Hi!
I've written another Xposed module for my LEX720 for a very specific purpose, so probably it won't be of much use for the most. But I'm still publishing it for reference reasons.
Background:
First the good news: The stock firmware of LeEco includes the "SmardcardService" (which also often is referred to as "Open Mobile API" or short "OMAPI") which is an extension API to plain Android (i.e. not existing in the Nexus devices or the Pixels) to allow apps accessing Secure Elements (i.e. secure applications embedded in a tamper-resistant hardware) within the SIM-card.
A real world example: in Austria some banks (in cooperation with the 3 largest network operators) support Tap'n'Pay with your phone by installing the NFC-capable banking card as an additional application into the SIM card (which is the same secure chipcard technology as a banking card). This means you get a new SIM card and then you can tap'n'pay with your phone (without Google, without VISA or MasterCard, just as with the Austrian NFC banking cards). AFAIK in some other countries the same concept is used for public transport and others.
The main difference to Android Pay is, that this system is backed by the chipcard (the SIM) and not by a cloud service. But this just as background information.
The problem:
The LEX720 is a dual-sim phone, and so the (banking) apps could read SIM-cards from either SIM1 or SIM2 slot (I tested, SmartcardService works with both). But if you also want to use NFC for payment it has to be inserted into SIM1 (as it seems that only the SIM1 slot ist connected over an SWP line to the NFC chipset). Unfortunately the Austrian banking apps don't seem to handle the dual-SIM situation correctly and only try to read SIM2 (which is empty for me) and therefore don't work.
Additionally, at the end of an transaction, when the application running within the SIM card signalizes that it just had finished a payment transaction to the Android system, the NFC service (/system/vendor/app/NQNfcNci/NQNfcNci.apk) broadcasts this message as an intent to the relevant (banking) app, so that the app can display a transaction result activity.
Unfortunately this mechanism is implemented often very different by different OEMs and so also by LeEco. There exists a standard (GSMA NFC Handset APIs Requirement Specification) but it seems there are a lot of different implementations in the wild.
(Note: this is probably the case because this type of functionality is not part of the official reference Android source code. Plain open source Android like it is running on all Nexus phones and the Pixels just doesn't support these type of applications - which is very unfortunate).
My workaround:
TL;DR I just made an Xposed module which fixes these 2 issues for me. Look into the README on Github for more details.
Source on Github: https://github.com/johnzweng/XposedOmapiBankcardFix
Download Xposed Module: Xposed-module-OMAPI-BankcardMobil-Fix-1.1.apk
Maybe it's also useful for other applications which use the SIM card as secure storage for keys of any type. Use at your own risk.
As a reference: these are the Austrian banking apps this module should work with:
Bank Austria Mobile Geldbörse
BankCard Mobil
Oberbank Bankomatkarte Mobil
Raiffeisen ELBA-pay
VKB-Pay - Bankomatkarte mobil
The module might also help to get other similiar apps working which have problems with Dual-SIM or don't show Transaction confirmation screens. I am talking here about apps which use a special SIM card for payment, ticketing or similiar use-cases via NFC. This has nothing to do with "normal" NFC apps or cloud-based HCE (host card emulation) NFC apps. This module is only for apps which use special SIM cards.
[edit]
Updated download link to version 1.1.
For details see the CHANGELOG in the Github repoistory.
[/edit]
Btw, during debugging I noticed another small bug in the LeEco NFC service:
The package com.android.nfc (/system/vendor/app/NQNfcNci/NQNfcNci.apk) declares a permission which allows apps to receive Intents about EVT_TRANSACTION events. On the LeEco LePro 3 (LEX720, running 5.8.018S, WAXCNFN5801811012S) this permission looks like this
Code:
declared permissions:
com.gsma.service.nfc.permission.TRANSACTION_EVENT: prot=dangerous, INSTALLED
You can check this easyily yourself with this adb command:
Code:
adb shell pm dump com.android.nfc > dump-nfc-service.txt
This will dump all infos into a file named dump-nfc-service.txt. Open the file with an editor and search for "declared permissions:".
The problem with this permission is, that its name is missing a letter!
Correctly it should be called: com.gsma.services.nfc.action.TRANSACTION_EVENT (note the missing "s").
This is specified in the GSMA NFC Handset APIs Requirement Specification (see at the top of page 13 in the PDF)
Funny enough the specification in the PDF also contains a typo in the very same permission name the Intent action name (the dot "." after the word "gsma" is a comma "," in the PDF). It must be really hard to type this correctly.
Nevertheless this typo leads to errors like:
Code:
W/PackageManager( 2357): Unknown permission com.gsma.services.nfc.permission.TRANSACTION_EVENT in package ......
and prevents applications of requesting the correct permission.
Does anybody know if and how it's the best way to report bugs to LeEco?
[edit1]
I contacted them on Twitter. I hope they will forward this issue to developers.
Btw, it seems that also LG had included the same typo in some of its devices:
Devices without the "s": https://census.tsyrklevich.net/permissions/com.gsma.service.nfc.permission.TRANSACTION_EVENT
vs.:
Devices with the "s": https://census.tsyrklevich.net/permissions/com.gsma.services.nfc.permission.TRANSACTION_EVENT
[/edit1]
Hi androcheck,
first i am really impressed that somebody found a solution for that problem (i already have several posts with no answer at all)
But now i have a problem as when i install the fix i stuck in a boot loop. Is this maybe cause i am on custom ROM (Turbo MIUI) ?
Hope you have an idea
thanks
Robert
viercp said:
Hi androcheck,
first i am really impressed that somebody found a solution for that problem (i already have several posts with no answer at all)
But now i have a problem as when i install the fix i stuck in a boot loop. Is this maybe cause i am on custom ROM (Turbo MIUI) ?
Hope you have an idea
thanks
Robert
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So far seems a "one time bug" - all ok with patch but i still get the very same error mssg
Any poss to tell me where i can check if entries provided by fix are really done ?
viercp said:
So far seems a "one time bug" - all ok with patch but i still get the very same error mssg
Any poss to tell me where i can check if entries provided by fix are really done ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
Sorry for the delayed answer.
First of all the ROM you are using must have the SmartcardService (=implementation of OpenMobile API), the corresponding library (org.simalliance.openmobileapi.jar) and permission manifest (org.simalliance.openmobileapi.xml) installed. I downloaded miau_destroyer_v12.zip from this thread here, extracted it and it seems that it contains all three of them.
My Xposed module "XposedOmapiBankcardFix" doesn't do very much besides forcing the apps which are using the OpenMobile API to always use "SIM1" as SmartcardReader. This was necessary because at the time of writing the Bankcard apps in Austria from PSA (Payment Services Austria) didn't correctly check for multiple SIM slots. So in fact this was a bug in the PSA apps, not in the phone.
Back then I reported this back to the developers (of the banking app) and today it seems to be fixed (I didn't check in detail but the Bank Austria app now is working for me on Android 7 without Xposed installed - with the SIM inserted in slot 1).
Another point I realized: By looking into the build.props of the miau_destroyer_v12 ROM it seemed to me that this ROM is configured for single SIM use. This means that the SmartcardService also only sees one cardreader (SIM slot). Maybe this also interferes with the Xposed module?
For clarification:
Before I wrote my Xposed module, the Bank Austria banking app worked already perfectly (no errors displayed, recognized the NFC SIM card, personalization of the bankcard worked ok) when I inserted the SIM card into slot 2. It just didn't work when the SIM card was inserted in slot 1. The problem is that it must be inserted in slot 1 if you want to use it over NFC. This is why I decided to work around this limitation with my Xposed module.
The second feature ("Fix EVT_TRANSACTION Intent") of my module was just a gimmick "on the way". I realized that the confirmation dialog after paying is not displayed, but this was just a "cosmetic" problem. Payments did still work, even if the confirmation dialog on the phone is not displayed.
Another sidenote:
As I have mentioned before I have switched already to an Android 7.1 based ROM on my personal phone (as a developer I want to use some of the new APIs) so I don't have Xposed anymore (as Xposed is not available for Android 7). So at the moment I cannot really test anything.
Which error exactly do you get? What do you see in logcat?
Kind regards,
john
androcheck said:
Hi!
