Previously I have rooted primarily in order to use adaway and to alter my build.prop file to enable tethering on cricket. I've now realized I can accomplish those things without root by simply flashing a build.prop file and hosts file. I tested, at least, the hosts file portion using MoaAB - but their list is a bit...ehrm... overzealous. So I want to make my own based on adaway.
I've also included an altered build.prop that includes the net.tethering.noprovisioning=true line to enable tethering.
Problem is - my zip doesn't seem to work when flashed from TWRP. I says it completed successfully but upon boot - no tethering, and still tons of ads. I'm wondering if you kind folks can help me get this working.
My non-working zip file is attached, containing the files in question.
Thanks!
Related
These are the steps explaining you how to create a custom firmware based on the SmartQ firmware releases.
Warning : Creating a firmware and changing the files may cause your device to stop working, I won't be held responsible for any damage caused by this.
Creating a firmware file is actually very easy, not much is involved and nothing more than some basic software is required to create the files. If you don't understand the steps below than maybe you shouldn't fiddle around with this and wait for other members to create these.
There is nothing explained here about the flashing itself, as I will create a seperate How-To about that with pictures explaining the steps of the recovery.
Also there is nothing explained about kernel building itself, I have no clue how to do that and I'll leave that up to SmartQ.
Use the instructions below to make your own Firmware file with the software you want in it and make all configuration changes you want.
1. If you haven't already download the latest official firmware from SmartQ.
2. Extract the zip file. You then have 2 files, a Chinese .txt file with the release notes. And a file called "SmartQT15".
3. Rename the file "SmartQT15" to "SmartQT15.zip". Accept any warning about making the file useless, as in fact you are making it useful.
4. Extract the zip file. Then you end up with 4 new folders :
"boot" - This will be the files required for booting the OS. And possibly the recovery.
"data" - The user apps and data are in this folder.
"META-INF" - The certificate SmartQ used is in this folder and also the update script that manages the update process.
"system" - The actual Android OS.Stay clear of the boot folder, unless you are 100% sure about what you are doing, this may cause a bricked device without the possibility to reflash.
Add apps to the app subfolder in the data folder. Make sure if you do add apps to set the permissions in the update script file and make changes accordingly. The data-extra.tar file is extracted during the update process.
In the "META-INF\com\google\android" folder you can find the updater-script file, you can edit this with Notepad++. This file tells the CWM based recovery what to do and in this file the permissions are set for apps. Also is it required to edit this if you want to create a pre-rooted firmware.
Be carefull what to change in the system folder it can cause your OS not to boot, but it should be no problem to revert back to another build that did work previously as you didn't touch the boot folder and the recovery should work normally.
Once you have made all the changes you wanted to do. You follow the steps back.
5. zip the 4 folders backup using Winzip or WinRAR, whatever suits you best (You can use compression, I tried out Fast, Normal, Good compression in WinRAR and the firmware flashed without problems). Make sure you have the 4 folders in the "root" of your zip file. Use for filename "SmartQT15.zip"
6. Rename the "SmartQT15.zip" file to "SmartQT15" and accept any warning again about changing the extension of your file.
You have now created a flashable firmware file for the SmartQ Ten3 T15.
Copy his file to the root of an empty microSD card and follow my How-To about flashing Custom Firmwares.
Don't use the guide to flash original SmartQ firmwares as this won't work, by changing the firmware package you break the firmware signature and the recovery will check for this during flashing.
Signature checking can be disabled though in the recovery as I will explain in the new How-To.
If you have any questions feel free to post below and I'll do my best to answer them, all the above is based on my experience and from what I could find out on the Internet.
I have tried some apps but they only let you add individual entries, while I have a file with thousands of entries that I need. My device is unlocked and rooted but using the secure stock rom. I tried pushing the file with the N7 toolkit but that needs a custom insecure rom to work.
Any suggestions for ways to replace the hosts file that don't involve flashing a new rom?
Thanks.
bump
Just as an FYI for anyone else. I was just able to take the NE5 OTA while being rooted with the towelroot method just fine.
If you have done the hotspot mod, you need to revert it back before you can get the OTA to take. Otherwise it will error out during the update file hash check and fail.
After the update is complete, just follow the steps like before and use towelroot to re-root. I had to reboot, then open supersu to install root binaries. A second reboot after install was done per instructions in the root install process.
Again, l did not uninstall xposed framework, unfreeze any apps that I had frozen, or uninstall wanam xposed. The only thing I had to do was revert the hotspot mod files to get the OTA past the file hash check.
Good luck!
What is the easiest way to remove the hotspot stuff so that I can take the OTA. That is the only thing I've done since rooting.
Thanks
SWhetsel said:
Just as an FYI for anyone else. I was just able to take the NE5 OTA while being rooted with the towelroot method just fine.
If you have done the hotspot mod, you need to revert it back before you can get the OTA to take. Otherwise it will error out during the update file hash check and fail.
