Creating a flashable ZIP to restore system default fonts - Galaxy S III Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi.
Well, I changed some of the system fonts (/system/fonts/ on my S3 and ended up in a softbrick (bootloop). I am almost sure the softbrick is due to the alteration I did to the system fonts (replaced many fonts with the Ubuntu regular, probably replaced too many of them ), because I didn't flash any rom, kernel or recovery (they are all stock). After reading something about bootloop I understood it's caused by some system file conflicting, so I thought the best way to resolve my brick is a flashable zip with the default fonts of the S3 (to flash with the stock recovery or adb, as I can get into both recovery and download mode, my phone just doesn't go after the bootanimation), or at least it would have worth a try. So, how can I create a flashable zip with the system default fonts and where can I download all of them?
I already tried to wipe cache and reboot, and it's important for me to keep my data, so I would prefer not to factory reset.
Also, is there any way to have a look at the boot log to see what's going wrong?
Thank you.

Please help me I really miss my phone!

Related

[Q] Edit update package?

Does anybody know what is in an update package? Is it like a Windows Ghost image of a functional operating system or is it a collection of stuff that gets installed? What I'm looking for is, is it possible to edit the package to remove programs you don't want prior to installation?
I ask because I question how cleanly rooting and deleting apps through a file manager actually removes apps. Of course this is probably because I have a lack of knowledge as to how this OS works.
If you want a clean image, flash stock (if that's what you want to start from) -> root -> delete apps you dont want -> unroot (if you want) -> nandroid
Uninstalling apps is just about the same as deleting them manually, only you need to restart so android knows it's not installed and clears it's cache (uninstalling does it automatically i think?) Data should be removed either way (in same manner as cache)
Nandroid?
Can you point me to the best description of how to perform this backup/restore?
Do I need to download anything else to do this?
mid_life_crisis said:
Does anybody know what is in an update package? Is it like a Windows Ghost image of a functional operating system or is it a collection of stuff that gets installed? What I'm looking for is, is it possible to edit the package to remove programs you don't want prior to installation?
I ask because I question how cleanly rooting and deleting apps through a file manager actually removes apps. Of course this is probably because I have a lack of knowledge as to how this OS works.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not Android Development
Please post in the correct Forums Please
Moving to Q&A
I have installed Quick Boot which does nothing terribly useful that I can see so far. On my Streak (rooted), all it does is a simple reboot.
Do I need additional downloads to be able to make recovery images?
Nandroid backups
To do a nandroid backup (which I think is something similar to a disc image in Windows) you have to install either Clockwork Recovery or StreakMod Recovery. Personnally I had to use StreakMod because Clockwork gives me errors when it tries to backup all the files.
Just do a search here in the forum for either and they both have threads stickied with all the information you need.
One thing to be careful of is installing drivers, follow any directions to the letter and constantly check to make sure windows hasn't tried to install it's own drivers once you connect your Streak to the computer.
That has to be bar none biggest problem we all face, drivers, which are the way of communication between the computer and your phone.
What I finally did was used what is called the QDL tool to repair my phone, then took the necessary steps to install StreakMod recovery. QDL tool will put a Stock Froyo system on your phone. Once you have Streakmod installed then you can make a nandroid backup to get you back to that stock system (just as you would in windows) if you screwed up your phone by fiddling with it.
Once I made a nandroid backup of my Stock Froyo and installed all apps I wanted and got all accounts setupd, I went back and made ANOTHER nandroid backup of my system....
I forgot to mention the reason for making a nandroid backup after using the QDL tool to get back to stock froyo. The QDL tool will leave you with the stock DELL recovery which doesn't allow you to flash custom roms. So, install the custom ROM and then make an image of your system and then you won't ever have to go back and take all those painful steps to get StreakMod on your phone again, it will be a part of the image you created with nandroid.
Now with all that said, and Streakmod installed, it's a very simple process to flash Streakdroid to your phone, actually the EASIEST step out of everything I had done so far, but everyone has to jump through the hoops first I guess.
Don't worry about making a nandroid image after your initial install of StreakDroid, you already have it in the form of the .zip file you will have on your SD card.
So after getting StreakDroid installed, I setup all my apps again, with the launcher I liked, accounts and everything else, and THEN made another nandroid image.
So now I have two images to choose from, the stock installation with apps and accounts, rooted and StreakMod installed, and then a StreakMod image with all the same things, apps and accounts... I tend to go back and forth depending on my mood. It's only about a 10 minute process going from one system to the other, kinda like dualbooting a computer...
Whew!!! Have fun!!!

