yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ZPaul2Fresh8:
Flow Chart Rooting Process...

Ok after getting my 6 year old son one of these I have been trying to get this thing rooted and I've finally done it. The big problem is that I have a NABI 2 that has the touchscreen calibration issue with TWRP recovery so flashing anything is a PITA! Here's what I did in a nutshell...

This is aimed at people with little to no experience with Rooting or Recovery.

Make sure Android Debugging is Enabled(Settings/Development on your Nabi) and your software version is 1.9.23(Settings/About in your Nabi) before proceeding..

FIRST STEP: Rooting the Device.

1. Use the tool posted here on the first post of this thread.

It can be found here: http://www.androidfiles.org/securekey.php?file=Nabi2/ota_1.9.23.zip

Run the tool from a Command Prompt within Windows and Choose option #2 and DO NOT install GApps at this time.

Note: After rebooting your device go into Daddy/Mommy mode and check for the SuperUser app (SU). If it's not present then the tool you just used didn't work. But don't worry you can still root it, it's just going to take and extra step and I pray that you don't have the touchscreen calibration problem in TWRP like I have.

Proceed to STEP A if you DO NOT have the SuperUser App. If you do have it then Congrats you can proceed to the SECOND STEP.

STEP A.

If you do not see the SuperUser

app then you must get your device back in to TWRP recovery by either running the tool from Step 1 or by powering the device off and holding the Volume + AND Power button together until your see the Nabi Logo. Use the Volume - button to navigate down the Recovery Kernel and press Volume + to confirm.

Now that you're into TWRP we basically are going to flash the SuperUser app manually so go to INSTALL. Now if the button seems unresponsive then your touchcreen is off calibration like others on this forum. No fix is out for that problem you just have to live with it. Usually it's about a 1/2" below what you're actually seeing so you'll have to adapt. Moving on...

After pressing Install navigate to the Directory 'sdcard' to find the file name "root.zip". Just select it and SLIDE TO SWIPE, again if you're having touchscreen issues when SLIDING just aim for the AT MOST BOTTOM of the screen where the edge of the interaction area meets the black area. After flashing successfully boot your device and check for the Super User app. If it's there then Congrats MOVE ON to STEP 2. If not, re-read and START OVER at STEP 1.

​

STEP 2: Adding Google Apps aka GApps (Google Play, You Tube, Gmail etc..)

A. Grab the GApps for the Nabi 2 here: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=35888524

B. See STEP 1A on How to Flash your new acquired GApps.
​

If all goes well then you should have a fully functional Nabi 2 tablet that you can use Google Play to get new Apps for your children or use it for yourself what ever you wish...:victory:
[Miscellaneous Android Development] Fade2Blk:
Anyone notice in the playstore that some things cost that are usually free in most other playstores? Like all the angry birds are .99 cents and angry birds starwars is 2.99.....we have 2 other tablets, N7 and Galaxy tab 2 plus an S3 and note 2 phone and all those apps are free there...is it the touchwiz manufacturers interface that make them free or is it because the Nabi isnt an endorsed tablet by google? Just seemed strange to me Btw..t499's gapps file worked like a top..no more building every reboot...great job

---------- Post added at 10:20 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 AM ----------

Please let us know if this works to get the app's tp install on the external, thanks!
[Miscellaneous Android Development] jmz:
updated complete app. included gapps in installation now. Removed all options that could break wifi. Should be a lot more user friendly
[Miscellaneous Android Development] Mazda:
WOOT WOOT!! You're famous now JMZ...HAHAHAHA

http://www.xda-developers.com/android/nabi-2-tablet-for-kids-gets-root-recovery-and-gapps/
[Miscellaneous Android Development] csoulr666:
I disagree on the books going obsolete part........ As a student myself I learn much better from a book than from any electronic media......

Kids these days are really smart..... A few years back one of my cousins knew how to use my uncle's N70 completely...... And he didn't even know how to read at that time!
[Miscellaneous Android Development] knoxploration:
I say this as somebody who's son is also well above the norm. (He's 3 1/2, and already confidently reading whole books for much older kids--even with long words like "compartmentalized", numbers like "1,200", even quite a few abbreviations like Dr. for drive or doctor, St. for street, figure out how to spell long words by himself without being taught the spelling first, etc.

18 months--even under three--is really too young to be using a tablet. Far too young, at 18 months. At 2 1/2, it might be acceptable with 100% parental supervision for an hour or two a week. It is not old enough to be handling chargers that plug into mains voltage, nor to be providing access to a tablet that is not locked down to prevent access to anything but a couple of kid-safe apps.

