yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android General] NikosD:
I have the tablet for three weeks in my hands and it's the first time that with no reason, the touch screen stopped working today.

I used the needle for SIM cards in the hole below the volume button and after the restart, everything works fine again.

Let's hope it was a rare, random situation and not a bug or something that will happen again soon.
[Android General] NikosD:
Google Play asked me to update Google Translate today and after the update, I see the icon of the running background process on the upper left of the notification bar.

It is the first time that Google Translate is running all the time in the background, I've never seen that before in any of the previous versions of the app.
[Android General] vivek90:
Okay, when it gets too hot the CPU cores will run @ very slow speed.

Buffering, the screen if you slide you fingers over screen you might notice its slow due to the screen resolution its crisp but GPU is unable to handle so if you compare with you android phone(in my case note 5 pro) the response is slow.

Hope you understood.
[Android General] NikosD:
Yes, it's clear now for both cases.

I have to admit that occasionally I have faced both issues but never due to thermal throttling.

I mean it's never hot or even warm when something like those happen.

I think they are random glitches of the device or ROM.

I'll try to be more careful next time in order to find the cause.
[Android General] NikosD:
I reply to me, you and everyone interested.

NO.

There is not a single chance to get a custom ROM because the OEM of Chuwi tablets is not going to release kernel source code, device tree and drivers binary in order for a developer to build a custom ROM.

We can only hope for Project Treble ROMs of partition A (GSI)
[Android General] vivek90:
We do a request to release the source code.
[Android General] alphace:
How come they won't realease the source? Linux is open.. Well I won't buy it if they don't release code.
[Android General] NikosD:
[MENTION=1980576]zelipukin[/MENTION] [MENTION=4278103]vivek90[/MENTION]

How we reboot without the red button ?

I mean using some setting or app.
[Android General] zelipukin:
Not enough info.

If tablet is rooted from terminal:

su

reboot

or reboot recovery if you need recovery mode

same commands from adb shell from pc

or you can use app/widget

I use Advanced Power Menu [root] but it just replaces stock power menu so it is assigned to the same red power button
[Android General] NikosD:
It's unrooted, so if I understand correctly there is no way without app/widget.

Any app/widget recommended ?
[Android General] vivek90:
They never ask for your opinion. We have to request.

---------- Post added at 09:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:11 PM ----------

Fastboot/ ADB command while developer mode enabled, tried its working.
[Android General] NikosD:
Is there anything for an unrooted device ?
[Android General] alphace:
[MENTION=4278103]vivek90[/MENTION] is there any chance they will listen? In that case is there a best way to do it?
[Android General] NikosD:
Unfortunately I had a second incident just minutes ago.

I got the tablet in my hands from rest and I pressed the red button to wake it up.

The screen froze for a second and immediately after that the whole lock screen got corrupted.

I mean a completely distorted image with noise and like snowing on the screen.

Once again, after the reboot everything is fine but I have started worrying because of the frequency of the frozen display effect.
[Android General] NikosD:
Bad luck!

I searched Google Play Store and all the apps for reboot require a rooted device.
[Android General] zelipukin:
you can try "button mapper" (or similar) to assign pwr to vol long press

or "custom navigation bar" (or similar) to add extra pwr btn to navbar,

but chances w/o root are low.

Broken pwr btn ???
[Android General] NikosD:
Fortunately no...At least not yet.

Just precautions to protect the hardware buttons, that's why I'm interested only in SW assignment of HW button's functionality, not just another HW button.

I think I'm going to try rooting the tablet and putting TWRP inside.
[Android General] NikosD:
Guys, the last few days I have a strange issue.

When I leave for hours my tablet in rest and I wake it up pressing the red button of course, I see the initial screen after reboot with a security prompt to put my security pattern in order to proceed with the ROM loading.

So, it seems to me that after a few hours of doing nothing, the tablet reboots by itself.

In order for you to catch such behavior, you have to enable "safe start" from the security settings so the tablet after sudden reboot in rest will stuck at the security prompt pattern before the final loading of the ROM.

Maybe you can achieve the same thing by enabling a code or pin instead of (my favorite) pattern security method.

It should be the same.
[Android General] jjubb:
Chuwi Direct sent me an email today stating that the Chuwi Hi9 Pro is finally available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GPF2PCL

This version has Oreo 8.1 and boasts 4G LTE.

