yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] EngineerMind:
I know how to freeze apps using TB, which totally disables them. But it sounds like you are just removing their background running permission, but still let them run when you want.

How do you do that?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] a1291762:
Android has the ability to block any app from running in the background. It's a battery saving feature. But you can't do it to system apps. The primary system app I've seen abusing this inability to block it is Google maps. It works just fine as a user-installed app. Magisk debloat apps (I used terminal debloater) remove system apps (without actually having to modify /system) allowing you to install them as user apps.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] SilentDevGuy:
Another easy way is to grab the system app apk from /system/app or priv-app and copy it somewhere, delete original folder, reinstall the apk, this time it will be a user app with the original your phone used rather than an online dl
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] alek889:
Great post,cause i was thinking the same 👍
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] CamoGeko:
I just picked up Pixel 4a this month and I am really wondering if I wanna be rooting or not. I previously have always rooted my devices (had Essential Phone as my last one). Root gets me AdAway (adblock), Swift Theme Installer and YouTube Vanced working but thats all really. Trying to weigh up if its really worth it with the Pixel 4a... original plan was to run it stock with root but now not so sure.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] slikv55:
Use private DNS (i.e. dnsforge.de and dns quick tile. Its a super method to block ads anywhere.

Vanced doesnt need root to work 100%.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Dogora:
For people like me, the dearth of options is a bit frustrating. You see, I'm one of those who will not have a smart phone that has Google services on it. I also will not buy hardware that's not truely mine, so I must have root and an unlocked bootloader.

Before you say, "gee, what's the point of a smart phone without Google (or Apple)," I am quite happy without, and have been for years. I am not willing to trade convenience for privacy.

Root is required to back up everything and get to my data properly, run a custom hosts file, and an iptables firewall. The internet is such a pos without blocking ads and tracking.

Funny that buying a "Google phone" is turning into the only way to have what I want, as they're one of the few that allows unlocking the bootloader.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] c_tho:
i would have thought lineageOS would tick most of your boxes?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Dogora:
Yes, LineageOS satisfies my requirements. I haven't used any newer version yet, but for Nougat it was pretty bare bones. For my current phone (still running Nougat), there were several ROMs to choose from with many tweaks and customizations available, all without gapps. I don't get why almost all custom ROMs today include the Play services and gapps? I see requests for versions without, but they do never happen.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] jho55:
Same for me. I was planning to root and install AdAway and AFWall+. Then I just installed AdAway in the Non Root VPN mode and just left it running. After a while I was asking myself why I am not using AdAway that way. But what about the Firewall? I had a look at my old rooted phone and to be honest, almost every app was allowed to be online anyway except a few apps like a calculator.

To be honest, if you do not trust an app, then do not install it. I think I will try out the non root way.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] jho55:
Lineage OS does not ship GApps for obvious reasons. You always have to add OpenGApps/MindTheGapps by yourself. Or which rom includes them?
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] bubbyj:
Thats not my experience AT ALL. I would say that 9 out of 10 custom roms I see are built without Play. And its literally the exact opposite of what you describe -- when enough people ask for a version with gapps included, the dev reluctantly agrees to drop a version with it. Not saying that you're experience is inaccurate.. just saying that it doesn't jive with my reality.

I'm one of those guys who doesn't give 2 poops about 'privacy'. I have mad respect for those that do care though... its obvious they are passionate about it. But for me, Google can do what they want with my data. I live in a state where cops can search your vehicle for crossing the white line (100% true, in tennessee, the supreme court allowed it because crossing the white/yellow line is a 'crime' and not a civil infraction.). We have license plate readers that monitor our movements. Cell phone companies that store every call and text and location. SecCam's in every corner, aisle, register, and door of every store. And a million other ways that I'm being 'watched' by corporations and government.. all the day, every day.

I have no clue what google could do with my data... that would seriously put me in jeopardy or make me feel violated in some way.

So again, I get the concern with privacy. And perhaps its a decade of service in the Army has heavily influenced me. We have our 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 9th, and 14th amendments heavily curtailed.. and are strictly controlled in our off-duty, off-base, and and out-of-uniform behaviors and actions -- that leads me to the conclusion that I have reached.. that I don't care whatsoever about "privacy".

