Un-Bricking by Unlocking & Flashing CWM+CM7 (was: Accidentally deleted MediaProvider)
Hi!
When removing Bloatware with Titanium Backup a while ago, I accidentally missed a click (never used a touch screen...) and uninstalled MediaProvider, which I have not been able to recover since.
I tried putting the files back from a friend's HTC, which didn't work; after that I was told even the packages differ between manufacturers, so I tried getting them from a stock Bell Atrix .zip posted on these very forums, which didn't help either. Neither #android-root nor AndroidForums were able to help, thus I ask here: Can anyone tell me how to either make my system accept Bell's files, or where I can find a "vanilla" Motorola build?
(Problem is, the phone didn't come from a phone company, a friend of mine got it pre-release from his uncle who is with Motorola, so it may even be different from what hit the market later on...)
I guess the following information will help, it's a Titanium Backup info file for another componend I backupped shortly after:
#Titanium Backup
#Sat Feb 25 03:28:43 MEZ 2012
app_gui_icon=[...]
sys_ro.build.date.utc=1302536066
app_version_code=8
sys_ro.product.model=MB860
has_prefsdata_jpu=0
sys_ro.serialno=<xxx>
sys_ro.build.description=olympus-user 2.2.2 OLYEM_U4_0.44.0 578673 ota-rel-keys,release-keys
has_prefsdata=0
app_gui_label=com.android.providers.applications 2.2.2
sys_ro.build.version.release=2.2.2
app_apk_md5=1989ff2476ee73ad445760b9bef5f44e
has_dbdata=0
app_apk_codec=GZIP
app_is_forward_locked=0
app_is_system=1
app_label=com.android.providers.applications
app_version_name=2.2.2
generation=1
app_apk_location=internal
(Most of this is unnecessary, I guess, but I can't really be sure what you might need to judge what I would have to to...)
I would be very grateful for any help, it is extremely limiting not to be able to use any media capabilities.
So, thanks in advance,
David
maybe flash a new rom if your contacts are all backed up?
Hm, well, that would really be the last resort :\ In addition to losing all my data, I fear the risk of bricking it completely. Can't really be that I'd have to flash it just because two files are missing...?
Edit: I neglected to say that the files in question are MediaProvider.apk and MediaProvider.odex. I do only need to copy these to /system/app, right?
Intelensprotient said:
Hm, well, that would really be the last resort :\ In addition to losing all my data, I fear the risk of bricking it completely. Can't really be that I'd have to flash it just because two files are missing...?
Edit: I neglected to say that the files in question are MediaProvider.apk and MediaProvider.odex. I do only need to copy these to /system/app, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, but you have to set the permissions same the other files in .system/app folder.
I have attached the missing files to this post. My gingerbread version is 2.3.4.
Good Luck!
Huh. Setting right permissions for the files from Bell had no effect; installing yours soft bricks it in an interesting way: Even with Early USB Enumeration, all I see is
# adb devices
List of devices attached
???????????? no permissions
Even with root. The LED flashes red, and after a minute it reboots. I had expected things not to work out, resulting in the deletion of your files, but that I screwed up _that_ bad after it didn't even seem to notice the right (?) files when they were there is kinda surprising.
The standard workarounds (adb kill/start server, MODE=0666 to udev or being root) change nothing about this. Time for hard reset?
Intelensprotient said:
Huh. Setting right permissions for the files from Bell had no effect; installing yours soft bricks it in an interesting way: Even with Early USB Enumeration, all I see is
# adb devices
List of devices attached
???????????? no permissions
Even with root. The LED flashes red, and after a minute it reboots. I had expected things not to work out, resulting in the deletion of your files, but that I screwed up _that_ bad after it didn't even seem to notice the right (?) files when they were there is kinda surprising.
The standard workarounds (adb kill/start server, MODE=0666 to udev or being root) change nothing about this. Time for hard reset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would hard reset too at this stage. I'm sorry it didn't work out.
Now, that's interesting. Factory reset didn't change anything.
Sorry for reply to self, but I was less than clear, so - help?
