guacamole b/ LineageOS 23: Magisk still uninstalled after flashing patched boot image

[vasyugan]

Device: OnePlus 7 (guacamoleb)
Android version: LineageOS 23/ Android 16
Magisk version name: v 30.4
Magisk version code: 30400

So, after upgrading lineageos to 23, I downloaded the corresponding boot.img, patched it in the magisk app, flashed the resulting img with fastboot (fastboot flash boot magistXXX.img) and rebooted. (the same as I did many times in the past, each time, I had upgraded lineageos) Upon reboot, the magisk app still reports magisk as uninstalled.
Using the latest pre-release (30.4) unfortunately yielded the same result

The reporting instructions unfortunately don't specify, which logs are required to debug this issue.

[FFMbyBicycle]

Same issue here using a Fairphone 5. Never got any problems with updates for months using Android 15 but with A16 Magisk isn't recognized anymore.

I'm not sure if this is the same issue where removing the work profile and rebooting fixes the problem. Sadly disabling the work profile didn't work for me and I'm not sure how to remove the work profile without loosing all the data/apps.

[LyrinoxTechnologies]

Having same issue on Pixel 8 Shiba after upgrading to LineageOS 23

Having a look at the minimal logs I can in Magisk Manager, the only errors I am seeing are in regards to the GmsCore.

I have tried with both version 29 and version 30.4 sadly, no dice on either of them. I guess I can do without Root for a while, but I'm super sad that I can't use V4A/JamesDSP until this is fixed.

Note: Yes I am aware of the root-less version of JamesDSP, but the Root version is better and I'd prefer it.

How I upgraded from LOS 22.2 (with Magisk) to LOS 23:

1. Factory Reset Device (I screwed up the first update and had to sadly)
2. Installed LOS 23 per their instructions for my device
3. Downloaded boot.img to the device
4. Used Magisk Manager to patch the boot.img
5. Used ADB to pull it to my PC
6. Rebooted into Fastboot with adb reboot bootloader
7. Ran fastboot flash boot /path/to/patched/image
8. Waited for completion
9. Rebooted device
10. Entered Magisk Manager
11. Magisk Manager reports "Installed N/A"---

What is strange to me, is that usually if you don't do the install of Magisk right you'll break your whole boot chain and it'll bootloop (or just refuse to boot at all). I've never seen it successfully boot but just act like Magisk was never installed.

I would presume that it's something that has changed with Android 16 and we are simply waiting for the Magisk contributors to fix it and we will get an update soon... at least I hope so. If somebody would be so kind as to @LyrinoxTechnologies when this issue is resolved, I'd be very greatful

[TrackingIsEvil]

Same issue with OnePlus 11 5G LineageOS 23 (from MicroG).
Root was working before update from 22 and now after flashing patched image it does not work.
Tried to patch boot image with latest Magisk version 30.4 and also 29

Edit : Still having same issue with Magisk 30.5. Tried to patch vendor_boot and boot.img and flashed both of them to slot a and b and problem not resolved

[ultsi]

Same issue with Pixel 7 (panther) stock rom. Tried 29 and 30.4, and patching via selecting the whole ota.zip and also tried patching init_boot.img which was extracted with payload-dumper-go.

[chainResolver]

same with LineageOS 23 on Sony Xperia 1 iii

[TvdBrink]

Same here using Magisk 30.6 on a OnePlus 7 Pro (guacamole). My Nothing Phone (1) (Spacewar) running the same LineageOS is working perfectly fine.

One major difference between them is the kernel version, could that be related

guacamole: 4.14.356-openela-rc1-perf-g32f26bf34ddf
Spacewar: 5.4.300-qgki-g544a9b9f8e6a

Edit: I solved my problem by flashing a new boot image using fastboot.

[LyrinoxTechnologies]

So, I tried with the latest version of Magisk (30.6) and same issue on Pixel 8 running LOS 23

I did however, manage to grab some logs from Magisk Manager before they rotated.

I dont know if this log will prove helpful at all, but here it is nonetheless

https://snippet.host/dmyzyo

Edit

I did try patching boot and vendor_boot
And I tried flashing to both A and B
And I tried through Fastboot and Fastbootd in the Lineage Recovery

No changes in logs that I noticed regardless of how and what was patched.

I am a big sad nerd right now. I was really hoping this would be fixed in 30.6. Seems it was solved for some devices but not all maybe?

I wish I could help, but my experience wjth developing on Android is making a simple search app for my wife, and I dont know any Rust at all :(

[AlbertSnows]

I came across this post running into the same issue. Luckily, I got passed the "N/A" after flashing.
device: pixel 7 pro
os: lineage OS 23.0
magisk version: 30.6

what worked for me:
instead of using the boot.img to flash, as instructed in lineageOS's documentation, I tried flashing "init_boot.img" instead. Same process of download to phone -> patch with magisk -> move to computer -> bootloader -> flash to init_boot (or maybe init_boot_a, init_boot_b ?) -> restart -> N/A is gone, it's showing 30.6 is installed.

We'll see if I run into any other issues. Good to see they're migrating to rust though. Excited to see what comes next.

[waltmck]

I came across this post running into the same issue. Luckily, I got passed the "N/A" after flashing. device: pixel 7 pro os: lineage OS 23.0 magisk version: 30.6

what worked for me: instead of using the boot.img to flash, as instructed in lineageOS's documentation, I tried flashing "init_boot.img" instead. Same process of download to phone -> patch with magisk -> move to computer -> bootloader -> flash to init_boot (or maybe init_boot_a, init_boot_b ?) -> restart -> N/A is gone, it's showing 30.6 is installed.

