yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Also another news. I have contacted Samsung Members Care and they told me to go to the service centre. On traversing through quite high number of service centres , all of them said they have software for upgrade. but they will not do the downgrade procedure as Samsung as a company has made some guidelines with them during alliance .So in fear of losing their alliance with Samsung they said they will not downgrade even if its possible. So i reported their reply to Samsung Members Care for which they didnt reply.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Try to open the file with WinRAR or 7-Zip directly.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
By the way , is it possible to restore a nandroid backup or just the data and system image to a android emulator on pc? As , if this is possible, then this will fully eliminate all of my problems. Is their any trick or software made for this till date ?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Trying
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
That might be possible, but not sure. First try to open the backup with WinRAR or 7-Zip as I told.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
(deleted)
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Good, also open that file in 7-Zip
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Next step?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Where did you store the stuff you need?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
What do you mean "next step?"

Did you click on a directory to see if 7zip would "open" it?

Do you remember what you are trying to recover?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
If you know the location where you stored those keys, we can get them. Are they stored as files?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Yes for 1st question. Yes for 2nd question. [deleted]
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
But we first need to know where they are. What software did you use to access your study files?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
[deleted]
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
That could be possible. Did you also make a backup of the internal storage partition? Also look in the data partition, and then search for the APP.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
ok . right away. [deleted]
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Is this the app that you were using?

Vinayak Coaching Institute - Apps on Google Play

Connect with Vinayak Coaching Institute

play.google.com
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
no let me send link [deleted]
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Okay
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Also, what are actually those DRM keys? I never heard about them.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Would those keys be in the data of each app or on the system? And how do you actually know that the app uses such keys?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Please stop.

The original "problem description" made it sound like @LUCID_DREE had created something and then lost access to it.

Now it sounds like @LUCID_DREE subscribed to a service, used their app, but now can't use their app.

@LUCID_DREE Tell us again why you can't watch these videos the way you used to.

I think you are wasting your time talking about "finding" DRM keys that have been deliberately hidden just so people like you cannot "find" them.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
They harassed and black mailed me for more money and i cant afford more money so i saved what i already subscribed and had already paid for to make my career for future. I have no bad intentions. I just want to study. Many people run from study. I want to study but dont have more money. So i used my head to study for exam and overcome my familys finacial issue. Pls dont misunderstand me. I am not wasting anyone's time. Pls understand my family cant afford more money
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
I still don't know how to do it yet. Did you check the DATA folder in the backup? Give me the results.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Why everyone wants to make rich people more rich and poor people more poor. Do poor people have no right to even study so that i can make my family proud. I swear upon myself these are my real conditions and i am dead if this doesnt work. I always respect other businesses and thats why i am not sharing this (deleted1) with someone else as it will affect the (deleted2). I am thinking about them even after they harassed them. I will study and when i have completely studied everything and written in my notebooks then i will delete those. Will it be ok for you then ? If i had bad intentions then i woudn't have told you my reality which i am going through. i am using these to just view the classes which i missed and have already paid for , but cant pay more. Please give me a reply .What should i do now if i agree to all you said and delete these backups. Will you help me then financially or in my career? Hackers today use their knowledge to disrupt businesses just for fun recklessly for destructive purposes . While i am just studying by using my skills constructively to save my family from more debt. I wil delete all these posts of mine regarding the app after i get back my lectures, so that others dont find a way to do this and indulge in this and result in destructive behaviour for the (deleted3).. Are you understanding what i am saying? Pls give your views what should i do, if i dont do these? By people "like me" do you mean people "who are poor" and have no help from anywhere and get their own help? When a person gets no help from anyone and has no money then he is forced to do things like this. What will you suggest a person like that to do then , to overcome his life problems if even i cant do this atleast even when i am protecting that company's business as well as my own study? If i was really keen on doing something negative then i would have targetted netflix or amazon prime platforms, and not some boring video lectures of some study course and then i would not even have paid and just hacked them for free if it was possible, instead i actually paid for these lectures more than they actually valued 😢

I have told my part of circumstancial view , now tell me your part of view. Will you help me? (deleted4)
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
ok trying to find some more data
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Idk, could be.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Thank you . i appreciate your help and Pls delete this quoted post of yours as i dont want to reveal that [deleted] name, and do so in future if you mention its name after referring to them just so that their business doesnt get affected
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Well, don't have that much experience with Java but I am sure that you'll get it to work.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
And that code is XML.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Okay, did so. Why actually? It does not that much harm to show it I think.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Because I think @J.Michael is tensed from what I am doing , but I have no other options
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Well, okay.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
You originally said something like "to avoid hurting the reputation of the company". I didn't understand that, either.

