yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Apps and Games] KaHOnas:
The app has worked great for me for years but I'm wondering why it doesn't work on USB tether. Does the data connection get routed to the tether prior to and without consulting the hosts file? It works great when I use the wi-fi tether so I'm assuming this is the case.
[Android Apps and Games] baal-amiga:
On my previously devices this app works fine, but on my new Huawei T3 won't work. I have lot of ad-s in chrome ?

Tapatalkkal küldve az én AGS-W09 eszközömről
[Android Apps and Games] meboy:
Often the host file is not overwritten but the app reports it's has been for some reason.

Open it with solid explorer to check there are entries. You may need to edit permissions.

It would be nice to have a fix for this.

Edit

Ahhh reading back. Nougat problem maybe? Though it happened on 6 too
[Android Apps and Games] baal-amiga:
Meanwhile I found another app, that worx on android 7.

Tapatalkkal küldve az én AGS-W09 eszközömről
[Android Apps and Games] meboy:
I've tried others but always come back to this. The best imo. Appreciate the dev offering it.

But could the fix be worked into the APK so you don't need to flash an additional file after?

Also Oreo support.
[Android Apps and Games] baal-amiga:
Adaway from f-droid do the job fine.

Az én iPhone készülékemről küldve a Tapatalk segítségével
[Android Apps and Games] CrimsonBloodfang:
I'm using this together with AdAway, is this alright? The two apps seems to be working fine for me. Although I'm not sure if both host files are working or is the other one being overtaken. I'm using LineageOS 14.1 Rom.
[Android Apps and Games] baal-amiga:
Try to disable adfree and see, how is works. If you don't have ads, adaway alone will be good.

Az én iPhone készülékemről küldve a Tapatalk segítségével
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
You can install both and they both write to the same hosts file so it'd be a case of what ran last as to what list(s) you are using
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Just pushed out an update to Adfree to get tcpdump working again.

I also got rid of lighttpd because most websites are ssl enabled these days, so there isn't any point trying to redirect connections as you'll get broken page warnings.

The app should self update, but for those impatient want it now, you can get the app from the website.
[Android Apps and Games] andreskafe:
Need flash again the fix for Android 7?
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
I assume you're talking about creating a symlink, in which case no you don't.
[Android Apps and Games] andreskafe:
Thanks mate!
[Android Apps and Games] Kusie:
Hi all,

after upgrading my phone to a new ROM firmware version Adfree stopped working. 0.9.15 from adfree.odiousapps.com is still the last version, right? I´m asking because inside the app it says "Upgrade me!" on the top ...

Anyway, strange thing is that AdFree was working fine on the prior ROM Version (I had to use symlink feature though), but now it does not work any more - Reinstalled from scratch, AdFree tells me new hosts have been found, I click "use symlink", it updates and says it was successful, but the hosts file is NOT generated on /data as before....

Any hints to solve this?

Thanks,

K.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Yes, 0.9.15 is the latest. What ROM and version are you using?

That's not normal, I'll have to look into this.

Recent versions of android only let the symlink be created from recovery, and there is a small installable zipfile that does this.
[Android Apps and Games] Kusie:
Hello,

thank you for answering my post! I have attached a screenshot showing the "Upgrade me!" message in AdFree 0.9.15 downloaded from adfree.odiousapps.com.

As for my phone, I have a Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Global Version (SD 636 based phone running MIUI 9.5 based on Android Oreo 8.1) and I was installing an OTA update from 9.5.6.0 to 9.5.13.0.

Now after trying a few time it seems it´s working now! Seems they changed the handling of the hosts file in this update. In the prior version the host file in /system/etc was overwritten after every reboot and AdFree was only working with the symlink to /data, but now it seems it´s working without the symlink.

K.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Just updated adfree and fixed a couple of minor bugs to make self-updates work, for some reason manual updates opened into a browser and I've no idea why I coded things that way.
[Android Apps and Games] Dor71:
New version works great for me.I have Samsung A5 (2017), hadesRom, Oreo.Thank you.
[Android Apps and Games] Kusie:
Installed new version 0.9.16, working fine but still showing "upgrade me!" on top. Just FYI...
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
That is a reference to update the list of hostnames before app self updates were an option, I'll remove it to save confusing people in future.
[Android Apps and Games] Bazz27:
This means the app is working?.... But I get ads on every app... I'm on Stock OREO..
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
That's only the part detecting DNS requests, if it's displaying hostnames for ads it isn't working.

did you install the zip file to create symlink to /data/hosts ?
[Android Apps and Games] hteles:
Hi,

could you consider when a new update to the app is planned to allow the app to auto-rotate vertically at least?

