text:
Where are the captions stored for images that are sent or recieved in WhatsApp?
When sending images in WhatsApp, there is an option to add caption to it. This caption is visible on image, at the receiving end, but when this image is copied or forwarded, only image is sent? (although the selection shows image caption also selected)
Is the image caption not in the image file itself Or its stored separately somewhere locally and so that part is dropped?
How can I forward the image along with its caption?

Please add your cell phone platform (Android, iOS, etc). Unfortunately the app have some disparities between them.

https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-forward-an-image-with-captions-in-WhatsApp/answer/Vishnu-M-Aiea

This is a bug in Whatsapp. It should send both image and caption.
It's present both in Android and iPhone versions. Doesn't matter if you user the FORWARD ("Arrow/Forward") or the SHARE feature, both loose the original caption.
You and everyone with this problem can (and should) send a bug report thru the app by accessing the Settings panel > help > Contact us.

"but when this image is copied or forwarded, only image is sent":

Well, This is not true, as selected image along with conversation can be forwarded from Conversation/Chat.
May be your WhatsApp App version is bit old? I tested this on mine(App version:2.11.432, Running on Android 4.2)
To Answer your specific question: Below can be steps

Select Image along with caption that you wants to forward.
Choose "Arrow/Forward" Button. This will open "Select contact" screen.
Click "OK" when asked about forwarding to selected contact.

And this should forward image from conversation/chat along with Image's caption to intended recipient.

I have the same problem. I updated it to the latest version, yet the problem persists

When you  re-forward follow this step:
Instead of forwarding the message directly from WhatsApp (using right Arrow on top right) use Share button -> Choose WhatsApp and add the caption again!

This is the workaround I found: instead of forwarding select share,
-> then select Whatsapp -> select contact or group -> type caption again on image... too much effort but will work for emergencies.
Links to similar issues reported
How can I send WhatsApp's image captions to email with images?
http://www.androidpit.com/app/com.whatsapp/problem-in-forwarding-picture-messages-with-some-text-in-it


text:
YouTube Offline Videos deleted/removed
I download few YouTube videos using YouTube Offline feature introduced recently in an Official YouTube App.
Those videos were accessible to me and I played them successfully, without any issue.
Because of some device issue, I happened to "uninstall updates" of YouTube App.
and now I had an old version of YouTube.
I then took the update of YouTube app as I wanted to enjoy the new Offline feature from Google Play store, which had the Offline feature.
But when I went to "Offline" tab in my YouTube App's Navigation Drawer (After Update), I could not see my previously downloaded videos.
Of course, I used same Google Account for my YouTube Sign-in.
So, let me just re-phrase the issue:
Whenever YouTube App's Updates are uninstalled, all offline Videos too are removed.
And when I update YouTube app later(which has Offline feature), App does not contain previously downloaded videos!
Any ideas, how can I get my lost videos??

Can you not download them again? They will have been deleted when you factory reset your phone so I'm not sure what else you are expecting to be able to do...

Yes, I could download them again, but the issue is whenever I am un-installing YouTube App's update, I am finding my offline videos too getting removed. So, it is now happening even without "factory-reset".  So, let me just re-phrase the issue: Whenever YouTube App's Updates are uninstalled, all offline Videos too are removed. And when I update YouTube app later(which has Offline feature), it is Empty.

I think when you uninstall updates to an app, the app data gets cleared as well. This would explain why the videos are removed.

Sounds strange! AFAIK, apps like Googel Drive (another very good app from Google) will never do that(removing user content), just because app updates are uninstalled.

@AADTechnical Google Drive is designed to not delete any of your files/documents. You upload them and then you are able to access them from everywhere. YouTube's Offline function just saves a copy of a video to your device. This is then not your file and is independent from changes on the original file. If you delete your on-device data, the original video is not deleted; just your copy. YouTube compared to Google Drive are like apples compared to pears.

The "offline feature" rather counts as cache (note that content downloaded for offline use will be available this way for 2 days only), so it's not considered "your data". You performed a factory-reset. From our factory-reset tag-wiki:

What a factory reset does is basically to "wipe" (delete all content) from the /cache (holding the application cache) and /data (user data and user-installed apps, dalvik cache) partitions. Other media, like internal-sd and external-sd cards, are usually left untouched – though some devices/ROMs offer options to include them with the wipe.

So that includes your "files cached for offline use".
Also, as correctly pointed out by GiantTree, your comparison with several apps does not apply: Google Drive stores your data in the cloud (not on the device), same for most other "Google Apps". Nor do photos made with a camera app get wiped usually, because they are not affected by a factory reset (see above quote for SD cards).

Perhaps, I interpretaed it to work differently. I was under impression that, when I download those videos, they are tied with my YouTube(Account) Sign-in. I was expecting it show in my offline "History", that once I did had those available Offline. Currently,there is no such tracking, and the resons could be the one you and others already pointed out. Thanks!!

