Develop Bugs

[GUIDE] ADB for Noobs - How to get adb working !

A lot of people seem scared to use "adb" (Android Debug Bridge), or try it out and hit problems, then immediately give up.
I personally think that the method of rooting using adb (rage) is "better" than Visionary, because you have more control over the process and can see what it's doing. e.g. if there's an error message then you can see that, and ask for help.
But even if you don't use adb in rooting, it's still a very useful tool to have available. You can use it to run commands on your phone, copy files between your PC and phone, and to debug various issues that may occur at some point (plus lots more).
The guide in this first posting is for Windows, since I think this is what the majority of what people are using, and also it's what I use myself. Though you can use adb on Linux or Mac too. There's a Mac guide in the second posting, with a Linux guide "coming soon".
There are different ways to install adb. Below I list two methods, the first method I call "Complete", which involves installing the Android SDK (Software Development Kit), and the second "Quick" way. Either should be fine for rooting etc.
There's also a guide by gtrab in his useful FAQ posting (thanks !) HERE , which involves a very quick way to get it up and running (scroll down to the "Adb Mini Package" section).
INSTALLING ADB ON WINDOWS - METHOD A, THE "COMPLETE" WAY, USING THE SDK
Step 1
If you haven't done so already, then download and install HTC Sync from HTC's website.
You'll find it in the Support section for the Desire Z (works on the G2 too), e.g. at http://www.htc.com/www/help/htc-desire-z/#download.
This is HTC's software to sync various stuff from your phone to your PC, such as email, bookmarks etc. However, even if you don't need that stuff, HTC Sync has a bunch of USB drivers for your phone, and that's what we *do* need.
Step 2
Download and install the Android SDK (Software Development Kit) Starter package from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
There are two choices for Windows there, a simple zip file which you can unzip somewhere appropriate on your PC (e.g. put it on C:\ if you like). Or there's an installer (which is the recommended option according to the Android website), though that forces you to download some Java stuff which we don't really need for adb and takes a lot longer to install (but there won't be any harm in getting). It doesn't really matter which one you pick though.
You can read all about how to install the SDK at http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing.html . Ignore all the stuff about Eclipse though, you don't need that unless you're going to start writing Android apps.
Step 3
Now we need to add the Platform Tools component to the SDK, because that contains adb.
Run "SDK Manager" on your PC. You will find that in the root directory of the SDK, so you can open up a file explorer window to find that, then double-click on "SDK Manager" to run it.
Wait for a few seconds while it checks on the Android website for updates etc, let it then pop up with a window showing you what is on offer.
Add the "Android SDK Platform Tools", you can "reject" (i.e. don't install) all the other things it offers you if you like, though there's no harm in installing them (just takes up disk space on your PC).
Step 4
Now we need to update your Path variable. This lets you run adb on your PC from a command window no matter which directory you are in (which makes things a lot easier). If you don't setup your Path, then every time you want to run adb, you will either have to type the whole long pathname where you put adb, or cd to where you've put adb and run it from there (which could be inconvenient if you are transferring files to/from your phone).
On your PC, right-click on "My Computer" and select "Properties". (on Vista, click on "Change Settings"). Go to the "Advanced" tab, then select "Environment Variables". Find the "Path" variable in the list of variables that it shows (you might need to scroll), and then double-click on that entry to edit it. Add the full path of the "tools" and "platform-tools" folders of the SDK to your path. e.g. if the SDK has been installed in "c:\Program Files\android-sdk-windows", then add to your Path "c:\Program Files\android-sdk-windows\tools;c:\Program Files\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools" (Please Note - don't put any spaces between the semi-colon and pathname, otherwise it won't work !)
Step 5
On your phone, go into Menu->Settings->Applications->Development and make sure you have the entry "USB Debugging" ticked. adb will not work without this.
Step 6
Plug your phone into your PC using the original HTC cable. This is important, do not use a third-party cable since it might not work with adb (even though it might seem fine with other communication with your phone). If this is the first time you've done it since installing HTC Sync, you might have to wait while it installs additional drivers.
Step 7
Fire up a command prompt on your computer, e.g. "Run" then "cmd", or pick the "Command prompt" option from the menus, and type in the following (obviously the C:\> bit is your actual PC's prompt, not what you type). To emphasise, you are running this on your PC, not directly from your phone (e.g. terminal emulator) :
Code:
C:\> adb devices
This should display something like the following :
Code:
List of devices attached
XXX12345 device
... where the "XXX12345" bit is actually your phone's serial number. If the list is blank and the phone is plugged in ok, go back to Step 5 and make sure USB Debugging is enabled. If you can see your phone, then you're in business, adb can see your phone and communicate with it, and you're ready to start using adb !
By the way, the first adb command that you type may well also come up with some lines similar to "adb deamon out of date" etc, but don't worry, that's normal, just check the rest of the output.
INSTALLING ADB ON WINDOWS - METHOD B, THE "QUICK" WAY, NO SDK
Thanks to amroush_1800 for the input on this.
Step 1
If you haven't done so already, then download and install HTC Sync from HTC's website.
You'll find it in the Support section, e.g. at http://www.htc.com/uk/supportdownloadlist.aspx?p_id=325&act=sd&cat=all.
This is HTC's software to sync various stuff from your phone to your PC, such as email, bookmarks etc. However, even if you don't need that stuff, HTC Sync has a bunch of USB drivers for your phone, and that's what we *do* need.
Step 2
Download this zip archive and unzip it somewhere memorable on your PC (e.g. into a folder on your desktop) - http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/platform-tools_r04-windows.zip
Step 3
On your phone, go into Menu->Settings->Applications->Development and make sure you have the entry "USB Debugging" ticked. adb will not work without this.
Step 4
Plug your phone into your PC using the original HTC cable. This is important, do not use a third-party cable since it might not work with adb (even though it might seem fine with other communication with your phone). If this is the first time you've done it since installing HTC Sync, you might have to wait while it installs additional drivers.
Step 5
Fire up a command prompt on your computer, e.g. "Run" then "cmd", or pick the "Command prompt" option from the menus.
Use the "cd" command to change to the folder that contains the adb.exe and other files that you unzipped in Step 2.
Then type in the following (obviously the C:\> bit is your actual PC's prompt, not what you type). To emphasise, you are running this on your PC, not directly from your phone (e.g. terminal emulator) :
Code:
C:\> adb devices
This should display something like the following :
Code:
List of devices attached
XXX12345 device
... where the "XXX12345" bit is actually your phone's serial number. If the list is blank and the phone is plugged in ok, go back to Step 3 and make sure USB Debugging is enabled. If you can see your phone, then you're in business, adb can see your phone and communicate with it, and you're ready to start using adb !
By the way, the first adb command that you type may well also come up with some lines similar to "adb deamon out of date" etc, but don't worry, that's normal, just check the rest of the output.

