yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I found this Google Drive Iink in the thread that [MENTION=4798480]thejunkie[/MENTION] provided me with his TWRP backup of his 2.1.1 tablet. I had asked a 2.1.5 user to provide one, but he did not. I think he had a data limit, or something.

This may work for you since it is of the v2 series. If you try it, flash his system and boot.img in twrp and use the supersu official SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip. from the supersu beta, xda thread to patch the boot.img.

After restoring his backup, immediately flash supersu in twrp before rebooting.

Don't restore his recovery as it is the original and don't reboot after restoring his backup and flashing supersu, first.

As usual, delete userdata and cache in bootloader mode with fastboot, also, before even a first reboot.

Keep in mind any data, including pictures, etc in the internal sd will be deleted.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByKzF9zbs6seemg0WG11UGNYaXc

UPDATE:

Don't use this on a V1 tablet or you will get no sound and maybe no wifi and bluetooth.

The v2 tablets either have different hardware or the newer IFWI (Intel Firmware Interface) version has something to do with it, I'm not really sure.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] philcurious:
that got it working perfect. Thank you:good:
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
It is just as I thought, that this V2.1.1 rom would work with your tablet.

please let us all know, on this thread if you encounter any problems on your V2.1.5 tablet, with the 2.1.1 rom..

Did you use the systemless supersu as I suggested, which patches the boot.img to disable encryption and dm_verity?

I do know how to create it to be selinux permissive, but I have not uploaded a new version on Android File host with it. I now run in enforcing mode without any problems with the apps I use and it should be much more secure.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I just found out my store, where I work, has the V2.1.5 tablet version so I purchased one and am rooting it now.

I have the device rooted with supersu systemless official 2.82 SR5 to patch the boot.img and all, so far is working great. I updated all of the playstore default apps plus my usual installs of Kernel Aduitor, l speed, greenify system monitor lite, and total commander and mixplorer.

Update:

When I have some extra time, I will upload the V2.1.5 twrp backup.

So far, it is my impression that this is the best version of the tablet yet.

The only difference I am aware of, besides a newer build number, is the IFWI (Intel Firmware Interface) version is newer: M882_JJ.021_JJ. It has the same, Android 6.0.1 version with security patch level of August 1, 2016, the same kernel version of 3.1.4.64-x86_64 and the same specs. I'm not sure if the hardware has any internal changes, or not. The build number is V2.1.5.MMB29M.20170327.212634.

The box sticker has a manufacturing date of May 2017, where as my V1.2.0 tablet has a manufacturing date sticker of March 2017.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I am uploading my original, unrooted twrp backup of my new, v2.1.5 tablet version to Android File Host. I received an email from them today stating that they had had been doing major updates to their server and apologized for any problems experienced. The upload is very slow, but once I have a successful completion, I will post a link.

I have posted the link to the V2.1.5 TWRP, unrooted backup with original the original boot.img, recovery and system.

Do not use on a V1 tablet or you will have no sound and possibly no wifi and bluetooth.

I have not tried V2.1.5 on my V1 tablets, but I did test V2.1.1 on the 1.2.0 tablet and had no sound.

Please uncheck the recovery box when restoring unless you want to replace TWRP with the stock recovery.

You must also use the systemless Supersu.zip to patch your boot.img to remove encryption and dm_verity. Selinux will be in enforcing mode.

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=673791459329065002

Please read the provided readme for important instructions.

Please provide any feedback on this as I have not performed a restore of it to confirm that all is working in the backup, as it should be.

Thanks
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
As I have mentioned in the past, my original Ares 8A V1.1.1 has had problems mounting External Micro SD cards.

No matter how many times I have restored the original V1.1.1 and V1.2.0 rom, I continue to have this issue. In addition, I have tried many cards, both new and old.

Occasionally I can successfully mount the card. Usually, after a long check of the card when inserted it shows either corrupted or not supported.

When place those cards on other tablet, Windows systems and Linux they mount fine and are not corrupted. If I try to format it on that tablet it fails and quickly flashes some kind of vold error that is too quick to write down.

The cards format just fine on other systems.

With not much to loose, I decided to flash the V2.1.5 ROM on the device and to my surprise, Wifi, and bluetooth audio work great!

The internal speaker and head phones do not work with this rom.

The External Micro SD card, unfortunately has the same issue. It does not appear to be a problem with the card contacts internally. It does appear to be some kind of hardware issue though, or firmware issue.

On the subject of firmware, the older, V1.1.1 tablet has IFWI version: M882_JJ.018

and the Newer, V2.1.5 has IFWI version: M882_JJ.021_JJ.

Under setting: about tablet, the newer, V2.1.5 tablet show a DISA relock option, under the build number. DISA is the anti-theft, activation technology which come on newer tablets, starting with V1.2.0 and up.