Perhaps now its popularity will grow and some Dev's will begin building custom ROM's and Kernels for it.
[Android General] NikosD:
Our version bought by Chinese stores is exactly the same like Amazon's.

It's Oreo 8.0 with 4G LTE.

Why do you say that Amazon's Hi9 Pro is different ?

Also, without OEM's source code release no custom ROM could be available.

But I would be very happy if a developer could release a Treble Oreo 8.1 ROM or another 8.0 based on original ROM, like the one in XDA thread for Hi9 Air.
[Android General] NikosD:
Hello.

I managed to boot in fastboot (bootloader) mode using both ADB REBOOT BOOTLOADER and hardware buttons, but running FASTBOOT DEVICES I see nothing.

Any ideas or prerequisites in my PC or developer options on Hi9Pro or anything else in order to run FASTBOOT command and connect to the tablet ?

Update (solved):

In the Device Manager there was an exclamation mark for Android device when in FastBoot mode and I had to manually install the "Android Bootloader Interface" driver from the list of suggested drivers of Windows.

Now everything works fine.
[Android General] NikosD:
[MENTION=1980576]zelipukin[/MENTION]

What does the patched bootloader offer more, compared to an unlocked bootloader ?

What's the difference ?

Also, on which version of TWRP v.3.2.2 of Hi9 Air is the Hi9 Pro TWRP based ?

Because Hi9 Air has 4 versions of TWRP v3.2.2

Thank you.
[Android General] zelipukin:
1) "patched bootloader offer more, compared to an unlocked bootloader"

There is a bootloader, it is responsible as well for early hardware initialisation, load and boot kernel and initial ram ﬁlesystem.

And there is a boot.img consists of kernel and ramdisk used to mount filesystem, start services, etc all those things to start android system.

Unlocked bootloader means you are allowed to flash modified images (like boot and recovery)

Patched boot means altered boot.img (for different purposes like root, selinux status, forceencription check, audio mods, etc)

2) honestly - I dont know.

different versions of the same 3.2.2.0 version in my opinion means same basic functionality but might be some difference in ui or partitions available for backup or in something else.
[Android General] NikosD:
It is clear now.

So, the specific patched bootloader in this thread, what functionality adds to the stock bootloader ?

Also, is it possible to root this specific device and flash TWRP without destructing any data on the stock/initial ROM with locked bootloader ?

I think that if you unlock the bootloader on this device, everything is going to be wiped.

Right ?
[Android General] zelipukin:
Yes, when you issue "fastboot oem unlock" userdata partition is wiped.

I dont have boot files right now to see what changed and I don't remember if I changed something or that boot is modified by Magisk purely, anyway this is something about root and may be selinux status and disabled forceencription flag.
[Android General] Infect_Ed:
Can you link your tree for TWRP please.
[Android General] NikosD:
As I wrote you in PM, I followed exactly the guidelines with two awkward moments.

When I unlocked the bootloader from FASTBOOT mode, I got three dots (...) in command prompt and then I saw a message on tablet screen asking me for confirmation of bootloader unlock.

I pressed Vol+ and the process finished immediately (total time around 24sec)

I confirmed the unlocked bootloader with "fastboot getvar unlocked"

From the same command prompt I flashed the TWRP recovery in less than a sec and switched off the tablet.

When I did a restart using PWR button I got a message of "orange state" and a warning that "this device is untrusted" and I landed in TWRP.

I tried all three ways to boot in system (pwr button, TWRP, fastboot) but I always got TWRP boot instead.

So, I got trapped in "recovery loop"

In TWRP mode, Windows Explorer displays an empty device for Hi9Pro and "Data" partition couldn't be mounted from TWRP.

Eventually, I flashed the stock ROM using SPFlashTool and I have now a brand new tablet (locked BL, stock recovery, everything wiped)

The task now is to avoid getting caught in the "recovery loop" trap, while trying to unlock, root and flash the TWRP on the stock ROM.

I'm still waiting for instructions...
[Android General] zelipukin:
Infect_Ed

It is not compiled from source, just mod of hi9air twrp.

NicosD

Boiled my brains trying to understand what was the reason for that loop

and also why sd cards are not visible from your PC.

Do you have ext.SD ?

