Related
The following is a guide for how to obtain root access within an ADB shell, then locally on the device.
UPDATED TO SIMPLE VERSION WITHOUT ADB
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Credit:
- embeem for bringing the Eclair signature check hole to attention.
- For creating the exploited update package: Zinx Verituse (initially posted here)
- mjxg for writing a complete guide which I have modified and reposted here (original thread here
- Cyanogen for providing Superuser.
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THIS WILL NOT UPDATE YOU TO 2.0.1. If you would like to end up with a rooted 2.0.1 and haven't been pushed the update OTA yet, then please follow this (http://alldroid.org/viewtopic.php?f=210&t=568) guide THEN follow the directions below.
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1 - Download the droid-super_user.zip file from: http://alldroid.org/download/file.php?id=659 (md5sum cf653352967253e99d967498ffd9ce69).
Do not extract.
2 - Rename the file to "update.zip".
3 - Plug your Droid into your computer via USB. On the Droid go to the Notifications bar and select "USB Connected" then press "Mount".
4 - Once the device is mounted, the SD card will show as a removable device on your computer
5 - Put the "update.zip" file you just renamed into the Root (top) directory of your SD Card.
6 - Unmount the device from your computer, and turn the Droid off.
7 - Hold down the "X" key on the physical keyboard and while doing so press the power button. Hold both of them down until you see a Triangle with an !.
8 - Press the Vol+ and the Camera button together until you get a menu.
9 - Using the D-pad on the physical keyboard, select the option to update with the update.zip file.
10 - This should take a little bit. Once it's done select the option to reboot the phone.
Now you can download a root application, or terminal emulator and try out your new found root access.
This works with 2.0.1
Please do not start removing any applications just yet. You will run into problems trying to flash anything. Wait until we have a recovery image made.
can some one dump the phone?
Looking at the change in Gerritt:
https://review.source.android.com/#change,12807
It has not been approved yet, although that doesn't prevent Mot from cherry picking it.
I just tried the droid-root.zip update on my Droid, worked great. The only thing I might add is to rename the otakeys.zip from /system/etc/security/otakeys.zip to prevent future OTA updates.
Don't want to lose root now that we have it.
-Howard
http://www.magicandroidapps.com. - Home of Better Terminal Emulator Pro, the best terminal emulator for Droid.
With root, you can dump out the MTD partitions to /data/local, ie:
adb shell
$ su
# cd /data/local
# cat /proc/mtd
Use this output to figure out which partitions are what, and then dump them out, ie:
# cat /dev/block/mtdblock0 > pds.bin
Then 'adb pull' the /data/local/*.bin files to your PC.
-Howard
http://www.magicandroidapps.com - Home of Better Terminal Emulator Pro, the best terminal emulator for Droid.
There is now a more streamlined way of going about this. I need to update the guide.
NEWEST METHOD that DOES NOT require adb
New exploit zip, including Superuser from CyanogenMod
First you have to update your phone to 2.0.1. If you have already done this manually, or if your phone has already received the OTA update, move on to the next section.
First, download this attachment ( http://alldroid.org/download/file.php?id=646 ) and rename it to "update.zip".
Copy update.zip to the SDcard in your phone.
Reboot your phone to recovery mode by holding down x while the phone turns on. once you see the /!\ emblem, press the Volume Up and Camera buttons at the same time.
Select Install update.zip from the menu.
Reboot once it is done.
Now your phone is updated to 2.0.1
Now, to root the phone.
download this attachment ( http://alldroid.org/download/file.php?id=659 ) and rename it "update.zip"
Copy update.zip to the phones sdcard
reboot phone to recovery mode (hold x while turning phone on, press volume up + camera button)
install update.zip
reboot
and you are done.
all credit to Zinx Verituse over on Alldroid.org
su works but apps still say I don't have root?
I'm an IT Professional not a newb, but not super great on Linux either.
I've followed the rooting steps, after updating manually to 2.0.1
The issue is, I can go: su using a term emulator on my phone and it says "access granted courtesy of magicandroidapps" (something like that).
I can do things through the term emulator, but for some reason when I download apps that require root and try to use them it still says I don't have root access? What gives? I couldn't even rename a file in /etc/bluez using ROOT EXPLORER (a file manager).
It's like root works on term emulator but not through GUI apps? Am I missing something?
Disregard, problem solved
Disregard.
Updated to new, simple, one flash instructions.
i cant get this to work for nothing. when i download the files i extract them to the desktop then put them into one folder named update.zip is this wrong?
dabo318 said:
i cant get this to work for nothing. when i download the files i extract them to the desktop then put them into one folder named update.zip is this wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It never said to extract. Rename the .zip to update.zip (make sure it's not update.zip.zip) then carry on.
I've got a question. This is a hole found in android, so this should work for any android device, as long as you append the original exploit.zip to that devices update.zip, correct?
ok i finally got the zip on the phone and trying to setup metamorph now. its been setting up file: zip for about five min is this normal?
Here is a link to a tutorial on how to create your own update.zip in order to deliver whatever you may need to (with a size limitation).
http://alldroid.org/viewtopic.php?f=210&t=626
Please note this is exclusive to the current Android 2.0
cellulararrest said:
Here is a link to a tutorial on how to create your own update.zip in order to deliver whatever you may need to (with a size limitation).
http://alldroid.org/viewtopic.php?f=210&t=626
Please note this is exclusive to the current Android 2.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And 2.0.1 ... thanks though, that pretty much answered my question. So any device that gets pushed 2.0/2.0.1 ota update and on before this hole is patched up this should work on. Let's hope they don't patch it before we get a hold of a milestoine update.
Btw- someone should check out the 2.1 sense dump and see if this hole is still present.
Oh and sorry about getting slightly off topic, just seemed the most revelent place to ask.
Yeah that would be good to check 2.1. But I don't think anyone is actually using that recovery image. If it's even available. Everyone has fancy dancy custom recovery images.
COMPREHENSIVE HOWTO "ROOT YOUR DROID" (my best attempt anyhow)
*deleted* per a noobs request (cuz I've heard from others as well that my directions were outdated even though they use super-root from Cyanogen).
Rainabba, Please delete that post. it's out-of-date and incorrect.
i just installed a terminal app from the market, type su and hit enter, it asked to allow or deny, so i believe just a terminal app will give you SU also, correct?
im an idiot when it comes to adb. also just a reminder to the root nobbs, if your using vista, just name the update, update dont add the .zip to it, or it wont work.
Correct. Please don't start removing apps from your system. A few people have been doing that just because they can and are causing themselves real problems. Hold off until someone succeeds in their endeavors for a custom recovery image.
I have no market on my phone and have been trying to install some apk's through amon ra console in recovery. Everything I try, which is practically everything i've read from searching, comes back with errors.
Either file/directory not found or can't open "install"
I am also having problems installing the drivers to get adb working from dangerspl. When I try to update drivers it says "This file does not contain information about your device"
Any help is much appreciated. I've been up all night trying to figure it out and feel like I'm going in circles.