Why? My phone display has a touch problem in the middle of the screen, and that sits behind the update button :p

I know that are applications to force rotation profiles, but I don't want another service ruining and thrashing memory.

Many thanks. It will be appreciated.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Now that small screens have disappeared on the market this should be an easier thing to do.
[Android Apps and Games] hteles:
Take your time.

Many Thanks. :good:
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
I just uploaded a new version that now does landscape.
[Android Apps and Games] hteles:
Perfect :good:

Thank you.
[Android Apps and Games] Elgranspike:
Hi, help please

Hi, the app only works with wifi, when i use network data (3g or LTE) dont works. Anyone can tell me why?

Thank you and sorry for my english.

My phone is a xiaomi mi5s
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Are you able to search your device for other hosts files?
[Android Apps and Games] hteles:
Probably the APN he is using has a proxy server so it is bypassing /etc/hosts.

[MENTION=9528479]Elgranspike[/MENTION] , Please edit your APN and look for the proxy server and remove it, but don't change anything on the MMS definition
[Android Apps and Games] Elgranspike:
Solved the problem disabling proxy in apn settings.

Thank you.
[Android Apps and Games] Blümchen Blau:
Flash without custom recovery?

Hi,

I was able to downgrade my Honor V10 to EMUI8 to be able to become root (Magisk) again. But since the downgrade Adfree doesn't block anymore and he "TCP Host Names" seem to be empty. I cant find "data/hosts" and "system/etc/hosts" says

127.0.0.1 localhost
::1 ip6-localhost

(pretty standard though)

So I assume, the symlink wasn't created properly. BUT, as i haven't converted to a custom recovery like TWRP: How can I flash the zip that you - thankfully - provided?

Can you reveal to a Ubuntu-Linux user how to create the symlink with the help of the terminal or else? I couldn't gather enough information out of the "update-binary".

Update: Even after copying the hosts-file to "data", changing rights to "664" and updating in adfree the "TCP Host Names" remains empty.

NOT to forget: It worked on EMUI8 before I reflashed (with a complete system- & data wipe).

Update2: Created the symlink in /system/etc (after deleting the "original") and still no success. :(
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
How did you root your phone without a custom recovery?

As for what to do, if you open the zip file, you can go into the META-INF/com/google/android/ directory and open update-binary which has all the commands in plain text. The main problem with the symlink is it can't be created while the system is booted, you have to do it in recovery.

That only shows hostnames if you enable tcpdump and then the device does some dns requests.
[Android Apps and Games] Blümchen Blau:
Adfree without custom recovery

I rooted due to topjohnwu's guide in this thread. No custom recovery needed for that method.

It now works because I managed to really "create" the symlink. As "su" in a terminal on the phone I remounted "system" with ...

mount -rw /system

(took me a while to find out, that this is needed)

... did a second "su" and created the symlink with the command given in your "update-binary". After remounting system as "ro" and updating the host file in adfree now I am back to "undisturbed surfing". :o

Still it's a mystery to me, why adfree worked without hassle the first time on EMUI8 but not when reflashing (after erasing ALL data). :eek:

(But ... It's always good to know a wee bit about the linux commandline.;))
[Android Apps and Games] Blümchen Blau:
Update: It kept working without any further work after upgrading to EMUI9 again.
[Android Apps and Games] jiml8:
not working on LOS 16

Adfree does not appear to be working on LOS 16. I presume this is also true on LOS 15 though since I no longer run that, I don't know. I have used it for a long time, so I know it used to work. I can't tell you when it stopped working.

I have two phones; a Galaxy S5 G900AZ daily driver and a G900T testbed. Both are on LOS 16 with root, and adfree is not working on either.