System and user apps accidentally frozen

READ AT THE END OF THIS POST FOR THE SOLUTION
I accidentally used Titanium Backup's widget to frost all system and user apps, leaving mi phone in a infinite boot animation loop. I dont have aNandroid Backup and I would really love to solve this issue without flashing.
I found at Titanium Backup's troubleshooting webpage that I could use this command with adb to solve my issue:
Code:
Type the following command (replace with /dbdata/system/packages.xml if you have a Samsung phone):
busybox sed -n 's/<package name="\([^"]\+\)".*enabled="false".*/\1/p' /data/system/packages.xml | while read PKG; do pm enable "$PKG"; done
but it just says: No such file or directory (yes, I changed /data to /dbdata as stated in the webpage)
Any idea on how to solve this issue?
Thank you!
**EDIT:
This is the way I managed to get my phone working again without having to flash or wipe:
1. Boot in recovery mode and used adb pull command to extract "packages.xml" and "packages-more-backup.xml" from /data/system/
2. Open both files with Wordpad and replaced all protection="2" or "3" lines to protection="1".
3. Also, and very important, replaced all enabled="false" lines to enabled="true"
4. Boot in recovery again and used adb to delete old "packages.xml" and "packages-more-backup.xml" files and push the new ones.
5. Reboot and Voila!
6. Boot once again in recovery mode and fix permissions to avoid any problem.
Hope that this could be usefull to someone else having this horrible problem.
Thank you all!
Checked for that file on my phone, it doesn't exist in /dbdata/system/, but it does in /data/system/
It's probably fixable from the command line with Linux but that is over my head, one option would be to Odin or heimdel back to stock, and start from scratch. You might need a jig to get into dlmode.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
nitox.n2o said:
Checked for that file on my phone, it doesn't exist in /dbdata/system/, but it does in /data/system/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried with /data too but same result.
shadow65781 said:
It's probably fixable from the command line with Linux but that is over my head, one option would be to Odin or heimdel back to stock, and start from scratch. You might need a jig to get into dlmode.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know I could do that but I would really like to restore my system as it was
Help please
I wonder what would happen if you removed the app (its apk) via adb from /data/app. Would it retain the freeze settings? Something to consider trying.
This happened to me. I reflashed the ROM without wiping and all was back to normal
Sent from my FrankenTAB using Tapatalk
Simba501 said:
I wonder what would happen if you removed the app (its apk) via adb from /data/app. Would it retain the freeze settings? Something to consider trying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty sure that's not gonna work because the frozen apps settings are at packages.xml file, but I can't access it I don't know why
jhermit said:
This happened to me. I reflashed the ROM without wiping and all was back to normal
Sent from my FrankenTAB using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried doing that right now but it didn't worked
I got a little too punchy with titanium on my 3 year old original Galaxy tab 7 and froze a samsung system app. Got irreversibly stuck is soft brickland - Tried various methods before giving up and hitting the wipe and reset to factory restore in the system recovery mode. Everything was backed up except recent photos, so it was more annoying than the end of the world.
Odd thing was when it reset to factory, it appeared to do just that, yet when I plugged it into PC and mounted it - the memory was full and all my files and app data files were there - untouched. The apps themselves have gone except one - Superuser is still there, Does Superuser somehow override being reset? and act as a guardian of your data in the event of reset?
Odd. I was expecting to run some file recovery software to a salvage what i could, but viola - it was all there.
shokuchi said:
I got a little too punchy with titanium on my 3 year old original Galaxy tab 7 and froze a samsung system app. Got irreversibly stuck is soft brickland - Tried various methods before giving up and hitting the wipe and reset to factory restore in the system recovery mode. Everything was backed up except recent photos, so it was more annoying than the end of the world.
Odd thing was when it reset to factory, it appeared to do just that, yet when I plugged it into PC and mounted it - the memory was full and all my files and app data files were there - untouched. The apps themselves have gone except one - Superuser is still there, Does Superuser somehow override being reset? and act as a guardian of your data in the event of reset?
