yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Apps and Games] bryan_mmx:
i tried again and it failed. AdAway suggested that I use data/data/hosts, but the host is on system/etc/hosts. I'm not on custom recovery and phone is relatively new to the market so there's no info yet on S-OFF. :(
[Android Apps and Games] tag68:
You are free to generate it in data/data and use root explorer to copy it to its destination. Or use root explorer to make system/etc/hosts a symlink to data/data/hosts.

---------- Post added at 08:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:20 AM ----------

The adaway.org site looks very official. Link for translations, and "get it on F-Droid".

Do you know what is changed there? Maybe it is some cooperation possible, that this thread gets linked on that site? Did someone ask?

I must confess that the option for easy updates is a reason that I use it from F-Droid since it was removed from play store, but I long time wasn't aware that it is modified somehow. Xda labs hopefully will help soon.
[Android Apps and Games] bryan_mmx:
I think I found out why. I have access to read/write in a lot of directories from root EXCEPT the system folder. AdAway was able to easlily create a host file in data/data but when I tried to copy to system/etc (or even just system) I'm denied (should have figured this out earlier when I tried it earlier and saw the host file in data/data). I guess the root access allowede by Xiaomi in Mi5's dev rom is limited. Bummer...
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
If by "it failed", you simply mean that AdAway was unable to write to /system/etc/hosts, that merely confirms that you do no provide write access to the /system partition. You still haven't given us many details on your configuration but since you said earlier that you could "edit files in root data directory with root explorer", please try to create a symlink in /data as suggested in the AdAway builtin help and point AdAway to that file. If symlink creation fails, try first flashing the "systemless" ZIP from the OP, resetting AdAway to its default "/system/etc/hosts" target, then rebooting.

If none of that works and you can't find your answers in the help files or by by searching this thread, please tell us exactly what problem(s) you encounter and what exact steps you took, including any specific error messages you received.

EDIT:

I see that you have now confirmed our suspicions that you don't have access to /system. You don't have to copy anything if you create the suggested symlink in /data. Simply point AdAway to that new location, as explained in the online help under "S-ON" since that's basically your situation. I
[Android Apps and Games] munkitkat:
Thanks to [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION] and FlashFire v0.28 I flashed AdAway_systemless_hosts_v2.zip (I was not able to sideload it, and TWRP does not work on encrypted N5X) on my N5X and now AdAway works
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
The original adaway.org site has been effectively abandoned ever since Google started rejecting anything that even resembles an "ad blocker" from the Play Store and the original developer has stepped down from any active role after allowing our [MENTION=3355398]mrRobinson[/MENTION] to maintain and release AdAway versions. The source is available freely on Github as are a Wiki and additional resources, as mentioned in the OP.

The F-droid site is only a repository that neither maintains nor supports AdAway. On occasion their automated bots compile something based on the publicly-available Github source then make it available to their visitors, but they are not developers. There is no reason to believe that they change much to the source, but whatever they publish is guaranteed to be

incompatible

with any version from here (they have to use their own signature). I think their "current" AdAway is roughly similar to the old version 3.1 from Oct-09-2015 available from the OP here, but if you install that, you'd have to uninstall it first to upgrade to the current March-11-1016 version, then re-enter all your data. It seems much wiser (and maybe safer) to use the AdAway versions found here, making it trivial to upgrade whenever a new build is available, with an active development and support community.
[Android Apps and Games] Ja_som:
[MENTION=7334599]munkitkat[/MENTION] why you copy my post?
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
I believe there are now TWRP versions able to deal with encryption but you could also decrypt first, do whatever you need to do with TWRP, then encrypt again if you must. That said, the main point is that AdAway works flawlessly whenever you allow it to edit the hosts file. The "systemless" ZIP makes that hosts file accessible (not only to AdAway), even on relatively unfriendly configurations such as yours, effectively removing at least one limitation of those trendy partial systemless roots.

You could thank [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION] for FlashFire (now at v0.29) or blame him for his "systemless" SuperSU. I'd go for both! ;)
[Android Apps and Games] kalle1984:
Hello Guys,

i need your help.