Have you try installing from a file manager instead? (astro, estrongs, linda, etc..)
No I don't currently have a file browser installed, and have no market to look up/install one. I have another android phone with astro, could I pull it off of that phone and install on this with recovery console?
Why not just install it via adb or push it to /system/app
I can't connect via adb becuase I couldn't update the windows driver for dangerspl. I downloaded the drivers for dangerspl but when I tried to update, it said it didn't have information about my device. Something like that. So I can mount the sdcard in windows and put any files needed and boot into recovery and use that right? I tried making a zip with the qpks in it and use flash from zip, kinda like installing gapps, but that didnt work either. Any ideas?
Zip files will need the update scripts and signed for it to be able to be "flashed" from recovery.
Just use droidexplorer or android commander.
Code:
mount -a
or type less and read more
You can use busybox if you have the latest CM ROM installed
just type this ~~~> (busybox install /sdcard/yourapp.apk /sd-ext/app)
make sure the app is in the root of your sdcard
brios86 said:
You can use busybox if you have the latest CM ROM installed
just type this ~~~> (busybox install /sdcard/yourapp.apk /sd-ext/app)
make sure the app is in the root of your sdcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Code:
su
cp /sdcard/yourapp.apk /sd-ext/app
is less typing
and
Code:
su
cp /sdcard/yourapp.apk /data/app
is a 'safer' bet as they didn't mention which rom
what about this one? update.zip creator
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=717437
sleepyfu said:
Zip files will need the update scripts and signed for it to be able to be "flashed" from recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
which is not a big problem to create.
There is a TUT for it
sleepyfu said:
Have you try installing from a file manager instead? (astro, estrongs, linda, etc..)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you need a filemanager with root-rights. Depending on the ROM you use it might be available.
Try the app "IRSSI - connect bot". It gives you a console on the device.
login "local" and type "su".
Than you have superuser rights .... anything on commands you find in linux/android TUTs
Lol! 6 month old post?
This will be an often-updated guide to all the latest successes of getting a quality port of CyanogenMod, a custom Froyo based Android distribution.
This thread was originally intended to be specific to the Coby Kyros, but since most issues relate to all Telechips tablets, it may prove useful to owners of other such devices as well.
Things we have working: Touchscreen, Screen Roation, WiFi (Connects to AP and Ad-Hoc), Market, Texting via Google Talk.
Things we have kinda working: WiFi can be a little wanky, but if you disable and re-enable it works fine.
Things that do not work/Issues: Some apps not working (like Angry Birds) due to sdcard not being properly addressed, video play back, sound recording is very nasty, missing on screen volume controls, occasionally the input box is not updated with what you're typing, but when you hide the keyboard the text is there.
Further Reading:
Most of the development for the Kyros 7015 has taken place in this thread.
and the developement of Cyanogen for Telechips tablets has taken place in the thread (on slatedroid.com).
Also check out my tutorial for Getting the Most Out of Eclair (Android 2.1) for this same device.
Instructions
1. Download and install ClockworkMod .
2: Preparations. If you have not already, install Android SDKto your PC. Download bootimage and system image. Create a "Cyanogen" folder in the clockwork/backup folder on your SD card and unzip both files into this folder. I also renamed and placed my recovery.img in here.
Contents of /Cyanogen
Code:
boot.img
nandroid.md5
recovery.img
system.img
3: Getting Some Files from Eclair. Connect your tablet to your PC and issue the following commands using ADB (Note: This step is to be done from Android 2.1, not from a previous version of CyanogenMod. If you already have CyanogenMod install, please revert to Android 2.1 to retrieve these files)
Code:
adb pull /sys/class/input/input1/calc_table calc_table
adb pull /data/softmac softmac
This should copy the calc_table and softmac files to the directory where ADB is located. Leave them where they are, and place build.prop and sensors.tcc92xx, from COBY7015-fixpack in there as well.
4: "Restoring" CyanogenMod. Boot into recovery mode (hold down front button and press the reset button on back of device). You should now be in ClockworkMod. IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, MAKE A BACKUP! Choose "Wipe data / factory reset" and then "backup and restore." Restore from Cyanogen folder.
5: Restoring Some Key Files. With your tablet connected to your PC, issue the following ABD commands, taking care to keep your tablet awake:
Code:
adb remount
adb push build.prop /system/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/build.prop
adb push calc_table /system/etc/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/etc/calc_table
adb push sensors.tcc92xx.so /system/lib/hw/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/lib/hw/sensors.tcc92xx.so
adb push softmac /data/softmac
adb shell chmod 644 /data/softmac
adb reboot
After your tablet finishes rebooting, you should notice you have a working touch screen.
6: Enabling Google Apps. Download gapps-mdpi-tiny-20101020-signed.zip and MarketUpdateFroyoHdpi.zip. Place onto your SD card and reboot into recovery.vChoose "Install Zip from SDcard" and install gapps-mdpi-tiny-20101020-signed.zip and then MarketUpdateFroyoHdpi.zip. Reboot and accept the terms of the market!
7: Texting using Google Voice. Here is how to text with Google voice. You will need a working android phone (probably needs to be rooted) with Titanium Backup installed. Set up Google Voice on the phone-- make sure you opt for the Google phone number as that is the number you will be texting from. Once up and running, back up the program using Titanium. On the tablet, install Titanium Backup and use it to restore the Google Voice program (App+Data) to your tablet. (You may have to copy the backup files to the Titanium directory on the INTERNAL drive.) Once Google Voice Launches, switch back to Titanium Backup-- do not try to set up Google Voice. Titanium backup will then restore the data for Google Voice. You should now be able to text from your tablet.
This is all I have right now, more to follow.
Wouhou, first post!
thanks for that thread. Really great idea. I'll contributed at the best of my knowledge. Really like what you guys are doing and hope to have CyanogenMod fulling (or almost fulling) working.
stoned99 said:
Wouhou, first post!
thanks for that thread. Really great idea. I'll contributed at the best of my knowledge. Really like what you guys are doing and hope to have CyanogenMod fulling (or almost fulling) working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hope this helps, and I hope we can get everyone working on Cyanogen for the 7015 over to this thread to keep from getting this and the 2.1 root/mod project from getting too intermingled/confused.
Thanks. Finally had 15 minutes to install it and test it. Your procedure worked like a charm!
Only thing: Just add to fun_'s proedure for build.prop a shell like this
adb shell chmod 644 /system/build.prop
Great guide!
stoned99 said:
Thanks. Finally had 15 minutes to install it and test it. Your procedure worked like a charm!
Only thing: Just had to fun_'s proedure for build.prop a shell like this
adb shell chmod 644 /system/build.prop
Great guide!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I got that error fixed.
I uploaded 12/12 build. to avoid confusion, old build was removed.
please update #2.
sorry for this inconvenience.
Fun_
So are the files under the obsolete folder now on that website.