Anyways... hope everyone is gonna have an awesome July 4th with family and friends. A lot of good men and women, much better than I, have died because of their defense of our ability to celebrate it. Never forget that.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] bubbyj:
Vanced will run perfectly without root. Just download the vanced manager apk, select non-root version... and done.

If you want to access your saved libraries, liked vids, etc.. you'll need to install microg -- which, awesomely enough, is done through the vanced manager as well! You can not log into your youtube/google account through the vanced app without microg as a conduit. fyi.

The vanced manager complete process of installing both on a non-rooted phone, took me all of 45 seconds from beginning to end. No questions to answer. No knowledge needed.

One suggestion though... the default download of the vanced YT from vanced manager, includes a light and dark version. The dark version is a dark charcoal color. Its decent for low light conditions. But to really unlock the beauty of this OLED screen, switch it to the light+black version. Its amazing.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] bubbyj:
I agree with the earlier post that the dev community is dying out naturally due to lack of need. AOSP Pixel devices are just insanely well put together with tons of unique abilities that the custom rom's can't match.

My first phone 'fun phone' was perhaps one of the best dev communities in existence back in the day. The moto g3 (2015). It had about 50 custom roms, 15 kernels... and everything was nightly. And most were Official. It was an incredible experience. However, it ruined me. I expected that from every phone from that moment forward. I went to a Moto g6, then a g7, and then a G Pro/Stylus... and with each new phone that came out, the dev community just sorta died a little more. And while there's a lot of pixels sold, it represents but a tiny little fraction of the overall android market. Devs are split between thousands of phone models today... but back in 2015 --- it was a different landscape. They had a dozen or so phones that represented 75% of the android market share. Today, to get 75%, it'd take about 500 models combined.

Today I run Android 12 beta 2.1. Not rooted yet.. for the first time in my entire 'smartphone career'. I've never had an unrooted phone -- truly. I will get around to it, probably when the official 12 public release hits. I'm trying to stay unrooted until the beta process is over, to help with feedback to the google devs. I've identified 8 bugs so far, with 3 being unique and the first reporting of them. It helps them quite a bit to have a stock beta rom, rather than a rooted one.

ideally, I root for just a few reasons... whats most important to me is my ability to increase my battery life by 50% using a kernel manager like ExKerel Manager. By running the exkernel, and then heavily tweaking the cpu, gpu, I/O, and memory parameters -- I can make a phone last forever on a single charge without really sacrificing upside performance. So rooting is incredible important to me. With many other rooting-unique functions.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Slim2none4u:
I root for Riru core, LSposed, Gravity Box, DarQ, and Universal Safetynet Fix..
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] Dogora:
Well, FWIW, I just checked the ROMs available specifically for the Pixel 4a.

With gapps: StatiXOS, Resurrection Remix 8.x, Descendant XI, SuperiorOS Xcalibur

Without gapps: LineageOS 18, Candy 11, CalyxOS, Resurrection Remix 8.x (but it's unofficial, built less often, and untested)

So, we're basically 50/50, with/without. I have not looked at any GSI builds.

Edit: I checked ROMs for the 4a, not the 5G version. I just noticed this thread is in the 4a 5G area.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] CamoGeko:
Honestly not too sure how to set the custom DNS stuff up yet, also I'm always weary it might break my connection. I'm using AdAway non-root method to block ads, the only thing that annoys me is the notification.

Yeah I'm using AdAway in non-root mode, seems to work okay with most things... not sure what that AFWall app is.

Yeah I have Vanced YT installed through that method, the black themed version really does look good on this display.

Overall I am pleased with this phone and Android 12. The only thing I wish is that the battery was thicker, I feel like they could have stretched it to 4000mAh. The phone is very light and I wouldn't mind a bit more weight/thickness.
[Google Pixel 4a 5G Guides, News, & Discussion] jho55:
AFWall is just a firewall. But I was not blocking a lot so now I just have a look what apps I am using. AdAway has a nice DNS protocoll so I can check that.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
PATCHED

BOOT.IMG for MERLIN by VD171

For what do I need it ?