INSTALLING ADB ON MAC
The following excellent guide kindly provided by siedkins, please thank him and not me !
What you will need:
A Mac
USB cable
Android SDK for OSX- http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
At the time of writing this the version was "android-sdk_r08-mac_86" so please have a look at the above link and let me know if you can't find that same version.
So download the zip file and I would extract it to a folder where you are happy to keep it such as within your user home folder i.e. Macintosh HD/Users/{Your User Name} and for my mac it is Users/siedkins which is how I have my OSX set up.
Then open then still in Finder, open "android-sdk-mac_86" then "tools".
Now launch Terminal - ⌘ + space then type Terminal or Applications>Utilities>Terminal
Now drag and drop the file called "android" in the "tools" folder into your terminal window and you should see something like:
/Users/siedkins/android-sdk-mac_86/tools/android
Then hit enter - this should load Android SDK
Next go to Available Packages on the left and Android Repository > Android SDK Platform-tools, revision 1 -tick the box and hit "Install Selected"
It should download and install the Platform Tools which includes ADB !!!!
Now quit Android SDK after it has downloaded and go back into Finder. Now you should see a new folder "platform-tools" in the "android-sdk-mac_86" folder. Open that and you can now see a file called adb.
Now .... I am going to show you how to make your life a lot easier in Terminal to run ADB without having to navigate to the folder every time you want to launch it.
Go back to your Terminal window and type (or copy & paste):
Code:
cd ~
The screen should then look like
NAME_OF_YOUR_MACHINE:~ USERNAME$
For me I have:
Mac-Pro:~ siedkins$
Next, type
Code:
touch .bash_profile
to create your new bash / path file
Next, type
Code:
open -e .bash_profile
to open it in TextEdit.
Now into Text Edit please copy:
Code:
export PATH=${PATH}:
Then go into Finder and navigate your your "android-sdk-mac_86" folder. Then click on the "platform-tools" folder and drag and drop this into TextEdit at the end of the code above that you copied. Mine looks like:
export PATH=${PATH}:/Users/siedkins/android-sdk-mac_86/platform-tools/
Yours should look like:
export PATH=${PATH}:insert your path to the "platform-tools" folder in your Android SDK here
All you need is that one line. Then Save and exit TextEdit and then very importantly QUIT TERMINAL.
Now ........ to turn on USB Debugging in your handset Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging - ticked and also go to Settings > Connect to PC > Default connection type > Charge Only and also UNTICK "Ask me ..." there also. You can always go back here and change these settings back.
Now plug in your phone to a USB port. I noticed that if I plugged my phone into one of the standard USB ports on the front of my machine I couldn't see the phone further down the line and if I plugged it into a powered USB port on the front (I have an "akasa AK-ICR-08" which has a powered connector behind the 5 USB ports. But you guys will probably be using a MacBook or MacPro and there shouldn't be any issues with the power to your USB ports.
Now to launch ADB - re-open terminal (remember that you had quit it - very important!) then type in:
Code:
adb devices
And you should see:
List of devices attached
HXXXXXXXXXX device
where XXXXXXXX is your unique phone ID.
Now you can run all of your favourite ADB commands straight by typing:
adb shell
etc straight into Terminal. I won't go into that here as there are plenty of guides about what to do with ADB once it's installed!
Now you have ADB setup on your Mac and can run it without the need for installing HTC Sync - un-installing it - loading some modified drivers over the top !!!!
It all just works !!!!!!
INSTALLING ADB ON LINUX
Coming soon ...

USING ADB
There's a comprehensive guide to using adb, including all its commands, at http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/adb.html
Here are a few example commands :
Code:
C:> adb push hello.txt /data/local/tmp
The above copies the file hello.text from the current directory of your PC (i.e. the directory shown in the command prompt) into the /data/local/tmp directory on your phone.
Code:
C:\> adb pull /sdcard/error.log error.log
The above copies the file /sdcard/error.log onto your PC.
Code:
C:\> adb install Superuser.apk
The above installs the app in the Superuser.apk file in the current directory of your PC, onto your phone.
Code:
C:\> adb shell
The above starts a command prompt session on your phone. So when you see the $ prompt, that's your phone and commands you type there will be executed on your phone.
Code:
C:\> adb shell ls
The above runs the command "ls" on your phone and displays the results. So it's a way of issuing one command at a time, without starting your own shell session. You can subsitute other shell commands for the "ls".
Code:
C:\> adb reboot
The above reboots the phone.
Code:
C:\> adb reboot bootloader
The above reboots the phone into the bootloader (hboot).
Code:
C:\> adb reboot recovery
The above reboots the phone into recovery.
USING ADB FOR DIAGNOSTICS (logcat)
Coming soon ...

Thank god! Lol thanks for all your hard work.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Get a "how to logcat" section added.
Nice work. Can we elect you to be a mod?
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

ddotpatel said:
Get a "how to logcat" section added.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the suggestion, will do

Nice dude. Just what I needed
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App

+1 mod vote!
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Nice guide mate. Let me know if you need any more posts or help in any way

steviewevie said:
Using adb
Using adb for logcat
adb logcat
Or
adb lolcat
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also update it for Mac / Linux users.
Mainly different adb files (I had adb and fastboot for Win/Mac/Lin uploaded somewhere, if you want?) and they go in /system/bin instead of PATH.
Otherwise, good idea + well done.

DanWilson said:
Also update it for Mac / Linux users.
Mainly different adb files (I had adb and fastboot for Win/Mac/Lin uploaded somewhere, if you want?) and they go in /system/bin instead of PATH.
Otherwise, good idea + well done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I need someone to help me come up with the different steps for Mac/Linux users please ? Then I can add those in.

steviewevie said:
Thanks. I need someone to help me come up with the different steps for Mac/Linux users please ? Then I can add those in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll do that.
I'll also hunt down my Mediafire adb and fastboot files, because not everyone wants the whole SDK
I don't know if you need any drivers for the phone (like HTC Sync for Windows). Someone else will need to tell you, or you can wait till Christmas.

INSTALLING ADB
Step 0
Drivers perhaps? XD
Step 1
Download these files;
Mac - http://www.mediafire.com/?z8myxs9941kz3gg
Linux - http://www.mediafire.com/?m62rt943mroxm4s
Or you can download and install the Android SDK (Software Development Kit) Starter package from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
You can read all about how to install the SDK at http://developer.android.com/sdk/installing.html . Ignore all the stuff about Eclipse though, you don't need that unless you're going to start writing Android apps.
Now, from version 8 (Android 2.3) of the SDK onwards, adb has been taken out of this starter package. If you downloaded version 7 (Android 2.2), then you've already got adb and you can skip Step 3 and go straight to Step 4 below. Otherwise you need to proceed to Step 3 to add adb to the SDK.
Step 2
Extract the files and rename "adb-linux" ("adb-mac") to "adb" and "fastboot-linux" ("fastboot-mac") to "fastboot"
You could call it anything you like, like "cheese" and "bread", but that makes things difficult.
Step 3
Mac - Copy the files to the folder /bin
You will need to unhide the folder. Google it.
Linux - Copy the files to /system/bin *OR* /bin
I have not used Linux for ages so my folders are rotting away. I believe you will need root access to do this, I used Kongregate (I think) as an app to control my root copying needs.
Step 4
On your phone, go into Menu->Settings->Applications->Development and make sure you have the entry "USB Debugging" ticked. adb will not work without this.
Step 5
Plug your phone into your PC using the original HTC cable. This is important, do not use a third-party cable since it might not work with adb (even though it might seem fine with other communication with your phone). Or whatever.
Step 6
Open a Terminal window. On your PC/Mac. To emphasise, you are running this on your PC, not directly from your phone (e.g. terminal emulator) :
The part were it says "Dan-Wilsons-MacBook:~ danwilson$" will probably not be on your PC/Mac, unless you are called Dan Wilson, and have a MacBook.
Code:
Dan-Wilsons-MacBook:~ danwilson$ adb devices
This should display something like the following :
Code:
List of devices attached
XXX12345 device
... where the "XXX12345" bit is actually your phone's serial number. If the list is blank and the phone is plugged in ok, go back to Step 6 and make sure USB Debugging is enabled. If you can see your phone, YOU WIN A CHEESECAKE!
If you decided to be awkward and call "adb-linux" ("adb-mac") "cheese", replace the word "adb" in command lists (like the above) to "cheese". It looks cool but complicates things.
Example;
Code:
Dan-Wilsons-MacBook:~ danwilson$ cheese devices
-------------
I think this looks OK. Some bits are weird and I don't know about drivers, but still, better than nothing. It is rough, but I've not done it in ages. Sorry bout that.
Here is the adb and fastboot files for Windows. Check they work with the Z before throwing them in the first post. If you do.
http://www.mediafire.com/?zlbyfbaaf5lrj8i

I've updated this guide to flesh it out a bit more (still more to be done though).
Significantly, please note that in the latest version of the SDK (i.e the one for Android 2.3), they have taken adb *out* of the Starter version of the SDK. So now there's an additional step, which is downloading the "Platform Tools" component of the SDK. It's all in the guide though.

nice, this needs to be "stickied"..

steviewevie...
whatever you are on.. can i haz some?
you are poster of the year! wow, such effort.
this beeyotch must be stickied all over the world.
EDIT -- i dont see "adb pull /" so as to dump all your files from system data etc into your sdk folder. if i missed that nevermind!