Also wondering if someone can do a clockworkmod of the image
with most of the files edited I think for new peeps this will make it easier.
I have not flashed mine yet as I use it for video alot and
if that isn't working then it doesnt do me much good right now
adamdietrick could you modify your procedure for the new one and also add to do a nandroid backup as some new people with Android might not know it's important. I tested the procedure it's working fine.
so globally it would be something like that. Please modify it so it can be more easily to follow:
1) clockwork
2) Backup your nand: ClockworkMod recovery, backup and restore, backup
3) When booted in Eclair (stock rom):
adb usb
adb pull /sys/class/input/input1/calc_table calc_table
adb pull /data/softmac softmac
*be sure to know where the files are copied to your pc because you'll need to add them back on your device later.
4) Copy all files (system.img, boot.img, nandroid.md5) in the clockwordmod backup folder on sdcard
5) Restore from backup, choose Cyanogenmod
6)adb remount
adb push build.prop /system/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/build.prop
adb push calc_table /system/etc/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/etc/calc_table
adb push sensors.tcc92xx.so /system/lib/hw/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/lib/hw/sensors.tcc92xx.so
adb push softmac /data/softmac
adb shell chmod 644 /data/softmac
**at some point, you might loose connectivity with the device and waking up from sleep might not help, just unplug the usb cable, plug back in and type adb usb in the command prompt window
adb reboot
... continue with your current step 6 to 8 (install Gapps, market update and Google Voice)
Procedure was mostly taken from the readme file of fun_ so all credits go to him.
stoned99 said:
adamdietrick could you modify your procedure for the new one and also add to do a nandroid backup as some new people with Android might not know it's important. I tested the procedure it's working fine.
so globally it would be something like that. Please modify it so it can be more easily to follow:
1) clockwork
2) Backup your nand: ClockworkMod recovery, backup and restore, backup
3) When booted in Eclair (stock rom):
adb usb
adb pull /sys/class/input/input1/calc_table calc_table
adb pull /data/softmac softmac
*be sure to know where the files are copied to your pc because you'll need to add them back on your device later.
4) Copy all files (system.img, boot.img, nandroid.md5) in the clockwordmod backup folder on sdcard
5) Restore from backup, choose Cyanogenmod
6)adb remount
adb push build.prop /system/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/build.prop
adb push calc_table /system/etc/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/etc/calc_table
adb push sensors.tcc92xx.so /system/lib/hw/
adb shell chmod 644 /system/lib/hw/sensors.tcc92xx.so
adb push softmac /data/softmac
adb shell chmod 644 /data/softmac
**at some point, you might loose connectivity with the device and waking up from sleep might not help, just unplug the usb cable, plug back in and type adb usb in the command prompt window
adb reboot
... continue with your current step 6 to 8 (install Gapps, market update and Google Voice)
Procedure was mostly taken from the readme file of fun_ so all credits go to him.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Starting work on it now (that I'm not sleeping). This is what happens when fun_ brings out new version at bed time!
LOL
don't worry, you can do it after your sleep. It's just that if some people moved to CyanogenMod with the current guide, they'll need to restore their eclair nanddroid backup to their device to grab the calc and software or use linux to mount system.img and extract calc_table and softmac. I can provide you the linux procedure in case you want to add it (for people who don't want to restore their eclair rom)
stoned99 said:
LOL
don't worry, you can do it after your sleep. It's just that if some people moved to CyanogenMod with the current guide, they'll need to restore their eclair nanddroid backup to their device to grab the calc and software or use linux to mount system.img and extract calc_table and softmac. I can provide you the linux procedure in case you want to add it (for people who don't want to restore their eclair rom)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be great to have. I had to restore mine last night to run this procedure.
Weird, the procedure I used to use with my Android file with my iphone (I had dual boot IOS and Android) doesn't work. I might not be the same systemfile. I'll try something else and let you know if I solve it
Just out of curiosity, (as I don't have time to read through the slatedroid forum) Has there been anything figured out on:
1. video playing on cyanogen
2. games loading full size ( if I change the lcd density it solves this problem but then everything is way too large, is there a way to make it to where the density changes for the games and only the games?)
3. Games that install to the sd card having problems i.e. angry birds, and asphalt?
I know these have probably been answered over on slatedroid but like I said I just don't have time to read through over 200 pages, especially where most of it is stupid newbie crap that is probably making it very hard for asure, venomous, and fun_ to get any actual feedback on stuff.
I was able to mount the system and ramdisk. Unfortunately it seems the files (calc_table and softmac) are not in there. I see a folder called sys and a folder called data in the ramdisk but don't see any files inside. Maybe it's in the kernel. I was able to extract the kernel from the boot.img but can't mount it. Oh well, people will have to restore from their nandroid backup if they want to pull the files.
Sorry
stoned99 said:
I was able to mount the system and ramdisk. Unfortunately it seems the files (calc_table and softmac) are not in there. I see a folder called sys and a folder called data in the ramdisk but don't see any files inside. Maybe it's in the kernel. I was able to extract the kernel from the boot.img but can't mount it. Oh well, people will have to restore from their nandroid backup if they want to pull the files.
Sorry
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
softmac may be in data.img of eclair nandroid backup.
calc_table is only in live system. please restore eclair firmware and reboot.
dhadlock said:
1. video playing on cyanogen
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no hardware decoding yet. please use rockplayer for armv6+vfp (consume CPU power...)
dhadlock said:
2. games loading full size ( if I change the lcd density it solves this problem but then everything is way too large, is there a way to make it to where the density changes for the games and only the games?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try Compatibility off in SpareParts
dhadlock said:
3. Games that install to the sd card having problems i.e. angry birds, and asphalt?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no idea.
I'm suffering where/how to talk worthfully
(here is OK, of course
fun_ said:
no hardware decoding yet. please use rockplayer for armv6+vfp (consume CPU power...)
try Compatibility off in SpareParts
I have no idea.
I'm suffering where/how to talk worthfully
(here is OK, of course
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to let you know, I have tried the disabling the compatibility setting with no success.
adamdietrick said:
Just to let you know, I have tried the disabling the compatibility setting with no success.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what app "no success"?
recently some tablets with large screen are sold from major company. it may make things better with app update... (just my hope, sorry)
fun_ said:
what app "no success"?
recently some tablets with large screen are sold from major company. it may make things better with app update... (just my hope, sorry)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only two I have had issues with. Kitchen timer, raging tunder.
DO NOT POST IN THIS THREAD BEFORE READING THE WHOLE POST
PLEASE ADD GUIDES TO COMMON ISSUES YOURSELVES
To my recollection, the previous WM Guides thread was successful.. so we'll be moving on to android as well - from beginner to pro.
I hope this thread will provide answers to a decent percentage of your questions.
Please hold until guide collecting is finished..
In the meanwhile you are ALL invited to send me links or full guides to add to this thread.. remember, we are all about sharing.