With the V2.1.5 ROM on my older, V1.1.1 tablet, the DISA relock option does not show up. This leads me to believe it is either firmware based or possiby bootloader based. This is not to be confused with the boot.img.

if you install the Play Store app, DiskInfo, you and enable the options in settings, you can see a partition called bootloader, a partition called booloader2 and the boot.img called android_boot. These bootloader partitions, are where, I believe, the UEFI bios resides and and where the fastboot, bootloader mode is loaded from.

In AIDA64 the bootloader for the older tablet is shown as: m882_jj_018_kernelflinger-02_20.

In AIDA64 the bootloader for the newer tablet is shown as:

m882_jj_021_jj_kernelflinger-02_20.

Upon thinking about what I just wrote above, an educated guess would be that the IFWI actually resides in the bootloader partitions instead of flashed to a chipset. I could be wrong, in that regard, though.

If anyone has further knowledge or insights into this, please let us all know.

Finding a way to pull the newer IFWI and safely flashing it to the older tablets, might possibly fix the sound issue. Issues with other systems sounds can often be bios based in nature, I believe?

UPDATE

I found this info with a google search:

"IFWI gets written to one or both boot partitions in the eMMC"

Apparently IFWI is a true firmware.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ferriest86:
Verification removal

So is there abyway to remove this verification that comes up when you first turn on the tablet? I have 3 or 4 of these and a 10a that I'm trying to do this too. I have twrp on them and have tried various rEstates and boot imgs? Any ideas?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
Please clarify the verification error. Is it the android message that the system can not be verified that comes up on boot?

Is your tablet rooted? If this is the type of verification error you are seeing, it is because of Android verified boot.

You need boot.imgs that have the dm_verity flag disabled. All of my modifed boot.imgs I provide in the download links have this and data encryption disabled.

However, I don't usually use these anymore. I use SuperSu official systemless version to do this. When the Supersu.zip is flashed in TWRP, it will make a backup of your original boot.img and patch a newer version to remove both encyption and dm_verity. By default, it will not make SELinux permissive.

I use an app called SELinux Switch, if I ever need to run in permissive mode.

If you do prefer to use patched boot.imgs, though, you need one from the same tablet version or you will loose sound, wifi and bluetooth.

Furthermore, if you really mean the newer tablets built in activation technology,

you need the DISA code from your purchase receipt to activate the tablets.

Apparently someone is selling Nextbook tablets on ebay or other sources which may be stolen, therefore they don't provide the correct activation code with them.

One user found a way around it, but never bothered to provide how he did it, despite promising he would do that.

If you want modified boot.imgs, it is not that difficult to patch them, once you know how to do it

Like I stated, I now use Supersu systemless to do that for me. I saves alot of headaches .

Here is a link to the latest Supersu SR release, which is newer than the Play Store version:

https://download.chainfire.eu/1220/SuperSU/SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip

SELinux Switch:

https://xdaforums.com/android/apps-games/app-selinux-switch-t3656502
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ferriest86:
Disa

Yes I am actually referring to the "disa" lock screen that comes up when I turn the device on. I would like to find a way around this. I have tried the different modifed boot img. On this thread and the twrp restores and still boot it to this screen.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
You will need to look back in the thread and find the person who had a solution and PM him, if he even responds. I do remember that it involves removing the Android startup wizard some how. I have never done it and will not try. I have purchased all of my 3 Ares 8A from the only legitimate source: Walmart. A legitmate purchase gives you the activation code on the purchase receipt. Other sources are not official sources and

may be

stolen, or gotten through unofficial means.

I wish I could help more, but until the poster furnishes a tutorial, as he promised, my hands are tied.

My suspicion is that he hasn't been back to this forum since he got what he wanted and

[MENTION=8713385]ferriest86[/MENTION]

I did a search of my thread for setup wizard and found his post:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=73438341&postcount=325

On my system it is actually called StartupWizard. In older Android versions I believe it was called SetupWizard.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ferriest86:
Disa

Ok thank you. I'll check it out. If you come up with anything else please let me know. I bought 5 of these used and have no way of using them lol
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
You are welcome. I think if they were truely used, they would have been activated, unless it was an owner that never opened the box.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Hey thanks for this martyfender. I followed your steps exactly as they were typed out and I've now ran into a problem on the 1.0.8 version. My WiFi will not turn on now and was wondering if you may know of a solution to this or if I might have happened to make a mistake in any of the steps to cause this. I've rebooted it a number of times and can't get the WiFi to turn on. It just constantly shows the animated bar at the top of the screen when searching for a WiFi signal yet it never picks up any.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
Did you download my modified boot.img and other files for the V1.0.8 tablet version, on android file host and use it:

Ares 8A Modified boot image V1.0.8.zip?