@steviewevie:
My 2 cents for your great work:
I have tested and uploaded a Mini ADB package and the ADB USB drivers for Windows Vista / Windows 7, to the Resources Centre, easy tutorial + FAQs thread here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=835777
I thought this would make things easier for newbies or people who don't want to download the whole SDK / Sync software
Also, setting the path is not required, since the "Runme" file is located inside the same folder within the ADB files
This could save some steps for newbies
If you find it helpful, feel free to link from your guide

Thanks for the input guys, I have some updating to do !

steviewevie said:
INSTALLING ADB - METHOD B, THE "QUICK" WAY, NO SDK
Step 2
Download the adb binary from ? * to be completed *
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Direct Download Links for Android SDK Platform-tools, revision 1
ht*p://dl-ssl.google.com/android/repository/platform-tools_r01-windows.zip
ht*p://dl.google.com/android/repository/platform-tools_r01-windows.zip
It contains ADB.exe and needed dlls
size 3.06 MB
Also i recommend ADBMagic from Chainfire if you got tired of using ADB commands by hand for a lot of operations
ht*p://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=746313
Have fun

if you add adb.exe to system32 folder is windows u can adb from anywhere in command prompt.. just in case adding the variables dont work

[Q] ADB help!!

So I have no idea why my G2 isn't being found with the htc sync but its not. I followed this thread here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865685) I made sure i had the platform-tools installed before changing the path. I think this is the problem I am having. There are 2 paths that appear; One in user variables and then one in system variables. I have tried altering both but I am having no luck. Does anyone have any clue to what is going on?

HTC Sync will install the correct USB drivers for your G2. Although you cannot actually *run* HTC Sync with your G2 unless it is running a Sense (Desire Z) ROM. So just install it but don't try to actually run it or sync with it.
It's the System Variables path that you want to change, to add the appropriate directories. This just lets you run adb from any directory on your PC. Even if you haven't got it added, it should still work if you "cd" to the directory where adb resides (in which case you will need to put any files into there that you wish to "push" to your phone).
What is the problem you're having, is it saying "no internal command" or similar ?

DressedUpPanda said:
So I have no idea why my G2 isn't being found with the htc sync but its not. I followed this thread here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865685) I made sure i had the platform-tools installed before changing the path. I think this is the problem I am having. There are 2 paths that appear; One in user variables and then one in system variables. I have tried altering both but I am having no luck. Does anyone have any clue to what is going on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The PATH issue, relates to ADB, if you are running into errors like:
'adb' is not recognized as an internal or external command
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When executing ADB commands that is your issue, it can be resolved by adding the path where ADB lives to either your user or system PATH in Windows. The PATH is irrelevant if you are running ADB from the folder where the ADB files live.
The other (common) issue is drivers, where ADB is working but won't see your device. Do you see an "ADB Device" or similar with a yellow icon in your device manager when your phone is connected to your PC? If so you don't have the correct driver loaded. The only reason you install HTC Sync is to load this driver but the driver can also be loaded separately.

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, and since I'm new to adb I might as well use this.
I have adb running, did the file paths and everything. I'm just trying to test it out, since I'm already rooted using visionaryr13 as well as s-off. Went back and gfree over that, and I've also verified through terminal emulator on my phone, but I'm just testing my skills with adb and failing miserably. I Have d/l the verify file, and unzipped in a folder inside my downloads folder I might add.
When it says:
"
VERIFY (using "gfree_verify")
Now you can try using a new SIM card to verify that it worked.
In addition you can use gfree_verify to verify the state of your locks.
Download gfree_verify.zip from gfree_verify_v01.zip
ON YOUR PC:
Unzip gfree_verify_v01.zip to a place on your computer. Navigate to where the file is on your computer, and type:
$ adb push gfree_verify /data/local
"
I'm having a problem with the navigate to where the file is on your computer and type. I have cmd open, and have tried everyway but the right way to push this through. This is the error I'm getting.
cannont stat 'gfree_verify': no file or directory
EDIT: I got it and I'm sure everyone is laughing at this idiot. So in the cmd prompt you have to navigate to where you put the folder, then push the file to your phone, DUH!

OK, stupid question number two, since I answered number 1.
When you are in a adb shell in your cmd, how do you get out of it besides exiting cmd?

mrbmg said:
When you are in a adb shell in your cmd, how do you get out of it besides exiting cmd?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Type "exit".

ty ty.
Ok so I updated something in adb and it's not working. LOL, well restarted, and now the sdk manager is updating some more stuff so hopefully that is the reason I was not getting in.
EDIT: everything is working now.
Ty stevie, really appreciate all your hard work helping us noobies man!

steviewevie said:
HTC Sync will install the correct USB drivers for your G2. Although you cannot actually *run* HTC Sync with your G2 unless it is running a Sense (Desire Z) ROM. So just install it but don't try to actually run it or sync with it.
It's the System Variables path that you want to change, to add the appropriate directories. This just lets you run adb from any directory on your PC. Even if you haven't got it added, it should still work if you "cd" to the directory where adb resides (in which case you will need to put any files into there that you wish to "push" to your phone).
What is the problem you're having, is it saying "no internal command" or similar ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya my problem is that when I finally get to do the commands it tells me that "adb is not recognized as an internal or external command.
@raitchison- I checked my device manager and it says that i have the most current driver for the phone. Unfortunately it doesn't say anything about 'adb' it shows my 'portable devices' then into my 'E:/' drive and in the details there it stats 'Android phone'

DressedUpPanda said:
Ya my problem is that when I finally get to do the commands it tells me that "adb is not recognized as an internal or external command.
@raitchison- I checked my device manager and it says that i have the most current driver for the phone. Unfortunately it doesn't say anything about 'adb' it shows my 'portable devices' then into my 'E:/' drive and in the details there it stats 'Android phone'
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just need to add the correct directories onto the end of the path in System Variables. Go right to the end of the path, and then separated by semi-colons (do not put spaces in) add the two pathnames of the tools and platform-tools folder of the Android SDK. If you have done that and it is still not working, copy and paste the path variable up here and we can try checking it.
As I said, you could "cd" to the folder with adb in it, and then run "adb devices" from there, and it should work. But setting up the path will make it more convenient.

steviewevie said:
You just need to add the correct directories onto the end of the path in System Variables. Go right to the end of the path, and then separated by semi-colons (do not put spaces in) add the two pathnames of the tools and platform-tools folder of the Android SDK. If you have done that and it is still not working, copy and paste the path variable up here and we can try checking it.
As I said, you could "cd" to the folder with adb in it, and then run "adb devices" from there, and it should work. But setting up the path will make it more convenient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok well here is the path that i have set up.
- C:\AndroidSDK\tools;C:\AndroidSDK\platform-tools
I saved the file right to my "C" drive so thats why i didn't go to the program files. I also changed the name of the folder so it was easier to type.
Edit: I got it to finally recognize my device. I went back to my path and found that i had spaced in between my ';' and 'C:/' so thank you very much Stevie on making me double check it!!!

[Q] How do you change system font without rooting?

Okay, so i have been at this for like an hour and its pissing me off, cuz i just keep going in circles....i was using this tutorial
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/10573/android-how-to-change-the-default-system-font-requires-root-or-adb/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Tech-RecipesMain+(Tech-Recipes+Main) and when ever i typed adb remount it told me remount failed: Operation not permitted

I checked the post and he says the following
Manual Way Using ADB and Command Line
1. This way assumes you have the Android SDK installed and setup. You also need the USB Debugging drivers for your device installed. Also be sure to copy the TrueType font file into the same folder as the adb.exe and fastboot.exe programs (default is c:\android-sdk-windows\tools ). This should work on a non-rooted device since we are using the SDK and ADB Remount commands; however, I have not tested personally on a non-rooted phone.
He said should but he has not tested it. Considering you are trying to replace something in /system I doubt it will work without root.

