How to Root and Install Custom Recovery on the Nexus 7 (WiFi/3G) running Android 4.3 OS
The recent Android 4.3 update should have brought broad smiles to many and a few frowns, seeing that they have lost their root privileges, but the post below should help them smile too! Well, not all but at least the Nexus 7 owners for now. The device was one of the few devices to get updated recently to Android 4.3 and if you are planning to root it (again), read on.
I. Before You Begin
1. Make sure that you are updated to Android 4.3 (version JWR66V) before you start.
2. Ensure that you have the proper fastboot and ADB drivers installed; if not, our guide should make it easy for you to do it.
3. The guide below will manage to erase all your data; so back up everything you feel is important.
4. Charge your device to 75% or more to prevent unwanted shutdowns.
5. This will not work on the 2013 version of the Nexus 7, so do not try as you may end up bricking your device!
II. Necessary Downloads
1. openrecovery-twrp-2.6.0.0-grouper.img [or the latest version available for Nexus 7 WiFi Only]
2. openrecovery-twrp-2.6.0.0-tilapia.img [or the latest version available for the Nexus 7 3G version]
4. Android.zip
III. Flashing Custom Recovery
1. Put your device into fastboot mode. To do this, with the device powered off, press and hold the Volume Down + Power buttons until you see a green Start text.
2. Connect your device to your PC. If drivers are installed at this point, let them do so and continue afterwards.
3. Extract Android.zip to a folder on your desktop.
4. Copy openrecovery-twrp-2.6.0.0-grouper.img [or openrecovery-twrp-2.6.0.0-tilapia.img depending your device type] to the extracted Android folder.
5. Open up a command prompt on the Android folder [hold shift, right click on the folder and select ‘Open Command Prompt Window here‘]
6. Run the following command [the below command is for the WiFi only model; if you are rooting a 3G model, change the filename at the end of the command to openrecovery-twrp-2.6.0.0-tilapia.img]
fastboot flash recovery openrecovery-twrp-2.6.0.0-grouper.img7. Reboot your device.
IV. Rooting the Nexus 7
1. Connect your device to your PC and copy UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.43.zip to your device’s SD card.
2. Power down your device and boot into TWRP Recovery. To do this, with the device powered down, press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons until you see Start highlighted. Now press the Volume Down button twice to highlight Recovery mode and press the Power button to boot into recovery.
3. Once in TWRP, tap on Install and navigate to the location of UPDATE-SuperSU-v1.43.zip and tap on it to add to the flash queue.
4. Swipe from let to right where it says Swipe to Confirm Flash to begin the process.
5. Go back to the main menu and tap on Reboot, then System to reboot your device.
Once the Nexus 7 reboots, it should be completely rooted!
