Hi everyone!
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 GT-i9505 running Android 5.0.1 build oj2.
It has a Google Authenticator database on it which I would like to extract, so I can migrate it over to a new phone.
I would rather not have to cancel and renew all my 2fa accounts currently stored withing Google Authenticator.
It seems I need root access to access the database file.
I found some references to things like motochopper, psneuter, providing temporary root, and I tried a couple of those, but it seems my S4 has been properly patched.
I tried compiling and executing a copy of Towelroot I found on GitHub under /geekben/towelroot, but that didn't work either (maybe I did not correctly compile...)
Priority #1 is not losing access to my Google Authenticator database (no bricking, no factory reset, ...)
What are my options? Does a simple root exploit exist for my S4 that would allow me to copy the db file? I was unable to find it.
I read something about a custom recovery, and then using nandroid to backup, which, I think, would allow me to extract the db from the backup?
I'm not sure about the risks involved; if flashing the custom recovery fails for whatever reason, do I still have 'normal' access to my S4?
Is it at all possible to flash a custom recover without first wiping everything on my S4? I'm reading mixed information.
Any other options perhaps?
Also, my S4 just finished downloading an OTA upgrade to 'something' (it's not showing what it has downloaded, about 490Mb in size) and I may have postponed the upgrade by rebooting.
Perhaps an upgrade to Android 6.0? I don't know if that would be better or worse for what I'm trying to do here...
Thanks in advance for any pointers...
CF-Autoroot via Odin is what you use to root the S4. This will trip Knox, but at this point it shouldn't be an issue as the I9505 hasn't been produced for a couple years now. However, if you downloaded Authenticator from the Play Store Google should have backed up the database, unless doing so creates a security hole.
Backing up and restoring the Authenticator data can be done with ES File Explorer, as I routinely do it with my copy of Authenticator when I need to do a clean install of my N6's custom ROM. Other apps like Titanium Backup may also work, but I don't use Titanium Backup so I don't know how well it would work with Authenticator. Go here for a tutorial on how to backup both app and data using ES File Explorer. Ignore the requirement for the Pro version. The copies of ES File Explorer that I offer from the link in my signature have the ability to backup app and data. Just make sure both of your devices are rooted and have ES File Explorer installed.
EDIT: The one thing that tutorial doesn't mention is that you need to enable root in ES File Explorer; the setting for that can be found in the menu, accessed by tapping on the three lines at the upper left. It also doesn't mention that after enabling root you need to go into the settings, tap on App, and make sure everything on the page is checked before backing up. Otherwise, the app data will not be backed up when you back up the apps.
Ok, this is what I'm reading about Odin and CF-Autoroot at android.wonderhowto.com at /how-to/android-basics-root-with-cf-auto-root-0167401/ (sorry not allowed to post links):
CF Auto Root works by unlocking your device's bootloader, which means that if your bootloader is not already unlocked, you will lose all of the data on your device.
And there are many more articles hinting that my phone will get wiped if I unlock the bootloader, for an S4 as well as other models.
So.... I'm a little confused here. I never touched my S4 with anything special, so I'm guessing that it's bootloader will be locked?
So this will wipe my S4? I can't do that - I'm looking to save and copy my Google Authenticator database as priority #1, not looking to root my phone. I may do so later but rooting is not prio #1.
You're in a bit of a catch-22 here. There's no guarantee you won't lose your data if you run CF-Autoroot, but you have no choice BUT to run CF-Autoroot if you want to retrieve the Authenticator database at all. Since the database is in the /data partition, unavailable to a normal user, root is required in order to access that partition to retrieve the database, and in order to root you have to risk having your data wiped. To restore the database to your other phone also requires root, for the same reason.
The only devices that had locked bootloaders were in the US, so you should be ok running CF-Autoroot. But there are no guarantees here.
Thanks for your input.
Indeed there's a catch-22 here, except that I also have the option of, one by one, cancelling and renewing all my 2fa accounts and not root at all. I'm trying to decide what to do here, as obviously, renewing all ma 2fa in case of dataloss (losing access to my accounts in the process) will be much more difficult than simply re-doing all my 2fa accounts while I still have access. Rooting my new phone is less of an issue as it contains no important data at the moment.
I think I also read about installing a custom recovery, and using that to make a nandroid backup, which would then allow me to extract the file I need from the backup. Is that a possibility? And, if yes, would this be less risky than using CF-Autoroot? Would my S4 still be able to boot and function normally if I flash some total garbage file as a recovery partition? So I could try and flash a custom recovery, and if that fails for some reason, my S4 will still boot as usual?
Thanks
You can install a custom recovery, make a nandroid backup, and retrieve the database that way. You would then have to transfer the nandroid to the other phone, install a custom recovery to the other phone, and then restore just the data. To me that's a lot of work for little gain. Rooting and using ES File Explorer or Titanium Backup to retrieve the data is far simpler to do and causes less headaches.
As to flashing a custom recovery being less risky than CF-Autoroot, no. It's the same level of risk as both the custom recovery and CF-Autoroot are installed in the same fashion. The only difference is that CF-Autoroot runs a temp environment, roots the device, and then commits seppuku.
Thanks again for your input; much appreciated. I'm trying to learn and understand what is happening, and with all the slightly different combinations out there, it is sometimes difficult to know what applies to my S4 and what is not applicable.
So there is at least the boot loader, the recovery image, and the main android image (file system?). Perhaps a kernel partition also?
These will probably be separate flash partitions within the same flash chip.
The boot loader will always be started when I power up the device. When no special key combination is pressed at power-up, the boot loader will simply load the Linux kernel which will eventually load the main operating system which will end up launching android.
