As a result of his hardware manipulation, zeroepoch has successfully developed a software rooting method for the 2nd-gen Fire TV. To root the new Fire TV 2 using this method, your device must be on software version 5.0.3.1. The rooting instructions are only outlined for Linux computers right now, but can work on Macs with some modifications. You will also need an A-to-A USB cable to use to connect the Fire TV to your computer.
This new rooting process is not trivial and not easy for a novice user to attempt. This is why I haven’t written a guide for this rooting method yet. As additional experienced Linux users use this method to root their Fire TV 2, issues surrounding this process should be ironed out which should make it accessible to more people, at which point I will write a guide. In the meantime, if you want to root your 2nd-gen Fire TV, you should let it update to software version 5.0.3.1 (534011720) as soon as possible and then block software updates. Once Amazon releases a newer software update, you will not be able to update to 5.0.3.1, and it’s not clear right now if this rooting method will work for future software versions.
Update
Here is my Fire TV 2 Rooting Guide:
How to Root the Amazon Fire TV 2
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Exciting news! Hopeful for Windows instructions soon then.
Yeahhhhhhhhhh babyyyyyyyyyyyy
Thanks! Just unboxed my AFTV 2 I picked up during the “price mistake” on Amazon for $60. Updating now and will put it back in the box until I am ready to go. I’ll hold off probably until Sunday or next weekend to give it a go. Your blog rocks.
Just opened mine as well to do this update. Then boxed it back up. I will attempt it once the instructions are laid out. I read them multiple times but still don’t feel like it’s a 1-2-3 guide.
This is still the news I’ve been waiting for since I’ve purchased the FireTV 2! EXCELLENT WORK!
Same.. Now we wait on a Windows root homebrew..
saaaweeeeeeet i guess ill go ahead and order mine now then.
Does this software root allow us to use the USB external drives? The original AFTV only supports flash drives… I got one and am disgusted as I want to run Kodi on it and its not working because it does not support the USB drives even when they’re formatted FAT32.
I think external hard drives are supported even without root. Although with root you could mount a drive formatted with ext4.
As Eric Work, I also think that external hard drives are supported on the new FireTV2, however the Hard drive needs to be formated Fat32 and use their own power supply.
The only problem of Fat32 is that not lets us use files greater than 4GB, such as big 5-10GB films…
I have not rooted my new FireTV2 yet, so I am not fully sure of what are the benefits or what we could gain, but I have read that on a rooted FireTV2, you also could use hard drive formated with exFat and NTFS file systems…
I have an original Fire Tv which I rooted the day I got it and currently have a 720gb external USB hard drive connected to it. This drive is used exclusively for my Kodi content.
This is an old-school methodology. Use a NAS and stream your content.
I was considering one of these, now I am collecting one today ;-)
Does this mean that the Fire TV stick may also be software rootable?
No. This rooting method is specific to the CPU in the new Fir eTV, so it will not work for the Fire TV Stick or the first generation Fire TV.
Is it possible to post a guide on how to and what is needed it for? Thank you
I just have ordered one. What if I will get it only after Amazon rolls out new software update – would it be still possible to root from an earlier firmware version than 5.0.3.1?
Not at the moment, method is specific for s/w 5.0.3.1
Does anyone know if Xposed works with the FireTV 2 if rooted? Or are we still waiting for custom recovery flashing?
Any root instructions available yet for Windows? Its been a while.
The root process has been ported to windows and Mac. It is in process of another revision to make it a little easier, but if you need root, it’s definitely doable from windows for Firetv2.
Here’s the process
http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/general/root-amazon-fire-tv-gen-2-4k-t3245407
Any more recent news on a easy root solution?
this is what i used, http://forum.xda-developers.com/fire-tv/general/tutorial-how-to-root-amazon-fire-tv-gen-t3261716 just be prepared to wait 2hrs minimum and that’s on a Virgin box