Trying to root a Boox Note 2, stuck at fastboot boot image.img. Could use some help.

soypherpunk · 12-04-2025, 03:30 PM

Hi everyone!

I'm a bit new here, but I'm not particularly new to rooting/installing new firmware, jailbreaking, etc. but this Boox Note 2 is giving me hell.

For context, I've been attempting to flash Magisk to the device and I feel completely stuck. I followed the guides here and here (along with many on reddit and private blogs) but with only marginal success.

To wit, I've gotten adb and fastboot (already had them, actually) on a linux box, and was able to successfully decrypt and extract my firmware using this API link (which I confirmed was the correct firmware version I had installed on my device) and the DeBoox.py script.

After this, I pushed the boot.img and Magisk (versions 30.6, 28,27,26.4 for reasons that will become clear shortly) and attempted to run the Magisk application on the boot.img file which produces output. However, when trying "fastboot boot magisk_image.img" I got a series of puzzling results with no correct behavior, and to make it worse, the bad behavior isn't present when running "fastboot boot boot.img" on the clean image from the factory firmware from the DeBoox step.

According to the two linked guides, it is apparently possible to patch the boot.img using Magisk despite these devices not using the ramdisk by default, so this is the strategy I've been trying (I also tried using TWRP, which I was able to flash to recovery, but never able to access). However, each one of these attempts have failed, seemingly due to a discrepancy in how Magisk modifies the files between versions. For example, the most recent version (30.6) apparently causes malformed header information in the boot.img file and fastboot outright refuses to try to boot it. When trying the other versions of Magisk, fastboot will successfully send the files, but won't boot the device and gives me either Booting FAILED (status read failed) or Booting FAILED (cannot send after transport endpoint shutdown).

This indicates (to my novice brain) that magisk is causing the issue....maybe. But I have no earthly idea how to address it, nor move forward with rooting my device.

Thus, I humbly ask for this forum's collective wisdom in addressing my issue. If there is any additional information required to begin addressing the problem, please let me know and I'll be happy to provide it.

Thank you all in advance for any help you're willing to provide, I greatly appreciate it.

Warmest Regards,
Soypherpunk

dcarvil · 12-04-2025, 04:14 PM

What are the "puzzling results with no correct behavior" you received? Boox has crippled fastboot in recent updates - the fastboot boot and flash commands have been removed.

If that is the problem you have, you will have to use edl to flash the magisk image.

soypherpunk · 12-04-2025, 04:33 PM

The "puzzling results with no correct behavior" are:

the fastboot boot command works with the OEM boot.img file
the same command fails when using it with Magisk modified boot images
the kind of failure I'm getting depends on which variant of Magisk I'm using

Additionally, I have not been able to get the device to boot into EDL mode using the "adb reboot edl", the device simply reboots. Do you have any ideas why this may be occurring?

dcarvil · 12-04-2025, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soypherpunk

The "puzzling results with no correct behavior" are:

the fastboot boot command works with the OEM boot.img file
the same command fails when using it with Magisk modified boot images
the kind of failure I'm getting depends on which variant of Magisk I'm using

Additionally, I have not been able to get the device to boot into EDL mode using the "adb reboot edl", the device simply reboots. Do you have any ideas why this may be occurring?

If you are sure fastboot boot works with the OEM boot.img file, I have no other ideas.

I can confirm Magisk 26.4 works on my Note Air 3. I have not tried newer versions, nor do I have your device.

You might try posting in the Magisk XDA forum at https://xdaforums.com/t/magisk-gener...2382/page-3045. If you post there, include the exact error message and magisk version.

soypherpunk · 12-04-2025, 07:47 PM

Well I triple checked that it worked with the orignal boot images both flashing and loading.

So, I took a leap of faith and flashed a Magisk modified rom to the boot image on the device....and probably completely bricked the device....yay.

