Rooting CarPC pro for Power Users

This looks great! Yes it is for "Power" CarPC users only though 🙂 

We will have an updated version of the FW soon hopefully.

Keep up the great work!

Posted by: @ap756-fred

Rooting CarPC pro (procedure should work with Basic too, not tested)

Disclaimer: This procedure is for people who are familiar with Android and rooting. I'm absolutely not responsible for anything you do, including flashing and modifying anything. It's your own risk, not CarPC, not mine. What I describe here is what I have done, your miles may vary.

Needed: full ROM from CarPC (Basic and Pro:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EeoKTvofnvE75892icxZn5XfewV8Ttaj?usp=sharing), a copy of Magisk.apk from https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases/tag/v25.2 (the latest), Mirroid or Vysor on the PC, driverset from https://androidmtk.com/download-mtk-driver-auto-installer, Minimal ADB and Fastboot from https://androidmtk.com/download-minimal-adb-and-fastboot-tool

Part 1:
- Install Mirroid or Vysor (my favorite) to your PC, extract Minimal ADB to a new folder on PC
- extract the downloaded ROM to a different new folder on your PC
- Check the version installed to your CarPC (should be the same as the ROM downloaded, if not you have to update your CarPC)
- install the MTK driver to your PC.
- Connect your CarPC to your PC and download Magisk to CarPC's SD card (this is because internal memory will be deleted several times).
- Start Android Settings on CarPC and navigate to System -> Advanced -> About Phone -> Build number, tap 7 times on Build number and you'll be a developer.
- Go back one level and open Developer options and allow OEM unlocking.

Part 2:
- Back to your PC and navigate to the new folder ADB (I called it ADB, you might have used another name), start cmd-here (a new command windows pops up).
- Enter "adb devices" (without quotes), you'll get your serial number as a response. If not, the driver or ADB wasn't installed correct.
- Now key in "adb reboot bootloader" and wait for CarPC to reboot. Then enter "fastboot devices". The same serial number as mentioned above should appear, if not driver install was not successful.

Part 3:
- Unlocking bootloader: Enter "fastboot flashing unlock", wait 5 sec or more after enter, then "fastboot flashing unlock_critical", 5 sec wait, then "fastboot reboot".

Part 4:
First start after OEM unlocking will take quite some time. Grab a coffee or smoke some cigarettes because you have to be really patient for at least 3 minutes and another 5 minutes for the automatic optimization process. CarPC will connect and reconnect several times before it finally reboots successfully - be patient. To finish the process disconnect and reconnect Cardongle (to reinitialize), goto CarPC Settings and establish mobile hotspot again. Check System -> Advanced -> Developer options. The option OEM unlocking is greyed out and tells you "is already unlocked".

Part 5:
Install Magisk on CarPC )located in your folder on SD card, otherwise you have to download again) and copy the boot.img from the downloaded ROM (on your PC) to download folder on CarPC. Open Magisk and click on install Magisk. Allow all permissions, click next, choose select and path, change to download folder and choose boot.img, then click LET'S GO. A new file will be created in your internal download folder, copy this file back to the ADB folder on your PC. Rename the new copied file to bootm-CarPC-2-4-64.img (or any other name except boot.img).

Part 6:
Back on PC open cmd-here in ADB folder and enter "adb devices" in the new window. All's well if you see your serial number again. "adb reboot bootloader", short wait, "fastboot devices", short wait, "fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash boot bootm-CarPC-2-4-64.img", short wait, "fastboot reboot", done. As usual it's time to wait again (have another coffee like described above) to re-establish the connection to Cardongle (maybe you have to disconnect/reconnect Cardongle to get it booting). No matter, be patient!

Patience is the key for successful modifying your CarPC (can't say it too often). If you have any questions you can ask, I might or might not answer :-). Depends on my mood and on the kind of the question. This procedure is checked and tested several times. If you follow it "by the word" it'll work for you.

Bye for now Fred

 

Thank you for this tutorial .

but i am missing some files from part 3

unlock.img and unlock_critical or it's a command only ( flashing)

Those are (internal) commands of fastboot. 

