[Q] What is the easiest way to reset WebOS keeping Android? - TouchPad General

In other words: how to delete my accounts with the least hassle (the new owner wants both OS on the tablet)? I know its easy in Android but WebOS...
There are 3 levels of erasing the device in WebOS: is there any chance that the first or second (not full erase) will delete the account and leaves Android untouched? If not, then I guess it will be full erase, but then how would I reinstall Android without re-registering WebOS first?

I think I have an idea - if you're willing to try it out.
Here in the forum, there's a thread on how to reset it back to complete stock partitions and everything. Follow that guide. Then, once you've done that, you boot into WebOS. Log in with your account (Follow me here for a sec), and create the cminstall folder on your /media folder. Then go and run WebOSDoctor again, which'll erase all of the main content, but not the SDCard / Media folder. After that's finished, do a hard reboot, put it into recovery, and run AcmeInstaller (or AcmeInstaller2 if you want CM9).
That SHOULD theoretically do what you're aiming for. Then you power the device off and hand it over.

ve6ay said:
I think I have an idea - if you're willing to try it out.
Here in the forum, there's a thread on how to reset it back to complete stock partitions and everything. Follow that guide. Then, once you've done that, you boot into WebOS. Log in with your account (Follow me here for a sec), and create the cminstall folder on your /media folder. Then go and run WebOSDoctor again, which'll erase all of the main content, but not the SDCard / Media folder. After that's finished, do a hard reboot, put it into recovery, and run AcmeInstaller (or AcmeInstaller2 if you want CM9).
That SHOULD theoretically do what you're aiming for. Then you power the device off and hand it over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why not just run webdoctor to erase the main content but not the sdcard / media folder? to reset android I would only need to erase Google account, isn't it so? I mean skipping first 3 rows in the citation.
Thanks for idea, anyway.

So I took a risk and chose the third option (full erase, not secured). Account was deleted and Android was still there. Moboot was not harmed either.
I hope that will help you sell yours should you decide its obsolete!

Related

Modified Boot/Installer

Hello again fellow nookie lovers....
DISCLAIMER: If you do not know what the following information does, means, or could result in if not performed correctly, please stop now and go no further. I hold no liability for how you use the following information or if you brick, bork or f&*k up your device.
Now with that, let's continue.....
I decided to post up a modified .IMG file I was able to throw together after getting my hands on a honeycomb preview. The original IMG was provided to me by a good friend (Thanks J and Thanks to the creator of the IMG) and then honeycomb come shortly after.
Using WinImage or a similar program to burn the IMG to a SD card, 1G or larger, will give you a bootable SD allowing you to boot directly into clockwork recovery and install the following:
B&N Original Firmware 1.0.1
Nookie Froyo
Nookie Honeycomb (SN:Overclocks to 1100 default)
Google Apps
Before installing any of the 2 Android systems, remember to visit "Mounts and Storage" and format the Data, System, and Boot partitions. Save Boot for last as it will lock up the nook and require a restart of the device. Once these areas are formatted, continue to install your preferred system of choice. Once that is completed, be sure to install the Google Apps zip to give you the market.
As of this time, the IMG file is approx 978 MB. As I modify I am sure it will grow to require a 2 GB SD.
For my next project, I will be including an image with some of the most important apps a Droid user needs, ie:
ADBWireless
Applanet
BetterTerm
SetCPU
etc
If there are any good apps that I might overlook, hit me up here and let me know.
Nookie-Installer - http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PLNQ9QYZ
~Exile~
"When All Else Fails, Try Linux"