Another point I realized: By looking into the build.props of the miau_destroyer_v12 ROM it seemed to me that this ROM is configured for single SIM use. This means that the SmartcardService also only sees one cardreader (SIM slot). Maybe this also interferes with the Xposed module?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Changed in build.prob to enable Dual SIM
Which error exactly do you get? What do you see in logcat?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Havent worked with before - which entry you are looking for ?
Lot Of Thanks for your great work！
Btw,Do you use AOSP 8.1(such as AICP8.1)
On these roms,after add SmartCardService.apk ,it still cann't work with these bank apps. Actually,it can read other nfc tags,but it's HCE (Host-based Card Emulation) can not work
Could you have a try to fix it?
My post:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/le...a-zl1-x727-x720-t3698058/page356#post76274677
Hi,
Google says that Pixel 7 series don't support SWP-SIM while Pixel 6 and others supported.
So I started googling that if there's any 'Magisk way' to solve this issue, then I find your xda posts.
If you happen to be a Pixel 7 user, are you interested in looking into this issue?
I'd like to buy you a $30 coffee or more if I can use the SWP-SIM for payment on my Pixel 7.
jasonlee0315 said:
Google says that Pixel 7 series don't support SWP-SIM while Pixel 6 and others supported.
So I started googling that if there's any 'Magisk way' to solve this issue, then I find your xda posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi!
I don't have Pixel 7 and currently I am not working in this field, but for clarification:
"SWP-SIM support" is (also) a hardware feature.
To be able to use SWP-SIMs there must be a physical connection between the SWP pin of the NFC controller (this is a separate chip on the mainboard of your phone, not the main application processor, where Android runs on) and the respective pin of the SIM card slot.
Google in the past tended to not connect these 2 pins. I don't know if the Pixel 7 has this connection. I just wanted to let you know, that if this connection does not exist, there is no way to solve this in software.
[edit]
(see also this old question on stackexchange, this was about the Nexus 5X and 6P: https://stackoverflow.com/questions...-to-the-uicc-on-the-nexus-5x-and-the-nexus-6p)
[/edit]
androcheck said:
Hi!
I don't have Pixel 7 and currently I am not working in this field, but for clarification:
"SWP-SIM support" is (also) a hardware feature.
To be able to use SWP-SIMs there must be a physical connection between the SWP pin of the NFC controller (this is a separate chip on the mainboard of your phone, not the main application processor, where Android runs on) and the respective pin of the SIM card slot.
Google in the past tended to not connect these 2 pins. I don't know if the Pixel 7 has this connection. I just wanted to let you know, that if this connection does not exist, there is no way to solve this in software.
[edit]
(see also this old question on stackexchange, this was about the Nexus 5X and 6P: https://stackoverflow.com/questions...-to-the-uicc-on-the-nexus-5x-and-the-nexus-6p)
[/edit]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for replying. I guess I might give up trying to get SWP-SIM working on Pixel 7.
Related
I have a generic tablet which has Android 4.0.3 stock-installed. I can use the 3G feature without a problem; but when it comes to make voice calls; here's what happens:
1- eXdialer: When the calling button is pressed, nothing happens but the screen refreshes only.
2- DialOne: Prints out the warning on the thread subject: "Telephony feature is unavailable on this device"
The producer company claims that Xphone dialer works on this device; but it looks like some hardware-lock or similar?
Since the mentioned software is not free, I could not test if it works.
Hint: The devices are imported to our country as "it has no telephony feature" on the formal papers, just because of the higher taxes on telephony enabled devices. Previous products of the same company were similarly software-locked and they soon released a new rom that enabled the telephony feature. Now there is no any modified rom for this device.
Any ideas are welcome.
Waiting for somebody to say "xda-dev forum is not a right place for you, ugly duckling"; after all.
To put it in another way, Samsung Galaxy Camera also don't have the Telephony feature even if it does have 3G. So its pretty much they've removed the standard dialer app and the resources/lib associated with it. But by installing the missing things, it could be do-able though, I guess.
That is what I also think; but the damn thing I don't know is: HOW?
I've got this issue where incoming calls and texts are not matching to the contacts database when the international format is used (so incoming 01202 123456 matches if the number is stored in the phone book as 01202 123456 but not if it's +441202 123456)
Seems it's quite common with ROMs / Phones from China.
My phone is a Cube 5H A5300 (a remarkably good bit of kit for the money if I could fix this dam issue) , Android 4.2.1, and MIUI 3.11.15. I don't think this is a MIUI issue hence posting here.
I've been through the suggestions that seemed to offer the best chance of a fix :-
Changing the MIN_MATCH in framework.jar and MMS.apk, and checking that strict comparison if odd from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2268120
Adding ro.phone.min_match=7 to build.prop from here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1160343
Various other suggestions relating to stuff in settings.
So I'm at a lost to know where to go next.
Anyone got any suggestions about where number matching is handled in Android? Where can I look for places to check ?
John
Exactly the same problem, also UK
Incoming calls show up in the format 07785 nnnnnn but my phone book has the numbers stored in +44 7785 nnnnnn format, with the result incoming calls only show the number and not the detail in my contacts/people.
I also tried ro.phone.min_match= using 9 and 7 as variables but it made no difference
I have the THL W8s running Android 4.2.1
Brilliant phone but his bug is killing it for me.
Really look forward to a solution
I found the solution for bog standard Android devices, I have a THL W8s running 4.2.1 but it should work on Androids 4.1.x / 4.2.x / 4.3.x according to the threads below.
No credit to me, all down to the guys on XDA, but as a bit of novice it took me ages to trawl all the posts on this subject before finally finding the solution that worked - and easily. It will also avoid you installing lots of apps of playstore that for me anyway either didn't work or gave a poor hack of a work around. In addition, this solution provides a whole host of other fixes and enhancement, brilliant piece of work from the two developers.
Start by removing all your contacts, either export/delete from People to re-import or as in my case delete the corporate email/contacts account
Tip: Reboot after almost every step
1) Your device must be rooted
2) You must be able to install apps direct from your phone: System Settings / Security / Unknown Sources (Unknown Sources may be in a different place)
Then the heart of it:
Install the Xposed Framework
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401
Full instructions in the thread
Then install GravityBox it's not the a ROM, just the Xposed Framework Module
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2316070
Again, full instructions in the thread (Make sure you have a tick next to Gravity Box in the Xposed Framework and reboot)
Then: GravityBox -> General Fixes -> Fix Caller ID
Reboot, re-add or re-import your email/contacts, either add the account or import from contacts and there you go, fixed.
Here's one that didn't work for me but may be worth a try if your version of Android isn't supported with the above solution:
Search on: ro.phone.min_match= where you put a 9, 8, 7 etc after the =
I used ES File Explorer to mount /system R/W and edit the build.prop file, but as I said, after ages of hacking around to get the fix in it didn't work for me.
BTW: I bought the THL W8s after busting my HTC One and not wanting to shell out too much to replace it. All-in-all I'm very impressed with my cheap Chinese Android phone (£155 on eBay), and now that this bug is fixed I'm really chuffed with it. The dual sim/dual standby function saves me carrying two phones, another bonus.
552446934
Thx for posting this, but didn't work for me. Hope it works for others as this is a great bunch of apps.
I'm wondering if my issue is related to the phone (Cube 5H which is a MTK6589 product) or the MIUI ROMs. I'm getting to the point where I think I might need to give up and get a different phone, but I feel the same way about this phone as you do aout the THL - if I could fix this issue it would be a great value for money phone
whalesg said:
I found the solution for bog standard Android devices, I have a THL W8s running 4.2.1 but it should work on Androids 4.1.x / 4.2.x / 4.3.x according to the threads below.
No credit to me, all down to the guys on XDA, but as a bit of novice it took me ages to trawl all the posts on this subject before finally finding the solution that worked - and easily. It will also avoid you installing lots of apps of playstore that for me anyway either didn't work or gave a poor hack of a work around. In addition, this solution provides a whole host of other fixes and enhancement, brilliant piece of work from the two developers.