Odd. I was expecting to run some file recovery software to a salvage what i could, but viola - it was all there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wrong forum dude
Sent from my Zanpakuto using Getsuga Tensho!
<deleted>
ZIP for unfreezing apps
For those, who accidentally frozen important system app: here quick solution without factory reset, reflashing and ADB
It automatically edits files as described in first post.
You should have unlocked bootloader. If no, ZIP useless because unlocking wipes all data.
Download both ZIP's and just flash them via custom recovery (TWRP / CWM)
If first throws error try second and vice versa. 2nd with mark "New" contains newer updater-binary that must be compatible with recent TWRP.
Then all apps will be unfrozen, so phone will boot.
Fix compatible with all Android versions.
Note: also you can somehow (ADB or filemanager in TWRP) delete file /data/system/0/package-restrictions.xml
More correct to edit that file which ZIP actually do, but deleting not harmful too.
tags: unfroze apps, auto-unfroze, defrost apps, unfreeze apps, 5596
Bonoboo said:
For those, who accidentally frozen system app there is quicker solution without factory reset and ADB.
It automatically edits files as described in first post.
Just flash this ZIP through recovery and all apps will be unfrozen.
Compatible with all Android versions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
THANKS MAN!! i just signed up to say thanks! you just saved my life :highfive:
Bonoboo said:
For those, who accidentally frozen system app here quicker solution without factory reset and ADB
It automatically edits files as described in first post.
Just flash this ZIP through recovery and all apps will be unfrozen, so phone will boot.
Compatible with all Android versions.
tags: unfroze apps, auto-unfroze
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for the zip. It worked great
Same Problem
Does anyone have an updated version of that zip? I also froze an app linked to the device and it won't boot, even after factory resetting it. Tried running the zip on my t-mobile GS4 (probably newer than that zip) from the SD card in recovery mode, however it didn't unfreeze it.
Any help greatly appreciated!
pianoplayer55 said:
Does anyone have an updated version of that zip?
I also froze an app linked to the device and it won't boot, even after factory resetting it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. To flash that ZIP you need have custom recovery (CWM or TWRP), not stock.
No update needed, it still works in this case.
2. That strange. Maybe you not really performed reset?
Double check all and try again.
Bonoboo said:
1. To flash that ZIP you need have custom recovery (CWM or TWRP), not stock.
No update needed, it still works in this case.
2. That strange. Maybe you not really performed reset?
Double check all and try again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, unfortunately I did select wipe data on the recovery screen. I am also stuck in an infinite boot up loop and cannot access the phone to install any apps. How can I use a custom recovery to run the zip file if i cannot access the phone? Instructions much appreciated. Thanks again.
pianoplayer55 said:
How can I use a custom recovery to run the zip file if i cannot access the phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ZIP – it's not app.
Again, you need to install custom recovery.
Here link to TWRP and how install it via Odin on PC.
You need place that ZIP on sdcard.
Enter in recovery (don't know how on your model), select Install > find ZIP > confirm > reboot,
Bonoboo said:
ZIP – it's not app.
Again, you need to install custom recovery.
You need place that ZIP on sdcard.
Enter in recovery (don't know how on your model), select Install > find ZIP > confirm > reboot,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Downloaded TWRP with Odin and ran custom recovery without a change after the zip (this must have been a deeper-rooted problem in the OS itself), however in the meantime I formatted the system partition, removing the operating system. Installed Kies and ran the update. It reinstalled the OS and I'm good now. Most stuff was backed up anyways. Thanks guys for your time :good::good:
Which apk is the culprit?
Man, I wish I'd found this thread before restoring my phones internal ROM. Had it rooted and set up in every way I like except removing bloatware.
Using TB, I froze a system apk that shut down my System UI and sent the phone bootlooping. What I'm trying to determine is WHICH apk(s) I froze that caused this. I thought I had researched each one that didn't seem obvious, but I musta missed one or one of the 'obvious' ones wasn't so obvious.