Clear Cache and Data from Stock Recovery

I've seen a number of requests for this functionality and recently it became necessary for one user who had a disabled Home Key to clear cache and data without the use of ClockworkMod. I have reserached two methods to address this issue. These instructions require some familiarity of android, computer and tablet terminology and usage. Feel free to ask for clarifications in comments. Here we go...
Method I - Stock Recovery Command File
Technical: Stock Recovery command file can be used to perform a few additional functions as well as to alter the path to update files. These commands will execute with all privileges available to recovery mode.
Advantages: Very easy to use. Very little technical knowledge required. No third party software is required for use.
Prerequisites: You will need a MicroSD card formatted FAT32 and a method for transferring files from your computer to the MicroSD.
Usage:
1) Prepare a text file named "command" (no file extension) with one of the following commands on a single line. The wipe data command will wipe both data and cache. Wipe cache will wipe cache only.
--wipe_data
--wipe_cache
2) Place the file in a folder named "recovery" in the root directory of your MicroSD card.
3) From a powered down state, insert the MicroSD card into your tablet and boot into recovery by powering it on while holding down the Volume Up key.
4) Allow the command to execute completely then the tablet should reboot (this may not occur automatically depending on firmware installed).
Method II - Updater Script
Technical: The attached "Updater Scripts" perform delete commands (recursively if necessary) on the named directory or file(s). The directories are mounted automatically by the system before the script executes but it could be easily revised to include that step if necessary. The partitioning, formatting and directory structure are left untouched. Only files are deleted.
Advantages: No third party software is necessary for execution. Relatively easy to modify for more surgical precision (i.e. leaving installed apps but clearing possibly corrupted system data). Included example: "Clear Battery Stats"
Prerequisites: You will need a MicroSD card formatted FAT32 and a method for transferring files from your computer to the MicroSD.
Usage:
1) Download the attached archive (ClearData.zip) to your computer.
2) Extract the files to your computer. You should then have a folder named "recovery" (which contains a file named "command") and an additional archive named "update.zip"
3) Place the recovery folder and the update.zip in the root directory of the MicroSD card.
4) From a powered down state, insert the MicroSD card into your tablet and boot into recovery by powering it on while holding down the Volume Up key.
5) Allow the script to execute completely then reboot the tablet (this may occur automatically depending on firmware installed).
This will become handy someday.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
You're welcome. One quick note... the new stock recovery adds a menu simiilar to ClockworkMod. These methods will still work since the recovery folder/command file are checked first but it really isn't as necessary any more.
Need Help
Tried both methods above but either way I get to the viewsonic splash with the message "Booting recovery kernel image" in the upper left and it just stays there, stuck there, I left it for a long time to see and it never leaves that screen.
Any ideas?
Me too
I can't get into clockworkmod either. My machine is running faster. I almost hate to mess it more.
lrgche said:
Tried both methods above but either way I get to the viewsonic splash with the message "Booting recovery kernel image" in the upper left and it just stays there, stuck there, I left it for a long time to see and it never leaves that screen.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's an indication that you may have more serious problems. nvflash will be required. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=861950
Once done you will likely need to install ClockworkMod and repartition your internal storage.
Loukoebel said:
I can't get into clockworkmod either. My machine is running faster. I almost hate to mess it more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If your tablet boots properly but you can't get into CWM then it probably isn't installed properly (or at all). http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=865245
Keep in mind that CWM is NOT compatible with all ROMs. Make sure the developer for your chosen ROM recommends it before installing it.
Does your method in opening post have to be run from external micro sdcard?
Both methods are performed with an external MicroSD card. They will work from internal also but it is a little more difficult to get the files in place if your tablet is not booting properly.
K J Rad said:
Both methods are performed with an external MicroSD card. They will work from internal also but it is a little more difficult to get the files in place if your tablet is not booting properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so your method is a simple way to replace one of the main uses of Clockword MOD?--Plus you stay stock more or less.
That is correct. Method II can also be modified to be less intrusive (leave user apps installed) or embedded into update scripts to perform a wipe during new ROM installs.
K J Rad said:
That is correct. Method II can also be modified to be less intrusive (leave user apps installed) or embedded into update scripts to perform a wipe during new ROM installs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wipe data does what--remove the apps installed?
And the partitions?
Your post is very interesting. It implies that you have a knowledge of the g-tabs partition structure. I have played with Linux off and on for the last 10+ years. When I began, I used Slackware and when you set it up you had to manually create partition tables using fdisk. You were only required to create two - the data partition and a swap partition but it was often recommended that you create several others - one to contain the home directory to prevent users from using all the disk space (in the days of small disks) for example. It appears that there are a lot of partition on the g-tab. Up to now, I have used various wiping tools like clockwork or calkulins wipe all on faith. I would really like to know what all the partitions are and what is in them. I have used terminal to get to the root folder and tried to do an fdisk to display the partitions but try as I might everything remains hidden. It would seem that a script like yours could be adapted to do many things but I would certainly want to understand the structure a little better before I did anything. I have searched and been unable to find that information. Can you point a way for the curious to learn more about the partition structure on the g-tab?
Wish I had a direction I could point you in. What I've found so far has mostly been stumbled upon while looking for something else. What I can tell you is this...
1) When using fdisk in Android you must specify the device to look at. Try something like: fdisk /dev/block/mccblk3 That should list the current partitions as defined by CWM or whatever was used originally.
2) Within one of those partitions in the list generated above are sub-partitions holding the bootloader, system, data, etc partitions. You can see how they're described in the .cfg files in the nvflash restores that are lying about.
lsu205 said:
Wipe data does what--remove the apps installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Removes user apps and their associated data as well as system related data and settings.
K J Rad - any idea if the partition size can be set with these methods (2048 & 0) in case I can't get clockwork installed?
CodeNamePapa said:
K J Rad - any idea if the partition size can be set with these methods (2048 & 0) in case I can't get clockwork installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking for a solution to that problem. Unfortunately these methods still require the ability to get into recovery mode which likely won't work if you're having trouble getting CWM installed.
If, however, you can get into recovery... then it is theoretically possible to create a script that would accomplish that. As soon as I have one I'll be adding it to the mix ;-)
Edit: I've found something I think will work. Will do some testing tonight. It will still require access to recovery.
I wasn't sure if you saw my other post but I am seeing no partition 0 when I NVFlash with a verifypartition.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=13059520&postcount=57
I haven't yet but I will. Let's try to keep this thread on topic. Thanks.
More thoughts:
because I went w/ cyan7 is it possible i have a "bad" kernel and that the stock bekit-1105 or the roebeet-3588 files are crashing w/ the kernel in place already?
I know custom ROMs can have a custom kernel applied separately, but I have no idea whether cyan7 loads it's own kernel...
I have yet to try the nvflash_gtablet_46 version, as I see the img files w/in are different from the original 1105 .zip
Also:
read on another thread that part 2 and part 3 aren't loading for other users when doing nvflash - I did notice that it pauses, runs some stuff, then starts loading part 4 through to the last part, then success. - do part 2 and 3 run for you?
edit: I see a 4349 downgrade.zip in another thread for those who got the OTA update but want to go back to stock 3588 prior to jumping off somewhere else - I can't expect that would help me as I can't do squat w/ recovery yet, but could that possibly "reset" any bad kernel problems? - again, I'm just thinking out loud.
This is well outside the scope of this thread but I find some of what you mention interesting so I'll address it and then end any further off topic discussions.
I did not build nor have I ever used Cyan7 so I have no basis for an opinion on the matter other than this... Each ROM comes with a kernel installed so if properly done an nvflash should overwrite any "bad" kernel.
Part2 and Part3 do indeed load, they are just displayed differently than the other Parts. Just minutes ago I flashed down from Mountain Laurel (4349 based with the new bootloader and recovery) with absolutely no trouble. I can, and have, read back those partitions after an nvflash to prove that point.
The 4349 downgrade will only work for you if recovery is working. Having never used it I don't know that it would "reset" the kernel but any subsequent flashing of a new ROM image would.
I am working on a stock recovery solution for partitioning but it isn't likely to help anyone who is stuck in an APX loop. I do have some ideas on what might help for that condition but I haven't been able to get my hands on one for testing and trying to help people here is like being a consulting mechanic for a car repair that's in someone else's shop having work done on it that you're not being told about.
I'll be happy to address any further comments or questions regarding your specific issue in an appropriate thread or via PM. Thanks.

