How to: Root your Verizon Motorola DROID MAXX, Ultra, and Mini

posted by FAUguy / Sep 14, 2013, 4:17 PM

How to: Root your Verizon Motorola DROID MAXX, Ultra, and Mini

Ah, Root....how do we love thee!

Motorola's newest DROIDs have only been out for a couple weeks now, but the folks over on XDA Forums were hard at work to see who would collect the $830 bounty. As it turns out, user "jcase" was the first to successfully develop a rooting process that would work across the Motorola DROID MAXX, Ultra and Mini.

Now you should be aware that you will need some knowledge of using the ADB Shell, so if you aren't comfortable with that, you may want to hold off. But other than that, it is a pretty simple process. Unfortunately, the Bootloader remains locked, so you can't install a custom ROM or Kernel, though we are hopeful that the Bootloader will eventually get broken as well.

Here are the instructions, as provided by "jcase". And at always, use at your own risk.

Update 9/13/2013 - Version 1.1

Download the MotoRoot app Version 1.1 (download link)

Run ADB

Install the downloaded file by typing "adb install -r MotoRoot1.1-Droid.apk"

Then run the MotoRoot app on the phone, and click on the Setup button.

Phone will reboot, and will now be rooted.

Download and Install the modified SuperSU version 1.66 from here, as the one from the Google Play store is not compatible.

Limitations:

Uninstalling the app will disable root until reinstalled

supersu is not able to update su yet, this will be fixed in an update shortly.

su is maintained in a ext4 img at /data/xbin.img and mounted over /system/xbin at BOOT_COMPLETE.

su is not available for the first few seconds of boot, im working on this.

/system is write protected, even with unlocked bootloaders you can not write to it while booted in Android.

Unroot:

Two choices, factory reset, or press the unroot menu option in the app.

Here is a YouTube video showing the process:

For even more in-depth tech details of how this rooting process came to be, check out the Android Police link below.

source: XDA, Android Police, and YouTube

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8 Comments

1. KingKurogiii

Posts: 5713; Member since: Oct 23, 2011

don't hold your breath on an unlock method... i just got an HTC One and i was already thinking about trading it for a MAXX or a Moto X so this has got me even more interested...

posted on Sep 14, 2013, 4:41 PM 1

2. Genersis

Posts: 219; Member since: May 29, 2013

May I inquire why you are considering the switch? I am just interested.

posted on Sep 14, 2013, 10:07 PM 0

3. Penywyz

Posts: 255; Member since: Aug 13, 2013

Absolutely love my Ultra KingKurogiii. It is the smoothest/best phone I've had. The voiceless features work great, and Moto Assist is jut plain awesome. My advice to you is a MAXX or an X over the One any day.

posted on Sep 16, 2013, 4:38 PM 1

4. koslos

Posts: 1; Member since: Nov 10, 2013

In these days are special tools for rooting android.If you don't know how to root android and don't want risk with having any issues just check youtube.com/watch?v=vW2SF3qYPeU If rooted a lot of devices with this tool.

posted on Nov 10, 2013, 8:11 AM 0

5. charlesray18

Posts: 1; Member since: Jan 12, 2014

This root method does not work. I have tried it dozens of times. I am using a Motorola Droid Mini Android 4.2.2, build no. SU1-15. Any suggestions?

posted on Jan 12, 2014, 12:13 AM 0

6. mikeydavidgarcia

Posts: 1; Member since: Mar 20, 2014

f**king liar!don't waste time nor break your phone and not because I don't know what I'm doing because I do but apparently this dude doesn't!

posted on Mar 20, 2014, 7:49 AM 0

7. joey28

Posts: 1; Member since: Apr 29, 2014

Idk y it will not work on my droid ultra 4.4 any idea's

posted on Apr 29, 2014, 4:07 PM 0

8. Aj2421

Posts: 1; Member since: Sep 23, 2014

Ok I try to install it but it said there is already a built in app and also ask if I want to replace it. I look in my system app and couldn't find it. Try to replace it and no luck. suggestions