How to root U211 / X96 Max?

[tvboxguy]

Hi all,

Really hoping that someone can help. I can't seem to figure out how to root my U211 X96 Max. TWRP works great, and SuperSu 2.82 seems to install successfully but when Android is booted, SuperSu is not present and apps that require root alert that the system is not rooted.

Would appreciate any insights here.

Thanks in advance

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Did your TvBox not come Rooted from factory? If you have a stock rooted device, then you can install SuperSu from the Google Play store and it will control Root permissions, but the Su binary is old in the stock firmwares so you can not update the binary through TWRP and not even inside the Su app. Note: if supersu.apk installs and works then you must go in settings and make sure all the options are check marked ON before rebooting or it will cause a bootloop.

If you flashed the SuperSu.zip through TWRP.... that is your problem, because the Zip file is not compatible to Amlogic with Android 9 because your device uses "System-As-Root" where the old Android setup had Root in root "/" and the initramfs located in boot.img - but now it is located in /system.

[tvboxguy]

Did your TvBox not come Rooted from factory? If you have a stock rooted device, then you can install SuperSu from the Google Play store and it will control Root permissions, but the Su binary is old in the stock firmwares so you can not update the binary through TWRP and not even inside the Su app. Note: if supersu.apk installs and works then you must go in settings and make sure all the options are check marked ON before rebooting or it will cause a bootloop.

If you flashed the SuperSu.zip through TWRP.... that is your problem, because the Zip file is not compatible to Amlogic with Android 9 because your device uses "System-As-Root" where the old Android setup had Root in root "/" and the initramfs located in boot.img - but now it is located in /system.

Thanks so much for the info Ricklar. So I have two units here. One that had SuperSu flashed via TWRP and another that hasn't. Both are stock. When I install and run the SuperSu APK on either of them, SuperSu tells me "Root undetected".

I figured they were rooted from the factory too. I'm not sure what else to do here :/

Is there any hope?

[RiCkLaR_atvX]

Hmm... the one you flashed Su with TWRP will not have Root, even if it started life with Root the fact you flashed SuperSU will automatically disable and uninstall Root because "/System-as-Root" is not coded properly inside SuperSU install zip. And with the other stock device not having Root, then that means Root is not activated in userspace by default.

The stock ROMs are junk from X96 manufacturer, your best bet is seeing if one of the Custom ROMs shared here in FreakTab-forum are compatible to your device and has Root installed already.

[tvboxguy]

Yeah, I tried that with XTM_ATV_X96_216-3.img and I was prompted with a "bl2 boot stage error" from Burn Tool. A few other users have mentioned the same error but I didn't see any resolve. It's the only one I've tried, however.

Can you recommend another ROM to try? I have the X96 Max 2/16.

I also really appreciate the advice here.

[tvboxguy]

Update: Magisk 20.0 installed via TWRP rooted the device wonderfully.

I'm still interested in a better ROM here though