Obviously each parent makes their own decisions, and I won't say any more on the topic, but this does not sound like a recipe for sound development to me.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
Anyone know how to go back to stock recovery so the OTA with the new kernel can be accepted, or how to flash the kernel from the OTA?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] jmz:
go to http://androidfiles.org/uploads/?dir=Nabi2/stockimages

download mmcblk0p1.img

adb reboot-bootloader

fastboot flash recovery mmcblk0p1.img

If you need more instructions let me know
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
Awesome man, thanks!

Have you run through the exercise? I won't have access to the one needing it until later in the week.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] jmz:
no i haven't. i have a feeling it won't take the ota at all. Due to stuff not matching checksums.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
Fastboot doesn't respond to any commands. I am using the same machine that I ran your method on originally...fastboot devices shows nothing, and the fastboot flash command says <waiting for device>

Sorry for all the questions.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] jmz:
join me @ http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=nabi
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
I got it to work by swapping the .img into your install.bat once renamed recovery.img. I restored my stock unrooted image before that. I ran the ota, and it worked. My first attempt was ota rooted rom, which did not work. Hope this helps others.

Edit: To be clear, the way to get it to work was to restore the backup of the factory ROM before it was rooted, flash in the stock recovery .img, then run the OTA. I then ran the install provided in the op to root and get back custom recovery. Thanks!
[Miscellaneous Android Development] mistaliu:
Ran the new root package just to be sure then had to install the gapps.zip from recovery to get the market working. All is working now. :thumbup: Thanks Jmz for your work, will have to donate soon, now I have a tab when the kid goes to bed. :p
[Miscellaneous Android Development] someotherguy:
Great Work!

Few quick questions.

Been following this thread since it only had two pages. Got lost somewhere in the middle as the program changed and the newest OTA came out.

I have a stock Nabi 2 that is on the first OTA, not the one from a few days ago.

Can / Should I take the newest OTA then run your program? I read that there was a kernel change and I just want to make sure I'm where I need to be kernel / system wise before I break OTA functionality.

If I take the root and recovery method and make a nandroid will OTA work in the future if I restore that nandroid? Or will I need to restore the nandroid and flash the stock recovery as well?

Assuming I take option #2; any gapps for ICS package will give me a fully functional play store?

Thanks,
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
My experience on one unit was to take the latest OTA first, then use the root method found here, then install Gapps to achieve full market. The other device I forgot to do the OTA first and ended up stuck at the old kernel etc.

In that case I had to put back the stock recovery and restore a stock nandroid backup or the OTA failed checksum. The OTA software modules require the new kernel or wifi breaks. The kernel doesn't seem to install unless you take the OTA with the stock recovery and have an unrooted system. I had run the safe OTA in TWRP and found broken wifi.

SO...take the OTA on your device first, then root and install gapps. Next time there is an OTA if Fuhu doesn't get pissy about root you would have to restore an unrooted nandroid, flash back stock recovery, take the OTA, re-root. I would let a dev bless the OTA next time first though to make sure they don't get sneaky and break root.

For fun I ran the process on my unit that had the latest OTA before root to put back to stock and force the OTA and it worked as described.

Edit: Of course if someone knows how to flash the kernel and radios in TWRP or bootloader, going back to stock recovery won't be necessary.

Thanks.

Sent from my Ev_O_nE using Forum Runner
[Miscellaneous Android Development] jmz:
Yeah I need to add returning the thing back to stock for ota. The secret to getting the ota is restoring system only in recovery then flashing stock recovery. Then you could take the ota safely with no issues. Then reflash recovery, root, and gapps. Shouldn't lose any data. I will get that option in there soon
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
Hopefully Fuhu doesn't try to lock out root in a future OTA.

Thanks for the quick work!

Sent from my Ev_O_nE using Forum Runner
[Miscellaneous Android Development] jmz:
I don't like sounding conceded but because of this root and gapps, all the geek websites are blogging about it. Hence all the people that never heard of it before now know about it. It didn't nothing but help them sell more product. They would get hurt by locking it down
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
I agree fully. They sold one to me for a gift because of root. Couldn't rightfully give this thing to my mother in law without the play store..she wouldn't know how to sideload. The nexus 7 lacked hdmi and sd expansion capability. This thing is perfect for her and she can use it with the grandkids. She almost ended up with a Samsung...talk about bullet dodging!

Sent from my Ev_O_nE using Forum Runner
[Miscellaneous Android Development] knoxploration:
They probably won't see it this way, folks. I doubt they make much if any profit on the hardware. Quite likely, they make a loss.

Their goal is to upsell you on apps, movie/music subscriptions, etc. Don't think Google Play isn't there because it couldn't be. It isn't there because you'd be giving less money to Fuhu if it was.