[Tutorial] Restore WebOS kernel after kenel corruption or accidental deletion

This solution is an alternative to WebOS Doctor that will preserve your data and settings in case WebOS kernel got corrupted or deleted.
The solution is taken from http://www.webos-internals.org/wiki/Memboot and I corrected some details in the instructions and added links to relevant downloads in the hope that this would help people who had the same problem (I happened to accidentally delete the WebOS kernel image - uImage-2.6.35-palm-tenderloin - while trying to free up some space on /boot partition).
So, here goes:
What you need:
Up-to-date SDK (especially novacom & novacomd) - download from here
Up-to-date WebOS Doctor Image - download from here
Steps to follow:
Extract the original kernel from the WebOS Doctor Image:
open the .jar file as an archive (I used 7zip)
inside, there is an archive /resources/webOS.tar - open/extract that one, too
inside webOS.tar, there is an archive nova-cust-image-rootfs.tar.gz - open/extract that one
inside the rootfs, in /boot there'll be the uImage, called uImage-2.6.35-palm-tenderloin
Copy the uImage to the novacom folder on your computer (for Windows it is %programfiles%\HP webOS\SDK\bin)
Get into bootie mode:
power off the TP,
connect the TP via USB cable to your computer
hold the volume up key, while powering on the device,
you should see a big white usb-resembling logo on the screen
Open cmd.exe and run the following commands
Code:
cd %programfiles%\HP webOS\SDK\bin
novacom boot mem:// < uImage-2.6.35-palm-tenderloin
TP will automatically boot into WebOS
I hope this helps. Enjoy!
thanks for this!
it would've been really, really helpful two days ago, when i "accidentally" deleted the webOS kernel...it was a lot more work when i had to acmeuninstall, then run webOSdoctor and reinstall everything...
i'll have to keep this in mind, just in case i "accidentally" do the same thing again
ofmirroreye said:
it would've been really, really helpful two days ago, when i "accidentally" deleted the webOS kernel...it was a lot more work when i had to acmeuninstall, then run webOSdoctor and reinstall everything...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I almost did the same... was actually 5 minutes away from reinstalling everything... that's why decided to post this here
this is awesome - I recently updated web os and messed up by boot....web os doctor stops at 8 percent....many thanks for details.
What about a clean restore, I want to delete everything and get my HP the way it was originally without any extra Android files. Then I want to re-add from scratch the CM9...
TurboTronix said:
What about a clean restore, I want to delete everything and get my HP the way it was originally without any extra Android files. Then I want to re-add from scratch the CM9...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The simple way is to uninstall Android using acme uninstaller or preware Remove Android app, then webos doctor the TP. don't forget to back up your data/apps first. Hope this helps.
voxter said:
The simple way is to uninstall Android using acme uninstaller or preware Remove Android app, then webos doctor the TP. don't forget to back up your data/apps first. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It didn't work - still frozen at 8% - how do you acme unistall the moboot? I think that's what causing my loop error - stuck on HP logo....
Donmotobike said:
It didn't work - still frozen at 8% - how do you acme unistall the moboot? I think that's what causing my loop error - stuck on HP logo....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you can watch a small tutorial on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=p7IXl6XB6ig
Alternatively you can look in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1331540&highlight=webos+doctor - the problem looks similar

