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Root i'll help find a root method if...

krusifyd said:
Just a heads-up for those that might not know...JaayDogg is continuing his help in a different thread...http://androidforums.com/threads/zte-valet-z665c-root.900883/ Hopefully things don't get too crazy switching between here and there. Nonetheless, we still benefit. Thanks JayyDogg!
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I don't think any root method already being used will root this phone. I tried them all in the time I've been keeping up with this thread, including Iroot, Saferoot and Z4 Root. None of them work or they don't work after the Heartbleed fix has been applied. I've tried every version of Vroot or Iroot as they call it now since it was 1.6 and its never worked. I tried the PC method and the apk method. It don't work on this phone. Also the installer will but malware and spyware on your PC so be aware and prepared if you use it. I believe that Stayboogie is right in his approach. Its going to take someone who can take the OS apart piece by piece and figure out how ZTE managed to write protect or ghost the system partition to win this battle. Still, I wish JaayDogg success in his efforts.
 
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miltblue said:
I don't think any root method already being used will root this phone. I tried them all in the time I've been keeping up with this thread, including Iroot, Saferoot and Z4 Root. None of them work or they don't work after the Heartbleed fix has been applied. I've tried every version of Vroot or Iroot as they call it now since it was 1.6 and its never worked. I tried the PC method and the apk method. It don't work on this phone. Also the installer will but malware and spyware on your PC so be aware and prepared if you use it. I believe that Stayboogie is right in his approach. Its going to take someone who can take the OS apart piece by piece and figure out how ZTE managed to write protect or ghost the system partition to win this battle. Still, I wish JaayDogg success in his efforts.
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NOOOOOOOOOOOO! NO, NO, NO!!!:(, says the man as he cry's uncontrollably. The bad part..."I don't think any root method already being used will root this phone" The good part...There's still a method to discover! The difficult or do-able part..."we have to find it"!...Cry's some more:saddroid:. Miltblue, you're killing me softly! lol, As much as I hate to here this kind of news, we must take it all into account because it has been a part of a testing experience. To every test, regardless of success or failure, there is a wealth of info to be accrued and disseminated; we just have to be willing to invest the resources (if we have them in the first place) to find those golden nuggets that will eventually bring us to a state of success. I agree about stayboogy's ghost partition theory, we need to get back on that track instead of trying to work with something that, from the beginning, will not work the way we are trying to use it (temp root) which is not even an actual temp root itself! (does the word "insane" sound familiar?). Any who, all kidding aside, we should all know that miltblue is not trying to rain on this parade, he's actually doing what is expected of all of us and that is; to share as much info. about our experiences and test's as we can; so, I appreciate and thank you for this sad, sad, sad, comment...jk, lol. seriously, thanks!

Has anyone successfully attempted to get in touch with stayboogy?
 
Not trying to bust anyone's bubble krusifyd. Just stating facts. I tried all the the popular and well known root methods on my Valet. All the ones that you find normally searching the web. None of them worked for the Valet. Let me qualify that by saying first that I installed the Heart Bleed update before stumbling across rooting Android devices, being new to all things Android. The only method that has worked on this phone with the Heart Bleed fix applied is Unknownones, and then only when I did the steps manually using ADB. I was able to get temp root and even start a root shell. But then I rebooted and the root was gone and it hasn't worked since nor has any other root method. It was all most as if the OS was able to learn that it had been exploited, and then protected itself from it happening again. This is definitely something that ZTE or Tracfone engineers have built in to the OS to avoid it being tampered with. And that is what has to be found. How did they do it? Once that question is answered it can be undone like all things in software land. My thinking turned to, Hell ZTE is a Chinese company, let me try Chinese root methods. That How I discovered Vroot Now called Iroot. Tried it and several others from China. None of them worked. But most where dangerous when it came to installing Adware, Malware and Spyware on my PC or my Valet. That why I say be careful when using them. I've decided to try to learn how to properly develop and then dissect the Android OS. Just hope I live long enough to get it done. People like Stayboogie and other Developers already have these skills, but this one is a tough nut to crack.
 