I did not notice this for a long time because my security protocols are rather strict and most apps are firewalled off from using the internet, therefore most apps can't load ads anyway. I usually browse using Brave, and it routinely blocks ads, so I just didn't notice that adfree was not working.

When I noticed that my hosts file did not have anything in it, I visited this thread and learned about the needed link. Well, that makes sense.

So I did it: linked /system/etc/hosts to /data/hosts. Nothing happened. Searched system for another hosts file. Didn't find any (automated search, of course, I didn't try to manually root through all those directories). Permission on /data/hosts is 644 and it contains the default localhost entry as well as the ip6 entry.

If I tell adfree to "revert" the hosts file, it does so, leaving me with a hosts file that no longer has the second line ip6 entry, just the default localhosts entry.

I uninstalled and reinstalled adfree; no change. I tried to register it, and got a server error on your end.

I disabled the firewall and tried to update the hosts file. No change.

It actually looks a lot like the file of updates is not being downloaded, though at this point in time I can't say that is so because I have not yet done a tcpdump from my router to see what traffic is actually passing from the phone(s).

Any ideas? I can provide a catlog if that would help.
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
I use adfree in several phones running Oreo and Pie roms with zero problems.

Try my fix-hosts flashable zip. Link in the OP.
[Android Apps and Games] jerryspring:
Junk. Doesn't work. Wheel spins for checking host... WTH?
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Can you give us some hint, like details of your device and OS version, is your phone rooted or not or how do you get root apps to run and any errors thrown etc.

If there is no GUI errors, can you use logcat to pull out debug info either via an app or on a PC etc?
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
Working fine here.
[Android Apps and Games] MrTooPhone:
Can not update

Today I had a notice a new list was available. I tapped "Download and Install hosts", I got the following error:javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: Java.security.cert.CertPathValidatorException: Trust anchor for certification path not found." Is this a server error or is my client outdated?
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
I was upgrading PHP and it didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked, it should be fixed now, sorry for any inconvenience.
[Android Apps and Games] scooter1979:
I'm guessing I'm SOL, but I absolutely love Adfree, so I'll give this a shot...

Just updated to Android 10 on my Pixel 3. Now, no matter what method I try, I'm getting the "unable to locate a partition to remount to write the hosts file to" error. Rooted with Magisk, tried both with and without the systemless host module Magisk includes, and also got into stock recovery (no TWRP for 10 yet) to flash the symlink file from this thread.

Again, I'm probably out of luck on getting this working on 10, but I have to try. This app has blocked EVERYTHING for so long... I'm trying Adaway, but that doesn't work nearly as well as Adfree.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
I should probably do away with code to remount the partition, because it's now not possible to do while booted into Android.

Did the symlink zip file actually put a symlink pointing to the /data directory?
[Android Apps and Games] scooter1979:
Actually, running it again to check, ADB says "total xfer: 1.00x," and I've got "footer is wrong" and "signature verification failed" "error: 21" errors on device (had to choose mount /system from within recovery to get ADB to say the xfer message).

So, I guess that's a negative, Ghostrider.
[Android Apps and Games] aladoro54:
still using AdFree but didn't see any update since more than a year. host file still is updated.

as an alternative I would use Blokada nowadays ...
[Android Apps and Games] scooter1979:
I looked at that one a little... Don't know if I quite trust the VPN in their app. I would absolutely much rather have the golden working simplicity of Adfree. Seriously, I'm starting to realize that I took it for granted. If Mr. Foxtrot here can get it working for me again, I'm definitely donating or paying to register or what have you.
[Android Apps and Games] iBreakStuff:
THIS ^^^ I was trying so decipher so much of what this thread is talking about but I'm in the same boat only with the Pixel 4, also rooted with Magisk. I didn't even know it was possible to use the stock recovery to do flashes; but I guess it isn't working anyhow.
[Android Apps and Games] mtRoom:
Yes I'm having the same problem as mentioned. Running Android 10 rooted with Magisk. Mine is on Galaxy S10. It's been like this since I rooted it back in March so I get by but a fix sometime in the future would certainly be much appreciated.
[Android Apps and Games] stevenjamessj:
Thanks! I always get irritated at those junk ads on Android
[Android Apps and Games] t-driver:
will there be an update for android 10 users?