At every boot, MIUI overwrites RECOVERY partition for stock rom recovery partition and replaces any custom recovery like TWRP. This patch disables this overwriting and keep any custom recovery.

Keep attention, it is

not

pre-rooted.

Works with:

-

Xiaomi Redmi Note 9

-

Xiaomi Redmi 10X 4G

Firmware Versions:

- (Engineering)

AL2522-Merlin-V039-Q-0513

- (Engineering)

AL2522-Merlin-V044-Q-0920

-

V13.0.2.0.SJOMIXM

-

V12.5.4.0.RJOMIXM

-

V12.5.3.0.RJOMIXM

-

V12.5.2.0.RJOMIXM

-

V12.5.1.0.RJOMIXM

-

V12.0.1.0.RJOMIXM

-

V12.0.8.0.QJOMIXM

-

V12.0.7.0.QJOMIXM

-

V12.0.6.0.QJOMIXM

-

V12.0.5.0.QJOMIXM

-

V12.0.4.0.QJOMIXM

- (India)

V12.0.4.0.QJOINXM

-

V11.0.5.0.QJOMIXM

-

V11.0.4.0.QJOMIXM

How to flash it?

fastboot --disable-verity --disable-verification flash vbmeta vbmeta.img
fastboot flash boot boot_vd171.img

MD5 hashes:

AL2522-Merlin-V039-Q-0513: a04fdd922f5e5dd49c7772e75defa06e

AL2522-Merlin-V044-Q-0920: 9239a1fc45ba5be6ea83527eeddb2728

V13.0.2.0.SJOMIXM: 0045eeac5886c1a623eab2dd7ce5e0d1

V12.5.4.0.RJOMIXM: 23f61112b19fe67e32f29591102f0cf6

V12.5.3.0.RJOMIXM: 5a3a46ea595c20ace60a482f4fbc2dcd

V12.5.2.0.RJOMIXM: e18546706fdbf35404b2116601231a09

V12.5.1.0.RJOMIXM: e172cfa9c96c5f829170db671baadba3

V12.0.1.0.RJOMIXM: a446c9d747247c4ce8016da83cbdc932

V12.0.8.0.QJOMIXM: dd3e581fc2ee1e2ef7b56a843bdd4d9d

V12.0.7.0.QJOMIXM: 884ea8c8798c594db58359796fa14f30

V12.0.6.0.QJOMIXM: 146f1254604bf9b57335eae1cd60dd03

V12.0.5.0.QJOMIXM: 3a46568b0e3d2aafc607a8d2add1bf40

V12.0.4.0.QJOMIXM: be2f0c391b22dcc9ed8d4dbbb7900cd8

(India) V12.0.4.0.QJOINXM: 416a03273045e616d67f76e3b3c50807

V11.0.5.0.QJOMIXM: 262ec3ba40c53add7f651188920618b8

V11.0.4.0.QJOMIXM: 48b568eddcd1a888fe0286beb2ed4f4a

:unsure: Do you need help with your MERLIN device ?

Read this FAQ

: https://xdaforums.com/t/faq-guide-h...for-merlin-redmi-note-9-redmi-10x-4g.4225163/
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] DavitidzeSh:
Will this work on Indian ROM? Thanks
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Do you mean V12.0.6.0.QJOINXM ?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] DavitidzeSh:
No, 12.0.4
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] DavitidzeSh:
I do not know if regionally different ROMs have different Boot.img
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Please, edit your post if you need to increment it and avoid dupes.

MD5 hash of stock rom boot.img for

V12.0.4.0.QJOMIXM

(global) is: e6a904938cf6ea3ed5d040ae69115131. And for

V12.0.4.0.QJOINXM

(india) is: 096d8d46ca1612f0ff13863fed7cf6e5.

So, they are NOT identically.

I've patched your requested boot.img. It's attached, you can download it.

Enjoy
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] DavitidzeSh:
Thanks for the patch

Will it get overwritten if I root?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
This is the official stock rom boot.img just patched.

