Related
About 2 months ago, I eliminated the Noogie root on my NST Glowbug(after using
Noogie for ~9 months), reflashed up to factory F/W version 1.2.1, and then started
using the newest version of Nook Manager w/GApps.
I've been using this NST without any problems - it's been working like a champ.
Except recently when I went into a Barnes & Noble store.
I can use Wifi as much as I want anywhere else, but the moment my NSTG
pairs with the WiFi network at my local Barnes & Noble, it starts crashing, over
and over again.
I have approximately 5-7 seconds between crashes, so occasionally I can get in
and I'm able to disable wifi. When I do that, the crashing stops. Turn Wifi back on,
and it starts crashing. Also, as soon as I leave the store and am outside of the range
of their router, the crashing obviously stops. I can use Wifi at work, and at home without
any problems.
Just to verify that it was the store, I went back in there again tonite, and the same
problem occurred for the second time. Not a fluke.
I tried to use adb Konnect to ensure that adb wifi was disabled, but unfortunately, the
5-7 second crash interval made it hard to get in to try various things. I was able to do
simple things like disabling/enabling wifi, but that was about it.
I have never had this happen before - regardless of whether or not I was running vanilla,
or the Noogie root, I never had the device crash when at the Store. Only since I started
using the Nook Manager.
Has anybody else seen this behavior??
There are all kinds of intents flying around when you are on a B&N WiFi.
If they aren't handled properly it would probably crash the Nook.
This doesn't surprise me in the least.
If you deleted or disabled Home.apk, Library.apk, ReaderRMSDK.apk or Shop.apk this could easily happen.
See: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=24061856&postcount=11
Renate NST said:
There are all kinds of intents flying around when you are on a B&N WiFi.
If they aren't handled properly it would probably crash the Nook.
This doesn't surprise me in the least.
If you deleted or disabled Home.apk, Library.apk, ReaderRMSDK.apk or Shop.apk this could easily happen.
See: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=24061856&postcount=11
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the reminder. I had installed startups manager and disabled the Reader.
I'll test it again after turning it back on.
rmkenney12 said:
Thank you for the reminder. I had installed startups manager and disabled the Reader.
I'll test it again after turning it back on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd be posting this in the Nook Manage thread, but it's a dev thread, and I can never seem to get up to the magic
10-post limit. I guess I don't do chit-chat.
I removed the startups manager block on the B&N Reader app(or any other part of the B&N app suite),
and still ended up having both of my nooks crash when I took them to a B&N store. So the next step
is to use Nook Manager to remove/disable the B&N app suite.
I have both a base Nook Touch, and a Nook Touch Glowbug(or whatever the codename is)
Both formerly used the touchnooter root, but were then flashed back to factory, updated to 1.2.x, and then
the Nook Manager root was applied, plus the NTGAppsAttack module. In fact, I've done this twice, because
I tried to use the Nook Manager tool that removes/disables the B&N suite of apps, but that kills the
functionality of the gapps provided by NTGAppsAttack. I know - I read in the NTGAppsAttack thread that
that was not going to work, but I wanted to try it out anyways. Eternally hopeful.
It would be nice if:
1) Nook Manager would play nice with NTGAppsAttack, IE if it is disabling/removing the B&N app suite, then
it replaces the system functionality with something else that will allow the Market to continue working. I've
read a bit on how hard this is, and how much the B&N apps hack up the system libraries. Just sayin'.
2) When I used Nook Manager to restore the B&N apps suite, that did not restore functionality of the Play
Market. It still can't go into any one particular app, even to look at it, without market crashing, and I've
lost any linkage to the "My Apps" functionality. The Market(via the webpage on a desktop), and the
Market on the Nook, are completely de-linked. When I can get into the market on the Nook, (assuming
it doesn't crash), the "My Apps" section shows Smoopa Price Checker as something I've downloaded.
So, whatever the Nook Manager is doing to remove the B&N Apps is not a completely symmetric function
compared to restoring them. Something is getting lost in the translation.
I will sacrifice my N2E - ensure that the B&N Apps are disabled(at the expense of google market not
ever working again) and try the test at the B&N Store to see if even ripping out the B&N apps completely
will stop it from crashing.
rmkenney12 said:
1) Nook Manager would play nice with NTGAppsAttack, IE if it is disabling/removing the B&N app suite, then
it replaces the system functionality with something else that will allow the Market to continue working. I've
read a bit on how hard this is, and how much the B&N apps hack up the system libraries. Just sayin'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are welcome to work on this. If you look at the disable_all_bn script in the /scripts folder on your NookManager SD card, you'll get a list of all the components that are disabled. Play around with that until you have a list of which components are essential for the Google Apps.
rmkenney12 said:
So, whatever the Nook Manager is doing to remove the B&N Apps is not a completely symmetric function
compared to restoring them. Something is getting lost in the translation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can see in restore_all_bn that the restore simply moves all of the disabled apps back to their original location. If there's something getting lost, it's probably happening somewhere else.
jeff_kz said:
You are welcome to work on this. If you look at the disable_all_bn script in the /scripts folder on your NookManager SD card, you'll get a list of all the components that are disabled. Play around with that until you have a list of which components are essential for the Google Apps.
You can see in restore_all_bn that the restore simply moves all of the disabled apps back to their original location. If there's something getting lost, it's probably happening somewhere else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know, it doesn't make any sense. The remove script is just putting a select group of apk's into the disabled-app subdirectory,
and the restore does a mv * from that directory right back to the app subdir. Plain and simple. If there was something going on with
the dalvik cache, where it was building up cruft that could cause problems, then I could understand it, but that should only affect
you after a removal, not after the restore(or so I'd think). I tried clearing it anyways, and that didn't seem to help.
I'll try fiddling with those B&N remove/restore scripts, and see if I can get things working again.
