find out later next week after I switch to the phone full time.

Thanks
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
Wait a few days before rooting. Why? There is a new procedure for rooting Android 12. I am working on a update to # 7.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Master Cylinder:
Is it okay to use platform tools r31.0.3 from 08/18 for 12? I can't find one for 12.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] appro77:
Thanks so much for your guide. I've installed 12 and rooted. Everything running fine.

How do we handle Android 12 monthly updates and retain root or at least re-root if that is necessary?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
No one with a Pixel 4a 5(G) or Pixel 5, in any of the threads I've read, knows.

We are all hoping you just flash the factory image after removing the -w from the flash-all. bat file so you do not loose your data. Then flash the magisk_patched.img to reroot.

I guess we will find out when the November factory image drops.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] appro77:
Thanks for the reply. Just regarding the patched boot image.......does it need to be patched again each time from the boot image in the latest factory image or can the original patched boot image be used over and over again for updates as the arrive?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
It should be patched with the boot image from the latest factory image.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] appro77:
Thanks for the clarification.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] roundaway:
Pixel 4a 5g. Took the OTA from A11 to A12 without wipe. Am now on temporary root. In preparation for an eventual data wipe I'm trying to grab my TitantiumBackup folder and copy it to my desktop. Dumb folder permission issues. Any one have an idea how to download the folder so the stuff that Google Backup doesn't have doesn't get wiped? The TB Sync to Google Drive always gives a network error message.

THank you.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] ballin2much:
I had this exact same problem. What I eventually had to do was go to menu > preferences > backup folder location. From there I selected a location with the "DocumentProdiver" storage option. I had to delete and redo all the backups, but afterwords I was able to copy onto my PC no problem.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] roundaway:
Thank you for the tip. Worked like a charm. Going to do a factory reset/data wipe and flash A12 this week.

Edit - Used the guide in the Pixel 5 forum and encountered no problems flashing or using Magisk Stable to patch the boot.img. The Android Flash Tool was pretty cool!
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] appro77:
If I take today's update OTA will it just be a matter of downloading the factory image and patching the boot.img and install to get root back......same as I used to do on A11?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] appro77:
Further to my above post, that didn't work. I patched the boot image from the newly downloaded image. Before I flashed it I used the command fastboot boot boot.img. That worked and the phone booted which usually indicates that the boot image is good.

I restarted the phone in fastboot mode and flashed the boot image using fastboot flash boot boot.img. It wouldn't boot when I restarted.

I then tried fastboot boot boot.img with the old unpatched boot image that I'd extracted from the downloaded image and that wouldn't boot either.

Then I flashed the old boot image using fastboot flash boot boot.img and the phone then booted. Problem is with the old unpatched image I don't have root.

Where to from here?

The boot error I was getting in the command window when the phone wouldn't boot was:

(bootloader) boot.img missing cmdline or OS version
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
If this is the first time you updated the factory image to Android 12: (OP,

Index

, 4. Install/Update Factory Image keep data or wipe data)

If this is the second time you updated the factory image to Android 12 and you

did not wiped data

the first time: (OP,

Index

, 4. Install/Update Factory Image keep data or wipe data)

If this is the second time you updated the factory image to Android 12 and you

wiped data

the first time: (OP,

Index

, 4. Install/Update Factory Image keep data or wipe data)
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] appro77:
Thanks.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] ballin2much:
So just updated to Android 12 a few days ago with no issues. Got a notification for a Magisk update today, and ever since I updated, my phone will only work for a few minutes and then reboot all of the sudden. I flashed and patched the newest factory update, but it didn't fix the issue. Anyone know what might be going on?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
Did you wipe your phone the first time you installed Android 12 on your Pixel 4a 5(G) phone?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] ballin2much:
Yes. Had no problems until today after a Magisk update.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
You updated to Magisk Canary to 23012?

What version of Magisk was installed prior to installing the update?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] ballin2much:
I don't know the exact version. It was whichever the latest Canary build was a few days ago. I got a pop-up saying there was an update so I did it. Current version is 23012 according to the app.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
Boot Safe mode, this should remove all Magisk modules, then reboot.

If that doesn't solve your problem.

- Download Magisk 23011 Tap 3 dot menu across from be445..., Tap go to file, Tap app-debug.apk, Tap 3 dot menu across from 16.6 MB, Tap Download.