I flashed AICP11 Android 6.0.1 yesterday on my Galaxy S3I9305.

The last thing i had get to work is adaway, but it won´t.

I formated my SD card for use under Android so it is on the Android device itself.

When i try to enable adaway it says symlink to /system/etc/hosts isn´t available.

When i put yes, it failed to create them.

So i flashed systemless from OP and tried to manually create symlink.

Nothing worked for me.

When i try manually create symlink with terminal, it says failed because etc/hosts is only read partition.

The phone is fully rooted, everything other work.

What can i do, to get adaway working?

Sorry for english, I´m from Germany.

Greetz kalle
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
What doesn't work on your device is write access to /system, and anything that needs that access would fail. After flashing the "systemless" ZIP from the OP, you should make sure that AdAway points to /system/etc/hosts. You only need to point to /data when you use a symlink. The ZIP creates a permanent bind mount instead (not specific to AdAway) and allows you to use AdAway with the default target location.
[Android Apps and Games] Bishopandme:
I have the same pb....

Envoyé de mon SM-N920C en utilisant Tapatalk
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
What "pb" would that be? If you mean that, like [MENTION=6409479]kalle1984[/MENTION]'s, your configuration fails to allow applications to write to the /system partition, then the same answer applies, as mentioned many times in this thread. Note that those are NOT AdAway issues and AdAway is only one of potentially many victims. Anything that needs write access to /system will fail similarly, an unfortunate limitation of some recent ROMs and root methods.
[Android Apps and Games] kalle1984:
So, i will change Rom, because nothing works for me.

I tried flashing SU and Custom Kernels, but i couldn´t get access to system folder.

On AICP 10 LP 5.1.1 everything works.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
Did you verify that your device is properly rooted (even if only "systemless"), flash the ZIP from the OP, then launch AdAway with its default settings (pointing to /system/etc/hosts)? What

exact

error did you receive?

We can't help you with ROM-specific issues, but from a few quick searches it seems that other users managed to gain access to /system under recent AICP/CM13 builds for your device. You may want to ask wherever your ROM is supported since this is not an AdAway-specific issue. At the very least, you have to be able to edit /system/etc/hosts with any root enabled editor or file manager you have. Until you can do that, there's no point in worrying about AdAway... ;)
[Android Apps and Games] kalle1984:
I think it´s rom specific issues. With File Manager i can edit the hosts file.

Busybox installation failed and Xposed isn´t working too.

I flashed my Backup and will give any MM Rom another try later.

THX for the support here. Without adaway my phone isn´t a phone.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
If you can edit /system/etc/hosts with a file manager, there's no obvious reason why you couldn't do so with AdAway but since you still haven't shared what specific error you received, we can only guess. Whether you use Lollipop or Marshmallow doesn't matter to AdAway... ;)
[Android Apps and Games] 93fuelslut:
I've spoke with someone before abt using this mod for Google play music. He kinda just described what this app by passes etc. The only thing is, is that I don't understand this stuff or the terms.
[Android Apps and Games] Exile1975:
I'm not 100% positive, but I think without busybox you can't use adaway. Some file explorer's use an integrated busybox so it really isn't an indication of wether or not you can use adaway. Try to find a flashable busybox installation from recovery and try adaway again.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
As discussed here before, we know that some configurations install busybox in /su/bin/ instead of the traditional /system/xbin/, or even skip busybox altogether. Those issues are easy enough to remedy (not solely for AdAway but for anything that expects that a properly rooted device has an available busybox), but we have no way of knowing if they contribute to a given user's problems unless he/she shares with us what

specific error message

he/she receives. In many cases, simply looking at the logs and/or searching the thread would lead to a quick solution, but too often we only get a cryptic "doesn't work", even after several requests for details, and we can only hazard several guesses until we finally hit the right one...