My next step would be to try to unlock the bootloader, then flash CWM and see if anything can be fixed that way; then, I would try flashing CM7 (or, more specifically, the Neutrino GT ROM) by CWM; then, I would try flashing it without. Is that a safe progression of attempts? Or have I possibly broken anything that would hard-brick it by any of these methods? And can you recommend any finer increments what I could do before / between / after those mentioned? I still have the option to apply an update in Recovery - is it possible, for instance, to put a .zip onto my SD that has 0 Byte MediaProvider files in it?
(I have thought about installing Neutrino for a while, and this seems to be a good time to flash it, as my data is cleared now anyways. To my understanding, this should not be any more dangerous than just re-flashing the Froyo that was there before, right?)
As an additional fact, ADB now doesn't detect any devices any more, even with Early USB. This could be because USB Debug is not a factory standard setting, though, as I reset it to factory defaults.
Also, the startup Moto screen behaves differently: It doesn't go to the point where the logo disappears in a flash, the background light switches off before that. As far as I can tell, the display still shows the animation, though, but it is not lit. Furthermore, the reboot seems to happen immediately after the animation has ended, and not 1-2 minutes later, like it was before the reset.
I would be grateful if anyone could explain what happened. To my understanding, a factory reset should clear /system, and the error started when I put some non-compatible .apks there, so I thought this would fix things. Is it possible something broke on the hardware side, when (for instance) 2.2.2 called a function that has had its parameters changes in 2.3.4?
[If a moderator reads this - does this qualify as a general Android question? I have no experience with different devices, so I'd be glad if you could decide if this thread has to stay here or if it can go to a sub-forum with a wider audience - General Android Q&A, for instance.]
Bump...
Success Neutrino up and running!
Related
Ok, I'm sorry if this has been asked already (or is too obvious to have been asked), but I'm having problems with my phone after rooting it and I'd like to get it fixed if possible.
Basically, I rooted my phone and flashed Cyanogen. Everything works perfectly by the accelerometer and compass, which are both completely kaput it seems.
I've tried the method in Cyanogen's FAQ (the one involving restore and deleting two files), but one of the two sets of files that he asks to delete doesn't exist.
I've already tried performing multiple wipes and reinstalls of different roms (Including Cyanogen, JF's, even the original T-mobile mytouch rom) to no avail. I even flashed back to JF's 1.5 since some people said their problems started with the 1.51 update.
Now I'm back on Cyanogen since it's my favorite so far and it seems that the problem follows me no matter what.
Now it seems that my only choice as determined by this thread is to port in some files from JF's 1.42 and delete the Cyanogen version. I have no idea if this will work since these guys are obviously on G1's and I'm using a mytouch, but I figure it shouldn't hurt too much as long as I can still get to the recovery console if something goes crazy.
This is the method given:
reboot recovery
mount /system
rm /system/bin/akmd
mount /sdcard
cp /sdcard/jf1.43_akmd /system/bin/akmd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And I understand every single bit of it but the part where he copies the jf1.43 akmd to bin because I can't seem to get my hands on that single file.
Here's the actual question in case you want to skip all of that crap.
How do I extract the particular file that i need (akmd from JF's 1.42) from the .img file that I downloaded. Is there a particular method, or am I just downloading the incorrect package?
Furthermore, if you have any other possible solutions to my problem, I'd be glad to hear them. I'm pretty much shooting in the dark here since the first time I even looked into the system was yesterday when it was rooted.
Ok I found the perl script that I needed and ran it to extract the image. Now I'm looking for the file.
Oh my god. I'm an idiot. Opened the file in Linux and everything showed up. I think I might've had hidden files not showing.
Sorry for the stupid question, hah.
Edit: No luck. Am I really the only one who got a broken accelerometer from rooting?
Edit2: For someone who usually picks up on stuff like this quickly, I'm an idiot. For some reason every problem crossed my mind but the fact that I was using a rom that was not specifically made for the MyTouch. I flashed with the modded Cyanogen rom and the accelerometer works again.
You can delete this thread if you'd like mods.
Ok so I picked up my Droid X about a month ago and haven't been able to put this thing down, I never thought about rooting it because it did everything I needed/wanted it to do, then one day I log into my car forum and all the OT guys are posting cool print screen's of their phones. I was intrigued, so I rooted my phone and have been trying to figure out a few things but I'm not really up on the terminology and/or logic behind doing certain things. I would greatly appreciate any help in regards to explaining the following:
1) Rooting - Takes off restrictions on the phone so that developer apps can be installed... Is there more to this or is that pretty much it?