I'm not the least bit tense, I think you are wasting your time talking about somehow bypassing the DRM that was designed so that you would not be able to bypass it. You talk about finding keys; I think the keys may not exist on any device, they may be constructed from values harvested from the device. Even if you find a key, what encryption scheme are you going to apply?

I am more interested in your talk of downgrading. Not because I think it can be done, but because I would at least like to understand why you think it would help you. What are you wishing you could downgrade? At one time you talked about downgrading the bootloader. I thought that was to allow you to install Magisk. What then? How would having Magisk help you?

Your most recent description of your problem was that the company that provides access to the video files wanted more money to continue your access. What do you imagine is going to restore your access without paying them?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
So many questions, let me answer consecutively.

1) I think I didn't say 'reputation' but 'business', because you saw me in a negative light and you said that it's done to hide it from people like 'you'

2) (deleted)

3)You are more interested in Downgrade, I am too. Then I would not install magisk as you said. I would just flash twrp then restore the twrp backup , then I would 'get set go' with my study

What do you you think ? It's ok now?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Not negative. Just, if you are trying to get around DRM, then you are one of the people DRM is trying to thwart. You could be right, they could have been lazy or stupid. If you have the source for the program that displays a file, you might be able to figure out where all the pieces are hidden, and how to use them.

I do not think you will be able to downgrade the bootloader. In principle, you can open the box and forcibly write what you want to the memory. In practice, this would require skill, and probably equipment that costs more than the ransom.

Could you explain again what happened that suddenly denied you access to your saved videos? What does upgrading the bootloader have to do with the process?

Why are these videos so important? Isn't this information available elsewhere? Another lecture series, a textbook? At worst, a fellow student who will let you set up a camera to record his tablet playing the videos?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
(deleted). And finally to restore that twrp backup , i need to overcome samsung's restriction which has become a new and big hurdle, to either downgrade or upgrade to a version which allows twrp booting and doesnt show 'secure check fail: recovery.img' after flashing twrp.img and booting to recovery.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Did you get any progress or did something?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Hello @Talich52, would you be able to provide the boot.img file of this device to me? I am going to port the Renegade Project to this device. I just discovered it, looks pretty nice. It ports UEFI firmware to Android devices! I can also download the stock ROM, but I don't know how to get it from that and I switched to LineageOS, so that is also not the stock boot image I guess, plus Magisk inside it. Would be nice if someone can give it to me!
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
I don't know what constitutes "stock ROM" anymore, but when I got my tablet it was 2019, I found a zip file on some site (samfrew? sammobile?). Unpack the zip, it's full of tar files. The AP.tar contains, among others, "boot.img", so extract that:

tar xvf AP.tar boot.img

(If "tar tvf AP.tar" shows the file is named ".img.lz4", then you have to use that name when extracting. And maybe expand that, depending on what you want to do with it.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
No problem! However, from which firmware exactly is boot.img needed? This is the core and it is different on different versions of android and T290/T295 models.

The boot.img file itself is in the firmware AP file, but in the lz4 archive, which is unpacked by 7Zip Standart. And I first extract the boot.img.lz4 file from the AP firmware file using Total Commander.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
From the latest U3 version, NOT U4! And from the SM-T290, but I got it from my device backup already. However, I just game to the fact I need all type of drivers and files to build it for this device's Snapdragon 429. I don't know whether you can look into porting it? I don't know whether you are an expert at it. It would just be nice to have that UEFI firmware, to see Windows, Linux and Android running natively on the device! First would be files for the SDM429 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 429) needed, with like configurations and stuff for building.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Talich52:
The latest firmware with 3 bootloader is T290XXU3CVG3 11 android. Here is an archive with a folder where the stock kernel boot.img is located.