COMING SOON! (in the meanwhile, you've got a great battery life guide at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=471521 - be sure to thank BruceElliot for it!)
also, if you decide to post a guide, please keep the guide as neat as possible, with a title containing the LEVEL ([BEGINNER], [INTERMEDIATE], [PRO]) and the commonly searched words so that people who look for it can find it easily. (if you can, use the same color (dark orange) and same size (4) and Bold.. for the main title.. tho that's not a must )
post #2. [BEGINNERS+INTERMEDIATE] Replacing System Files using Android Commander
post #3. [EVERYONE] ADB Workshop by Adrynalyne and Guide by Captainkrtek
post #4. [QUICK FAQ's] Common QnA's for beginners by Timmymarsh (work in progress)
[BEGINNERS] Replacing system files using Android Commander
Replacing system files using Android Commander:
(This post was formally based in the HD2's RTL support thread and revolved around our need to replace frameworks)
so:
1. Download the android SDK from: http://dl.google.com/android/android...08-windows.zip
2. EXTRACT(!!!) the android-sdk-windows to c:\
(make sure you extract the dir - not run the setup from inside the zip file)
3. install Android Commander from http://androidcommander.com
4. Connect your device and make sure it's set to Debugging mode in /settings/applications/development/
5. You might have to set a dir containing your adb.exe file. set it to c:\android-sdk-windows\tools\
6. You will see a Total Commander-like interface. you can then copy the framework.jar file to the correct directory (there's no difference between SD android builds and androids in ROM - the system dir will be shown the same way)
a. Yes, you can replace/delete system files while android is running.
b. (for androids running from SD) Any file copied to /sdcard/android/root/system/X will be copied to /system/X in the system file. The sdcard/android root dir is JUST LIKE your root in ROM androids.
c. Make sure you either created a backup or verified a match in any other way before replacing files like frameworks, zimage, modules, etc.. your android might not boot afterwards (I keep all system.ext2 files backed up so that i can restore them incase i screw something up.)
enjoy
[EVERYONE] ADB Workshop by Adrynalyne and Guide by Captainkrtek
This following guide was rewritten by Captainkrtek, please make sure to thank him for it
Original Post:
(http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=879701)
This workshop was held in #android-learning on irc.freenode.net by XDA Member Adrynalyne. All credit to him for this guide, I simply am taking it and turning it into a guide. Here we go!
You can find the raw IRC log here
Good evening folks, and welcome to my ADB workshop. This is by no means a full explanation on the subject, but more of a crash course to help folks get up to speed, and get more from their devices. There may be some things you already know here, so please be patient and respect those who do not.
Reference Files
http://adrynalyne.us/files/How to install adb.pdf
http://adrynalyne.us/files/Using ADB.pdf
So, lets just start with the basics.
What is ADB?
ADB stands for the android debugging bridge and is used for testing and debugging purposes by developers.
However, we like to get more out of our devices, and its a great way to fix things.
Knowing adb can mean the difference between a paperweight and a working phone.
So, to start with, we will look at installing ADB.
Generally speaking, the Sun/Oracle JDK is required to run all SDK functions.
ADB is but one tool in the SDK arsenal.
So, we begin by downloading and installing the JDK. This can be found here:
https://cds.sun.com/is-bin/[email protected]_Developer
Choose your OS, download and install. I recommend that 64 bit users use the regular x86/32 bit version as well.
Moving ahead, we download the Windows sdk from here:
http://dl.google.com/android/installer_r08-windows.exe
Due to already installing JDK, you won't be stopped by the install process.
Now, if you notice, I installed it to:
C:\android-sdk-windows
I did this because it makes things easier when setting up path variables.
I encourage everyone to do the same, but obviously it is not required.
So, this SDK is handy, but is only good up to 2.2. We want the latest and greatest! (Well I do)
So, we navigate to:
C:\android-sdk-windows\
and we run SDK Manager.exe
If you notice in your PDF file for installing adb, you will notice that you can update, and I made a choice not to include earlier sdk versions.
I won't go into full detail on that, but depending on the version of SDK you have, 8 or 9, it WILL make a difference in using adb.
By default, for version 8 adb.exe resides in C:\android-sdk-windows\tools
By default, for version 9 adb.exe resides in C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools
We will assume version 9 in this guide
Really, the SDK is installed and adb is usable right now, but in my humble opinion, its not enough
I like the ability to use adb in ANY directory on my machine.
To do this, we edit Windows's environment variables.
Specifically, the system path.
To do this, we click on start, or the orb (depending on OS), and right click on Computer, left clicking on properties in the menu.
If its windows XP, I believe it brings you into advanced system properties immediatly. Vista and 7 need a second step.
On the left hand side, as you notice I have highlighted in the pdf, left click advanced system settings.
Under advanced tab, we left click environment variables...
There are two boxes here.
We are concerned with system variables, however.
So we scroll down the list and highlight path and click edit.
Ignoring all the extra stuff in here, make sure you are at the end of the line, and type
Code:
;C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools
The semicolon allows us to separate it
from the previous path statement.
Click ok all the way out.
We now have ADB setup globally. We can use cmd.exe (I use powershell) and no matter what directory we are in, adb is recognized.
If it is not, make certain you entered the path into system variables, and made no typos.
If you installed to a different location, you will need to adjust the path accordingly.
This concludes the section on installing the Android SDK to use ADB.
This next section will be on using ADB, so please open that pdf now.
Now, this applies to any OS, not just Windows.
Well, with the exception of the USB drivers.
I will not go too much into that, but if you take a look at the PDF, it goes through installing usb drivers for the sdk, and how to download them.
Fiarly straightforward, in that rspect.
Now, to setup our phones to use with the SDK and ADB, we must change some settings.
First, we go to menu softkey, then settings.
We scroll down to Applications and tap it.
Under Development, we will check Enable USB Debugging. Please note the SGS phones are different in this respect.
The USB cable must be unplugged before enabling or disabling this setting.
Once this is done, we are now ready to play with adb
One quick note: If you get device not found/conencted, please reboot your phone. DJ05 has a quirk in it where ADBD randomly crashes on boot.
A reboot will fix this
ADBD= ADB Daemon
Ok, continuing on.
Lets look at installing applications. This is also known as sideloading.
Unlike installing from the SD card, it does not require unknown sources to be enabled.
The command for this is
Code:
adb install packagename
This assumes that you are working from the directory where the file is located.
This will install the application to /data/app.
It will also show sometimes useful errors if install fails.
That is not something you will see from the Android GUI.
Now, a lot of us have probably deleted files with apps like Root Explorer. While this isn't really a bad thing, it leaves behind databases and data for the application removed.
This is where the 0kb applicaiton entries come from.
If you take that application entry name, you can uninstall the extra data via adb.
First we go to the adb shell which logs into the phone.
Code:
adb shell
If we end up with a $, we will want admin rights, in many cases. This is not one of them, I don't beleive.