The tough part of tech support is not giving the right answer, it's squeezing the right question out of the user! ;)
[Android Apps and Games] Exile1975:
He actually states that bysybox didn't install. That's why I posted. That's the first problem he has to fix...
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
You are correct, but in this case it seems he's switching to another ROM, and it's apparently too late to assess whatever trouble he had under MM. The fact that a busybox installation would fail (in an unspecified manner) suggests that there might have been some other underlying issues which would need to be resolved before even thinking about AdAway... ;)
[Android Apps and Games] fridrik:
Here it blocks some TV streaming applications that have advertisements. How do to put in the exceptions?

Enviado de meu GT-I9505 usando Tapatalk
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
AdAway only blocks what you ask it to block. If your source files include hosts that you do NOT wish to block, you can whitelist those hosts. Follow the instructions on how to use the AdAway DNS Request Log to identify those hosts if you don't know what they are. Without any specifics we can't even make good guesses about which hosts you block and which ones you might need to whitelist.
[Android Apps and Games] tag68:
I'm sure it is not necessary. Used adaway for quite some time without BusyBox.

If you want to keep time stamps on copy/move and don't want to be dependent on BusyBox, I know of no other file explorer for Android than Total Commander.

Just copy the hosts file and see if time stamp stays the same. You want to know if the files are identical without relying on the size, don't you?
[Android Apps and Games] Exile1975:
Most custom Roms also have busybox by default. I haven't had a stock rom yet that could use adaway without busybox and root first. Adaway uses busybox to merge and copy the new host file. Unless adaway has busybox integrated now, you can't change your hosts file using it. Someone said if you could modify hosts with a file explorer it was an indication that busybox was installed and adaway should work. This just isn't correct. I'll tell ya what, just for giggles go to a terminal window and type busybox. What do you get back?
[Android Apps and Games] tag68:
Currently I do have BusyBox installed, although I lived quite some time without. On my wife's phone (also a Moto X Play Android 6.0 stock) there is no BusyBox installed, but adaway working fine. But also no terminal, and she doesn't want to change that.

When we're back from Easter vacation I could try, don't want to uninstall BusyBox here with flaky internet.
[Android Apps and Games] kalle1984:
Hallo guys,

on my LP AICP 10 Rom i haven't installed busybox and all works fine.

Because of the easter holidays i have no time yet, to find the isse and flashed my backup.

I will find another time to flash MM Rom and will see, if the issue appears.

Then i came with specific details about the issue, so you can help me better.

Thx first for your work and help here.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
There might be some confusion about busybox. The primary requirement for AdAway is an environment where applications have R/W access to the hosts file. The quick "can you write to it from a file manager?" test merely checks that very first condition without which it'd be pointless to go further. Once AdAway has been installed and allowed to edit the hosts file (with or without a symlink, bind mount, or any other trickery), then the optional webserver may need a busybox in /system/xbin but that has no bearing over the ability to integrate source files or block/allow hosts.
[Android Apps and Games] SkindogOne:
Very gracious and diplomatic, Mike. Well done!

- Skindog (LG-H901)

Indifference is a choice!
[Android Apps and Games] m0han:
patience and diligence - admirable!

Indifference is a choice! i kinda like that.
[Android Apps and Games] Yememy:
Anyone know how to bypass forbes with adaway?
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
Perhaps you can explain what you mean by "bypass forbes"? If you are referring to the forbes.com site, what exactly do you wish to bypass on/from that site?
[Android Apps and Games] Golf c:
White listing www.forbes.com doesn't seem to get us past this screen into the article we want to read.

View attachment 3701870
[Android Apps and Games] Pkt_Lnt:
Whitelist this:

*forbes.com
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
There is no point in whitelisting something that you haven't blacklisted. Assuming you are only using the default source files, the blacklisted "forbes" hosts are:

ads.forbes.com

ads.forbes.net

fast.forbes.com

horizon.forbes.com

klipmart.forbes.com

vs.forbes.com

sc-forbes.forbes.com

pdf.forbes.com

You could simply whitelist "*.forbes.*", but it might be preferable to only whitelist the specific host(s) you need to access. Let the AdAway DNS Request Log guide you.
[Android Apps and Games] mrRobinson:
Off Topic but relevant...

