[Shield Tablet General] Pariahnoble:
DISCLAIMER: though this seems safe, there are always risks. Warranty may be void, bugs might crawl out of your shield. I am not responsible for mishaps, bugs, crashes, damage, loss of jobs, girlfriends, and/or if your shield turns into Skynet and begins to destroy the human race!

Firstly, throughout this tutorial I will be shamelessly pointing you toward others threads. Please, give them your thanks. They are masters in their fields and with out them none of this would be happening! Also remember noone gets paid for any of this, they with their skills and I with time do this out love for tech and a desire to help others and see them enjoy their tech as much as we all love ours. That said... Onto the cookies!

*********PLEASE NOTE*********

*********THIS ENTIRE PROCESS CAN BE DONE WITH OUT ANY ACCESS TO A PC!

--BUT--

TO KEEP A LOCKED BOOTLOADER AND AVOID WARRANTY NASTYNESS PLEASE READ

*If you are still on a locked bootloader, and want to easily keep it. Root ota 2.2.1 first, install flashify, and use it to install twrp.

*Rooting ota 3. 0 and using flashify from there will also preserve locked bootloader.

*Rooted ota 2.2.1 or a custom recovery will break nvidias native ota system. You will have need a copy if the FULL OTA from the links provided. They flash easily in twrp. But ONLY THE FULL OTA, NOT THE INCREMENTAL.

******PREREQUISITES (These Are Required)******

*Must be rooted.

If coming from stock, (unrooted, stock recovery, and locked bootloader) Kingroot will root any ota so far.

Install apk, run it, it will most likely reboot your shield, on ota 3 it will freeze, (mine did at around 30% on ota 3, but instead of a reboot, I got a freeze) this is normal. Hold power button until the shield turns off. Boot back up, and run Kingroot again. It should now complete fine, installing Kinguser as root control app. This gives you enough root to run flashify from play store to install the next step. (thanks to China for making kingroot and whoever translated it for us)

Kingroot link: http://xdaforums.com/android/apps-games/one-click-root-tool-android-2-x-5-0-t3107461

*Team Win Recovery Project (twrp) must be installed.

Head over here to [MENTION=1416222]Steel01[/MENTION] thread for multi rom twrp. You will only (at the moment) need his modified twrp build. More instructions there. Don't forget to thank him! (Thanks [MENTION=1416222]Steel01[/MENTION])

[MENTION=1416222]Steel01[/MENTION] multi rom twrp thread: http://xdaforums.com/shield-tablet/development/multirom-v30-unofficial-port-t3025355

*ota 3.0 FULL OTA (thanks to [MENTION=6279337]MidgetMob[/MENTION])

Link: http://xdaforums.com/shield-tablet/general/stock-recovery-images-ota-library-guides-t2988881

*MEGA may or may NOT work. Mega has issues from time to time. (thanks [MENTION=5703010]Ctrl_Alt_Del[/MENTION] for the heads up)

****If MEGA links are not working, here's another source.

Thanks [MENTION=4119163]gavin-phelan[/MENTION] for the links.

OTHER Link for full ota: http://xdaforums.com/shield-tablet/general/android-5-1-t3115536

*SuperSU recovery flashable installer. (thanks to [MENTION=631273]Chainfire[/MENTION])

Link to supersu beta (beta works better for the xposed framework):

http://xdaforums.com/apps/supersu/2014-09-02-supersu-v2-05-t2868133

*Fdroid store for selinux mode changer (needed for viper) and ad away apps! (thanks Fdroid!)

Link: https://f-droid.org

*****OPTIONAL*****

*Xposed super alpha for Android 5.1 (sdk22) (thanks [MENTION=2476451]romracer[/MENTION])

Link: http://xdaforums.com/xposed/super-alpha-posted-permission-xposed-t3072979

You must read that thread a bit. You will need the xposed installer from the main xposed lollipop thread. (thanks [MENTION=4419114]rovo89[/MENTION])

Main xposed thread

Link: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=3034811

*Gravitybox works on 5.1 now (thanks [MENTION=5008415]C3C076[/MENTION])

Link: http://xdaforums.com/xposed/modules/app-gravitybox-v5-0-0alpha-tweak-box-t3037566

*BusyBox - Busybox is required for viper4android install. Make sure to run and install it BEFORE YOU INSTALL VIPER DRIVER. The apk can be installed, but when you run it. It will try to install the viper driver. Selinux must be set to permissive, and busybox installed first.

It can be found in play store.

*selinuxmodechanger can be found in fdroid repository.

*ViPER4Android audio engine (thanks [MENTION=3901724]zhuhang[/MENTION])

For viper install. Be sure to install fdroid and get selinux mode changer. And change to permissive BEFORE YOU INSTALL VIPER DRIVER. the app is fine but for the driver to install selinux must be set to permissive. After that it's fine to set it back to enforcing.