- Open Magisk 23012 Tap Uninstall , Restore images You will lose root.

- Install Magisk 23011.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] ballin2much:
If I have the issue even with Magisk uninstalled does that mean it's something else?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
Were you flashing the magisk_patched.img ot the boot.img.

Flashing the magisk_patched.img root/reroot your phone:

fastboot flash boot magisk_patched.img

Flashing the boot.img removes root:

fastboot flash boot boot.img --slot all
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] noottt:
i have the same issue. went from android 11 to 12. Wiped beforehand. with latest and updated magisk on canary can't get the patched boot img to work.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Rakeesh_j:
I just tried to flash the magisk patched image from the latest (november) patch, and when I do so, fastboot says "failed to load/verify boot images", and I had to boot back to the stock boot.img to be able to boot my phone. I used the latest stable release to patch the boot.img, should I be using a later version?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
"Failed to load/verify boot images" means that Android Verified Boot has not been disabled. On Snapdragon 765G and Tensor devices, Android 12 introduced Boot Image Header version 4, which kind of threw a wrench into things when it comes to root.

See my post here. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to avoid wiping your device when disabling Verified Boot, so you basically have a choice - either disable Verified Boot and wipe /data, or leave Verified Boot enabled and depend on temporary root.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Rakeesh_j:
Is every OTA update from now on going to turn on verified boot?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
Yes.

If /vbmeta is written WITHOUT disable flags, as is default during any update, Verified Boot is enabled. If the device is booted in this state, disabling Verified Boot will require a data wipe.

If /vbmeta is written with --disable-verity --disable-verification, Verified Boot is disabled, and will remain so until /vbmeta is flashed again.

So, the way to avoid this, is DO NOT TAKE AUTOMATIC UPDATES.

You can sideload the OTA, then IMMEDIATELY reboot to bootloader and reflash vbmeta with verity and verification disabled....

Or, you can dirty flash the factory image, either manually or via the Android Flash tool, with verity and verification disabled.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
When did you patch the boot image? Before or after the update?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] noottt:
after the update. I did figure it out somehow. but it cost me a clean wipe
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
Yeah, I've run into that too...sometimes for some reason that I haven't yet figured out, Magisk will decide it doesn't want to work with a boot image that it patched.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
News flash

#4 Install/Update Factory Image

keep data

or

wipe data

has been updated: @creezalird discovered the Pixel 4a 5(G) and Pixel 5 upgrading to Android 12 or updating Android 12 process by flashing the factory image does not require flashing vbmeta.img (fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification --slot=all. vbmeta vbmeta.img).
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
To clarify:

If you flash the factory image like this (and you should)

fastboot update --disable-verity --disable-verification image-device-buildnumber.zip

Then reflashing vbmeta is redundant and unnecessary.

If you update by sideloading the OTA, you MUST reflash vbmeta IMMEDIATELY following:

fastboot flash vbmeta --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta.img
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
The OP #4 has been updated with this information about upgrading/updating Android 12 via the factory image. Thanks, for the information on how to update Android 12 via OTA. :)
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
I had two extra pennies that I wanted to share.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Rakeesh_j:
Is it possible to copy an image of my userdata partition, wipe, flash with boot verification disable, and then re-flash the userdata partition?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] egandt:
So I need to re-root my fathers phone as he did not listen and allowed it to install android 12: Since it is on 12 I can not even back up the phone so that is very-very bad!

I patched the boot.img, but I can not boot it as I get:

Using Canary 23012 (latest), I can boot this image using fastboot

> fastboot boot magisk_patched-23012_nqilw.img

However if I try to patch the image using magisk (prefered), then it stops at the fastboot prompt, same if I manually flash the boot image

> fastboot flash boot magisk_patched-23012_nqilw.img

I get stuck at fastboot prompt and can not get to teh OS.