Start by removing all your contacts, either export/delete from People to re-import or as in my case delete the corporate email/contacts account
Tip: Reboot after almost every step
1) Your device must be rooted
2) You must be able to install apps direct from your phone: System Settings / Security / Unknown Sources (Unknown Sources may be in a different place)
Then the heart of it:
Install the Xposed Framework
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1574401
Full instructions in the thread
Then install GravityBox it's not the a ROM, just the Xposed Framework Module
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2316070
Again, full instructions in the thread (Make sure you have a tick next to Gravity Box in the Xposed Framework and reboot)
Then: GravityBox -> General Fixes -> Fix Caller ID
Reboot, re-add or re-import your email/contacts, either add the account or import from contacts and there you go, fixed.
Here's one that didn't work for me but may be worth a try if your version of Android isn't supported with the above solution:
Search on: ro.phone.min_match= where you put a 9, 8, 7 etc after the =
I used ES File Explorer to mount /system R/W and edit the build.prop file, but as I said, after ages of hacking around to get the fix in it didn't work for me.
BTW: I bought the THL W8s after busting my HTC One and not wanting to shell out too much to replace it. All-in-all I'm very impressed with my cheap Chinese Android phone (£155 on eBay), and now that this bug is fixed I'm really chuffed with it. The dual sim/dual standby function saves me carrying two phones, another bonus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised because the Garvity Box solution was designed around the MT6589 products (I think I read somewhere), my phone is MT6589T.
I did read somewhere that the solution wouldn't work on highly customized ROMs and I think that included MUI. Did the phone come with MUI factory installed, if there is a standard AOSP build for your phone it is probably worth a try using that.
Pity, I nearly threw a party when it worked for me, I'd been hacking around for days.
The phone doesn't come with a full MIUI ROM, just the "themes" part of it. But I really wanted to give MIUI a shot hence me putting the whole ROM on. Good point though - I've been toying with putting the original build back on to see if it fixes the issue. Then I'll know if it's a phone thing or a MIUI thing.
Glas you got yours going though. I crossing my fingers for that party moment!
whalesg said:
I'm surprised because the Garvity Box solution was designed around the MT6589 products (I think I read somewhere), my phone is MT6589T.
I did read somewhere that the solution wouldn't work on highly customized ROMs and I think that included MUI. Did the phone come with MUI factory installed, if there is a standard AOSP build for your phone it is probably worth a try using that.
Pity, I nearly threw a party when it worked for me, I'd been hacking around for days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strangely - just noticed that numbers in "recent" are now being listed with the correct name matched to the phone book. If I turn off Gravity Box this stops happening, so Gravity Box is having some affect. Just a shame it's not on incoming calls.
johnhelliwell said:
Thx for posting this, but didn't work for me. Hope it works for others as this is a great bunch of apps.
I'm wondering if my issue is related to the phone (Cube 5H which is a MTK6589 product) or the MIUI ROMs. I'm getting to the point where I think I might need to give up and get a different phone, but I feel the same way about this phone as you do aout the THL - if I could fix this issue it would be a great value for money phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The info about the issues provided as on 2017 September 13.
The text was last edited on 2019 August 24.
Hello.
Sorry for mistakes in my poor English.
I had used every day LOS14.1 and RR5.8.3-5.8.4 custom ROMs for Samsung Galaxy S2 (model: GT-I9100) for more than 2 months in the middle of 2017 and this is my serious test report:
1) When you will get an incoming phone call, receive a message via cellular network or a file via bluetooth then Galaxy S2 with the custom ROM will rings and vibrates but the screen can be fully dark for several seconds without any notification about it.
This bug almost does not exist in RR 5.8.4.
2) Multiple issues are with the smartphone storages (internal and external).
a) Some apps can do not work with the smartphone storages. They can start to work with storages after the smartphone reboot or after few reboots only.
The same bug is in the Resurrection Remix ROM 5.8.4. The screenshots attached to this message proof the existense of this bug in RR 5.8.4.
b) Only during my attempt to use the custom ROMs LOS 14.1 and RR 5.8.3-5.8.4 on Samsung Galaxy S2, I lost the 1 file (it was the important file to me) on an external microSD card and yet file explorer apps start to show the 2 suspicious unerasable zero size files in file listings there, which I can not delete nor rename nor even copy - file explorers to continue to show they in file listings still today after years on my microSD card. It is interesting that these zero size undeletable files was discovered not in an upper directory but instead deep in the old different long directories on my microSD card. Thus, may they was implemented hiddenly as masking labels there for a reason remained unknown.
c) Impossible to appoint an user installed file explorer app as a default file explorer for pick-up files from another programs. For instance, when the smartphone user want to send a file via Skype then there is always only the file explorer opens with the poor and uncomfortable interface, which implemented in the custom ROM as default forever. And only then from its ugly interface the user can choose one of other installed file explorers for using they once for find and pick-up a file.
The famous FX File Explorer app does not work with the default internal folder 'Documents'. The app also can not delete a group of selected files on an external SD card.
The RR 5.8.4 ROM haves even 2 implemented file manager apps which work smooth but they both have poor UIs with limited functions.
Factually, do not providing Android APIs correctly the custom ROM developers refuse to use user installed apps fullfledgely but instead they compel the users of their ROMs to use only an ersatz bloatware soft implemented by the ROM developers in the custom ROMs.
3) The big battery drain after every reboot and a significant battery drain in general.
As more media files (videous, images include offline map tiles, sounds) are in the internal or external storage (an microSD card) of smartphone then more extensive battery drain Galaxy S2 will suffer after every reboot and after some operations with access to storages. This bug appears in both ROMs: in Lineage OS 14.1 and in Resurrection Remix 5.8.3 - 5.8.4.
For instance, if 128GB microSD card almost full of various videous and photos is in the smartphone then it becomes very hot for more than 1 hour after every reboot!
Some my futher research reveals that the high temperature with the battery drain caused by the dubious activity of Media Storage app implemented in the Lineage OS based ROMs hiddenly. This app finds and analises all media files (and may more) by unoptimized and uneffective way creating and saving big hidden databases, wasting CPU, a battery and an internal storage.
Unfortunately, disabling of this dubious hidden app leads to the smartphone loses functionality partly.
Please, pay in opinion that this bug produces the same traces as usually produced by some hidden virus activity: excessive scanning of user files, an unexpected load on the hardware, eventual draining of the battery...
4) Multiple lags (short freezes) are at various programs interfaces using. A main Android 7 menu is more or less smooth only.
For instance, Skype app version 8 has lags to several seconds in its menu.
Also the smartphone touchscreen is more sensible with the latest original Samsung's firmware (Android 4.1.2) rather than with LOS 14.1 or RR 5.8.4.
On another hand, Galaxy S2 with LOS 14.1 or with RR 5.8.4 scores more points in AnTuTu test but it is only mostly due to becoming of supporting F2FS and yet getting additional points for an newer additional rendering engine.
5) Sometimes over-the-air updates becomes impossible due to already after downloading an update file the smartphone then displays an error message 'Unable to reboot into recovery'. For instance, this bug appears after 2nd August 2017 and 23th August 2017 updates.
6) Camera1 and Camera2 APIs do not provided correctly. Some serious camera apps report about it clearly by a message and then close. Another camera apps are buggy.
I just will give few examples...
All videous recorded with a mono sound only but can be saved as allegedly with a stereo sound.
The famous A Better Camera app by Almalence loses all its settings unexpectedly time to time and becomes as its first launch again. This bug does not exist in RR 5.8.4 but instead there is another bug with A Better Camera app: it can not record videous with scene mode setting. And it is very sad due to the app can significantly improve the camera in our old device specially for photo and videorecordings in low light conditions (it can be reached by choosing manually ISO800 and then the Fireworks scene mode).
The implemented in the ROM the Snap camera app is very weak with the ugly uncomfortable interface.
7) There is a trouble to enter the year manually in the data settings in a portrait mode due to number of years limitation. The same bug was in RR 5.8.3 but it was fixed in RR 5.8.4.
This bug does not exist in a landscape mode.
8) It can send and receive only the very limited kinds of files via bluetooth, which filename extensions are listed among a poor list of files recognised by the custom ROM itself (not by user installed apps). Factually, it is like an unwanted blocking filter at the bluetooth.
For instance, you can create an effective compressed .zipx archive file by the WinZip app for Android OS on Galaxy S2 but you will be unable to send such archive file via bluetooth. And you will be unable to receive such files too.
