Root [Merit] Help with Rooting ZTE Merit (Z990G)

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[Motorhead1991]

Don't push the call button when you use the *983 code, just let it run.

 

[mikec628]

My build number for avail z990 is z990v1.0.0b14 that could be the difference and also mine is running android version 2.3.4

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[mikec628]

just let it sit for about 5 mins you should have seen a little note pop up at the bottom after put in the #s saying waiting for root For about a sec. Have you tried to install superuser and busybox

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[neutrontech]

Exact same problem here with the exact same phone

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[neutrontech]

I don't know why Android devices have these silly limits at all. I had an Archos tablet that was just as bad, and I had to root it to get full functionality out of it. I don't understand why they put such ridiculous caps on things, that requires breaking your warranty to fix. I guess I just have trouble understanding how the developers of so many phones, think that such a small app partition is acceptable.

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[Motorhead1991]

The Avail has 211mb open in an otherwise empty partition (the /dev partition). This partition has 32kb of files in it... I modified an existing script to move the Dalvik cache to this empty area (but I haven't assembled an update package yet). This can free up the /data partition immensely. One downside to this script is that you can no longer reboot normally (boot into recovery and wipe the dalvik first), and the boot image I've been working on should solve this by having the system automatically move the cache without using a script.

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[Motorhead1991]

I should have mentioned that... Yes, you gotta be rooted

 

[neutrontech]

Any fresh thoughts today? Still no luck here. Not site the tcard flash is even taking.

 

[neutrontech]

Should the tcard flash wipe the phone back to factory defaults? Or will all my stuff remain, just with a new kernel?

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[neutrontech]

I am sorry for my absence. I am not sure what happens to the data. I think if its on an SD card it is fine, but I am not sure about the settings/apps/pics/etc on the internal memory. I know from flashing other equipment everything gets erased, but this is my first actual smartphone, so I have no idea. If its supposed to wipe anything, perhaps it fails because it is the file for the Z990 (Avail), not the Z990G (Merit). Perhaps we can contact ZTE for the Z990G file?

My experience with flashing, also, has always resulted in a system wipe. When I apply the flash, the status bar goes all the way to the end then reboots. It is possible that it pops up an error code, but it's so fast I can't tell. When the phone reboots, everything seems to be the same. This is why I question whether or not the flash even took. Regardless, the 983 codes still do nothing.

It's a shame that their website doesn't list the Merit. You'd think they would list all their models, and not just some of them. This could very well be the reason for it not working.

Thanks for all your help, though.

 

[AsryaKino]

Has there been any progress whatsoever on this? This is the only thread I've been able to find on the phone and specifically, rooting it. I'd really like to be able to use my phone for more than 3 apps, since I can't even download anything with these bloatware files taking up everything. I can't root it to make a new partition with any of the solutions for the avail. So I'm hoping someone's figured something out...

 

[Shabbypenguin]

wanted to pop in and inform everyone remotly attempted to use teh zte backdoor exploit on asryakino's merrit and didnt seem to work... dunno if they patched it or just changed permissions/password

if youd like to help figure this out the link in my sig and try to stick around for more then 3 mins of hello!?!?! at 4am

 

[pmollohan]

Delete me

 

[dbullmc]

i have this same phone and the same problem, just wondering if any of you have had any luck so far as to rooting this phone. this is the only place i have even seen anything on the merit. internal memory on this thing sucks

 

[neutrontech]

Been a while, so I was just wondering if anyone had any new information.

 

[stayboogy]

i'm finding conflicting info on here from different threads

some say the have got it rooted, others say no.

but some never specify i they actually have the Straight Talk ZTE Merit, or if they have the ATT ZTE Avail

even though they are the mostly the same phone, they are not exactly alike.

someone who has the ZTE Merit on Straight Talk wireless, please chime in if you have it rooted.

 

[jcase]

Someone link me to full firmware for it, if not available as much firmware as possible

you can dump system by running

adb pull system

 

[neutrontech]

Someone link me to full firmware for it, if not available as much firmware as possible

you can dump system by running

adb pull system

I did the pull from my phone One question before I post it. Does the pull contain just the system firmware, or everything including my personal data.