Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra SM-S918B [dm3q] rooting with KernelSU v3.1.0 Patched files crashes Odin

[umit-c]

Please check before submitting an issue

• I have searched the issues and haven't found anything relevant
• I will upload bugreport file in KernelSU Manager - Settings - Report log
• I know how to reproduce the issue which may not be specific to my device

Describe the bug

Describe your problem.

I am not sure if this is a bug, if it is, please advise, and I will re-submit this as a bug report.

I have tried to install KernelSU following the instructions in the documentation. When it comes to flashing the boot.img or init_boot.img, Odin just quits, like the process terminates as if you hit the close button on the top right hand corner (on Windows).

Here is an excerpt from a forum post that I posted to provide some details:

• I tried many different things, but for the sake of brevity, I will only include main points
• All searches, resources and guides available are based on downloading the Androidboot.img.gz files from the official repository
• Such download ended with version 2.1.2
• The guide at https://xdaforums.com/t/100-how-to-...d-pass-safetynet-and-strong-integrty.4699393/ even uses version 1.0.1
• I tried version 1.0.1 from the guide above, it worked (sort of), but it detects new version of KernelSU and demands that you upgrade the app, I upgrade up to 2.1.2 till which it demands an update. Ok, lets upgrade to 3.* then it breaks and says it is not installed.
• I follow the instructions at https://kernelsu.org/guide/installation.html I also run in to problems; I tried a lot of things that wasted my time because the stock ROM boot.img is compressed with lz4, and was unable to extract it, so followed every red herring on the net, which none of it worked of course. The I found the lz4 extractor. I extract the boot.img.lz4. Patch it with KernelSU app both in GKI mode and LKM mode. then I package the boot.img file in tar. When I try to flash it, Odin just closes out. I do the exact same process for init_boot.img.lz4. Extract. Decompress. Patch with KernelSU. Pack it in tar. Flash. Odin just quits. Dissapears from the screen. Process in the system just closes out. I tried patched version of Odin as well. Same.

Finally, trying to flash the patched boot.img or patched init_boot.img directly, results in flash failed status response.

I do not know if I am not doing this correctly, though, from what I can see on the documentation, I am following as per instructions.

Edit:

It has been confirmed. The patch by KernelSU indeed crashes Odin.
Upon further investigation, the patched init_boot.img file produced by KernelSU, causes Odin v3.14.1 to crash.

Faulting application name: Odin3 v3.14.1.exe, version: 2019.5.1.0, time stamp: 0x5cef2bf9
Faulting module name: Odin3 v3.14.1.exe, version: 2019.5.1.0, time stamp: 0x5cef2bf9
Exception code: 0xc0000409
Fault offset: 0x001b9d25
Faulting process id: 0x0x3DDC
Faulting application start time: 0x0x1DC9EE5400763B4
Faulting application path: E:_Software\Android\Samsung Root\Odin3-v3.14.1\Odin3 v3.14.1.exe
Faulting module path: E:_Software\Android\Samsung Root\Odin3-v3.14.1\Odin3 v3.14.1.exe

EDIT:
So, it turns out that Odin is not crashing for no reason. It is crashing because there is something wrong with the patched files.

Patched the stock init_boot.img file with LKM method (as opposed to GKI method - which I believe is for boot.img). Flashed TWRP and flashed the init_boot.img to init_boot partition.

Resulted in boot-loop!!!

TO VERIFY:
Boot back in to TWRP.
Reflash stock init_boot.img/boot.img.
Upon reboot back to System, it boots back up, no more boot-loop.

To Reproduce

1. download an image that matches Android13-5.15
2. extract init_boot.img.lz4 and boot.img.lz4
3. patch both of them via KernelSu v3.1.0
4. tar either patched init_boot.img or patched boot.img
5. Add tar in to AP field of Odin
6. Flash to your device
7. Odin just dies/crashes.

Expected behavior

Expected behaviour is for Odin to flash the image files to the respective partitions.

Screenshots

No response

Logs

No response

Device info

• Device: S918B
• OS Version: Android 15
• KernelSU Version: 3.1.0
• Kernel Version: Android13-5.15

Additional context

No response

[5ec1cff]

If KernelSU 1.0/2.0 still works, you can first flash the 1.0/2.0 version so that you can obtain root access, then flash 3.0. If bootloop, flash back to the 1.0/2.0 version and send logs in the manager.

[umit-c]

If KernelSU 1.0/2.0 still works, you can first flash the 1.0/2.0 version so that you can obtain root access, then flash 3.0. If bootloop, flash back to the 1.0/2.0 version and send logs in the manager.

I don't think we are on the same page with this, or there is a misunderstanding on either end.

What do you mean by "flash"?

The fundamental issue is that, the version 2.x series that work are based on the root being compiled in to the kernel, i.e. GKI.
Version 3.x series on the other hand, the GKI has been deprecated. and use kernel modules (LKM). So, the root methods are rather different.

If, by flash you mean, actual flashing of the boot images, I've already done that, and I do not see the point of flashing initially to version 2.x to gain root access (which works fine via the downloadable boot image from KernalSU github repo). to upgrade to 3.x, you still need to go through the process of patching via the app, and then flashing the patched image, however, root is irrelevant for this process. Which I have done, non-the-less.

Whether you root with version 1.x/2.x first and then attempt root with 3.x or directly attempt root with 3.x, result is the same, boot-loop with version 3.x

As for the logs, am I missing something here? Logs are provided by the KernelSU app, right? Tell me, if the system never boots, how can the app even record any logs? Because in order to boot back up and get to the "logs", I have to flash either the stock boot image, or the rooted boot image, neither of which kernelSU app manager will be able to see the logs or produce any logs, because the problem image has been removed. Even if logs were kept on the boot partition, the logs get written over when you flash a new boot image to boot back in to the phone! So, the logs idea make no sense to me. What am I missing ?

[5ec1cff]

The KernelSU app includes a log sending button, which actually collects various logs, including KernelSU's own boot logs, system vendor logs, and most importantly, kernel crash logs (pstore, which are only generated when the kernel crashed during the last system startup). These logs usually require root privileges to access, so I'm suggesting that you restore to a usable KernelSU 2.0 version when startup fails with KernelSU 3.0 in order to obtain this information to analyze the problem.

[umit-c]

Ok, the root part definitely makes sense. Thanks, I'll do that, however;

Question: those kernel crash logs, are they not stored on the boot partition? My logic is, if it's on the same partition, then they are no longer available. Or are they on /var/log or similar? Thank you for your responses. Much appreciated.

[5ec1cff]

You can find them in /sys/fs/pstore.