Link: http://vipersaudio.com/blog/?page_id=48

Forum:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2191223

Someone said cookies? (Procedure)

**tip** titanium backup SUCKS FOR backing up app data. Bugs out the apps sometimes. So for games, manually backup saves and place them back after reinstall. It's helpful to use tibu to backup your apps alone. Then use tibu again to make a recovery flashable zip to reinstall them all at once....

*Firstly you will need a root enabled file browser (I use es file explorer)

*On the internal memory, firstly back up any pics or ANYTHING you want saved from internal memory to the external SD card. (I usually name my backup folders starting with a # to keep them separated from anything that's written to external via an app or the system. Helps to keep track.)

*Next delete it ALL. In es file Explorer just as everything in sdcard0. /android gone, all folders, ax them. I even nuked the hidden folders and all. I wanted a totally clean install. So anything in the /sdcard0 folder can get wiped. As wiping through twrp DOES NOT WIPE THESE FILES. And sometimes can cause oddness on new installs. This can also be achieved through twrp but it takes longer. Keep in mind that everything inside /sdcard is rebuilt on FIRST boot. Hence deleting in twrp. Don't navigate to straight / things go bad if you mess about in those files....

*After everything has been deleted on internal, and the folders your not using for backups on external. Namely the /android folder on external. You should be ready to reboot to recovery....

*Now reboot into twrp. Click wipe, advanced, then check dalvik, system, data, and cache. Wipe

*Now flash the FULL OTA for your model of shield.

*Next click the home button in twrp. Then Mount, then, uncheck the box for system, then, re-check it. (remount system)

*Now click on the Home button again, Advanced, File Manager.....

*Now the fun part...

Navigate to /system/app and delete the following FOLDERS, contents and all, by clicking on each folder one at a time, once clicked, it will show you contents of that folder. At the bottom click select, then delete, swipe to delete. For each of the following folders....

++*NOTICE* Some of these folders contain libs (library files) and i discovered some issues with deleting them. (videos not working, possible connection console mode crashing, etc) These folders are indicated below, and any side effects possible due to its removal. Console mode has been solid so far even without the libs. That doesnt mean that it wont cause any issues later and i just havent seen it yet. So BEWARE o0o0o =D

Adobe reader

Books

Calendar

++**Chrome (I use chrome beta) (CONTAINS LIBS) possible connection to the "great chrome slowdown" These ARE SAFE to remove and removal may cure the slowdown bug. either way, using any browser BUT chrome (i.e. Chrome Beta, Dolphin, Opera etc.) also fixes the "Chrome slug races"

Cloud print

Input methods for Japanese and Korean (unless you need it)

++**Drive (CONTAINS LIBS) i havent noticed any side effects from removing these and SHOULD BE SAFE to delete. also i use es file explorer for drive access

Email (I use inbox)

Evernote

Evernote widget

Exchange2

Gmail (I use inbox or reinstall from store)

++**Hangouts (CONTAINS LIBS) i use hangouts for OUTGOING PHONE CALLS, as such i feel these libs are POSSIBLY NOT SAFE to remove. i havent found any issues so far but BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY on an essential core sytem

Holo spiral

Google tts (optional)

Juswrite (I don't use the stylus or handwriting)

latinIME (aosp keyboard)

++**Maps (CONTAINS LIBS) i havent found any issues but NAVIGATION to me is an essential core system therefore i feel these are POSSIBLY NOT SAFE to remove. again BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Music2 (I use gonemad music player or reinstall from store)

Newstand

Nvcameraawesome (it sucked and I use camera51)

Phase beam

Play games

++**Print spooler (CONTAINS LIBS) never use(d) it so i dunno really. SHOULD BE SAFE to remove (feedback welcome)

Street

Stylusmobileoem (like I said I don't even HAVE a stylus (unless someone has an extra they are willing to mail....)

Talkback

Trine 2 (unless you like it)

Twitch (unless you use it, also in play store)

++**Videos (CONTAINS LIBS) I had issues playing embedded videos in play store (app trailers) and some websites. i would recommend DO NOT REMOVE THIS. i ONLY left this here for info only. remove ONLY AT YOUR OWN RISK

Write (again with stylus stuff)

++**Youtube (CONTAINS LIBS) never had any issues removing this. but i feel it could be related to my above mentioned video playback bug. this is OPTIONAL.

*now navigate to /system/priv-app

Delete folder musicfx (needs to be gone or disabled for viper4android audio install)

*now navigate to /system/vendor/app

Delete the folder watercolor (dabbler can be gotten from play store)

*if you feel busy /system/media/audio is where the ring tones are and you can delete the ones you don't use for more space but it's only 3mb....