It is not rooted.

For boot.img prerooted, you have to flash the magisk patched boot.img:

https://xdaforums.com/t/img-stock-p...e-9-xiaomi-redmi-10x-4g.4204671/post-84245513

I've replied with files for V12.0.4.0.QJOINXM.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] DavitidzeSh:
No, I meant if i could have both at the same time
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Official stock rom boot.img and magisk patched boot.img are equivalent.

The second is just rooted.

You can have only one boot.img flashed.

This boot.img patched by me helps people that need to keep TWRP, or any other custom recovery, together official stock rom boot.img. Otherwise the custom recovery will be overwritten.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] romabr:
will this work on 12.0.9.0 QJOEUXM???

there's been a couple of years that I don't use custom ROMs so I'm a little rusted..
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
This is not rooted.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Flying_Scotsman:
Hi, @VD171 I realise you must have very good control of your Redmi Note 9 merlin! (y)! Thank you for these patched boot.img - very good idea.

Where I have got to is that I have learned that on Linux Debian Buster I can get back to a reliable base MIUIV12.0.3.0. QJOMIXM by

flash-all.script

from within the ROM. (Other readers should understand how + why that might work before trying!)

I now see that V12.0.3.0 is not one that you regularly list. My question is really about this numbering. Is there a base version of the ROM that you favour, that gives the user best control of the device?

Thanks in advance, and many thanks for curating these threads.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
I suggest you to keep on LATEST MIUI.

But, I suggest you to mix some partitions from older MIUI:

- PRELOADER: V12.0.4.0 (or older): It allows you to flash using SPFLASHTOOL without the EDL mode and bypass the authentication.

https://xdaforums.com/t/preloader-i...omi-redmi-note-9-xiaomi-redmi-10x-4g.4218929/

- LK: V12.0.4.0 (or older): It allows you to flash ANY version of the TWRP or PBRP.

https://xdaforums.com/t/lk-img-stoc...omi-redmi-note-9-xiaomi-redmi-10x-4g.4218925/
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Flying_Scotsman:
Thank you very much for this much valued advice. (y)

I was now able to install eOS, e-0.15-q-20210310-UNOFFICIAL-merlin.zip from

e-0.15-q-20210310-UNOFFICIAL-merlin.zip | by itsclarence for /e/OS supported models

Download GApps, Roms, Kernels, Themes, Firmware, and more. Free file hosting for all Android developers.

androidfilehost.com

using a newly flashed MIUI V12.0.9.0 EU and it is running very well. Thanks.

Many thanks also to the ROM builder credited within the link.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Good work, my friend.

You are welcome
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] mikeripper13:
Hi! Thanks for all the things you have shared for this phone. I got an issue every time i flash this patched boot.img i get stuck in a bootloop, and the only way to get out of that is to flash the stock boot.img again. Any ideas why this is happening?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
You are welcome, my friend.

Did you flash patched vbmeta too?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
this USED to work for me, but now for some reason when I flash the 12.5 boot.img it bootloops and sometimes it says something like CMD OVERFLOW.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
What is the version of the MIUI ?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
MIUI 12.5.1, I used to flash it on that version but apparently after trying miui 11 with mi flash then updating to miui 12.5.1 it caused a problem
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Did you unlock bootloader?

Did you flash patched vbmeta?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
I obviously unlocked my bootloader, I flashed patched vbmeta bc using stock vbmeta with disabled verity and verification gives error 0.

The vbmeta is okay, I am just super annoyed by not being able to flash a patched boot image without CMDLINE OVERFLOW
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
You really need patched vbmeta.

You can flash ANY patched vbmeta, any version will works perfectly.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
Okay, I already tried the patched vbmeta for MIUI V12.5.1 but it didn't work so im going to try different ones.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
Okay, I used the 12.0.1 patched vbmeta and now I can see the redmi logo with NO cmdline overflow, it just cant boot to miui so i will just flash a custom rom and be happy with it
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Apparentely you need to flash stock miui again.

And then, you can apply changes again.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
Okay, I think I finally found the bottom of the problem.