The other thing that I didn't mention is that while I was using the touchnooter root, I never had problems with either of my Nooks
wigging out while at the B&N store, so it's not clear to me why the B&N apps would be acting up in this situation, assuming that
they are even responsible.
Further experimentation required. Plus the B&N store is right next to Best Buy, so that's always a fun trip anyways. :laugh:
No Wifi to B&N
I have a wifi issue that sounds related. I also rooted my NST (1.21) with Nook Manager. Wifi works well in "relaunch." However, I cannot access my B&N account with wifi to sync my books when I am in the B&N library. So, I can't add, archive, or delete any books. And, I can't shop for books on the B&N site since the wifi connection always fails.
I would be happy to learn of a work around or other solution. I wish I could post this on the NookManager thread but I don't have enough posts to ask there.
I'm using the stock nook reader and renate's Library.apk. How can you make sure the last read icon on the top bar corresponds to the last read file in the library?
I am not sure where this icon gets its link. It doesn't seem to always open the last read file.
I've been thinking about asking this question (although I am using the stock reader AND library apps). My "reading now" button is getting really cranky of late. It often just goes to the first page (cover) or sometimes it goes to the first page AND displays a two-option message about the different current reading positions in two Nook readers (!) and which one do I want (generally neither is correct). Right now the only sure way to get to the correct page is to go to the Library screen and select the book from there. So the Nook does remember, but the Reading Now button is not functioning properly.
For a time I had a number of B&N apps disabled (renamed ".bak") and gradually discovered the imponderable connections that seemed to render little things inoperable. I've had to restore quite a few of the apps to running to keep everything functioning except Nook Community (because the constant "nagifications" drove me crazy) but this button behavior has me baffled (as does the reference to two Nook readers!)
I wonder, are you using any sort of "cleaning" app? I am using Clean Master and find it helpful in freeing up memory but I'm beginning to think that some of the data it is throwing out might just contain the info that the button needs to function properly. It certainly messes with Tasker.
The "Last Read" icon on the status bar sends out the intent com.bn.nook.launch.LAST_BOOK
This would normally be handled by Home.apk
If you deleted Home.apk and are using my Library.apk it has its own receiver for that.
Depending on which version Nook software you have it will query
content://com.bn.nook.reader.providers.lastreadingpointprovider/
content://com.bn.nook.reader.common.providers.lastreadingpointprovider/
The LRP database is maintained by the Reader(RMSDK).apk.
Checking for the latest modification gives you the last book read.
My Library.apk sends an intent out to open that book.
Currently Library.apk does not update the order of books displayed in "Last read" unless the refresh button is hit.
Two things to look for if you are having problems:
If you let the battery die and the WiFi is always off the clock time will be wrong.
If you crash or shutdown improperly Reader(RMSDK).apk will not get a chance to update the LRP.
P.S. I just noticed a possible anomaly if you read PDF's in the reader too.
Oh! It just occurred to me one thing.
I remember opening a book that you have been reading already and it opens at page 1.
This was tied to opening the book in different ways.
There are different ways to open a book:
Through the "Last Read" icon and stock Home.apk
Through the stock Library.apk
Through my Library.apk
Through a file manager application
The LRP database is /data/data/com.bn.nook.reader.activities/databases/lastreadingpoint.db
Code:
CREATE TABLE lastreadingpoint
(_id integer primary key autoincrement,
ean text, // file URI
luid text,
offsetrmsdk text, // subfile path fragment
lastupdated long, // Unix milliseconds last read
bookdna int, // always 1?
sync_status int // always 1?
);
ean (which normally might stand for European Article Number, i.e. "UPC") is a URI, not a path.
Code:
sqlite> select ean from lastreadingpoint;
file:///sdcard/Books/aboveall.epub
...
There may be cases where a single book gets different ean's.
If you could look at LRP and see if this is so?
I actually managed to locate that db file on my own (!) and what seemed to be a companion with related information (readerlocal.db). They seemed to be full of junk info (books that had since been removed, etc.) although there were no duplicate entries, which is what I had suspected.
Anyway, I got a little "brave" (i.e., foolhardy) and decided to clean up both files in a parallel way. Then I pushed them back, reset the permissions and rebooted.
Yikes. My Nook is set to go to the B&N Home screen only on reboot. That screen flickered and flashed, never filling in any of the images. I could still use the "N" button to access other parts of the system and they were working fine, but any return to the Home screen via the Back button showed it was still in distress.
So....restore from backup...again.
It seems OK for now. I have noticed that the little "refresh" button in the Library does sometimes seem to go on and on and on without any accomplishment. I have suspected the issue was how I accessed the book-in-progress as you described. Since I sometimes read more than one book at a time, I'm all over the place with how I do things (including a Library icon in my App home screen). I'm going to try being more disciplined for a while and see how it behaves.
nmyshkin said:
I actually managed to locate that db file on my own (!) and what seemed to be a companion with related information (readerlocal.db). They seemed to be full of junk info (books that had since been removed, etc.) although there were no duplicate entries, which is what I had suspected.
Anyway, I got a little "brave" (i.e., foolhardy) and decided to clean up both files in a parallel way. Then I pushed them back, reset the permissions and rebooted.
Yikes. My Nook is set to go to the B&N Home screen only on reboot. That screen flickered and flashed, never filling in any of the images. I could still use the "N" button to access other parts of the system and they were working fine, but any return to the Home screen via the Back button showed it was still in distress.
So....restore from backup...again.