After the update is complete, just follow the steps like before and use towelroot to re-root. I had to reboot, then open supersu to install root binaries. A second reboot after install was done per instructions in the root install process.
Again, l did not uninstall xposed framework, unfreeze any apps that I had frozen, or uninstall wanam xposed. The only thing I had to do was revert the hotspot mod files to get the OTA past the file hash check.
Good luck!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ksfireman82 said:
What is the easiest way to remove the hotspot stuff so that I can take the OTA. That is the only thing I've done since rooting.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you did the mod, if you just replaced the services.odex and services.jar files, hopefully you saved the original files. When you replace a system file you should make backups of the original files.
So for instance, I renamed both of those files to services.odex.old and services.jar.old before placing the new files into the folder. So to revert the files, I deleted the replacement edited files, and then renamed the originals back to the correct names.
However, if you didn't make a back up, I can attach my two original files to this post. I just can't promise it will work for you.
SWhetsel said:
When you did the mod, if you just replaced the services.odex and services.jar files, hopefully you saved the original files. When you replace a system file you should make backups of the original files.
So for instance, I renamed both of those files to services.odex.old and services.jar.old before placing the new files into the folder. So to revert the files, I deleted the replacement edited files, and then renamed the originals back to the correct names.
However, if you didn't make a back up, I can attach my two original files to this post. I just can't promise it will work for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn, didn't rename or save the original files. I had the OTA first then did the hot spot mod.
Original files.
I MAKE NO GUARANTEE THESE WILL WORK FOR YOU!
NOT A FLASHABLE ZIP.
... to "flash" or otherwise install theme type mods such as changing a notification icon, without recovery? I had experimented with framework type flashable zip files to do with on my GS3 and always flashed from recovery. I am trying to (at least for now) keep from tripping my KNOX.
Also is there a wifi hotspot app or mod that also does not require recovery?
With a towel root, I can probably do everything I want, and keep my KNOX at 0, if I can do these two things.
Bob
ParrSt said:
Is it possible? ... to "flash" or otherwise install theme type mods such as changing a notification icon, without recovery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure. It's just more work. Having root gives you the necessary permissions to change system files and do anything that a (recovery) flashable zip file would.
But pragmatically, it wouldn't be reasonable to expect everyone going around writing custom install scripts for your theme mods when the common practice is to package them as a flashable zip.
The solution? It would be eminently useful to learn how to make manual changes yourself. Theme mods typically modify a system file e.g. TouchWizHome.apk or SystemUI.apk. You can make simple edits or replace packages with a root aware file browser e.g. FX. And more advanced edits with a decompiler like apktool.
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fffft said:
Sure. It's just more work. Having root gives you the necessary permissions to change system files and do anything that a (recovery) flashable zip file would.
But pragmatically, it wouldn't be reasonable to expect everyone going around writing custom install scripts for your theme mods when the common practice is to package them as a flashable zip.
The solution? It would be eminently useful to learn how to make manual changes yourself. Theme mods typically modify a system file e.g. TouchWizHome.apk or SystemUI.apk. You can make simple edits or replace packages with a root aware file browser e.g. FX. And more advanced edits with a decompiler like apktool.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I don't expect others to make my scripts. I was making the zip packages myself.
If I understand you correctly, I can use something like FX to replace the an icon in one of the .apks? Those are zip type files but FX can do that?
As I already said, yes you can. Icons are (usually) especially easy. It's literally just replacing an icon with a file browser, usually in the xxhdpi360 drawable folder of the apk.
Something like
Copy the apk to another directory or your PC
Temporarily rename the .apk to a .zip file
Use FX Root to browse the compressed file and locate the icon you want to change.
Delete the icon from the zip.
Drag and drop the new icon to replace it.
Rename the .zip back to .apk
Browse to the folder where you copied the apk from
Rename the original .apk to .bak in case you need it later
Move your modified apk to the directory
Confirm that the permissions are still 0644 (long press to check.. but I've never seen FX mess them up to start with).
Reboot
That may look like a lot of steps but they are all trivial and you can do the entire thing in about 60 seconds.
Features e.g. suppressing nags or some colour changes may require decompiliing an apk.
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I am trying to edit ROM with EFT Dongle and I added Google Play Store in ROM.
This ROM has LZ4 Compression files, so i extract them all and repack into .tar file as they were.
1. I download OpenGapps for Android Oreo 8.1.0 as per my device "arm" and unzip it.
2. I Edit "System.img.ext4" with EFT Dongle.
3. I Move every app to system/app, priv-app to priv-app and permissions to permissions
4. Now i Repack ROM and Flash it.
5. ROM Flashed Successfully and My phone get boot loop error.
Please Help me here what i am missing?
Note: It's my first time to Edit any ROM I tried alot of pack & repack tools but they didn't work for me. so i tried EFT Dongle to edit ROM.