[Miscellaneous Android Development] hackwerk:
Hackwerk's Acer Liquid E3 (E380) / ALE3 Topic

Made by Hackwerk: Feel totally free to press the Thanks button if you like my work. Took a lot of my time! ;)

Post simple/stupid/IDoNotUnderstand questions in the Q&A subthread (button under thread title) please!

-- THIS TOPIC IS NO LONGER FREQUENTLY UPDATED --

Specifications / Features / Hardware

Full specs (and E3/E380 vs E2/V370) at GSMArena

Model / Name: E380 / Acer Liquid E3 (Duo / Single / Duo PLUS) or "ALE3"

SKU/EAN/UPC: HM.HDZEE.004.412EF4E96413 (Duo, black) / 4713147308262 / 887899533860

(HM.HE2EE.002 = Duo, titanium gold / HM.HE0EE.001 = Single, black / HM.HE1EE.001 = Single, titanium gold / HM.HE3EG.001 = Duo PLUS, black)

CPU/GPU: Mediatek MT6589 1.2GHz Quad-core Cortex-A7 / PowerVR SGX544

ROM/RAM: 4GB (or 16GB in PLUS) / 1GB (or 2GB in PLUS)

Screen: 4.7" IPS LCD, 720 x 1280, 16M (part 6M.HDZH7.001)

Camera back/front: 13MP, 4160 x 3120 (flash, autofocus) / 2MP (flash)

Battery: Model BAT-A10 (1ICP4/58/71), Cell PGF355870HT (Samsung)("Fixed", Li-Polymer, 2000mAh, 3.8V)

Other: MicroSD (to 32GB), Dual (Duo) or Single SIM, a-GPS, DTS Sound (Optional NFC (in PLUS?))

Dimensions: 138x69x9 mm (5.35x2.68x 0.35 inch), 135 g (4.73 oz)

Firmware / Software

Firmware: Android 4.4.2 KitKat (original Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean))

Kernel: 3.4.67 yang2@yang2 #1 (20140925)(custom kernels made by cyclon1978!)(cyclon1978 custom kernel with inverted Y-ax for replacement screens)

Build: Acer_AV0K0_E380_1.018.00_EMEA_GEN1 (KOT49H)

Radio/band: MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.WG.MP.V44.P10 (20140909)(APN 2.094)

Recovery: CWM 6.0.5.0 for E380 by vache -hold Volume Up while powering on-

Acer update history / Changelog

French version of the changelogs by Shreps can be found here at the Acer Club (.fr).

WARNING: When updating root will be removed & recovery/bootlogo/bootanimation will be reset to stock! You can easily restore root by our flash method and restore Link2SD apps etc!

Update 2014-04-11

Build: > Acer_AV052_E380_1.012.00_EMEA_GEN1

APN: > 2.062

Apps: Not checked

Fixes: Unknown

Update 2014-06-06

Kernel: 3.4.5 st3@st3-server #1 (20140530)

Build: > Acer_AV052_E380_1.016.00_EMEA_GEN1

Radio: > MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.WG.MP.V5.P51 (20140424)

APN: > 2.076

Apps: Google Maps, Acer Customer Experience, ALU, Quick mode, Snapnote, Nidus, Live screen, Swype, Touch Panel FW, Google GMS R6 etc?

Fixes: (thanks to Shreps)

Camera focus a little better. (Totally fixed & fast in latest KitKat update (RC18))

GPS a little better. (Totally fixed & very fast and accurate in latest KitKat update (RC18))

Improve power consumption.

Camera shutter sound – set off as default.

Disable vibrator when taking picture.

Long press menu key to launch setting menu.

Disable hall sensor if flip UI is disabled.

Improve Acer RAPID function.

Improve Float APP performance.

Animation scale change to 0.5x

Battery warning message incorrect (user is asked to remove the battery).

Bluetooth connection dropping issue with BMW series 1 carkit.