2) Flashing - I see this term often but I'm not sure what it is exactly, I tried installing a theme once and the directions said to flash something somewhere and looked at it the same way my dog looks at me while I'm working out at home.. lol
3) ROM - !?
4) apk's - What are they, what do they do, and how do you install them!?
5) Installing themes - I'm thinking has to do with all of the above...
6) Locating and moving downloaded content...
7) How do all of these things tie together? I'm completely clueless as to what does what on the phone and would like to become as knowledgeable as I was when the iPhone first came out and I figured out how to jailbreak/unlock it...
As a reward for your time and effort I leave you Final Fantasy VII fan's with a cool wallpaper I found at work today.. Thanks for any/all input and again, your time is most appreciated!!
Initial GT3 said:
Ok so I picked up my Droid X about a month ago and haven't been able to put this thing down, I never thought about rooting it because it did everything I needed/wanted it to do, then one day I log into my car forum and all the OT guys are posting cool print screen's of their phones. I was intrigued, so I rooted my phone and have been trying to figure out a few things but I'm not really up on the terminology and/or logic behind doing certain things. I would greatly appreciate any help in regards to explaining the following:
1) Rooting - Takes off restrictions on the phone so that developer apps can be installed... Is there more to this or is that pretty much it?
2) Flashing - I see this term often but I'm not sure what it is exactly, I tried installing a theme once and the directions said to flash something somewhere and looked at it the same way my dog looks at me while I'm working out at home.. lol
3) ROM - !?
4) apk's - What are they, what do they do, and how do you install them!?
5) Installing themes - I'm thinking has to do with all of the above...
6) Locating and moving downloaded content...
7) How do all of these things tie together? I'm completely clueless as to what does what on the phone and would like to become as knowledgeable as I was when the iPhone first came out and I figured out how to jailbreak/unlock it...
As a reward for your time and effort I leave you Final Fantasy VII fan's with a cool wallpaper I found at work today.. Thanks for any/all input and again, your time is most appreciated!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off- that is a lot to bite off as an opener. lol. I have to get in a minute- plus I am a newb as well but here a couple of things...
1) You sound pretty on track. Root gives you access to more options with your phone. It also voids your warranty.
2) Flashing. A term used loosely. Normally it is used in conjunction with "flashing a rom". It simply means to install something (basically).
3) Rom. It is the image (not in the photo-graphical sense) that is embedded/burned on your phones hard drive with all the information of your operating system. For instance: you are on the stock 2.2 ota "rom". But you could "flash" the new "AOSP rom" that was just released. That means you would be removing the factory image that came on your phone and replacing it with a modified image. Theme's and .apk's -those are not "burned" into the phone. If you do a factory reset- those will be wiped. The rom image stays put. If you flash from 2.2 ota to AOSP and then did a factory reset- you would not return to the original state your phone came from Motorola bc that image is completely removed and replaced by the new image you flash. Instead you would return to a clean AOSP.
4) .apk's - .apk is simply the name of the file extension used for android applications. I came from Windows Mobile and they were called .cabs. So any app can be referred to as an .apk. You can download an apk from XDA, place it on your sdcard, tap the file, and i think you will be prompted with "do you want to install" (some where along those lines). There is a setting in the "Settings" that allows you to install 3rd party (non-market) .apk's.
5)Installing themes. This refers to modifying the images (and this time I do mean in the graphic sense) of certain .apk's and other whatchamajiggies. You can install a simple theme that just changes your lockscreen, or you can install a huge theme that changes almost every part of every image so the entire phone looks similar. Here is the tricky part about using themes- your phone has to be deodexed.
deodexed. When you get your phone all of the system files come with a few different parts to them. One of those parts is an odexed file. Apparently the theme building types do not like working with these files so they run this process called de-odexing in which all of the system files are somehow manipulated in a way where they no longer need their odex file. So you end up "de-odexed". There is a program called "xultimate 2.2" that enables regular folk like you and me to deodex our phones. I tried running it yesterday and it errored out on me. So I used another method that worked fine. There are some threads on here about deodexing- if you want themes you will have to do it.
