yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
1. No problem rooting latest firmware, but you will need to update NookManager. Before investing in another deice you might want to make a NookManager card (no need to update for this) and use it to trigger the factory zip image. There may be nothing wrong with your device.

2. I think you may be out of luck with the native Android video. Awhile back I came across ADB commands to screen record (3gp and mp4). Neither worked but I don't remember the exact response. It knew it was missing something, though. But outright playing a video might be different

There are a few video players that work on the NST. I'm only familiar with MX Player but it doesn't have playback speed controls as far as I know. Of course if you really want slow video you could always convert to a series of gifs and display sequentially. It almost sounds like you want a kind of slide show. Whatever the case, there will be screen flickering unless you use either NoRefresh or FastMode, both of which do not result in "good" video.
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
Awesome, thanks.

I did a factory reset of my old device using n2T-Recovery_0.2.img from this forum, then updated firmware to 1.2. It hasn't frozen up since then, so that might have fixed it.

I then booted from the SD card with NookManager1.2.2.img also from this forum. I see "NookManager Loading..." for about 20 seconds, then the text mostly disappears (it's still faintly visible on the screen) and it seems to be frozen. This is the same thing that happened when I tried to root this device before.

Do you think my device is indeed faulty (in which case maybe another unit would work)? Or am I doing something wrong in the rooting process?
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
If you got that NookManager img from the posting where a user posted a new image, someone else has reported the same problem. There may be something faulty with the img. Go back to the original update thread and prepare the card that way. At a minimum you need to take care of the update for 1.2.2. Any customizations are up to you.
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
Unfortunately the original NookManager link that I would need to modify to do this (http://download.doozan.com/nook/NookManager-0.5.0.zip) is no longer valid. Do you have a copy of that zip file, or know where else I can download it from?

Thanks!
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
I just downloaded a copy from from the original post (as you indicate). No problems. Give it another shot. If not, I'll post another copy
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
Weird, I could swear it wasn't working previously.

Anyway it worked! It's rooted now. I will post an update if I get the video working...

thanks for your help!
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
OK, back with more questions... :)

I've built a simple test app, targeting Android 2.1, but can't install it. The NST shows up in Android Studio when I connect it, but if I try to debug or run I get this error:

Installation did not succeed.
The application could not be installed: INSTALL_PARSE_FAILED_UNEXPECTED_EXCEPTION

List of apks:
[0] '/Users/steven/work/vsmp/app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk'
Installation failed due to: 'null'

Same error if I build an .apk and try to install with adb on the command line (whether debug/release, signed/unsigned).

Is there anything special I need to do to get my app to install? (I have a fair amount of Android development experience... but not targeting 2.1!)

thanks!
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Well, it's clear, null has struck again!

Mmm, did you sign your app?

Are you sure that it's packed correctly?

Try installing it on your cell phone.

You'll get better error messages.
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
Yeah, they don't win any awards for informative error messages there!

It installs and runs fine on my phone, but that's running a much newer version of Android. I'm trying to get it to run on an Android 2.1 emulator image, hoping that will tell me something, but the emulator won't start up for some reason (they're not really supporting that version so it's not too surprising).

The app is signed; in Android Studio I chose Build -> Generate Signed Bundle/APK, then tried to install with "adb install <path-to-apk>"
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
I was able to build and run by using the oldest Android Studio version available from Google (2.3). Thanks!
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Oh, life is too nasty, short and brutish to run legacy stuff for unknown reasons.

Check your "<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="???" android:targetSdkVersion="???"/>" in AndroidManifest.xml

Look at the logcat when you try to install the version that doesn't work.

It should tell you better.
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
Yeah, I have both of those set to 7 in the build.gradle file already. I found that if I deleted all the images in the mipmaps folder, the app would install, but then not surprisingly crashed at startup with an error about missing resources. I'm guessing something about the way Android Studio is formatting the resources maybe isn't backwards compatible with API 7 (which, to be fair, is very old and officially deprecated).

I also had trouble getting the video player on the NST to play any .mp4 (missing codec support, I'd guess), so I converted to a sequence of JPEG images with ffmpeg. It takes a lot more storage space, but still I estimate I can fit a couple of full-length movies on the 32GB SD card I have.

Anyway, I've attached an image of thing working! I'm planning to make a frame or stand of some kind to hide the bezel. I'll clean up the code and post it on Github at some point.

thanks for the help @Renate NST and @nmyshkin !
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
I don't know what video player you are trying to access on the NST, but MX Player with the codec pack installed will certainly play any .mp4 and many other formats. Still not sure what you are trying to achieve. Doesn't the screen flicker matter in your application?
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
:sick:

No, not you, freaking Android/Google.