Guide to fixing a soft brick after editing build.prop

I've noticed several users having trouble with their phone when editing the build.prop. They will edit the file, reboot, anxious to use Google Wallet, and be greeted with a black screen of death. Their heart will jump in their throat and they think... "Oh no... I didn't nandroid backup... What's a nandroid backup anyway?" No worries! I have the solution for all of you. Hopefully this short guide will get you going again.
I'm going to run through a quick setup of the Android SDK so that you can use adb if you choose to go this route. The SDK will be useful all though rooted phone usage, so I suggest you download it and use it. ADB is a very powerful tool. First, Google Android SDK. The first result should be the official site for the Google developer section. Just open that top link and the page should have a huge button that says "Download the SDK for (Windows or Mac or whatever)". Click it. Mac users.. Yours does not actually setup. You need to find the SDK Manager app within that zipped download and run it. Windows users... Run the setup. When it's done it will open the SDK manager. Both Users... Check the box next to the "Android SDK Platform-tools". Bottom Right, Install x Packages. Make sure you take note of the SDK path displayed at the top of the manager. EG. C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk. Mac users: Yours will be in the downloaded folder that you extracted. All Users: Navigate to that folder via terminal (mac) or cmd.exe (windows). Windows: cd C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk ... Mac: cd /Users/josh/Downloads/android-sdk/ ... Then navigate to the platform-tools folder that is within the SDK folder. Here is where ADB is located.
You also need the naked ADB drivers if you're a Windows user... Here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1379875
Once you reboot your phone into recovery: Open start menu, right click on Computer, click properties. This will open the system panel. Top left, click device manager. Somewhere along there, see if you see your device name (something like "Samsung-SGH_I747") with an exclamation point or question mark. Double click it if it does. Click update driver in the window that opened. Click "Browse My Computer...." "Let me pick..." "All devices / next"... "Browse". Now go find where you downloaded and extracted the naked driver zip. Open the folder and double click on one of the available .ini files. You'll get some compatibility warnings, just continue.
Windows instructions:
Download adb.exe, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google.
Connect phone to computer via USB.
Boot phone into recovery.
Use cmd.exe (Use Windows key+R, and type cmd in the run window) to navigate to the folder containing adb.
E.g. "cd c:\Users\Josh\Downloads\adb"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone. If you get an error, make sure you have the drivers loaded for your phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Mac Instructions:
Download the adb application, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google. Make sure you download the Mac version, not the Windows or Linux version.
Connect phone to Mac.
Reboot phone into recovery.
Open Terminal on Mac. /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app or use spotlight to find it.
Navigate to folder containing the adb app. E.g. "cd /Users/josh/Downloads/adb/"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.

Thanks, worked like a charm on my SII. And I finally have ADB set up for any future hiccups!

ibanezbass said:
I've noticed several users having trouble with their phone when editing the build.prop. They will edit the file, reboot, anxious to use Google Wallet, and be greeted with a black screen of death. Their heart will jump in their throat and they think... "Oh no... I didn't nandroid backup... What's a nandroid backup anyway?" No worries! I have the solution for all of you. Hopefully this short guide will get you going again.
I'm going to run through a quick setup of the Android SDK so that you can use adb if you choose to go this route. The SDK will be useful all though rooted phone usage, so I suggest you download it and use it. ADB is a very powerful tool. First, Google Android SDK. The first result should be the official site for the Google developer section. Just open that top link and the page should have a huge button that says "Download the SDK for (Windows or Mac or whatever)". Click it. Mac users.. Yours does not actually setup. You need to find the SDK Manager app within that zipped download and run it. Windows users... Run the setup. When it's done it will open the SDK manager. Both Users... Check the box next to the "Android SDK Platform-tools". Bottom Right, Install x Packages. Make sure you take note of the SDK path displayed at the top of the manager. EG. C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk. Mac users: Yours will be in the downloaded folder that you extracted. All Users: Navigate to that folder via terminal (mac) or cmd.exe (windows). Windows: cd C:\Users\Josh\AppData\Local\Android\android-sdk ... Mac: cd /Users/josh/Downloads/android-sdk/ ... Then navigate to the platform-tools folder that is within the SDK folder. Here is where ADB is located.
You also need the naked ADB drivers if you're a Windows user... Here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1379875
Once you reboot your phone into recovery: Open start menu, right click on Computer, click properties. This will open the system panel. Top left, click device manager. Somewhere along there, see if you see your device name (something like "Samsung-SGH_I747") with an exclamation point or question mark. Double click it if it does. Click update driver in the window that opened. Click "Browse My Computer...." "Let me pick..." "All devices / next"... "Browse". Now go find where you downloaded and extracted the naked driver zip. Open the folder and double click on one of the available .ini files. You'll get some compatibility warnings, just continue.
Windows instructions:
Download adb.exe, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google.
Connect phone to computer via USB.
Boot phone into recovery.
Use cmd.exe (Use Windows key+R, and type cmd in the run window) to navigate to the folder containing adb.
E.g. "cd c:\Users\Josh\Downloads\adb"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone. If you get an error, make sure you have the drivers loaded for your phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Mac Instructions:
Download the adb application, either through the Android SDK or elsewhere. Use Google. Make sure you download the Mac version, not the Windows or Linux version.
Connect phone to Mac.
Reboot phone into recovery.
Open Terminal on Mac. /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app or use spotlight to find it.
Navigate to folder containing the adb app. E.g. "cd /Users/josh/Downloads/adb/"
Run "adb shell"
This should initiate a shell to the phone allowing you to run commands on the phone.
Run "cd /system"
Run "chmod 644 build.prop"
Optional: Run "ls -l" and make sure that the permissions on build.prop show RW-R--R--.
Reboot phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having the same issue; I did the above procedures (using a Mac) but every time I type "adb shell", I get this:
"-bash: adb: command not found"
Help, please....
Thanks!

Nevermind, I figured it out.

good write up, thank you

Seems to be only when you use a gnex as build prop.
HTC jewel works great
I had two softbricks worked great
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using xda premium

very helpful. Thanks!

This doesn't do anything for me. It still shows rw-rw-rw after running that command in adb. Any other ideas?
It also seems like it doesn't modify any of the files at all. I even tried renaming because i have a build.prop.bak file that i want to use and it doesn't seem to rename it.
[update] I am using the Odin method just to reflash it to the stock rom. I have moved on from this useless method.

Hi i just edited the /system/build.prop
for able to play gameloft games
now my tablet cant boot
i use this room : http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1816795
i tried your method
i got this error
>adb shell
error: device not found
what can i do i don't want lose data
i tried to recovery mode and normal booted mode no lucks

please help. ican't find my device in device manager

Thank You !!!!!!!
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You - I was hours away from taking my phone back ... I found my build.prop file with 0 bytes but fortunately I already had a build.prop.bak in there. I'm fairly certain I softbricked my phone by not following the instructions closely on rahpyqui utube Google Wallet process. Thanks SO MUCH!

isn't just easier to re-install the ROM you are running? You don't loose any settings.

unable to chmod build.prop
Help me!!
Error: unable to chmod build.prop: Operation not permitted

lyrictenor1 said:
Nevermind, I figured it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having the same problem, how did you solve it?

IMEI unknown - invalid
I have problem with IMEI ,no sim cards work in lenovo A660.I have done some factory resets and tried all possible solutions referred in xda forums but none worked.DOu think that build.prop could cuz problem to the IMEI somehow? i had to overwrite a build.prop file from a friendly site because i couldnt use 160 characters in sms and they said that this would help.BUt now , no IMEI.Can anyone help?

Thank you for the info:highfive::highfive:

Help!!!
How do I boot my Xperia S into Recovery Mode? Do I have to press the power button + VOL UP Button so that the LED gets blue?
Anyways I did it that way, expecting it to be in Recovery Mode, but when I run the adb shell it says "Device not found." Can somebody help?:crying::crying::crying:
I guess its because I didnt install the naked drivers but I cant do it because I wont find my device in the device manager... Why not?

Very nice guide, thanks!!!:victory:

THANK YOU!

permission denied
I am getting this when starting adb shell
- exec '/system/bin/sh' failed: Permission denied (13)
is this just a driver issue as I installed the naked driver and rebooted after.