Not sure if any of you have played with pi-hole but it is AdAway for your whole network. Even down to having the webserver service a blank page back (if you look at the manual setup). I'm setting it up now since I have a few spare raspberry pi's.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
Isn't that similar to running a DNS server on the router (or on any device if you set all devices to use that server), just slower?

Don't you dare abandon AdAway development! ;)
[Android Apps and Games] mrRobinson:
Except your router doesn't have hosts entries to send to blank. This IS running a dns server on the pi and doing just what adaway does by taking the ad domains and sending them to a local webserver to return blank. Just like using adaway, Web browsing is quicker since you aren't loading ads.

Edit: and I'll prob drop a 3.1.1 that rolls up all the minor changes since the last release and syncs up translation updates since then as well. Then that will be the final before any changes that would be in 3.2 to maybe bump sdk version for N. Although it'll work on N without that I like to try to keep it up.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
I understand but I'm not sure what's so special about doing this on the Pi instead of on any other local device, including potentially an Android phone. I was referring to a "smart" router which can do exactly what Pi-Hole seems to do. Several years ago, I remember running my DNS (mostly for redirection more than "blocking") through a spare Unix box using a very similar approach to bypass some early satellite ISP limitations, but it was nowhere as tiny and cute as the Pi! ;)

We're wayyyy OT, sorry! ;)
[Android Apps and Games] mrRobinson:
Oh I'd always keep on my android since regardless of where I am I'd have ad blocking. This doesn't replace adaway. The benefit of doing on my network is I'm now ad blocking on my network. That means my entire family computers and their ios devices now have ad blocking.
[Android Apps and Games] MrKaon:
I will get a pi 3 and will set it up as a DNS server, thank for tip.
[Android Apps and Games] skulldreamz:
I love reading everything that you ( [MENTION=4343728]Mike B.[/MENTION] ) & [MENTION=3355398]mrRobinson[/MENTION] discuss on this thread. It's some of the most interesting reading personally on xda and I've learnt so much from listening to you 2. Thanx :D
[Android Apps and Games] WTF?:
anyone know why there has been no host file update in over a week?
[Android Apps and Games] drewski_1:
The bad guys have left the building?

Seriously, though. That's not really in AdAway's control. Nothing to add, no update?

Sent from my Moto X
[Android Apps and Games] WTF?:
does anyone know if there is a certain procedure required on the systemless ROM patch? - can AdAway be already installed when you flash the patch with TWRP?
[Android Apps and Games] IronTechmonkey:
In re Pi-hole. I imagine control buttons that say "Shut yer pi-hole" and "Get R Done". :silly:
[Android Apps and Games] IronTechmonkey:
That is not uncommon, and does not impair effectiveness. Plagiarizing one of my own previous posts (which means it could be found with the search funtion in this thread ;)): ... those "default" sources dont change very quickly. I update them only every few weeks or months without seeing any increase in ads. Of course there could be a day where a significant advertiser is added to one of the lists, but not frequently enough to merit updating daily (IMO)."
[Android Apps and Games] MrKaon:
Not I'm aware, AdAway works fine with systemless root method.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
If you're concerned you should ask whoever maintains the source files you happen to use, but there is no obvious mandate for source files to be updated all that often. Some don't change for months at a time. While AdAway offers the option of checking daily, it's hardly a requirement. You can safely only check "once in a while" (monthly?) without any problems.

AdAway only needs a configuration that allows it to write to the hosts file and it doesn't care how it's done. What you call a "systemless ROM patch" is actually merely a simple script that creates a bind mount for /system/etc/hosts. It's neither a patch nor even specific to systemless roots, and is provided here for convenience but not part of or required by AdAway.

For future reference, note that your questions have already been answered many times here and you may want to simply search the thread for more information. Even reading the OP might even be enough at times... ;)
[Android Apps and Games] SkindogOne:
Agreed: and though OT, if it wasn't then we would all be ignorant of the knowledge that their casual discussion has provided so thank you guys for being rebellious with the topics boundaries...truly [emoji12].