[Q] Best way to backup and restore on a number of devices

Hi
I've done a bit of searching but can't find anything too specific to what I'm trying to do. Basically we have 10 Android tablets, and I want to make them all standardised e.g. have the same Apps on, configured in the same way (e.g. enterprise wireless network added).
Now the thing is if anyone messes around with them I want a really easy way to restore them to the original config which I've done.
One way I thought was to configure one fully, install Titanium Backup on it, do a full backup of apps/system data etc, and put the backup onto an SD card. Then I already have the base ROM on an SD card so if theres any problems, I can just flash the ROM over it again, install TB, and restore all the data. Would this be suitable to do to duplicate the data onto 10 tablets, and also restore the data if required?
The other thing I looked into was customising a ROM myself, don't want to do anything too tricky it'll just be a case of removing all the preinstalled crap I don't want, preloading the Apps we do want, and if possible preloading the wireless key and getting rid of the first boot initial set up wizard.
PS I've looked at installing CWM and doing whole image backups, but supposedly the tablet isnt supported (its an Ainol Novo 7 Elf 2)
Any advice would be great, hopefully theres some fairly straight forward way of managing this
Thanks
One of the reasons I integrated a full blown GNU/Linux on my devices, was the need to run full and automated backups. If you are looking into the possibility making a custom ROM, this might be a solution for you as well. I'm using BackuPC to run backups nightly, backing them up as any other GNU/Linux machine (using tar over ssh).
See the link in my signature for more information about this.
kuisma said:
One of the reasons I integrated a full blown GNU/Linux on my devices, was the need to run full and automated backups. If you are looking into the possibility making a custom ROM, this might be a solution for you as well. I'm using BackuPC to run backups nightly, backing them up as any other GNU/Linux machine (using tar over ssh).
See the link in my signature for more information about this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Thanks for the reply, not too sure this would be the right option for us. I don't really need to take nightly backups, I just need to make a backup of a preconfigured image, and then put that image onto 10 other devices. Then I want to keep the original backup and have an easy way to restore it onto any devices which have been messed up. Sort of like image cloning for PCs, I want to prepare a base image, and then flash it over all the devices.
fro5tie said:
Hi
Thanks for the reply, not too sure this would be the right option for us. I don't really need to take nightly backups, I just need to make a backup of a preconfigured image, and then put that image onto 10 other devices. Then I want to keep the original backup and have an easy way to restore it onto any devices which have been messed up. Sort of like image cloning for PCs, I want to prepare a base image, and then flash it over all the devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, I see. Compile the image to you likings (boot image and system partition), and then flash it using fastboot onto you devices.
Hi
Does anyone have any more thoughts on this?
I have experimented with Titanium Backup and this seems to work quite well. I have installed a ROM, and customised it e.g. installed the apps I need and configured the apps, wireless settings and home screens etc. Then I do a full apps + system backup in TB to my SD card.
Then the plan is, I can reflash the ROM onto the other device, install TB and then restore this backup. This saves my user state and wireless settings etc.
Only problems is when I flash the ROM, I have to go through all the initial set up again and also remove some preinstalled apps which I dont want. Any ways around this?
There must be something I'm missing. Why don't you install the device, walk through the setup, remove the bloatware you don't want and then dumps the disk partitions into images you flash the other devices with using fastboot? This way you'll get'em cloned, isn't it this you want..?
Of course there's still some tinkering needed once restored/cloned, such as giving them individual Google accounts etc, but you can easily fix this without re-running the setup wizard.
kuisma said:
There must be something I'm missing. Why don't you install the device, walk through the setup, remove the bloatware you don't want and then dumps the disk partitions into images you flash the other devices with using fastboot? This way you'll get'em cloned, isn't it this you want..?
Of course there's still some tinkering needed once restored/cloned, such as giving them individual Google accounts etc, but you can easily fix this without re-running the setup wizard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Yes that's what I want to do! How would I go about dumping the disk into an image and then flashing?
fro5tie said:
Hi
Yes that's what I want to do! How would I go about dumping the disk into an image and then flashing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are several methods. Some boot loaders (such as nvflash for tegra based devices) can actually read back the disk partitions to a computer via the USB port. You can also on the tablet read the raw mtd device with busybox/dd. I assume you've unlocked the bootloader and gain root access to the device, since this is a requirement for flashing them as well. A third alternative is using busybox/tar, and then recreate the filesystem image using mkyaffs (or if ext3/ext4 even easier, just loopback mount an image on you linux maching to unpack the tar archive to). Once you got the images (system and userdata partitions), you flash the devices with "fastboot flash system system.img" and "fastboot flash userdata data.img". I don't believe you'll need to tamper with the other partitions.
kuisma said:
There are several methods. Some boot loaders (such as nvflash for tegra based devices) can actually read back the disk partitions to a computer via the USB port. You can also on the tablet read the raw mtd device with busybox/dd. I assume you've unlocked the bootloader and gain root access to the device, since this is a requirement for flashing them as well. A third alternative is using busybox/tar, and then recreate the filesystem image using mkyaffs (or if ext3/ext4 even easier, just loopback mount an image on you linux maching to unpack the tar archive to). Once you got the images (system and userdata partitions), you flash the devices with "fastboot flash system system.img" and "fastboot flash userdata data.img". I don't believe you'll need to tamper with the other partitions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Thanks for the quick reply, much appreciated.