miltblue said:
Not trying to bust anyone's bubble krusifyd. Just stating facts. I tried all the the popular and well known root methods on my Valet. All the ones that you find normally searching the web. None of them worked for the Valet. Let me qualify that by saying first that I installed the Heart Bleed update before stumbling across rooting Android devices, being new to all things Android. The only method that has worked on this phone with the Heart Bleed fix applied is Unknownones, and then only when I did the steps manually using ADB. I was able to get temp root and even start a root shell. But then I rebooted and the root was gone and it hasn't worked since nor has any other root method. It was all most as if the OS was able to learn that it had been exploited, and then protected itself from it happening again. This is definitely something that ZTE or Tracfone engineers have built in to the OS to avoid it being tampered with. And that is what has to be found. How did they do it? Once that question is answered it can be undone like all things in software land. My thinking turned to, Hell ZTE is a Chinese company, let me try Chinese root methods. That How I discovered Vroot Now called Iroot. Tried it and several others from China. None of them worked. But most where dangerous when it came to installing Adware, Malware and Spyware on my PC or my Valet. That why I say be careful when using them. I've decided to try to learn how to properly develop and then dissect the Android OS. Just hope I live long enough to get it done. People like Stayboogie and other Developers already have these skills, but this one is a tough nut to crack.
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Wow!!! Very informative. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences with us miltblue. Hopefully someone will wisely use this info. to get us a step closer. Seems as though progress has unfortunately stalled. No discussions going on. I post my messages to at the least keep encouragement and dialogue going with others here watching the forum, I could only hope that it helps in some way. here's to keeping hope alive for myself and others.
 
Hi,
I have been following this from the outside for a while and have just opened an account just to help.

I have a Valet that has yet to be updated with the heartbleed-fix (I know that's crazy but that's how determined I am to help)

I also have some previous rooting experience (Not much but some)

If someone has gotten in touch with stayboogy about his last pre-heartbleed achievements and can forward it on to me to test (If you can help give some instruction if needed that would be great). I think it would be better if someone already working with him asked rather than a spectator.

I just do not want all of this work all of you put into this fall into the abyss.

I'm Sorry In advance to all the motivators particularly to krusifyd (who has been very enthusiastic) if this sounds A bit on the serious side I just would like to show how serious I am about helping.

If I need to I can try and connect with stayboogy I just have no clue. O_O
 
Stayboogy contacted me a couple weeks ago offering help, but I wasn't aware of it until a few days ago, because there seems to have been a period where the forum was not sending email when threads were updated or personal messages were sent.

I'm waiting for him to get back in touch with me. It seems he doesn't check in very often...
 
I have com across some "important" info (Take it with a pinch of salt on how important you think it to be I don't judge).

I did a Factory Reset of my phone the other day (Being bogged down by apps and I am to lazy to delete them all)and it disabled my function to make or receive calls {Texting as well} (Tracfone is the carrier) *BAD IDEA DO NOT TAKE SHORTCUTS :eek:!!!!!!!!!!

This link is very detailed about this issue it seems to always happen and only with this model. Tracfone Will fix it.

I do not know the Rules on linking to other posts (This is in the same website so it is not outside to site) Forgive me if I mess up here: http://androidforums.com/threads/cant-call-barely-receive-calls-since-factory-reset.816599/

I called twice to fix the phone (I was very Lucky on time two to finally get it fixed).

I do know that the ROMS I have encountered in the past reset the phone if we do make a custom ROM I think this info should be considered to avoid having these issues.

Not sure how this would be labeled if we Root then ROM flash the phone If you tell them what it is labeled as I see this as a normal fix rather than a root problem considering the phone take no physical or digital damage (Read below).

Tracfone told me that this is a this as a Server Error that happens with any reset on a ZTE valet and they CAN fix this over the phone NORMAL PROBLEM.