To get admin rights, you want to type
Code:
su
Look at your phone if this is the first time, it may prompt you to allow access. Else you will get permission denied.
If you are not rooted, this will not work either.
Ok, now that we are logged in, we will type
Code:
pm uninstall packagename
where packagename is the name of the 0kb listing.
Now this seems like a pain in the a** and I agree.
HOWEVER
There will be a time where Manage applications crashes when you try to uninstall it from the phone. In this case, a factory reset, or this method is the only effective way to fix the problem.
Moving on.
How many of us have removed system applications or renamed them? Did you know that you can simply disable them from the system?
Code:
adb shell
su
pm disable appllicationname
This will disable it, and the system will ignore it.
This can be seen as safer than deleting or renaming things, but your mileage may vary.
On the other hand, you can also re-enable these applications.
Code:
adb shell
su
pm enable applicationname
Please note: Not all applications will properly re-enable. I believe a factory reset or reinstall of said application will fix the issue.
Also, application names are absolutely case sensitive.
*nix based Operating Systems see the letter 'a' and 'A' as two different things.
when you log into adb shell, you are playing by android rules
Ok, a lot of us tweak and mod our phones and turning off the device to get to clockwork recovery, or battery pulls, or multiple button holds to get into Download mode are troublesome and annoying at best.
ADB can help us here.
Here, we do not need to be logged into the shell
If we want to merely reboot the phone:
Code:
adb reboot
If we want to go to recovery (works well with voodoo5)
Code:
adb reboot recovery
If we want to go to Download Mode because we need Odin, heaven forbid:
Code:
adb reboot download
Its instant. No waiting on animations or anything else.
Its also handy if Android has locked up, but yet still works in adb.
I for one hate taking my case off to battery pull.
So now we move on to pushing and pulling files.
Sometimes, I don't feel like mounting my sd card to copy a file over to my phone.
I can use this command to push a file straight to my sd card:
Code:
adb push filename /pathtodirectoryonphone
So for instance, if I have test.txt that I want to send, I would type:
Code:
adb push test.txt /sdcard/
and there it goes.
Ok moving on
Pushing files can be done to any directory, however, some are protected.
For instance, /system is going to give you a permission denied or a read only filesystem error.
To get around this, the easiest thing to do is push the file to your sdcard, then log into the shell:
Code:
adb shell
Code:
su
We will then mount the system as writable
Code:
mount -o rw,remount /dev/block/stl9 /system
Then we can use something like
Code:
cp /sdcard/test.txt /system/app/test.txt
cp stands for copy
and it requires the path of the file and destination path. The name of the file is optional
When you copy it, you can rename it to whatever you like.
For instance, if we wanted to backup a file
Code:
cp /sdcard/test.txt /sdcard/backuptest.txt
Now, lets assume you do not have busybox installed.
You non rooted users will not.
Then you must use a slightly more complicated command called dd
This is used like this:
Code:
dd if=/sdcard/test.txt of=/system/app/test.txt
if is for inputfile
of= output file
Not every user friendly, but probably one of the safer copy commands.
Ok, moving on to pulling files.
Lets say you want to get a file from your phone, to modify, backup, etc.
To do this, we simply use adb in this manner:
Code:
adb pull /pathtofile/filename destinationname
For instance, if I wanted to backup ADW launcher in system/app
I would do this
Code:
adb pull /system/app/ADWLaucnher.apk ADWLauncher.apk
And it will pull the file from the phone and put it in the current directory.
Like above, you can specifcy where it goes.
pushing files to the sdcard, it seems prudent to talk about changing permissions.
sdcards are typically fat32, which destroys permisisons, and Android is heavily permission based.
So if you push an application to your sd card, then try to copy it to /system/app/ bad things are going to happen, or the app may not even show up.
So in that case, we use something called chmod.
This is used in this manner
Code:
adb shell
su
chmod 755 /pathtoapplication/applicationname
Keep in mind
you dont want to do this while its still on your sd card.
an example
Code:
adb shell
su
chmod 755 /system/app/ADWLauncher.apk
755 is good for applications and script files.
Just a couple more topics to cover.
Lets go over deleting files.
This becomes especially handy for removing rogue applications.
To do this, we must be in the adb shell.
Code:
adb shell
su
rm /system/app/ADWLauncher.apk
You may need to remount system as writable with:
Code:
mount -o rw,remount /dev/block/stl9 /system
That applies when using chmod as well.
So what I did above was delete ADW Launcher from system/app
However, what if I wanted to delete the entire contents of a directory?
Same thing as before, except
Code:
adb shell
rm -f /data/dalvik-cache/*.*
I just cleared my dalvik-cache with that command
very quick, very effective.
If you just tried that, please reboot your phone now
Ok....this leaves us with the final topic: logcat
logcat allows us to log what the OS is doing, and possibly delve information for when things are not working
its quite simple Reading it is another.
To use logcat
Code:
adb shell
logcat
To logcat to a certain file do
Code:
adb shell
logcat > /sdcard/logcat.txt
Now we let the log settle down to a reasonable amount of data coming in and not a wall of scrolling, then start the app in question. When it gives an error, we hit ctrl-C and kill the adb shell session.
This should have captured enough data to see the error. Now, I prepared an example. A user came to me on IRC, and Google Maps was force closing. Clearing data didnt fix it, Clearing dalvik-cache, and fix permissions did not fix it. In this case, the user did not know how to use adb So I had him grab an app called alogcat from the market and email me the log. This is also a very valid method.
this file explains what the problem was, and highlights what to look for as an example.
http://adrynalyne.us/files/logcat.pdf
___________________________________________________________________
This concludes the guide from Adrynalyne, there will be more workshops such as this one in irc.freenode.net #android-learning.
Thanks to everyone in #samsung-fascinate !
QUICK FAQ's
sources: Q&A Section, The Weekly Q&A Section by XDA News Writers (thanks guys)
Q: ‘Is there any way to block specific apps from using my data connection?’
A: Try the Droid Wall application.
Q: ‘I read how you can make changes in the build.prop file on my Android device. How exactly do I get to it?’
A: Install ASTRO file manager, browse to /system, long press on build.prop – Edit – Copy. Press on the home icon then Edit icon – Paste. Connect sd card, edit it, and paste it over from where you copied build.prop
Q: What happens if I update my phone? will I need to re-root it and get the ROM again? will all of my applications get erased? If so, is there a way around this?
A: You will lose your root, but not apps if it is just an update.
Q: I just tried to flash a ROM from recovery on my Android phone and got “Verification Failed, Installation Aborted” What happened?
A: Before you can flash a custom ROM the .zip file must be digitally signed in the ROM kitchen, if unzipped and re-zipped it will lose its verification, this happens often using the Safari browser as it likes to decompress .zip’s. Or if your download is corrupted (download the ROM again) it will fail the Verification.