Unfortunately you've lost me a bit here!
Yes the device is rooted, I dont have a linux machine though.
Any chance you'd be able to provide some more specific instructions? The device is a chinese tablet from manufacturer Ainol, the model is a Novo 7 Elf 2. Unfortunately there isn't much discussion on these online so specific help is hard to find!
fro5tie said:
Any chance you'd be able to provide some more specific instructions? The device is a chinese tablet from manufacturer Ainol, the model is a Novo 7 Elf 2. Unfortunately there isn't much discussion on these online so specific help is hard to find!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can provide you specific answers to specific questions, but I have no experience of the tablet in question, so you'll have to do some digging yourself first. Make sure it supports fastboot, investigate what the proprietary bootloader is capable of, see how/if you can obtain an original image etc.
One maybe easier solution, especially if you plan to restore the tablets on a regular basis, is to only make a new boot image to reflash the devices with. The only modification done is that you change the /init.rc script to mount /data and /system from the SDcard instead of from the internal nand disk device.
Once this is done, you'll power up and run the installation wizard and everything on your master tablet. Then power it down, and clone the SDcard. This SDcard now contains everything, so you'll simply restore a device by replacing its SDcard with a copy of this master card. I guess it's easier to clone a SDcard than reflashing several internal partitions. Easier to make the master as well - you don't need to dd or tar them, they are already in "image" format. If you can get hold of the original firmware, this should be quite easy without the need to preserving data from the device itself.
fro5tie said:
Any chance you'd be able to provide some more specific instructions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Issue the commands "cat /proc/mtd" and "mount" on your device at command prompt (e.g. via "adb shell" or the "ConnectBot" terminal app). This shows you if the device allows you to copy the boot image from it. Paste in the output into this thread. If you believe the "clone the tablet via the SDcard" is a good solution for you, the process is in short terms something as below;
Copy the boot image to the sdcard:
# dd if=/dev/mtd/mtd2ro of=/mnt/sdcard/boot.img bs=2048 (device dependent of contents of /proc/mtd)
Remove the sdcard, insert into a computer, split the boot image info kernel + initramfs. Read http://android-dls.com/wiki/index.php?title=HOWTO:_Unpack%2C_Edit%2C_and_Re-Pack_Boot_Images for instructions about how to work with the boot.img file. I really recommend a GNU/Linux environment for this.
Then edit /init.rc replacing the "mount yaffs2 [email protected] /system" with "mount ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 /system" for system and data (use p3 for data partition, the device name may be different on your tablet, see mount output).
Create an SDcard with three partitions: #1 vfat (standard), #2 and #3 ext3. Insert into you device and boot it up again.
# mount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p2 /root
# cd /system
# tar cf - . | (cd /root ; tar xf - )
# umount /root
# mount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p3 /root
# cd /data
# tar cf - . | (cd /root ; tar xf - )
# umount /root
This copies your partitions to the SDcard. Shutdown the tablet again.
Make a new boot.img using the instructions in the link above, using the edited init.rc script.
Now you can non-destrutive give this a try.
Place you tablet in fastboot mode (often vol-up (or vol-down) during power on).
$ fastboot devices
This vill verify the tablet is in fastboot mode. It should be listed. Then:
$ fastboot boot boot.img
Note here, only BOOT the tablet, do NOT use the "flash" keyword. This in case of the image isn't working, you'll just have to restart you tablet, and no harm's done.
Look around. Do a "mount" command. Everything works? Mount shows /data and /system from sdcard? Perfect. Now you can reflash it. Shutdown and flash:
$ fastboot flash boot boot.img
Now the device will use /data and /system from the SDcard every time. Customize your device, and then clone your SDcard and try it in tablet #2 you'll booting with your new boot.img and the cloned SDcard. Verify that #tablet #2 is a perfect clone of tablet #1. It is? Now you can flash the boot,img into all your tablets.
--------------------
But don't forget, there may be other solutions as well, maybe more suitable. This you'll have to investigate yourself.
And the usual disclaimer - you can probably not follow above by the letter. There sure is some obstacle you'll have to overcome, something non-standard, etc.
Also keep the original boot.img file for safekeeping in the case you want to restore the device's boot image some day.
Wow! Thanks for the info! This is really helpful, I need to set aside a bit of time to work through this and have a look. Thanks again its really appreciated, I'll be back with info once I've had chance to give it a go!
I certainly can't offer more detailed info than the fellow from Sweden who seems to really know his stuff...but what about making a nandroid backup of your fully configured reference tablet (I'm assuming all tablets are rooted). Ensure all your tabs have CWM recovery and copy your nandroid file to each one.
If any of your fleet get 'corrupted' you can simply restore the original, fully configured ROM.
In fact that sounds too obvious..likely I missed something about your scenario which precludes this option from consideration!
Good luck mate.
tweeny80 said:
I certainly can't offer more detailed info than the fellow from Sweden who seems to really know his stuff...but what about making a nandroid backup of your fully configured reference tablet (I'm assuming all tablets are rooted). Ensure all your tabs have CWM recovery and copy your nandroid file to each one.
If any of your fleet get 'corrupted' you can simply restore the original, fully configured ROM.
In fact that sounds too obvious..likely I missed something about your scenario which precludes this option from consideration!
Good luck mate.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Yes that was my first thought as well, tablets are rooted yes but there is no CWM for the tablet. Its an obscure Chinese branded tablet.
Unless there is another way to do nandroid backups?
hmm tricky situation. Catch 22 ! From what I know, your best bet is to backup all possible things through Titanium Backup given that you don't have the use of Nandroid backups. You can include wifi settings, messages etc but it's modular & not systemic.
I did a quick google search with no luck - time to upgrade your fleet dude :-0
Best of luck.