So If you tell it as it is said in the post (That they need to contact Verizon to fix the problem they "may" fix it you may need to remind them a few times without agitating them). {It happens I have done it before we are all human}.

(When I say "may" not all of the tech are not privy to this issue some are)

I think that this is worth talking about considering the tight nut the phone already is while we wait for stayboogy.
And forward this to him if he does not already know.

Hopes for fruitful endeavors are still high.

So any thoughts?

Thanks for reading this long post I am sorry about the time I took from your day just trying to be detailed.

Arcadeon
;)
 
the phone is rootable.

i just need someone who has all these capabilities at hand and can follow simple commands:

1) non-updated device (no heartbleed fix)
2) working linux-based os with working fastboot and adb
3) can run cydia impactor on that linux machine

if someone can guarantee they have these things we can move forward. so far no one has supplied these things to me. i soft-bricked my test device trying several things and had to update to get it to boot. after that i figured out why unpacking and repacking the boot.img failed before. i've since taken care of that, but the old boot.img doesn't work on the new system.

someone provide me the things listed and pm me and we will go from there. if not, no one has the right to complain as i see it.
 
I may be able to help with this problem.

I Have a non heartbleed-fixed phone ZTE Valet

I have A dual OS Ubuntu/Windows 8 both are 32bit

I do have knowledge on how to run a command line (terminal)

Fastboot and ADB are both installed

Cydia impactor is already installed as well.

My question is did you test this when your phone was non-heartbleed with success without bricking it?

I will help test it either way.

(I Just need the old boot.img and the instructions on how to do this.)

Arcadeon
 
Stayboogy, in a previous post you posted a custom cwm recovery.img in the form of an update.zip but the link no longer works. Do you still have the custom recovery.img file? I would like to use dd to flash it to /dev/block/mmcblk0p17 on my updated valet to see if we can make progress on patched devices. CWM would allow us to root through a flashable update.zip like we weren't able to do with the stock recovery right?
 
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once again someone has posted that they have the things needed to do the root, but when it comes down to it they never do it...

so once again, until someone gets me the things listed in post #585 above and has some gumption about themselves and will attempt the root that i have then this will never move forward...
 
I hate to be a person that gets irritated because it is a waste of brain power.

Stayboogy I would Like to Kindly inform you that we have lives outside this one and your negativity is a hindrance.

I was working on my phone like you asked but it takes time however you have failed to inform in advance how you need a new OLD boot image as quoted here in our conversation.

"and as far as your question about success: i didn't figure out the correct unpack and repack method until after i had already soft-bricked my device and had to update to make it functional again.

the old boot.img will not in any way boot the new updated system because it requires a boot.img in a different format--which is exactly why i need someone with an non-updated device to try the old boot.img unpacked and repacked properly. i just am not going to buy another used valet that hasn't been updated to provide a root for everyone when i've already upgraded my phone and not planning on using a valet in the future. if i was still adamant on using the device then i would have already bought a second for testing and attempted root this way (with updated unpack/repack method) again."

You also have stated in the end your lack of will-power help in this matter. (The bold and underlined wording)

Me personally cannot work miracles in a single day When you come back and say "Whats the Deal????" hours later.

I don't work fast and I have a life outside this one.

I would recommend rethinking your last post if you have no interest in helping (Your rants will get this nowhere).

I will be withdrawing my assistance due to your lack of cooperation.
 
Hello everybody.

I have been following this thread for several months as an outsider.
Introductions aside, I believe that we all need to take a deep breath, as I feel the constructive flow of this issue has become rather unstable, if not inconsistent. The valet is my primary phone, and has been ever since i made the mistake of throwing down my final paycheck on a phone without doing my research. To me an unrooted phone feels like an unwatered garden; the soil is there but there's very little means for growth.