Any ideas on how I can get it to start up again to boot into recovery? I still have all the original image files, but the power button straight up isn't working.

soypherpunk · 12-04-2025, 08:07 PM

Okay, got it into recovery mode and fixed the problem, thank goodness. But still no luck with Magisk, just not a bricked device....so back to square 1 I guess (which is better than an e-waste paperweight!!)

Renate · Yesterday, 01:19 PM

For some reason "fastboot boot boot.img" does not behave identically as when you flash the boot.img, then normal boot.

By taking the boot.img from an update I think you may have fallen for the most common error.
What you have for your current boot image is what you need for compatibility.
When you Magisk a different boot image you will get errors.

(I've used Magisk in the past, but I root without it nowadays.)

soypherpunk · Yesterday, 04:02 PM

Okay, if I've flashed the new boot image from the update to the boot partition (which I had to do to recover the device), should the Magisk versions modified with the boot.img from the update work now?

Actually, I just tried re-modifying the boot.img file from the update with magisk with the same boot.img file being flashed to the boot partition of the device. THIS worked!!

Thus, you need to have a working boot.img on your computer, the same boot.img actually flashed to the boot partition of the device (do this anyway just in case), then you run magisk and flash the newly modified boot.img to the device again, and my issue came from the existing difference between the boot.img on my computer and the one that was already flashed on the device.

Renate, for my own edification, it seems that firmware updates don't modify the boot partition, is this correct? (Since I just ran the firmware update and confirmed the update I have was the same from the Boox API and still had the error)?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For anyone coming after me looking for help, these are the exact steps and version numbers I used, use this guide for supplemental steps such as getting the python scripts installed, and make sure you know how to use adb and fastboot.

Update the firmware to this version for your BOOX NOTE 2 (NOT THE AIR 2, also, I can't confirm 100% this guide will work for future verisons if they are released but it likely should). If a newer version is released, use the API link from my first post in the thread.

Go to the directory where you downloaded the update.upx file.

Run the python script

python DeBooxUpx.py Note2

Unzip the update.zip file, and cd into update if it's in its own folder, otherwise continue from the directory you're currently in

Confirm the boot.img (unmodified) will work, by running the following with your tablet connected to your computer.

adb reboot bootloader
fastboot flashing unlock
fastboot boot boot.img

If this works, run the following to make sure you're working with the same boot image with Magisk:

adb reboot bootloader
fastboot flash boot boot.img
fastboot reboot

Next, we need to get the newly flashed boot.img to the device for Magisk. First, download Magisk v 26.4 and run

adb install Magisk-v26.4.apk
adb push boot.img /storage/self/primary

Next run Magisk on this boot image which will put the result in your Download folder. DO NOT RUN THIS IN RECOVERY MODE IN MAGISK, THE NOTE 2 WILL USE A RAMDISK IF SPECIFIED IN BOOT.IMG WHICH MAGISK WILL DO IF YOU DON'T CHECK THIS OPTION!!

Now, run the adb command on the result to put it back on your device:

adb pull /storage/self/primary/Download/magisk_patched-26400_*.img (note the star is a wildcard character that matches the random string Magisk puts at the end of each attempt)

Then run

adb reboot bootloader
fastboot boot magisk_patched-26400_*.img

If this works, then you can flash the image with

adb reboot bootloader
fastboot flash boot magisk_patched-26400_*.img
fastboot reboot

I hope this helps anyone else having this issue, and this indeed confirms that the Note2 will still use a ramdisk in the boot.img if present, so don't worry about the recovery mode for this particular device on this firmware update!

Renate · Yesterday, 10:24 PM

Many of the newer Onyx devices have had their bootloader "chopped down" with less functionality.
That means no "fastboot flash" or "fastboot boot".

An update may be "incremental" (relying on the exact state of some partitions) or "full" (just slam in the new data irrespective of what was there).
Even a full update never contains all the partitions and might or might not include a boot or recovery image.

