How to root the Nook 1st Gen on Linux

published: 2021-07-15

Note: this guide assumes you already have ADB installed.

Download the prerequisite files.

At the very least, you need the launcher APK, ratc.bin, and exploit.html. These files should also be accesible on this XDA Forums thread.

Rename exploit.html to index.html.

Setup the crash server.

Run sudo python3 -m http.server --bind YOUR_COMPUTERS_LOCAL_IP_HERE 80 in the directory with the index.html file in it.

Crash your Nook's browser to enable ADB.

Open http://YOUR_COMPUTERS_LOCAL_IP_HERE in your Nook's built-in web browser (make sure that your computer and Nook are on the same network). The browser should refresh a few times and then crash to the home menu.

Connect to your Nook over ADB.

adb connect YOUR_NOOKS_LOCAL_IP_HERE

If ADB refuses to connect, run step 3 again until it connects. This might take one try; this might take a hundred tries.

Get and edit /init.rc.

adb pull /init.rc

Open /init.rc in your favorite text editor.

Find the line that says service adbd /sbin/adbd.

Below that should say disabled. Change that to enabled.

Get root access.

Repeat step 4 to connect to the Nook. Once connected:

adb push ratc.bin /sqlite_stmt_journals

adb shell

cd /sqlite_stmt_journals

/system/bin/chmod 777 ./ratc.bin

./ratc.bin

Several lines of output will appear. Do not press anything. A few seconds later, adb will disconnect you.

adb kill-server

Push the patched init.rc to the Nook.

Repeat step 4, as usual.

adb push init.rc /

If all goes well, your Nook should now be rooted with adbd running on reboot.

Go to the source link on the top of these instructions and install whatever apps you want. You must install, at the very minimum, ru.mynook.launcher.apk in order to access any of the other third-party apps installed.

To install apps over ADB:

adb install APP_NAME_HERE.apk