If I run:

> fastboot flash boot boot.img

Then it boots, but is not rooted. I'm at a loss how to flash a rooted boot images as both possible methods fail to succeed in booting. Yet fastboot boot <magisked image> works. So it makes no sense.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
The only way to root it is flash the Factoy image with the -w (wipe). See #4 wipe data.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] egandt:
Thanks that did it.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
Hello all, Pixel 4a5G on Xfinity Mobile. I was perfectlty rooted on v11 but decided to install the latest v12.0.0 (SP1A.211105.002.A1) Nov 2021 Verizon, Verizon MVNOs>

Tried to root via Magisk only to fail multiple times. I thought I bricked my phone as it was stuck in recovery but got int to boot again. I tried doing it like I did in V11 but have discovered that this no longer works

Installed Magisk

Extracted Boot.img

Patched Boot.img with Magisk and renamed to magisk_patched_boot.img

Extracted vbmeta.img

Placed both files in on PC in my ADB folder

Disabled AVB and DM Verify via fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta vbmeta.img

Flashed patched boot.img via fastboot flash boot magisk_patched_boot.img

Rebooted and it is stuck in bootloader

What am I doing worng. Does it have to do anything with the Nov 2021 security updates. At this point I'm thinking about going back to 11.

Thanks in advance

BB
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
The first time you upgrade to Android 12 you must wipe your phone in addition to disabling verity and permission to root it.

Read the Notes in #4, then do #4 'Wipe data'.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
The first time I tried to upgrade I did not wipe the data nor did I disable Magisk. I downloaded the latest build, extrated the boot.img file, patched it with Magisk and re-insertedit the now patched boot.img inside the zip and did a flash-all.bat without wipe (removed -w inside the bat file). That's what started this big Ol' mess. This method worked before but not today, thanks google, LOL!

Regardless I am currently on the latest build. I just did a fresh install via adb flash-all.bat WITH wipe.

Again I never disabled Magisk but that was like 2 or 3 flashes ago.

Should I be good now or do I need to do something more.

Thanks

BB

EDIT: I noticerd in part 4 it says:

change fastboot -w update image-bramble-aa9a.999999.999.zip

to fastboot -w --disable-verity --disable-verification update image-bramble-sp1a.999999.999.zip

I did NOT change this command

Can I just run fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta vbmeta.img

Or should I do another flash. If I do another flash should I do wipe again or not?

Thanks
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
You need to change this line in the flash-all.bat file:

fastboot -w update image-bramble-sp1a.999999.999.zip

to this:

fastboot -w --disable-verity --disable-verification update image-bramble-sp1a.999999.999.zip

Wiping the phone is necessary if you want to root your phone

.

You do not need to flash the vbmeta.img: fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta vbmeta.img

Just flashing the vbmeta.img will not allow you to root your phone.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
Thank you.

One more question. After doing the above (fastboot -w --disable-verity --disable-verification update image-bramble-sp1a.999999.999.zip)and then install Magisk, when I need to flash the patched boot.img do I do it as normal or do I first need to flash the vbmeta.img:

fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta vbmeta.img

Thanks Again.

BB
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
Normal:

fastboot flash boot magisk_patched_...img

fastboot reboot

You do not need to flash the vbmeta.img.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
THANK YOU!!!

It has been quite the journey but my phone is working with root. Now to tackle safety net.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] V0latyle:
Magisk 23014, enable Zygisk and enable DenyList on all components of Google Play Services and Google Play Store. Install Universal SafetyNet Fix 2.2.0.

Done.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
One week on 12 with Magisk root and all was fine until yesterday. Phone boots for about 1 1/2 minuets, and freezes. The touchscreen does not respond to input and buttons do not work as well. The phone restart in about a minuet or so. but it's goes straight to the Google bypassing a the bootloader in unlocked,press to pause screen. Restarting the phone in safe mode the phone works fine. I assume it's a rouge app but I don;t know which one. I downloaded and ran a Malwarebytes scan that took forever because of the rebooting and it did find and remove a "threat" however that did not fix things.

I guess I will need to reset the phone.

Considering I have Magisk installed, I need to remove magisk first. Can I then use ADB to push the image or do I need to do a full wipe first before ADB.

Do I need to do this again? fastboot -w --disable-verity --disable-verification update image-bramble-sp1a.999999.999.zip

Please advise. Thanks in advance.

