ROM Explorer
From time to time I need to extract some files from various Android ROMs. So far I downloaded the ROM file and then started to search for further tools to extract files from the downloaded ROM. If all went well I ended up with an image I could open with ext4_unpacker to finally extract the files I needed. This whole procedure took a lot of time, involved tools from unknown sources and often simply didn't work. So I decided to create my own tool.
ROM Explorer can directly open the following files:
zip archives with img or new.dat entries
Samsung md5 archives
Sony ftf archives
Huawei update.app archives
img/ext4 image files
lz4 image files (used by Samsung)
sin fies (used by Sony)
In case you have a file which is not supported let me know. Maybe I find the time to add support. Or simply add it yourself - ROM Explorer is Open Source.
Usage
Download the installer and run it or build your own version with Visual Studio 2017.
Start the executable. You will see a window similar to ext4_unpacker. In the first line you select a file, in the second line you can choose an archive entry if the file is an archive file.
Loading a file or archive entry can take a significant amount of time and disk storage. ROM Explorer may need to create temporary files with several gigabytes. A fast flash disk helps a lot!
You can extract files or folders by dragging and dropping them to Windows Explorer.
Downloads
ROM Explorer 0.9
ROM Explorer 0.9.1
Thanks To
ROM Explorer would not exist without the distributed knowledge of this forum. Especially I want to thank worstenbrood, Androxyde, IgorEisberg for their work.
So I'm waiting for your comments - but be patient it may take some time for me to react
Reserved for whatever purpose...
Wew
Let me try and report you back
Thank you I will try this out. Thanks too for making it open source
Not Running on Windows 7 x64
samidos said:
Not Running on Windows 7 x64
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
0.9.1 should fix this. Be sure to first uninstall before installing 0.9.1.
After hours of google search and downloading countless apps that dont work I found this. This app is legit and works on windows 10 64bit. Thank you for your work.
Your app is GREAT! Thanks for sharing it.
Edit: Answered my own question. Windows 10 tip "Run As Administrator" and dont drag files "to the desktop" but instead to an Explorer window.
Can this program find the differences between compiled ROMs?
I ask this question because Xiaomi on the Mi 9 released an initial kernel with sourcecode that was changed over time without updating the GitHub https://github.com/MiCode/Xiaomi_Kernel_OpenSource/tree/cepheus-p-oss and because of this change, the ROMs have something different between how they connect to the cameras. The old ROM versions (4/1/2019 and before) connect fine to the cameras, but post that date, a custom kernel built from the GitHub source will fail to connect to the cameras. Since the change has not been made open source on GitHub, there has to be another way to find and patch new kernel builds in order for them to work. Would your software be able to extract these changes? If not, do you have any other ideas which may? Much appreciated.
Related
I am happy with what I have since the new update from Viewsonic.
If I only want to add Google Experience, marketplace, do I still need to go through the process of rooting, installing clockwork and a new UI?
Is there just a simple way to add GE to the Classic UI?
Gapps install
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=842590
Everyone,
I have had zip luck with this method of installing zapps. Not a dev, but I've been doing this long enough.....
I moved the Recovery file to to /sdcard. Checked for command and command line inside that file All ok to my eye.
Downloaded the gapps file which my WinRAR pronounces a WinRAR/Zip file. So I tried renamein the original update.zip and didn't get any install. So I extracted using winRAR. Still no install.
I tried the permutations as well. Extracted using G-Tablet extract. Still no results.
There must be something I am missing here -- too much holiday cheer or too many crowds or whatever.
Suggestions?!
Rev
butchconner said:
Everyone,
I have had zip luck with this method of installing zapps. Not a dev, but I've been doing this long enough.....
I moved the Recovery file to to /sdcard. Checked for command and command line inside that file All ok to my eye.
Downloaded the gapps file which my WinRAR pronounces a WinRAR/Zip file. So I tried renamein the original update.zip and didn't get any install. So I extracted using winRAR. Still no install.
I tried the permutations as well. Extracted using G-Tablet extract. Still no results.
There must be something I am missing here -- too much holiday cheer or too many crowds or whatever.
Suggestions?!
Rev
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I HAD to resort to putting on Clockwork Mod 0.8 to get GApps on my G Tablet.
Putting the update.zip on the internal and sd card storage did not work for me either with the newest update installed.
Clockwork Mod is a super easy install - just follow the instructions on how to install G Apps...basically: put CWM on your SD card in it's root (meaning NOT in any directories) and rename it update.zip, put the corresponding recovery directory on the SD as well. I use Winrar as well, I drag the recovery directory right from the file itself and to the SD Card.
Will look like:
Drive: update.zip
Drive: /recovery/command
basically.
Flash it the normal stock way (power and volume +). I press Power and Volume + without even powering off the device, because if the device is powered down and then you start it and miss that first start up, the device WILL delete the recovery/command file and the update won't flash.
