yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Works great on the HD 8. I haven't had it jump back to home yet. Still see fire launcher for a second. But seems to be a lot smoother and compatible. Now for hopefully my last reset for a while. At least until root or our next big find/trick/hack.
[Fire General] CaptainPatterson:
The actual Home button function on version 3 is working the best for me and is not really popping up fire launcher 90% of the time, but when I swipe away recent apps it does every time now. On version one, it never pops up FL through swiping recent apps but the home button function is less reliable so I am torn on which to use. It is a great app though and I thank all of you guys for all the cool stuff you've shown me I can do with this 37 dollar tablet I ordered off Amazon. It's fun just messing with it and I will keep it until it dies lol.
[Fire General] BaronKiko:
From my tests while you may see fire launcher if you close all apps (this is backup mode) it gets to your launcher of choice quicker as it doesn't open the recents menu effectively trading the recents menu with fire launcher. This does look odd if you already had the switcher open as prior to this update you would simply see the recents menu for longer but on my tablet it is quicker overall.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Ok I admit I have not read the whole thread so I have to ask. If I were to uninstall Fire Launcher, would this fix the home button being disabled issue? I have to look at savvy's tool. I am more the type that prefers to do things manually, so I would like to just be done with Fire Launcher. I admit I forgot to try before my last reset. I can live with the flash of Fire Launcher for that 1/2 second, but ultimately I would like to get rid of Fire Launcher or at least hide it I don't know. I just don't like I can't set Nova to default in Nova Settings.
[Fire General] DB126:
Suspect there would be side-effects given the level of system integration with the Fire Launcher. What those are and whether they would be tolerable are unknown and individual preference, respectably.
[Fire General] savvytechwinner:
It won't, and my tool won't uninstall Fire Launcher, but it will install the lastest version, version 3 on it. So really no need to look at my tool unless you want to.

---------- Post added at 05:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 PM ----------

This is because the Home Button is mapped to Fire Launcher. Think about it this way - Fire OS isn't Android. It is Fire OS that can run Android Software.
[Fire General] krsmit0:
Seems much faster and more consistent.

---------- Post added at 11:59 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:20 AM ----------

So if you use this, install Nova then uninstall fire launcher does everything act normal?
[Fire General] buddimanv:
LauncherHijack is good but it still shows me the fire launcher for few seconds. Also, BBC Iplayer did not work for some reason. So I uninstalled it.

I have been using pm hide com.amazon.firelauncher & pm hide com.amazon.kindle.otter.oobe along with uninstalling most of the amazon apps (see https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=73219437&postcount=57) but that has been giving me parental error '"The requested action is not permitted. Check Parental Controls settings and retry." Was using com.phoenixstudios.aiogestures as a workaround.

Installed LauncherHijack v3 again and kind of worked although the parental error was there - less than before. So went further and did: pm uninstall --user 0 com.amazon.firelauncher. I think its a better solution as home button is working. However, it (1) Logs you out when you clear all items from the recent menu when accessed via the recent key button and/or (2) Press Recent Menu and then the back button

Seems like uninstalling com.amazon.kindle.otter.oobe does not make things worse. Would be a good solution if some improvement can be made to fix this log off issue. Perhaps, some how map the recent key to use com.android.systemui.recent.RecentsActivity, just like it has been done for the home key?
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
As far as I am aware

pm hide

doesn't work and hasn't for sometime. If you used the tool, supposedly, though I haven't tried (I've been doing this manually), the home button doesn't break. The log off issue is kinda iffy. Based on my research (I was the first one to try the code and do major testing), Fire Launcher and the settings apps for OOBE are tied into the lock screen as well as the home button. I've not figured out a way yet, if there is one, to by pass that. In order to damage or replace the lock screen, major edits need to be done to /system/framework/framework-res.apk. That however, requires root as our months of testing ways to modify APKs and reinstall them without damaging or writing over the signatures, has failed.

