yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
The most interesting thing I've seen regarding security, is how the A9's stock wifi settings doesn't allow you to change the DNS and it injects 114.114.114.114.

This also happens on the HK version of some Samsung phones.

https://xdaforums.com/t/n9750-tgy-hong-kong-privacy-and-security.4181391/
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] goldensilence:
So, in terms of removing Chinese apps:

System App Remover was not successful but I have found success with Universal Android Debloater in tandem with Package Name Viewer. Some of the apps have strange names. So you look it up in PNV and then use UAD to uninstall. I have only done a couple just in case it bricks my phone to remove them all so will make a backup first.

https://xdaforums.com/t/2022-07-03-v0-5-1-universal-android-debloater.4069209/

Package Name Viewer - Apps on Google Play

This app show you package name and launcher class of all apps in your device.

play.google.com
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] iCloud:
After setting setprop, values always revert to 114.114.114.114. even with magisk module. Do we need to use apps instead of root method to change DNS? seems scary to have China DNS in our phones
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ext23:
I was able to use ADB to set the DNS manually:

adb shell settings put global private_dns_mode hostname
adb shell settings put global private_dns_specifier A9-XXXXXX.dns.nextdns.io

This showed the device as "A9" in my NextDNS logs. No root required. If you're not using NextDNS just replace A9-XXXXXX.dns.nextdns.io with the address you want to use. This setting doesn't get reset after a reboot either.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ext23:
I got rid of a few things using UAD but couldn't remove the Chinese keyboard. Any ideas?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Andicuri:
This is fantastic, exactly what I was looking for.

I was using the nextdns vpn app, but it's not ideal.

This is a much cleaner solution.

Thank you!

I was also trying to edit the hosts file, but didn't manage.

For some reason, I can't edit files in the /system directory.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] goldensilence:
Ok, so I was able to disable and uninstall the Sogou Keyboard. I would recommend you have an alternative installed beforehand like google keyboard.

In terminal:

adb shell

(optional: pm list packages) --> this will show you all packages

pm disable-user --user0 com.sohu.inputmethod.sogou.oem

This will disable the Sogou keyboard. I could not directly uninstall the package either with ADB or UAD. You will notice that the option for the Sogou keyboard disappears in settings. However, afterwards, I opened the Sogou keyboard app in settings and I was able to uninstall it there. Perhaps disabling the app first allows a manual uninstall.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ext23:
Yeah the A9 keeps force closing apps which is super annoying. ADB works like a dream :)
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] goldensilence:
Just by the way, does anyone know the best way to back this up? This is the first phone I have rooted for many years and back in the day we used TWRP to make a nandroid backup. Can you do the same with Magisk?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] iCloud:
It's working if there's no network change, if you turn on mobile data/wifi it will be reverted back to 114.114.114.114. Try to test on dnsleaktest.com. Didnt find out a way yet to set it permanently.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ext23:
Mine works on both wifi and mobile.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] iCloud:
Weird am I the only one having the issue or did you check wrongly? If i set to adguard dns, dnsleak shows my hostname is dns.adguard-dns.io(2 IP at dnsleak website) after applying the settings, but after turning off and on data it shows back my default ip at dnsleak with 6 entry data. at dnsleak website. I noticed dns reverted to default values only when mobile data state changes from OFF to ON, not other way around.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ext23:
I just tried turning mobile data off and then on again, DNS is still set to NextDNS.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] jaderjames:
Android Auto is almost working, gave all the app permissions, removed battery optimizations from hisense, connected wireless to my honda car, it starts for 1 second and lose the bluetooth connection, not usable here, trying anything to fix.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ubetcha:
I've been closely following this thread and I'm really impressed with the progress. Big thanks to everyone who contributed! I'm looking to root the related Hi Reader Pro, but it's been a while since my Android tinkering days (I last remember flashing CyanogenMod for the original HTC One).

I've unlocked the Hi Reader Pro's bootloader, so I can confirm that the modded fastboot file works. Next I need the boot.img to patch with Magisk and then flash onto the device. To get the boot.img, I'll need to extract it in EDL mode. I'm going to try and make my own EDL cable, but I'm still piecing together the steps post-EDL mode. I've also come across mentions of a vbmeta.img file in this process. Can someone shed light on how this fits in?

Would appreciate any insights or guidance. Once I manage to extract the boot.img, I'll be sure to share it here for others to use.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] user2938473:
Does using Android Auto with usb-c work?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] jaderjames:
looks like the hisense android OS will avoid the anddroid auto to work, even if i tried everything, maybe anyone here can try something different or a different car from honda. I dont know why but my media system never worked with cable, only wireless, even if i changed the usb connection to transfer data in my android phones.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
If you're using Windows you can download Renate's edl tool.