They will almost certainly see rooting and rom tweaking in the same light: an opportunity for lost upsells.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] someotherguy:
Updated to the newest OTA and used your program.

Worked great, few hiccups getting drivers from the android SDK but all is well.

Moving onward. What is the status of the bootloader? Are we able to push a custom kernel assuming their was a kernel dev with one? Or is the issue the current kernel is closed source so we would end up with broken features?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ZPaul2Fresh8:
I noticed all the apps I've bought weren't free. I did download the free Where's My Holiday game and initiated an in-app purchase of an app I already had and that seemed to fix it...

Try purchasing an app you already bought to see if it actually tries to charge you... maybe that will fix it for you too...
[Miscellaneous Android Development] elijahbrown:
It looks like the freeware versions of apps aren't showing up. This most likely has to do with the compatability filter for the play store. I'm sure if you change your build.prop the match a nexus 7 they will show up.

Another option would be to download them on your phone, then on the tablet open play store > my apps > all and they should show up. Though you may or may not be able to install them.

Sent from my NABI2-NV7A using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Miscellaneous Android Development] e2950:
External 2 Internal does work. i even posted screen shots of it in action.if you post bad info you should remove it because not everyone is going to see your edit about you being wrong
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ALD3:
I have already installed all my previous paid apps, it shows purchased beside it before I installed it. That maybe a different angry birds as the angry birds HD is 99¢

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 PM ----------

I have been able to either email an app or upload to a cloud like drive,dropbox or box and then install any apps that say incompatible in Play. They all work except for the 1s that use gps, those will work I think, if tethered to a device with gps. Just make sure that unknown source is checked in settings/security.

---------- Post added at 12:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 PM ----------

For some unknown reason, mine sets correctly and see it switched in settings but when I reboot it is switched back. I just have to open the app and click the two buttons again and close, then it has switched aging. It does get permission after booting up and I have waited 30 minutes or longer but never switch on its own on a boot up.And
[Miscellaneous Android Development] e2950:
i am not saying External 2 Internal is perfect. i will look into it more. and see if i can get it more stable.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
So, I have a new problem. I have the tablet almost right. When my kids are in an app and they click the Facebook or Twitter links, nothing happens. However, since I installed GMAIL (for use in mommy/daddy mode), if they click the email link in a game it opens my gmail. This happens in Nabi mode, and it happens despite me not checking GMAIL under add apps in mommy/daddy mode. Any suggestions?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
That is because it is the default program for email links. I just created a new account for my child, that way he has his own, and my info isn't even on the device. No chance of accidentally purchasing anything or sending email as me, etc etc.

If you just want to clear the default action, Settings>Apps>All>Gmail and then 'clear defaults'.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
Well I need to keep my gmail account on there because I use it to download all the apps I've paid for from the google Play store. Is there a way to disable email in Nabi mode?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
lol, see my edit, you can change the default after clearing, maybe just have it default to the kids web browser.

Or maybe add another account, and then unsync your gmail?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
It already said No Default Set.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] DZLRULZ:
Yeah, I have eight that I support. We got 5 of them for $130, the rest for $200. Not sure if there's a deal on them anywhere, I ordered the 5 discounted ones from Bestbuy.com.

Struck by my Anthrax Infected Viper4G Ev_O_nE using Forum Runner
[Miscellaneous Android Development] GuyIncognito721:
Use a combination of apk extractor and drop box. Then you don't even need the play store on the nabi causing all kinds of weird things. And then all your kids games will be in the cloud for easy access on any device.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
I'm thinking it might be easier to leave google play installed and attached to my gmail account, and just remove the gmail app from the device.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] Fade2Blk:
I gave my son his own gmail address so that anything he gets from the app store can follow him from device to device. Just the freewware versions of some apps wont show up, such as angry birds starwars etc etc....the totally free games that he likes, dead trigger etc, are all there.....i think i will try and log in with my own account and see if the filters change to include all the apps i personally have, if that doesnt work i may try and change the build.prop to see if it opens up the full store...anyone have the stock build.prop for an N7 that i would need to use??
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ALD3:
I don't have gmail on nabi mode, it is in the list to add to kids if I want to but no check mark in the box under +- apps. If you have flashed the updated gapps by t499, there is no android updating and no android"weird" problems that I know of. I would try uninstalling gmail and then install it again. If that doesn't cure it then the default generic email apk is in the app drawer on parent mode. Just set that up with your gmail address.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
The "wierd" refference was someone elses. Mine is not doing anything "wierd." And I do not have gmail checked for nabi mode. None-the-less when the tablet is in Nabi mode in the game Sprinkle, if you click email a friend, it opens gmail. The Facebook and Twitter links don't work, but the email does. It should be noted that I uninstalled the Sprinkle that came with the Nabi and installed mine from Google Play that I previously purchased.