.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
I'm still waiting to find someone that can install the hosts zip file that creates a symlink.
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
I did my first android 10 rom install. Had to change my hosts symlink creation zip.

Now it handles "system-as-root" and older android versions. One size fits all.

Just reboot into recovery and flash. Done!
[Android Apps and Games] t-driver:
something interesting happened......

i downloaded and re-installed the adfree app (android 10) and right after installing, updating worked as usual !!!

....until next reboot.....

but i could download and update the host files, now i'm "good to go".

i have not flashed the above zip yet.

.
[Android Apps and Games] scooter1979:
This may sound silly, but...

How are you using recovery? I'm trying to fastboot boot twrp.img, but I'm guessing because Android 10, it won't load the temporary TWRP so I can flash the zip.

EDIT: I used FK Kernel Manager to flash the zip, and although I'm not getting any errors from Adfree anymore, it doesn't seem to be working. Ads left and right. I've tried both with and without the symlink option in Adfree, and no positive results.
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
In my devices TWRP is readily available. I just reboot into recovery and flash the zip.

This will not work. In recovery the folder for hosts file is /system/system/etc, inside android is the ususal /system/etc. You can not run the script in android.
[Android Apps and Games] t-driver:
will this mod handle "system-as-root" system wide , or only for adfree ?

.
[Android Apps and Games] scooter1979:
Ehh. I'm on Pixel 3/Android 10, and I believe the TWRP letter put out back in October saying "don't hold your breath" was more or less directly addressed to me. Poop.

Double poop.
[Android Apps and Games] aladoro54:
found an update on https://adfree.odiousapps.com. as usual no date, no release note, changelog etc. internally it's labelled "version 0.9.19"

works fine on my good old Android 6 devices, maybe Android 10 users could/should give it a try ...
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
The changelog is on the first post of this thread.
[Android Apps and Games] aladoro54:
sorrysorry, next time I'll watch more carefully! ;)
[Android Apps and Games] assassin10000:
Is the symlink zip below what you needed to make your app work with 10?

Since I'm on Pixel 3 XL and no TWRP (last I checked), could/would this work on stock rooted 10 if sideloaded via ADB?
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
If it were signed it might work.
[Android Apps and Games] assassin10000:
Hmmm. Thats beyond my meager skills.

I am rooted with magisk, it does have a systemless hosts module.

Would it be possible to have your app work with that instead?
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
magisk will work ok, but you need to install the symlink zip file while the phone isn't booted into android as you can't make read-only filesystems read-write.
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
Here is an updated version of my symlink creation zip.

It handles "system-as-root" A10 and older android versions. One size fits all.

Just reboot into recovery and flash. Done!
[Android Apps and Games] scooter1979:
I'm guessing this will not work with any in-OS flash tools like FK Kernel Manager or what have you, just like v3.00, correct? On Pixel 3 with Magisk, and there's still no TWRP support.
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
Yes, you need to flash my zip from recovery.

I have never tried it myself, but maybe Magisk systemless host module could work for you.
[Android Apps and Games] MoPhoMike:
I've been trying to get the flashable zip to work on a Razer Phone 2, but ain't having any luck!! I've flashed the latest zip, as well as 2.0.2 (?) and nothing is being blocked. Any suggestions? Also, I could not find the magisk module to try that way. Not sure if my magisk install went wrong..
[Android Apps and Games] svbarbosa:
By latest you mean 3.01, right?

Try again with 3.01 and post a TWRP log here. I might be able to figure out what is happening.
[Android Apps and Games] MoPhoMike:
Yes, I've tried 2.02 and 3.01. So, I had to have my phone replaced, and Adfree had been working, however with the new phone, still a Razer Phone 2, I've flashed 3.01 multiple times, with no success. Additionally, not sure how to do a TWRP log, so if you let me know, I'll surely get you the logs to help out. Each time I flashed the .zip, it did say that symlink was already linked and I could use adfree..

UPDATE: When rooting a phone with an A/B partition scheme, one must flash BOTH boot partitions for symlink to work. So, I'm good to go.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
LineageOS has a copy partitions zip that deals with this:

copy-partitions-20200903_1329.zip | by The Muppets for Generic Device/Other

Download GApps, Roms, Kernels, Themes, Firmware, and more. Free file hosting for all Android developers.

androidfilehost.com
[Android Apps and Games] Ionic_:
I'm a bit at a loss.