I'm waiting for some stupid 3D rotating icons with attached smells and quadrophonic sound.

There used to be android:icon with a normal drawable.

Then they switched to mipmap.

They couldn't have left android:icon and made android:squareIcon ?

No, they added android:roundIcon and left android:icon in no-mans land of drawable? mipmap?

In short, you can't win.

Release one with a drawable for android:icon for old Android

Release one with a mipmap for android:icon for new Android

And don't start talking to me about "adaptive icons" or I'll lose my mind.
[Nook Touch General] leremjs:
I'm writing my own app so I was using the VideoPlayer component that's part of Android, not an external app like MX player.

My app is mean to play the video very slowly (1 frame per minute) so the flicker is not a big problem. (It is a little annoying though. My understanding is that the e-ink screen needs to refresh occasionally, but anyone know if there's a way to suppress it, e.g. so the screen could refresh once every 5th frame or something like that?)
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Is controlled in /system/framework/framework.jar android.hardware.EpdController which uses IEpdService

This is not documented.

In 1.1.2 EpdController used static functions, in 1.2 it used instance functions.

The Glows use entirely different stuff that is in /system/priv-app/partner.apk com.nook.partner.EpdDisplayController

You can look at the work others have done regarding Epd (I haven't looked).

You need to take stubs of the functions and compile them into a jar.

This is because you need a Java class, not an Android dex/smali.

Then you can compile your code against this jar.
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
Hello, I am a NOOB... I admit this and sadly, lol. It took me quite awhile last night to get my nook simple touch rooted for the first time ever and while I got it rooted I am now unable to install apps to my 32gb sd card as it says the main memory doesn't have enough space for CoolReader or FBReader... I am unsure as to how I go about installing these alternative reader apps to the sd card and also how to install and use other fonts as well ( that is the main reason for me rooting my nook actually lol). Any and all help would be greatly appreciated and I also sincerely hope I am posting in the right area. Thank you all again.
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
1. You cannot install apps "to" the sdcard. You can copy apk files to the sdcard and install them from there with a file manager, but they are installed to the emmc or internals of the device.

2. IF you are getting messages about "not enough memory" when you try to install an app, it is likely something went wrong with your rooting method.

3. How did you root it?

4. What firmware are you running?
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Scratches head...

I'm not sure, but I thought that the NST didn't support installing apps to any other storage.

What is your storage like now?

# df

What is the exact message that you get?

Are you installing via ADB?
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
I am running firmware 1.2.2. I used the XDA guide for 1.2.xx and above for rooting. At thia point I would be very happy unrooting the nook, but is there a guide on how to do that:? I did make a back up of my files before rooting.... just unsure as to how I Unroot my Nook now lol.
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
I downloaded the APK files manually and dragged them on the sd card to install. My internal memory was showing 58mb or so after rooting.
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Well, 58 MB doesn't sound so hot.

I've got 700 MB free on /data

Or were you talking about /proc/meminfo?
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
that's all the memory was showing in the bottom left corner after rooting...what was left... i dunno how it got to be so little, i was a tad confused by that as well honestly. Does rooting a Nook drain the battery faster than Unrooted? just curious as i was at 40% and then it dipped to 31% and then nothing at all... just curious.

Thank you again for all your help.
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Not enough information, but I think I know what you did because I recognize the behavior from working with someone else.

You used (I am guessing) NookManager from this thread: https://xdaforums.com/t/root-nookmanager-graphical-rooter-for-1-2-x-and-beyond.2040351/

You cannot use NookManager successfully on FW 12.2 without updating it first. It messes with the device and what you are describing is one of the "messes".

You need to update your NookManager card: https://xdaforums.com/t/nst-g-updating-nookmanager.3873048/

You MUST make at least the basic update (i.e., Updating for FW 1.2.2).

IF you used the non-updated NookManager card to make a backup before rooting, you can try restoring that (Rescue>Restore Backup). This may be worth a shot if you had stuff you'd rather not lose. It may not work. If it seems to work, try rooting again with the updated NookManager card.

Otherwise, use the card to initiate a Rescue>Restore factory zip. That will probably take you back to FW 1.2.1 or maybe even earlier. Do the update to FW 1.2.2 like you did before, register, and then try rooting with your updated NookManager card.

IF I am guessing correctly there is no point in trying all kinds of things to "fix" your NST. The system is messed up by the improper use of NookManager and the fastest way to get it unmessed is a factory zip restore.
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
when you say that I have to update my nook I am confused... I am already at 1.2.2 when rooting it. do I need to re-flash/update my nook and then root it? wouldn't the current 1.2.2 version/firmware work when rooting? I guess I am a tad confused about this part. I ended up using Nook Manager to do a system restore and it reverted the reader back to Version 1.1.2 in the end.