---------- Post added at 03:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:19 PM ----------

Ok, so I left my account in the nabi, so I could still acces my purchases on google Play store, but I deleted gmail, and it fixed the problem.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] elijahbrown:
If you want to keep your Gmail on the tablet, download a different email application, click the link in sprinkle and choose the other app as the default action.

Whether you set an account up in that app it's up to you.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
That's a pretty good idea.

---------- Post added at 03:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:40 PM ----------

Ok, newest problem:

In the game "They Need to be Fed" there is a link to something called "pocketchange." You use facebook to log into pocketchange. I already have facebook blocked using adaway. But I can't seem to block pocketchange. I added pocketchange.com to the blacklist on adaway, but I think it uses a different address for it's in game use. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Josh
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
Well if it doesn't work by adding another account, and then unsyncing yours, I guess you could uninstall gmail.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
Yeah that was the solution. Gmail is small and simple to install if I need it in there for anything else later on. I only needed it in the first place to install amazon appstore (can't believe I missed World of Goo FAOTD yesterday!). Now that Amazon App store is on the tablet, I just deleted Gmail and the problem was solved. Now I need to figure out what website pocketchange is using in the game "They Need to be Fed," so I can add it to adaway.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
That is probably what it is doing, good idea on blocking facebook, I do that on my router. You could always use something like wireshark to watch the network, or look at the connection/dns logs on your router if they are available. It might be using a static IP as well, then there wouldn't be a dns lookup.

---------- Post added at 04:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 PM ----------

What are all these 'weird' things that you are referencing?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
I didn't even think about using wireshark. That's a great idea. Let me see if I can see where it's going.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] GuyIncognito721:
Broken gallery and escaping the Nabi mode sandbox for starters. Important things when using this strictly as a kids tablet.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
You just have to install the new gapps package from http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2065878 to take care of the 'android upgrading' issue.

---------- Post added at 05:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:59 PM ----------

Broken gallery I understand because installing gapps removes Gallery2.apk and uses GalleryGoogle.apk instead.

Somehow I missed where it was 'escaping the Nabi mode sandbox', could you link those posts?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
Am I missing something? My Gallery works fine I think. Is this the same Gallery that is on the Nabi screen?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
I haven't had a problem with gallery, but I remember reading something about a link in nabi mode that didn't work properly or something of that sort.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] aicjofs:
Steel ruler, plastic ripper/box cutter. Used the old back as template. Here's black for the other Nabi so kids can tell them apart.

I assume they are talking about the ability to launch Gmail from within Monarch UI(the "sandbox") This gets missed on a lot of platforms, when it comes to locking apps. Most notorious I have seen is where the "search" feature on the platform can launch app directly bypassing protections, that is of course not Nabi specific but just an example.

It's from the deleted Gallery2 I'm pretty sure. It might be cleared up by going to settings-apps-and clearing the default, then opening a picture and resetting the default to new gallery.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
Thanks, I think that is going to be my next project.

Oh, if that is the case then it has nothing to do with gapps.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
Ok so I think the app "The Need to be Fed" makes it's packetchange connection by calling 108.168.157.97. I added that address to adaway, but it didn't do it. Any suggestions?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] gijosh28:
I think the speaker on one of my two Nabis came blown out of the box. I think I am going to need to go swap it. To get it back to stock form (returnable), I need to use TWRP to restore that stock imagine that is posted earlier in this thread right? Then I need to get TWRP out of the tablet. How do I do that? Does anyone have a checklist or cheatsheet on how to get one of these back to stock?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] katinatez:
If you ran the script in opening you should have a backup in your internal the file path is TWRP/BACKUPS/serial#/stockunrooted. Boot into recovery twrp and click restore stocky rooted. Then you have to use fast boot command to flash nabi original recovery. Done back to stock.

Sent from my GT-I9300
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
Try blocking softlayer.com and see if that works.

Edit: Might want to have a look at DroidWall as well https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.googlecode.droidwall.free

You can just restore the backup that you created in TWRP, factory reset, then flash the stock recovery.img back to the device. If you don't have a backup, or the stock recovery, check out: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2041224
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ALD3:
I guess the fact that "sandbox" is a stripped down Rom for those that DO NOT want nabi mode completely went over some peoples heads. No it has nothing to do with the gapps.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] t499user:
The comment had nothing to do with a separate rom. Here is what he said:

Though I would be interested in this stripped down rom for the Nabi2.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ALD3:
Find it here stripped down nabi

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2050365