The idea was to trick Amazon apps into thinking they were installing updates of themselves, when in reality we had modified the XML files to remove or add permissions etc. In some cases they would install, but the modifications would not hold. I have had some luck with recent modifications to the XML files for live papers, I just can't get the permissions in the right spot, HOWEVER, I have been able to successfully decompile, modify and install the live wallpaper APKs with modifications HOLDING :D

---------- Post added at 09:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 PM ----------

I think your hijacker works better on Apex Launcher. I've had it on my wish list for sometime and decided to give it a try. Almost no delay when pressing the home button. It's so smooth and quick, I don't even see Fire Launcher.

I tried Pixel Launcher. If you want to have seizures, go for it. When you activate detect home button press, and press home, it flashes insanely fast. Hijacker does NOT work at all with Pixel. Shame too as I think it would give Live Wallpapers a chance.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
I managed to revoke some permissions from Fire Launcher. Problem is I don't know if 1) They do anything to improve or destroy it 2) When you reboot, the permissions revert.

1. Download, install and open App Detective.

-Play Store

-APK

2. Navigate to Fire Launcher in App Detective (loading for the first time may take a minute or two). Be patient. Tap it, then 'Requested Permissions.'

3. Open ADB. You can only remove 4 of the permissions.

adb -d shell pm revoke com.amazon.firelauncher android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
adb shell pm revoke com.amazon.firelauncher android.permission.INTERACT_ACROSS_USERS

adb shell appops set --user 0 com.amazon.firelauncher WAKE_LOCK deny
adb shell appops set --user 0 com.amazon.firelauncher WRITE_SETTINGS deny

4. Close and restart App Detective.

5. Navigate back to Fire Launcher, tap it and tap 'Requested Permissions.' The two permissions you revoked with pm will be listed as "required but not granted." The ones you removed with AppOps, will still be listed, but as far as I know, no error after command means it worked?

What to do from here? No idea. I didn't expect this to work.

---------- Post added at 11:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:23 PM ----------

EDIT: Well after a bit, hijacker stopped responding and Fire Launcher had a seizure. The accessibility option to "detect home button press" ended up getting deactivated. Defense measure in Fire OS? Probably because of Wake Lock. Dammit. It will fix itself when you grant permissions again.
[Fire General] buddimanv:
DragonFire1024, yes, I have been using your findings, thanks :)

pm hide works for me using the trick described by schr01 with your code on https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=73005161&postcount=50

In fact, without hiding, the BBC Iplayer was not working for me....hidings side effect is the parental error when pressing the home button/recent menu key. This is also the case with LauncherHijack v3 although less \ intermittent parental error. One solution would be somehow to get rid of this parental error :)

After uninstalling fire launcher and com.amazon.kindle.otter.oobe, and installing LauncherHijack v3, home button works, its just the recent key menu button that does not work - logs you off. In fact, to be specific, its when you clear the last one and/or immediately press the back button. If you keep one item on the recent menu list and press the home button, it works fine.

If as you say that the 'Fire Launcher and the settings apps for OOBE are tied into the lock screen as well as the home button.', then perhaps, more tweaking is needed in the app to get to get the Recent Menu button working as home button is working with LauncherHijack v3 especially when com.android.systemui.recent.RecentsActivity shortcut works fine ? I have no idea but waiting for a solution as it is bothers me, lol,
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Ok what about uninstalling Fire Launcher and reinstalling with a older, modified version? I have an older version. However you cannot use the below command when replacing it with an older version because the error says it's too old:

adb install -r -d com.amazon.firelauncher

So we need someone brave enough to try, and probably need a reset. I'm brave enough, but I've reset this thing so many times the past several days. It needs a rest.
[Fire General] buddimanv:
Send me the link....I will do it, lol
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
You can download an older APK from this post. Try and remove the permissions that have to do with 'Wallpaper Hinting' whle you're experimenting...Please :D
[Fire General] buddimanv:
lol....installed as below...reboot, amazon resetting windows shows for 2/3 sec and then reboots. No seeing any changes...