Beta/RC 10 (635439223707245731) (thanks to vache)

Android: 4.4.2 KitKat (RC10)

Kernel: 3.4.67 st3@st3-server 20140813 st3.1407926371

Build: Acer_AV0K0_E380_1.010.00_EMEA_GEN1 (KOT49H)

Radio: MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.WG.MP.V44.P8 (20140811)

APN: 2.089

Beta/RC 14 (635451389186094510) (thanks to vache)

Android: 4.4.2 KitKat (RC14)

Kernel: 3.4.67 st3@st3-server 20140828 st3.1409221923

Build: Acer_AV0K0_E380_1.014.00_EMEA_GEN1 (KOT49H)

Radio: MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.WG.MP.V44.P8 (20140811)

APN: 2.0.93

RC 17 (635464579241492804) (thanks to Shreps)

Android: 4.4.2 KitKat (RC17)

Kernel: 3.4.67 st3@st3-server 20140915 st3.1410756057

Build: Acer_AV0K0_E380_1.017.00_EMEA_GEN1 (KOT49H)

Radio: MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.WG.MP.V44.P10 (20140909)

APN: 2.0.93

Update 2014-10-07: Acer KitKat Update (RC18)(635475739172038202)(OLD LINK)

Android: 4.4.2 KitKat (RC18)

Kernel: 3.4.67 yang2@yang2 #1 20140925

Build: Acer_AV0K0_E380_1.018.00_EMEA_GEN1 (KOT49H)

Radio: MOLY.WR8.W1248.MD.WG.MP.V44.P10 (20140909)

APN: 2.0.94

Fixes:

GPS is fixed and now very fast and very accurate!

Camera (focus) is fixed and now fast and sharp!

Google Play Store icons (black background when transparant) is fixed.

?

Update 2015-01-28: Final Acer KitKat Update (RC19)(635580282980063641)

Android: 4.4.2 KitKat (Final)(RC19)

Kernel: ?

Build: Acer_AV0K0_E380_1.004.00_EMEA_GEN1s_A44K_A (KOT49H)

Radio: ?

APN: ?

Fixes:

?

Official

The following are official Acer pages/links, but content IS different on all other languages/regions (so try others)!

Support pages (drivers/manuals/source): NL, Global/US.

USB Driver v1.0 AV052 (2014-03-27) (does NOT work with tools (flashing and dumping etc), as you need PDAnet or VCOM drivers for that (see ROM Dump section))

Kernel Sources v20150126 (4.4.2)

Kernel Sources v20150126 (4.2.2)

Manual (ENG)(Duo) (for other manuals follow 1st link)

Acer Club (FR) Forums (semi-official)

ROM Dump / Partitions / Scatter

When stuck / frozen on boot (bootloop) you can always reset by holding Volume Up & Power for over 12 sec!

Carlivs Tutorial is another good, clear and complete overview of all this!

You CAN NOT dump/read your phone with the official Acer drivers (no virtual COM port)!

I now succesfully used PDANet (See Tools / Drivers), but a lot of people seem to use the VCOM drivers (MT6589 VCOM, MTK Preloader etc.

The only tool (see Tools section) working after a lot of trying (!) for me was (old) SP Flash Tool 3.1344, and sometimes the newest 3.1408, both icw MTK Droid 2.5.3!

Read these 5 great (similar) ROM dump / flash tutorials (or read this tutorial about Android partitions):

Tutorial 1

Tutorial 2

Tutorial 3

Tutorial 4

Tutorial 5

-- SEE POST ATTACHMENT FOR CURRENT SCATTER FILE --

In this table you find the partition name (all EMMC) (as found in the scatter file attached to this post, probably made by MTK Droid Root & Tools (see Tools section)), then the start adress and then the length,

all in hex

.

(This could also be done by connecting to phone (with USB Debug on) and using ADB: "adb shell cat /proc/dumchar_info")

PRELOADER

0x0 0xc00000

MBR

0xc00000 0x80000

EBR1

0xc80000 0x80000

__NODL_PMT

0xd00000 0x400000

__NODL_PRO_INFO

0x1100000 0x300000

__NODL_NVRAM

0x1400000 0x500000

__NODL_PROTECT_F (EXT4 mount as /protect_f)

0x1900000 0x400000 (or 0xA00000?!)

__NODL_PROTECT_S (EXT4 mount as /protect_s)

0x2300000 0xA00000

__NODL_SECCFG

0x2d00000 0x20000

UBOOT

0x2d20000 0x60000

BOOTIMG

0x2d80000 0x600000

RECOVERY

0x3380000 0x600000

SEC_RO

0x3980000 0x600000

__NODL_MISC

0x3f80000 0x80000

LOGO

0x4000000 0x300000

__NODL_EXPDB

0x4300000 0xA00000

ANDROID (EXT4 mount as /system)

0x4d00000 0x3E800000

CACHE (EXT4 mount as /cache)

0x43500000 0x7E00000

USRDATA (EXT4 mount as /data)(can not read it in SP Flash Tool, because "length does not allign"?!)

