Root I rooted my ME103K via a custom-compiled kernel

[ttsiodras]

(From my Youtube video:

)

I hated the fact that my recently purchased MemoPAD10 (ME103K) tablet had no open process to allow me to become root. I don't trust the closed-source one-click root apps that use various exploits, and require communicating with servers in.... China. Why would they need to do that? I wonder...

I therefore decided this was a good opportunity for me to study the relevant documentation and follow the steps necessary to build an Android kernel for my tablet. I then packaged my custom-compiled kernel into my custom boot image, and the video shows how I boot from it and become root in the process.

Note that I didn't burn anything in my tablet - it's a 'tethered' root, it has no side-effects.

If you are a developer, you can read in detail about the steps I had to take to modify the kernel (and su.c) and become root - by reading the questions (and answers!) that I posted in the Android StackExchange forum ( http://android.stackexchange.com/qu...-to-flash-a-system-img-i-took-with-dd-failing and http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/124857/selinux-and-chroot-system-call ).

If you are not a developer, you can download my custom boot image from the link below - but note that this means you are trusting me to not do evil things to your tablet as my kernel boots and my /sbin/su is run

Honestly, I haven't done anything - I just wanted to run a deboot-strapped Debian in my tablet. But I am also worried about the cavalier attitude I see on the web about rooting your devices - if you want to be truly safe, you must either do what I did (and recompile the kernel yourself) or absolutely trust the person that gives it to you. I do wish Google had forced a UI-accessible "become root" option in Android, just as Cyanogen does (sigh).

Visit my site ( http://users.softlab.ntua.gr/~ttsiod/ ) and decide for yourself whether I am a trustworthy person

The image I created and used in the video to boot in rooted mode, is available from here: http://users.softlab.ntua.gr/~ttsiod/boot.rooted.ME103K.zip

Enjoy!

 

[mikedt]

I hated the fact that my recently purchased MemoPAD10 (ME103K) tablet had no open process to allow me to become root. I don't trust the closed-source one-click root apps that use various exploits, and require communicating with servers in.... China. Why would they need to do that? I wonder...

Usage telemetry, data mining, and downloading additional components required to root a particular device. And here is where most of these one-click roots come from.

 

[ttsiodras]

"data mining" you say... Hmm.

Perhaps - perhaps something as innocuous as measuring the types of devices that are rooted and where they are run from.

Or perhaps, at the other end of the "evil" spectrum, installing a rootkit that no-one is aware of, until your tablet unwittingly participates as a member in a DDoS attack against some site that is currently under extortion...

My point is: you don't know - you CAN'T know, with closed-source apps.

What I did was use a standard, open process - I got the sources of my tablet's kernel from ASUS, recompiled it and packaged it (as I described in my Android StackExchange posts). Any developer can follow what I did and reproduce my results... there are no secrets. If I missed something, anyone can spot it, report it to me - and I will fix it.

I hope you can see the difference... it is always better to use an open-source option, if you can. Heck, that's why Google chose Linux for Android (and not VxWorks or some other embedded, black-box OS).

P.S. In case it was misinterpreted, I have nothing against the good people of China - my problem is with the closed-source aspect of these one-click roots. It is impossible to know what they are doing, and even more worrying, what kind of data they are sending from your tablet to their servers when the rooting takes place (the data are encrypted, your guess is as good as mine).

 

[ttsiodras]

By the way - once you boot my kernel, and become root...

# fastboot boot boot.rooted.img

...you'll notice that ASUS takes note of the fact you booted an image of your own, and "punishes" you by forcing you to boot tethered henceforth...

To fix this - and get back to normal un-tethered boots - you need to execute some ASUS-specific commands at fastboot:

# fastboot oem device-info
...
(bootloader) Device tampered: true

Yes, ASUS, we tampered with the device. How dare we!?!?

# fastboot oem reset-dev_info
# fastboot oem device-info
...
(bootloader) Device tampered: false

# fastboot reboot

After this set of commands, your tablet is back in "pristine", normal bootup mode (no need to tether it to boot).

 

[scary alien]

@ttsiodras,

Wish I would have seen this thread when you originally posted it...very cool

Very informative and interesting reads of your stackexchange posts and interaction--kudos to you!