- Skindog on a LG-H901 and SM-P600

Indifference is a choice!
[Android Apps and Games] Namoi:
Would it be possible on a asus ac68? Ithink I read it could be setted up as a webserver.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
We're referring to creating a DNS server, a different animal from a "webserver". In any case, what really matters more than what device you're on is what software you have. If your router allows you to install your own firmware/software, then you can accomplish a lot but generally the "out of the box" firmware is rather limited. This would be best discussed wherever the AC68 is supported.
[Android Apps and Games] Namoi:
Thanks, i will dig that matter on the proper board indeed.
[Android Apps and Games] ettore88:
Hi!!!Just a question.I'd like to install AdAway_systemless_hosts_v2.zip.

I installed Adaway 3.1 APK

What would be the procedure? I flash AdAway_systemless_hosts_v2.zip. from TWRP on my S5 g900f...After?THX in advance!!!

* i have supersu chainfire
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
As explained many times, the "systemless" ZIP merely executes "mount -o bind /su/etc/hosts /system/etc/hosts" on boot, saving you the trouble of doing so manually. If you have a systemless root that won't allow you to directly edit /system/etc/hosts, simply flash that ZIP from TWRP. It doesn't matter if you install AdAway before or after flashing. Just make sure you let AdAway point to the default /system/etc/hosts.
[Android Apps and Games] myklbear:
Successfully downloaded both versions 3.1 and 2.9 and "systemless" but both versions of program open but install button inop. Yes I am allowing uncertified installs. Look forward to using app. Pls. help. TIA (GS4-optmizd CM 12.1)
[Android Apps and Games] Ja_som:
Install button when you want to install apk? Do you use some display filter, Lux, or other app?
[Android Apps and Games] skulldreamz:
I think he meant after installing the adaway .apk the newer hosts don't install automatically. I'm not sure either if he meant the button that downloads the files and applys newer hosts isn't working. It works perfect for me and btw i just opened the app and there is newer updated hosts files available.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
Forget about the old 2.9 and the "systemless" ZIP for now. Which "install button" are you talking about and what do you mean by "open"? How do you usually download and install other apps? AdAway is not any different from any other downloaded apk.

I think [MENTION=5201515]Ja_som[/MENTION] is thinking of a situation where SuperSU might ask you to confirm root access but is prevented from reading your response by a display filter. If this is your problem, simply disable the "Tapjacking protection" option in SuperSU, an issue completely unrelated to AdAway.

As usual, if you tell us EXACTLY what you do and what exact message you get from which application, we might be much better able to assist you!
[Android Apps and Games] WTF?:
also, some folks new to flashing don't realize that zip files have to be installed by TWRP or similar recovery, rather than a normal install button
[Android Apps and Games] mrRobinson:
Oddly enough there is an old feature request on Adaway to have it run a dnsserver (dnsmasq) with the webserver. This would make it do just as pi-hole is.

https://github.com/Free-Software-for-Android/AdAway/issues/47

I don't see it as a huge value add to be worth what my effort would be so I'd personally never implement but decent idea for some other dev to pick up on and user could by choice enable like the webserver.
[Android Apps and Games] Mike B.:
Yes, I remember seeing that but I didn't take it too seriously. I can think of many better places to run dnsmasq, especially when AdAway is running on a mobile device, as I suspect it usually is. You're correct, though, it might make for a fun (if somewhat pointless) project for someone. There's no shortage of publicly available source code for various dnsmasq implementations. That said I feel sorry for whoever would provide end user support for that "feature" considering how many people still apparently misunderstand the simple webserver... ;)
[Android Apps and Games] myklbear:
Thanks. The tapjack unhecking solved the problem. Must be on by default as don't believe I checked. Will read up on tapjack.

Note that v3 "should" state for all as mention of MMlo suggested maybe not for LLpop.

Again thanks for quick reply. Now back to fighting with W7 update failing. ;)

---------- Post added at 04:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:42 PM ----------

@wtf. I am quite sure I just ran install directly from ESfilemgr without problem.