Newbie needs help with packaging a flashable rom zip please! - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi all,
I've been trying to teach myself how to repackage a rom this week and managed to get so far but now i'm stuck!
I took a stock update.zip rom, removed some bloat and zipped it up with a META-INF folder using the update-script from the original but with a few edits to make it work with TWRP.
It flashes and boots fine! (YAY)
However, I then installed app updates on my phone ( gmail, google play services) and installed root.
Next I made a TWRP backup of my up-to-date install and extracted the system files to make another flashable zip.
This time it still seems to flash without any error, but it won't boot and just ends back up at TWRP.
Q1: If apps that came with the rom are updated, are the updates stored in 'system' still, or elsewhere(data?) If elsewhere, what is the correct procedure to include those in a flashable rom package?
Q2: When pulling system from a TWRP backup, do you need to make changes in the update-script to allow for the updated apps?
All the guides i've read about update-script just seems to say, take a working update-script from another custom rom for your device. Except there aren't any other custom roms!

Related

[Q] Please Help! Backup deleted..

I think I made a huge error when I flashed my phone, and yes I know I'm an idiot. Basically I created a backup with the Custom recovery Optimus One P500/Thunderg but chose the first option instead of external memory as well. Then I followed the instructions on how to flash with Megatron (including partitioning and swiping the sd-card) and now it seems like I've deleted the backup completely. Meaning I lost everything that I had. It's not a big issue as I've got most things elsewhere but what happens if I want to go back to my old firmware/unroot? Any other issues this may cause? Please answer!!!
You can make a flashable zip from a KDZ file. Follow the "cook your own custom rom" thread. Skip the parts requiring you to do any modifications. Once you build your ROM, that should be a flashable stock ROM zip.
You can, of course, use KDZ Updater, but that's overkill. Seem's that you only want a copy of your stock ROM
Thank you
I get a lot of process com.lge.lgmits was closed messages..... What's this?
I'll probably go back to original firmware, if this error can't be fixed..

[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!!!

[Q] make custom app pack for flashing

So I'm pretty sure im not the only one who has asked but after searching i couldn't find a guide that helped explaind how to actually make one.
Is there a guide that helps me make a custom zip to flash favorite apps that i always install after a flash. That way i can flash my favorite apps with out the need of a data connection.
2nd follow up ?-
Can i flash user settings like wifi logins?
3rd?-
If i flash from Sense ROM to an AOSP can i still you backups like Titanium to restore apps and user settings or does it have to be Sense to Sense.
You should only restore data from sense to sense or asop to aosp. Not from one to the other. You can install apps with titanium with or without data. I highly recommend you never restore system data. It has a habit of screwing **** up sometimes. And as to your first question. It would be fairly straightforward to build a flashable zip with any apps you want. Actually what I did was use a cwm backup and used it to create a flashable zip that I can restore. I just named it update.zip and choose apply update.zip from recovery and I'm back up. If you build up a ROM how you like it. The way you want it to be on every flash I can convert it for you. Just need to zip up the backup and pm me a dl link for it. Then u can have your own flashable custom ROM.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
Artanis said:
So I'm pretty sure im not the only one who has asked but after searching i couldn't find a guide that helped explaind how to actually make one.
Is there a guide that helps me make a custom zip to flash favorite apps that i always install after a flash. That way i can flash my favorite apps with out the need of a data connection.
2nd follow up ?-
Can i flash user settings like wifi logins?
3rd?-
If i flash from Sense ROM to an AOSP can i still you backups like Titanium to restore apps and user settings or does it have to be Sense to Sense.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) When I'm looking for Edify syntax to clarify I have it memorized correctly, I usually google the terms, Edify syntax android and you'll find there are tons of guides on how to write the Edify syntax which operates an update .zip file.
2) Good question. I'm sure you could copy this setting file to your sdcard. Whenever you needed to, you could probably copy the settings from your sdcard back to the /data partition. Be aware that going from Sense to AOSP there *might* be issues, but if everything works, you copy over one file and it stops working, should be easy to figure out what caused the issue.
3)If you're restoring 3rd party apps from one ROM to another, usually 3rd party apps will work. These are basically .apk files all stored in /data/app. You can also manually do this by copying the /data/app directory to your sdcard, switch ROMs and then copy the apk files back.
If you're also interested in keeping the 3rd party app settings, they are stored in /data/data . Copying back this directory is slightly different than copying back the .apk files as the Android package manager assigns user and group permissions to the /data/data directories which need to match the apk file.
If you modify the user/group permissions to match the new assigned permissions via the package manager, there shouldnt be any problems!
Hope that helps!