It seems OK for now. I have noticed that the little "refresh" button in the Library does sometimes seem to go on and on and on without any accomplishment. I have suspected the issue was how I accessed the book-in-progress as you described. Since I sometimes read more than one book at a time, I'm all over the place with how I do things (including a Library icon in my App home screen). I'm going to try being more disciplined for a while and see how it behaves.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would it be possible to write an app that simulates opening the last read book from only one of the Library apps and then map that to the last read icon to simplify this whole system?
mergen3107 said:
Guys, if you are concerned about why sometimes the last read option goes to the 1st page, then it was already fixed by our forum users somewhere here. (I could hardly remember and trace where it all started but finally it was successfully solved)
Just install a file this package (internal.db deep in the 'data' folder. You could delete 'system' folder - this is hyphenations dictionary for Russian) through cwm or replace it manually (the zip contains detailed path) and here you go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that was an interesting trip! Once I had Google do some translating there were a number of really interesting posts that were (mostly) intelligible. I'd want to compare that modified internal.db file with what's already on my Nook before I did any replacing. A lot of the work from that site is "russified" (not surprisingly) and there may be other changes there not really needed/wanted, but it's a good start.
I noticed in another posting there that someone said there is a related issue with in what state the Nook is connected via USB. Apparently the hypothesis is that if you don't connect while in the Library you stand a good chance of scrambling the "reading now" database entry. I've certainly been hooking up with my Nook in all kinds of states, so if that's correct, no wonder my database file was so messed up!
Installation of the internal.db file from the Russian source will not work. I've tried a side-by-side comparison of the file with the one from my Nook (FW 1.21) and there are differences (beyond the region identifier, which is easily changed). It's not at all clear what changes have been made or from what firmware the modified file came. In any case, it causes havoc when exchanged for the native internal.db
The Russian discussion points to this thread on XDA which approaches (and apparently solves) the problem another way. I'm going to give it a try.
nmyshkin said:
Installation of the internal.db file from the Russian source will not work. I've tried a side-by-side comparison of the file with the one from my Nook (FW 1.21) and there are differences (beyond the region identifier, which is easily changed). It's not at all clear what changes have been made or from what firmware the modified file came. In any case, it causes havoc when exchanged for the native internal.db
The Russian discussion points to this thread on XDA which approaches (and apparently solves) the problem another way. I'm going to give it a try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do I read this correctly, http://bit.ly/Q7MytN from that thread there should be no problem if renates Library.apk is used exclusively and the stock Library.apk has the bug?
I got a Like New NST, reset it, unregistered it, and rooted it. I haven't replaced the kernel yet. But I have noticed that (even before I rooted it) the battery consumption is unacceptable. I've seen some old threads about this (for example https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1475070) , and some suggested removing some APKs like Phone.apk and TelephonyProvider.apk, while others suggested removing or disabling some B&N-related APKs.
The thing is that some other threads seem to imply these solutions are bogus and that they don't really help. There is a lot of conflicting information spread around on this topic.
Does anybody know if there is a solution to this issue? I'm really loving the NST, it's an amazing reader in all ways except for this glaring issue.
Thanks!
Winston S. said:
I got a Like New NST, reset it, unregistered it, and rooted it. I haven't replaced the kernel yet. But I have noticed that (even before I rooted it) the battery consumption is unacceptable. I've seen some old threads about this (for example https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1475070) , and some suggested removing some APKs like Phone.apk and TelephonyProvider.apk, while others suggested removing or disabling some B&N-related APKs.
The thing is that some other threads seem to imply these solutions are bogus and that they don't really help. There is a lot of conflicting information spread around on this topic.
Does anybody know if there is a solution to this issue? I'm really loving the NST, it's an amazing reader in all ways except for this glaring issue.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I sympathize and don't want to add to the conflicting information. Read what I wrote here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78287581&postcount=2 under "Decrapify system/app". I can tell you definitively that Phone.apk has little or nothing to do with your battery drain. I did a major study on that issue a long time ago: https://forum.xda-developers.com/nook-touch/general/battery-usage-phone-apk-t3341370
nmyshkin said:
I sympathize and don't want to add to the conflicting information. Read what I wrote here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=78287581&postcount=2 under "Decrapify system/app". I can tell you definitively that Phone.apk has little or nothing to do with your battery drain. I did a major study on that issue a long time ago: https://forum.xda-developers.com/nook-touch/general/battery-usage-phone-apk-t3341370
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for all your work, you are very methodic and logical, and I appreciate your generosity sharing all your knowledge about the NST (I have been reading up on different things here before I decided to buy one.) :good:
So, to condense all this, it looks as if neither deleting Phone.apk nor disabling B&N apps helps with battery consumption. Also, am I correct in concluding that having an unregistered Nook (or a Nook which is offline, even if registered) will invariably result in poor battery life? That's quite unfortunate, as I was planning to use my NST as a fully offline device.
Winston S. said:
So, to condense all this, it looks as if neither deleting Phone.apk nor disabling B&N apps helps with battery consumption. Also, am I correct in concluding that having an unregistered Nook (or a Nook which is offline, even if registered) will invariably result in poor battery life? That's quite unfortunate, as I was planning to use my NST as a fully offline device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost, but fortunately not quite right. Although B&N did some questionable stuff when they cobbled together the NST/G system, I don't think they expected the devices to spend a lot of time online. If the system detects that there is no WiFi, it just slaps a post-it on its internal "refrigerator" to remind it to try a check-in later. All of that happens pretty quickly and in the grand scheme of things Android where stuff is not always killed outright even when you've finished with it, it's not a Big Deal.
So register and forget. It's the easiest path to device stability and the intended power consumption pattern.
nmyshkin said:
Almost, but fortunately not quite right. Although B&N did some questionable stuff when they cobbled together the NST/G system, I don't think they expected the devices to spend a lot of time online. If the system detects that there is no WiFi, it just slaps a post-it on its internal "refrigerator" to remind it to try a check-in later. All of that happens pretty quickly and in the grand scheme of things Android where stuff is not always killed outright even when you've finished with it, it's not a Big Deal.
So register and forget. It's the easiest path to device stability and the intended power consumption pattern.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you again, I suppose if that's the case then I will register my NST. A couple questions: So if I register the device and never again connect to Wireless that "refrigerator post-it" won't expire?
