Sony Unsigned Kernels (SW Root)

About

The methods we use are completely reversible by entering the recovery menu and performing a USB update as described on the GTVHacker wiki page for each device. Below is a link to a more detailed guide on how the recovery downgrade and loading of the new jail broken kernel works. About Sony Downgrade + Rebooter (Root)

Warnings

• This will definitely void your warranty with Sony, if you want to keep your warranty please do not do any of the steps in this guide.
• This will wipe your data partition removing all apps, personal settings and resetting the GTV to factory settings.
• This may brick your GTV. It shouldn't, but it still might!
• This will erase all data on the USB drive(s) used.
• You must be at the most recent 3.2 OTA (Over The Air) before proceeding!

Tools Needed

• 4 (512MB+) USB drives total
• Sony NSZ-GT1 (Eagle) or Sony 24",32",40",46" GoogleTV (Asura)

Pre-Pre-setup

Disconnect your GTV from the internet!

1. There are newer software versions that the procedure below won't work on. If you want to use this procedure, play it safe and make sure your Google TV cannot connect to the internet until after you have completed all of the instructions below.
2. Tell your family, roommates, spouse, etc not to reconnect it.

Check your software version to make sure you are on a version that can use this procedure

1. Go to Settings -> About on your Google TV
2. Look for version 20120126 or earlier. Version 20120222 and later have been patched and will not work.
3. If your version is earlier than 20120126 download the correct 20120126 (Android 3.2 - Exploitable) version from Sony Update Downloads and use a USB drive to install it before proceeding with this procedure. (Eagle is the BluRay player, Asura is the TV)

Windows Pre-setup

1. Label 4 thumb drives with the numbers 1 2 3 and 4.
2. Open the a Windows command prompt (Windows key+R) or Start->Run->cmd then press enter.
3. Navigate to the directory that the files in this archive are placed. (A small tutorial can be found at Tutorial)
4. Rename the USB1-Asura.img or USB1-Eagle.img file depending on which device you have (Eagle = Blu-ray Player & Asura = Sony GoogleTV Panel) to USB1.img.
5. Navigate into the Tools/ directory.
6. Plug USB drive #1 in and then enter the following command into the command line:

   dd.exe --list

7. Find the matching volume information for the inserted USB drive. This can be done easiest by matching the drive letter for the USB drive in "My Computer" to the corresponding "\\.\e:" (assuming the drive letter is e:). You will want to get this right, since the following steps will destroy any data on the drive you point it at. The format of the list should have the same syntax as the following:

   \\.\Volume{046ee4df-3db8-11e1-836e-000c29b70b00}\

   link to \\?\Device\Harddisk1\DP(1)0-0+11

   removeable media

   Mounted on \\.\e:

8. Using the above example the information we are looking for is the top line "\\.\Volume{046ee4df-3db8-11e1-836e-000c29b70b00}\", we will want to remove the ending backslash and enter it into the following command syntax:

   Syntax: dd if=USB#.img of=<volumeinfofromabove> bs=4096

   Eagle Example: dd if=../USB1.img of=\\.\Volume{046ee4df-3db8-11e1-836e-000c29b70b00} bs=4096

   Asura Example: dd if=../USB1.img of=\\.\Volume{046ee4df-3db8-11e1-836e-000c29b70b00} bs=4096

9. A successful completion would look as follows:

   rawwrite dd for windows version 0.5.

   Written by John Newbigin <[email protected]>

   This program is covered by the GPL. See copying.txt for details

   10240+0 records in

   10240+0 records out

10. Repeat steps 6-9 substituting the correct volume info (of=) and USB#.img (if) until you have 4 usb's flashed with the corresponding USB1.img USB2.img USB3.img and USB4.img.
11. You are ready to start the downgrage + root.

Mac Pre-Setup

1. Connect your USB Stick and open "Disk Utility" app.
2. Open a terminal window and type the following command:

   diskutil list

3. Make note of which disk corresponds to your USB stick.

   ex: dev/disk1

4. View previously opened "Disk Utility" app and and select/highlight your thumb drives partition.
5. Click the "unmount" button at the top of the "Disk Utility" window.
6. In the terminal window type the following command replacing the "/dev/disk1" with the disk name obtained from step 3 and the USB#.img with the location of the .img file you are going to flash:

   Syntax: dd if=USB#.img of=/dev/disk1 bs=4096

   Example: dd if=/Users/usernamehere/Desktop/USB1.img of=/dev/disk1 bs=4096

7. Press enter, when command is complete, repeat steps 2-6 until you have created all 4 USB drives.

Linux Pre-Setup

1. Label 4 thumb drives with the numbers 1 2 3 and 4.
2. Open a linux terminal.
3. Plug in USB 1.
4. Navigate to the directory the .img files are stored and rename the USB1-Asura.img or USB1-Eagle.img file depending on the device you have (Eagle = Blu-ray Player & Asura = Sony GoogleTV Panel) to USB1.img.
5. Determine which device is your USB thumbdrive by using the command "dmesg" and looking for the last set of output with sdc/sdb/sdd/etc.
6. Verify that the device is correct by matching the device name to the appropriate mount point in the following command:

   "cat /proc/mounts"

7. If you believe you have the correct device then use the following command syntax for dd:

   Syntax: dd if=USB#.img of=<volumeinfofromabove> bs=4096

   Eagle Example: dd if=../USB1.img of=/dev/sdc bs=4096

   Asura Example: dd if=../USB1.img of=/dev/sdc bs=4096

8. Repeat steps 3-7 until you have 4 USBs flashed with the corresponding USB1.img USB2.img USB3.img and USB4.img.

Downgrade/Rebooter Process

1. Boot Sony in recovery (hold power when plugging in).
2. When the menu is displayed, insert "USB 1" and press 3 on the Sony keyboard.
3. The device will ask if you want to continue. Remove "USB 1" and insert "USB 2". (Note: If the device does not ask you to continue, and instead displays "Update Data Error", try using a different brand of USB stick.)
4. Wait 20 seconds for it to settle (no more blinking from USB) and then press 1.
5. Wait another 20 seconds, The device should display an error. Now press 0.
6. The device should be showing the main recovery menu again, remove "USB 2" and then reinsert "USB 1".
7. Press 3 again. The device will ask if you want to continue, remove "USB 1" and insert "USB 3".
8. Wait 20 seconds and then press 1. This will take longer (nearly a minute) but once done, it will error.
9. Press 0.
10. Now unplug the box, and plug it back in while holding power. You should see the GTVHacker Sony splash, and you will now be in the old recovery.
11. Insert "USB 4" and then press 3. The rebooter install will begin and will take 3-5 minutes. The Screen will read "System Update with USB checking for USB media mount status."
12. When the update is complete the screen will change to show "Install Complete - Press 0 and then 0!". Press 0, and then 0 again.
13. The update is now complete, reboot your box and you will be booted into a modified unsigned kernel!

Known Issues

---

• Wifi may be slow to come up when initially starting the system, give it a few moments and it should come up.
• 3.2 disables "Install from unknown sources" setting option, for instructions on manually setting this option visit [Here]
• dd.exe may not write properly under Windows 7.
• Blu-Ray eject light may continue to blink after disc is ejected. If so, remove power, and reboot; or just reset the device by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del on the remote.

Troubleshooting

• You can get help from us or other users at:

GTVHacker Forums

GTVHacker Wiki

• or you can chat with us on IRC at:

irc.freenode.net #gtvhacker

Freenode Webchat

(Someone may not be around right away to help, make sure to be willing to wait for a response)

Download

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