EDL Utility

and the firehose loader from

HisenseA9-root - Google Drive

drive.google.com

./adb.exe reboot edl
./edl.exe /lprog_firehose_ddr_001360E1.elf

./edl.exe /u /r /pvbmeta_a vbmeta_a.img
./edl.exe /u /r /pvbmeta_b vbmeta_b.img

./edl.exe /u /r /pboot_a boot_a.img
./edl.exe /u /r /pboot_b boot_b.img

Use this command to figure out what your current slot is, and use the appropriate images (a or b)

fastboot getvar current-slot

If this firehose loader doesn't work, then you won't be able to dump your boot.img.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
Try turning off "Smart memory cleaning" too.

Settings - Battery - Power saving management - Memory intelligent cleaning

You can also try using LiteApps Basic instead of Lite, which includes Android Auto.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ubetcha:
./adb.exe reboot edl

appears to have worked, but

./edl.exe /lprog_firehose_ddr_001360E1.elf

outputs:

Found EDL 9008

Resetting Sahara

Could not write device

I take it lprog_firehose_ddr_001360E1.elf doesn't work with the Hi Reader Pro.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] jaderjames:
Humm im going to try, even if i dont know the steps to do it...what are the cons? to waste more energy and battery right? how is this process, im going to import that package without remove the LITE package? goingo to need to login in google etc again right? thanks
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Renate:
Something is screwy here.

Reset the device and try again.

You haven't even gotten to the point where the loader makes a difference.

And you haven't even gotten to HWID/Hash.

You can't disconnect and re-connect the USB between adb reboot edl and edl /lprog_firehose_ddr_001360E1.elf

Resetting Sahara is a recovery technique when something is screwy already.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ubetcha:
Thanks for your patience. You're correct--I had disconnected it after getting it in EDL mode (which, in hindsight, wasn't a great idea). The commands in Segnaro's post worked, and I now have boot_a.img, boot_b.img, vbmeta_a.img, and vbmeta_b.img.

Executing 'fastboot getvar current-slot' output 'current-slot: b'

What should I do next with these files? Again, thank you for your patience
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
So you're going to use vbmeta_b.img and boot_b.img since that's your active slot.

https://xdaforums.com/t/hisense-a9-root-reward-offered-snapdragon-662.4495809/post-88976917

Skip to Step 2, "Install the Magisk APK..." and continue on from there using your dumped img files.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] leifan89:
Thank you so much to @dferreira @Segnaro @Renate and @Threedollarbridge for working this out!

I was able to successfully root my Hisense A9 following the instructions in post #209.

I did want to point out a possible mistake towards the end of the "unlock and root your phone" section:

Step 7 says "Your A9 should then prompt you to wipe all data. Click the button on the screen, then the upper volume rocker to accept." You should not click the button on the screen - you should directly use the upper volume rocker to accept. The Chinese text on the button on the screen says "cancel" - I did not click it so I don't know what happens if you do click on it, but directly pressing the upper volume rocker worked.

By the way, I noticed that, after rooting, whenever I open a folder containing multiple apps, I always get the "App recommendations" below, no matter how many times I toggle it off. Couldn't find a setting for this anywhere. Any ideas why?

Thank you all again!
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ubetcha:
Success! I've attached the Magisk patched boot.img and the dumped vbmeta_b.img file I used. To anyone who uses these img files, please note that my Hi Reader Pro was running version L2166.6.03.01.00
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ljx000:
Thank you so much! I was following this thread and planned to buy an EDL cable to extract the boot.img from my Hi Reader Pro. So happy to see it works for Hi Reader Pro and thank you for sharing the patched boot.img!
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ljx000:
Do you mind also share boot_a.img, boot_b.img, vbmeta_a.img, and vbmeta_b.img? It looks like the active slot could be either A or B?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Sheep888:
Currently i am using Lawn chair and Eink bro. Does anyone have other interesting apps or magisk modules for the A9?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] dferreira:
I use Magisk Prop Hide and Universal SafetyNet fix so that apps like Disney+, bank etc think that I'm on a non rooted, certified device. Some apps I had to add to the Denylist so they would work.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] dferreira:
It's a bug of InkOS. It also resets the Google Assistant from intelligent assistant to Voice assistant on reboot...
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] schreckgestalt:
Excited to hear of this progress! Am definitely considering buying now.

One question though (and apologies if it's a silly question or already been asked): Do the recent developments mean that we will see LineageOS for the device at some point?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ubetcha:
Sure, here they are:
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Renate:
edl /u /g will tell you which slot is active. Just look for "Inactive".
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
The active slot is only relevant for dumping the latest boot.img. We know their boot_b.img is the stock L2166.6.03.01.00 kernel, so you should use that.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] dferreira:
Yes 😉
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] scote:
I can confirm that the methods in this thread works successfully on Hisense Touch HITV205N e-reader. Obviously you need to extract your own boot image via edl and get magisk to patch it. Many thanks to those that made it possible.