Many file extensions do not recognized by the custom smartphone ROM: among they are modern Opus music format, RAR archives and etc, etc. You will be unable to send or receive they via bluetooth.
The same bug is in RR 5.8.4.
Please, pay in opinion this issue does not seem as a mistake of the ROM developers but just opposit: it seems more as an unwanted blocking filter specially implemented on the bluetooth. And their reason for it remains unclear and suspicious.
9) There is an implemented feature to record a phone call but there is not an option to record all phone calls automatically. Instead only after hand up there inside the tree of dialer settings appears a hidden option which allow manually start to record the current call. So, if you want to record the call then only already during the call you need to go into the dialer menu tree and activate this hidden option, which is uncomfortable.
Moreover, external apps for phone call recordings does not work properly with this ROM (they do not record sounds from another side).
The same bug is and in RR 5.8.4.
10) The famous SuperSU root tool by ChainFire does not compatible with Lineage OS 14.1 for Galaxy S2. And apps which require only the SuperSU root can do not work properly.
The same bug is in the Resurrection Remix 5.8.4.
11) The small window with the text 'MTP host error' appears in the screen foreground like a ghost.
The same bug is in RR 5.8.4.
12) The settings menu haves a white background everywhere and it causes wasting of short lifetime span of pixels of OLED display triggering yet the additional unwanted battery drain and provoking an eye strain.
Unfortunately, a wallpaper does not change it.
There is not a simple option in the settings menu for just to change its white background to black.
It is not a bug but it is a significant disadvantage of the Lineage based ROMs - specially the Resurrection Remix ROM, which haves miltiple various settings and options but except needful simple this one.
13) The official Lineage OS bug tracker does not accept bug reports by easy way. Instead it requests a registration in advance via a full user name and other personal data, which can be sensitive and used by unappropriate way. It does not allow the registration via the World famous and trusted Google+ or Facebook social networks. Moreover, sometimes the bug tracker does not work and have an announcement about sheduled technical maintenance on a web-hosting side.
14) The ROM developers do not fix even well known simple bugs like described here at the points 8 or 9.
Talking very softly: some XDA forum users (include moderators) also do not welcome for public bug reports in proper topics of the XDA forum. It seems like they conceal the existence of many bugs and only lure new people to become victims of the buggy ROMs. And I did started this topic for stop it.
I do not know what their purpose is exactly.
But after some time observation it is possible to determine that someone actually regularly 'dilute' proper topics on the XDA forum by short luring messages in parrot style like 'I had installed it and it is great!' Unfortunately, such kind of simple messages are just alluring fakes high probably.
The another short trap parrot messages are like that 'It runs fast and smooth!'. The deception there is that it attracts only by the Android 7.1.2 menu appearance on the old device for purposes like a brag but really conceal that the whole device with this ROM becomes unreliable for serious fullfledge using.
I was attracted by topics on the XDA forum about Android 7.1.2 for Samsung Galaxy S2 (model: GT-I9100) and I had lost more than 2 months period installing latest Lineage OS 14.1 updates and Resurrection Remix ROMs 5.8.3 - 5.8.4 and I had decided that the last official Samsung's firmware with Android 4.1.2 is not ideal but much reliable on Galaxy S2 rather than LOS 14.1 or RR 5.8.4.
15) The custom ROMs does not provided as a single useful full package unlike it was with a Samsung's official firmwares. Actually, things, which called Lineage OS 14.1 or RR 5.8.4 for Galaxy S2, are main parts of unresonant firmwares only. It means that in a case of installing such firmwares the user discovers many disadvantages of they and after asking questions on the XDA forum he gets endless tips like: to find in the internet and install other necessly parts and yet to make very specific technical adjustments manually or even experiment with they. All it can be interesting and feasible for the smartphone entusiasts but not for an ordinary user.
For instance, some messages on the XDA forum suggest to download and install the special version of Kernel Adiutor app then run it and experiment with its settings for make the smartphone runs smooth because the ROM developers did not preselect best settings and did not adjusted they before as default values. Moreover, you will need to find in the internet and install separately yet a modem firmware for a better signal, the Substratum app and a proper theme just for make the screen background black everywhere and etc, etc.
Factually, Lineage OS 14.1 and Resurrection Remix 5.8.3 or 5.8.4 ROMs for the Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone are not 'Plug&Play' kind of firmwares. They are unfeasible for an average user.
Please, pay serious attention: an user of these buggy custom ROMs can get a negative impact to his behavior (even to his mental health) and to his business.
JaLoou said:
[...]last official Samsung's firmware with Android 4.1.2 is not ideal but much reliable on Galaxy S2[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Obvious obviousness.
Custom ROMs are not meant to replace commercial firmware, but so that the community can learn and be happy to discover new things.
The screenshots, published with this message, proof the big battery drain after reboot and yet just after charging without even using the Galaxy S2.
I had experiment specially:
after the middle of a night I had swithed off my smartphone, I charged it to 100%, unplugged then I switched it on and leaved immidiately for several hours while I sleeping to late morning.
Then I got the varios battery stats and saved it on the 3 screenshots.
So, everyone can see that the battery lost 39% from full charge without the smartphone being used by the user for several hours.
Moreover, there is a big battery drain just after every charging without the smartphone using and 4th screenshot proofs it too.
And later in response to some nit-pick criticism about this battery consumption test then I had attached yet here a 5th screenshot of the same stand-by battery test on my device swithing on after a full charge but with Samsung's latest official firmware with Android 4.1.2. So, 5 screenshots here give a full picture for compare easy the custom ROMs and Samsung's latest official firmware with Android 4.1.2 in the terms of power consumption.
You can see it clearly that Samsung's latest official healty ROM with Android 4.1.2 consumes not only much less power in stand-by mode but also it consumes power for another purposes at all mostly for cellular network only while the suspicious custom ROMs like LOS 14.1 or RR 5.8.3-5.8.4 consume the enormous big amount of power like crocodiles at stand-by mode for the unwanted excessive file scanning on the user's smartphone!
The next screenshot proofs the bug of inability to install over-the-air updates (after a firmware update file already downloaded the smartphone shows the error message 'Unable to reboot into recovery').
Please keep in mind that none of the developers gets paid for his work. Complaining about bugs not being fixed like this appears disrespectful to me.
Thanks anyway for the thread, might help some people to decide whether to give this ROM a shot or not.
A big thanks to the XDA-Devs for this ROM which I have on my phone since 2 months.
In this time, I haven't been able to "seriously" use my phone. Everything is working except the bugs mentionned above, but the phone has become soooo slow... and some issues with battery life also. Sometimes the device just gets hot in my pocket for no reason, drains half the battery in a few minutes (though I have done the "calibration").
Every action becomes a hassle, but works in the end. It's like using Windows 95 on a 486.
So: nice if you want to try out stuff, but no to recommended for every day use IMHO.
BenjyTec said:
Please keep in mind that none of the developers gets paid for his work. Complaining about bugs not being fixed like this appears disrespectful to me.
Thanks anyway for the thread, might help some people to decide whether to give this ROM a shot or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Concealing many bugs the ROM developers did lured me (and many others) as free unpaid beta-testers for their unreliable ROM.
Moreover, the bug tracking functions in Lineage OS and Resurrection Remix are not clear and suspicious. Persons who manage it can get easy a various sensitive information about the smartphone users and can use this data by unappropriate way.
If sort the all known bugs then it is possible to reveal easy that the most part of they haves access to user files on the smartphone. These bugs are:
- the unwanted blocking filter at bluetooth,
- excessive user files scanning,
- wrongly provided Android APIs accompanied with attempts to constraint the users to use only the bloatware ersatz file managers implemented in the custom ROMs and an ugly bloatware ersatz camera app.
The bugs mentioned above are well known but did not fixed for a long period of time. And it triggers really an assumption that they can be specially implemented in the custom ROMs for get a full control over the user files without the user knowledge about it. By another words they are not the unfixed bugs but they are the traces of hidden viruses implemented in the custom ROMs.
These viruses can be ordered and paid masking via chains of proxies by an interested party. Ordered viruses and vulnerabilities can be easy implemented villaintly inside some of many allegedly useful patches on every stage in a long way from an initial open publication of Google's Android source code to a last compilation for get a firmware binary file for a target gadget model.