Acer A500 4.03 Rooted - Messed up..Deleted SystemUi!

Had my acer a500 for 2 months and decided to try root, so i rooted and installed superuser ect, on 4.03 then i download
one of those delete default apps, and was going through quickly, and click the wrong thing 'Think it was system Gui or something'
Problems
No wallpapper
no bottom bar with home button notification stuff
I just want to be able to go back to what it is, or upgrade maybe?
Please help will reward £15 reward if anyway fixes the issue for me!!
Whelan189 said:
Had my acer a500 for 2 months and decided to try root, so i rooted and installed superuser ect, on 4.03 then i download
one of those delete default apps, and was going through quickly, and click the wrong thing 'Think it was system Gui or something'
Problems
No wallpapper
no bottom bar with home button notification stuff
I just want to be able to go back to what it is, or upgrade maybe?
Please help will reward £15 reward if anyway fixes the issue for me!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't you do a system restore from your custom recovery or bootloader?
just go to your boat load menu,
1. turn off your phone
2. press power + vol down
3. you will see the option to factory reset the phone, do it.
That won't work. What Factory Reset/System Restore does is it wipes the /data partition of the tablet which contains user data, thus bringing it back to a factory or stock state. The /system partition is always left intact and not supposed to be modified unless you know what you're doing. Rooting allows you to write to the /system partition and delete files from it, and so what the OP has done is delete SystemUI.apk from the /system partition, so even after doing a factory restore, this apk will still be missing.
There are many ways you can fix this, but the easiest is to just return to stock (factory) condition. You will lose all your data and apps though, so make proper backups to restore afterwards. Follow this thread, and read everything carefully to know how to return to stock. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1816560
The difference in this method of returning to stock is that your tablet will be fully wiped clean (including /system, not just the /data partition) and all system files will then be flashed onto it. So everything will be back in working condition. If you haven't flashed a custom recovery (eg. CWM) and you're still on stock recovery, you can flash any of the stock firmwares in that thread via the stock recovery. If you have a custom recovery installed, then you will have to use the EUU files. The details of everything are in that thread, so make sure you read it properly and understand what you're doing before you actually do it. If you have to run the EUU, you need to find the CPU ID of your tablet. The procedure for that is here - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1624645
Good luck.

GT-I9100 cwm / cm13 bootloop - data recovery?

My galaxy S2 (gt-i9100) was running cm13 for about half a year. Some days ago I let google play update my apps. The result is a bootloop.
I've used the voice recorder to record a lot of notes I need to remember. Is there any way to get those files out from the phones internal storage?
The CWM recovery installed lacks the option to wipe cache / dalvik, which I would hope could get the device out of the bootloop.
When booted into recovery, I've tried adb, but the device is unauthorized.
I think usb debuging was disabled, however, I'm not sure about that.
The ideas I have to solve this are:
1) flash some other recovery that will give an option to wipe cache/dalvik and be able to boot cm13
2) flash some other recovery that will make adb able to pull the files while in recovery mode
3) flash some recovery that is able to copy files from internal storage to sd card
4) factory reset, and hope the files don't get deleted (this is the very last resort)
The thing is that it seems like I'll need to do all installations from SD card via the current CWM recovery. Does anyone know of a suitabel download / howto that can help me get my files off the phone?
If reason for boot loop is Xplore file explorer latest update , uninstall it with developer advices:
http://www.lonelycatgames.com/wiki/xplore/crash_on_cm
I did factory reset twice because of app.
Thank you, Kepsilla. Unless that is an app that is installed with cm13 or gapps, I don't have it installed. But your link gave me hope:
If you have custom recovery on your device (such as TWRP), enter recovery mode, open file manager and delete folder /data/app/com.lonelycatgames.Xplore-1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That means that if I can install TWRP recovery from CWM recovery, I should be able to access the filesystem. That should open up to two possible solutions:
a) Copy my files from internal storage to SD
b) Delete / modify some files to take all apps I've installed from play store will not start automatically.
Does anyone know of a TWRP that would give any of these possibilities and install on a i9100 using CWM?
(I can't really experiment iwht this - I feel the risk of loosing the files is too high. I have to know I'm going the right direction when I do something.)
Solution was very simple: By holding volume down pressed during boot, the device boots into safe mode - no apps started. Then I could just uninstall the apps that were set to autostart. Reboot and problem was solved.
I came across this way to enter safe mode when googling a error message that started to pop up frequently on my S5 mini. S2 with cm13 appears to have the same way to enter safe mode as S5 mini with factory rom.

can i restore twrp image created after soft brick without boot partion

so i was snooping around my phones priv-apps folder looking at all the code just cuz im trying to learn more about all of this and it all of a sudden restarted after attempting to open a file called test mode. ( I know, very stupid of me). any ways ive tried things to fix like wipe the dalvik cache etc etc no luck. Ive know created a new twrp recovery image and im wondering can i restore it in a way where i dont load one of the partitions that is causing the soft brick?? also im on a rooted stock image and have xposed installed as well as i had made a twrp recovery file inside the GUI of twrp in the app it self. Can i flash that? IE flash the file with out the boot partition selected???
PLEASE HELP
What's the problem at all? An annoying weird black square with writings on it?
Is it rooted?
Then simply open /efs/factoryapp/factorymode in a text editor (EFS Explorer, Root Explorer, etc.) and change "ON" to "OFF" (without quotes). Then reboot.
The problem is caused by EFS partition, so you may restore only this part of your backup.

Categories

Resources