Max 3 Rooted

[diabl0w]

**I am not responsible for any damage to your device, and I am sure this probably voids your warranty**

** UPDATE (11/2023): just a heads up for anyone bcuz this can be confusing if you dont know about it: Boox Max 3 runs android 9 and system.img contains init and boot.img contains kernel only. magisk works by patching the boot.img's ramdisk so that magisk runs during boot. for devices like ours that dont have ramdisk in boot.img, normally this means magisk has to run from recovery.img instead, which does have ramdisk. and so when you update magisk from the app, it will patch the recovery.img and so to have root you have to boot into android via recovery mode and booting normal way would be unrooted. this is a huge pain in the ass if you want to just use your device like a normal rooted device. however, unlike most other devices built this way, Max 3 will actually initialize ramdisk if you put one in boot.img. for some reason that i am unsure why, magisk will patch boot.img if you flash via recovery mode but it will patch recovery,img if done thru magisk app. TLDR; install/update magisk via recovery mode or directly patching boot.img, dont do it via the magisk app

** UPDATE (12/2020): ive updated the OP to better reflect the current state of our devices (December 2020), which is in a much more stable state now. ive also updated flash instructions. If you are reading the thread to get info, the first few pages of the thread are mostly old and irrelevant. With some help from CaptainThrowback on #twrp IRC, I was able to build a version of TWRP on our device. Let me know if you experience any issues **

Steps to install:
1) On computer, download magisk (from https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk) and TWRP (from my AndroidFileHost link below)
2) rename magisk.apk to magisk.zip and transfer to your device
3) make sure you have "adb" and "fastboot" installed on your computer, use google if you don't know
4) enable usb debugging on your device, plug it into your computer, and run "adb reboot bootloader" from the command line
6) ensure your bootloader is unlocked ("fastboot flashing unlock")
7) flash twrp ("fastboot flash recovery twrp.img") and reboot to system
8) Boot into recovery (instructions below) and flash magisk.zip

AndroidFileHost: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=307038

To boot into recovery mode:
Turn your device completely off (make sure your not plugged in to charger), then hold the home button, then while holding the home button plug your device into charger... wait until you see splash screen and release home button. Unlikely, but if this doesnt work and you bought your device a long time ago, you may have an old BL version and need to take a newer OTA update

Taking OTA's:
1) you should be able to take OTA via TWRP, just use adb to set the correct fingerprint via "resetprop ro.build.fingerprint *proper fingerprint*" inside TWRP and then flash the update.zip in /data/local/assets

*** We now have TWRP and any bootloop issues you run into are recoverable through TWRP, just use google ***

[diabl0w]

update latest Magisk: https://anonfiles.com/l703G962ne/magisk_patched_img

[diabl0w]

Found a fix that now you can have all your apps in split screen!

use the magisk module "QuickSwitch", power off, boot back into rooted system (with fastboot command), download and install the launcher "pixel launcher", dont switch to it yet, open the QuckSwitch App, set the provider to Pixel Launher. do the reboot procedure again... now set your launcher to Pixel launcher and youre all set!

enjoy your desktop-like experience!

[newnu]

In an ideal world, I'd like to install pure unadulterated Android 9 or even Android 10 on the Max 3. And have support for monitor mode, which I assume requires an app as well as a driver for the HDMI input chip.

[whopper]

uhmm I need to try that multi window mode in max 2, maybe trying to migrate from supersu to magisk

[diabl0w]

Originally Posted by whopper

uhmm I need to try that multi window mode in max 2, maybe trying to migrate from supersu to magisk

sorry, but it requires android pie

[diabl0w]

Originally Posted by newnu

In an ideal world, I'd like to install pure unadulterated Android 9 or even Android 10 on the Max 3. And have support for monitor mode, which I assume requires an app as well as a driver for the HDMI input chip.

yes, I agree, I was fooled by the marketing scheme saying there was android pie, because this is too crippled to be called that. I would have returned it if I didnt find root. Nice piece of hardware, not sure why they are trying so hard to stop us from enjoying it!