I flash 12.0.6 and I still had the same issue when I make a change to the device's partitions such as boot it bootloops, which indicates it's a vbmeta issue, this is probably related to "Rewriting vbmeta struct at offset: 0" when using the disable verification and verity command, even patched vbmeta works like stock for me. I am just gonna back up all my devices IDs and my IMEIs then I'ma format all with sp and start over.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Format all does NOT solve any problem.

It just causes more problems.

NEVER TRY TO FLASH USING FORMAT ALL MODE.

Just flash stock miui using firmware upgrade and it's enought.

Firmware upgrade mode clear all user data and keep all sensitive data, like IMEI and MAC.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
I wanted to flash 12.0.1 Indonesia and i followed the method and still couldn't flash the vbmeta correctly.

Until I FINALLY found the problem.

My platform tools weren't working normally...

I kept trying to fix a simple problem...

anyways, if someone says that when writing vbmeta it says vbmeta writing struct at offset: 0

then tell them to use MINIMAL adb and fastboot.

that was the most unexpected issue I had...
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Yes.

I strongly suggest you to keep on adb and fastboot.

You can find them here:

Download MTK USB All Drivers for Windows (Official MediaTek Drivers)

Download the latest version of MTK USB All Drivers (MediaTek Driver) to connect any MediaTek Device with the Windows Computer.

androidmtk.com
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
I have a question though, I have been unable to mount product as r/w, I already managed to mount system and vendor as r/w, I just want to change a file in product.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Did you already try this?

https://xdaforums.com/t/script-android-10-universal-mount-system-read-write-r-w.4247311/
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
Yes, and it's working perfectly fine
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
I just want the product partition to be r/w, not the system/vendor bc I want to change the boot animation
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
I think you can do the same to other partitions than system too.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] Madmoud:
Yeah, i will scramble the internet for some script that sets product partition to r/w
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] ocp1000:
I require help.

I'm have a Redmi Note 9 (merlin) MIUI Global 12.5.3 (RJOMIXM) phone.

Phone boot loader is unlocked.

I downloaded the patched boot and vmbeta image files.

When I flash them from fastboot:

fastboot flash vbmeta vbmeta_vd171--V12.5.3.0.RJOMIXM.img
fastboot flash boot boot_vd171--V12.5.3.0.RJOMIXM.img

Flash is successful but phone enters a boot loop.

Only by flashing the stock boot file, I can get the phone up and running again.

I'd like to know how to install TWRP so it won't be overridden after the boot.

Am I missing a step?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Are you sure you flashed to the partition "vbmeta" and not "vmmeta" ?

Does stock recovery shows some error message ?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] ocp1000:
Hi, Yes. It's a typo on my original message, I'm flashing the partition to vbmeta.

On the 12.5.3 firmware I had an error message on the bottom left corner of the screen, something with "CMDLINE", if I'm not mistaken. But I since then upgraded to version 12.5.4. I reflashed all the appropriate boot and vmbeta image files for this specific version, no error after flashing, but MIUI Recovery 5.0 keeps poping up when I try to go into recovery. I just can't seem to install TWRP.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Did you try my patched images together stock recovery?

Just be sure that's not a problem with the version of the TWRP.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] ocp1000:
My phone work just fine. It boots to system, and when entering recovery, I'm getting the stock recovery.

I just can't seem to be able to make TWRP or OrangeFox stick after running the adb commands.

Am I running them in the correct order? Does it even matter?

What I do notice is:

After a successful flash, I perform fastboot reboot, the Redmi logo is shown, then a black screen, then the Redmi logo again and then the system. Same goes if I try to fastboot reboot recovery right after flash.

If I try to boot after flash fastboot boot [TWRP Image] I'm getting an error: "(Status read failed (Too many links))"
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
I'm not sure, but I think you can't boot to an image on Redmi Note 9.

You need to flash boot first and then reboot.
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] encephalitis20:
didn't work on

V13.0.2.0.SJOMIXM :( bootloop
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] VD171:
Did you unlock bootloader and flash patched vbmeta?
[Redmi Note 9 Guides, News, & Discussion] encephalitis20:
yes