[VOLVO SCT] Volvo Sensus Connected Touch (car - navi - audio)

Volvo Sensus Connected Touch (SCT) is a new car audio-navi system based on systems of Parrot. SCT has hardware and software from the Parrot, but is not exactly equal. In general it has some more restrictions build in by Volvo.
The system is based on the Parrot FC6100 (not the Parrot Asteroid Smart as was first believed). Looking at the Installation manual for Sensus Connected Touch (ACU) Accessory, Part Number: 31399165 the form factor is closest to the Parrot Asteroid Tablet (PAT). The only similarity that the SCT has with the PAS is Parrot's custom base of the Android 2.3 branch which is also shared by the PAT. So, if anything is more analogous to the Parrot Asteroid Tablet (PAT) than the Parrot Asteroid Smart. (thanks to Donaldta, see post) (Link to the Volvo V40 (MY14) SCT installation manual, also attached to this post as pdf)
This is how the hardware of the SCT looks if outside of the car (thanks to @AAT):
This thread is research and development on several topics and has already some nice answers:
The starting questions:
How to get ADB working y
How to install .apk files y
How to root y
WARNING!:
The below mentioned method is an experimental way of rooting. Rooting your SCT involves some android knowledge. Me, the developers and anyone in this topic are not responsible for typo's or any damage that may occur when you follow these instructions.
ROOTING means you have complete control over the android system. This also means you can do damage to it.
Security warning:
The SCT has ADB over WIFI enabled by default. Never ever connect your Volvo SCT to an unknown and/or untrusted network! Anyone connected to that same network can harm your Volvo SCT. The same applies for connecting unknown people to a known/trusted network of yours.
Security warning 2:
If your ROOTED your SCT, you are extra vulnerable to above. Anyone with ADB on the same network has complete control over your SCT!
WARNING!
Do NOT attempt to replace the SCT's BUSYBOX executable or the command symlinks to it. Another user in this forum just sent me a private message stating that they tried this on their SCT and can no longer mount USB drives or connect to ADB over WiFi. Apparently, they also do not have a File Explorer or a Terminal Emulator installed so it seems this is going to be nearly impossible to fix and will most likely be required to swap it at the dealer. See message from @donaldta : Message
The below answers are not yet completely reviewed and tested. The answers will be reviewed in the next days. In any case the instructions below are delivered "as is" and have no guaranty. If you follow the instructions below, you are responsible for your own actions. So, before you do so, understand, or at least try to, what you are doing. If you have questions or have recommendations, post them in the topic.
The answers and instructions below are constructed from the work of @gekkekoe123 and @donaldta and the trial and error experiments of the first users of the SCT (see first pages of the topic)
This means everone using these instructions must give BIG THANKS TO @gekkekoe123 and @donaldta
Instructions to root en install apps:
Note: Instructions are tested on specific versions of the Volvo SCT
It is possible that these instructions below are not (yet) working on other versions: Other continents, newer versions etc.
If you tested it on a different continent + version, let me know, so I can put it here.
Available versions:
EU
-1.47.88 - Tested
-1.47.96 - Tested
-1.49.34 Tested
One click script version 4 in attachments cmd-frama-menu-4.zip (4.62 MB)
One-click script with menu provided by @gekkekoe123 and @donaldta
Oneclick , latest version, script is discussed from here
It is rather simple as long as You have the SENSUS CONNECTED TOUCH and a PC (prefer a laptop) which You need to connect to the same network.
How to:
1. Preparing
*Download the: cmd-frama-menu-4.zip from the page 1, first post attachments. LINK: http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2636951&d=1395149723
2. Follow the instructions
The instructions are rather simple.
-Connect your SCT to the same Wifi network as your PC. This wifi network can be your home network or your local hotspot from your phone.
-Unzip the (cmd-frama-menu-4.zip) and start menu.bat found in the folder "menu"
- After starting menu.bat on your pc it will ask:
Code:
Input {IP Address of Android Device} or USB:
Type in the IP address of the SCT, can be found when You go to the settings on SCT -> WIFI -> and click on the connected network (starts with 192.-).
After that the menu look list this: (Now just type in: 1 and wait a bit so it will say complete, then type in 2 and wait a bit until complete and so on, until step 6 when the SCT will restart itself)
Code:
1 - Copy Framaroot files and execute.
2 - Install remount.sh into /system/xbin and remount as writeable.
3 - Alter /system/build.prop to ro.parrot.install-all=true
4 - Install Google Framework & Android Market
5 - Install rewhitelist.sh/setpropex/patch init.parrot.capabilities.sh
6 - Reboot Android Device
7 - Install Android Packages from APKs folder.
8 - Android Debug Bridge Shell
9 - Save ADB Bugreport to Disk
R - Input connection information & retry ADB connect.
Q - Quit
Run steps 1 through 6 in order to root the SCT.
Step 7 is optional and will install all APKs you have placed inside the APKs folder in your unzipped menu.zip folder on your pc PC.
Step 8 is for manual commands or troubleshooting.
Step 9 is for troubleshooting.
Step R is only needed when the connection to the SCT seems lost.
3. You should have now a rooted SCT.
4. Installing applications
I noticed that lots of Apps from Google Play Store can not be downloaded directly to the SCT (because the SCT is not in the available list of the apps) so a easy way is to download the Applications as ".apk" files from the PC (You can find the desired app from: http://www.appsapk.com/ or http://www.androiddrawer.com/ for example).
Then copy-paste these .apk files(make sure they do not have any spaces in the filenames) to the folder "APKs" found in the downloaded unzipped folder "cmd-frama-menu-4". To install them, run the menu.bat again and once connected with the SCT again run the step 7 to install the applications You copied to the APK folder.
If you want to install apps using the Google Play Store that are larger than 7MB or so, you need to remap the cache directory to the SD card:
Code:
remount.sh cache-sd
Then after the app installation has finished, but before you start the app, remap the cache directory to the internal SCT memory:
Code:
remount.sh cache-og
5. Enable displaying applications while driving (disable safety feature)
1. Download Android Terminal Emulator from Google Play Store on Your rooted SCT.
2. Once installed, run Android Terminal Emulator under Applications
3. touch the screen - the keyboard pops up
4. Type in "su" press ENTER
5. It should ask wether You allow Superuser or not, choose the "Allow" option.
6. Type in "rewhitelist.sh" press ENTER
7. Type in "reboot" press ENTER
6. Enable Google Maps and Voice Search
First install google.maps.6.14.4.apk by the method explained above. Then copy libvoicesearch.so to /system/lib and install Voice_Search_2.1.4.apk. These files can be found in Voice_Search_2.1.4.zip.
Here is an example of how to do this with adb:
Code:
adb connect [ip of your SCT]
adb push google.maps.6.14.4.apk /mnt/sdcard
adb install /mnt/sdcard/google.maps.6.14.4.apk
adb push libvoicesearch.so /mnt/sdcard
adb shell su -c 'remount.sh system-rw'
adb shell su -c 'cp /mnt/sdcard/libvoicesearch.so /system/lib'
adb shell su -c 'chmod 644 /system/lib/libvoicesearch.so'
adb push Voice_Search_2.1.4.apk /mnt/sdcard
adb install /mnt/sdcard/Voice_Search_2.1.4.apk
Now #reboot# and Google Maps and Voice Search should be working.
Now You should be done. Happy downloading and drive safely.
Older instructions, just for reference here, do not follow anymore.
[*]One-click script with menu provided by @gekkekoe123 and @donaldta
This one-click script with menu options is here
[*]One click script for version 1.49.34: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=50846498
gekkekoe123 said:
Actually it was fine (since we are in the root folder), but since I was too lazy, I used your file. I had to correct the "true" to 1.
I also changed the menu to do this. I removed the set prop option, it's not needed anymore. Setpropex should also work on older versions.
Btw, I did the upgrade manually using adb shell, and did not used the menu.bat.
So if anyone could test it or double check the menu.bat file, it should be fine. I translated the manual commands back into the menu.bat
My SCT is upgraded and I am able to install apks Let's find out if waze lost of data is fixed. Also adjusting screen dpi is still working. But we now have setpropex so we can override everything
When you finished step 5, you need to reboot in order to be able to install apks.
As allways: no guarantee and at your own risk when using the tools
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Manual instructions and commands:
Detailed instructions how to get ADB working between your pc and SCT
Download the Android SDK, it contains the nescesary tools like ADB.exe and Monitor.bat (Download page Android SDK)
Install the android SDK
If you are using windows: set the installation path of your SDK\platform-tools\ in your windows environment variables. So, add c:\\SDK\Platform-tools\ to it. (More instructions on this point)
Now connect your SCT to a Wifi network and also connect your laptop/pc to the same wifi network. This network can be your home network, or for example the wifi network you create with your phone wifi-tether function.
Go into the SCT>Settings>Wifi and click on your connection details. Find out the IP adress of your SCT. (example, it would be something like 192.168.43.x if you are using wifi tether from your android phone. )
Now on your pc, open the command line (cmd). Easiest is to click with shift-button hold and with Right-Mouse-Button on the folder where the files reside you want to transfer to the SCT (see instructions further for rooting). After RMB click, choose option: open command line here.
Now type:
Code:
adb connect $IPADDRESS
Replace $IPADRESS with the IP from the previous step.
ADB is now connected and you are ready to type the instructions for rooting.
Code:
D:\sdk\platform-tools>adb connect 192.168.43.5
connected to 192.168.43.5:5555
Detailed instructions how to Root SCT
Download the cmd-frama-working.zip from the attachments
Attachment
Unzip it into a folder (example: d:\sct\ )
Open the commandline in this folder
Connect to adb (see instructions above)
Do the following commands (line by line):
Usage:
Code:
adb push libframalib.so /data/local/.
adb push sploit.jar /data/local/.
adb shell mkdir /data/local/tmp/dalvik-cache
adb shell ANDROID_DATA=/data/local/tmp LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/data/local dalvikvm -cp /data/local/sploit.jar com.alephzain.framaroot.FramaAdbActivity Gimli 0
[or]
adb shell ANDROID_DATA=/data/local/tmp LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/data/local dalvikvm -cp /data/local/sploit.jar com.alephzain.framaroot.FramaActivity Gimli 0
See post here and thank developer!
Now you are rooted:
Code:
cmd line frama root by Gekkekkoe
Credits to alephzain for Framalib
using Exploit: Gimli choice: 0
Executing Check
idx: 0 value: Gimli
idx: 1 value: Aragorn
Executing Check Completed
No such user 'root:root'
No such user 'root:root'
Result: 0
Test root by command:
Code:
adb shell
su
id
On the SCT you will get a screen of SuperSU, asking if shell may have root access privileges. Say yes.
exit the su and shell using
Code:
exit
exit
Reboot the SCT
If you are still within shell, just use
Code:
reboot
If you are on command line again, use
Code:
Adb Reboot
Detailed instructions how to get Google framework and Google Play (market) on the SCT
Download the files for framework and market
Framework
Market
Push them to your SCT
Code:
adb shell su root -c 'mount -o remount,rw ubi0:system /system'
adb push GoogleServicesFramework-2.2.1.apk /data/local/.
adb push Market-3.3.11.apk /data/local/.
adb shell
Now install them
Code:
cp /data/local/*.apk /system/app/.
chmod 644 /system/app/GoogleServicesFramework-2.2.1.apk
chmod 644 /system/app/Market-3.3.11.apk
reboot
After reboot, connect the SCT to internet
Open the google market on your SCT (in the applications drawer)
Log in with your google credentials
Accept terms and conditions
Be sure to stay connected to internet, google market will update itself after some minutes
Connect Adb and force SCT to reboot again.
Open Market/Play and Accept terms and conditions again! (now for the updated versions)
Wait for some time, it will again update itself again.
Open adb, force reboot again
Last time open Play (It should be named Play now, since it is updated, if it is not, wait longer and try previous steps again)
Go into My Apps, update SuperSu
After update, open SuperSu from your app drawer
It will ask to update SuperSu Binary, use Normal Method
Say thanks to Chainfire for the SuperSu
In settings, you can disable the popup that will ask if you want to run an App that is using root. Can be convenient, but also dangerous (apps can use root even without notifying you.)
Detailed instructions how to installation of other apps
We have to enable installing all apps on SCT. Warning, this means editing the build.prop, which is vital to the system. Typing errors can result in a system that will not boot correctly.
More methods apply here, use one which is convenient to you:
Fast method:
Code:
adb shell
mount -o remount,rw ubi0:system /system
sed -i 's/ro.parrot.install.allow-all=false/ro.parrot.install.allow-all=true/' /system/build.prop
Slow method, more control, moderate risk:
Code:
adb pull /system/build.prop
edit content and set to true. Content of the file should look like this
Code:
#TODO Set to false for prod #Package install limitations. Set to false to allow only the install of verified packages
ro.parrot.install.allow-all=true
replace build.prop with proper one.
Code:
adb shell su root -c 'mount -o remount,rw ubi0:system /system'
adb push build.prop /system/build.prop
If above does not work, use method like the google framework.
Third method: install ES file explorer, use the rooting functions of this app to edit build.prop
Instructions in this post and this post
Detailed instructions how to install APK files
Method 1: Use google play
Method 2: If not available on google play, use a Google Play APK downloader on your pc and install using the
Code:
ADB install
or using
ES Fileexplorer mentioned above
Detailed instructions how to make apps available during driving
All apps are behind a security wall of the SCT. When driving >5km/h, all apps not listed in the whitelist.xml will be disabled. To enable your installed apps you have to edit the whitelist.xml
Warning: it is a safety feature you are disabling now, it is your own responsability when using apps during driving
Slow method:
Get the whitelist.xml from your SCT
Code:
adb pull /system/etc/whitelist.xml
Find out which packages are installed and have to be listed there:
Code:
adb shell
pm list packages
Other method, look to the url of google play on your pc, see bold part: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.estrongs.android.pop
List the packages by adding new lines with the package names
Edit the whitelist.xml using a smart text editor. Preferably use Notepad++
Copy the whitelist back to SCT
Code:
adb push whitelist.xml /data/local
adb shell
su
mount -o remount,rw ubi0:system /system
cp /data/local/whitelist.xml /system/etc
reboot
Scripted method:
Download script
Instructions in this post
FAQ
Audio is not working when using application X
This is a feature or limitation by design
- TomTom and other navigation apps will break Sound/Audio due to this feature.
If you have more, PM me or react in topic
TIPS
Use a USB keyboard in combination with ES file explorer or a Shell app to edit files on the system.
If you have more, PM me or react in topic
Informational links:
Information about SCT:
http://www.volvocars.com/intl/sales-services/sales/sensus-connected-touch/pages/default.aspx
Official FAQ of SCT:
http://www.volvocars.com/intl/top/support/pages/sensus-connected-touch-faq.aspx
Dutch experiences with SCT:
http://www.volvo-forum.nl/viewtopic.php?t=54935&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
SCT update files:
http://www.parrot.com/nl/support/sensus-connected-touch
Current version: All regions - 1.49.34
How to unpack the update (.plf) files:
Download the plftool
Basically, download, unzip, and go into the command line, the binaries directory and use the command syntax, "plftool -i -o "
And please take the time to thank hoppy_barzed for hosting it for us and for loveshackdave for providing the tool to use it.
Linked topic of Parrot Asteroid Smart:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2118432