Also same for:

adb install -r -d --user 0 apkz\com.amazon.firelauncher.apk
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
The idea is to modify the APK and it's permissions. Reinstalling it to a lower version just like that just causes it to crash lol
[Fire General] WhaleWithWings:
Whenever I try to place a widget with either Nova or Lucid launcher, my two favorite launchers, it takes me to the settings screen in fire launcher. Is this the same for everyone? Or did I do something wrong?
[Fire General] WhaleWithWings:
I tried to place a widget with two launchers, nova and Lucid. But when I try to place the widget, it goes to the settings screen automatically. The widget never appears. Does anyone else have this problem?
[Fire General] DB126:
- please refrain from double/multiple posts on the same topic

- widgets are not supported except with the Google Now Launcher (which does not run well on this device) or if the device is rooted

- an experimental workaround was posted somewhere but as I recall it required a fair bit of technical expertise and only worked with some widgets

Edit - widget workaround thread: https://xdaforums.com/amazon-fire/general/root-required-widgets-preferred-launcher-t3637814
[Fire General] krsmit0:
It was fairly easy and has worked with every widget I have tried.
[Fire General] DB126:
See previous (edited) post for link to relevant thread. Familiarity with various environments/technologies is beneficial. Not everyone will find it "easy".
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
I'm at work so don't have a link. Look for the thread in this section that's titled 'no root required. add widgets to your preferred launcher.'

---------- Post added at 04:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:22 AM ----------

Beat me to it lol
[Fire General] krsmit0:
its not writing your own root exploit, but as far as modding devices its relatively simple. I followed much harder guides with much more risk for other devices. Easy guide, Near zero risk. Easy peasy.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
What little can be done with these tablets and what we've discovered in the past few weeks so far, has somehow actually been surprisingly low risk. All the work is reversible and won't hurt the system. There have been some irritations that have some really brilliant work around, which again thanks is all thanks to the hard work of many of us here.

In terms of easy, I'll admit the discoveries I've made and posted about irritate me in the sense the answers have been literally staring us in the face the whole time. I'm actually quite surprised it took this long for them to have been found.
[Fire General] DB126:
Spoken like a true technologist. Job security for those assisting the rest of the world. Ever notice the popularity of 'one click' solutions? Yeah. Clearly not hard for those who recognize ADB as more than a misarranged collection of letters (hey - what happened to 'C'?) and 'shell' is not the one found on the beach.

I do concur the risk is low and presents a nice learning opportunity for those new to the material.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Couple of things. I have found a slightly older of Fire Launcher. I am able to install this older version by placing the APK in the same folder as ADB and doing this:

adb install -r -d com.amazon.firelauncher.apk

I did this to see how it would respond. -r allows the application, Fire Launcher, to be replaced while -d allows it to also be downgraded. It solves the flashing issue, but Hijacker seems to struggle with this. You also have to hit the home button sometimes one or two times and sometimes even hit the square then home. Though I will admit, I didn't reboot after doing this or clear any cache.

I also found a newer version of Fire Launcher. So I was able to install an older version then install an even more updated one than the one we factory reset to. Hijacker seems to respond even better to this newer version than the factory one. Tap here to get an APK list of a few newer versions of Fire Launcher. The 'newer' version I used was Fire Launcher 1.3.145.1.

I also managed to find a Fire Launcher boot img. I tried to boot it in fastboot, but device is locked, action cannot be performed. I haven't tried sideload from recovery though. The idea is to be able to disable it or hide it (not 'uninstall' it). So far I've not been able to accomplish that. I will attach all that I have, in hopes we can figure something out with them. Because both the older and newer versions work, I think we might have something. Especially if the img can boot.

Attached:

com.amazon.firelaincher (1).apk - slightly older version

boot-firelauncher.img - boot img for Fire Launcher

com-amazon-firelauncher-1.3.145.1.apk - slightly newer version
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Ok update. So this has had some good results. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU BREAK FIRE LAUNCHER. REMEMBER TO BACKUP YOUR FIRE LAUNCHER APK BEFORE CONTINUING.