Q - HTC Location Widget shows "map data unavailable"
A - On the widget, click the pin/then click the windows button/click get more/scroll to download maps/download relevant map (care, maybe a big file). Now exit and click onto map, your location should now be visible :)
Q:So, I moved all the apps on the SD, but is still not enough. How can I free some memory? I could delete the cache of the older upgrade or something else?
A:Do you have pictures and videos? If so, check if they are on the SD card and not on your internal memory. Cleaning your cache helps, and try deleting your text messages threads.
Q: ‘What exactly is a kernel and what are the benefits in changing it?’
A: A kernel is a bridge between the applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware level. The kernel’s responsibilities include managing the system’s resources – the communication between hardware and software components. Flashing different kernels gives you different operating speeds, better battery life, the ability to overclock, and more.
Android control other device with IOIO Board.
It use ADB.
http://androidcontrol.blogspot.com/2011/10/ioio-board-for-android-control-io.html
timmymarsh said:
QUICK FAQ's
sources: Q&A Section, The Weekly Q&A Section by XDA News Writers (thanks guys)
Q: ‘Is there any way to block specific apps from using my data connection?’
A: Try the Droid Wall application.
Q: ‘I read how you can make changes in the build.prop file on my Android device. How exactly do I get to it?’
A: Install ASTRO file manager, browse to /system, long press on build.prop – Edit – Copy. Press on the home icon then Edit icon – Paste. Connect sd card, edit it, and paste it over from where you copied build.prop
Q: What happens if I update my phone? will I need to re-root it and get the ROM again? will all of my applications get erased? If so, is there a way around this?
A: You will lose your root, but not apps if it is just an update.
Q: I just tried to flash a ROM from recovery on my Android phone and got “Verification Failed, Installation Aborted” What happened?
A: Before you can flash a custom ROM the .zip file must be digitally signed in the ROM kitchen, if unzipped and re-zipped it will lose its verification, this happens often using the Safari browser as it likes to decompress .zip’s. Or if your download is corrupted (download the ROM again) it will fail the Verification.
Q - HTC Location Widget shows "map data unavailable"
A - On the widget, click the pin/then click the windows button/click get more/scroll to download maps/download relevant map (care, maybe a big file). Now exit and click onto map, your location should now be visible :)
Q:So, I moved all the apps on the SD, but is still not enough. How can I free some memory? I could delete the cache of the older upgrade or something else?
A:Do you have pictures and videos? If so, check if they are on the SD card and not on your internal memory. Cleaning your cache helps, and try deleting your text messages threads.
Q: ‘What exactly is a kernel and what are the benefits in changing it?’
A: A kernel is a bridge between the applications and the actual data processing done at the hardware level. The kernel’s responsibilities include managing the system’s resources – the communication between hardware and software components. Flashing different kernels gives you different operating speeds, better battery life, the ability to overclock, and more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your patience and taking the time to answer those questions. I loved your simple and easily digestible format.
There is a note
*nix based Operating Systems see the letter 'a' and 'A' as two different things.
when you log into adb shell, you are playing by android rules
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this note is all wrong..
1. linNUX is not *NIX.
2. Mac OS-X is a *NIX OS, it is based upon UNIX, they use their own variant called Darwin. Darwin does not require capitolization.
3. The word should be POSIX. Linux is POSIX compliant and POSIX defines the capitolization standardards
soft brick
Taioba said:
Is there any way to use ADB even though I can not enable USB debugging by the android?
I have an Atrix with soft-brick. How can I restore a file (framework-res.apk) knowing that my USB debugging is off?
I can enable ADB via fastboot?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found this for atrix 4g....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=965546
hope it helps
knoknot said:
i have a bricked s2 not so sure how to go about reviving it via adb
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
check this thread
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1237815
thanks. searched for that
Thanks for it.
Great Guys............ :good:
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing this guild :d, i am new member for reccod
Great job~ Sometimes could be used this.
I'm using Windows 10 RTM and I've set the path, yet I still get the "unrecognized application" error in the command console. What am I missing?
Nevermind, a restart fixed it. Used to be you didn't have to.... sheesh.
nir36 said:
Replacing system files using Android Commander:
(This post was formally based in the HD2's RTL support thread and revolved around our need to replace frameworks)
so:
1. Download the android SDK from: http://dl.google.com/android/android...08-windows.zip
2. EXTRACT(!!!) the android-sdk-windows to c:\
(make sure you extract the dir - not run the setup from inside the zip file)
3. install Android Commander from http://androidcommander.com
4. Connect your device and make sure it's set to Debugging mode in /settings/applications/development/
5. You might have to set a dir containing your adb.exe file. set it to c:\android-sdk-windows\tools\
6. You will see a Total Commander-like interface. you can then copy the framework.jar file to the correct directory (there's no difference between SD android builds and androids in ROM - the system dir will be shown the same way)
a. Yes, you can replace/delete system files while android is running.
b. (for androids running from SD) Any file copied to /sdcard/android/root/system/X will be copied to /system/X in the system file. The sdcard/android root dir is JUST LIKE your root in ROM androids.
c. Make sure you either created a backup or verified a match in any other way before replacing files like frameworks, zimage, modules, etc.. your android might not boot afterwards (I keep all system.ext2 files backed up so that i can restore them incase i screw something up.)
enjoy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, this Guide is very informative
Help with LG D722
I'm using LG D722 phone and I somehow unlocked bootloader and installed twrp recovery. I backed up Lollipop that's what I'm using and i want to restore custom ROM
I know I need to install Google Apps after installing Custom ROM. But Do I also need to install Modem files on my device ? Because I can't find them on XDA Forums. Please give me a link or something. The help is not just appreciated but seriously needed.
Success. Thanks
Hello, I walk testing one recovery but I'm booting before flashing, the question is, will the recovery feel same when booted vs flashed? I've booted and used to flash a pair of zips but felt very laggy and bugged although did the work right. Thanks
Edit: solved, tried myself
Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using XDA-Developers mobile app
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=872128&page=2
Warning: Even an expert runs the risk of “bricking,” or locking up their Android device when modifying it. Often this is a ‘soft brick’ from which they can recover, but sometimes the device is “hard bricked” from which no recovery is possible, and the device becomes a source of spare parts. Proceed at your own risk. Neither the author, nor XDA is liable if you do “brick” your device.
Note: I have insufficient posts to include outside links. I'll add them when I do. Until then you'll need to search the 'net.
Keeping that in mind, you may wish to acquire an older model device to practice with before attempting to modify leading edge devices. Kijiji and Craig’s List are good sources for low cost, used devices that can be used for practice. I acquired the Samsung Galaxy S5 neo (SM-G903W) with Android 7.0.0 (Nougat) installed, I’m using in this guide for about $20 USD. Although any device will do, try to get one from the same manufacturer as the device you want to modify. If your device is a phone, you do not need a SIM card to follow this guide.
The Android OS is a derivative of Linux, and many, but not all commands are the same. You should refer to Linux or Unix manuals for an explanation of the commands. Search the ‘net for “Linux Commands” to find the latest manuals.