Did you notice if SDs were mounted in rwrp ?

In that situation (device is unlocked, recovery loop) I would try

1) in twrp - format (not wipe) data partition - data should be mountable now.

2) see if int.SD is visible from PC, try to reboot into system, if no go (loop again), then

3) flash para

still have no confirmation how(if) twrp works with encripted data,

no confirmations if it works at all for somebody else but me (>200 downloads).

Glad to hear at least that factory ROM restore works for you.
[Android General] NikosD:
No, I have only internal SD which was not mounted in TWRP.

Internal storage was 0 MB according to TWRP.

I didn't think to format SD because I didn't see the partition.

But after numerous tests I managed to flash patched bootloader so I rooted the device.

After rooting I flashed the TWRP again and this time worked, I escaped from the recovery loop.

But TWRP was still unusable because it couldn't see the Data partition, but it could boot to system.

So, I think is crucial to root the device somehow before flashing TWRP or immediately after flashing TWRP and before rebooting to system.

The instructions clearly do not work for me if I follow them strictly.

My data are still encrypted and all the trials were done with encrypted data.

After so many tests I flashed again the stock ROM and rooted the device with patched BL but with stock recovery and I have already setup all my apps.

I can't try again to format everything and start from the beginning.

I have a few questions for you after so many hours of testing.

1) After unlocking the BL in fastboot mode I got an "orange state" and a warning about 5 sec delay on every reboot.

I still have it.

Do you have that too ?

Is it possible to get rid of that ?

It delays the reboot and it's a little disturbing.

2) Is it possible to unlock the BL with a different method ? (I mean not fastboot oem unlock)

3) When I was on stock ROM, stock recovery and locked bootloader I tried to boot in stock recovery and I got just the Android robot photo with a "No command" message and just stuck there doing nothing.

What is the purpose of stock recovery and how could someone use it and for what functionality ?
[Android General] zelipukin:
1) Yes, this is how some manufacturers tell you "you are on your own".

those words "orange state...." come from somewhere and theoretically it's possible to edit them in that "somewhere" to "", but practically it doesnt worth efforts.

2) "oem unlock" this is how manufacturer implemented unlock method (pretty standart) for this device. I don't think anybody gonna think about different method having factory unlock method.

3) I didn't even look @ factory recovery bc I know it's completely useless for me. it doesnt have an ui and serves probably for things like "factory reset" and "ota updates"

Invisible in twrp data partition means that is encrypted and most likely twrp cant work with encripted data (or some additional steps are required). Previous twrp version (3.0.2.0) was always asked about "password for encripted data" but it never worked. I hoped that 3.2.2.0 fixed this. I used unencrypted data since the begining, when(hopefully) I have time I'll back up my userdata and try to see whats going on with encripted data.

Could you, please, post your sequence of steps for bootloader unlock-flash twrp ?
[Android General] Diomorgan:
Actually what bother is not the text, but the 9 seconds countdown!!! :(((

My other MTK don't have the countdown, just the alert...
[Android General] NikosD:
From FASTBOOT mode:

fastboot devices

fastboot oem unlock

Vol up (YES) on the device

Waiting for about 7sec...done

fastboot getvar unlocked (just to be sure)

Bootloader unlocked = yes

From the same command prompt:

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img (renamed TWRP recovery to recovery.img and put it to the ADB folder)

Finished in ~1sec

Now, I tried a lot of different ways to leave fastboot mode:

1) fastboot reboot

2) fastboot boot recovery.img

3) Power off & Power on

4) Power off & Power on+Vol up (select recovery)

All the above ways go to an unusable TWRP and recovery loop.
[Android General] zelipukin:
Lets clarify, in post #90 you mentioned that flashing patched boot.img among with recovery.img (doesnt matter which one first but before any reboot) helps to avoid recovery loop ? if it's so, I'll add this step as a "must" instead of "optional"

Also, thank you for pointing to that, when I pack last recovery I forgot to rename TWRP-blah-blah to recovery.img so people have to manage to figure out to rename it by themself. I'll fix that.
[Android General] NikosD:
Yes, I don't remember exactly if you have to patch the bootloader first and then after restart flash recovery or if you could that in one step, but the truth is that now that I have a rooted device, I can flash TWRP without getting a recovery loop.

But I have to repeat that TWRP doesn't work.

