Root Rooting instructions for 4.4.4 Build B13 & 4.4.2 Build B33

[Masterchief87]

so, what i see on that page is the latest modems for tmobile and metro variants.

are you saying that rather than flashing old modems, we should try flashing new modems with all the xtra stuff packaged with it? from what i can see, new modem on the tmo variant breaks bluetooth streaming. would flashing these alternative files eliminate that issue?

Those modem/bootloader zips aren't new. The 4.4.4 zip is taken from the MetroPCS b06 firmware and the 4.4.2 zip is taken from the T-Mobile b22 firmware. Instead of only restoring the modem partition back to the state it was in on the older firmware, they revert every partition that got updated back to the way they were before the b13 and b33 updates that came and made a lot of newer zmax devices temporarily unrootable. When you flash one of those zips along with the ROM you want to use, it makes it as if your zmax was never updated to begin with.
Edit: Notice that the op of that thread is nearly a year old.

 

[WaxysDargle]

Those modem/bootloader zips aren't new. The 4.4.4 zip is taken from the MetroPCS b06 firmware and the 4.4.2 zip is taken from the T-Mobile b22 firmware. Instead of only restoring the modem partition back to the state it was in on the older firmware, they revert every partition that got updated back to the way they were before the b13 and b33 updates that came and made a lot of newer zmax devices temporarily unrootable. When you flash one of those zips along with the ROM you want to use, it makes it as if your zmax was never updated to begin with.
Edit: Notice that the op of that thread is nearly a year old.

thank you for the concise answer. i wasnt sure if 4.4.2 ever had any modem that wasnt b33

thanks very mucho!

 

[drudrumauro]

Is there a switcher and restore zip for metropcs b13 or do I have to downgrade and flash the b06 rom and use the b06 switcher and restore in order for me to be able to use them? Also would it be safe for me to restore a nandroid back up on this different metropcs b13 zte zmax from my other metropcs zte zmax phone which is on b06 by placing the back up file i made for it into my other phones backup/my device numbers folder

 

[Masterchief87]

Is there a switcher and restore zip for metropcs b13 or do I have to downgrade and flash the b06 rom and use the b06 switcher and restore in order for me to be able to use them? Also would it be safe for me to restore a nandroid back up on this different metropcs b13 zte zmax from my other metropcs zte zmax phone which is on b06 by placing the back up file i made for it into my other phones backup/my device numbers folder

To restore the nandroid from your older phone you would need to flash the b06 modem/bootloader images.

 

[Masterchief87]

Is there a switcher and restore zip for metropcs b13 or do I have to downgrade and flash the b06 rom and use the b06 switcher and restore in order for me to be able to use them? Also would it be safe for me to restore a nandroid back up on this different metropcs b13 zte zmax from my other metropcs zte zmax phone which is on b06 by placing the back up file i made for it into my other phones backup/my device numbers folder

Switchers aren't needed anymore. @hroark13 found out how to disable the system write protection.

 

[drudrumauro]

Wow I have been so content with how my zmax runs that I missed out on new better improvements! You devs are some monsters Thank you for the great work you and hroark13 and all the other devs and all the info leaving troubleshooters have put into the phone without everyone working together as a community I along with others would have prally bricked our phones a long time ago and I appreciate you devs for having the patience with the work you do and I admire the fearlessness you all have to not care about bricking your own devices to accomplish total zmax domination

 

[drudrumauro]

Hey I have kind of a dumb question lol Im assuming the newer TWRP version is better and thanks to hroark13 it has the ability to disable the system write protection baked into it, am I able to just simply download the new TWRP apk and install it over my old TWRP v2.7.1.0? Is there a certain way I have to install it or can I just simply install it the same way as if it was the first time installing it on the phone?

 

[Telyx]

You can use Flashify to flash the new version of TWRP over the old one. It's an img, not an apk.

 

[drudrumauro]

You can use Flashify to flash the new version of TWRP over the old one. It's an img, not an apk.

Thanks for the info on how to apply the new TWRP over the old TWRP.
I know that TWRP recovery is an image file but I was just referring to the apk download that we install into the phone after we are done rooting with kingroot that has the TWRP image in it.
Do we have to extract the image file from the TWRP install app download or are we able to flash the download app in general?