GL
I don't officially get to play with my GTab until after package opening tomorrow so I can't do anything today, but I'm trying to line up my to do list. I have never rooted, flashed, or modded anything but am not afraid to play around as long as I don't brick the tablet.
What do you mean when you say "put the corresponding recovery directory on the SD as well. I use Winrar as well"? What is the corresponding recovery directory? What do you use Winrar for? I Googled "winrar" and found " WinRAR is a shareware file archiver and data compression utility developed by Eugene Roshal, and first released in the fall of 1993.[1] It is one of the few applications that is able to create RAR archives natively, because the encoding method is held to be proprietary. " I cannot figure out why it would be needed to load the standard Android market.
MSU_Sparty,
When you do updates (or installs) that have to be flashed onto the internal sdcard, they usually com in pairs of files. You will have an update.zip file that has the update in it (DUH!) -- and accompanying it will be a "Recovery" directory that has a command file in it (The command file has only one line that "calls" the update.zip file.
WinRAR "Zip" utility enters the picture because most of the devs here use WinRAR to package updates. The when they tell you to decompress it, you use WiinRAR and are left with a .zip file to install.
That's the question I had about this update. The Gapp file show to be a RAR package, but when I un-RAR it I come up with no .zip file -- only regular files.
Hope this helps you understand.
Rev
P. S. -- If you are new to this business, take it slow and easy and read ahead on this site and make sure you understand what you are doing. I try to do that, but even with years of IT experience I still mess things up once in a while.
Neoprimal,
Thanks for the tip about CWM. I have two tablets and the other has CWM on it and is fairly modded.
But this tablet I am trying to keep basically stock so I can get updates, etc. and see what the "state of product" is.
As mentioned in my previous answer, I am stumped because I am not getting what looks to be an update.zip file from the Gapp download. When I use WinRAR to decompress the Gapp file, I don't get a .zip file -- only a couple of directories. On the other hand, when I rename the Gapp file update.zip and try to flash it it doesn't work.
Again, thanks for the reply.
Anyone else with suggestions!!!????
Rev
Thanks. What you've written really does clarify the previous post. I appreciate it.
But let me ask another naive question. Why don't the developers create their update programs so they can be installed by just downloading them OTA like most applications? That would sure make it easier for neophytes. I'm guessing that the reason is because we aren't really adding an application but replacing the OS.
I greatly appreciate your guidance and that of all of the folks who use this forum.
Happy Holidays!
Hi all! Have been having a play with UpdatezipCreator for windows. Put all of the .apk files into a folder called:
“System”
As suggested in the UpdatezipCreator wiki. However, when I run the gapps file in clockwork Mod, it completely ignores what I have done. Also, for some reason, it places all files into a directory, one level down and the directory is called whatever I have named the .zip. is this normal or, am I missing some vital step. Would like to get this working as I would like to add missing accessibility components to the gapps file that I am using in order to get ICS talking out of the box with my Sony Xperia Pro. Am also interested in getting this going so that I can assist other visually impaired users with this. Finally, am open to creating gapps files with other methods in Windows. Thanks in advance for all help with this. It’s really appreciated!
I'm trying to covert a thin-client RDP system into a standalone linux system. I'd like to run a lighthttp server on it and auto-boot it to chromium (on start up).
The device comes with a crappy RDP interface and has a method for installing software UPGRADES via FTP. --- Confirmed working.
Doing some research on the web I was able to find an update package for this device. ATTACHED AS TORRENT FILE.
Using CENTOS I've tried to extract the RAMDISK but Linux doesn't seem to know how to extract the file type. I've tried a ton of scripts from xda-devs none seem to work.
I've tried just changing the system dir to see if I can get that work but it seems that the new image doesn't take to the device. I did see that the scripts have checksum info in them but not sure how to repackage or change them to adjust for the new changes.
I do see the build.prop file with a ton of ANDROID stuff and the package is APK signed. Thus I'm thinking it's an ANDROID setup. Also I see that the device is using busybox.
Any help or ideas how to get this doing what I need it?
Thanks!
chavenor said:
I'm trying to covert a thin-client RDP system into a standalone linux system. I'd like to run a lighthttp server on it and auto-boot it to chromium (on start up).
The device comes with a crappy RDP interface and has a method for installing software UPGRADES via FTP. --- Confirmed working.
Doing some research on the web I was able to find an update package for this device. ATTACHED AS TORRENT FILE.
Using CENTOS I've tried to extract the RAMDISK but Linux doesn't seem to know how to extract the file type. I've tried a ton of scripts from xda-devs none seem to work.
I've tried just changing the system dir to see if I can get that work but it seems that the new image doesn't take to the device. I did see that the scripts have checksum info in them but not sure how to repackage or change them to adjust for the new changes.