Developments of other users (copied from PAS topic)
donaldta said:
Alright, I found an interesting startup script for the SCT. The path inside the archive is "FileSystem\system\etc\set_adb_usb.sh"
Code:
#!/system/bin/sh
#
# Author: Yann Sionneau <[email protected]>
#
# This script is called by a udev rule when a cable is plugged in USB0 port.
# This script sets adb.tcp.port to -1 meaning that ADB will then listen on USB
# instead of TCP/IP.
# Then this script will restart adbd service
export PATH=/system/bin:/system/xbin
if [ -f /tmp/cache/others/adb_usb ]
then
exit 0
fi
touch /tmp/cache/others/adb_usb
setprop
service.adb.tcp.port -1
stop adbd
start adbd
This leads me to believe the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) is running over TCP by default, sort of like on the original Google TV. So, you might be able to download the Android Developer Tools. Unzip it, and then at the command line use "platform-tools\adb connect <IP.address.of.SCT>" to connect to your SCT and install third party apps by either using "platform-tools\adb install <package_name>" or use the GUI, "\tools\monitor.bat" Either than or try and figure out which port on the SCT is USB 0 which turns into a ADB port when something is connected to it.
On a side note, I'm a little tired of having to respond to people about giving access to the SCT software when it is already available. The download is listed above, I fixed the link to make it even easier. All anyone needs to extract the files from the archive is the plftool that loveshackdave created and mentioned in this post.
loveshackdave said:
Okay, I've posted the binaries and source for my .NET plftool project here. I've handled the symlink sections by simply creating a file called [filename].simlink that contains the section data. The should be fine for rebuilding the plf file. I've still got to handle the file permissions byte and figure out what the 2 unknown uint's are in the file_action header. the permissions shouldn't be too much of an issue, I'm thinking of creating a filesystem meta-data file that will hold all this information for rebuilding, unless anyone has any better ideas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically, download, unzip, and go into the command line, the binaries directory and use the command syntax, "plftool -i <input_file> -o <output_directory>"
And please take the time to thank hoppy_barzed for hosting it for us and for loveshackdave for providing the tool to use it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
johnnie_w said:
I succeeded in connecting to SCT over ADB. ADB is indeed enabled over TCP/IP by default. So I tried to install an apk:
Code:
C:\android\adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130911\sdk\platform-tools>adb install c:\android\apk\Framaroot-1.6.0.apk
285 KB/s (2124410 bytes in 7.265s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/Framaroot-1.6.0.apk
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_APK]
Hmm, this didn't work. The logcat output:
Code:
D/AndroidRuntime( 2786): >>>>>> AndroidRuntime START com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit <<<<<<
D/AndroidRuntime( 2786): CheckJNI is OFF
D/dalvikvm( 2786): creating instr width table
D/AndroidRuntime( 2786): Calling main entry com.android.commands.pm.Pm
D/dalvikvm( 2041): GC_EXPLICIT freed 10K, 50% free 2735K/5379K, external 2801K/3132K, paused 44ms
W/ActivityManager( 1366): No content provider found for:
W/ActivityManager( 1366): No content provider found for:
D/PackageParser( 1366): Scanning package: /data/app/vmdl-1074467422.tmp
W/PackageParser( 1366): Signatures files not found.
D/PackageManager( 1366): Scanning package com.alephzain.framaroot
W/PackageParser( 1366): Signatures files not found.
W/PackageManager( 1366): Package couldn't be installed in /data/app/com.alephzain.framaroot-1.apk
It looks like it's searching for a specific file. This is probably because installation from Unknown Sources is disabled, and I can't enable it in the sqlite database because it's not readable without root. Hmm, chicken and egg problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
donaldta said:
Okay, let's try installing something a little more legitimate than Framaroot first, since that absolutely needs the "unknown sources" to be enabled. We might have to learn how to crawl before we can run.
It seems like it is looking for the package's signature file. Try something like ESFileExplorer_120.apk or another Android Market app which should have the proper signatures inside of it. I tested it myself on the Asteroid Smart by uninstalling ES File Explorer, disabling "Unknown Sources", rebooting it, and then re-installing it via ADB.
Otherwise try other things such as "adb remount" which remounts the rootfs as writeable, "adb push <package_name.apk> /data/app" this attempts to copy the packing into the user's install directory, "adb push <package_name.apk> /data/system" this attempts to copy the package into the system. If you're used to linux command line then play around with "adb shell" to see what opportunities exists. Is this where you tried "sqlite3 /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db"? If you can't do it directly, maybe copy settings.db to the sdcard and use sqlite3 to edit it then copy the modified version over? Unfortunately, I don't have a SCT so we'll need someone with one that can tinker with linux/android to help find a way.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice work