BB
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
"Do I need to do this again? fastboot -w --disable-verity --disable-verification update image-bramble-sp1a.999999.999.zip"

Yes.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
Not sure if it is Android 12 or my particular phone but I've never been so frustrated. Uninstalled Magiisk, rebooted device, did a factory data reset from within the OS, rebooted, set-up fresh device, enabled usb debugging, flashed latest build with the above commands added into the flash-all,bat file. Rather then profit I would up with a brick. It would boot strait into the bootloade. Going to recovery and trying to do a factory reset resulted in failure. The only solution was to I reboot my PC, change USB ports, and adb sideload the factory OTA. reboot, set-up,enable usb debugging and flash again with falsh-all and the above commands and finally rooted with Magisk. The phome is working again but I am seriously frustrated. If the phone crashes again in a week, I'm going back to 11.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
What version of Magisk and Safety net Fix are you using?

I'm assuming you have SDK Platform-tools r31.0.3 installed on your computer?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Bad Bimr:
Currently Canary 23015 and Safety Net Fix 2.2.0

Something weird though is that the modules installed are showing but the modules you can choose and search for are not showing in Magisk. I only run 3 modules that I have backups for so no issue for me at least not yet.

EDIT: Oh crap I WAS on Platform Tools 30.0.5, Oops I wonder if that was the issue for all the problems.

PLEASE tell me I don;t have to do this again, LOL!

I have a spare P3aXL that I am going to do put 12 on. See if it will go smoother with the new Platform Tools

EDIT: I think I have found the issue. Again I wiped the phone and set it up with a fresh install of 12. After some issues I got it to boot on Friday 11-26. I rooted and all was well until last night 11-27 when the same thing started to happen, constant reboots after a the phone was on for a few minuets. Before wiping the phone again and reverting to 11 I thought about everything I did with the phone since Friday 9not much). After some thinking I remembered that although installed via backup/restore I never used the Greenify app untill late Saturday when I opened the app and gave it root privileges. Could this be my problem? I uninstalled the Greenify app and low and behold the phone is back to normal, at least for now. I don't know what it is doing but I assume Greenify is hibernating a vital system app that is causing the phone to freeze and reboot. For now the phone is working good.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
An old SDK Platform-tools definitely was part of the problem.

If you want to install modules, install this:

Fox Magisk Module Manager: 0.1.2 (FoxMmm-0.1.2.apk. 2.59 MB)

- A new module manager for Magisk Alpha/Canary
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] sillyshyme:
Hello,

The question I am reading the instructions that say if updating from 11 to 12 I must wipe either wipe clean or wipe keep data. The problem is I updated to 12 (when it was in beta mode) (Xfinity model) VZW. So since then, it removed Magisk. So this means I have to start from scratch?

My bootloader is unlocked.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
If your bootloader is unlocked and you want to root your Pixel 4a 5(G), go to the OP and do you 4., •

Flash Factory Image Wipe Data
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] OneNutShort:
Need a little help from someone more knowledgeable.

I did a full wipe last month from Android 11 to Android 12. I rooted without issue, and have been running fine since. Today I tried to update without a data wipe according to the instructions in post 1. I got everything updated fine, but whenever I try to reroot by flashing the patched magisk boot image, the phone just keeps rebooting into fastboot. If I flash the stock boot image, everything boots up fine, but no matter what I try, I can't get the patched boot image to work.

I'm running the latest canary build of magisk, and have the latest platform tools.

Any help is much appreciated.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
After you flash the stock boot.img boot safe mode. Once Safe boot mode is fully booted. Reboot and try flashing the patched Magisk boot img: fastboot flash boot magisk_patched...img
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] OneNutShort:
Thank you for the reply, but unfortunately no luck.

In fastboot I flashed the stock boot.img. I then clicked start using the power button. I held volume down to boot into safe mode, waited a few minutes, and then turned the phone off. I waited a few seconds, and then held power+volume down until the phone booted into fastboot. I then flashed the patched boot image using the fastboot flash boot command, and clicked start. The screen went black momentarily, and then came back into fastboot mode with the reasons being "failed to load/verify boot images". From there, the only way I can find to boot successfully is to flash the stock boot image. Once I do that and click start, things boot normally.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Homeboy76:
You did 4., • Flash Factory Image Keep Data and got this error: "failed to load/verify boot images"

Try fastboot flash --disable-verity --disable-verification vbmeta vbmeta.img[ICODE][/B].

Then flash the magisk_patched...img.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] OneNutShort:
I only have the one magisk app, and can certainly delete that. Is there anything I can do via ADB to make sure I get everything? I know there used to be a flashable magisk uninstaller that saved me once back in the day.