And, most importantly, if I register with B&N will they push the 1.2.2 update on my device, or can I prevent that without any ill effect? I'd really like to stick to 1.2.1.
EDIT: I read your previous OP about the 1.2.2 OTA update, and your link for how to block it here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34433959&postcount=3
Renate NST also suggested deleting /system/app/DeviceManager.apk, but I don't know if this would be problematic with the B&N registration issue I'm trying to fix to begin with.
Is there a preferred way to do this and still keep the device registered and battery life unscathed?
I appreciate your help!
Winston S. said:
Thank you again, I suppose if that's the case then I will register my NST. A couple questions: So if I register the device and never again connect to Wireless that "refrigerator post-it" won't expire?
And, most importantly, if I register with B&N will they push the 1.2.2 update on my device, or can I prevent that without any ill effect? I'd really like to stick to 1.2.1.
EDIT: I read your previous OP about the 1.2.2 OTA update, and your link for how to block it here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=34433959&postcount=3
Renate NST also suggested deleting /system/app/DeviceManager.apk, but I don't know if this would be problematic with the B&N registration issue I'm trying to fix to begin with.
Is there a preferred way to do this and still keep the device registered and battery life unscathed?
I appreciate your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think since you are just starting out working with the device and don't have work to lose by updating and re-rooting, registering and then updating (you can do it manually by downloading the file yourself) is your best bet. The device keeps a "last date contacted" and "next date to try contact" in settings.db. If there is no WiFi, it will just keep changing the dates. That's all.
OTOH, if you do not update but NEVER connect to WiFi, there will probably be no issue. The method to block updates "works", as I found, but it did not prevent the occasional reboot when I was connected to WiFi, so I finally just threw in the towel and updated my devices, starting over from scratch. I'm happy with the many changes I've made since, so it worked out for me. Not sure why you want to stay with 1.2.1. It is virtually identical to 1.2.2 and I don't believe there is anything on-site here that worked with 1.2.1 which doesn't also work with 1.2.2. All B&N did was patch contacts with their servers for TLS 1.2 compliance.
Deleting/disabling DeviceManager will give your NST Alzheimers as far as your registration is concerned and it will just begin wondering why it can't remember who it is and how/when to phone home--wherever that is. One of the problems with disabling B&N apps is that there are also jar files which don't get disabled and the system still tries to fool with those. You can delete/disable those as well but the more you niggle at the system architecture the more unstable the device becomes and the more things fail to work properly (like the Reader and Library).
Like I said before, it's better AND easier to just treat the device the way it was designed as far as updating or registering. You don't have to use a credit card, you don't even have to use a real e-mail address, I suppose. Then when all that is out of the way you can just install your own launcher and set the "n" button to Home. Voila! You'll never see or hear from the B&N stuff again and your battery will last a good long time.
nmyshkin said:
I think since you are just starting out working with the device and don't have work to lose by updating and re-rooting, registering and then updating (you can do it manually by downloading the file yourself) is your best bet. The device keeps a "last date contacted" and "next date to try contact" in settings.db. If there is no WiFi, it will just keep changing the dates. That's all.
OTOH, if you do not update but NEVER connect to WiFi, there will probably be no issue. The method to block updates "works", as I found, but it did not prevent the occasional reboot when I was connected to WiFi, so I finally just threw in the towel and updated my devices, starting over from scratch. I'm happy with the many changes I've made since, so it worked out for me. Not sure why you want to stay with 1.2.1. It is virtually identical to 1.2.2 and I don't believe there is anything on-site here that worked with 1.2.1 which doesn't also work with 1.2.2. All B&N did was patch contacts with their servers for TLS 1.2 compliance.
Deleting/disabling DeviceManager will give your NST Alzheimers as far as your registration is concerned and it will just begin wondering why it can't remember who it is and how/when to phone home--wherever that is. One of the problems with disabling B&N apps is that there are also jar files which don't get disabled and the system still tries to fool with those. You can delete/disable those as well but the more you niggle at the system architecture the more unstable the device becomes and the more things fail to work properly (like the Reader and Library).
Like I said before, it's better AND easier to just treat the device the way it was designed as far as updating or registering. You don't have to use a credit card, you don't even have to use a real e-mail address, I suppose. Then when all that is out of the way you can just install your own launcher and set the "n" button to Home. Voila! You'll never see or hear from the B&N stuff again and your battery will last a good long time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The main reason I want to avoid 1.2.2 is because I tend to value stability overall, and since most of the stuff here was created by the era of 1.2.1 or before, I am leery of doing something that will make things less compatible. Plus I am distrustful of B&N changes on a device this old. I also thought I had read you explaining some changes that needed to be done after a 1.2.2 update to make something work (NM, maybe? I forget.)
So my question was more along the lines of whether, when I register the device, it will be flagged immediately for update and cause some trouble if I don't, or even if the update will be downloaded in the background without me being able to do anything about it. I suppose I could always patch the sqlite file to disable OTA updates and then register. That would be the safest way to go. And you need to use ADB for this to work, right? There is no way to edit the file onboard the NST itself?
I can't wait for the battery consumption to be normal, because I am really enjoying my NST with its great ergonomy and the ability to install different readers. Mine is going to be a dedicated offline ebook reader, but a great one. And much of the reason it is so amazing is thanks to folks like you and Renate who have contributed so much. :good:
Winston S. said:
The main reason I want to avoid 1.2.2 is because I tend to value stability overall, and since most of the stuff here was created by the era of 1.2.1 or before, I am leery of doing something that will make things less compatible. Plus I am distrustful of B&N changes on a device this old. I also thought I had read you explaining some changes that needed to be done after a 1.2.2 update to make something work (NM, maybe? I forget.)