The device Samsung Galaxy S2 was sold over 40 millions (according to Wikipedia). High probably several millions (may even decades of millions) are remain in use today. And they are an attractive target for an interested party.
Moreover, viruses implemented in a firmware almost impossible to determine by an antivirus software.
The party interested in productions of infected custom ROMs can be also discovered easy by researching and proper sorting the several users of the XDA forum, which was indicated in the hostil activity: they was against the public exposures of serious issues in the custom ROMs, they did tried masked to blackwash me and they lure really new people to become unwill victims of the unreliable custom ROMs. The convinced persons are all have same specific feature...
Unfortunately, one of the XDA moderators forbid to explain about it futher.
But what I allowed to tell here is that any custom ROM development can be supported by a party interested in a mass distribution of viruses hidden in firmwares.
Complaining about bugs not being fixed like this appears disrespectful to me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fully disagreed, as long it's constructive critism it helps other to see what is currently working and what not to easier decide to switch to the ROM or not. The main reason is (I asume) to show the list of bugs, which make sense cause the specific LOS thread not shows the current issue, or you need to go trough each comment separately.
I'm glad we still getting updates and **** but some bugs are years old and just migrated because no one seriously took a closer look at it, so I'm happy that this thread exist to share the experience and to list the known issue.
Here you are, not the developers, not doing the right thing.
You want everything at once, and what you did for it.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=73346796&postcount=1814
CHEF-KOCH said:
Fully disagreed, as long it's constructive critism it helps other to see what is currently working and what not to easier decide to switch to the ROM or not. The main reason is (I asume) to show the list of bugs, which make sense cause the specific LOS thread not shows the current issue, or you need to go trough each comment separately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what I wrote in the second half of my post
I understood the purpose of this thread. What I said just refers to two or three sentences the OP posted. Thank you and goodbye.
JaLoou said:
In this message I only want to publish screenshots, which proof just one of many stupid bugs in Lineage OS 14.1 (Android 7.1.2) for Samsung Galaxy S2 (GT-I9100) smartphone.
As you can see sometimes an user is able to press link 'connect' after entering even 5 symbols of password for WiFi!
But an user is denied of possibility to connect to a WiFi hotspot if he did entered a password of 8 symbol length!
Or 9 symbols and etc, etc!
I did received and installed new updates for Lineage 14.1 every week but NO one known bug was fixed include this one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, Please don't use !!!!!! It looks like you offend people!! Even people who tries to help you!
Secondly, the issue isn't an issue of i9100. It is an issue of the ROM, meaning on all devices. A device maintainer maintains his devices when something changes in the ROM (changes in LineageOS and Android google sources) to keep it up to date.
Thirdly, have you ever connected with your dummy passwords to the Wifi Access Point? Or are you just trying to find "stupid" bugs?
There is a validation mechanism depending on the used security type of the Access Point which is auto detected
WPA2 PSK => minimal password length is 8 WEP
WEP40/104/128 => valid lengths 5, 13, 16 or HEX-values valid lengths 10, 26, 32 and ofcourse 0-9 A-F as allowed characters
If you want to help, try to configure your WIFI access points and verify LineageOS's behavior when configuring with WPA2 PSK/WEP.
Also look in JIRA if the issue is already reported. I saw this issue last week about wifi-password for example:
https://jira.lineageos.org/browse/REGRESSION-912?jql=text ~ "wifi password"
---------- Post added at 06:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:55 PM ----------
Here are my comments on your reported bugs.
1) When you will get an incoming phone call or receive a message then your Galaxy S2 will ring and vibrate but the screen can be fully dark without any notification about the call.
I'm aware of this symptom. The problem is memory and running background processes. Having to much apps installed (Facebook, instagram, snapchat, etc) causes the OS to memory swap when the phone-app must be active. ART uses more memory than Dalvik.
2) Some programs can not work with an external SD card. They can start to work with it after reboot or after few reboots only.
Which programs? The solution is probably using emulated storage.
3) Galaxy S2 with Lineage OS 14.1 becomes hot with a big battery drain for some significant period of time after every reboot. So, rebooting trying to make installed apps work properly you can just quickly fully empty your battery and finish on it.
This is a known issue and can't be resolved. Android 7.1.2 takes more boottime than 4.1.2. The CPU is constantly at 1200Mhz during boot and several minutes after boot because of apps starting up. Our 1600mah battery can't cover this 'boot'-drainage multiple times. It needs 'resting' time to stablelize (like a car battery). Try the app Battery Log to see how the CPU at max speed is pulling the voltage down.
4) The famous FX File Explorer app does not work with the default internal folder 'Documents'.
When you will delete a file on an external SD card this app may not delete it but just rename the file to hidden only (a name started with a dot).
There is another file manager app implemented in the ROM but its interface seems very poor and uncomfortable.
I don't know what the issue with this App. A possible issue could be that we don't use emulated storage
5) Sometimes there is impossible to connect to a password protected WiFi hot-spot due to the link 'CONNECT' in the WiFi menu remains inactive (gray coloured) after password typing 8 symbols or more. This bug appears constantly at a connection with some password protected WiFi hotspots only. And it can become a serious unexpected trouble if you are on the go and in a need to connect to a new hot-spot.
This is by design. Validation depends on used security WEP/WPA2 PSK
6) Camera1 and Camera2 api do not provided correctly. So, camera apps are buggy.
For instance, the famous A Better Camera app by Almalence loses all its settings unexpectedly time to time and becomes as its first launch again. Yet there are another troubles with A Better Camera app.
The implemented in the ROM the Snap camera app is very weak with the ugly uncomfortable interface.
A great of effort has been made to make the legacy Camera api's work in the framework for legacy devices like our i9100 since google dropped its support. It is not perfect and probably never will be. Expect same issues later on in Android O.
7) There is a trouble to enter the year manually in the data settings in a portrait mode due to number of years limitation. This bug does not exist in a landscape mode.
Use small display view. We have a very low-res phone for 2017
8) There is an implemented feature to record a phone call but there is not an option to record all phone calls automatically. Instead only after hand up there inside the dialer settings appears a hidden option which allow manually start to record the current call. So, if you want to record the call then only already during the call you need to go into the dialer menu and activate this hidden option, which is uncomfortable.
Moreover, external apps for phone call recordings does not work properly with this ROM.
Was there ever a automatic recording option in the ROM? We need to investigate some apps why it fails recording.
9) The famous SuperSU root tool does not compatible with Lineage OS 14.1 for Galaxy S2. And apps which require only the SuperSU root can do not work properly.
It is still an issue I think. Please see http://www.lineageosrom.com/2017/01/download-supersuzp-and-su-removalzip.html
10) The small window with the text 'MTP host error' appears in the screen foreground like a ghost.
Our old kernel needs some patches, but it is unclear which patches.
11) The official Lineage OS bug tracker does not accept bug reports by easy way. Instead it requests a registration in advance via a full user name and other personal data, which can be sensitive and used by unappropriate way. It does not allow the registration via the World famous and trusted Google+ or Facebook social networks. Moreover, sometimes the bug tracker does not work and have an announcement about sheduled technical maintenance on a web-hosting side.
12) The ROM developers do not fix even well known simple bugs like described here at the points 5 or 7.
Seems they also do not welcome for public bug reports in proper topics on the XDA forum. It seems like they conceal the existence of many bugs and only lure new people to become victims of their buggy ROM. And I did started this topic for stop it.
I do not know what their purpose is exactly.
But after some time observation it is possible to determine that someone actually regularly 'dilute' proper topics on the XDA forum by short luring messages like 'I had installed it and it is great!' Unfortunately, such kind of simple messages are just alluring fakes high probably.
The another short trap messages are like that 'It runs fast and smooth!'. The deception there is that it attracts only by the Android 7.1.2 menu appearance on the old device for purposes like a brag but really conceal that the whole device with this ROM becomes unreliable for serious using.
I was attracted by topics on the XDA forum about Android 7.1.2 for Samsung Galaxy S2 (model: GT-I9100) and I had lost 1 month period installing latest Lineage OS 14.1 updates and Resurrection Remix 5.8.3 and I decide that the last official Samsung's firmware with Android 4.1.2 is not ideal but much reliable on Galaxy S2 rather than LOS 14.1 or RR 5.8.3.[/QUOTE]
I'm using 2 S2's as daily drive. One for work and one private. I don't have many big apps installed and use my s2 also as car navigation using waze or Google maps. Yes sometimes you have to be patient for a 6 year old device.