It's useless if you can't see userdata partition and Windows explorer shows an empty device.

Maybe it's mandatory to also add that user data should be decrypted in order for TWRP to work.

Just a few more - easy for you - questions that will probably help for more tests:

1) Is it possible to provide TWRP in SPFlashTool friendly form ? (scatter file)

2) Can we patch the stock, locked bootloader with the bootloader provided here ?

Is it mandatory to unlock the bootloader first ?

3) If I have time and will to try again to flash TWRP, how am I going to format userdata partition in order to check if that allows TWRP to mount it ?

Can you provide instructions how to do the format of userdata partition from inside TWRP ?

It could be a little trouble for you but I think you have to make your first post A LOT more convenient for simple users, especially for noobs like me.

You are not a developer but you are certainly a power user and you have to understand that a lot of people need a more step-by-step guide, with more detailed instructions.

Something like Hi9 Air's first post, which was very helpful for me.

Thank you.
[Android General] zelipukin:
"but the 9 seconds countdown!!! "

Luky you, I have 32 sec. delay after I press "power" and before bootanimation ???
[Android General] zelipukin:
1) You can flash it with SPFlash. Open SPFlash -> Point to the scatter-loading file in your stock rom folder -> "download only" -> find "recovery" string and double-click it -> windows explorer will be opened - find recover.img you want to flash -> make sure that only "recovery" partition has checkbox checked -> flash it

2) bootloader and boot are two different things. Bootloader is a low-level thing used as well to tell to the processor "take that boot, load into memory, run it". Without "unlocking", bootloader will not let you to operate with non-stock boot.

Recovery is basically the same as boot, but instead of initialization of Android system it itializes its own file system and UI.

3) In twrp under "wipe" there is "format data" button. This option not only wipes(erases) your data but converts data partition to non-encrypted. (As alternative, you can use "fastboot format userdata" command from your PC).

In previos Android versions "encrypt data" was optional. You were able to choose in Settings how do you want to keep your data. Now it's "greyed" and even if you format your data under twrp it will stay non-encripted only till the first system boot because of "forceencrypt" flag, thats why if we want to stay non-encripted we have to use boot.img and .fstab (partition manager) tricks.

... Give me some time. I've already backed up my data and about to encrypt my phone...
[Android General] NikosD:
Right.

I forgot that boot.img is the kernel, so we replaced the stock kernel not the bootloader :)

Thanks.
[Android General] zelipukin:
I'll tell you more

boot.img = kernel + ramdisk (ramdisk = filesystem + commands/instructions).

Kernel will be always stock kernel bc even if manufacturer releases "kernel source" (almost impossible) there will be no developers to modify (i.e. add D2TW support, etc.) it.

:)
[Android General] zelipukin:
I've checked TWRP+encrypted data. Yes, you are right, data partition cannot be mounted. TWRP doen't ask for password (no matter if you have password/pin set or not). Tried "twrp encrypt your_password" command in terminal and it returns with "Houston we have a problem. mission failed".

Tried to search, and, though, this is a common problem I couldn't find a simple solution (like "these strings in *.* are responsible for decryption, try to change them to...". I just drown in different opinions and solutions. Also, looked @ Air thread just to understand that I'm not going to spend the rest of my life for this. So, I've reverted back to unencrypted data partition and restored my data and int.SD backup.

If you find an Air twrp recovery working with encrypted data partition, please, let me know. Also, I see some custom ROMs there. Are any of them good ? I'm happy with stock ROM but sometime my hands are itchy. If hardware is almost similar we can try to port.

will update 1st post.
[Android General] NikosD:
I'm under the impression that the last official stock ROM of Hi9 Air is incompatible with all TWRP Hi9 Air versions.

Our first and only stock ROM is probably in the same state like their last one.

You could try to write to their thread your workaround with unencrypted userdata partition, it should work.

BTW, I read your instructions regarding permanent unencrypted data and I'll try it when I will be in the mood again.

There is a developer there trying to port Project Treble GSI ROMs and he has also fixed their stock ROM and gave it to users as GearLabs v3, IIRC.

Our stock ROM doesn't have their bugs and I don't know the differences between all those versions.

I follow both threads, tell me how could I help but as a tester not a developer of course :)
[Android General] NikosD:
Now that is clear how is the rooting happening, I have a few more questions:

1) Who built the boot.img file and are we sure we can trust it ?