So my question was more along the lines of whether, when I register the device, it will be flagged immediately for update and cause some trouble if I don't, or even if the update will be downloaded in the background without me being able to do anything about it. I suppose I could always patch the sqlite file to disable OTA updates and then register. That would be the safest way to go. And you need to use ADB for this to work, right? There is no way to edit the file onboard the NST itself?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's really no reason to be concerned about the 1.2.2 update. It's all fine. B&N would not go to the trouble on an old device like this only to somehow wreck it. It's just a TLS security update and involves connection to their servers. Since you do not intend to use the device online, the only minor issue (resigning Opera Mobile browser-- which I've already provided elsewhere) is moot for you.
As for changing the OTA flag, you can do it via ADB if you install sqlite3. This is probably best since moving settings.db back onto the device after editing can be tricky. But you could eliminate the entire tango by just updating to 1.2.2 and going on with your life
nmyshkin said:
There's really no reason to be concerned about the 1.2.2 update. It's all fine. B&N would not go to the trouble on an old device like this only to somehow wreck it. It's just a TLS security update and involves connection to their servers. Since you do not intend to use the device online, the only minor issue (resigning Opera Mobile browser-- which I've already provided elsewhere) is moot for you.
As for changing the OTA flag, you can do it via ADB if you install sqlite3. This is probably best since moving settings.db back onto the device after editing can be tricky. But you could eliminate the entire tango by just updating to 1.2.2 and going on with your life
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for clarifying that, I think I have had an overdose of information from reading too many threads in a short span of time and somehow I got the idea NookManager had some sort of issue after the 1.2.2 update that required some tinkering. The fact that the update is limited to the TLS update means it doesn't affect me, so things would be OK. On the other hand, not installing the update also seems like wouldn't be an issue and I really wanted to get ADB going anyway to install things wirelessly, so the most logical path seems to go through the minimal effort required to change that setting anyway. It turns out I already have sqlite3 installed (I am running an Ubuntu system,) so even more reason to do this!
I'll be reading up on the way to get ADB working.
BTW, I know you have proposed probably changing NookManager to address different issues you have encountered. Let me know if I can be of any help. I have no experience building Android components and limited experience compiling, but I would be happy to learn a new skill.
Thanks! :good:
@nmyshkin I easily managed to change the OTA setting through USB ADB. (I'm keeping track of all this process so when I have everything set up I will create a thread for posterity to help anyone else with the same questions.)
Now, the problem I wasn't anticipating is that I didn't foresee the battery problems, so I used that procedure to avoid the Register prompt on startup (Bypass OOBE procedure.) But of course now I don't know how to register the Nook. Do I need to reset to Factory using NookManager, root, disable OTA, and then register? It would be nice if there is a way to avoid this?
EDIT: Searching through another thread I saw your suggestions (almost 3 years old) to use the DeviceRegistrator, so after creating a B&N account I did and it said that the registration was successful, but in Settings the Account is showing up as unavailable, so I restarted the NST, and still I am getting Account Unavailable under Settings. Does the Device Registrator not work anymore? Or have B&N stop registering NST devices?
So I checked by logging into the B&N account and as expected there are no NSTs linked to my account. The DeviceRegistrator app has a few options (Register Device, Authenticate Device, Register User, and Authenticate User.) I didn't touch the User options so I guess that is to create a new account. I just used the "Register Device" option. Do I need to Authenticate Device too, or is this just not working anymore?
I read somewhere that there is also another app called OOBE Reg or something like that that basically runs the default registration procedure, but I haven't found that app in my NST.
I actually went down a similar rabbit hole myself at one point when I was investigating selective disabling of B&N apps, etc. Yes, you need to authenticate. That may or may not have the desired effect. Right now DeviceRegistrator is your only option. It may or may not be possible to authenticate a rooted device by this method.
Having said that, maybe it's time to take a step back and ask yourself whether all this angst is worth the end result when the path of least resistance will yield an equally functional result. The answer to that depends, in part, on how much other stuff you have already done. But before you do more things don't forget that the basic device needs to be in optimum working condition (like not eating battery) first.
nmyshkin said:
I actually went down a similar rabbit hole myself at one point when I was investigating selective disabling of B&N apps, etc. Yes, you need to authenticate. That may or may not have the desired effect. Right now DeviceRegistrator is your only option. It may or may not be possible to authenticate a rooted device by this method.
Having said that, maybe it's time to take a step back and ask yourself whether all this angst is worth the end result when the path of least resistance will yield an equally functional result. The answer to that depends, in part, on how much other stuff you have already done. But before you do more things don't forget that the basic device needs to be in optimum working condition (like not eating battery) first.
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Click to collapse
I will Authenticate using DeviceRegistrator and see if it works. The Catch 22 is that if I revert to Factory and then register the device I might have a problem with the 1.2.2 update I want to avoid (but yes, I realize at this point my aversion to 1.2.2 is basically irrational.) So I will try this approach first and report back. I will double check to see if the Nook Device shows up in my B&N account too, and I'll report again.
I agree 100% about putting the device in a sound baseline state before installing a lot into it. I'm documenting all that I do, and when I reach that state I'll create a thread about it. Hopefully it can be of use to someone down the road, because I do see new NST units being bought still every week in eBay.
I was relieved that ADB over USB was already enabled by installing NookManager and that I only needed to create a couple of files in my Ubuntu machine for it to work.
Winston S. said:
I was relieved that ADB over USB was already enabled by installing NookManager and that I only needed to create a couple of files in my Ubuntu machine for it to work.
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That's actually news to me. I had thought the flag for WiFi ADB was set. I've never tried USB.
nmyshkin said:
That's actually news to me. I had thought the flag for WiFi ADB was set. I've never tried USB.
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Yes, apparently ADB Konnect is set up so that if you start ADB Wireless it sets the flag, and then unsets it. I just tried ADB through Wireless and it also works.