0x4b300000 0xB4CF00A8

__NODL_BMTPOOL (can not read it in SP Flash Tool, because "length does not allign"?!)

0xffff00a8 0x1500000

ROM Installing / Updating

Basic instructions to update your phone (if not automatically Over The Air (OTA)) with a ROM ZIP using a recovery:

If you have the SP Flash Tool (see Tools), make a backup with that too

Install CWM (or any other custom recovery like Carliv's CTR or TWRP if available for E380)(see Root by Flash)

Download and unzip the ROM update (see Acer Update History and watch new posts)

Copy the FixPack-B.zip to SD card

(Re)Boot into recovery

Make a full backup in recovery (to SD)

Flash the FixPack-B.zip from recovery

Reboot & enjoy the new ROM / updated Android!

Root by flash (preferred method)

WARNING: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK, THIS CAN BE DIFFICULT OR EVEN DANGEROUS!!!

When stuck / frozen on boot (bootloop) you can always reset by holding Volume Up & Power for over 12 sec!

Carlivs Tutorial is another good, clear and complete overview of all this!

Steps 0-4 are to be found explained more thouroughly and with images, in the tutorials in the ROM Dump section. Read them. Read them well!

All tools can be found in the Tools section.

Also, a short (better?) version by Shreps can be found here (or check this ChinaPhoneArena one).

0) Install drivers (see Tools) with a good USB virtual COM port emulation! Most simple is to install PDANet maybe, but lot of people seem to use so called VCOM drivers / MT6589 VCOM / MTK Preloader etc. Other option is the MTK USB All Developer drivers. Make sure connection is OK, and MTK Droid works (when phone is on)!

1) Create scatter file or use the one attached to this post.

2) Read back (stock) recovery (or all) partitions with (old) SP Flash Tool 3.1344 using scatter from 1, or download my stock recovery img here.

3) Download CWM 6.0.5.0 by vache or Carliv Touch Recovery CTR (2.7 for JB, 3.0 for KK) (thanks to vache/Shreps for CWM, thanks to Carliv for CTR!)(or make your own by MTK Droid altering stock recovery image);

4) "Download" (to phone) the custom recovery with (old) SP Flash Tool 3.1344 using scatter from 1, or use mine.

5a) Copy SuperSU zip to SD card, and boot your phone into CWM/Carliv recovery (hold volume up and turn phone on), and then Install zip from SD > install SuperSU.

5b) Te keep your custom CWM: Install SuperSU

immediately

after boot, and use File / Root Explorer to delete file ".. recovery .." in System folder before booting again!

6) YOU ARE ROOTED!

7) Install BusyBox (see Tools section)

WARNING: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK, THIS CAN BE DIFFICULT OR EVEN DANGEROUS!!!

Root by app

WARNING: ALL METHODS AT YOUR OWN RISK (NOT TROJAN OR MAL-/SPYWARE CHECKED)!!!

You can always first check the Lifehacker Always Actual Root Guide.

Working (confirmed):

Kingo Root APK / 1.5.1.2996 PC

May be working / Not tested:

KingRoot 5.1.0 APK / 3.5.0.1157 PC (MAY BE UNSAFE)

iRoot 3.3.6 APK / 1.8.8 PC by XINYI Network / Mgyun (formerly VRoot)(WORKING BEFORE UPDATE TO KITKAT!)

Root Genius 2.2.84 APK / 3.1.7 PC by Shuame

Baidu Root / MROOT

Voodoo OTA Rootkeeper 2.0.3 (protects root on rooted phones)(WORKING BEFORE UPDATE TO KITKAT!) (Or use SuperSU Pro (paid)!)

NOT (yet) working (anymore)(confirmed):

Please message me your own test results and additions!!!

WARNING: ALL METHODS AT YOUR OWN RISK (NOT TROJAN OR MAL-/SPYWARE CHECKED)!!!

Developing / Custom ROM's

MyROM (4.0.037)(just search thread for newer!) by our friend cyclon1978 (Best rated custom ROM yet!)

CyanogenMod 10.1 for E3 (ported from UMI X2)!

MIUI v6 for E380 by Kenji Zefaneo Hanson, now at version 4.12.28!