*FINALLY hit the home button in twrp again.

**DO NOT FORGET** Install superSU beta for root!!!

*REBOOT!!

*After system boots up and gets done optimizing, it's safe to reboot back to twrp and flash the xposed framework.

*You're done! That's it... Wait... What? You want even MORE cookies? Well, OK....

*Keep reading for optional steps for even better results!

***PS... Keep checking our friend's [MENTION=6411851]BitOBSessiOn[/MENTION] and [MENTION=593514]twistedumbrella[/MENTION] threads for really great kernels for our ota..

Thanks [MENTION=6411851]BitOBSessiOn[/MENTION]

Thanks [MENTION=593514]twistedumbrella[/MENTION]

Links:

Bito: http://xdaforums.com/shield-tablet/development/tweaked-kernel-nvidia-shield-tablet-t3069776

++++++ ***check out [MENTION=6411851]BitOBSessiOn[/MENTION] thread, ota 3.0 source built, optimized kernels for all models released!

NEW UNIFIED BUILDS FOR OTA 3.0 (ONE FILE FOR ALL MODELS)

Twistedumbrella: 2.2.1 ONLY http://xdaforums.com/shield-tablet/development/stock-lollipop-kernel-cifs-support-t2967839

And some more post script.

PPS **tips**

*System apps always keep a copy of themselves for when it gets updated, so all those apps (that you just deleted) end up being over 400 mb after they all update once. And they ALL HAVE updates at time of install. So you save there. Just takes a minute to reinstall as user apps from the play store,and save a bunch of space.

***WIFI ISSUES!** If you do NOT HAVE a 5ghz router. Go to wifi settings, advanced, wifi band, switch from auto to 2.4ghz, makes the Web run faster and if it's set to auto I notice a good 40 second delay in wifi connecting. Also make sure the box "wifi always scan" is turned in. Otherwise wifi doesn't auto connect at boot.

*Get folder mount from the play store. It automagically patches android to let apps write to external SD. As well as links folders on external to internal so you can move ANY app to sd card. Profit!

*For a cleaner install. Install fdroid, then ad away. And run ad away before you ever open more than play store for es file Explorer to install fdroid. This way ad away is the first or one of the first apps to open. Blocking ads from that point on. That way if apps have built in ads, they won't even be able to load!

*Also thanks to [MENTION=2126467]djdarkknight96[/MENTION] here's a link for a bad ass themed SwiftKey keyboard

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1016053

*To improve system responsiveness, enable developer options (In settings, click about tablet, click build number 7 times.) Then in developer options about midway down, turn "window animation scale" "transition animation scale" and "animator duration scale" from 1.0 to .5 this increases the speed of animations throughout the system/rom

*After installing the gravitybox xposed module, you can turn those 3 animation scales down further to .25 for even faster response.

*Native lcd density for shield tablet is 283.

It comes stock at 320

*Nvidia corporate tegra color scheme. Green is hex (#76b900) rgb (r:118 g:185 b:0), and grey, hex (#5c5c5c) not sure greys rgb. And black.... I looked it up in their corporate and product guidelines pdf.

*You can add apps to console mode by clicking the little + symbol under "android games" and "media apps" in shield hub. They will then be added to the "easier" to navigate shield hub menu.

*In the play store kernel adiutor (yes that's how it's spelled) allows control over the cpu speed and other critical stuff and things. To squeeze alot more juice from your battery, if everything else here is done, I found I could clock the cpu @2ghz (200mhz down from stock) and it's just as fast as true stock. Killer battery savings on top of the improvements already made in ota 3.0

*If you adjust the clock speeds in kernel adiutor... Make sure to reset the minimum to 51 every time and sit and watch to make sure they stuck. They will float around, then settle. But if you exit after altering the max and the minimum is floating high, it will set the minimum to that value.... Found THAT out the hard way...... ;)

*The letters that form the word "SHIELD" on the back of our devices.... Are stickers in small indents.... Looks really kewl if taken out. (see post #13 for pics)

+ *POSSIBLE USB ON THE GO (OTG) FIX*

Power off your shield, plug in USB OTG cable with a flash drive in it. Power on the shield. Once booted, pull flash drive and use whatever OTG compatible device you wish (mouse, keyboard, micro missile launcher--thanks ThinkGeek!))

ONE CONDITION! This method BREAKS CHARGING UNTIL NEXT REBOOT! (thanks nvidia!)

Enjoy!

Questions and comments always welcomed and encouraged!

If i forgot something, missed a step, whatever. Let me know!

I'll update/add to this if/when I think of things.

Ideas? Let me know!

CHECK POST #2 FOR UPDATE TIMES.

I'll try to highlight changes until I update again.

Look for the + symbol

Cheers,

Cyris

Mmm cookies just like mom makes!