Now, I can be absolutely certain i'm not the only person following this thread that feels this way, and what little I understand about what can be done, i do know this; we're all entitled to our opinions and interpretations followed by how we choose to conduct ourselves, as i'm trying to choose my words here very carefully... It's very easy to see that what's needed here is a focus on the goal, rather than who did or didn't do what and when or why. I feel that everybody with the time or interest can actively participate in a friendly and unobtrusive matter regarding each others separate lives.

I want to personally thank stayboogie for his (although seemingly wearing thin) patience with this matter, and I will strongly encourage anybody who thinks they have information to CONSIDER continuing their support, and to put aside whatever interpretations of others behavior they may or may not have, as this is important to many of us. I would also like to offer my assistance, as i'm currently getting cydia impactor properly set up on my linux machine. What I have to offer that some others may not is my complete and undivided attention to this matter, and perhaps to act as a mediator between others whose schedules do not match up. I have all day every day, i'll very soon have the tools, and with the way things are looking here, I'd say as a community we can use all the cooperation we can get, from anyone. Which leads me to my closing statement.

I'm sure i'm not the only person following this with these interests, and I encourage anybody, ANYBODY, reading this, to give your two cents and participate. Those of us with the time can do our best to make up for the ones with the knowledge who may have less time to spare. So with that, I thank everybody for their contributions so far, and I look forward to working with anybody who is still interested in bettering the mobile experience for those of us with few other options. Best regards.

-Kurt
 
You obviously read something into my response that wasn't there... All I was doing was answering your question dude. Bold doesn't imply some sort of negative connotation.

To be quite honest I don't care if you withdraw your help or not. All I need is one person and we can all move forward. Not being an ass but I really don't appreciate your accusations when I had no I'll intentions whatsoever. It was your misunderstanding not mine.

And, it is quite rude to post the contents of a pm on a thread.

As far as having a life I'm working on my second b.a. and a m.a. and work 40+ a week so...
 
Group hug any/everyone?

ic_fe066918b727ef0ffcdc8f07a77e5959.jpg


Let's keep the goal and topic in mind: let's get the Valet rooted, eh?

Thanks!
 
stayboogy said:
You obviously read something into my response that wasn't there... All I was doing was answering your question dude. Bold doesn't imply some sort of negative connotation.

To be quite honest I don't care if you withdraw your help or not. All I need is one person and we can all move forward. Not being an ass but I really don't appreciate your accusations when I had no I'll intentions whatsoever. It was your misunderstanding not mine.

And, it is quite rude to post the contents of a pm on a thread.

As far as having a life I'm working on my second b.a. and a m.a. and work 40+ a week so...
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stayboogy, if you're interested in helping this move forward, why not simply upload the file(s) to a hosting site and post instructions on what to do with it? Surely that must be faster to get a result then waiting for someone to personally contact you, wait for both your schedule and theirs to have free time, and then get directions. You say everything is ready and waiting, so why not post it and let everyone following this thread try it out and post results? Instead of, ya know, holding the file hostage and demanding someone free up their schedule to work with your already limited one.

Just my 2 cents.
 
just to let everyone know...

the root method i had planned to use DOES NOT WORK

I just figured out how to unpack and repack the new boot.img, which just had a modified header

flashed the unsecure one and the phone "VERIFY ERROR" and will not boot any more.

so, for now, my opinion is that the device is UNROOTABLE and will never see an exploit.

you all might as well upgrade to another device that has a known root.
 
Well there's one last thing we could try. It's a long shot but it's worth mentioning since no one actually confirmed that it doesn't work yet. Some guy posted that he got permanent root and there's only 2 mentions of it on the entire internet.

Here's a quote:
I've rooted my ZTE Valet but, it was tricky. First I used an program called "SafeRoot". That root is only temporary. So, I shut SafeRoot down before the last reboot and I used the "RootMyValet.apk" to push the su binary and keep root.