Attached are the modded boot image and original meta. My software version is L1834.6.04.04.00
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
Does anyone know how to access the screen refresh part of the software? The only thing making this worse as an e-reader compared to my other devices is the inability to set a custom refresh rate in reading software. What I want is a full screen refresh upon turning a page in Koreader/Alreader X, etc.

I tried this solution: https://xdaforums.com/t/hisense-a5-auto-refresh-app-no-root-test-required.4483213/. However, the source code hasn't been made available, so I don't know if I can trust it. Also it seems to be constantly running in the background, which I suppose would draw a lot of battery.

What I do now is pressing the e-ink button to refresh after a page turn, which is annoying. I'd like to have that automated.

Does anyone have a solution to this?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] dferreira:
Doesn't Clear mode refresh the screen when it changes automatically?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ext23:
That's what I thought, and then you can set detailed refresh settings within Koreader.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
No, it keeps ghosting to a minimum, but only a full screen refresh clears the screen completely.

It's not the ghosting per se that's a problem, but the fact that the edges of the letters lose definition on each page turn. The text gets ever so slightly blurry, which I'm sensitive to.

Therefore I need to activate the screen refresh function.

Unfortunately, you can't. They don't have fitting drivers to control Hisense devices. If it were possible I wouldn't be having this problem :)
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] iCloud:
I digged into the a9 launcher to see why recents button doesn't work when custom launcher is used and found the default launcher build recents screen itself. Would need a modified launcher to integrate native recents screen on custom launcher.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] tianchuin93:
Hi all, trying to follow the guide but i don't have the appropriate boot.img (different from the 2 versions provided)

Can anyone link me to the guide to extract the boot.img? I have all other prerequisite ready

Or if anyone can provide me with the modified boot.img it would be great

I'm on L2037.6.07.03 and L2037.6.05.06.00

I have no way to update to the latest version as i can't detect any update in 'system update'

Thanks in advance
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] helpDeming:
Do you have a higher version of Touch HITV205N? After using this one, I realized I flashed the wrong version, and now the WiFi is not working. Since I recently purchased this device, the software version is up to date. If you don't have a higher version, I'll have to think of another solution. There is no official firmware for this device, which is quite awkward. Maybe I'll have to buy another one, extract the boot.img, and then return it.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] scote:
Sorry no. I regularly checked for ota before i rooted and this is the latest they send me.

I contacted hisense before about gps not working, location settings are present in settings. I also asked for images. They wouldn't give me images and told me it doesn't have gps whereas qualcomm docs say sd460 has good fast gnss.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
The seller might have the factory image. That's how @dferreira got it for the A9.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] dferreira:
Yep, ask the seller. Sadly, support only works for Chinese customers.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] kudiep:
A9 can not switch app if you change other launcher,

and now it rooted. how can i switch app with orther launcher. thanks so much
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
So it seems that the refresh that I'm looking for when reading is the function: com.hmct.epd.EpdManager.forceClear. Is there any way to cleanly bind this to Volume down in specific apps, so that it gets called whenever a page turn happens?

Also is there any possibility of creating a driver that calls that function for Koreader, so that they could implement screen refresh controls for the Hisense devices?

Unfortunately, I'm not a programmer and have no idea how to do this :(
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] helpDeming:
It's already resolved; Thanks to everyone who has worked hard for it. this is a patched img, TOUCH LITE
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
So I found out you can trigger a screen refresh by running this command:

adb shell service call epd 21

I created a Tasker Profile that refreshes Koreader on Volume Down after 500ms.

You'll need to download both Tasker and AutoInput (paid plugin).

Long Press on the Profile tab and select "Import Profile" then provide the attached xml file.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Renate:
Footnote: /system/bin/service is not a bad thing to call.

It interacts with Android services over libbinder.so and /dev/binder.

It doesn't use Java, Dalvik, zygote, etc.

OTOH, /system/bin/input is a big pig.

It's just a script that spins up a VM.

$ time input
...
0m02.01s real 0m00.37s user 0m00.46s system

And that's just to generate help!

By comparison:

$ time service call display 0
Result: Parcel(Error: 0xffffffffffffffb6 "Not a data message")
0m00.03s real 0m00.01s user 0m00.02s system
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
It doesn't seem to work. I installed everything, gave it the permissions needed and importet the script. In the actions tab I tried running the "Refresh Screen" action, which did, indeed, refresh the screen. But pressing the Volume Down button in Koreader just turns the page and doesn't trigger the refresh.