Hello.
It is good that the ROM developer had come here in this topic at least.
First of all I do not offend all people. I help Galaxy S2 users to do not fall in the trap, in which I had falled already after being lured by false messages on the XDA forum about allegedly the existence of good ROM Lineage OS with Android 7.1.2 for i9100...
But the ROM is very buggy actually.
For second, all bugs which I described in this topic do not exist in the Samsung's official firmware for Galaxy S2 but only in Lineage and Lineage related ROMs like Resurrection Remix 5.8.3.
JaLoou said:
Hello.
It is good that the ROM developer had come here in this topic at least.
First of all I do not offend all people. I help Galaxy S2 users to do not fall in the trap, in which I had falled already after being lured by false messages on the XDA forum about allegedly the existence of good ROM Lineage OS with Android 7.1.2 for i9100...
But the ROM is very buggy actually.
For second, all bugs which I described in this topic do not exist in the Samsung's official firmware for Galaxy S2 but only in Lineage and Lineage related ROMs like Resurrection Remix 5.8.3.
For instance, with Samsung's official firmware I was able to connect to the exact 2 WiFi hot-spots (as in the screenshots published before) and to many more. But with Lineage 14.1 (and RR 5.8.3) I'm unable to connect to the same 2 WiFi hot-spots. This is enough.
It does not matter which security use this 2 WiFi hot-spots. I was able to connect to them before with the Samsung's official firmware and now I'm unable to connect to them with Lineage.
Before I was able to enter the proper passwords to them. Now I'm unable to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion, you are making a cardinal mistake comparing Stock Android with version 4.1.2 with custom ROM version 7.1.2.
Each of these versions represents a far different operating model in the hardware layer.
But test yourself, if you have enough free time.
ze7zez said:
In my opinion, you are making a cardinal mistake comparing Stock Android with version 4.1.2 with custom ROM version 7.1.2.
Each of these versions represents a far different operating model in the hardware layer.
But test yourself, if you have enough free time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm explaining about bugs exactly. They are simple stupid bugs in the Lineage ROM for Galaxy S2, which people face with.
It is also clear that the ROM developers conceal bugs only instead of fixing they.
I had attached the screenshot to this message, which proofs the bug with a manual inability to enter the current year correctly in a date settings at a portrait mode due to an unwanted limitation of number of years available for choose from.
JaLoou said:
Hello.
It is good that the ROM developer had come here in this topic at least.
First of all I do not offend all people. I help Galaxy S2 users to do not fall in the trap, in which I had falled already after being lured by false messages on the XDA forum about allegedly the existence of good ROM Lineage OS with Android 7.1.2 for i9100...
But the ROM is very buggy actually.
For second, all bugs which I described in this topic do not exist in the Samsung's official firmware for Galaxy S2 but only in Lineage and Lineage related ROMs like Resurrection Remix 5.8.3.
For instance, with Samsung's official firmware I was able to connect to the exact 2 WiFi hot-spots (as in the screenshots published before) and to many more. But with Lineage 14.1 (and RR 5.8.3) I'm unable to connect to the same 2 WiFi hot-spots. This is enough.
It does not matter which security use this 2 WiFi hot-spots. I was able to connect to them before with the Samsung's official firmware Android 4.1.2 and now I'm unable to connect to them with Lineage Android 7.1.2.
Before I was able to enter the proper passwords to them. Now I'm unable to do it.
The WiFi hot-spot 'Net 48' haves the password of 10 symbols length. So, it is not WEP secured exactly. But with Lineage Android 7.1.2 I unable to connect to this hot-spot now but before I was able to connect to this hot-spot with the Samsung's official firmware Android 4.1.2 quickly and without any delays.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's important information you describe about the wifi. Please determine which security and password you are using so we can reproduce the issue. The Name of your sid doesn't matter.
rINanDO said:
That's important information you describe about the wifi. Please determine which security and password you are using so we can reproduce the issue. The Name of your sid doesn't matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Found the bug! It was introduced in linageos since April 27th. https://github.com/LineageOS/androi...mmit/9663c3179fad5e7de7bf4bf31e40649749f33861
The newly introduced faulty input validation is incorrect for WEP. It should not distinguish hex values or plain characters on input. I will create a fix for this.
Some serious camera apps report clearly about the wrong implementation of Camera2 API in Lineage 14.1 for Galaxy S2. I had attached screenshots to this message for proof it.
Hello.
The bug with entering password for connect to some WiFi hot spots, which about I did reported here few times, this bug was fixed or such reporting was my mistake and I really sorry for that. Now I'm able to connect to the 2 WiFi hot-spots, to which I was unable to connect before. Probably, both WiFi hot-spots are WEP secured with passwords of 10 (decimal) symbols length.
Please, excuse me for disturbance about this bug. Probably, I was mistaken due to I did not know about password lenghts limits to 5 and 10 (decimal) symbols in the WEP.
Very sorry.
But another bugs in the ROM continue to exist and they need to be fixed.
JaLoou said:
Hello.
The bug with entering password for connect to some WiFi hot spots, which about I did reported here few times, this bug was fixed or such reporting was my mistake and I really sorry for that. Now I'm able to connect to the 2 WiFi hot-spots, to which I was unable to connect before. Probably, both WiFi hot-spots are WEP secured with passwords of 10 (decimal) symbols length.
Please, excuse me for disturbance about this bug. Probably, I was mistaken due to I did not know about password lenghts limits to 5 and 10 (decimal) symbols in the WEP.
Very sorry.
But another bugs in the ROM continue to exist and they need to be fixed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is ok. No bad feelings. The very confusing password length has been removed in the official. It was not in Google's android source anyway and the LOS team has merged my commit.
Other good news, I found a workaround to get the camera scene-mode working! It is possibly a bug in the camera firmware which resets the scenemode when the camera starts streaming. It will be in the next official build. As far as I can reproduce, the actual 'night vision'-mode is fireworks.
rINanDO said:
It is ok. No bad feelings. The very confusing password length has been removed in the official. It was not in Google's android source anyway and the LOS team has merged my commit.
Other good news, I found a workaround to get the camera scene-mode working! It is possibly a bug in the camera firmware which resets the scenemode when the camera starts streaming. It will be in the next official build. As far as I can reproduce, the actual 'night vision'-mode is fireworks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello.
The semi night vision trick for videorecording by A Better Camera app is to choose manually ISO800 and then choose the scene mode 'Fireworks'.
For more brightness enhancement you can yet choose the 'Cloudly' white balance preset.
I have an old small app, which updates the camera firmware on i9100. I had attached this app to the message. May it will help to someone.
I'm a noob but I think the problem with A Better Camera app is not in the camera hardware but somewhere close to a memory (RAM or flash). And I will try to explain it:
if I launch A Better Camera app for a first time then it shows a simple introductive help on its screen.
If I close the app and run it again then it does not shows the intro help at next launches. It is ok.
But if I press the home button for long time then I get a list of recent apps on the screen and if I scroll it up and clear all the recents list
then only A Better Camera app loses all its settings and becomes like at its first launch (there an introductive help appears again after the app launch).
This bug was not with the Samsung's official firmware Android 4.1.2.
A Better Camera app can improve the camera of our smartphone significantly for video recordings at low light conditions. Moreover, A Better Camera app provides the best DRO-mode among other camera apps, IMHO. It is like a second life for the old camera of our smartphone. So, please pay attention to fix the bug with A Better Camera app.
Hi. I posted this in the Gerneral Q&A forum (here), which apparently doesn't seem like the right place to post that in.
Here it is:
Hi. I'm looking for a list of all the apps I can uninstall (or disable if necessary) for the device to keep working (and for the Settings app to still work). I did reset my device a few times after a DeadObjectException error and the Settings app not responding. Before reseting, I noted which apps I installed myself and retrieved my text message backup file (the contacts are there and also in my SIM card). Everything else is either backed up (e.g. Pocket Frogs data) or the data doesn't have to be kept (like clearing app data).