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=225775

I see this problem from other users, but the only time I have experienced this problem of no wifi is if I flashed a different boot.img version with a different rom version of the tablet.

Is it not clear in the Op that only the same tablet boot.img must be paired with the same rom version?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I just returned the Android 7.1.1 version of the tablet an found that there is newer, V3.0.4 of the Android 6.0.1 tablet. The only thing newer that I see on it is, of course a newer build number and a newer IFWI version of M882_JJ.023_JJ.

From logcats last night from an older tablet version, I determined that the Bios must be in the firmware as it has the same version as the IFWI version on the tablet. Also one thing new I notice is that under settings, about tablet, Disa I see a Disa # unlike the V1.2.0 and V2.1.5 versions of the tablet.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] ferriest86:
Hey marty did you get the newer version ofthe tablet or just check it out?

---------- Post added at 08:28 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 AM ----------

Say one was to completely wipe everything from the tablet. To where the "file explorer " only starts to try and boot a system. Couldnt you just install an os? How could you go about finding a compatible one?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I don't understand. What you say makes no sense. In English? Is English not your first language?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Yes I did use the 1.0.8 and it was very clear not to use anything else on the 1.0.8 version. Seeing as how you italicized and put it in red text. I'm technically inclined but not to the point where I could skip sections of your guide and still flash the tablet so I did read everything and it was very clear and easy to follow.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I am stumped, then. One problem I face is that I have never owned a V1.0.8 tablet. A user provided me with his original boot.img and I modified it.

In the v1.0.8 archive I provide the original on he provided, renamed to: original-boot-108.img and the one I modified, named boot.img.

Did you flash my modified one named: boot.img? I wonder if your V1.0.8 original boot.img could be different in some way and therefore the rom also? That is highly unlikely, though.

This is a long shot, but one thing you might try is to make a copy of your original boot.img, named boot.emmc.win, backed up in twrp, before you started. Rename it boot.img and either place it on your external sd card or internal sd card, along with SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip and Busybox-1.27.2-YDS-X86.zip.

in fastboot mode: format userdata, format cache

fastboot flash boot boot.img or immediately reboot to twrp recovery and flash it there:

The boot.img can be flashed in fastboot, but an easier way is to do it in twrp.

Boot into twrp, click install button, navigate to the image path on the external sd or internal sd , on the lower right, click the install image button, select your original boot.img, under: select partition to flash, choose boot and swipe to confirm flash.

Now, immediately after, before ever rebooting the tablet, navigate back and click install to flash supersu.zip, let it patch your boot.img. Read the message to confirm that it has patched and flashed your boot.img and installed it.

Finally, click install and choose busybox.

reboot to android setup screen. First boot may take up to 5 minutes on the first boot. I just rooted the V3.0.4 tablet last night and it was ~4 minutes on first boot. Setup, renable developer options and turn on USB debugging again.

Open the supersu app and configure its settings especially: enable su during boot and trust system user.

I make no guarantees that the above nethod will solve the sound problem.

I do have one other suggestion, but will wait to see if the above works first.

Please let me know if it is successful, or not.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Okay so as I was following your steps yesterday I wasn't paying attention and didn't realize there were two boot imgs. I first ended up flashing the original boot. After reading your previous post I noticed what my mistake was. I then flashed back to my original boot and then proceeded to redo all the steps. Once done flashing to the boot.img this time and doing the SuperSu and Busybox flashes I then rebooted and was still unable to use WiFi. So I then flashed back to my original and am still not able to use WiFi and now I have no sound either for some odd reason. Thank you for your help on this matter.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
Make sure you have a backup of your original rom and try my twrp 1.2.0 backup on android file host.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Well this is a bummer. My tablet is apparently a V1.0.7. I had an original backup but dummy me forgot to save it and power went out and I lost it. I thought my tablet was a 1.0.8 but I guess I read it that way due to dyslexia. So now I guess I have a tablet with no sound or WiFi.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
Try my 1.20 backup rom.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Okay just got done trying to use the 1.2.0 and it's still with out sound and WiFi.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I am out of ideas. In the process of doing all of this, did you:

fastboot format userdata
fastboot Format cache

?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Sure did.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Well now I really goofed. When in the process of wiping everything other than internal storage I did all that right and when I went to flash the 1.2.0 I got rid of the OS by accident. Dyslexia strikes again (at this point I shouldn't even be doing this kind of stuff anymore). Also don't worry about you're directions they are very easy to understand it's just something that happens from time to time with me and trying to fix stuff then breaking it even worse.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I'm sorry to here that. So you did what I explictly said not to do and checked to wipe system? I've made that mistake twice. Now I always slow down and double check, before I swipe to wipe.