6) locating and moving downloaded content. When you have root you can get Root Explorer from the market. I am sure there are other good file exploreres- but I can't speak to them- I use Root Explorer. As far as locating downloaded content- whenever I download something from my phone, it always (normally) goes to /sdcard/downloads. If it is not there, I guess you just do a search for it. If you want to move it- long press the item, copy, move.
And you will need to google "ADB" (android device bridge). Many of these activities will require the use of ADB. You plug in your phone through USB (make sure phone settings are set to "USB debugging") and... well there is just way to much on this one. Google this one and you will find a lot of stuff- or search it here on XDA
have a great weekend. got to go.
I just recently received the new Spring Nexus S 4G...Model GRJ22 with Android 2.3.4 installed. I'm looking for the proper way to root this device and came across this article: http://www.redmondpie.com/how-to-root-nexus-s-4g-tutorial/
I'm currently on Step 2 and wondering if a mounted SD Card is necessary in order to root the device? On my last phone, the Motorola Atrix, I was able to root without having an SD Card and install all my apps to the phone. Does the Nexus S not have enough room to do this and if I do install SuperUser directly onto the device, would I be able to recover/reset to factory in the future?
My second question is this. At the end of this guide it says "You now have permanent root"...
If I ever wanted to restore/reset this back to factory settings is it possible? (this is a business phone, provided by my company, not a personal purchase). I will eventually have to return this device. Do I need an SD card in order to reset this to factory?
Thirdly (for those that may know)...I'm trying to reset my Atrix back to factory settings. I've flashed back to factory, and even went and did a hard reset on my phone. It's wiped all my apps clean and took me back through the initial setup. However, if I go to file manager...I still see all the folders that were created when I had my phone rooted. Program folders, temp files, photos I took...why are all these files/folders still here? It seems to have unrooted, but how do I wipe the phone back to COMPLETE factory form?
Answer to question 2:
You can reset this to factory setting pretty easily,
You need a 'Stock GRJ22 4G Nandroid' [keep it safe somewhere]
Then when in 'clockworkmod' click 'backup and restore' > 'restore' > 'StockGRJ22Nandroid.zip'
Then all will be back to STOCK after this operation is complete [ie. No Root,No Clockworkmod, No Modded Rom]
The only thing left to do is go into 'cmdprompt' [win7] and navigate to your Android-SDK ie. 'cd C:\android-sdk\tools' then type in 'fastboot oem lock'
Answer to question 3:
Even though you clicked 'Factory reset/wipe' it will always keep the files on your '/sdcard' directory, its pretty good really because i store all my 'cyanogen roms',spare apk's and a backup or two.
I do not know the answer to question 1 but i would assume that you didnt need an external /sd as i have a nexus s [3g model] and it has 16GB built in, meaning all was possible without needing one.
Hope this help you on your rooting journey, i know it can be tough to get your head around but it will sink in eventually, even the most skilled face daunting tasks
Great! Thank you so much!
Could you possibly link me to that StockGRJ22Nandroid.zip file?
Does anybody else have any words of advice? I'd really appreciate it!
Also is there anyway to erase those extra files left on my Atrix? A program...or possibly a forum that lists the default files/folders I need to KEEP so I can delete the other files?
In my opinion the article you are referring to is poorly written and incomplete. You'll be better off using this guide:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1078213
You need to have Android SDK and proper phone drivers installed on your PC.
In the development section they have threads related to questions you have.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App
In short, i deleted my photos by accident, and deeply desire to recover them.
Data Recovery programs wont work on my Google Nexus 4, for a combination of reasons. Namely, because it is not a usb mass storage device, it is internal memory, and because the phone has not ever been rooted. If it is possible to recover the photos without rooting the phone, this would be favorable. But i doubt this is possible.
Is there a way to root my phone without causing a "factory wipe/reset"? Perhaps by avoiding unlocking the bootloader?I am not even 100% sure if this can be achieved on 4.4.2. as of now. I am continuing to investigate, but if anyone has the know-how, please let me know.
this forum here, suggests something that might work, but at the end of the forum, it suggests that 4.4.2 is still impossible to root without wiping.
-There are methods of scanning the phone after it has been rooted, but i can't find the right kind of rooting i need.