Please list apps as the package name (e.g. Pocket Frogs's package name is com.nimblebit.pocketfrogs), so I can quickly find and uninstall/disable them without choosing the wrong one by mistake.
Note: My samsung galaxy s7 is model g930t (I don't know if that has any affect) with my carrier as tmobile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correction: Listing the package name (e.g. google play services) is ok, but the file name (e.g. com.google.andoird.gms) is preferred. I changed to using APKSharp, developed by a fellow XDA member, which does display both name variations.
I currently have nothing on the device (stuff is either backed up/saved or deleted), so resetting is ok, though not preferred. I did check out other methods, but my device isn't supported for most of them. (It's the same samsung galaxy s7 G930T model with tmobile as the carrier.)
Note: A partial list is ok; I just want to get started somewhere without hitting errors and issues like "Settings keeps stopping".
Note 2: Stuff I don't use: samsung stuff, google stuff, bluetooth, nfc, dictionary, all game-related "tools", car mode, tv conenction, radio, voicemail, news/briefing, most tmobile stuff (excluding SIM card-related stuff), etc.
Look inside here.
jwoegerbauer said:
Look inside here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, thanks. I've been looking for something like that for days... Also just found one here. Both, unfortunately, isn't specifically for an S7, but at least I can follow most of it.
Additional guides/threads: Galaxy S9 Plus and Galaxy S8. Also found one for S7 (and a script, too), but I'll have to verify it works with m device.
I guess my main issue is what do I need to keep for the device to function properly while removing bloatware via ADB or APKSpark (ADB-based I assume).
No idea why I couldn't find the lists before. Maybe I was looking in the "wrong" place.
Picked up a Moto G8 Power off Ebay and I havent touched an Android since I flashed a HTC Desire with Cyanogen Mod years ago.
Product/Variant: sofair XT2041-3 64GB PVT
?BootLoader? BL:MBM-3.0-sofiar-reteu-0f8934adaf8-210928
BaseBand: M6125_43.45.03.48R Sofia_rowdsds_cust
Recovery mode shows: RPES31.Q4U-47-35-9/54bc43
oem_locked
Spent all of today going around in circles.
Google Locked = it wants a pin to verify. Ebay ad stated it was google locked house clearance and not stolen. Nothing shows up in CheckAmend.com
On an offline PC
Android Studio installed - strangely ADB nowhere to be found.
ADB installed separately.
Got Magisk apk
Got from lolinet mirrors
XT2041-3_SOFIAR_RETEU_11_RPES31.Q4U-47-35-9_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml
blankflash_sofiar_RPE31.Q4U-47-35
From Motorola
Motorola_Mobile_Drivers_64bit
Rescue_and_Smart_Assistant_v6.3.2.12_setup - This will not install and I find this error in the Windows eventlog
MDM Declared Configuration: Function (checkNewInstanceData) operation (Read isNewInstanceData) failed with (The parameter is incorrect.)
Motorola support cant help until monday, but it might be a ASLR or some other MS security thing.
TWRP is missing the Motorola G8 on their website, G7 and G9 and others exist, so this is not an option.
Followed some of those youtube videos showing how to bypass the FRP, which appear to use a variety of tricks to either disable the Google Play Service or use an app to launch another app, a bit like getting the 2nd dial tone by calling a business freephone number, and hacking their phone system to get an onward outbound dial tone in the 80's.. Showing my age!
Before I put the device online using wifi and no sim for mobile data, I could get access to the Androids settings, where I could list apps, set permissions and other things so I'd tried to disable the play store, but these tricks wouldnt work. Put it online and it appears Android has been updated so those previous tricks for getting all the apps listed and makiing changes to their permission etc is no longer there. One of them was using the emergency phone, getting to the contact detail and then choosing a pic to gain access to other apps and that also stopped working and has disappeared which is why I say I think its been updated in all but version number!
I can access a fat32 sd card in recovery mode, but the apk files I put on it dont show, just the folders Android created on blank Fat32 partitions.
USB and ADB dont detect this device so I cant use the Wireshark USB to watch what is going over the USB connection.
AFAIK Android DeveloperMode/Debugging Mode is disabled.
I havent touched an android since the HTC Desires appeared and then I ported it Cyanogen Mod, but I subsequently learnt the UK Police had access to my phone even back then!
Not taking it apart to get access to the JTAG (just yet), I bought a few broke Pixel4A to see what I could learn about them when they arrive as well.
I see in fastboot, the mention of a "console [NULL]:null" is this the fastboot.exe alongside adb.exe in android tools, or something else?
So is there any other way or suggestion to get root for this device?
I fancied looking at LineageOS, or maybe some other OS like an unofficial port of GrapheneOS. I've found the device tree info put up by someone on here which would suggest its possible to port from Android 10Q to an Android11 distro/os, but my first hurdle is my stumbling block, I cant get the USB to work and have not found any other way to get beyond this stage to poke around with the OS and phone.
So any pointers, suggestions, advice, will be much appreciated!
TIA
Edit. It looks like Android/Google/Motorola have done a good job at locking down this OS and phone.
Edit2
Saw this thread here about making sure the Motorola drivers are installed properly.
[HELP] I seem to have bricked my Moto G Power and not it's stuck on bootloader.
This is what it looks like, and if I try to boot into recovery or system it just says "no operating OS found." Windows won't recognize it when trying to connect via USB. Any way to fix this? Help would be greatly appreciated.
forum.xda-developers.com
On Win10x64 I've been into c:\windows\system32\DriverStore\FileRepository, sorted the subfolders by todays date/time and can see a number of subfolders like
motoandroid.inf_amd64_dd80f24dcfb3dc931
motoandroid2.inf_...
motodrv.inf_....
motousbnet.inf....
and when inspecting one of the .inf files in notepad I can see there appears to be a service linked to the driver, but when I check the services, there isnt any services installed.
So I'm starting to think maybe Motorola's installation software doesnt work on windows with the default windows security settings, like exploit protection running.
More investigations...
Edit4
In the Control Panel (yes its still there in Win10), Device Manager, Other Devices are a couple of entries which the latest attempt to install the Motorola USB x64 msi installer created.
These are:
Mot Composite ADB Interface
Motorola ADB Interface
In c:\Windows\system32\drivers are a couple of 0KB wdf files (Windows Driver Foundation) files:
Msft_Kernel_WinUSB_01009.Wdf
MSft_Kernel_motoandroid_01009.wdf
Msft_User_WpdFs_01_11_00.wdf
So when looking at the c:\windows\system32\DriverStore\FileRepository I think the driver that needs to be installed can be found in the subfolder:
motoandroid.inf_amd64_dd80f24dcfb3dc931
However opening the motoandroid.inf file inside I can see lines like
DriverVer=03/25/2013, 1.3.0.0
As this folder was created about 30mins+ earlier, am I correct to believe the actual motorola driver was created back in 25th March 2013 and is version 1.3?
I know its possible to edit inf files to make drivers W2k and XP drivers work on later versions of windows, but the motorola website has the version number 6.4 but is this 6.4 the version number of the installation program?
Anyway scrolling further down the motoandroid.inf I can see towards the bottom instructions to install a service
"Mot ADB Interface Installation Driver" and it needs to find the actual driver in %root%\System32\Drivers\motoandroid.sys
Various paramaters, like a transfer size 4096bytes, a debug level of 2 and plenty of guids which will be found in the registry.
Anyway uninstalling the software as now removed these subfolders from the DriverStore\FileRepository, so a reboot and another attempt to see where its failing.
I just hope it doesnt need an internet connection, as this offline pc is a dev machine.
Onwards and upwards....
Edit 5
So the Windows 10 setting which prevents the Lenevo Rescue and Smart assist from installing is the Windows App and Browser Control > Exploit Protection > Force randomisation for images (Mandatory ASLR) when its on.
You can have every other windows setting on, like ransomware protection, normal ASLR, DEP etc etc and LMSA installs fine, right now its downloading an image to flash from FastBoot, but its not got the Developer mode/USB debug enable in android to make this possible.
Now lets see if I can get the Motorola USB drivers to work with ADB...
Got to say these forums are excellent cheap intelligence gathering tools for manufacturers and software companies to harden their products.