How to get ADB working?
ADB is enabled over TCP/IP by default. This means that you only need to get the IP address of the device, and you can connect to it using
Code:
adb connect $IPADDRESS
when connected to the same network. If you want to connect over USB, just plug in a USB cable in USB0 (I don'tknow yet which one this is), and ADB should switch to USB.
What can we do with ADB?
I only tried once, but I was able to get a shell. Busybox is installed, so all regular Linux commands are available. The /data directory is not accessible directly, we need root for that.
Can I just install Framaroot?
No, I wasn't able to install Framaroot directly. It complained about the signature, which is probably caused by the fact that installation from unknown sources is disabled.
So, what is the first step to be done?
I think the first step is to enable installation from unknown sources, and then install a filemanager or root the SCT. This can be done with something like:
Code:
adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db settings.db
sqlite3 settings.db "update secure set value=1 where name='install_non_market_apps';"
adb push settings.db /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db
So let's try and fix this thing!

Thanks for the topic! Of course I'll be following closely!

santu001 said:
Thanks for the topic! Of course I'll be following closely!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here!
If I can be of any help (although I can't see how )

Since we can't change the setting non_market directly, android central developed a script to install without modify.
Maybe we can try this one?
http://forums.androidcentral.com/an...-central-sideload-wonder-machine-v-1-2-a.html
Only prerequisite is connection over ADB. No root required.
Hmm, looking into the sources it seems just a pair of batch files. I don't see magic inside it, other then a plain ADB install command.

johnnie_w said:
I think the first step is to enable installation from unknown sources, and then install a filemanager or root the SCT. This can be done with something like:
Code:
adb pull /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db settings.db
sqlite3 settings.db "update secure set value=1 where name='install_non_market_apps';"
adb push settings.db /data/data/com.android.providers.settings/databases/settings.db
So let's try and fix this thing!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the first step is to test installing packages other than Framaroot, maybe something from the Google Play Store or Asteroid Market via ADB.
getiem said:
Since we can't change the setting non_market directly, android central developed a script to install without modify.
Maybe we can try this one?
http://forums.androidcentral.com/an...-central-sideload-wonder-machine-v-1-2-a.html
Only prerequisite is connection over ADB. No root required.
Hmm, looking into the sources it seems just a pair of batch files. I don't see magic inside it, other then a plain ADB install command.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that is because ADB is considered a "trusted source", so you can install software through it. This is how AT&T users were able to install Android Packages a long time ago while the Market app wasn't available and the "allow unknown sources" option was removed from settings. The only caveat is that the packages needs to be signed.

donaldta said:
I think the first step is to test installing packages other than Framaroot, maybe something from the Google Play Store or Asteroid Market via ADB.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree on that. I have downloaded several APK's to my laptop and will test in a few hours. I'll let you know!

johnnie_w said:
I agree on that. I have downloaded several APK's to my laptop and will test in a few hours. I'll let you know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Btw, I found this topic on Stack Overflow particularly interesting.
Android Known Sources
So I have looked through the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) Source code now to see how that Unknown Sources check is done. It is more complicated than known source = android play.
So first of all for background, that Unknown Sources check and message are generated by INSTALL_NON_MARKET_APP. This flag comes up in few places, but the main place is in PackageInstallerActivity. Infact, this is the only place in AOSP where it comes up and is used to some effective degree. Let's look at that here:
Code:
String callerPackage = getCallingPackage();
if (callerPackage != null && intent.getBooleanExtra(
Intent.EXTRA_NOT_UNKNOWN_SOURCE, false)) {
try {
mSourceInfo = mPm.getApplicationInfo(callerPackage, 0);
if (mSourceInfo != null) {
if ((mSourceInfo.flags&ApplicationInfo.FLAG_SYSTEM) != 0) {
// System apps don't need to be approved.
initiateInstall();
return;
}
}
} catch (NameNotFoundException e) {
}
}
if (!isInstallingUnknownAppsAllowed()) {
//ask user to enable setting first
showDialogInner(DLG_UNKNOWN_APPS);
return;
}
initiateInstall();
So PackageInstaller is a package included with AOSP that understands how to handle the ACTION_VIEW intent for APK files. PackageInstaller checks two things before it allows an app to be installed.
That the app is a system app. If an app is a system app, it doesn't care, it tells the package manager to install your app. This means that if Samsung puts their Samsung market store as a system app on Samsung devices, then it is automatically a trusted source. Infact, it will skip step 2 here.
If that system flag is not set. If that flag is not set, and thus you are not a system app, then therefore you are not a trusted source. That being said, System apps can also skip the package installer and just go straight to calling the hidden function installPackage which can be found in PackageManagerService. This seems to be what the GooglePlayStore does, as when I disable the installation capabilities on PackageInstallerActivity I can still install apks just fine.
So to sum up: Known sources are SYSTEM APPS not just applications downloaded from google play. Google play completely circumvents the INSTALL_NON_MARKET_APP flag because it does not use the PackageInstaller. If you create an app that is not a system app, your only method for installing APKs is to use the PackageInstaller. Since your app is not a system app it will check to see if unknown sources is disabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