As the boot animation and sound are the most common modifications, changes to those are the goals of this guide. It seems as though there is an app for everything now. Yes, they are handy, but this guide will use the command line for many of the modifications. I use Terminal Emulator on the device for command line access. I also use BusyBox to expand the command set available. Both are available from the Play Store. You need root access to install and use BusyBox.
The first step is to read the manual for your device. Pay particular attention to the method used to enter the download and recovery modes. The Samsung Galaxy S5 neo uses volume up + home + power to enter the recovery mode, and volume down + home + power To enter the download mode from the power off condition. Press the volume and home buttons first, and then press the power button while holding them down. The device will boot into the desired mode. You may also require special USB drivers on your PC for your device.
Next you need to take as complete a backup of your device as possible using the stock options. See your manual for help with this. It’s also a very good idea to download the full firmware, as well as the boot and recovery partitions and any tools needed to re-flash this software. The best way to find these is to consult the manufacturer’s website, then this forum, followed by a ‘net search if nothing else provides results. For my device I need Odin on my PC. I found the full firmware at sammobile.com and firmware.mobi. The boot and recovery images can be extracted from the Samsung file, and then re-compressed using 7-zip on your PC. The firmware.mobi website offers all three files for several versions of Android, as well as a configured Odin package to root my device.
Now that we’re ready, the next few posts in this thread will cover the following sequence:
1. Root Device
2. Install Recovery
3. Install Applications
4. NANDroid backup
5. Make your modifications
Root Device with Chainfire
Warning: If you have a KNOX enabled device, rooting it will trip the KNOX warranty flag, voiding your warranty. This flag cannot be reset, and will prevent some applications from working.
Warning: Rooting improperly can “Hard Brick” your device, turning it into a source of spare parts.
There are numerous rooting tools out there. I use Chainfire whenever possible. The current website firmware.mobi will generate an easy to use package including Odin for supported devices. Download and extract the package to a new folder on your PC. Start Odin using the root.bat file. Read the warnings. Next:
Ensure Developer Options are enabled on your device. On the SM-G903W, go to Settings/About Phone/Software information/Build number seven times. Other devices may use a different method. Consult your manual.
In Settings / Developer Options ensure OEM Unlock is on and turn on USB Debugging
Note: I also turn “Auto update system” off
Turn the device off, then re-boot into the download mode (Volume Down + Home + Power, and then press Volume Up on my device)
Plug the device into a USB port of your PC
Select AP in Odin, then select the image.tar.md5 file downloaded with your package.
Ensure one of the COM ports is highlighted.
This is your last chance to abort. DO NOT CONTINE if you have any doubts.
Click Start
When your device is rooted successfully you’ll see a green pass in Odin. Congratulations! Your device will re-boot into recovery mode to root the device, and then re-boot normally. Well, that’s how it was supposed to work. When I used the CF Autoroot file for the SM-G903W, I got the error message “Recovery is NOT seandroid enforcing”, and was unable to boot into the recovery mode. I used Odin to re-flash the recovery partition which allowed me to enter the recovery mode again. A little searching on this forum, led me to this post by Neoony. I used the link for the SM-G903F and succeeded in rooting the device.
Now you need a root manager. My preference is Super SU. Install it from Google Play. Run Super SU. It will let you know if you were not successful by reporting that your device is not rooted.
Install Backup/Recovery (TWRP)
As we intend to modify the Android system itself, we need the ability to back it up and restore it. There are several options including Clockwork Mod (CWM), Team Win Recovery Project (TWRP) and Titanium Backup. My personal preference is TWRP.
Installation is as follows:
Install the “Official TWRP App” from Google Play
Run the App, agree to the Terms and Conditions, and enable “Run with root permissions,” then tap OK.
Tap “TWRP FLASH” on the next screen
Select your device from the drop down menu, you will need a network connection for this. You’ll be presented with a series of choices. Choose the latest and greatest. The image will be downloaded to your device.
Select “FLASH TO RECOVERY”, and confirm the image is correct. You will see the message “Flash Completed Successfully!” when installation is complete.
Exit the “Official TWRP App” and re-boot your device into the Download, followed by Recovery, and finally normally to confirm all is well.
Install Applications
The applications to install are those you will use to customize your device. I suggest BusyBox, and Terminal Emulator from the Play Store. BusyBox requires root access for the expanded command set. Terminal Emulator will allow command line access on your device so you won’t need ADB on your computer. You will be able to gain root access through it to modify anything on your device anytime, anywhere.
Other Apps you may find useful are the Jota Text Editor, and Hex Editor. These are also available through the Play Store.
NANDroid backup
Once the device is rooted, and your choice of applications are installed it’s a good idea to fully back up the device. This includes ALL partitions, so you have a baseline that you can re-flash. If your device has minimal memory, you may need an SD card or USB OTG drive to hold your backup. These backups will often be larger than 4GB.
Re-boot your device into the Recovery Mode. In TWRP, select ALL the partitions. Select the desired Storage location, and tap OK. Swipe to backup your device. Note the warning that “Backups of data do not include any files in internal storage such as pictures or downloads.” That is not the purpose of TWRP, and is best accomplished with the native backup utility. This backup will require several minutes.
Make your modifications
With root access, a recovery program and needed applications installed; and a complete backup we are finally ready to modify the Android installation of your device. We’ll start with the boot animation.
Modifying the boot animation:
Most devices use a ZIP file for boot animations. Samsung uses a proprietary QMG file. I tried to convert a boot animation that I put together a few years ago into the QMG format using Samsung’s Theme Designer Version 2.0.4 (Build 3918), as the links I found to newer versions on the XDA forum were broken. Searching through this forum, I found this post by Jertlok. I used the Marshmallow version with Nougat successfully.
Enough of this talking, let the games begin! Find the boot animation you want to use and download it to your device.
I’m using the Terminal Emulator for this installation. Our first step is to find the source and destination folders for this file. The relevant folders for the SM-G903W are:
boot animation: /system/media
downloads: /data/media/0/Download
If you have another device and the boot animation is located elsewhere, do a search of this forum first to find them. Look for your device first, and the other models by the same manufacturer.
Type the following commands using the Terminal Emulator:
Code:
su get super user privileges
mount -o rw,remount /system remount /system with read & write permissions
cd /system/media go to directory with boot media files, may differ
ls verify this is the correct folder
mv /data/media/0/Download/bootanimation.zip . move the file to our current location
ls verify the file was moved
exit leave super user mode
Reboot your device and verify the boot animation works.
Note: Don’t forget the period at the end of the mv command. This is a shortcut meaning the current directory, saving you from typing the full location.