[Q] Editing Gapps

Hey guys im flashing joker's cm9 beta. With this you have to flash gapps. This is all working great with no complaints. However, I was wondering how I would edit the gapps file to so that I can add in some apps that I like to use ie Titanium back up, root explore....
I have tried unzipping the file and adding in the the apps to the /system/app folder. However after flashing the gapps while the app is there it will crash when i try to run it. If install from the apk over it, then the programs work fine.
Thanks for the help!
Bit_Reaper said:
Hey guys im flashing joker's cm9 beta. With this you have to flash gapps. This is all working great with no complaints. However, I was wondering how I would edit the gapps file to so that I can add in some apps that I like to use ie Titanium back up, root explore....
I have tried unzipping the file and adding in the the apps to the /system/app folder. However after flashing the gapps while the app is there it will crash when i try to run it. If install from the apk over it, then the programs work fine.
Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There will have to be some codework done in order for it to actually install, you cant just toss some apks in there. AFAIK atleast.. I personally would just backup all your apps with TI and then all you have to do is install TI and restore them all. Its how I personally do it. If your hellbent on having them there on your first flash you *might* be able to put them in the /system/apps folder of the actual rom before flashing. Not 100% sure that'd do the trick but ive installed a few apps that way myself.
w0lf215 said:
There will have to be some codework done in order for it to actually install, you cant just toss some apks in there. AFAIK atleast.. I personally would just backup all your apps with TI and then all you have to do is install TI and restore them all. Its how I personally do it. If your hellbent on having them there on your first flash you *might* be able to put them in the /system/apps folder of the actual rom before flashing. Not 100% sure that'd do the trick but ive installed a few apps that way myself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit: I tried this but with no luck. I even tried rebooting to see if that would help and it did not. Does anyone know of a guide how to create gapps or how to edit a build of one?
Yeah, that's what I have been doing with TI. It would just be faster if it was already there and I wouldn't have to navigate to it. Install and then have it install all my apps. I will try putting the apps in the rom and see if that works. I was hoping there was some tutorial on how to make your own gapps or how to edit an existing one. It would have been awesome if there was a program that made the gapps for you haha.
I'd like to know as well. I am about to try the rom thing myself, but it would be quite handy to add into the gapps file and use it instead of the rom, then I could switch roms and still have gapps file with my chosen installs without having to adjust each rom file and just adjusting a single file for all.
update:
I tried adding apps to the rom zip file and for whatever reason I can't add to it. I can remove from it, just not add to it.
That happens with certain zips. Extract the zip, add in the files you want and zip it again at the root folder level (select all the folders and send to compressed zip folder in Windows). That's how I always do it to avoid errors if I want to add anything to a zip.
Take a look here to learn how to make your own flashable zips - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=31624265
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
easyrider77 said:
I'd like to know as well. I am about to try the rom thing myself, but it would be quite handy to add into the gapps file and use it instead of the rom, then I could switch roms and still have gapps file with my chosen installs without having to adjust each rom file and just adjusting a single file for all.
update:
I tried adding apps to the rom zip file and for whatever reason I can't add to it. I can remove from it, just not add to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All you have to do is open it with 7zip. Youll be able to drag/drop as you please.
Sent from my MB855 using xda premium