12-04-2025, 03:30 PM	#1
soypherpunk Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2025 Device: Boox Note 2	Trying to root a Boox Note 2, stuck at fastboot boot image.img. Could use some help. Hi everyone! I'm a bit new here, but I'm not particularly new to rooting/installing new firmware, jailbreaking, etc. but this Boox Note 2 is giving me hell. For context, I've been attempting to flash Magisk to the device and I feel completely stuck. I followed the guides here and here (along with many on reddit and private blogs) but with only marginal success. To wit, I've gotten adb and fastboot (already had them, actually) on a linux box, and was able to successfully decrypt and extract my firmware using this API link (which I confirmed was the correct firmware version I had installed on my device) and the DeBoox.py script. After this, I pushed the boot.img and Magisk (versions 30.6, 28,27,26.4 for reasons that will become clear shortly) and attempted to run the Magisk application on the boot.img file which produces output. However, when trying "fastboot boot magisk_image.img" I got a series of puzzling results with no correct behavior, and to make it worse, the bad behavior isn't present when running "fastboot boot boot.img" on the clean image from the factory firmware from the DeBoox step. According to the two linked guides, it is apparently possible to patch the boot.img using Magisk despite these devices not using the ramdisk by default, so this is the strategy I've been trying (I also tried using TWRP, which I was able to flash to recovery, but never able to access). However, each one of these attempts have failed, seemingly due to a discrepancy in how Magisk modifies the files between versions. For example, the most recent version (30.6) apparently causes malformed header information in the boot.img file and fastboot outright refuses to try to boot it. When trying the other versions of Magisk, fastboot will successfully send the files, but won't boot the device and gives me either Booting FAILED (status read failed) or Booting FAILED (cannot send after transport endpoint shutdown). This indicates (to my novice brain) that magisk is causing the issue....maybe. But I have no earthly idea how to address it, nor move forward with rooting my device. Thus, I humbly ask for this forum's collective wisdom in addressing my issue. If there is any additional information required to begin addressing the problem, please let me know and I'll be happy to provide it. Thank you all in advance for any help you're willing to provide, I greatly appreciate it. Warmest Regards, Soypherpunk

12-04-2025, 04:33 PM	#3
soypherpunk Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2025 Device: Boox Note 2	The "puzzling results with no correct behavior" are: the fastboot boot command works with the OEM boot.img file the same command fails when using it with Magisk modified boot images the kind of failure I'm getting depends on which variant of Magisk I'm using Additionally, I have not been able to get the device to boot into EDL mode using the "adb reboot edl", the device simply reboots. Do you have any ideas why this may be occurring?

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Boox Note Air 2 Plus v4 update - boot stuck	ptrpolar	Onyx Boox	36	07-17-2025 07:54 AM
Root Boox Note Air 3C	SuiVu1fa	Onyx Boox	52	01-23-2025 03:56 AM
Kindle 4 stuck at boot - Kubrick can't enter fastboot mode	selo	Kindle Developer's Corner	1	09-08-2022 08:54 AM
Boox Note Air Recovery/System.img	djhardrich	Onyx Boox	1	06-06-2021 02:04 AM
boox c67ml Carta boot stuck	elikopeleg	Android Devices	0	06-05-2020 04:18 PM

12-04-2025, 04:14 PM	#2
dcarvil Connoisseur Posts: 73 Karma: 66 Join Date: Jan 2024 Device: Boox Note Air 3	What are the "puzzling results with no correct behavior" you received? Boox has crippled fastboot in recent updates - the fastboot boot and flash commands have been removed. If that is the problem you have, you will have to use edl to flash the magisk image.

12-04-2025, 07:47 PM	#5
soypherpunk Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2025 Device: Boox Note 2	Well I triple checked that it worked with the orignal boot images both flashing and loading. So, I took a leap of faith and flashed a Magisk modified rom to the boot image on the device....and probably completely bricked the device....yay. Any ideas on how I can get it to start up again to boot into recovery? I still have all the original image files, but the power button straight up isn't working.

12-04-2025, 08:07 PM	#6
soypherpunk Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2025 Device: Boox Note 2	Okay, got it into recovery mode and fixed the problem, thank goodness. But still no luck with Magisk, just not a bricked device....so back to square 1 I guess (which is better than an e-waste paperweight!!)