On my older V1.1.1 where the external SD is not mounting most of the time, I even wiped my internal SD, where my TWRP backup was stored. That is a problem when even in TWRP, the external doesn't usually mount.

There is an option in twrp to create a system.img instead of the usual twrp blobs for each: boot, system, data, etc. I have not done this because of space limitations, but can be useful where the system was deleted, as in your case, as it can be flashed in fastboot mode: fastboot flash system system.img, I believe would be the command. You would need that copied to your computer to flash in fastboot mode.

Also keep in mind that the FAT32 file system, on the external SD, has a maximum file size limit of 4Gbs. That is one reason why in twrp you will notice that it splits any large partition such as system and data, into multiple parts.

The ext file system, used in Linux and in some Android partitions, doesn't have these size limitations. There are limits, but they are much, much greater.

I updated my previous post to add links to UnSu etc.

UPDATE:

I am uploading a V1.1.1 that may help you. I have to leave for work, so hopefully the upload will complete successfully. The upload will be ~1.2Gbs
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
I'm not seeing the option to create a system.img unless I'm just blind. So is there anyway to get an OS back for my device or is it just a paper weight now?

Edit: I just read your previous post and will wait for that file to be finished up loading and try it that way.

Edit 2: I may have just got a small win but I found some system backups but I'm not sure if they are what I need or not and I'm not going to try this with out some assistance just to be safe.

So the system files I found are: system.ext4.win000 (1,567,823 KB), system.ext4.win000.md5 (1 KB), system.ext4.win001 (1,058,534 KB), system.ext4.win001.md5 (1 KB), and of course the system.info (1 KB).

Let me know if I can use those to restore my tablet or not and the best way about going about it as well.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
Yes, those are the system files only. They can be restored in twrp. The md5 files. Are just checksum verification files. You will. Also need a boot.img of the same system version. If you don't know the system version, you mY have trouble until you pair the proper version with it by reflashing the boot. Img again.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
I have the boot.img for those system files as well.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I just got home from work and it looks like my upload of the TWRP V1.1.1 failed. I will try again.

I am trying the upload again now. I hope it succeeds this time.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
I just got home from work and it looks like my upload of the TWRP backed up, V1.1.1 rom, failed. I will try again.

This was painfully slow, but my upload has succeeded. Here is the link:

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=962021903579498260

I am sorry if my memory is bad, as I did this when I first rooted the Ares 8A but I believe it is pre-rooted in system mode.

I lost my virgin system backup because of my External SD card corruption.

I learned a valuable lession from that, though. When I get a new tablet and do a temp twrp backup, I shutdown, remove the external SD card and place it in an a microSd card to SD adapter. I then insert it into my computer and copy the TWRP backups to a folder on my desktop or laptop computer as a backup. I know, there are much better backup strategies recommended, the 3, 2, 1 backup strategy:

https://www.backblaze.com/blog/the-3-2-1-backup-strategy/

I used to be a professional photograher for 26 years and near the end of that career the company that I worked for adventured into the early days of digital photography. I had heard of this backup strategy from Leo Laporte of the TWIT Network Podcasts. This is a very good strategy that I recommend highly, even though I procrastinate on doing this and have been bitten a few times, thanks to my procrastination.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
[MENTION=8781591]MatterHatter[/MENTION] ,I was just wondering if you were able to resolve your issues?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Not yet I was busy these past few days I wasn't able to sit down and try to mess with the tablet. Also how do I go about using the .win files to flash the system back?
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
You do that in TWRP. You must place the files in to the original twrp backed up folder structure to be recognized in it. Search this thread to find the folder structure as I have typed it several times and is a 4 folder deep structure.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Alright I'll look for it now.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
search for "folder structure".
[Miscellaneous Android Development] MatterHatter:
Okay so something odd happened. While reading through the posts I was also looking through my micro sd card. Apparently I somehow have an Original backup for my tablet which I thought I lost. The odd part though is it's from Dec 2014 and I did see the _V1.0.7MM (don't remember the rest) part but now the folder is just called 2014-12-31--21-21-57.
[Miscellaneous Android Development] martyfender:
OP updated with a link to my TWRP backed up V1.1.1 ROM I believe it is pre-rooted in system mode. Back in July, when I did it, I lost my original, virgin backup of it due to an external MicroSD card corruption issue.

I recommend flashing UPDATE-unSU-signed.zip with it to remove the system mode Supersu, then flash the systemless, SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip and Busybox-1.27.2-YDS-X86.zip.

unSU-signed.zip:

https://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=63615067

SR5-SuperSU-v2.82-SR5-20171001224502.zip:

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

Busybox-1.27.2-YDS-X86.zip:

https://xdaforums.com/android/software-hacking/tool-busybox-flashable-archs-t3348543