If you are the happy owner of the first-generation AT&T Motorola Moto X smartphone with model number XT1058, it’s time to get your handset out of your pocket and plug it into the computer because root access is now up for grabs. We’ve seen Android developers really step up security in the past Lollipop release. In earlier years, it wasn’t uncommon for root methods to be made before a device releases. While we are still seeing some of those sporadically, those handsets running the latest software updates are often finding patches which plug the old exploits. It’s now taking a long time for third-party developers to find root access running the latest software updates.
Thankfully, today is not one of those days where we are continually waiting, thanks to a new rooting exploit found. If you want to gain rooting privileges, following the guide below. Remember to take the usual precautions like backing up before starting if you come up with a soft brick situation and want to apply a reset. Often taking the hard reset, otherwise known as a factory reset, is the best way out of trouble and not fiddling around and trying to find specific answers.
If you are looking to take a backup, there are several ways to go about that. The first is to type what app you want in the Google Play search bar and download them. Helium for Android is one we are still recommending to most people. However, it doesn’t backup everything you need. With the remaining data you haven’t backed up yet, type the keyboard into the Google Play search box and find when you need.
You are voiding the Motorola warranty after the guide because the Hello Moto company don’t want you complaining the software isn’t working. While custom ROMs are often really stable, it’s only fitting a company receivers many complaints after customizing their devices. That’s why no OEM running Android covers it under warranty.
Furthermore, some of you might find you need to unlock the Developer Options menu. Doing that is easy enough: just head over to the Settings, followed by the About Device menu and tap over where the build number is seven times. You’ll now get a message telling you that you have successfully unlocked the Developer Options menu.
Moreover, to get the most out of the Developer Options menu, you must enter it from the Settings. Specifically, search for the USB Debugging option you will find inside the Developer Options and enable it. Now you are easily able to connect your device to the Windows computer you are using during the guide.
How to root the AT&T Moto X variant on the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop Update
- Download Python from here.
- Download Pyserial from here.
- Download the rooting patch from here.
- Download the Drivers you need here.
- Download the ADB and fastboot drivers to your computer and run them.
- Extract the Python, Pyserial and rooting patch to the desktop and the Python 27 in the C Drive.
- Transfer the Root_ATT_XT1058_5.1_LPA23.12-21.1_cid1.rar file found in the unzipped rooting patch over to the same folder where you have Python 27 in the C Drive.
- Completely power off the Motoola Moto X and reboot it in fastboot mode.
- Fastboot mode is easy enough: Hold the Volume Down and Power buttons together for at least five seconds and let go. You should see it boot into fastboot/bootloader mode.
- Make sure you are connecting the Moto X to the computer now because we are about to run a program that reboots the handset automatically.
- Double click the BLBROKE file found in the Python 27 folder.
- Wait for the Moto X to reboot. It’s normal for the screen to go black now.
- Extract the drivers you downloaded at the beginning (not the ADB and fastboot drivers but the other package).
- Open up the device manager on the Windows operating system.
- Look for “QHSUSB_DLOAD” in the device manager and install the driver manually. To do that, right-click the mouse over the name and select update driver software.
- Choose to “browse my computer” for the software.
- Open the folder where you have the drivers while you are browsing. You extracted the drivers to a place just a few steps ago. Go to that location.
- Choose to upload those drivers and ignore any warnings the Windows OS might give you about the lack of a signature.
- Now run the root.bat file found in the Python 27 folder and follow the on-screen instructions to finish the rooting process.