With some special key combination is pressed, the boot loader will launch the recovery image in stead.
I wonder, what would happen if, using Odin, I write a completely invalid data file to the recovery image (I pick the wrong image, or the image is corrupt, or by accident I pick a jpg file of my cat in Odin, or the process is interrupted due to a sudden power loss on my phone or even my computer running Odin), and suppose Odin will just go ahead thus destroying the recovery image. My recovery partition is now corrupt, unusable and will crash the system when launched.
Does this brick my phone? Will I still be able to boot normally? Will I still be able to use Odin and try flashing the recovery image a 2nd tine?
2kman said:
Does this brick my phone?
Will I still be able to boot normally?
Will I still be able to use Odin and try flashing the recovery image a 2nd time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No.
Yes.
Yes.
What is the method if I want to root only? So if changing the recovery is not required, I'd like to avoid it and of course, avoid deletion of data.
farunkel said:
What is the method if I want to root only? So if changing the recovery is not required, I'd like to avoid it and of course, avoid deletion of data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unlocking bootloader, which is required, wipes data.
I guess you could flash a pre-rooted boot image from fastboot, but unlocking bootloader is still required and that means data will wipe.
Well theoretically if you found the encryption key you could decrypt your drive but I don't even know where to begin on that. The reason you format is because official firmware encrypts with a key so if your phone falls in the wrong hands they can't get in without the pin or password you enter.
So instead of looking for a key you just format. If you need to backup apps with app data without root you can use helium.
IronSingh said:
Well theoretically if you found the encryption key you could decrypt your drive but I don't even know where to begin on that. The reason you format is because official firmware encrypts with a key so if your phone falls in the wrong hands they can't get in without the pin or password you enter.
So instead of looking for a key you just format. If you need to backup apps with app data without root you can use helium.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By just unlocking the bootloader you get a mandatory wipe. There's no way around that (yet anyway).
And even if you had the key(s) you probably still would need to unlock bootloader to get the required privileges to use it.
Huawei Backup is preinstalled and saves and restores everything. Just check all. Only apps with push need a manual reinstall to get push correctly.
My device: Mate 9 supersu b156 Mediapad X2 GEM 701->703 B212 KangVIP (AJ mod)
Mistakenly deleted "Camera" folder in phone memory from gallery. Tried bunch of recovery tools and end up requiring root to recover deleted files. Current available root method wipes the device making it impossible to recover. Is there a way to root without wipe? or Is there a way to recover without root? Please help.
Current Firmware: G950USQU1AQGL
Starting from a non-rooted SM-G950W with a locked version 7 bootloader, what does it take to make a disk image backup (like with `dd` or `adb pull`) of the /data/media, without first destroying the data that's there? Is it even possible?
I ask because I did something dumb that truncated (not deleted) all files in shared storage to 0 bytes. If I could take a disk image of /data/media, I'd be able to use offline recovery programs (like PhotoRec) to restore what was on there, but I'm currently blocked from doing that since my phone isn't rooted.
I could root my phone, but it looks like most options for rooting involve wiping out /data/.
After having done some research, it appears that I may have the following options:
Install a custom recovery like TWRP, which will grant me root access in Recovery Mode that I can use to make a disk image. The problem is that my bootloader (version 7) is locked, meaning I'd need to use Safestrap, but that apparently requires root. Is it possible to install an additional custom recovery with a locked bootloader (as opposed to replacing the built-in one) without rooting first, or am I out of luck?
Install an additional custom ROM that has root, leaving the phone's original ROM intact as opposed to replacing it, if that even makes sense.
I think I've gone in circles about what the requirements are for installing a custom recovery or ROM. This post in a G950 rooting thread says it's possible to install a custom recovery image that has root access (at least on the S8+):
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=81922221&postcount=9
The linked instructions are for installing a custom ROM with Safestrap:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-galaxy-s8+/development/rom-t3771206
But the link for G950W leads back to the G950 rooting thread, which requires wiping /data/:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8/development/root-t4060701
Also, the Safestrap install guide says that root is a requirement:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s8/development/recovery-locked-nougat-7-0-safestrap-t3772760
Is there a solution here, or are all options locked out?
Thanks in advance!
Hello
I own a clean X Compact phone and I want to unlock bootloader and root it ( Magisk) before install anything on it. Actually it is on Android 8 v34.4 and I can't backup DRM with indicated tools (backup TA), so do I need to backup DRMs if I don't use Sony services except the camera to take pictures ?
If yes, which tool can do this on Android 8 ?
Thanks
Feedback on this.
After done the android 8 update to the last release from sept 2018, I was able to activate the OEM unlock and run fastboot unlock command.
Installation of TWRP is ok
Magisk cause Unsupported/Unknown image format with the v21 . Investigate to know why
Trying to install DRM-Fix-system_Mode.zip and the phone boot loop on fastboot mode.. I'm looking to a way to uninstall this DRM Fix or flash another file,if someone can help.
Finally install Lineage OS 16 after failed to install stock firmware with flashtool. Added OpenGApps and Magisk (v21) to disable non desired apps ( 95%)
It is better to backup the TA in case you would need to get back to the stock firmware or sell device in factory conditions (on stock ROM).
If you have already unlocked the bootloader without backing up the TA first then there is no way to bring the device back to the completely factory state.
mp107 said:
It is better to backup the TA in case you would need to get back to the stock firmware or sell device in factory conditions (on stock ROM).
If you have already unlocked the bootloader without backing up the TA first then there is no way to bring the device back to the completely factory state.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your precisions.