We'll see if I run into any other issues. Good to see they're migrating to rust though. Excited to see what comes next.

I had the same problem on a Pixel 9 Pro with lineageOS, and the same fix worked for me. Thank you!

[jfeise]

Same issue with OnePlus 11 5G LineageOS 23 (from MicroG). Root was working before update from 22 and now after flashing patched image it does not work. Tried to patch boot image with latest Magisk version 30.4 and also 29

Edit : Still having same issue with Magisk 30.5. Tried to patch vendor_boot and boot.img and flashed both of them to slot a and b and problem not resolved

Why so complicated? After flashing LOS, I just sideload the Magisk apk (renamed to zip), then boot, run the app, and it asks you to finish the install. I found I have to cancel out of that dialog, click on Magisk install, direct install, then reboot. Works great on my OnePlus 11.
Oh, and 30.5 was broken. There is 30.6 out.

[djwinston]

Device: OnePlus 7 (guacamoleb) Android version: LineageOS 23/ Android 16 Magisk version name: v 30.4 Magisk version code: 30400

So, after upgrading lineageos to 23, I downloaded the corresponding boot.img, patched it in the magisk app, flashed the resulting img with fastboot (fastboot flash boot magistXXX.img) and rebooted. (the same as I did many times in the past, each time, I had upgraded lineageos) Upon reboot, the magisk app still reports magisk as uninstalled. Using the latest pre-release (30.4) unfortunately yielded the same result

The reporting instructions unfortunately don't specify, which logs are required to debug this issue.

I have the same device & lineageos 23 but I had magisk 29.0 before update to magisk 30.
So my steps with magisk 29:
1 - I did patch & install boot.img https://topjohnwu.github.io/Magisk/install.html#patching-images
2 - magisk app shows that I still had 29 app version/ 29 system & magisk app shows update button to 30
3 - When I click app update, I always see 29 app version because I forgot that made hidden magisk app before.
4 - In magisk options -> restore the magisk app (unhide it). As result, I see that magisk app has 30 app version / 29 system /ramdisk:yes. System magisk 29 show update button
5 - I clicked update button near system magisk 29 -> Direct install (recommended)
6 - after reboot I have magisk 30 system & app version

In general I don`t know does my 1 step with patch boot.img have any effect

try to install early magisk version 29.0 and update to 30
1:

adb -d reboot sideload

adb -d sideload .{your path}\Magisk-v29.0.apk

2: install patch system magisk 29 (top app section). -> Direct install (recommended). Reboot. Magisk 29 must work correctly. Do not hide magisk in settings
3: Next you may see update app to 30, next update system magisk with Direct install (recommended)

[vasyugan]

try to install early magisk version 29.0 and update to 30 1:

adb -d reboot sideload

adb -d sideload .{your path}\Magisk-v29.0.apk

I did that (with magisk 30.6).

While sideloading Magisk, I noticed the message

• Unable to find preinit dir
  `

The sideloading still completed without reporting a failure, so I don't know if this is relevant.

but after reboot, the magisk app was still uninstalled. So I had to install it manually with adb install

2: install patch system magisk 29 (top app section). -> Direct install (recommended).

This option is not available on my device. I have to patch the boot.img and flash it. What is your operating system?

[vasyugan]

My impression is that in LineageOS, fastboot flash boot [some img] actually has no effect. By accident, I flashed the magisk.apk to boot rather than the magisk_patched.img, and Android would just boot as normal. So even though I presumably overwrote and destroyed the boot partition, nothing happened at all. Can anyone confirm? Maybe this is an issue with some new security feature in LineageOS 26 or Android 16 ?

[TrackingIsEvil]

Same issue with OnePlus 11 5G LineageOS 23 (from MicroG). Root was working before update from 22 and now after flashing patched image it does not work. Tried to patch boot image with latest Magisk version 30.4 and also 29
Edit : Still having same issue with Magisk 30.5. Tried to patch vendor_boot and boot.img and flashed both of them to slot a and b and problem not resolved

Why so complicated? After flashing LOS, I just sideload the Magisk apk (renamed to zip), then boot, run the app, and it asks you to finish the install. I found I have to cancel out of that dialog, click on Magisk install, direct install, then reboot. Works great on my OnePlus 11. Oh, and 30.5 was broken. There is 30.6 out.

Thank you for your help!

I just tried this with Magisk 30.6 but still not working, maybe I'm doing something wrong ?

• adb reboot sideload
• adb sideload Magisk-v30.6.zip (Using the magisk apk)

Installer in recovery seems to work but I get this error at the end of the install: 'Unable to find preinit dir'. I'm not sure whether this is the cause of the problem

Magisk app still tell me not available on boot

Edit : Worked after complete reset! Fixed thank you !!! Nothing related to the error mentionned above.

[LyrinoxTechnologies]

So I had a thought and I am gonna do some testing and tinkering but...

If Magisk.apk holds the install scripts and the only catch is that they need root access to properly patch the boot image

LineageOS has an option to allow ADB root access, so if I run the install script from ADB as root, maybe, just maybe, I can get it installed.

I'll test this out and let you know if I ruin my boot partition.