[newnu]

Originally Posted by diabl0w

yes, I agree, I was fooled by the marketing scheme saying there was android pie, because this is too crippled to be called that.

Just curious have you ever tried to cross compile the AOSP source code? I downloaded it a while back but I didn't have the time to look into building it.

[diabl0w]

Originally Posted by newnu

Just curious have you ever tried to cross compile the AOSP source code? I downloaded it a while back but I didn't have the time to look into building it.

Do you have a copy of the Max3 source code? If not, thats next to impossible from what I understand.

Youre best bet is pulling the system.img and reverse engineering the system files and the apk's with apktool. Then you can flash the new system.img

Keep in mind im not really a developer or programmer, I just like to tinker with my devices

[newnu]

Originally Posted by diabl0w

Do you have a copy of the Max3 source code?

They have a bunch of code on Github: https://github.com/onyx-intl
but a lot of it is pretty old and I don't see anything that pertains to the Max3.

Yes I've done a lot of programming but Android is new to me. I've only written C++ code for Android so far.

[diabl0w]

Originally Posted by diabl0w

Found a fix that now you can have all your apps in split screen!

use the magisk module "QuickSwitch", power off, boot back into rooted system (with fastboot command), download and install the launcher "pixel launcher", dont switch to it yet, open the QuckSwitch App, set the provider to Pixel Launher. do the reboot procedure again... now set your launcher to Pixel launcher and youre all set!

enjoy your desktop-like experience!

I retract this, it seems like there is a weird issue with this that occurs that creates a bootloop.

Remember to use these procedures at your own risk! getting a bootloop on this device is hard to recover from. Since we can only boot two modes using hardware keys: normal boot mode and EDL mode. If you get a bootloop, you have to recover through EDL mode

[diabl0w]

Originally Posted by newnu

They have a bunch of code on Github: https://github.com/onyx-intl
but a lot of it is pretty old and I don't see anything that pertains to the Max3.

Yes I've done a lot of programming but Android is new to me. I've only written C++ code for Android so far.

Yes, thats old, not relevant for Max3. You're best off just taking a dump of the current system.img and tweaking that. Or root with magisk and tweak individual files in root.

[diabl0w]

if someone can provide me with dumps of a few files that would be very helpful.

https://anonfiles.com/P7T6K764n9/emmcdl_exe
https://anonfiles.com/KeT8K06ene/pro...e_8953_ddr_mbn

download those two files... turn off your device by holding the power button for about 10 seconds, with the device off, hold the home button while plugging in to your computer's usb port. Keep holding home until the blue light turns off, and then it will stay off or sometimes a red light will blink. let go of home

inside windows device manager, you should see the usb device under "ports" as qualcomm 9008

wherever those files are downloaded to, open that folder in a command prompt.
i would like the following dumps:

emmcdl.exe -p COM7 ***(or your COM port here) -f prog_emmc_firehose_8953_ddr.mbn -d system -o system.img

emmcdl.exe -p COM7 -f prog_emmc_firehose_8953_ddr.mbn -d boot -o boot.img

emmcdl.exe -p COM7 -f prog_emmc_firehose_8953_ddr.mbn -d userdata -o userdata.img

the last one will take the longest but possibly most important, you can run these after a factory reset from the settings menu, or not. just disclaimer that if not then technically i have access to potentially sensitive data. I would prefer the userdata after a factory reset anyway

[ROKENO]

How do you get into EDL mode?

I installed work email and it asked me to encrypt it. After that happened, it went into a boot loop and now i get Decryption failed, reset tablet, but i get error: /data not found or not mounted. So i cannot factory reset it.


Do the steps above allow me to restore it?

Thanks.

[ROKENO]

Originally Posted by diabl0w

if someone can provide me with dumps of a few files that would be very helpful.

https://anonfiles.com/P7T6K764n9/emmcdl_exe
https://anonfiles.com/KeT8K06ene/pro...e_8953_ddr_mbn

download those two files...

These two links are dead. I have found these, but i am not sure if they are correct:
https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=1395089523397893197
https://androidfilehost.com/?fid=11410963190603873739

Thanks.