Bye for now  Fred 

how to update the ROM  after rooting the device

i have problem that it is keep asking me to update the play services

@mamdouh Only way to update is using the firmware provided (that's the reason why I regularily ask for the full ROM). This includes rooting again after flashing. If you try "dirty flashing" (user partition excluded from flashing) this should be non-destructive. Isome very rare cases this might not work, then you have to rebuild all your programs. That's Android policy...

Regarding Google Play Services: If a deinstall-reinstall doesn't work I would recommend flashing the latest ROM from _here_. Download the 4G version (this works on the basic model too, at least for me). This release is not bug-free, but the best for the time being. Don't forget to deselect user partition in SP Flash Tool.

Bye for now  Fred

when i update the device i chose format+download after that it is keep asking me to the play services and i cant concocting to my car , what to do ? i tried to update the device to many times with no successes

@mamdouh First of all: Never use format+download, this can lead to trouble 😉. This is the procedure tested and proven to be securely working:

Please download the ROM you want to use from _here_ (latest official firmware) or _here_ (beta software, since mid October no news due to lockdowns. It's beta, so you'll find bugs. The firmware works on basic and pro, don't expect any phone software working on basic due to missing hardware) and unzip to your hard disk (use 7zip if your unzipper doesn't work)
Download SPFlashTool v.1920 from _here_ if not already installed.
In case you didn't install the drivers needed do it now and install them from _here_ , reboot your Windows PC.
Start flash-tool.exe as administrator. Choose MT6765_Android_scatter.txt from image folder (you have unzipped to your hard disk) and check if the download agent is set to ...\MTK_AllInOne_DA.bin
Select "firmware upgrade" when upgrading or "Download" for all other cases.
Click download and now insert CarPC (not earlier). After about 40 seconds there will be a red line on the bottom of SPFlashTool indicating that the flashing has started. Please be patient, super patient. If all goes well you will see a white check mark on green bachground indicating flashing is finished. Now close SPFlashTools and remove CarPC from USB. Try the result in your car or in Mirroid or Vysor.

Hope this helps and bye for now  Fred

@ap756-fred

it doesn't work ,,, still asking me to update  play services , can you upload your play services apk please , i update it from apkmirror but it doesn't help , i've pro carpc

@mamdouh Which ROM did you try? The beta should be up to date... Hmm, sounds like you are living in a "restricted area" where Google decided not to update? Try using a VPN connection to make sure they don't know where you are (had a similar problem installing a program originated in Russia - Google tries to delete it when I want to use it). Attached is my Google Play Services, you have to unzip. Hope this helps 

Bye for now  Fred

Upload limit is 10MB, not enough to upload the file. Please try VPN first, in the meantime I'll repack the file in small blocks (will be in around 24h...)

@ap756-fred 

I tried stable and beta and all are same , I live in Jordan , if you'll look to my attach picture you'll see sw is empty, I don't know why? I'll try to use VPN and will see , I rewrote the ime by tools because I lost it after I format+download 

Missing software ID is one of the bugs coming with beta (but it is just an optical fault). Developers are working on that and other problems, but results will take some more weeks to arrive. 2.4.72 works good for me. 

Personal note: If you want to experiment a bit more you might edit the scatter file to restore some more missing parts. Be careful, you can send your CarPC to heaven ;-).

Bye for now (going to sleep)  Fred

@ap756-fred 

Maybe you can help me to edit the scatter file !!

Really I need help, because of the play services android auto doesn't work so I can't connect with car , also I'm rooted now maybe there's something I can do?  My sim card doesn't work with the mistake by format all+download 

@mamdouh Added below you will find a modified scatter file (especially for you) which forces the update of some more parts of the ROM. I don't know if it flashes well (can't test), but I hope you'll be brave enough to try it 😊. Copy the file attached to the folder you have saved the beta files 2.4.72 (name has changed, so there will be no problem) and change the scatter file used in SPFlashTool to this new file. Now use "Firmware Upgrade", click on Download and insert CarPC. The time to flash should be increased, so please be super patient. Good luck, hopefully the CarPC will come fully back to life.

Bye for now  Fred