Mecool KM8 P 2GB/16GB S912 Amlogic TV Box Android 7.1, TWRP Root Instructions (Russian Translation Required)

[j0rdie]

Hi all recently purchased the Mecool KM8 P 2GB/16GB S912 Amlogic, updated the firmware to 7.1 but lost root access. I have managed to find some instructions on a Russian website to root the stock firmware but can't make head nor tale of it and don't want to brick the device.

The google translate version of the instructions reads as follows:

To get root 7 Androide did:
1.Nado SuperSu create a text file without an ending .txt textBOOTIMAGE = / dev / block / boot
2. Flash card throw Recovery for 7 Androyd created Fail SuperSu and SuperSU.zip (5,63 MB)
3. Boot into Recovery with USB there "Advanced" ==> "File Manager" find the file on a flash drive that put his name it .SuperSu in and copy it into the folder / system
3. Without leaving the Recovery go to "Set" and set SuperSU.zip (5,63 MB)

Can someone please help to decipher the above?

[j0rdie]

Here's the link to the instructions website. The downloads are pinned to the top of the page. Please let me know if you have any success...

http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showt...#entry62380504

Custom rom available too...

[j0rdie]

Managed to get it to work. Steps in common English are as follows:

To get root on Android 7.1:
1. Create a text file (eg in Notepad) and name it Supersu without an ending .txt with the folowing text BOOTIMAGE = / dev / block / boot
2. On a microsd card copy Recovery.img (TWRP 7), the created SuperSu file (from step 1) and SuperSU.zip (5.63 MB)
3. Insert the card into Box and boot into Recovery.
4. Using theTWRP recovery got to Advanced" then "File Manager" find the created Supersu file (from step 1) and copy it into the folder / system.
5. Without leaving the Recovery go to "Install" and flash SuperSU.zip (5,63 MB) from the Microsd card

[steve.rand]

Can someone help me out please?
I've just bought the same device and want root (at least temporarily) to remove the stock launcher etc (as it overrides all other launchers).
I've got the latest 7.1.1 OTA and tried a bunch of times to flash SuperSu. There is mention of a period before the file "SuperSu", i've tried with and without. The text that goes in that file is listed here with spaces, but on the russian site with no spaces.. i've tried both.
I've copied the file to system, i've given it chmod 0644 and 755, i've tried earlier supersu zip versions all with no success. On bootup supersu app just says no root found.
During the flashing there are a bunch of warnings that things can't be read, the ramdisk can't be made, the boot image can't be found etc.
Has anyone got 7.1.1 root working and has a definitive guide?

[kodiliscious]

be careful, you should be checking for root and removing that 1st
alot of these android boxes (not sure of this box) seem to come wierdly rooted
and that needs to be removed 1st or your likely gonna be flashing your box
with stock firmware and starting all over bc of bricked device

[kodiliscious]

as for the launcher
-get one installed you want
-then search for a myriad of apps that allow app FREEZING
-then freeze the stock launcher
no root needed

[steve.rand]

be careful, you should be checking for root and removing that 1st
alot of these android boxes (not sure of this box) seem to come wierdly rooted
and that needs to be removed 1st or your likely gonna be flashing your box
with stock firmware and starting all over bc of bricked device

Thanks for the advice. I installed the usual root-checking app which said there was no root, tried supersu app from the play store which also said no root before I started flashing. I soft bricked once when I used a supersu system mode zip.

As for freezing an app, I didn't know that it was possible to freeze a system app without root so i've always rooted and frozen or uninstalled system apps that I didn't want etc. That VS Launcher overrides any home app I choose and I can temporarily get rid of it by force-stopping it after launching Nova Launcher. I'll give a freeze app a try but i'd love to know why the methods outlined here aren't working for me!

[kodiliscious]

before I do anything I would have stock firmware and have ready in case of brick, unlikely but nothing is %100
ok heres how id root it , if no root found.
get your twrp for your device
forget supersu as its not open source anymore and go with magisk15.3.zip
-boot to twrp
-install magisk15.3.zip
reboot
-now let box turn on and find magisk manager, open it , update bc it asked , install when prompted
reboot
-rooted
if it doesnt have busybox, use a rootchecker that checks that. if it does fine
if not download the busybox app by stephen stericson
install then open and install, all done.
gl

[steve.rand]

before I do anything I would have stock firmware and have ready in case of brick, unlikely but nothing is %100
ok heres how id root it , if no root found.
get your twrp for your device
forget supersu as its not open source anymore and go with magisk15.3.zip
-boot to twrp
-install magisk15.3.zip
reboot
-now let box turn on and find magisk manager, open it , update bc it asked , install when prompted
reboot
-rooted
if it doesnt have busybox, use a rootchecker that checks that. if it does fine
if not download the busybox app by stephen stericson
install then open and install, all done.
gl

I have everything but magisk, which i've never used before! Thanks! I'll give that a go!

[kodiliscious]

let us know how you make out !

[steve.rand]

let us know how you make out !

Right! It's first thing in the morning here and i've used a TWRP recovery to boot straight to TWRP but just about every partition wouldn't mount and Magisk gave all kinds of errors too.
Booting to Android recovery then "installing" TWRP for my device just loads it without installing, but it already has the partitions all mounted via the Android recovery. From TWRP I flashed Magisk, which threw a few errors about already having system root?
I had tried supersu many times, Kingroot, Kingoroot etc and then used root checker which always said there was no root.
ON bootup, there is no magisk manager and I can't find it in the play store (probably for obvious reasons!) but the root checker says I have root now! (with magisk as the root version).
Just installing Stericsons BB now (have that on my tablets and phones already).
Not sure what to do about the manager app though... I got a grant/deny prompt when root checker ran, so something is managing the root binary?

[steve.rand]

OK.. BB installed and Magisk Manager is now present! I think this has worked! If it has, there were quite a few people trying to root this Android box and your suggestion is by far the easiest method! Thanks for the help!!

[steve.rand]

So i've uninstalled VSLauncher (key module!) and now whenever I quit an app it goes to Nova Launcher rather than the built-in thing that drew over the top regardless of settings. This is the #1 thing I was trying to remove so now the wife can see just the apps we need. I've hidden magisk from Foxtel Now, so let's see if that works too!