Yesterday, 01:19 PM	#7
Renate Onyx-maniac Posts: 4,166 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Nook NST, Glow2, 3, 4, '21, Kobo Aura2, Poke3, Poke5, Go6	For some reason "fastboot boot boot.img" does not behave identically as when you flash the boot.img, then normal boot. By taking the boot.img from an update I think you may have fallen for the most common error. What you have for your current boot image is what you need for compatibility. When you Magisk a different boot image you will get errors. (I've used Magisk in the past, but I root without it nowadays.)

Yesterday, 04:02 PM	#8
soypherpunk Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2025 Device: Boox Note 2	Okay, if I've flashed the new boot image from the update to the boot partition (which I had to do to recover the device), should the Magisk versions modified with the boot.img from the update work now? Actually, I just tried re-modifying the boot.img file from the update with magisk with the same boot.img file being flashed to the boot partition of the device. THIS worked!! Thus, you need to have a working boot.img on your computer, the same boot.img actually flashed to the boot partition of the device (do this anyway just in case), then you run magisk and flash the newly modified boot.img to the device again, and my issue came from the existing difference between the boot.img on my computer and the one that was already flashed on the device. Renate, for my own edification, it seems that firmware updates don't modify the boot partition, is this correct? (Since I just ran the firmware update and confirmed the update I have was the same from the Boox API and still had the error)? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For anyone coming after me looking for help, these are the exact steps and version numbers I used, use this guide for supplemental steps such as getting the python scripts installed, and make sure you know how to use adb and fastboot. Update the firmware to this version for your BOOX NOTE 2 (NOT THE AIR 2, also, I can't confirm 100% this guide will work for future verisons if they are released but it likely should). If a newer version is released, use the API link from my first post in the thread. Go to the directory where you downloaded the update.upx file. Run the python script python DeBooxUpx.py Note2 Unzip the update.zip file, and cd into update if it's in its own folder, otherwise continue from the directory you're currently in Confirm the boot.img (unmodified) will work, by running the following with your tablet connected to your computer. adb reboot bootloader fastboot flashing unlock fastboot boot boot.img If this works, run the following to make sure you're working with the same boot image with Magisk: adb reboot bootloader fastboot flash boot boot.img fastboot reboot Next, we need to get the newly flashed boot.img to the device for Magisk. First, download Magisk v 26.4 and run adb install Magisk-v26.4.apk adb push boot.img /storage/self/primary Next run Magisk on this boot image which will put the result in your Download folder. DO NOT RUN THIS IN RECOVERY MODE IN MAGISK, THE NOTE 2 WILL USE A RAMDISK IF SPECIFIED IN BOOT.IMG WHICH MAGISK WILL DO IF YOU DON'T CHECK THIS OPTION!! Now, run the adb command on the result to put it back on your device: adb pull /storage/self/primary/Download/magisk_patched-26400_.img (note the star is a wildcard character that matches the random string Magisk puts at the end of each attempt) Then run adb reboot bootloader fastboot boot magisk_patched-26400_.img If this works, then you can flash the image with adb reboot bootloader fastboot flash boot magisk_patched-26400_*.img fastboot reboot I hope this helps anyone else having this issue, and this indeed confirms that the Note2 will still use a ramdisk in the boot.img if present, so don't worry about the recovery mode for this particular device on this firmware update!

Yesterday, 10:24 PM	#9
Renate Onyx-maniac Posts: 4,166 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Feb 2012 Device: Nook NST, Glow2, 3, 4, '21, Kobo Aura2, Poke3, Poke5, Go6	Many of the newer Onyx devices have had their bootloader "chopped down" with less functionality. That means no "fastboot flash" or "fastboot boot". An update may be "incremental" (relying on the exact state of some partitions) or "full" (just slam in the new data irrespective of what was there). Even a full update never contains all the partitions and might or might not include a boot or recovery image.

Advert

Advert