1) Download the slightly older version of Fire Launcher and install it with the command above in my initial post. If successful, go to step 2.

2) Get into a shell.

3) copy and past the following script:

#!/system/bin/sh
nohup
while :
do
kill $!
sleep 1 & pm install -r -d "/system/priv-app/com.amazon.firelauncher/com.amazon.firelauncher.apk" & sleep 20; kill $!
kill $!
done &
exit
#press enter now

That will continuously run a command through ADB to kill Fire Launcher every time it starts.

4) Keep that ADB window open, but open a second window.

5) In the second ADB window, enter the command:

adb shell pm hide com.amazon.firelauncher

You will have to enter that command a few times until ADB says the 'new status of Fire Launcher is hidden: true'

6) Keep both windows open for now. Make sure Hijacker is set to Nova. You will get a parental warning each time you press home, just click ok.

7) enter this command into the SECOND ADB window:

adb shell pm clear com.amazon.firelauncher

That clears the data of Fire Launcher. At this point, hit the home button (You may not have to). A pop-up window should appear asking you to choose your default home. Make Nova the default home. Make sure you select 'always.'

8) Download and install Multi-Action Home Button .

9) Select 'Action On Click.'

10) Select 'Application' and choose Nova Launcher.

11) Make sure to check the box next to 'Show Notification.' this will prevent the system from shutting down the button app.

12) Go to settings > accessibility > scroll to bottom > enable Multi Action Home Button.

You can now get back home without the parental warning. Just make your 'home' button a color and size you can see. You can close ADB windows now. Fire Launcher will still be hidden and thus 'disabled' It will not hog resources or pester you. You will never see it once you get used to it. No more flickering either.

If you run into issues with some apps malfunctioning, force closing or what not, go back into ADB and type:

adb shell pm unhide com.amazon.firelauncher

If you unhide Fire Launcher, I am not sure if anything will work or not. I haven't experimented with that yet.

Cons: I still haven't figured out a permanent way to resolve the parental warning when swiping closed recent apps. I do have a small workaround, but it requires you to bind widget capability to Nova.

1) Download and install Activity Launcher

2) Open Activity Launcher, tap top left and select All Activities.

3) Scroll to System UI and tap it. Long press 'App Switcher' and create a shortcut. Place it as close to the recent apps (the square button) as possible. When you want to swipe close your apps, use that shortcut. You'll avoid parental warning.
[Fire General] savvytechwinner:
ha! if you get the img to boot BOOM! we will get a root img lol

it won't happen
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Relax. It's just a fire launcher img. Not much it can do, certainly not root. What bugs me is you don't even have to touch the inside of an APK or ZIP and you can sideload to your heart's content using ADB in recovery, with official Amazon apps, signatures and all, and not one of them will go through.

EDIT: also with the method I hacked together (it looks like a hack job) I suppose you could just uninstall Fire Launcher and be done with it. If you can take getting used to not using the square to swipe, multi button works perfect. I think using that app was your idea.
[Fire General] savvytechwinner:
I meant if you were able to boot that image - someone would most likely make an image that can root it XD but it won't happen as there are many test to make sure it isn't fraud and is virtually impossible to fake.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Screen shot of my setup. Nova default launcher. I still have Fire Launcher installed, just hidden. So I will get the parental warning if I tap home. The red tint is the Multi Home Button button. Tap just above the physical home button, you'll go back 'home' or rather Nova Launcher desktop. Until I get more used to not using the recent app button, I set it too to Nova Launcher. Just above it is the System UI App Switcher Shortcut. I tap that instead of recents and I avoid the parental warning. If I had uninstalled Fire Launcher, it also avoids the flicker or kick to lock screen. Make your buttons small enough to avoid the spacebar on keyboard, big enough to see. I'll make mine smaller eventually.