I mean changing the boot procedure and loading "black box" boot.img file could be dangerous.

2) If Magisk is updated to a new version, how could we update it if it's in the ramdisk of boot.img file ?

Do you have to give us a new boot.img ?

3) Is there a way to root permanently the device instead of ramdisk ?

Does it make any difference if rooting is acheived in permanent way or in RAM ?

Thank you.
[Android General] zelipukin:
1) By Magisk. There is almost no changes compared to stock. There is one declaration "selinux permessive" added and Magisk backup files.

2) In theory Magisk updates to new version in one click (update —>patch boot and flash), but last time (1.7.2->1.7.3) It didn't work for me, I had to point Magisk to current boot.img (you can backup boot and recovery imgs with Flashify or similar) to patch it and manually flash that patched boot in TWRP.

3) before Android 8 I used to use SuperSu, but I red a little about Android 8 rooting and desided to use that Magisk method. it works, I see no reason to do anything else.
[Android General] NikosD:
[MENTION=1980576]zelipukin[/MENTION]

Have you seen this ?

https://xdaforums.com/doogee-mix/how-to/fixed-how-to-remove-data-encryption-twrp-t3757595
[Android General] lewmur:
encryption script

In the OP is says that after formatting data, to flash script to prevent re-encryption. Where can I find that script? Also, is there anyway to prevent the boot delay after unlocking? I flashed Magisk 17.1 prior to rebooting but it still re-encrypted data when I booted to system. ARGGHHH!!!!!
[Android General] zelipukin:
lewmur,

there is encryption_preventer.zip in op's download section.

this is twrp flashable zip (why I called it script ?)

what it does - it replaces fstab.mt6797 file in /vendor/etc with modified one. You can compare what the difference is if you unzip fstabmt6797.zip (see below) there will be fstab.mt6797 (modified) and fstab.mt6797_ (original). Just open them in any txt editor.

Look @ the post above yours (NicosD). I would try that Magisk method first - it will be interesting for other people to know if it works so I'll be able to edit 1st post accordingly.

I have no clue what is responsible for that boot delay.

theoretically, we can try hex-comparision of low-level boot partitions like preloader or all of them (who know where that info is stored) before and after unlock. but if it coded like "check unlock status if =0 do this if=1 do that" (and its not in human laguage but machine codes) you wont see any difference.

NicosD, Thank you, I saw that option in Magisk but didn't pay attention, probably bc my tablet was unencrypted already.
[Android General] lewmur:
The encryption preventer zip worked. :good: Now if I could just get rid of the blasted boot delay!:(
[Android General] zelipukin:
Found this thread

And, yes, the procedure of checking for unlock status (and for warning message and delay correspondingly) is hardcoded in one of the low-level bootloaders.

Noone gonna mess with that
[Android General] lewmur:
I'm not going to hold my breath while waiting for someone to do it, but I read not only the thread you linked but a link from it to another that showed someone had done it on a later model of the same phone. IMO, the Hi9 Pro has enough "bang for the buck" to eventually attract enough users that someone will do the impossible.:fingers-crossed:
[Android General] Imperial.mack:
Can anyone please port the encryption_preventer.zip for the chuwi hi9 air? We are suffering unable to backup via twrp.
[Android General] zelipukin:
imperial.mack

there is nothing to port. Either it will work or not.

Is it Andr. 8.0 on your tablet ?

1) In any root explorer (or twrp explorer) check if you have /vendor/etc/fstab.mt6797

if you do

2) reboot in TWRP

3) Mount "system"

4) Advanced->file explorer

5) rename /vendor/etc/fstab.mt6797 to f.e. fstab.mt6797-bkup

(just for backup purpose and for to revert back to encryption)

6) follow guide from 1st post from "if you want full twrp...."

7) see if it works

again, this is just simple as to remove "forceencryption" flag for userdata partition in fstab mt6797. you can just edit this file (see samples in post# 126). The purpose of this flag is - to check the status of userdata partition (encrypted or not encrypted) and if it is not encrypted then force encryption process.
[Android General] Imperial.mack:
I'm on Android 8.1 treble rom. I only see fstab.qcom in /vender/etc so I will gather more information on this subject first.