Guide: Root Motorola Moto X on Jelly Bean 4.2.2 Official Firmware

Motorola has Moto X for those of you who want a nice smartphone for your everyday use. Not only is it worthy of your attention, it can also be updated to Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS official firmware.

Then, after you perform this upgrade, you can root your device any old time you feel like customizing it with what it lacks (as in a more generous battery life, better and more varied options + features and so on).

Requirements

Once you are aware of what a rooting can do for your smartphone, it is recommended to take a look at these requirements:

  • use a notebook or a PC whose OS is Windows;
  • make sure the phone has the Android 4.2.2 JB version by opening “Settings“, launching “About phone” and then tapping “Model Number“;
  • create backups using these instructions;
  • download (file name: ghost-booy-new.img, MD5 Sum: eb9756f11d59bb66a72ed4aab627cd14) and then (file name: boot-ghost-att.img, MD5 Sum: c5159c2dc3fd7331a3cedde2ec02fd7b) on the notebook;
  • turn on USB Debugging;
  • install USB drivers for the handset on the laptop;
  • use the bootloader unlocked model of the Moto X;
  • charge the handset’s battery;
  • make sure to setup fastboot driver together with ADB on the laptop or PC you are using.motorola-moto-x

Instructions

  1. After your PC has just received the right files for this special procedure, you can start the guide. Here is the first thing to do: plug your phone to the laptop; use the USB cord of your Moto X to make the connection go properly.
  2. Now wait for the setup to be achieved and then move on by copying adb.exe, AdbWinApi.dll from C://android-sdk-windows/platform-tools and fastboot.exe in C://android-sdk-windows/tools to the fastboot directory.
  3. Then find and download, after that, the kernel which fits for your handset on the carriers; here is what you should look for: boot-ghost-att.img for AT&T version or ghost-boot-new.img for the Rogers model. After you download the right tool, you should give it a new name, which is: kernel.img.
  4. Move on the next phase of our tutorial. The step to follow now tells you to transfer the kernel.img to the folder called fastboot, then keep your phone turned on. That is because you have to boot it into Fastboot Mode.
  5. [sc name=”banner-jos”]The right steps that will lead you there are the following: press + hold, simultaneously, Volume Down and Power; now wait until the display is powered off and after that let go of Power and press only Volume Down.
  6. The next instructions we have in store for you prompt you to do this: plug your phone to your laptop using the same old USB cable of your handset, then turn to your notebook.
  7. There, launch a Command Prompt windows like this: go to “windows logo“, enter “CMD” on your PC’s “Search” box, then press “Enter“.
  8. After the above are completed, you should enter, in the Command Prompt windows, this:
    cd C:\fastboot
  9. Once you do that, you will arrive to the fastboot folder and you will need to enter the following command:
    fastboot flash boot kernel.img
  10. The above command is going to install, on your phone, the necessary kernel file.
  11. Next up: press and hold Power. After the handset is switched off, it will then switch itself back on and the Moto X running Jelly Bean 4.2.2 firmware will be rooted. You aren’t too sure of this? Get Root Checker app from Google Play first; then use it on your smartphone and you will see that the latter is, indeed, a rooted device.

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