Edit: nevermind, turned out I needed to activate the accessibility feature of AutoInput. It works now :)

Edit2: However, the action only seems to work fine when actively using the buttons. After a pause the screen refresh doesn't happen immediately but after a couple of seconds. And since there is a natural pause in between key presses (when reading the page) this leads to the delay happening every page turn in normal use.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
Also enable Tasker's accessibility service and disable any battery optimizations. It sounds like the OS is killing the process.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Renate:
Might this be because of long press detection on the buttons?

I personally hate when a button only reacts when I release it.

I always disable that stuff.

That's become the bane of our existence trying to tell Android, "No, really, don't kill my service."
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
I

I have done that. I have removed all battery optimizations for both apps. But it might be impossible to fully disable it if the system doesn't respect the settings..
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
Try this one instead.

Instead of calling the epd service directly, this one works by simulating pressing the Eink button by submitting keycode 440. Root is required.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
Thank you! That seems to work much more consistently. I had to give tasker superuser rights in magisk and now it works.

Every once in a while there will be a pop-up saying that tasker was granted superuser rights when turning pages. First it was on every page turn, now hardly ever.

Now I can finally enjoy reading without overworking my thumb on the eink button. Great workaround! Thanks a lot :)
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] kudiep:
how to add it to custom rom ( add refesh to eink button of custom rom ) thanks you
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] wobfan:
Hi, first of all thanks for all your work!!!

I am just curious (didn't find that question asked in this thread). Do you think this procedure will work on an A9 Pro?

Seems to have mostly the same chipset apart from RAM and flash memory.

Thanks in advance!!
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ferlanero:
You mean the 8+256Gb model?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Segnaro:
It's the same phone, it works. I have a 8+256 model.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ferlanero:
Just one question: Does the 8+256 model have nfc?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Kandwo:
No, it doesn't.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] user2938473:
Is there any reason that factory resetting after making these changes and uploading the custom rom would cause issues? I’ve purchased a phone and would like to start from scratch with it.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ferlanero:
What custom ROM?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] user2938473:
Sorry, I’m probably using the wrong terminology. I’m referring the to “prepared boot.img” from this post https://xdaforums.com/t/hisense-a9-root-reward-offered-snapdragon-662.4495809/page-11#post-88983317

My question is after following all these steps will a factory reset cause issues or will it successfully return the phone to its original state?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Threedollarbridge:
When you do a factory reset through the Hisense settings, it does not touch the boot.img, which is where the Magisk (I.e. root) patch is installed. If you want to unroot your phone, you have to push the original boot.img to your phone using fastboot, then disable OEM unlocking in the settings.

That being said, if you are rooting your phone for the first time, then the A9 will prompt you to erase user data on rebooting.

Unless you’re willing to configure your phone from scratch, I would suggest making a backup of your data using the A9’s built-in back up utility, located in the settings. After that, simply save your back up on an external drive, and then restore it once you’ve completed your Magisk installation.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Veganer:
I'm stuck at installing the G-Apps. How can I load up my Gapps in Magisk? "Install module"?

I moved the gappsblabla.zip and the magisk.apk to the phone and installed the apk. Now I can open the app, but "modules" is gray and I cannot click on it.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] RunnyYolk:
I can't remember precisely the steps I took, but I was following the steps at this link. You've probably seen it already, but here's another thread which details a boot loop issue I had sometimes.

Also, here's a link to the closed github issue I raised about the EDL client not working as I expected.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Geekazoid78:
I will ask them.... I see a lot of the Chinese " big brother" propaganda about Google invading the privacy of the Motherland rhetoric but Ill ask them...fingers crossed
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] RunnyYolk:
Did you get any response from them?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] zhelan:
{Mod edit: Link to paid service removed. Oswald Boelcke, Senior Moderator}

They claim they can root the phone, but it is a bit pricey
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] einkbro:
Stuff it I'm trying this. P.s to all the people who offered bounties that's awesome, but without a guarantee it won't attract anyone serious 😰. I will see if I can find a platform.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] velcrobomb:
Any luck?
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] einkbro:
I'm all bark no bite unfortunately, turns out you can't buy a one off service with them you have to pay for a full (service provider) level subscription which is like 75€. Really frustrating, cause it's for when you want to do repair many phones but I only want to do one of course.

Plus the fact that I don't know if it will work.

If I knew It would work it would still be worth it. I'm in contact with support, but they are pretty useless.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] velcrobomb:
Thanks for the update. I'm willing to chip in. Let me know if you get any replies from their support.

I can't even sign into google on this thing as is.
[Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] einkbro:
Nice that your willing to chip in, though I'm not sure that the license is transferable (I think they might device restrict it).

The support said You need to have a loader/ programmer (elf file) to work on that Qualcomm device.

I'm not sure what the mean 🤷.

Cheers