MIUI v5 for ALE3 by Artha Bedul, now at version 4.8.29!

EMUI by Artha Bedul, now at version 3.0 R2!

Lollitop version 2 by Awand Mbengi (4.4.2 so only cosmetic 5.01!)

LEWA for E380 by Artha Bedul;

Androium 4.2.0 for E3 by Matx;

4PDA (Russian) thread with customs like MIUI4 and Sony Xperia C (AT YOUR OWN RISK);

FrAndroid (French) thread with customs (cosmetic/themed) (AT YOUR OWN RISK);

Your custom ROM for the E3 here soon? :D

Kernel sources in the Official section!!!

Tools / Drivers / Fixes / Hacks

Kernel sources can be found in the Official section!!!

Drivers

Google 'Naked' Drivers (see next subsection or Google them)

MTK USB All developer drivers (0.9.2 / 9.2.1)(WATCH OUT FOR VIRUSSES/TROJANS!)

PDANet (4.19)

Google for VCOM drivers / MT6589 VCOM / MTK Preloader etc. (All the same old v 1.1123.0)

Official Acer drivers (see link in first part of post)(probably wont always work, so deinstall or do not use those!)

Google Tools (ADB, Fastboot & Google Naked Drivers

Minimal ADB & Fastboot (1.4.2)(ADB, Fastboot)

15 Seconds ADB Installer (1.4.3)(ADB, Fastboot & Drivers)

Official Google Android SDK (r25.2.3)(Choose "Command line tools only")(ADB, Fastboot & Drivers etc. etc.)(Tutorial here)

Tools

MTK2000 is a great MediaTek-hack site with frequent updates of SP/MTK Flash Tool and MUCH more for MTK!

----- MediaTek Tools -----

SP Flash Tool / Smart Phone Flash Tool (v(5.)1708)(MT65xx)(now also Linux!)(First try 3.1344 or older!)

MTK Flash Tool (v5.1624.00)(MT62xx)

MTK Droid Root & Tools (2.5.3)(create scatter (datamap) file, flash etc.)

MTK Rom Studio (1.1.77.301)(by Linerty)(please use Google)

Multiple MTK (Engineer) Apps / Tools on Google Play

----- Universal Tools -----

Google Apps (Open GApps) packages

Xposed Framework (2.7 for KK)(higher/newest versions for newer custom Android ROMs)

SuperSU (2.79)(Download the ZIP and install ZIP from from sdcard in CWM to root)

BusyBox (49)

Titanium Backup (8.0.0)(backup/restore, and remove or move apps, also system apps)

FDroid App Market (non Google approved Apps, like AdAway add blocker!)(COULD BE DANGEROUS)

Fixes

No current fixes, as all big problems seem fixed in KitKat (RC19)(see Updates section)...

PS. cyclon1978 custom kernel with inverted Y-ax for replacement screens in first part of this post!

Hacks

A MEGA load of hacks/mods available in Xposed Framework, so install it and look for Xposed Modules doing what you want!

Change IMEI of Phone 1 or Phone 2 easily with lots of MTK apps from Google Play store!

WARNING: MAY BE VERY ILLEGAL IN YOUR COUNTRY!

(Is NOT in mine, NL)

To boot into recovery/fastboot mode, hold Volume Up while powering device on.

To boot into Factory (Test) mode, hold Volume Down while powering device on.

To make Acer's drivers also recovery/fastboot compatible, add this line to your "android_winusb.inf" files in the maps in submap "drivers" (and then install/update drivers in Windows Device Manager): %SingleAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_0BB4&PID_0C01

Repartition and extend space to SD with Meteos App here or here (root required)(more partition info here)(not tested yet)

Use external SD for apps with the famous INT2EXT script or check all options like App2SD, Mount2SD, Data2SD etc

PS. cyclon1978 custom kernel with inverted Y-ax for replacement screens in first part of this post!

More?

-- THIS TOPIC IS NO LONGER FREQUENTLY UPDATED --

Made by Hackwerk: Feel totally free to press the Thanks button if you like my work. Took a lot of my time! ;)

Post simple/stupid/IDoNotUnderstand questions in the Q&A subthread (button under thread title) please!

Special thanks for testing and assisting me go to (random order):

Carliv (Touch Recovery), tiliarou, d3nnisd, Dakloos88, Shreps, vache, cyclon1978