Onda obook10 factory reset bootloop - Request for system dump

I recently ordered an Onda obook10 dual booting tablet (Android 5.1 +Win10) from GearBest, and received it a week (and a half) ago. It is the V5 version (9th and 10th digits of S/N). Booted into Android at first, swiped around a little, and then left it alone for when I was free. Day before, I booted into Windows, and seeing that an account was already set up, hit the factory reset option (Options: remove all personal files, normal wipe (not thorough)). It rebooted, said it was resetting, then got stuck at 5% for a half hour. I then did a hard reboot, and it starting resetting again. I repeated this a few times, with different waiting periods, but it always got stuck at 5%. I wanted to see what was going on, so I opened the OS selector menu and tried to boot into Android, but that put the device into a bootloop, and it's stayed that way since. I downloaded the recovery WinPE from their website, and tried running it; all went well until the last step (installing the install.wim file), which succeeded, but when the batch file tried to set the boot options/flags, it threw an error about not being able to access D:, and failed. Tried making the recovery USB and installing multiple times, but it failed every time. I then tried Gandalf's WinPE image, which booted, and tried using imagex to install the .wim file to C: manually, as detailed here. This failed too.
I'm at my wits' end, honestly. I have no idea what else to try. There's another WinPE file available for download, but it's dated only a couple of weeks after the one I already have, so I'm hesitant to download it if there's any other option (I have very low bandwidth, it would take me at least two days). Also, it's hosted on Baidu, and the download times out after about an hour, and cannot resume. If anyone could give me any ideas, or point me towards a guide I haven't found yet (I've read all the relevant ones I could find on the Onda forums, but please post them anyway if you think they would be helpful), that would be great.
What would be perfect is if someone could upload, or point me toward a system dump/partition clone of at least the Windows partition and boot partition; I have the tools needed to flash those.
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: I managed to fix this a while ago, and have put the procedure somewhere in this thread, but since people keep popping up every now and then asking for it, I'm going to put this here so it's easier to find. Copied from later in the thread, here, and modified to be more general:
This uses slightly modified commands from the Onda firmware install script, and will result in a COMPLETE WIPE and reinstall of Windows - all the files on the Windows partition will be lost. This SHOULD work for anyone whose Android is working but Windows isn't, but I can't guarantee that. I can't even guarantee that this will work (though I am pretty sure it will) - I have not tested it completely. If you can, you should make a backup of anything files on the internal storage, just in case. As always, read the whole procedure before starting.
NOTE: If your Android isn't working, you need to install that first - get the Android file from the Onda Baidu page (look for the one for OBOOK 10 (not SE), with the appropriate V1, V2, V3, V5, or V7 code - you can find your code by checking the serial no. on the back of your device, the 9th and 10th characters), and follow the instructions in the document included in the zip - they are pretty straightforward, but you'll have to use Google Translate, as they're in Chinese. This MUST be done before the Windows procedure, because the Android installer wipes the entire disk.
If you want, you can make the procedure easier for yourself and save all the commands below to a text file, put it in the root folder of the USB before booting, and open it in Notepad by using:
Code:
notepad D:\textfile.txt
Or whatever name you give it. That way, you can copy paste them all easily.
Boot into the Windows installer, and when the command window appears, press Ctrl-C. After a few seconds, it will ask you if you want to terminate batch job, type 'y' and press enter. You now have a command prompt to work with.
You have to delete your Windows partitions first. The below partition numbers should be correct, but you should make sure first by running "list partition" and checking if it corresponds with the last 3 partitions, which should be your Windows partitions - their sizes are usually 128 MB, 35 GB, and around 800-1024 MB, and their types are Reserved, Primary, and Recovery (DO NOT delete the Primary partition at the beginning of the disk). DO NOT delete the Unknown partitions - those are Android's.
Code:
diskpart
sel disk 0
sel partition 14
delete partition
sel partition 13
delete partition
sel partition 12
delete partition
Your Windows partitions are now completely gone, so you'll have to recreate them first.
Change directory to the images folder.
Code:
cd D:\images
Get filesizes of .wim files to create partitions accordingly:
Code:
for %I in (Install.wim) do set INSTALL_SIZE=%~zI
set /a INSTALL_SIZE_MB=%INSTALL_SIZE:~0,-6%
for %I in (Winre.wim) do set RE_SIZE=%~zI
set /a RE_SIZE_MB=%RE_SIZE:~0,-6%
if %RE_SIZE_MB% LSS 430 (set /a RE_SIZE_MB=480
) else (
if %RE_SIZE_MB% GEQ 430 (
if %RE_SIZE_MB% LSS 680 (
set /a RE_SIZE_MB=%RE_SIZE_MB%+320
) else (
set /a RE_SIZE_MB=%RE_SIZE_MB%+1024
)
) )
Make sure to preserve all the spaces and brackets in the above code.
Enter diskpart, run the following:
Code:
sel disk 0
create partition msr size=128
create partition primary
shrink minimum=%RE_SIZE_MB%
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
assign letter="W"
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Recovery"
assign letter="R"
set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
You should now have 14 partitions when you do "list partition".
Exit diskpart.
Now for the actual installation:
Code:
md w:\recycler
md R:\recovery\windowsre
DISM /Apply-Image /ImageFile:"D:\images\Install.wim" /ApplyDir:w: /Index:1 /Compact /ScratchDir:w:\recycler
xcopy D:\images\Winre.wim r:\recovery\windowsre /y
Create boot entry:
Code:
bcdboot w:\WINDOWS
If that doesn't work, then:
w:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\BCDBOOT w:\WINDOWS
Set recovery environment:
Code:
w:\windows\system32\reagentc.exe /SetREImage /Path R:\recovery\windowsre /target w:\windows
And that's it! You should have both OSes operational now.
