ZMax Pro (Z981) Free TWRP & ROOT Method - ZTE Zmax Pro Guides, News, & Discussion

UPDATE (08/18/2018):
UNI no longer needed. The Z981 Firehose/Programmer has been retrieved & new instructions & files will be release soon. Come to Discord if u want to see how this sausage is being made. Everything is public. No one should pay for anything.
Join our discord {Mod edit} (Everybody is welcome).
We will need ROM/Kernel/Program makers. So please join Discord to help out. Nougat is also on its last bugs. And Oreo is booting. So there are a lot of great news for the Z981.
New thread will be started here on XDA with file links & instructions when ready.
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We have working TWRP and Root for the Zmax Pro. We are almost ready to let users beta test.
Join our discord {Mod edit} (Everybody is welcome).
If you would like to be a tester before full root is launched/achieved. Or you can just keep up on the progress that is being made.
Although the TWRP installation is done thru a paid app. We plan to share free access to this method of installation. And we advice that no one purchase said paid app for the purpose of rooting your Z981. But if you already own said app. Or purchase it in order to share with others. Please contact us for a safe method of sharing access for the purpose of TWRP installation & rooting Z981's.
We need advance knowledgeable folks to come help us in getting the firehose extracted from the paid app. And also to help us try to target the bootloader & to develop SafeStrap in the mean time. Come on over. We got our fingers in many pies.
All credit goes to Armando for his awesome TWRP & Messi for testing the UNI method of root thru the paid app. And for those that where/or will be willing to share access to the paid app for free.
08/18/18 - UNI no longer needed.
04/28/18 - Updated Discord link.

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Discord link is invalid. Also, what can I do to help? My Z981 currently sits on a shelf serving no purpose. Would love to regain life from it.

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i have a broken glass one. i could use some root to mess around with it.
also, discord link is invalid.

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Wow! Just when I had given up hope on seeing mine rooted!
I still use this phone as my primary. In fact, I have three of them. I'd be willing to help with testing and such, just let me know!
I even have one dedicated for my guinea pig phone, so it works out!

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Dude, your link is broken ?

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I've been rooting phones for about 7-8 years now. I'd be more than happy to help with testing to get this to a public release stage.

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Has anyone figured out anything about discord? I would love to test this. I almost cried when the discord didn't work lol.

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graywesley said:
Has anyone figured out anything about discord? I would love to test this. I almost cried when the discord didn't work lol.
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Updated the Discord link.

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Any more progress on this for the Z981 running 6.0.1?

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Rooting the zte
Downloaded the chatting message app in the link and registered. So how do I find the chat room... People there to join the conversation... Regarding rooting the 981.
Need instruction... Please so I can help if possible.

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Working
Y314K's method root works
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What is the method.... Can you do more than few words when posting

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Electrontube said:
What is the method.... Can you do more than few words when posting
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You should join their discord... Details are in the OP. The actual steps are "involved" lol, but I can confirm that Y314K was awesome and helped me with getting the Z981 on some TWRP and Magisk 16.0. Everyone is cool and helpful on their discord chat. Hope that helps.

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Wish you give me more instructions.... I don't know what op means.... I downloaded the app... Registered... But nothing there... Need to know where to go... Etc

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chat room
yeah, I got into the chat room and didn't see anything worthwhile as far as what this particular section is about! Just a bunch of random chatting it seemed to me, so I didn't see the point of it and still wondering what's said paid app is if it's not TWRP

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Electrontube said:
Wish you give me more instructions.... I don't know what op means.... I downloaded the app... Registered... But nothing there... Need to know where to go... Etc
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gameplayerdo2 said:
yeah, I got into the chat room and didn't see anything worthwhile as far as what this particular section is about! Just a bunch of random chatting it seemed to me, so I didn't see the point of it and still wondering what's said paid app is if it's not TWRP
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Great, folks that refuse to read the #Annoucements.
Click on the link for Discord on the 1st post of this thread.
(That is what is known as Original Post aka OP)
Then accept the invitation to the Server in the link.
The very first welcome message tells you to read #Annoucements.
Click on #Annoucements.
Read ALL the #Annoucments.
Then follow the instructions for borrowing UAT/UNI.
The process of rooting the Z981 is not a one button push. It is very specific. And things must be done on a specific order. And as of this date it still involves a paid app. But thanks to folks that lend their licenses. We have made a process that makes rooting the Z981 totally free. As long as the Z981 owner is willing to follow instructions.
If we where just handing out license logins then u would have dozens of folks bricking their Z981's. Specifically their IMEI's. Which has not been the case for those the are willing to read & follow instructions.

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kfxtech said:
Y314K's method root works
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It is not my root method. The method was first posted by Messi2050.
What is our method is the lend & walk-thru options that our Discord group provides. So folks don't have to spend a penny on root. Which we believe should always be free. And our release of updated/latest TWRP & a Debloated Discord v1.1 ROM (Based on MPCS B21) are something we are proud off.
And pretty soon, once some major bugs are worked out there should be Nougat flavors of Linage OS & Resurrection Remix & other Nougat ROMs available for the Z981. And eventually there should be Oreo ROMs too.

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Hey, thanks for the reply and not blasting me too hard. When I was on the Discord chat I had kids running around me acting crazy not to mention my screen was busted up so I was having a hard time. And thanks for the breakdown of the acronym because I am surely one who often wonders what some of those abbreviations stand for.

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Electrontube said:
Wish you give me more instructions.... I don't know what op means.... I downloaded the app... Registered... But nothing there... Need to know where to go... Etc
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Read. Read. Read. You must want to help yourself. And once again, you can always use the "search thread" option in the upper right hand corner before you come off sounding uninformed. People will help you, but you must first show that you are involved enough to find answers to the basics - if not you probably shouldn't be rooting your phone.

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i did join and rooted my zte phone thank you