Thank you again for your help... I am not sure what I missed.... I used Win32DiskImager for the NookManager rooting part and it took, but when you had mentioned I need fw-1.2.2, that is where I am a little confused as I had my device flashed at 1.2.2 before starting it.
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Well at least now we are both confused.

The only way I can try to help is if I go step-by-step. Please answer these questions:

1. Is your device currently at FW 1.1.2?

2. Did you use NookManager to root the device at FW 1.1.2?
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
Originally my device was at 1.2.2 and then I rooted it..... this afternoon I did the RESUCE option from NookManager to restore the Nook Simple Touch... which restored my nook simple touch back to being unrooted with FW 1.1.2 [ which it has been since this afternoon/late morning] and what it currently has on it.
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Good.

1. Download the FW 1.2.2 update zip from B&N: https://su.barnesandnoble.com/nook/nook2/1.2.2/351e26527e80156183e74be2da2ce89f/nook_1_2_update.zip

2. Power up your NST if it is off and connect it to your PC via USB.

3. Drag the update zip that you just downloaded from B&N to the "Nook" drive you should see when your NST is connected to your PC.

4. Allow the NST to sleep (you can leave it connected).

5. Check after awhile. If you don't see the update zip on the "Nook" drive any more, then it is done.

If any of these steps is not clear, ask before doing any of this. This series of steps will bring your device back to FW 1.2.2 (unrooted). If this is successful you should complete setup of the device, register, etc. Then we'll talk about correctly rooting it.
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
Alrighty, I have my NST updated with the firmware to 1.2.2 now :) :)
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
I am curious though... with rooting a NST, can I use apps like Cool Reader or FBReader with different fonts? just curious.... that is really the only reason i woudl want to root my Nook.... to resd with different fonts.
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Well, I'm only a little familiar with those apps, but according to Google:

"Cool Reader offers six fonts: one monospace, one serif and four sans serif. You can add additional fonts by placing TTF files in the Fonts directory of your device (according to the Cool Reader manual); similarly, you can add your own background images if none of the 30 provided with the program satisfy you."

"Can I use my own fonts with FBReader?

Yes. Put your *.ttf and/or *.otf files into Fonts directory on the memory card. New fonts will be available in Text section of FBReader settings dialog.

You also can set up your own directories for fonts, in “Directories” section of the settings dialog."

So...I guess you're still interested in rooting. It's OK if you change your mind later. You're going to make a backup before rooting so you can return to the current state if you want.

I understand from what you've written that you prepared a NookManager card from the image available in the original NookManager thread. What you need to understand is that despite what the title of that thread suggests NookManager cannot properly root an NST running FW 1.2.2. Perhaps the author meant that NookManager could easily be adapted for future firmwares. He's not around any more to ask.

That is why I referred you to this thread: https://xdaforums.com/t/nst-g-updating-nookmanager.3873048/

In that thread I have described how to change a few items on the NookManager card you already made so that it will work with a device running FW 1.2.2

You need to make the four changes under "Updating for FW 1.2.2". That's the minimum. That means editing two files on the card and also replacing two other files. The replacement patched jar files can be found in an attached zip file you can download and if you don't feel confident about the two file edits that need to be done, replacement files are available in a different zip you can download.

So your job is to carefully read over the section in the post I have indicated and download whatever materials you will need. If you think you've got it then go ahead and make the changes to the card. If you have questions, ask first. I may have signed off before you get to that point but if so we'll just continue tomorrow. Once the card is correctly changed the rest of this is easy.
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
Thank you immensely for your help, I will more than likely try this again down the road, but for now I ma gonna keep my focus with school and such... but I wanted to reach out as it has been almost 2 days to tell you thank you sincerely for all your help with a Noob like myself lol. The re-flashing of FW 1.2.2 made sense, I also double checked the 2 files for/with the lines of code that needed to be modified, ironically they were already all set up, and i replaced the 2 .jar files as mentioned. I tried one more time but still keep getting the same message about not enough space for apps like the reader stuff, which is ok honestly. It is very nice to know that when things go south I am able to reset the reader back to Fw1.1.2 if all else fails and start over again if need be. I do realize that having multiple fonts isn't the most important or coolest features to get excited about within a reader but nonetheless it's not a make it or break it deal for me i suppose haha.

I didn't wanna leave ya hanging or wonder what happened to with what I had going on. :) :)
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
I'm still confused how/where/why you are getting this.

Are you trying to install an apk with ADB?

What is the exact message?

Have you checked how much free internal storage you have?

C:\>adb shell df
[Nook Touch General] sacredpotion25:
I have tried twice now installing NookManager, and with success... but from there all I can think to do is drag and drop the .apk apps onto the sd card... however, when i go to click/touch the apk apps to install , that is when i get the low internal space message about how there wasn't enough internal space for insalling the apps like FBReader or CoolReader.
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Do you have ADB working?