I do see the build.prop file with a ton of ANDROID stuff and the package is APK signed. Thus I'm thinking it's an ANDROID setup. Also I see that the device is using busybox.
Any help or ideas how to get this doing what I need it?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any ideas out there?
Bump?
As new member I was adviced to post my question in this forum.
After downloading new firmware with XperiFirm 4.8.0 and activated option to unpack downloaded software automatically I get an error message that there is included a file with a filename longer than 260 characters, which would not be supported by the "CLR". I am trying this on a Windows 10 Notebook, so I am not sure if this error message refers to an issue with the Windows OS or if it refers to the target OS Android. Are there any suggestions what to try next or do I have to wait until a really issue with provided release will be fixed by elsewhere?
BR, Johann
jschadler said:
As new member I was adviced to post my question in this forum.
After downloading new firmware with XperiFirm 4.8.0 and activated option to unpack downloaded software automatically I get an error message that there is included a file with a filename longer than 260 characters, which would not be supported by the "CLR". I am trying this on a Windows 10 Notebook, so I am not sure if this error message refers to an issue with the Windows OS or if it refers to the target OS Android. Are there any suggestions what to try next or do I have to wait until a really issue with provided release will be fixed by elsewhere?
BR, Johann
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you select the folder to download to, choose the root of your drive (ie. C:\ or D:\)
Windows doesn't treat paths longer than 260 characters well. You'll get the same error when you try to extract an archive with WinRAR in a very nested folder with a long path.
Issue fixed by provided advice
IaguCool said:
When you select the folder to download to, choose the root of your drive (ie. C:\ or D:\)
Windows doesn't treat paths longer than 260 characters well. You'll get the same error when you try to extract an archive with WinRAR in a very nested folder with a long path.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, by following this advice I was able to unpack downloaded firmware successfully. (And to flash my phone at last, too.)
BR, Johann
I was looking for a similar topic but I did not find one. Refers to problems with running applications added to "system.img".
I bought UMIDIG S for my father-in-law. It is based on a mediatec chipset. Unfortunately, soft is tragic, and there is no full translation, so I decided to bury it a bit in "system.img".
I can easily install the file in Linux and make changes in it. I can delete applications, I can make changes in configuration files and "buikd.prop".
Unfortunately, all APK files were uploaded to "system.img" even though I set permissions 755 for directories, and 644 for directories. Although the files are root: root, after uploading such "system.img" none of these applications works for the phone. The system sees them and tries to load. Unfortunately, applications hang because of errors. The system informs that the application hangs, and does not load its window. The icons of these applications and the names do not appear either (applications have green robocik as icon, and domain name, e.g. com.android.clock ....)
I am asking for advice. How to add APK files to the unzipped "system.img" so that after packing and uploading to the phone there were no errors ???
Do you have found how add app in system.img?
It's all around, but you can replace apps with others. In the linux system, unpack the img, and mount them. Then you can freely rename files as well as move files within the .img mount point
I chose the applications or other files I did not need, and moved them to the directories (which I named my applications). If the application needed libraries, you also had to get files in a similar way, and place them in arm or arm64 directories.
Then prepared files "stuffed" with data, using the command DD. That is, dd if = (source file) of = (the recipient file at the system.img mount point).
Thanks for reply, so this only on Linux? For Windows there is something?
Markosv76 said:
Thanks for reply, so this only on Linux? For Windows there is something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not know, I do not use Windows. Certainly you can in a similar way from BSD systems, probably from Android and MacOS. I read something that Microsoft can somehow support linux shell, but I do not know the details. You can always use some distribution that works with a pendrive.
Thanks, I will try again
Markosv76 said:
Thanks, I will try again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use Virtual Box to run a Linux distro inside Windows or you can try using Cygwin.
Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk
jaroslawstrauchmann said:
I was looking for a similar topic but I did not find one. Refers to problems with running applications added to "system.img".
I bought UMIDIG S for my father-in-law. It is based on a mediatec chipset. Unfortunately, soft is tragic, and there is no full translation, so I decided to bury it a bit in "system.img".
I can easily install the file in Linux and make changes in it. I can delete applications, I can make changes in configuration files and "buikd.prop".
Unfortunately, all APK files were uploaded to "system.img" even though I set permissions 755 for directories, and 644 for directories. Although the files are root: root, after uploading such "system.img" none of these applications works for the phone. The system sees them and tries to load. Unfortunately, applications hang because of errors. The system informs that the application hangs, and does not load its window. The icons of these applications and the names do not appear either (applications have green robocik as icon, and domain name, e.g. com.android.clock ....)
I am asking for advice. How to add APK files to the unzipped "system.img" so that after packing and uploading to the phone there were no errors ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you find a solution to this? please reply if yes, I am having the same problem