To update on the DeviceRegistrator, I tried to Authenticate the Device and it didn't work (I got a banner saying that the operation is no longer supported.) So it looks like I will need to restore to Factory, register, and then root (which defeats the purpose of disabling OTA updates, as I can't do that until I root.)
@nmyshkin, is resetting the Nook to factory by using "Erase & Deregister Device" option in the stock Nook Settings the same as resetting to factory.zip from NookManager or holding the two Page Back hardware buttons on startup?
I reset mine using the "Erase & Deregister Device" menu option, and then registered and rooted it again, but still I am having problems with CoolReader (I am using the cr3_0_49_13.apk posted in the relevant thread.) Basically, there are no options to set the refresh interval where they should be, and the Options interface is black. Somebody mentioned this as well but they fixed it by restoring to factory, so I'm wondering what the deal is. Is this the only version of CoolReader people use with the NST?
Winston S. said:
@nmyshkin, is resetting the Nook to factory by using "Erase & Deregister Device" option in the stock Nook Settings the same as resetting to factory.zip from NookManager or holding the two Page Back hardware buttons on startup?
I reset mine using the "Erase & Deregister Device" menu option, and then registered and rooted it again, but still I am having problems with CoolReader (I am using the cr3_0_49_13.apk posted in the relevant thread.) Basically, there are no options to set the refresh interval where they should be, and the Options interface is black. Somebody mentioned this as well but they fixed it by restoring to factory, so I'm wondering what the deal is. Is this the only version of CoolReader people use with the NST?
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No, erase and deregister does just that. It removes your account info and settings. The factory reset is an actual reimaging of the device from the protected onboard image. This can be done with the two button technique, NookManager or eight failed boot attempts.
I'm afraid I can't help much with CoolReader. I once had a version installed but found it had way too many settings for me. I ended up using only the screensaver/book cover option but that was pretty silly and I eventually got rid of and wrote my own app for that.
I located the version for the other fellow, but that's the extent of my knowledge. I'll try it in a bit and see what you're talking about.
nmyshkin said:
No, erase and deregister does just that. It removes your account info and settings. The factory reset is an actual reimaging of the device from the protected onboard image. This can be done with the two button technique, NookManager or eight failed boot attempts.
I'm afraid I can't help much with CoolReader. I once had a version installed but found it had way too many settings for me. I ended up using only the screensaver/book cover option but that was pretty silly and I eventually got rid of and wrote my own app for that.
I located the version for the other fellow, but that's the extent of my knowledge. I'll try it in a bit and see what you're talking about.
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Click to collapse
Please, don't waste any time with CoolReader. As usual, you saved the day. I'll reimage the device using the correct procedure, as I mistakenly believed this is what the Erase and Deregister option did. I think this will take care of the CoolReader weirdness, and if not I have found that NoRefresh works remarkably well with it anyway. Thank you!
Winston S. said:
Please, don't waste any time with CoolReader. As usual, you saved the day. I'll reimage the device using the correct procedure, as I mistakenly believed this is what the Erase and Deregister option did. I think this will take care of the CoolReader weirdness, and if not I have found that NoRefresh works remarkably well with it anyway. Thank you!
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Click to collapse
Mmm.....I see nothing in that version of CoolReader thats looks anything like it was adapted for the NST. I got that version from a e-book blog post link so shame on me for passing along bogus stuff. It's definitely NOT the version I once had installed (whatever that was...). The current market version is incompatible and the "new" CoolReader GL installs but does not run. I took a look at the CR home at SourceForge and there are many versions available there but it would be trial-and-error with them--and maybe there is no magic bullet. If you search for "CoolReader" on the forum you will find a variety of references. In some lists of "working" apps there are version numbers. Tracking down one of those might be a start.
nmyshkin said:
Mmm.....I see nothing in that version of CoolReader thats looks anything like it was adapted for the NST. I got that version from a e-book blog post link so shame on me for passing along bogus stuff. It's definitely NOT the version I once had installed (whatever that was...). The current market version is incompatible and the "new" CoolReader GL installs but does not run. I took a look at the CR home at SourceForge and there are many versions available there but it would be trial-and-error with them--and maybe there is no magic bullet. If you search for "CoolReader" on the forum you will find a variety of references. In some lists of "working" apps there are version numbers. Tracking down one of those might be a start.
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Click to collapse
Thank you for looking at this. I am a little confused, because you helped @ALinkToTao who was having problems with it, and he seems to imply that the version linked here which you referred him to ended up working for him..
So I'm just going to write that off to him being confused about the version he ended up installing. I will see if I find something that works, thanks again.
Winston S. said:
Thank you for looking at this. I am a little confused, because you helped @ALinkToTao who was having problems with it, and he seems to imply that the version linked here which you referred him to ended up working for him..
So I'm just going to write that off to him being confused about the version he ended up installing. I will see if I find something that works, thanks again.
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Click to collapse
Yeah, so I need to redeem myself there. In my lame defense, I was just going with what was posted here: https://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2...artial-refresh-and-page-button-support-video/
Clearly that is bogus. So I checked out @wozhere's listed working version, or something close.
I think the place to start is with the 3.1.2 series from the SourceForge home of CoolReader. The attached version looks a lot more like what I remember and has screen refresh options (only visible as settings while viewing a book).
There were many more options on the version I once had, so this one is a starting point only.
If you search the forums you will see many posts related to this subject but I've never found one that actually delivered the goods. Even the fabled "Disable all B&N apps" in NookManager leaves the device in a permanent state of conniption. In fact, it leaves the device about where skipping OOBE does and that leads to excessive power drain. Where does the magic power drain come from? Based on my testing it turns out that there is apparently enough left in the booting system to fire up the B&N jars which start whining about the missing apps and probably generate nasty conversations amongst themselves about what a deadbeat you are for not buying books from B&N. These dialogs are continuous, as evidenced from logcats, and it's really a wonder that anything useful can be done with the device under such conditions. Gives you a little more respect for the resilience of Android 2.1
To be clear: this is about removing ALL of the B&N stuff. That means no Reader, no Library, no dictionary. You'll need your own apps for that. You'll also need some kind of launcher and file manager. These are the minimum requirements if you choose to go this route. Surprisingly the Quicknav button system survives the great purge, although most are inoperable. But you can still reassign them with Nook Touch Mod Manager.