Modifying the boot sound:
Finding the location for the boot sound can be more involved that finding that for the boot animation. If you know the name of the file, you can do a search through Terminal Emulator with the following commands:
Code:
su get super user privileges
cd /system/media choose a starting point for your search
find –name PowerOn.ogg name of the boot sound on the SM-G903W
This shows the file to be located in /system/media/audio/ui. Put the sound you want in the Download folder. I’ve named mine bootsound.ogg to show another use of the mv command. Use the following commands in Terminal Emulator:
Code:
su get super user privileges
mount -o rw,remount /system remount system with read /write permissions
cd /system/media/audio/ui go to the folder containing PowerOn.ogg
ls confirm we’re in the right folder
mv PowerOn.ogg PowerOn.ogg.bak rename PowerOn.ogg
mv /data/media/0/Download/bootsound.ogg . move bootsound.ogg
mv bootsound.ogg PowerOn.ogg rename bootsound.ogg
ls confirm the change has been made
exit leave super user mode
Reboot your device and verify the boot sound works. The shutdown sound is not used in the stock ROM. You can add a shutdown sound in the same manner by placing PowerOff.ogg in /system/media/audio/ui. Note: If PowerOn.ogg or PowerOff.ogg do not play, check your file permissions. Set them to the same values as the remainder of the files in the directory, usually 644.
Wrap up
Everyone needs to start somewhere. My goal in starting this thread was to provide that starting point, and a path forward for those new to modifying an Android device. That is why I started with a stock not-too-old device, and showed how to take it to manually changing the boot animation and sound. Why manually, when there are apps for that? An App can only accomplish a single task, such as changing the boot animation. At the command line you can do almost anything. You won’t be stopped by the lack of an App.
Much of the material covered by this guide is specific for a device. Those with Samsung devices came out far ahead, and those with a Galaxy S5 neo may just have hit the jackpot. The general sequence for all devices is the same. You’ll just need to dig for those devilish details.
There are two things that should stick out:
1. Use a not too old device by the same manufacturer as your target when starting. It’s far cheaper than bricking a bleeding edge device.
2. Backup, backup, backup! This can’t be stressed enough. Losing hours or days of work is very depressing, and often leads to dropping a project.
Good luck modding your device. This forum is one of the best, if not THE best place for resolving those devilish details that you will encounter.
The Next Step: Changing the Boot Logo
First, thanks to Near_07 for his post Galaxy S9 and S9+ Boot logo. I modified his package to make one for the Samsung Galaxy S5 neo. Note that his script is for the same exynos platform. This is critical for packages containing binaries.
I unpacked the pile to a new directory on my PC.
The first thing I did was to verify paths and filenames in the script "update-binary". I opened the file using WordPad on my PC for ease of reading. The file contains references to "/dev/block/platform/11120000.ufs/by-name/UP_PARAM", which does not exist on the S5 neo. I used Terminal Emulator to check for something close and found "/dev/block/platform/13540000.dwmmc0/by-name/PARAM ". I copied the file to the Download directory, and from there to my PC. Opening the archive, I found that it contained the file "logo.jpg". Bingo! I was in the right place. I copied the "update-binary" back to the Download directory on the S5 neo, and used Jota Text Editor to change ALL the references from 11120000.ufs to 13540000.dwmmc0; and UP_PARAM to PARAM. I then copied the modified "update-binary" back to replace the original on my PC. Why did I use Jota Text Editor on the S5 neo, instead of notepad on my PC? Unix, Linux, and Android use different end of line sequences than the PC. There are programs for the PC capable of generating Android compatible files, but I'm sticking with software already mentioned in this tutorial.
Choosing or Creating a New Boot Logo:
Choose or create a new .jpg image, the same size as your screen for your new boot logo. I've attached the original logo.jpg from my S5 neo to this post. I used that as a starting point, moving and adding elements to mate with my boot animation. I've included a demo copy in the zipped package. I've also attached a copy of the first image in my boot animation sequence. The powered by Android Nougat element fades in as the animation runs.
How to Change the Boot Logo:
You are rooted and have TWRP installed if you've been following along. These are pre-requisites. STOP NOW if they are not installed.
Download the file S5neo_Boot_Logo_Changer
Unzip the file to an empty directory
Replace logo.jpg with your desired logo. Note the name MUST be exactly the same.
Use 7-Zip to compress the contents of your working folder, with 'Store' as the compression method
Copy the resulting archive to the Download folder on your S5 neo
Re-boot your S5 neo into the Recovery mode
Install the package, re-boot, and enjoy!
Removing Bloatware (or fun with scripts)
Bloatware consists of the unwanted apps generously added to your phone by Google, the manufacturer, and your carrier. There can literally be a hundred or more of these apps on your phone. So how do you get rid of them? You can use a package found on this site, but that can be problematical. You may have a different view of bloatware than the package’s author. You may not know what each APK deleted by the package does, and delete one you actually want on your phone. If this happens you’ll need to restore from backup, factory reset the phone, or even re-flash the firmware. My preference is to archive the APK on my desktop so that hopefully I can restore the APks with the package manager.
To start, grab one of the packages to delete bloatware for your version of Android, for as close to your phone as possible. I used this one by Windforce. The contents of updater-script may include a section that looks like this:
Code:
run_program("/sbin/rm", "-rf", "system/app/AASAservice");
run_program("/sbin/rm", "-rf", "system/app/BluetoothMidiService");
run_program("/sbin/rm", "-rf", "system/app/CloudGateway2017");
run_program("/sbin/rm", "-rf", "system/app/GooglePrintRecommendationService");
There are many tools such as word processors, and text editors that you can use to strip out the unwanted bits so that you end up with something like this:
Code:
AASAservice
BluetoothMidiService
CloudGateway2017
GooglePrintRecommendationService
Save it as a file, ensuring that you have an Android (Unix) end of line character. We end up with a list of folders containing the unwanted APKs. Next we need a script to archive the APKs.
The following script has been designed to run in the ‘Download’ folder, from the Terminal Emulator, or ADB (Android Debugging Bridge). It was written on my desktop using Notepad++, to ensure the proper end-of-line character was used. The script, and APK lists must be copied to the Download folder from the desktop. To access the Download folder from the Terminal Emulator or ADB, Super User or root permissions are required. File permissions allowing root to execute the script must be set. Finally the script must be run from within a shell.
Code:
mount -o rw,remount /system # mount /system for read/write
tempdir=/system/app/app # temporary folder for APKs to be archived
mkdir $tempdir
while read apkname # loop parses file for APK names to archive
do
mv /system/app/$apkname $tempdir/$apkname
done < sysapp.txt # supplied list of APKs to be archived
tar -czvf sysapp.tar.gz $tempdir # archive APKs
rm -rf $tempdir # remove temporary folder recursively
rm -rf /cache/* # clear cache contents
rm -rf /data/dalvik-cache/* # clear dalvik-cache contents
reboot
exit 0
After the script has executed, you’ll note the icons for the archived APKs remain on the apps screen, and are still listed under Apps. The must be manually removed. You’ll find that ‘Uninstall’ is now available in both places for the archived apps.
Attached is a .zip file containing the script, and data files I used on a Samsung Galaxy S5 neo (SM-G903W).