So tried lots and lots of these types of YouTube videos which are exploiting an SE Linux "vulnerabilities/design flaw" by getting access to enough of the system in order to disable/force stop certain apps in order to get past FRP block.
Some of these are less than a month old with less than 100 views, but I also suspect some of them of doing a bit of camera editing. I guess its a way of bunking up the number of views for a youtube account, before it gets rebranded, if thats even possible!?!
Now I managed to get the Lenovo Rescue and Smart Assist program to work, once I realised it will not install when Windows Exploit protection/Mandatory ASLR is enabled (which is a give away as to what the installer is doing on my system as well), and the give away information which suggests it might be worth downloading wireshark and installing the USB "packet" sniffer is the fact that when LMSA is running and you plug your usb cable into the Motorola phone, the phone displays the battery power as a xx% inside a swirling circle of sorts.
So there is some sort of USB communication taking place?
The other thing that gives it away is when you type in your IMEI number into the LMSA Rescue section, its detecting the version of firmware and wants to download the latest version.
LMSA did this to me last night as it downloaded
SOFIAR_RETEU_RPES31.Q4U_47_35_12_subsidy_DEFAULT__regulatory_DEFAULT_CFC.XML.zip
which I guess I can search for on this computer, or at least search for files on my windows hard drive created within a certain date/time frame, as the filename might be scrambled/obfuscated in some temp folder.
So is it just Firmware level communication, or is there some sort of Android communication taking place as well?
If its just firmware, then what could be elucidated/deduced from attacking the firmware? Perhaps its time to get the Wireshark USB sniffer out after all.
As I can also put an SD card into the phone (the start of a potential side channel attack) and the phone will load the SD card, I could explore different routes like some "malware" embedded using a picture to attach to the Emergency Contact details, maybe some PHP embedded in the pictures EXIF data or something that could trigger some other secondary app/process in Android into action.
It might pay for me to lookup the Google Android source if its open source, and look at the Android project source which is open source for any vulnerabilities. Anything mentioned in Github could give away clues
Configure on-device developer options | Android Studio | Android Developers
Learn how to configure system behaviors that help you profile and debug your app performance.
developer.android.com
So are there any issues listed here which doesn't just affect Android 13, but maybe earlier versions as well?
Google Issue Tracker
issuetracker.google.com
So lots of less obvious or not publicly mentioned intelligent sources of potential attack vectors in plain sight.
Seeing if I can alter the cpu clock speed and quantum could also help to introduce some instability, Linux has a wider range of cpu schedulers than windows, but this route tends to hang systems and I have to get enough access to this phone in order to change the route.
The recovery msg logs seen when selecting different bootloader options give away info, I think this is DMesg output of sorts. I'm not a linux programmer, just a boring old windows programmer.
I could explore what else could be loaded from the SD card, using the Bootloader menu options. I was surprised the APK packages dont appear in SD card in the "Recovery Mode > Apply updates from SD card" option. Maybe its not expecting a APK file extension? Mybe its expecting a different file of sorts like a .bin file or .img file. Is this where BlankFlash comes into play?
I have to admit, buying a second hand phone like this with FRB enabled off Ebay from a guy purporting to be in Salisbury home of Noivchok, is also a great way of spreading the latest and greatest malware to unsuspecting hackers and also to phish those who could potentially get around the FRB restriction with the minimum of effort. The UK civil service have their own internal postal system so has something been posted internally down the M5 motorway from Cheltenham, for some intelligence gathering or a cheap way of outsourcing some device cracking?
Oh well the silence is deafening.
So Motorola Support Centre have been in touch and stated:
I am really sorry to say that the kill switch feature, which is known as "Google Lock" is not bypassable by anyone other than the repair center.
So they are stating the Android Factory Reset Protection (FRP) can be bypassed which is another way of saying it can be undone, so the next challenge is finding out where on the device this flag or flags resides.
Is it something like the RaspberryPi One Time Programmable (OTP) switch's that may not be One Time Programmable but like the dip switches seen on the motherboards of early 8086/286/386/etc personal computers, or something else like a file on the main storage device with the rest of android.
I think the first thing to do is get Wireshark and the USB sniffer to see what information is being sent over the USB cable.
And as its possible to get the device online via wifi, it's probably a good idea to see what information is being sent over wifi, so using wireshark on a raspberrypi masquerading as an access point might be useful as well.
So the first thing to do is have a look at the Android documents
Android
Android has 74 repositories available. Follow their code on GitHub.
github.com
https://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/admin/FactoryResetProtectionPolicy
The factory reset protection policy determines which accounts can unlock a device that has gone through untrusted factory reset.
So it looks like Android are also stating the Factory Reset Protection can be undone. It seems a that a single user setup and a corporate setup exist, where a corporate account could be used to remotely wipe a device and then reenable the device, I guess if the user hands it back to the company.
https://developer.android.com/about/versions/marshmallow/android-6.0-changes API 23
EXTRA_PROVISIONING_RESET_PROTECTION_PARAMETERS is removed so NFC bump provisioning cannot programmatically unlock a factory reset protected device.
You can now use the EXTRA_PROVISIONING_ADMIN_EXTRAS_BUNDLE extra to pass data to the device owner app during NFC provisioning of the managed device.
Interestingly, NFC can be used to unlock FRP in earlier versions of Android. and its possible to use NFC to potentially configure and more other devices using NFC. As NFC is just a low power and thus low range frequency in the RFID range of frequencies alot of other things could be possible. NFC to me is just like any other form of communication method, beit a usb cable, telephone wire, wifi, ultrasonic sounds, or Infrared.
Radio-frequency identification - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
NFCIP-1 and NFCIP-2
Near-field communication - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
As NFC can communicate a request and response, and Android is using NFC to configure devices, using NFC may be a novel attack vector for peoples android devices, without them knowing about it unless they capture on a personal webcam everyone and every NFC device they come in to close contact with. Maybe using payment terminals could become a new attack vector at your favorite local retail outlet?
Well if Covid doesnt make people socially distanced, then maybe an NFC attack vector might if it works beyond the claimed 4cm operating range! Unfortunately this phone does not come with NFC, but others do.
I've got to find the source code....
Android (operating system) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Most versions of Android are proprietary. The core components are taken from the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which is free and open-source software (FOSS) primarily licensed under the Apache License.
Search results for "factory reset protection" | Android Open Source Project
source.android.com
The default implementation of Test Harness Mode uses the same storage mechanism as Factory Reset Protection to store the ADB keys temporarily in a persistent partition.
So it looks like I need to gain access to this "persistent partition" and try to find this ADB for starters.
Seems a bit sneeky of Google and Android here. https://source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin/2016-02-01
At the bottom of the Android webpage is a link to Factory Images of the Google Nexus and Pixel phones which jumps you to Google web page. No indication what so ever I'm leaving Android and going to Google!
Flashing devices | Android Open Source Project
source.android.com
To enable OEM unlocking on the device:
In Settings, tap About phone, then tap Build number seven times.
When you see the message You are now a developer!, tap the back button.
In Settings, tap System, then tap Developer options and enable OEM unlocking and USB debugging. (If OEM unlocking is disabled, connect to the internet so the device can check in at least once. If it remains disabled, your device might be SIM locked by your carrier and the bootloader can't be unlocked.)
Reboot into the bootloader and use fastboot to unlock it.
For newer devices (2015 and higher):
fastboot flashing unlock
For older devices (2014 and lower):
fastboot oem unlock
Tip: if you're seeing `adb devices` output before reboot but fastboot or the flash script are misbehaving, it might be issues with your USB cable. Try a different port and/or switching connectors. If you are using a USB C port on your computer try a USB A port instead.
Confirm the unlock onscreen.
Well the instructions I've seen only talk about the gaining access to settings and the doing 7 taps on the Build Number. Lets see if the rest of the instructions work.
Onwards and upwards....
Well sent the phone back the Ebay seller claiming to be a house clearance business wouldnt provide any paperwork to back up his claims of how he came to be in possession of the phone. So as I planned to do some computer forensics on it, like retrieve the files wiped by a Factory Reset, and the perverse interpretation of the law in this UK, I wasnt prepared to go any further with the phone. So its been sent back. The banks have already shown how untouchable they are, other big businesses are also in the same position and finding illegal stuff on a phone is not a risk I'm not prepared to take without paperwork.