EDIT: couldn't find an app to replace the recents (square) button with the App Switcher.
[Fire General] DB126:
That's because you aren't really uninstalling items that reside in the system partition - just making them unavailable to the 'current' user. Installing a different/modified version fails as the original is still present in a protected location.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Correct. But I was hoping, downgrading said package would re-enable it when 'installing' it -r -d. At the very least, during our failures at reinstalling said packages, would at least reset it to factory default.
[Fire General] DB126:
You don't have permission to downgrade/modify an app (apps) in the system partition. Need root, and sometimes Xposed, for that.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
I don't know what to tell you. Using the older version of firelauncher I attached a few posts back, if you use the command in that post, it WILL reinstall firelauncher with that older version. You get a weird effect when you app swipe from recents. You sit at a black screen and have to tap home. After doing so I was able to use the newer one to reinstall it without the -r -d added. It's the only system App I've been able to do this with. You can look at the version differences using App Inspector.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
If anyone is on an older Fire OS, pre 5.3.2.1, and don't have a custom ROM, do me a favor:

adb pull /system/framework/framework-res/framework-res.apk
adb pull /system/priv-app/FireTabletSettings/FireTabletSettings.apk

I'd like to test some things, but I want to try with 1 version before 5.3.2.1. Could you upload please?
[Fire General] DB126:
IDK - possible Fire launcher maintain a few fragments in the user space so you end up with a hybrid. Doubt it's a full scale replacement.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Before I even think about doing it, does uninstalling fire launcher affect the lock screen wallpaper? I don't quite recall...

Also can someone tell me what version number is Fire Launcher?
[Fire General] krsmit0:
im on 5.3.2.1, fire launcher versions says 1.3.588.0_502010
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
On an HD 8, FireOS 5.4.0.0. Just to say I can do this, my Fire Launcher version WAS 1.3.1115.0_1007910. See image:

EDIT: Please go to settings and look at ALL installed apps. Scroll to the app 'Fire.' Please tell me your version.

I downloaded the older version of Fire Launcher here, version 1.0.1004.0_319710 and stuck it into my ADB folder. I installed it using the command:

adb root
adb install -r -d com.amazon.firelauncher_(1).apk

Which returns the following lines:

com.amazon.firelauncher_(1).apk: 1 file pushed. 5.5 MB/s (6183467 bytes in 1.070s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/com.amazon.firelauncher_(1).apk
Success

I am now on Fire Launcher version 1.0.1004.0_319710 which I do believe is older than the one krsmit is on. See image.

In the order presented:

:eek:

:victory: :highfive: :cool:

;)

Question is now: what else can we do this to?

EDIT: What versions of FireOS are you on if you still are?
[Fire General] krsmit0:
If you navigate to /system/priv-app/ and look at the properties of the fire launcher app, what version is it? I did this with solid explorer but I think any good file manager should give this information. If that file is the newer lower version number, then you changed the system version. But my guess is its the version you get with a factory reset.
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Well that was from Amazon's own application manager... With it in a hidden state, that's about the only thing that sees it.

---------- Post added at 08:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:03 AM ----------

Running ADB command:

adb shell dumpsys package com.amazon.firelauncher

Brings up the below, among a LOT of other info. Version 1.0.1 and the date it was "updated", today.
[Fire General] DB126:
Was going to note this a few posts back but never made it out of the cranial soup. A whole scale replacement in the "protected" system partition would certainly represent a significant security gaff. That said, not sure the technique is leverageable if it only applies to the Fire launcher.

---------- Post added at 01:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

I returned the test HD 8 unit so have no 5th-7th gen devices running FireOS at present. Well, aside from the spouse's full stock gizmo that is 'no touchy'. Age brings a bit a wisdom and a few red lines that should never be crossed. :)
[Fire General] DragonFire1024:
Precisely. The only problem is finding APKs with older versions of the various software, that haven't been touched aka tampered.

---------- Post added at 01:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

Was just hoping to get even older versions of APKs.

What I need is an APK older than 5.3.2.1...if I can get a /system/framework/fireos-res/fireos-res.apk that is from FireOS 5.1.2, then maybe I will be willing to try with the method I used with Fire Launcher.