If someone could try that and report back then at least we can be certain of the possibility.
 
valetuser84 said:
Well there's one last thing we could try. It's a long shot but it's worth mentioning since no one actually confirmed that it doesn't work yet. Some guy posted that he got permanent root and there's only 2 mentions of it on the entire internet.

Here's a quote:
I've rooted my ZTE Valet but, it was tricky. First I used an program called "SafeRoot". That root is only temporary. So, I shut SafeRoot down before the last reboot and I used the "RootMyValet.apk" to push the su binary and keep root.

If someone could try that and report back then at least we can be certain of the possibility.
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The RootMyValet.apk app isn't even functional - I helped with the project. Even if it did work, all it does is gain temp root through a symlink exploit and push the su binary to /system/xbin only to have it disappear shortly afterward without even rebooting. This has been tried many times. As for the SafeRoot method, I will try that.

Update -- I tried SafeRoot and it failed

If that doesn't work, then I'm with stayboogy and calling it quits. Just for fun though, I'm working on getting cwm ported to the ZTE valet so i can flash it from a root telnet session over top of the stock recovery to see what happens. I'll probably end up bricking the thing, but I don't care since I bought a moto e which is 10x better than the valet.
 
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jjfriede said:
The RootMyValet.apk app isn't even functional. Even if it did work, all it does is gain temp root through a symlink exploit and push the su binary to /system/xbin only to have it disappear shortly afterward without even rebooting. This has been tried many times. As for the SafeRoot method, I will try that.

If that doesn't work, then I'm with stayboogy and calling it quits. Just for fun though, I'm working on getting cwm ported to the ZTE valet so i can flash it from a root telnet session over top of the stock recovery to see what happens. I'll probably end up bricking the thing, but I don't care since I bought a moto e which is 10x better than the valet.
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How does the mote e get along with tracfone? Really sad that we won't get root on the valet, its not a bad phone at all.
 
2BitGary said:
How does the mote e get along with tracfone? Really sad that we won't get root on the valet, its not a bad phone at all.
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It works great. Better signal, more durable, faster, lasts two days on battery where my valet barely lasted one, clear and crisp screen, nearly untouched operating system. I'm really happy with it except for the fact that it doesn't have a front camera (which the valet doesn't have either). You can buy it from tracfone's website or you can find way better deals from ebay or amazon, just make sure the carrier is tracfone opposed to verizon etc. No root though since you can't unlock the bootloader.
 
jjfriede said:
The RootMyValet.apk app isn't even functional - I helped with the project. Even if it did work, all it does is gain temp root through a symlink exploit and push the su binary to /system/xbin only to have it disappear shortly afterward without even rebooting. This has been tried many times. As for the SafeRoot method, I will try that.

Update -- I tried SafeRoot and it failed

If that doesn't work, then I'm with stayboogy and calling it quits. Just for fun though, I'm working on getting cwm ported to the ZTE valet so i can flash it from a root telnet session over top of the stock recovery to see what happens. I'll probably end up bricking the thing, but I don't care since I bought a moto e which is 10x better than the valet.
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There is one more thing that can be tried...

the stock recovery could be unpacked and made insecure (rooted adb terminal) and repacked and flashed and see if it boots. i couldn't imagine that flashing another recovery would cause the VERIFY FAIL error but i could be wrong. if it worked with the recovery, system could be mounted rw from rooted adb terminal and su pushed and chmod'd and viola...
 
stayboogy said:
There is one more thing that can be tried...

the stock recovery could be unpacked and made insecure (rooted adb terminal) and repacked and flashed and see if it boots. i couldn't imagine that flashing another recovery would cause the VERIFY FAIL error but i could be wrong. if it worked with the recovery, system could be mounted rw from rooted adb terminal and su pushed and chmod'd and viola...
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Can you unpack and modify the recovery and I'll flash it to my device? The recovery.img i dumped from my heartbleed-fixed valet is in this zip: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1sahLineALGS2piSG5ubXZ0SUk/view?pli=1
 
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