If you have ADB working, why don't you install your apk that way?

C:\>adb install myapp.apk

What is the exact (as in, what is the exact) message?

If you have ADB working, please post the results of the df above.
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Maybe this? (see below).

During the rooting process one of the things NookManager is supposed to do is replace the resident PackageInstaller.apk with one from an earlier FW version and rename the resident version PackageInstaller.apk.orig. Apparently there was a problem with the app past that point, resulting in the error message. If the sequence of steps NookManager is executing was interrupted or frustrated in any way, it's possible the swap never happened.

If

this screenshot is showing the error in question.

When the rooting process is done the screen should be full of messages about which steps completed or didn't.

But I think @sacredpotion25 is wanting a break from all this frustration right now. I think.
[Nook Touch General] Renate:
Well, I guess that I don't understand a lot of things.

Why it was necessary to replace PackageInstaller with an older version.

Why you wouldn't just use the PackageManager built into the framework.

What the heck the NookManager is and why you'd use it.

C:\>adb install myapp.apk

# pm install /sdcard/myapp.apk
[Nook Touch General] westsenkovec:
Hi!

I don't know if this sub is stil active.

I have a Nook Simple Touch that was used very little and I never found the time to root it. It's stock and I would just put the books on the SD card.

I remember that the custom firmware had a chess game. I would really like to play chess on it.

Are the needed drivers and other files needed to root it still available?

Can this be done?
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
You can root (maybe update to FW 1.2.2 first?) with NookManager.

As for the chess game and the "custom firmware", I'm not sure where that's coming from. If you had such firmware once (not still?) then the device must have been rooted (at least at one time). Tracking down that game might be difficult, so I suggest you take a careful look at the device before you do anything else and see if perhaps it has not been altered. If it has and the game is still on there, you can probably copy it off and then reinstall after updating the device to FW 1.2.2 and rooting with NookManager.
[Nook Touch General] westsenkovec:
Thanks for the reply.

No, the device is completely stock. It's never been tampered with.

I followed the custom fw since the beginning and at that time the custom firmware had a chess game in the image.

I just wanted to know if it's still available so I don't go through the hustle for nothing.

Also, what SD card would be ok? Class 10 16 GB perhaps?
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Class 10, 16 gb is what I use. Never had a problem.

I think maybe you are referring to a custom

rooting package

rather than firmware? AFAIK there has never been any custom firmware for the NST other than the SD-based CM11 ROM. There were two "ROM" projects (Tweaked Modded and 1337--nearly identical) but these are mainly window dressing and theming, not an actual change in the firmware. The Tweaked Modded ROM is out of date, based on FW 1.2.1 so you will not be able to register the device if you go that way and are likely to have Wi-Fi issues. The files for the 1337 ROM are missing and not likely to return.

So to what exactly are you referring when you say "custom fw"? All the rooting packages from the past are now out-of-date with the exception of NookManager (which I updated), so if you're thinking of using one of them, be aware that some include a whole bunch of stuff you may not want and that may not work any longer (like GApps), and some may not work properly with FW 1.2.2.

A search for "chess" in the apps sub-forum yields a number of options.
[Nook Touch General] westsenkovec:
😓

Sorry, I thought that was a custom firmware.

So all I need to do is to root it and install chess or whatever I want?
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Yep. And update to FW 1.2.2 before rooting.
[Nook Touch General] westsenkovec:
One thing that I forgot to mention is that I did some reading yesterday and I have firmware 1.2.1. and an Oxford dictionary which means I have the UK version 🥲
[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
Ah.

Well, you get to decide. If you want to retain the look and feel of the UK version and update to FW 1.2.2, then you want this: https://xdaforums.com/t/nst-g-update-fw-1-2-2-uk-unofficial.4360889/

If you want to change to US firmware and then update to FW 1.2.2, then you want the region changer: https://xdaforums.com/t/nst-g-dealing-with-non-us-aka-uk-devices-in-2021.4233411/ (option 3)

Then you would root, etc.

BTW, if you had your eye on a particular chess app from an outdated package you could probably just unzip the package and look around for the user apps. Then copy it out and install.
[Nook Touch General] westsenkovec:
What are the differences between the UI's?

I don't have a particular chess app on my mind. I just remember reading here about one being in the package. I thought it was a custom FM but you mentioned it was a rooting package.

Could you please link me where I could find those apps?

I don't want to seem lazy and be guided step by step but I've done some research and it's very frustrating. I found some tutorials that were out of date or the links are broken or I read stuff here and I don't know if it's outdated or not.