The upside
You end up with as near a "tabula rasa" as you can probably get. Too much has been removed from the system by B&N to have a true AOSP Android 2.1 device, but the "bloat" is gone if you never used the B&N services. You get to build your own reader.
The downside
To my knowledge there are no reader apps which run on the NST and can handle DRM epubs. So that's out. However, many libraries with Overdrive also provide Kindle (mobi) versions of books and the Kindle app still works well. You can select books from your local library on your PC and have them magically appear on your device. Of course, there are ways of dealing with the DRM epubs.
Edit: Actually, both Aldiko and Mantano readers can handle Adobe DRM books--that is to say, they can read them, not fulfill them. You need to transfer the books with ADE.
Order of operations
You can do this at any time with a rooted, registered device or with a re-imaged device, skipping OOBE, registration, etc.
NookManager can be used to remove the B&N apps. It actually just sequesters them in a "disabled-app" folder. A list of the apps thus "removed" can be found on the NM GitHub. There is an additional app to remove: CryptoServer.apk. Somehow that missed the chopping block.
Edit: the updated version of NookManager can do all of this, including the removal of the jars (see below).
Of course, you can use the list to remove the apps yourself. Moving them to a "disabled" folder is not such a bad idea in case you change your mind. Down the road you can always delete the folder to free up some space in /system.
The B&N jars reside in /system/framework. You could treat them the same way as the apps. I chose to add ".bak" to each filename, but it amounts to the same thing. Here is a list of the jars to be disabled:
bncloudapi.jar
com.bn.app.crypto.jar
com.bn.app.deviceinfo.jar
com.bn.authentication.jar
com.bn.cloud.jar
com.bn.gpb.jar
com.bn.provider.utils.jar
com.bn.waveformdownloader.jar
After all this slicing and dicing, a reboot is a good idea. A logcat at this point reveals an eerily quiet system. Voila.
Housekeeping
To do a really thorough job there are a few more tasks to complete, but they are not absolutely necessary. At the same time, performing these tasks will in no way compromise your system if you get buyers remorse and want to undo it all.
1. Go to /data/data/ and delete the folders corresponding to the apps you have "removed".
2. Go to /data/dalvik-cache/ and delete the cache items for the apps you have "removed" and the jars you removed/disabled.
3. Reboot.
4. Open the Application Manager and change the filter (use the Menu soft button to access this) to "All". You may see residuals of your removed apps as zero or very small byte ghosts. Most can be "uninstalled". A few may resist or not show the option, but by-and-by this will change so just keep an eye on it when you use the App Manager until all are expunged.
But can I just...?
You're going to ask about keeping the Reader and Library, aren't you? This is a common question. I've asked it myself and worked on the problem many times.
The short answer is: yes, just don't do anything listed above.
The longer answer is that you cannot effectively do a partial disable of the B&N suite. It just doesn't work. The Reader and Library are intimately tied to the hidden apps that converse with B&N servers and generate so much system-level chatter, especially if thwarted. I have tried all kinds of schemes. To no avail. So register, root, install your own launcher and forget about the B&N stuff except for the Reader and Library (but do disable NookCommunity). The device was designed to run efficiently that way. It's still a great reader when used more or less as intended, even if you never buy a book from B&N.
One last thing
Disabling the B&N system leaves a significant chunk of the Settings app useless or non-functional. I have prepared a special version of my Nook Settings app for devices with the B&N apps disabled. You can find it here.
You're a superstar! I've had the same question with partial answers!
I must have a unique way of using my devices because I've never seen this issue reported on the forum.
Firstly, I just want to say that lastreadingpoint.db seems to be something of a garbage bin. I'm working with one of my older devices right now (formerly my principal reader) and the db is filled with books that were deleted long ago. Now, perhaps, cleanup of this file is supposed to happen when books are removed via UMS since that's the only provision B&N made for removing side-loaded content, but I doubt it. Since I just use a file manager, I may be frustrating some grand design that would keep the db file tidy. NOT.
But I digress. My real beef is the unpredictability of the button. When I select a new book from the library and move along a few pages to the first chapter, I often return to the home page to deal with some other things and then set the device aside until I'm ready to start my new book. But when I do return and tap that button, I generally get the last book I just finished (at the last page....). If I have deleted that book already then I'll get some other book, maybe an anthology I frequent, wherever I left off.
Inspection of lastreadingpoint.db shows no indication that I ever selected a new book.
I have struggled with this for a long time and realize that without knowing exactly when and under what circumstances the db would actually be updated, this is really difficult to run down. I just tried another experiment and put the device to sleep manually after starting a new book (book still displayed). Then I woke it up and returned to the home screen (i.e., my launcher, not the B&N Home). The "now reading" button worked correctly! And repeatedly.
BUT...A look at lastreadingpoint.db still did not show that the new book had been opened! This helps explain why my overtures with sqlite were not having much effect.
It's a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, enclosed in a B&N box.
I just want the #$%&*% button to do what you would expect it to do without a lot of nonsense. It's easier to get it to consistently open a current Kindle book then to open an epub in the stock reader.
Why?
Edit: The next day: I accessed the book one more time this morning without any problem and copied out the database again. This time it finally showed an entry for the book with the correct access time.
Edit: 9-12-22 Nothing seems to work consistently except for one change. I have installed on my devices a little app called "NookReader". It's buried deep in the old posts of the forum and its purpose is to allow epubs to be opened via a file manager (which I never do). In effect it creates a "listener" which the stock system lacks.