I'm using LOS 18.1, rooted with Magisk and the systemless hosts file module enabled. That is, AdFree could, in theory, just go ahead and write to that file (with root access, of course).

It just plainly refuses to. Even though the file is writable, using logcat I found out that it's writing its content to /data/hosts instead.

I mean, that works (other than that it does not have any effect) and is all fair and stuff, and I could manually move the content (creating a symlink doesn't sound like a good idea since the Magisk module is bind-mounting the file), but why doesn't it just try to copy the content to the system file in the first place?

A simple su -c 'cat /data/hosts > /system/etc/hosts' (yeah, no cp or mv to make sure that the inode is preserved for the bind mount to work) is working fine for me, but I'd have to do this after each system upgrade or hosts file update.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Due to changes google made to android I was forced to use a symlink for most phones, did you install the symlink.zip file?
[Android Apps and Games] Ionic_:
I did not use a symlink and I cannot and won't use a symlink.

I'm using the Magisk systemless hosts module, which bind-mounts a writable file to /system/etc/hosts and AdFree could easily write to it, if it were trying to in the first place. Using this module essentially restores the pre-Android-6 behavior in which the file is just writable.

What I'm requesting is that AdFree should try to write to the file. If it works, great, if it doesn't, no harm done.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Why not?
[Android Apps and Games] Ionic_:
For the reasons I outlined above.

A bind mount is a nicer, and importantly also transparent way to have a writable file in /system. Using the module, I also don't have to re-create the symlink/reflash a file each time I update my operating system, so it's also way more convenient.
[Android Apps and Games] stryke69:
There's a wrong translation for the German version. Instead of

"Präsensiert von bigtincan.com..."

it should be

"Präsentiert von bigtincan.com..."
[Android Apps and Games] leechseed:
Two things.. Screen size doesnt fit to display size (screenshot - 182 dpi) ;)

& could you implement a button for manual update check? Just to pressand see if its up to date as it (adfree) doesnt run in the backround (minimized backround process)

Thanks:):)

Greetz

SlimBean-6.2|Dorimanx9.34|i9100¬Tapa2
[Android Apps and Games] HairyMonster:
Adfree is blocking access to the Microsoft technet forums: social technet Microsoft com

Any chance of a button in the app to take me to my online control panel, as every time I need to change something like white list the above, I find I've forgotten my passcode, need to generate a new one, make the change and then update the registration in the app?
[Android Apps and Games] todoss:
Great, tnx!
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Thanks for that, the new version will have it.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Thanks for pointing out the display issue, I've fixed it.

AdFree doesn't run in the background, it sets a timer/alarm which runs AdFree to check once a day for updates, as for manual updates, just go into the app and press the download & install hosts.
[Android Apps and Games] leechseed:
Thanks, but I meant app update ;) not host file update :o

Greetz

SlimBean-6.2|Dorimanx9.34|i9100¬Tapa2
[Android Apps and Games] Cookie Ninja:
I think he (& most of us who don't have a slideme market app) would like an in-app notification when a newer version is available on the bigtincan websit (in addition to the hostfile update notification). Thx, and gr8 work with the app.

Dead Cookies leave no trails...
[Android Apps and Games] Mjamocha:
Hi, great app. I'm having issues with logging in on http://adfree.bigtincan.com/login.php to update hosts.

Login worked before. Thank you.
[Android Apps and Games] -Johan:
Does this app require root? Just purchased a new phone and don't want to root it just yet. Thanks in advance. Worked well on my previous (rooted) phone.
[Android Apps and Games] DOHCtor:
Yes, it requires root access.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Apart from being booted from the play store, nothing major has been changed, but I'll add background checking for new versions.
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
Download a newer version from the website, an update fixed that bug.
[Android Apps and Games] bigbird2:
Thanx:D:D

EL BOSS GNII XDA PREMIUM
[Android Apps and Games] delta_foxtrot2:
0.8.64+ Background app update check, fixed de spelling mistake and one small display mistake.

While the app version check is automated, the update is manual.