I can't help with the development part, I'm not a programmer, just a user with a lot of experience...
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Follow up :

Can we utilize the info in my comment in this thread in gaining some control on SM -T290's bootloader ?

[ROM][OFFICIAL][14] LineageOS 21.0 for SM-T290 (gtowifi)

WARNING: Samsung rolled out a new firmware update starting roughly at the end of January 2023. This contains bootloader version 4. From what we understand with SM-T295 bootloaders, this may or may not permanently lock you out from ever flashing...

xdaforums.com
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
I forgot to ask you to delete this message of yours. Thanks
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
And also delete this one please. Thanks
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
Just that I tried something else which helped me which I can't disclose (and sorry for that as no other option available for me). But in the end this Tab SM-T290 got of no use to me till now as I can't install TWRP. I still want to use this Tab as my daily driver but I am unable to install TWRP. Any update on the progress to allow bootloader to boot TWRP on SM-T290 ? I will be happy to assist what I can in the development for this Tab.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Minionguyjpro:
Let's have good hope and look out for stuff that might help us.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
(y) yes and i request you to please delete the above 2 messages which i linked
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] LUCID_DREE:
I got a news for SM-T290 Tab :

[ROM][OFFICIAL][13] LineageOS 20.0 for SM-T290 (gtowifi)

WARNING: Samsung rolled out a new firmware update starting roughly at the end of January 2023. This contains bootloader version 4. From what we understand with SM-T295 bootloaders, this may or may not permanently lock you out from ever flashing...

xdaforums.com
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
I don't think there's any problem with using an AP file consisting of just the three critical files. I think the problem is if you use Odin and only specify an AP file -- we've been advised to always fill all four slots in Odin.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] Reick7:
I didn't understand it well, I lost access this morning after restarting, I think it updated without me noticing, since I didn't change the settings. But I took root again and now I just switch off instead of restarting, and I return with root without any problems (it is interesting to freeze the update apps, they operate in the background) anyway I appreciate the help, the files you shared were very useful.:highfive:
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] nixaro:
i am also running in to problems trying to get my sm-t290 to take the magisk flash. I have tried making my own using other people I have also been working with someone else trying everything under the sun. I keep running in to vbmeta errors and modem errors sometimes recovery i used odin 13.3.1b and 13.4.1 now. tried turning off random setting starting from scratch. I been waiting for a long time for someone to maybe make an unofficial twrp. But that was like months ago since i bought it so I'm trying again to see if i can do it and see if i can get some help on the way. My oem lock is off and bootloaders has been unlock can someone tell me what i am doing wrong.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
If you followed [MENTION=1826556]gcrutchr[/MENTION]'s instructions, you might already have succeeded. I always got the "SECURE CHECK FAIL: vbmeta" message on the tablet. If I used the full AP file (patched by Magisk) in Odin, Odin said it failed. When I fiddled the Magisk patched boot and recovery, I built a small tar file with just boot, recovery, and vbmeta. When I used the small tar as AP in Odin, Odin said it succeeded, even though the tablet still had that error message.

The point is, the fussiest part of the process is booting after flashing: after running Odin, you're supposed to make sure you go straight to recovery to wipe data / factory reset. Then the really hard part for me was rebooting "toward" but not all the way "to" recovery. I think [MENTION=1826556]gcrutchr[/MENTION]'s instructions to let go of the buttons at the first logo screen were what finally got me there.

Then, if Magisk Manager isn't already installed, install it. Run it. If it doesn't say it needs to do something, shut down and try booting toward recovery, again. And again.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] nixaro:
i have tried his method a little bit i get slot with the overlaying of files and stuff . i used his files and it rooted but then went crazy and wouldnt boot again. if you did it on a sm-t290 do you still have your boot stuff?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Please say again: "slot with the overlaying of files"

I have installed Magisk on an SM-T290. I still have all my files. I don't think they'd do you any good: I have blocked updating, and am still on XXU1ASH1. And 3GB files are too big to upload -- it was bad enough downloading one -- and it's important that you have the "original" firmware (i.e., before patching with Magisk).

Have you ever flashed the unpatched firmware?