-There are methods of copying the phone's hard drive -bit-by-bit- to my PC in .RAW format, and then converting this into something that can be mounted like a real drive, which could be scanned and from which photos could be recovered., but this method requires a rooted phone as well
-there is a possibility of trying to mount the phone on a linux OS, and then scan it possibly. but i don't know if this is impossible.
i am reading the basics in the meantime.
LG Google Nexus 4, 4.4.2
Build:KOT49H
kernel:
3.4.0-perf-g2cae413
[email protected] #1
wed Nov20 14:54:28 PST 2013
Desktop PC: Windows 7 Professional 64bit, service pack 1.
Laptop: mac...
you can read more about things i have tried and my other concerns, in greater detail below.
LOTS OF METHODS, LITTLE CLARITY
I just came back from visiting some dear friends in china and purchased an upgraded version of dropbox. Before I uploaded my photos, I accidentally deleted my entire album.
What is the safest and surest attempt for recovery?
1. i need to avoid installing anything on my phone as much as possible - (lest it overwrite the empty areas where the "deleted" photos reside.)
2. i need to keep my phone off as much as humanly possible (lest it overwrite the empty areas where the "deleted" photos reside.)
3. almost without saying - id like to avoid bricking my phone, (lest it destroy my "deleted" photos)
SOFTWARE RECOVERY SECTION
All known software recovery programs won't find any data on my phone because either they are made for scanning mountable drives, USB mass storage devices, or some simply cannot scan the device unless i root my phone (although I am not sure if rooting is directly correlated with successful scanning, or if rooting the phone simply allows me to carry on with other necessary steps prior to "successful scanning"- like allowing me to installing apps that allow me to mount the internal memory as a scannable drive). Enabling USB Debugging, or enabling/disabling MTP is not the same as enabling USB mass storage mode. Seeing the Nexus 4 as "portable Device" under my computer does not mean it is a mounted drive that i can scan with a recover program. No matter what, nothing seems to work with the Google Nexus 4 as it is now.
***I first tried installing the driver's through the ANDROID SDK, by unzipping the contents from the downloaded zip file and by double clicking the .exe file. Double-clicking the .exe file resulted in a cmd dos-style window popping up and immediately disappearing. Perhaps i needed to put the extracted folder on "C:\"?
REGARDLES....later, I have used WugFresh Nexus Root Toolkit v1.8.2 for ensuring proper driver installation for my phone. I have only used this software to install drivers. It walks you through bad-driver uninstallation/clean up, it retrieves the latest drivers, installs them, and then tests their workability for you and lets you know if the drivers were successfully installed.
I have not used Wug's toolkit to root or hack my phone... yet....
Below is a list of software I have used on my Windows machine and my mac. These simply will not work with the phone as it is right now.
Remo
TenorShare
Bycloud android data recovery
Android Data Recovery
Dr. Fone
Recuva
- i havent tried disk digger. but it requires a rooted phone.
SO simple methods will simply not work? Please correct me if I am wrong.
BIT BY BIT CLONE METHOD
This seems to be the most tedious (but thorough) method for actually preparing something that can be truly scanned for photo-recovery. This method seems to create a bit-by-bit copy of the phone to my computer, which can be converted and mounted and then scanned.
However, it requires rooting. Not to mention, it recommends non-destructive rooting. Which leads me to the next section ...
ROOTING section (and its problems)
In the fruitless sections listed above, it always seems to lead towards rooting as a requirement. Most people say you should root your phone when you first get it, because, i suppose rooting is "synonymous" with a wipe/reset. I believe this reset happens as a result of the bootloader being unlocked. According to MY limited understanding, this unlocking process essentially causes a "factory reset" which wipes the phone, and then catastrophically overwrites the precious space where the deleted photos currently reside. this is unacceptable. I imagine, this "reset" is for security reasons.
Most people seem to suggest that you make a back up before you root. This isn't helpful for my situation because we are talking about retrieving deleted data. I cannot make a back-up of deleted data.
Is it really possible to root without wiping the Google Nexus 4?