Well, it seems the stock system doesn't like eavesdropping. When I uninstalled the app from the device I had been experimenting with the effect was immediate and I was able to move from selection to selection, each time returning to the most recent book correctly using the "now reading" button. Another device required an uninstall as well as a reboot in order to start behaving properly.
Moral: if you're not using it, get rid of it!
nmyshkin said:
I have struggled with this for a long time and realize that without knowing exactly when and under what circumstances the db would actually be updated, this is really difficult to run down. I just tried another experiment and put the device to sleep manually after starting a new book (book still displayed). Then I woke it up and returned to the home screen (i.e., my launcher, not the B&N Home). The "now reading" button worked correctly! And repeatedly.
BUT...A look at lastreadingpoint.db still did not show that the new book had been opened! This helps explain why my overtures with sqlite were not having much effect.
It's a mystery, wrapped in an enigma, enclosed in a B&N box.
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Click to collapse
@nmyshkin ... even i've struggled with something like this ... inconsistencies of the last reading point actions ...
nmyshkin said:
Edit: 9-12-22 Nothing seems to work consistently except for one change. I have installed on my devices a little app called "NookReader". It's buried deep in the old posts of the forum and its purpose is to allow epubs to be opened via a file manager (which I never do). In effect it creates a "listener" which the stock system lacks.
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Click to collapse
are you referring to the app that goes by 'dev.nookreader.apk' ? ... for now i've just renamed it to 'dev.nookreader.apk.bkp' so its as good as removed ...
some database problems i think i can report, one that i've annoyingly encountered, in this I've sometimes found the order of the books in the default library aren't displayed as they should have ... Iam referring to the 'Most Recent' sorting option where the last opened/accessed book should ideally show up at the top most ... BUT SADLY IT DOESN'T !!! ...
Most annoying is when i search a book open and read it and expect it to show up on the top or at least in the first few pages of the library ... but they don't ... search is the only option to reopen such a book ...
Aren't the books that are opened using the 'Search' option of the library not supposed to show high up the library ?
I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS ANNOYANCE RID OF ... i would love to find all the last accessed books in the topmost sorting order as its supposed to work ...
I don't even know what database records the last accessed book information ... any and all help appreciated to identify and fix this annoyance.
PS : Are "New"' books(Lend Me) installed from the B&N store supposed to show up at the topmost ?
Update : strangely the searched book shows up in the B&N Home under 'READING Now' section but its not showing in the Library as the topmost book in it ... another inconsistent DB recording ???
aiamuzz said:
Update : strangely the searched book shows up in the B&N Home under 'READING Now' section but its not showing in the Library as the topmost book in it ... another inconsistent DB recording ???
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Click to collapse
OK, well, I can't say that I know a lot more now than when I started this thread.
What I can say is that the device seems to work with a copy of the database in RAM or else keeps variables in RAM that are not written to the database until much, much later (like during or after a nap).
I began to think about how I use the device vs. how B&N intended it to be used so I made a few tests going from the B&N Home to the Library, to a book. Then, there is really only one way to get out of the book and that is through the QuickNav buttons. I thought that maybe the trigger to the database update was somewhere in there, but I saw the same inconsistent results and delayed updating of the file as with my own sequence.
This is why I eventually abandoned the database as a source of info for my SetCover app and started relying (at least partly) on my own data. All I can say for "sure" at this point is that a good nap on the open book seems to aid in the correct information making its way into the database. Not very technical, I know.
If you are getting really spurious behavior from your lastreadingpoint.db or you find that it is full of deadwood, you can clean out the entire thing as here. Of course you will lose absolutely everything in the database if you do that, so it's a "last gasp" scenario.
For me, things seem to have calmed down if I just leave an epub open in the stock reader for awhile. And after all, what's the rush to get back to the home screen? (in general). That's not how the reader was probably meant to be used.
aiamuzz said:
Update : strangely the searched book shows up in the B&N Home under 'READING Now' section but its not showing in the Library as the topmost book in it ... another inconsistent DB recording ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you run this test ?
1. Open stock library.
2. Search for some book that is buried in the last pages of the Library.
3. Open that book from the search results.
4. Flip a few pages to emulate that you've read that book.
Ideally that book should be the Last Read (Reading Now) ... WHICH INDEED DOES WORK SO !!!
Having been a recent book that one has read ...
The Library app should also show that book on the very first page as its the most recent one ... BUT IT DOES NOT SHOW SO IN THE LIBRARY !!!
I would really like the searched and opened books to move to the front pages of the Library App and stay there and get moved down as and when other books are opened ... at worst it should be easily locatable in the first few pages of the Library App ... the 'recent' book sorting option in the Library and the place where this info is stored may have to be trouble shot ...
aiamuzz said:
Can you run this test ?
1. Open stock library.
2. Search for some book that is buried in the last pages of the Library.
3. Open that book from the search results.
4. Flip a few pages to emulate that you've read that book.
Ideally that book should be the Last Read (Reading Now) ... WHICH INDEED DOES WORK SO !!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, there you are. I've never used the "search" function on the NST for anything! But I did, just to humor you, and I see that it actually turns up a "hit".
I use the Library almost exclusively in shelf format. What I personally would like is for the @%W$#% Library to remember that. Of course, it will not, because then I would not see all the nifty new books I just purchased (NOT) from B&N as they are delivered.
Any "adjustments" to the Library behavior are beyond my pay grade and you won't get you-know-who interested in that either, as she has her own Library app. I've looked at a lot of Library alternatives. There were many promising looking ones in the early days but all seem to have been abandoned at some incomplete point by their developers (except for the one mentioned above).
I just live with it. I don't have hundreds of books on my device. When I finish a book I actually delete it (gasp!) [except for something like the Bible].
But it would be nice to understand the rules or thinking behind the "reading now" business. However, since the database doesn't seem to accept input (although you can read from it), it doesn't matter much I guess.