Stock ROM for the SM-T380 Rooted, Bloatware free TWRP backup

Since there isn't any Custom ROM for the SM-T380 I made this TWRP back from my tablet, running on stock Oreo took all the bloatware, Knox out to add some root mods, and latest updates with Magisk root. No other personal app added
This is a compressed TWRP backup, not a flashable ZIP!
Download it from here
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lBsTd04Un6xJQkA0E6LpWxeDX7bhwsai
how to install TWRP
https://forum.xda-developers.com/ga.../twrp-3-2-1-1-tab-sm-t380-10-02-2018-t3747564
DOWNLOAD/EXTRACT zip file from above Google Drive's link to your PC
Now REBOOT your tablet into TWRP recovery
connect tablet using USB cable to your PC make sure you have Samsung drivers installed, so you can see your tablet on your PC
ON your Tablet create a backup within TWRP's backup tab on your SD Card storage (choose storage SD card)
browse to that folder and open that SD card's TWRP backup folder, using your PC
go to last folder where you should see some files, delete them then
Copy EXTRACTED files from (Google Drives) into TWRP backups folder on your SD card TWRP/BACKUPS/xxxxxxxx/ from your PC to that SD card.
Where xxxxxxxx is your device serial number;
Once done copying the file
go to, restore's tab within your TWRP
RESTORE everything showing there (all those three partitions)
REBOOT to system
IF you can't see those copied files on your tablet then you have missed something. Restart back into TWRP
Thanks
Samsung - for the device, stock firmware & open source
TeamWin - for TWRP recovery @ashyx
@Chainfire - for SuperSU
Magisk
All authors of binaries/libraries, source codes, or tutorials...
Quote:
Please, PM me if I forgot to add proper credits for your work!
Hi, I have a T380, I thought about installing this, but before I do, will this work on the t380? Because you have T380T, and I have T380. And if I want, can I put some of the stock apps back on?
Indeed it works on a T380
CaptainChris2018 said:
Hi, I have a T380, I thought about installing this, but before I do, will this work on the t380? Because you have T380T, and I have T380. And if I want, can I put some of the stock apps back on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just installed it on my T380.. Be sure to follow the directions entirely. And remember to reboot TWRP after putting the sdcard with the backup files back in or else it may not read it (mine would not).
zanophol said:
I just installed it on my T380.. Be sure to follow the directions entirely. And remember to reboot TWRP after putting the sdcard with the backup files back in or else it may not read it (mine would not).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
followed the directions but device wont read the backup file. would you mind posting all the steps you took to do the backup.
I had the same issue, so when the proper backup files are in place on the ext sdcard and reinserted into the device, but the device won't read it -- for me, I had to reboot the device into recovery and THEN it would read it.
Hi,a friend is running android 9 stock on the T-380.Does not have alot of apps installed,but hardly and internal memory left.I was thinking of rooting it,and uninstalling some system apps. Can you possibly tell me which system apps are safe to uninstall on this tablet?
bobbylo said:
Hi,a friend is running android 9 stock on the T-380.Does not have alot of apps installed,but hardly and internal memory left.I was thinking of rooting it,and uninstalling some system apps. Can you possibly tell me which system apps are safe to uninstall on this tablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forum.xda-developers.com/no...-safe-to-remove-ktu84p-m910vvru1anj5-t2976286
always change apk extension with .APKbak
so if you got into mess you can rename the APKbak into .APK
if i got android 9 can i do this it?
Is file support with t385??
I want to personally thank you for this TWRP image! I completely hosed my sm-T380 that I just got as a backup tablet while trying to root it.
This did the trick Thank you again!!!
I did this using internal memory and all ok. thanks.
I need to say THANK YOU BRO!!!! You just saved my ass!!
But can't tell how much a custom ROM is needed for this device.
Only things to do, is to remove all the bloat left whit the link you provide above and that's it.
Once again, 3 thumbs up! (don't ask me where I found the third one lolll)
it's a great work .I want download it, but I can't download google file directly(site blockked), I have to through VPN.So the speed is not quick enough for me,I can't complete the downloading within an hour when google vary the token.The download work can't continue and must restart from the beginning.
If you have time,would you please split it into several parts,each size blow 300M?Thanks a lot,this file I think useful and can give me big help and save me time.

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