When you flash the patched (that is patched by Magisk, and then padded) boot, recovery, vbmeta, are you able to boot? Does the tablet seem OK, other than not having Magisk installed?
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] nixaro:
Sorry about that I gave the overlaying the code a shot on my files like how gcrutch said to do. I have flashed the the unpatched fireware i am using the march firmware XXS3ATC2. I use it to reflash it back when either something goes wrong and goes in to a boot loop and stuff. And for flashing the boot,recovery and vbmeta in the orignal ap files it just fails even with auto reboot disabled it just shuts down and reboots tablet. Yeah it seems ok I have a another sm-t560 that is rooted but it just slow now and i was trying to upgrade to something that is easier to hold and something newer that i been using the sm-t560 for and my older tablet the screen is going out in parts.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
Could you explain in more detail: You installed Magisk. You had root. And *then* vaultkeeper "came in"?

In particular, what do you see that you think is "vaultkeeper"?

(I was under the impression that one or more of the reboots after unlocking the bootloader was to deal with Vaultkeeper, and that after that step Vaultkeeper would not be in play.)

---------- Post added at 12:49 ---------- Previous post was at 12:19 ----------

I think I also had it reboot automatically, in spite of having unchecked the auto-reboot option in Odin.

I tried very hard to have my fingers on the buttons when Odin finished, to try to force the tablet to boot to recovery as the first thing after Odin. The instructions said it was important to wipe data.

If it gets away from you, and boots to Android, I don't know if it's just as good to immediately shut down, reboot to recovery, and wipe data. If you find the Odin step painful, try shut down, boot to recovery, wipe data. If the Odin step is no big deal, it is safer to repeat the Odin step until you manage to get directly from Odin to recovery.

If you definitely had root, just no wifi, then I don't think your Odin/recovery technique is the problem. But I don't understand how you could get root without wifi. It was my understanding that you don't have root until Magisk Manager finishes setting up. And I don't think Magisk Manager will finish setting up without wifi.
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] nixaro:
well this morning i been testing it with my own magisk_patch i made and still i have had no luck. the reason i know it was vaultkeeper is because it found out i had sm-t295 binary installed and shut it down.

---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 PM ----------

it aid i could also set up superusers and stuff. but as i stated i used the sm-t295 ap stuff in which i wouldn't be able to use the wifi because they have different wifi cards in them. my problem is i haven been able to get my files to work only other people that has tested them on this site. I have no clue what i am doing wrong and it is frustrating. I used the push and pull with adb. I have used magisk manager with all check marks , no check marks, odin 13.1.1 13.3.1 and 13.3.1b and 13.4.1 and 13.4.1b. i tested with just the 3 files with out bl cp and home csc, tried with all 3, i tried modifing the apwith simg2img and back i just dont know what i am doing wrong. I am on the xda discord and all that if you can tell me what i am doing wrong i would love to know i mean i am not the smartest with computer but i am also not dumb with them.

---------- Post added at 06:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:25 PM ----------

i have also havent had a pass with my own files or the modded ones that i made with the manager
[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] J.Michael:
I am not sure what you have tried, and what you have not tried. I do not think that there is any reason to discuss anything that happened involving T295 firmware.

Start by burning the T290 firmware to the tablet. If the tablet boots, and wifi works, make the tar file of modified boot, recovery, and vbmeta. (Let Magisk Manager patch whatever files are in the original AP.tar, or AP.tar.md5 file -- do not unpack an lz4, let Magisk deal with whatever is in the original AP file.) Try burning the little tar file you made, along with the other three files from the T290 firmware. Try to go straight from Odin to recovery to wipe data. Then struggle to boot toward recovery but end up with Android.

If you have already done all that, check again. Make sure you did not mix T295 with T290. Make sure the files copied between PC and tablet were copied correctly. (I would run md5sum on PC and tablet and compare. I use UnxUtils under Windows on a PC -- I think it's on Sourceforge.)

Make sure that you "padded" by overwriting the beginning of the stock file with (all of) the magisk_patched file. Make sure that you put the two padded files in the little tar file with vbmeta.

Make sure the files in the little tar file have the right names. (I do not think you can tell tar to put file A in the archive with name B. For me, that means the patched-and-padded files have to be named boot.img and recovery.img. I rename the other versions as soon as I extract them, to get them out of the way.)