Is it even profitable to consider rooting a viable option? I don't imagine myself enjoying a rooted phone as much as others on this forum. I would hate to be creating a black hole for malicious software to breed. i am only concerned with data retrieval for this one time in my life. Is rooting the only viable option? If i root, won't that make the previously mentioned software-scanning section (e.g., Dr. fone), more viable than the BIT-BY-BIT section tedious and pointless by comparison?
All in all, I think it most likely that i will need to root my phone and do the bit by bit copy. If a rooting-first-step is the final conclusion, then I am looking for clear and careful advice for my specific phone on how to root it without jeopardizing the deleted photos (e.g., avoiding a "factory reset" from unlocking the bootloader, or perhaps avoiding unlocking the bootloader altogether) and how to hopefully carry on from there. I don't even know if avoiding "unlocking the bootloader" will virtually guarantee a non-destructive root method
Rooting gets crazy because it leads to necessary installations of SuperUser, busybox, kernels, roms, etc... There are so many unfamiliar vague terms for a beginner like me and it is taking tons of time to break through. I am uninterested in keeping my phone rooted, or maintaining a lifestyle with a rooted phone. if we can move expeditiously from point A to B and then back, (get in, get the photos, and get out,) that would be the most awesome plan.
LINUX METHOD?
is there another way to get to the deleted photos?.
I do not know if 'mounting' the phone is akin to 'mounting' a scannable drive. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw2MKGIgyF4
maybe this is another wild goose chase?
IN SUMMARY
1. It would be helpful if there was a root-free photo-recovery software solution that actually works (this is unlikely to be in existence) with an unrooted nexus 4
2. It would be helpful if it is possible to root without destroying my chances of recovering my deleted photos, with the goal of allowing recovery software access (deeper access) to my phone, i.e. disk digger or if necessary... a bit-by-bit copy to my PC.
3. it would be interesting if the nexus 4 can be magically mounted and scanned on the linux operating system
4. It would be MOST HELPFUL if there was a clear consensus on what direction to take, because there is a lot of misinformation out there. One wrong step and i could end up shooting myself in the foot twice (if i inadvertently reset my phone), or three times (if i brick my phone).
5. can the phone be put back to normal (i.e. unroot) after rooting? or does this require that i make a full backup of the phone in its current state? ( i tried using WUGS toolkit to backup my media, but it wont do it unless i unlock the bootloader... back to that problem again )
I'm sorry for sounding like an idiot. I have been at this for a more than a few hours. I sincerely appreciate any help and consideration towards this specific situation in advance, and the hope that this forum has already offered me.
Impossible to root 4.4.2 without unlocking the boot loader and wiping the device.
DrFredPhD said:
Impossible to root 4.4.2 without unlocking the boot loader and wiping the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same problem.... There isn't a solution yet? :crying:
fabrollo said:
Same problem.... There isn't a solution yet? :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, you have to unlock the bootloader and that wipes the device
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA Free mobile app
jd1639 said:
Nope, you have to unlock the bootloader and that wipes the device
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And after i should try to recover all the wiped files with diskdigger for example? Maybe the datas that we was searching will be found?
Thanks... if i must try this way to solve my problem i will bite the bullet...
fabrollo said:
And after i should try to recover all the wiped files with diskdigger for example? Maybe the datas that we was searching will be found?
Thanks... if i must try this way to solve my problem i will bite the bullet...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The chances of recovering anything is very small
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Free mobile app
Hi Devs,
I've just joined and am uncertain of the proper place for this thread. Apologies if inaccurately posted.