Update: I've managed to fix this problem. However, since the procedure is lengthy, and there doesn't seem to be anybody who needs a solution, I'm not going to the trouble of typing it out. If anyone does need to know how to save it, post here, and I'd be happy to help out.
EDIT: I've put the guide in the first post.
Flashing Help
SirVer said:
Update: I've managed to fix this problem. However, since the procedure is lengthy, and there doesn't seem to be anybody who needs a solution, I'm not going to the trouble of typing it out. If anyone does need to know how to save it, post here, and I'd be happy to help out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have an Onda Obook 10 and have a problem with aandroid side of it. The system UI crashes, all google apps have stopped.
I have the Rom for it but have no clue how to install it.
I have gone into recovery mode and cleared cache and done a factory reset but the errors still happen in Android. The Windows 10 side of things work fine.
Have you any advice or help you can offer,
Regards
Jon
[email protected] said:
I have an Onda Obook 10 and have a problem with aandroid side of it. The system UI crashes, all google apps have stopped.
I have the Rom for it but have no clue how to install it.
I have gone into recovery mode and cleared cache and done a factory reset but the errors still happen in Android. The Windows 10 side of things work fine.
Have you any advice or help you can offer,
Regards
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Inside the ROM zip, there should be a Word document with instructions in Chinese on how to flash the ROM. It should basically say something like this:
1. Extract zip contents, put them in a USB drive.
2. Plug it in, and with a keyboard attached, hold down ESC and power on the device to enter BIOS.
3. Enter the Boot Manager, and select Internal EFI.
4. It should automatically start applying the ROM after a few seconds.
Be warned that this may wipe your Windows partition - this happened to me, but that may be because my partition table was somewhat messed up. Either way, be sure to take a disk image or backup of your MSR, C drive, and recovery partition (probably the last 3 partitions on the disk).
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Widows swith icon
SirVer said:
Inside the ROM zip, there should be a Word document with instructions in Chinese on how to flash the ROM. It should basically say something like this:
1. Extract zip contents, put them in a USB drive.
2. Plug it in, and with a keyboard attached, hold down ESC and power on the device to enter BIOS.
3. Enter the Boot Manager, and select Internal EFI.
4. It should automatically start applying the ROM after a few seconds.
Be warned that this may wipe your Windows partition - this happened to me, but that may be because my partition table was somewhat messed up. Either way, be sure to take a disk image or backup of your MSR, C drive, and recovery partition (probably the last 3 partitions on the disk).
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Reinstalled android thanks for your help. the only thing missing is the icon to switch to windows. I think the partition is still there but there was an icon for switching but don't know where it's gone.
Any advice would be helpful.
Regards
Jon
[email protected] said:
Hi Reinstalled android thanks for your help. the only thing missing is the icon to switch to windows. I think the partition is still there but there was an icon for switching but don't know where it's gone.
Any advice would be helpful.
Regards
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is the partition still there, or is that just free space you're seeing? For me, the partition was gone, with unallocated space in its place. If the partition is still there, then your job is relatively simple.
1. Make a WinPE recovery drive from another Windows machine, or just use a custom one (like Gandalf's WinPE, Google it).
2. Boot into it from the BIOS menu.
3. Load a command prompt.
4. Type "diskpart" (no quotes). Wait until you get a prompt like: DISKPART>
5. Enter the following commands:
a. select disk 0
b. list partition
c. select partition xx (where xx is the number of the Windows partition. If it's not labelled, it'll be the one about 36 gigs in size.
d. assign letter=c
e. exit
6. Now just run "bcdboot C:\Windows"
7. Reboot, and you should see Windows in your BIOS menu once more, and the button should pop up on Android as well.
If the Windows partition is not there, and it's just free space, things become more complicated. You'll need to get your hands on the Windows installer image. There is an older version on the Onda website (December 2015) that should do the job - or rather, there's a link to their Baidu account. You can find the more recent version in their account as well. The issue is that Baidu doesn't allow you to download files that large without installing their crapware. I got around it by registering an account and some URL-fu, but it's a PITA, especially if you have a slow connection. There's a Yandex mirror somewhere, but I'm not at home, so I don't have the link right now. I'll post it when I get back. EDIT: Here it is.
After you get the files, DON'T install it; it might wipe your Android install (did for me). There's an issue in their install script that made the command that hides the Android partitions from getting deleted not work. What I did was terminate the automatic install, and selectively apply the relevant portions of the script manually. You could probably do the same, but it could take you a while; took me two days and a bunch of background reading. If you're used to messing with Windows installs though, it'd probably be a cakewalk for you. I'd prepare some instructions for you, or even try and write a script myself using that one as a base, but I have exams right now, and I wouldn't have time for at least a week. If you haven't figured it out by then, just ask, and I'll do it.
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I have resetted my obook 10, it lock on 30% of restore for 2 hours, so i power off tablet. Now when i power on tablet it loop on Onda logo. If i power tablet with Power + Vol- I enter in Q2S menu and select Android that work fine.... I want restore Windows, If I power tablet with Power + down botton I don't enter in bios settings.... How can I fix problem?
Frezza said:
I have resetted my obook 10, it lock on 30% of restore for 2 hours, so i power off tablet. Now when i power on tablet it loop on Onda logo. If i power tablet with Power + Vol- I enter in Q2S menu and select Android that work fine.... I want restore Windows, If I power tablet with Power + down botton I don't enter in bios settings.... How can I fix problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can enter the BIOS menu by connecting a keyboard and holding down ESC while booting up.
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Help
Hi
I have the Gandalf ISO file but need to understand from where do I go from the bios..like boot into the file?
regards
Jon
[email protected] said:
Hi
I have the Gandalf ISO file but need to understand from where do I go from the bios..like boot into the file?
regards
Jon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't remember exactly what it's called, but I think it was the second menu entry - Boot <Something>. In that menu, you should see your USB drive USB EFI device or something like that listed - it might also show the manufacturer name (it showed my USB as a Sandisk). If you don't see it, you may have made a mistake when making the bootable USB - try it again while reading the instructions on Gandalf's site carefully. If you used Rufus to make the bootable, maybe try Unetbootin this time - it worked fine for me.
P.S. In case you meant boot into the file - you can't. You have to write it to a USB drive first. Instructions are on the same site you downloaded it from.
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Can I install Windows 7 by Gandalf on this Tablet?
Frezza said:
Can I install Windows 7 by Gandalf on this Tablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install? Maybe, but you wouldn't have any of the necessary drivers, so touch and WiFi and stuff wouldn't work. However, you can download the drivers and try installing them, which might work, though it probably won't since they're made for Windows 10.
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If there is this problem i install windows 10, I download img from link in last post, then i make a usb bootable ( with rufus) with img, then how can I start installation without delete android in other partition?
Frezza said:
If there is this problem i install windows 10, I download img from link in last post, then i make a usb bootable ( with rufus) with img, then how can I start installation without delete android in other partition?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depending on certain things, you may be able to just run the installer without doing anything extra. Are you able to boot into Android? Open a CMD window, and run the following commands:
1. diskpart
2. sel disk 0
3. list partition
Post the output of these here. A screenshot will also be OK.
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Hi Have the same problem i'll follow your instructions
I download part1 and 2 from windows 10 folder.
My android install work perfect !
betsesv said:
Hi Have the same problem i'll follow your instructions
I download part1 and 2 from windows 10 folder.
My android install work perfect !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you extract that, you'll get a bunch of files and a DOC in Chinese explaining the procedure to make the recovery disk. Once you've made that, a WARNING before you boot into it: it will automatically open a CMD and start a delay counter, after which it will start the install automatically. Since this might break the Android side, you'll have to cancel it with Control-C in that delay period, which will give you a normal CMD to work with. You can use this to run the commands from my last post. If you want to be extra safe, also download a different WinPE recovery file (like Gandalf - actually you should download this anyway, it has some useful tools you might need later on), and boot into that instead. Depending on the output of those commands, you may be able to just run the automatic installer without worries.
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obook20 crashed
hello all,
my obook10 is in black screen with word shell>> on it. it crashed from android, how i can restore it ? please help!!!
alexander137 said:
hello all,
my obook10 is in black screen with word shell>> on it. it crashed from android, how i can restore it ? please help!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are probably in the internal EFI shell. Power off, connect a keyboard, and hold Fn+ESC while turning it on. This will get you the BIOS menu. Select Boot Manager. Normally, you'll see Android and Windows entries, and you could select one of them to boot, but in your case, you might only see Internal EFI Shell. If this is the case, follow the instructions from my earlier posts, and post the output of those commands. Depending on the result, it might be an easy fix, or a difficult fix. Hopefully, neither of you needs the difficult one, but if you do, I'll try and make a guide when I get time. In the meantime, post the output of the commands.
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SirVer said:
You are probably in the internal EFI shell. Power off, connect a keyboard, and hold Fn+ESC while turning it on. This will get you the BIOS menu. Select Boot Manager. Normally, you'll see Android and Windows entries, and you could select one of them to boot, but in your case, you might only see Internal EFI Shell. If this is the case, follow the instructions from my earlier posts, and post the output of those commands. Depending on the result, it might be an easy fix, or a difficult fix. Hopefully, neither of you needs the difficult one, but if you do, I'll try and make a guide when I get time. In the meantime, post the output of the commands.
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Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thank you!! but i can't shutdown it, when i press powerbutton onda make new line with 'shell>>' , and powerbutton with volume down also don't reboot it. may be i do somthing wrong....
alexander137 said:
thank you!! but i can't shutdown it, when i press powerbutton onda make new line with 'shell>>' , and powerbutton with volume down also don't reboot it. may be i do somthing wrong....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just press it down for a long time, at least 10 seconds, that'll do it. For some reason it takes a really long time to force shutdown. If that doesn't work, then there might be an issue with your hardware. Also try typing the "exit" command - it should put you into the BIOS menu directly.
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