Update Droid Turbo to Android 5.1.1 with Mofo Root retained, yes it's possible now!

A short while ago, we shared the Android 5.1.1 update OTA for Verizon Droid Turbo with you guys,with a warning that root isn’t available yet and might not be available for long. Well, we still don’t have root solution for 5.1.1 builds, but if you are on Android 4.4 KitKat, you can upgrade to 5.1.1 on Droid Turbo while retaining root. And guess what, you even retain ability to downgrade back to KitKat using this method.

Of course, you need to be rooted on Android 4.4, with Mofo – the only root tool available for Droid Turbo devices right now. How Droid Turbo 5.1.1 root works is, you have to download the pre-rooted 5.1 system images, that are fully compatible with your current Mofo root tool, and flash them on your device using our guide below. Let’s see how to do this, but first, let us tell you that all credit for these Android 5.1 pre-rooted system images goes to firstEncounter — thanks a lot!

How to Install Android 5.1.1 update manually on Verizon Droid Turbo

Downloads

5.1 rooted system image | Direct Link | File: xt1254-5.1-root-system.img.zip (1.34 GB)
5.1 upgrade images | Direct Link | File: 5.1_images_v2.zip (56.8 MB)
[We need to flash these files upgrade images before flashing the 5.1 system file (1.34 GB), as you will see in the guide below.]

Supported devices

VERIZON DROID TURBO, model no. XT1254
Don’t try this one any other device!

Warning: Warranty may be void of your device if you follow the procedures given on this page. You only are responsible for your device. We won’t be liable if any damage occurs to your device and/or its components.

Backup your Android. Backup important files stored on your device before proceeding with the steps below, so that in case something goes wrong you’ll have backup of all your important files.

Make sure your Droid Turbo is on Android 4.4, and rooted with Mofo.
Download the two files — ‘rooted system image’ and ‘5.1 upgrade images’ (contains required .img/bin file to make device ready for 5.1 update) — for your Droid Turbo on PC.
Install ADB drviers.
Install Motorola Droid Turbo drivers.
Connect your Droid Turbo to PC now. You will get a pop-up as shown below on your phone when you connect for the first time after enabling USB debugging. Select ‘Always allow from this computer’ checkbox and then tap on OK button.
Now, open command window in the folder where you have 5.1 upgrade images files from the above step. For this:
1. Go into the folder containing the files and then left click on empty white space in the folder.
2. Now, while holding shift key, right click on empty white space to get a pop-up as shown below.
3. Now choose Open command window here option from that.
  
  You will see a command window open up, with location directed to folder where you have 5.1 upgrade images.
Boot your Droid Turbo into Fastboot mode:
- Power off your device and wait for 5-10 seconds until the device is fully switched off.
- Press and hold Power and Volume down together for like 5-6 seconds and then release the buttons — you should see bootloader mode, with AP Fastboot Flash Mode written at the top.
Connect your device to PC now.
Now let’s test whether fastboot is working alright. In the command window, type the command given below and then hit enter key. (You can also copy paste the commands.) Upon this, you should get a serial no. with FASTBOOT written after it. If you don’t get fastboot written on cmd window, then it means you need to reinstall adb and fastboot drivers, or change restart PC, or use original USB cable.
```
fastboot devices
```
Now extract the 5.1 upgrade images file, 5.1_images_v2.zip, using a free software like 7zip, to get these files:
- logo.bin
- boot.img
- radio.img
- recovery.img
  → These are files you need to flash before flashing the 5.1 update itself. After flashing these, your device will be ready for 5.1 update, with an ability to downgrade back to Android 4.4 if need be.
Flash 5.1 upgrade images to prepare the device for pre-rooted Android 5.1.1 update system image. Use the following commands for that. Hit enter key after running one command, and execute all commands one-by-one.
```
fastboot flash logo logo.bin
```
```
fastboot flash boot boot.img
```
```
fastboot flash radio radio.img
```
```
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
```
```
fastboot erase ddr
```
Now, in order to flash the 5.1 system image, we need Mofo files. When you rooted your Droid Turbo on KitKat with Mofo, you must have received the mofo.zip upon ordering the tool, extracting which must have got you 3 files (including mofo.exe and mofo_gui.bat). We need these files for flashing 5.1 system image. If need be download the mofo.zip again, and extract it, and then find these 3 files in windows folder from the extraction. Keep the folder where you have the mofo.exe open.
Now, extract the 5.1 rooted system image, xt1254-5.1-root-system.img.zip, to get .img file (xt1254-5.1-root-system.img) inside it.
Transfer the xt1254-5.1-root-system.img file to the same folder where you have the mofo.exe and mofo-gui.bat file.
Flash the rooted 5.1 system image now. Double Double click on mofo-gui.bat file to run it. This will open up a cmd window. Run this command into the cmd window:
```
mofo flash xt1254-5.1-root-system.img
```
When done, reboot into recovery mode. Do this:
1. You’re still in fastboot mode. Simply use volume buttons to bring up the Recovery mode option, and then press power button to select it.
2. You’ll see a dead Android with an exclamation mark. Press and hold Volume up for around 5 seconds and then press power button once. You’ll enter recovery mode, with 3e recovery written at top.
Erase cache to get 5.1 update to work smoothly. In recovery, select ‘wipe cache’ option using power button.
When done, reboot your device using the ‘reboot system now’ option.
That’s it. Give your Droid Turbo ample time to reboot, like 20-40 minutes, and when it does, you shall be running pre-rooted Android 5.1.1 update on your device, with root access retained.
[Optional] Extras! Well, those of looking to install Xposed, ad blocking, busybox, tethering, etc. stuff, download the patch available here, an install it using the guide written here.