I have the T337A, which I have rooted on ANF4, but I cannot find a recovery. I have read and read but am not finding the solution to my little project. I would like to get a safestrap on this locked bootloader so that I can install and learn to write custom ROMs. I have tried a safestrap but it was not for this specific device and did not work. I have also installed and purchased CWM Recovery and TWRP Recovery, in my learning process. The problem with the recovery is that there is no custom recovery written for this device and the bootloader is locked, as this is the AT&T WiFi/LTE version. So it looks to me like I need to figure out the partitioning image somehow in order to make a safestrap work on this device...as step 1. Is there anything else that I can do with this locked bootloader? I would love to have some help in writing a custom recovery and ROM for this device but I am a tiny tiny noob here and not a hard core programmer. If I could get some feedback on places to start for such a daunting task, it would be great. I guess one thing that I do not understand is why I cannot make my current rooted ROM the default recovery in TWRP. It asks me to choose from the list of supported devices. I understand that it goes: NAND --> aboot.img/bootloader --> recovery/or/kernel --> OS/or/ROM? If this is close to accurate then I would have to write something to the NAND?, which I'm not sure what is yet, in order to hijack the factory bootloader and then write the partitions on the sdCard for the ROM, like the safestrap folks wrote? It looks to me like they also included a version of TWRP touch which I used on the S4 yesterday and was really cool, so I guess that would be needed as well and is also why TWRP does not work for me now...it cannot hijack the locked bootloader. How do I hijack this hard headed thing? fastboot does not work to this device. In the process of this project, I have also run into a roadblock trying to update the /system/framework/framework-res.apk, in the manner that a flash needs to be done, I think. I want to change the /res/values/bools/bools.xml switch "voice_capeable" to true. AT&T or Samsung disable this on this version of the tablet, I guess to sell tethering or something else I'm not familiar with...but the way it looks to me, everything is configured on the device and I have a phone number provisioned for data at least. Why can't I turn on this switch and use the phone portion of the device? Any time I tickle the running framework-res.apk, it kills the OS. I tried compiling an update.zip aligned and signed with test keys or something like that but when I flash it, it fails with wrong footer and invalid signature...then it wipes me back to the stone ages. I warned I was a noob..! ...but not scared to brick some shtuff in order to learn this and write some custom solutions. An after thought...is there a solution for a bootable extSdCard for Android? This might lead to some options if it is possible.
Gathering phone info...
Collecting information. Be patient! Do NOT disconnect the phone!
Model: SM-T337A
Android Version: 4.4.2
Sales Code: ATT
PDA Version: T337AUCU1ANF4
Phone Version: T337AUCU1ANF4
CSC Version: T337AATT1ANF4
Product Code: SM-T337AZWAATT
HIDSw Version: T337AUCU1ANF4/T337AATT1ANF4/T337AUCU1ANF4/T337AUCU1ANF4
Board Platform: MSM8226
Serial Number: R32FA00PMRF
Imei: 3534.............
Unique Number: C1604.......
Connections: AT,MTP,MTP
Battery Status: 4.28V (94%)
Network Type: GSM
SuperSU Pro v2.40
TWRP donate latest
CWM donate v5.5.3.7
BusyBox Stericson donate v1.23.0
Titanium Backup Pro latest
xPosed v2.7.1
Wanam xPosed v3.3.1
NinjaMorph Pro v2.8.2
ROM Toolbox Pro v6.0.6.5
RootLogger Pro v1.9
Nandroid Backup v4.4.5
Next Launcher 3D Shell v3.20
Root Firewall Pro v2.1
SetCPU v3.1.2
w/respect. PitPin
Sir,
Please wait until mods will move this thread to the device specific forum for more relevant answers.
Stand by
Good luck
We had a dev working to get safestrap, but he struck out. So if you can get it, I'll test. I too have the 337a. Sucks to have a locked bootloader and no dev interest.
pre4speed said:
We had a dev working to get safestrap, but he struck out. So if you can get it, I'll test. I too have the 337a. Sucks to have a locked bootloader and no dev interest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks pre4speed. I am taking a look at the two tasks again tonight and decided to take the res/bool = voice_capable issue on first since this will determine how brickable this device can be for me. If I can use it as a regular modem phone then I might be a bit more careful with the bootloader project I did some more tinkering with the framework-res.apk ...specifically the /res/values/bools/bools.xml resource and tried the following:
-------
Factory wipe
Flashed sammobile.com T337AATT1ANF4 firmware
Rooted
SuperSU
Busybox
Froze AT&T update service and others involved
Titanium backup and pulled a good backup
Online Nandroid and pulled a good backup
Installed my XDA app. of course..!
-------
Framework-res.apk:
Used total commander to copy the running apk off to the sdCard and then my PC.
Decompilled in APKStudio2.0.3b-Windows (I am also using Ubuntu 14.04 if there is a better way here..also Android Studio on both OS...just learning).
Edited my value.
Recompiled with zip align/sign option.