donaldta said:
Btw, I found this topic on Stack Overflow particularly interesting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is also a second system, app verification. Does that come into play here?
http://www.androidos.in/2013/07/google-brings-verify-apps-support-to-android-2-3-or-higher/
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/2812853?hl=en

getiem said:
There is also a second system, app verification. Does that come into play here?
http://www.androidos.in/2013/07/google-brings-verify-apps-support-to-android-2-3-or-higher/
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/2812853?hl=en
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know that check made during sideloading apps for devices with Android 4.2 and above. Otherwise, it is only checked via Android Market/Google Play for Android 2.3 devices and above. Since none of the Parrot devices have the Google Market it is probably a moot point. I guess Parrot / Volvo could have back ported it into the SCT and Framaroot might be picked up as Malware. But, not every app would be flagged as malware.
---------- Post added at 09:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 AM ----------
getiem said:
Volvo Sensus Connected Touch (SCT) is a new car audio-navi system based on the Parrot Asteroid Smart (PAS). SCT differs in hardware and software from the PAS. Software looks about 90% equal, with some more restrictions build in by Volvo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Btw, this is a bit misleading, According to the build.prop on the SCT...
# begin build properties
# autogenerated by buildinfo.sh
ro.build.id=V01.47.88_Volvo_EU
ro.build.display.id=V01.47.88_Volvo_EU
ro.build.version.incremental=
ro.build.version.sdk=10
ro.build.version.codename=REL
ro.build.version.release=2.3.7
ro.build.date=mercredi 28 août 2013, 19:05:30 (UTC+0200)
ro.build.date.utc=1377709530
ro.build.type=user
ro.build.user=Parrot
ro.build.host=FR-B-800-0057
ro.build.tags=release-keys
ro.product.model=ACU Volvo
ro.product.brand=AFM
ro.product.name=fc6100_volvo
ro.product.device=fc6100_volvo
ro.product.board=fc6100-android
ro.product.cpu.abi=armeabi-v7a
ro.product.cpu.abi2=armeabi
ro.product.manufacturer=Parrot
ro.product.locale.language=en
ro.product.locale.region=GB
ro.wifi.channels=
ro.board.platform=omap3
# ro.build.product is obsolete; use ro.product.device
ro.build.product=fc6100_volvo
# Do not try to parse ro.build.description or .fingerprint
ro.build.description=fc6100_volvo-user 2.3.7 V01.47.88_Volvo_EU release-keys
ro.build.fingerprint=AFM/fc6100_volvo/fc6100_volvo:2.3.7/V01.47.88_Volvo_EU/:user/release-keys
# end build properties
# system.prop for FC6100 Volvo
# This overrides settings in the products/generic/system.prop file
#
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The system is based on the Parrot FC6100 not the Parrot Asteroid Smart. And looking at the Installation manual for Sensus Connected Touch (ACU) Accessory, Part Number: 31399165 the form factor is closer to the Parrot Asteroid Tablet (PAT). The only similarity that the SCT has with the PAS is Parrot's custom base of the Android 2.3 branch which is also shared by the PAT. So, if anything is more analogous to the Parrot Asteroid Tablet (PAT) than the Parrot Asteroid Smart.

donaldta said:
As far as I know that check made during sideloading apps for devices with Android 4.2 and above. Otherwise, it is only checked via Android Market/Google Play for Android 2.3 devices and above. Since none of the Parrot devices have the Google Market it is probably a moot point. I guess Parrot / Volvo could have back ported it into the SCT and Framaroot might be picked up as Malware. But, not every app would be flagged as malware.
---------- Post added at 09:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:47 AM ----------
Btw, this is a bit misleading, According to the build.prop on the SCT...
The system is based on the Parrot FC6100 not the Parrot Asteroid Smart. And looking at the Installation manual for Sensus Connected Touch (ACU) Accessory, Part Number: 31399165 the form factor is closer to the Parrot Asteroid Tablet (PAT). The only similarity that the SCT has with the PAS is Parrot's custom base of the Android 2.3 branch which is also shared by the PAT. So, if anything is more analogous to the Parrot Asteroid Tablet (PAT) than the Parrot Asteroid Smart.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well...good info! Another part of the puzzle

THANK YOU
Thank you very much guys for this VERY IMPORTANT thread !!
I'll follow carefully cause the SCT is really unusable at this moment with no apps and a lot bugs.
THANK YOU

@getiem
Maybe updating your opening post with the updated information!
BTW... Great Topic!
We're getting somewhere...
So thanks to all who contribute.

Yesterday I tried to install several APK's, including ES File Explorer. Unfortunately the same error message:
Code:
C:\android\adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130911\sdk\platform-tools>adb install c:\and
roid\apk\ESFileExplorer_120.apk
466 KB/s (3949829 bytes in 8.273s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/ESFileExplorer_120.apk
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_APK]
I haven't tried pulling or pushing anything yet, will do that tonight.

santu001 said:
@getiem
Maybe updating your opening post with the updated information!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done.
ps, I will be updating regularly the OP, but interval will be weeks, not daily or hourly. Especially weekends, I will be offline.
ps 2. Yesterday i recieved my new car with SCT. I will test the whole car first before hacking into the SCT myself.

Great
Thanks for all the efforts here. I'll be following closely

Maybe the app should be on whitlelist.xml? Try to rename the app?
I was trying to install the SCT launcher to Tablet and the catlog system says: package has no signatures matching those in shared user android.uid.system
Any methods to come over this?

jaanusj said:
Maybe the app should be on whitlelist.xml? Try to rename the app?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The /etc/whitelist.xml file is a list of android packages which can be running regardless of the parking brake detection. Each permutation will use the following syntax, <package name="{android.package.name}"/>, where the {android.package.name} uses the full Java-language-style package name for the application. This is listed in the APK's AndroidManifest.xml file as the "manifest package=" definition and will become the filename for the app when installed in either the /system/app or /data/app directories.
Incidentally, the java style package name also how each app is identified through the Google Play store. For example, <package name="com.tomtom.uscanada"/> can be found on Google Play via https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tomtom.uscanada
jaanusj said:
I was trying to install the SCT launcher to Tablet and the catlog system says: package has no signatures matching those in shared user android.uid.system
Any methods to come over this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apparently, there's a way to disable signature checking by decompiling, modifying, and recompiling /system/framework/service.jar. I've never done this, so I'm not exactly comfortable with it but there are plenty of threads on XDA in regards to the topic.
There is also the Lucky Patcher app that apparently can patch core.jar to disable signature verification. It has some other security defeating functions but again, I've never used it myself so you'll have to do your own research.
Btw, when a package is complaining about "shared user", this usually points to the /data/system/packages.xml where the sharedUserId for the respective package are stored. Ultimately, this allows packages with the same sharedUserId to communicate with one another since they will be running in the same virtual machine.
johnnie_w said:
Yesterday I tried to install several APK's, including ES File Explorer. Unfortunately the same error message:
Code:
C:\android\adt-bundle-windows-x86-20130911\sdk\platform-tools>adb install c:\and
roid\apk\ESFileExplorer_120.apk
466 KB/s (3949829 bytes in 8.273s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/ESFileExplorer_120.apk
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_INVALID_APK]
I haven't tried pulling or pushing anything yet, will do that tonight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, that is disappointing. I take it that you're still getting the "Signatures files not found" syntax errors from "logcat -d' while this is occuring? I'm wondering if the problem is the reverse of what jaanusj is trying to accomplish by installing AcuHome.apk on his Parrot Asteroid Tablet. And by that signatures do exist in the packages but maybe they're not being recognized as valid because the ROM isn't aware of them.
A good test for this is to install a package from the Asteroid Market, download it using "adb pull", uninstall the app, then try a "adb install" or "adb push" to reinstall it.

I tried to pull and push an APK, no luck. Pulling worked but I couldn't push it back to /system/app. We need root rights for this apparently. Also for patching the jar file or using the Lucky Patcher we need root. I'm wondering what the device is looking for. We have to find that out, maybe we can modify APK's so it does accept them. Any other ideas?