With the release of OS 2.0.0.6149 (Beta), Research In Motion successfully plugged the security hole that DingleBerry 2.11 used to gain root access to the BlackBerry PlayBook. What's more, Research In Motion also broke the Android Market by disabling Accounts & sync in the version of the Android operating system that runs-- on top of the PlayBook's OS. Even if you managed to jailbreak .6149, the Android Market - the most visible benefit of rooting - wouldn't work.
The issue boils down to the fact that OS 2.0.0.4869 (beta) is no longer available for downloading. If you somehow had access to this version of the operating system, you'd be able to both root your PlayBook and access the Android Market. Now, the folks over at OpenSourceBB have come up with a rather clever way making that version of the OS available again. They've even put up a top-notch guide to accomplishing this feat.
Essentially, you'll use the Beta version of BlackBerry Desktop Software 7 to install the operating system. At just the right moment, you'll copy the .4869 OS to a temporary folder used by Desktop Software. This will "trick" the software into installing the .4869 OS to your PlayBook. Don't worry if you didn't save a backup copy of .4869; OSBB has links to download the files.
If you've already installed the latest beta OS - 2.0.0.6149 - to your PlayBook, I would not recommend downgrading directly to 2.0.0.4869. Instead, complete a factory reset to the latest consumer release of the PlayBook's OS, then upgrade to the 2.0.0.4869 version of the operating system using the steps provided by OpenSourceBB. From there, you can work on installing the Android Market.
There are many steps now required to getting the goodness offered by the Android Market. You do have to keep in mind that we're getting the PlayBook to do things it was never designed to do. To many - including me - that's well worth the hassle. Plus, rooting your BlackBerry PlayBook at this point is worth like 80.000 Nerd-Cool points.
Reader comments
Want to root your PlayBook? You still can - downgrade your OS today!
comment avoir skype et viber sur le playbook ?
I am confused, I have already updated to Version 2.1.0.1032... I have restored from version over a year back adn still manage to keep the same new OS...am I doing somthing wrong??? reseting to factory has not helped as well???
Hi Joseph,
I need some help regarding the Factory reset option.
How can I refuse the upgrade to 2.0.
I can't find any option to start without Upgrade (you do not have this option during the setup).
I try to remove the Wireless just before the upgrade with no success
Thanks,
Pieter
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If you've already installed the latest beta OS - 2.0.0.6149 - to your PlayBook, I would not recommend downgrading directly to 2.0.0.4869. Instead, complete a factory reset to the latest consumer release of the PlayBook's OS, then upgrade to the 2.0.0.4869 version of the operating system using the steps provided by OpenSourceBB.
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Hey,
Whats that specific moment ?
I am on Device Manager version .032.. I have the required files of the version required. But I only see 1.0.8 version when i click on other version. What to do ?
Is there a youtube video that helps? I'm use to rooting samsung android devices. It seems that no one is really putting together a "how to" guide or video
Forgive my ignorance but when you choose the os to downgrade to in DM why do you need to swap with a local copy? isn't DM downloading the OS you just chose?
UPDATE:
So I decided to try myself and presto. I went from 2.0.0.6149 to 1.0.8.6067 without swaping any bar files. Just told it which version I wanted and it did it. Am I missing something here?
The goal here is to go from 2.0.0.6149 to 2.0.0.4869 (not 1.0.8.6067), root 4869, and then upgrade to 6149.
I haven't tried this yet, but I believe RIM has prevented users from updating to that specific f/w version from within the DM s/w. Thus, the "swap" method is used to fool the DM software into writing the 4869 version rather than what it thinks it's loading. I guess DM doesn't verify the file it's loading to the PB in one of various ways that it could.
so......... silly question but how do you know the QCFM is finished downloading and its time to do the swap?
View the folder in "details" format and you'll see the file size in the last column. You should see it go from 0 bytes to 215 821 kb or something like that. That's the time to switch it.
Not necessary. Just wait until all modules have been downloaded. You have plenty of time to do the file overwrite at that point, because there are many modules written to the PB during the install phase before the qcfm file gets sent. There's really no need to rush, and you can get an error if you don't wait for ALL of the modules to download before changing the qcfm.
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Here I go....! Downloaded the beta DM and getting ready to downgrade to root my PB.
Downgraded perfectly!
However I can't DingleBerry It as I can't backup with the Payload installed. Before the Payload I can do the backup in Dev Mode but not after it's installed. :(
Hi Joseph,
Is the following line based on a feeling? Or do you have some arguments?
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If you've already installed the latest beta OS - 2.0.0.6149 - to your PlayBook, I would not recommend downgrading directly to 2.0.0.4869. Instead, complete a factory reset to the latest consumer release of the PlayBook's OS, then upgrade to the 2.0.0.4869 version of the operating system using the steps provided by OpenSourceBB.
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As far as I know, in both cases the bar files of version 6149 are being used, downgrading from 6149 to 4869 did not raise any problems.
Is there a video tutorial for this? Im kinda confused on the switching files just in time part :/
*download and *apps
Sorrt, typing this on my Playbook :P
With the Andeoid Market working, does this mwan we can dwonload ps directly from it?
will the official os2 when eventually released by RIM include android market? or is the only way to get it by rooting the device?
anybody use epixhd for streaming movies
Does 2.0 seem like its really close to the final product for the rest of ppl that dont want to root? Or will it be another couple months (possibly past feb) for the rest of us?
the Market works 100% fine in 6149. the PROBLEM is you need to reinstall the market after the upgrade. Re-do the EXACT same steps to install the market and you're fine.
sounds pretty dope...gonna give it a try Monday..
Ivan S. Harris
Ivansharris.com
Scrid something about this all seems very familiar lol. You guys over at opensource are the best!
As SCrid has stated, yes market will work and runs just fine on .6149, if you have .6149 rooted.
If you have 6149 rooted, market will work on it. It works fine on mine.
Here's why i'm so vocal about the rooting and the Android Maket. Working on these articles, I've rooted my PlayBook and installed the market several times. Last time, i factory reset to 1.0.x consumer build. Then upgraded to .4869. I rooted the PlayBook without problems. After upgrading to .6149, I installed the Cyanogen apps. When I opened the market, it simply did nothing. It should have started to ask me for my login info. Checking the settings, i found that the Accounts & sync feature had be disabled in the Android build for the PlayBook.
So here's what I'm thinking about the Android Market on .6149. If you had already used the Android Market, I'm thinking your account file would have preserved through the update. Once you got the Market files working with .6149, you wouldn't to enter your account information again, your account file would already have the necessary information. As long as you had created a Google Account before upgrading to .6149, Market would appear to have changed not at all.
All I can tell you is that I ran into some trouble when starting fom scratch - like a person new to rooting might - and I want other to not make my mistake.
But, the only issue with what you are saying is that I never rooted until the .6149 build so that throws you whole theory off. So for preserving setting etc from a previous root is not applicable in my situation.
Simply put, the root works and so does Android Market on .6149 build.
Well, there goes my theory! haha I wonder why things went so differently for me.
The Android player is finicky. Which is understandable, it's in beta ;)
Try doing a security wipe to 1.0.8, updating to the .4xxx 2.0 beta, jailbreaking, then updating to the latest 2.0 beta OTA. That's what I had to do at one point.
would you be able to explain how? I really just want to root my playbook so I can get netflix.
Happy New Year!!!!!