 

[Telyx]

If you're already rooted and just need to update TWRP, just use Flashify to flash the new recovery.img and then reboot. (You'll boot into the new TWRP; you can then just reboot the system.) No need to do anything with that installer apk unless you're starting from unrooted stock.

 

[drudrumauro]

If you're already rooted and just need to update TWRP, just use Flashify to flash the new recovery.img and then reboot. (You'll boot into the new TWRP; you can then just reboot the system.) No need to do anything with that installer apk unless you're starting from unrooted stock.

Thank you for the info and for the clarification. What I did was:

I downloaded flashify and backed up the new TWRP recovery image after rooting the b13 zmax and after installing the recovery. The place I backed the new TWRP recovery up to is my google drive so that I can easily retrieve it on my old b06 zmax when I go to flash it using Flashify.
Before i flash it I have a question I am unsure of.
I have nandroid back ups for every rom available like aicp and butternoob and cyanogen and broken os and pacman but those back ups are for v. 2.7.1.0 TWRP.
Will those nandroid backs still be usable after I flash the new TWRP?
Will I mess anything up if I were to restore a back up that had the old TWRP recovery on it after updating to the new TWRP?

 

[Telyx]

The version of TWRP you use shouldn't matter.

 

[drudrumauro]

The version of TWRP you use shouldn't matter.

That's awesome news!
Thanks for the help

 

[drudrumauro]

I couldn't flash the new TWRP from google drive because the back up didn't show up on my list. What I did was made a 2.7.1.0 TWRP back up just because I could and I simply went to restore and restored the new TWRP recovery and it installed without problems. That was a heck alot easier than I thought

 

[WaxysDargle]

I've recently discovered that while flashing just the modem from the older firmware does make the custom ROMs for this phone usable by fixing the problems with calls and data barely working or not working at all, it works even better if you also flash the aboot, rpm, tz, sdi, sbl1, and fsg partitions. I was having issues with GPS not working and decided to give it a shot. Not only did it fix my GPS issues but now I get full bars in areas where I would previously lose signal all together. Hroark13 actually made these zips many months ago and they can be found by clicking the link below.
http://androidforums.com/threads/4-4-4-and-4-4-2-modem-and-bootloaders.922437/

PLEASE DELETE THIS COMMENT

 

[Masterchief87]

Deleted.

 

[dfuse06]

Do you mind explaining why you think I should delete an accurate informative post that contains useful information?

I think he said something and then edited his comment for his to be deleted. It says it was edited.

 

[WaxysDargle]

Do you mind explaining why you think I should delete an accurate informative post that contains useful information?

oh ya, sorry. i asked a question but then remembered that i asked it months ago. please throw me in the trash.

 

[Masterchief87]

oh ya, sorry. i asked a question but then remembered that i asked it months ago. please throw me in the trash.

Lol gotcha. When you want to delete one of your posts its quicker and easier to just edit your post and erase everything and replace it with a period or the word "deleted" then save the changes like what I just did with my last post. Look at the screenshot.

Usually moderators will only delete your posts if you are saying something offensive and starting trouble. I

 

[WaxysDargle]

Lol gotcha. When you want to delete one of your posts its quicker and easier to just edit your post and erase everything and replace it with a period or the word "deleted" then save the changes like what I just did with my last post. Look at the screenshot.

Usually moderators will only delete your posts if you are saying something offensive and starting trouble. I

deleted

 

[WaxysDargle]

Lol gotcha. When you want to delete one of your posts its quicker and easier to just edit your post and erase everything and replace it with a period or the word "deleted" then save the changes like what I just did with my last post. Look at the screenshot.

Usually moderators will only delete your posts if you are saying something offensive and starting trouble. I

how's that?

 

[drudrumauro]

Is there any safe root method for the T mobile b34?

 

[Masterchief87]

Is there any safe root method for the T mobile b34?

Have you tried Kingroot? It has been working on MetroPCS b14 so I'm inclined to think it'll work on T-Mobile b34.

 

[xtremeasure]

Is the system partition still locked on root. I haven't been around since we broke the first root method..

 

[Relyt2012]

Just run this command in terminal emulator -->

reboot disemmcwp

Then you will have unblocked system partition!