***Now here in lies the problem, if I haven't already created one above ***
The random article I dug up said that in order to get past the wrong footer and signature issue, and stone-age wipe, when attempting this via abd sideload with an update.zip, is to now copy the edited file back into the original APK using 7zip in order to retain the original signing keys. When I open the original APK archive, it does not show the resource folders deemed "important and I should not jack with them" in the compiled APK (mainly values/* folder). The article mentioned the resource folders such as res/values/bools are compiled and hidden and that I needed to copy over the new resources.arsc file. I see this in the newly compiled APK I made but it also put the Manifest.xml and /res folder in there. Do I need to copy all of that or just the compiled resources.arsc file? I did all and it boot looped me so I'm guessing that I either did something wrong or this was not the right answer. The last part was to chmod the new APK, use total commander to mount the folder as rw, copy over the file, and reboot. All of that worked and I had to reboot many many times...loop.
That is where I am on the modem part and am going to attempt copying just the resources.arsc in a few. I will post more on the bootloader side soon, as I've been researching what goes on from the time I push the power button until the time I swipe the first screen. Lots of reading
w/respect - PitPin
Copying only the resources.arsc file from within the newly compiled apk back to the original framework-res.apk made some progress. Now I have the phone dialer app icon in my apps drawer... but it is failing complaining about contacts. On to the next round of research..!
PitPin said:
Copying only the resources.arsc file from within the newly compiled apk back to the original framework-res.apk made some progress. Now I have the phone dialer app icon in my apps drawer... but it is failing complaining about contacts. On to the next round of research..!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stalled out temporarily on the tab project as laptop hard drive bought the farm. Back in action and made some progress on the tab voice_capable issue. Everything appears to be there and in working order but the SMS modules. I think this has something to do with why the contacts app is blowing up but not sure yet. GoSMS and EXDialer seem to work together without blowing up but the dialer taps the modem and then dies. Taking a break from this to start a thread on rooting the AT&T Alpha. I'm about half way through the exploit on that project. Any input on what might be my SMS problem on the tab 4 would be appreciated. Attached are a few screens.
Does anyone know how to removed the caution sign on the left corner it keep telling me unauthorized action have been detected.
I am in the same boat, I so wish this would come through because I do love this little tab.
same boat
/baker said:
I am in the same boat, I so wish this would come through because I do love this little tab.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so did you finally get it going or what?I have been wanting to get my Tab going as well. I've Rooted it and paid for an unlock even, which worked fantastic by the way...Thanx XDA!!! The rooting guide I got from here was right on point,no problem at all!!But anyways, I have it on metro pcs now on the unlimited $60 plan which is awesome (.REAL unlimited internet with NO THROTTLING ) for me because now at home I run pda.net, which gives me very good, fulltime, internet for my home computers as well as the ability to stream everything onto a large screen or even via windows when we want to watch with all the bells and whistles! No lag at all usually,and I don't use my hotspot because of the usb internet connect on pda.net. When I do use the wireless connect, it doesn't take any of the allotted hotspot usage up either!!All in all it's a great deal for me. I just got a new sim for it, called in the imei to metro ,which in turn gave me a phone number and data account, and presto!Been on the net ever since! Now that I've had it for over a month ,I wanna get the voice capability to work as well, being that I am paying for 2 lines now. Although I can use the old trusty hangouts dialer with the GoogleVoice easily enough. I want to be able to use my metro number mainly because these phone companies charge and charge and charge, never caring about us,or our need to have communication at our disposal at all times.Cell phones are by far not inexpensive and the internet wasn't started for us to pay aan arm and a leg to use.Anytime I come out good while dealing with a wireless company. it's a stupendous event,I'm telling you!! Heck ,I'm writing from my home computer now, going through the Tab at this very moment! Nevertheless, I'm wanting for the devs, to come through as well. With maybe even a new rom,sans the at&t stuff, of course, since I do now have a different carrier? Heck, the Tab is even great for when we travel! 24/7 unlimited internet /streaming , and the screen size is much better than the phone screen ever was!I just really wanted to thank XDA for the work they put in to help us part - timers out,Ive been rooting and unlocking and bricking and un-bricking for quite some time now,I even repair phones now actually,but the programming and the putting it all out here for guys like me to have fun and tinker with these phones would be entirely impossible without the DEV'S and their hard work for SURE...Thanx Guys!!You ROCK!