Anytime! Besides, there's a related question (Open YouTube's saved offline video (.exo file)) where a comment points to an article on Engadget. You might wish to read that for additional background.

I experienced the same problem in August. I had to subscribe to Youtube RED to continue playing these videos offline. I thought it was free, but it's not.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

sort: votes


text:
Can I skip KitKat and flash Lollipop directly from Jelly Bean
I have a Nexus device with Jelly Bean installed. Can I flash directly to a Lollipop image or should I update to KitKat and then flash Lollipop?

If you are flashing a factory image then you can skip KitKat and go straight to Lollipop (Assuming it is available for your device). Factory images will completely wipe your device and install the image, so are not dependent on the previously installed OS.
If you are wanting to use OTA updates then you don't have any choice what updates to install as they will be automatically provided to you.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


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40GB of thumbnails in a 16GB device
I just found that my /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails folder grew to more than 40GB. Two .thumbdata3 files each large 20GB.
My Galaxy S3 has only 16GB of internal storage. These files prevent me from backing up my sdcard to SFTP.
I think I can safely delete these files, but where do they come from? And how to check if there are any strange ghosts left?

Related https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/63993/thumbdata-files-maxing-out-internal-sd-memory/89269#89269 , https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/66221/android-huge-thumbdata4-file-in-dcim-folder/66223#66223

Ooooops I wasn't feeling so lucky with Google

The problem was ultimately fixed by ignoring the whole /sdcard/DCIM/.thumbnails directory in the synchronization.
Deleting the sparse thumbnails was useless as they will grow again but are basically waste. Another interesting point should be telling FolderSync not to sync hidden directories (all caches are hidden) but that will not save directories such as Boldbeast Recorder's .BBRec folder or, in general, any data folder incorrectly marked hidden by the creator app.


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How can I access my Galaxy S5 from a PC to retrieve all of my files?
I broke the digitizer (LCD display/touch sensor underneath glass screen). The phone still turns on and can connect to computer but I can't access it because I have a passcode lock on it and it doesnt give me the option to type it in on my computer. The screen is completely blank and un responsive. Is there anything I can do to retrieve my files?

It's possible to backup or access your files from Kies 3 installed on your PC even if it is password protected.
I've also tried it on my Galaxy S4 GT-I9500 and it worked.


text:
Is it possible to install Android L on a device that will not get the update in the future?
I have Sony Xperia M2, and as you probably know, this phone will not get the new Android L update from Sony.
So is there any way to install the Android L manually?
I don't care to root my device and install a custom ROM which compatible with the new version... but is it actually possible to update my device version?

Why yes, you can. Mind you that lollipop is not a daily driver for your phone yet, it's in alpha stage. Now, I don't have the same phone as you but the process will be pretty much the same.
Firstly, you need to understand what you're going to be doing so read any noob guide on www.xda-developers.com (it's this site you're going to be sticking to and I'm sorry I'm writing this from my phone and couldn't find the noob guide I was looking for, I'll edit when I'm on PC).
This is your phone's forum: http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-m2
Now follow this:
1.Unlock your bootloader:Find a guide in android development section
2.Root your phone:Find a guide in android development section.

Flash a custom recovery:Find a custom recovery in android development or original android development. By now, you probably already know how to flash.
Flash CM12:Find CM12 in original android development, follow instructions.

Congrats, you will now be experiencing lollipop.
WARNING: Read and follow every post carefully and thoroughly, any mistake can end up bricking your phone. Do this at your own risk, I shall not be responsible if your brick your phone. You have been warned.
Happy flashing.

It is technically possible to install a newer version of Android on that (and probably every other) device.
First you have to make sure the bootloader of your device is unlocked. In doubt just try to unlock it, it won't relock again without notifying you.
Then you flash (in most cases) a custom recovery like CWM, TWRP or Philz.
After that you can install every custom ROM or other zip on your phone.

The best place for specific Android devices is xda-developers. (imo)
  Most developers meet there and publish their custom ROMs like CyanogenMod as well as modded official firmwares.

For your device there is a big guide on how to unlock your bootloader right on xda: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2743694
Installing a custom ROM is then done through your recovery.


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Failed to get default contexts and file mode for storage files
I'm trying to flash a new ROM to my Asus Transformer Infinity (TF700T).  I unlocked it and installed TWRP 2.8.3.0, but when I launch the recovery, the output screen immediately displays the following:

Updating partition details...
... done
Full SELinux support is present.
E:Failed to get default contexts and file mode for storage files.
MTP Enabled

The Failed line above appears in red on the screen, while nothing else does.  I managed to get the CROMBI-KK ROM installed, but it took quite a few tries.  If I configure it for F2FS file system (which I want to use), the F2FS conversion succeeds but the install fails outright.  Other settings just cause an infinite loading screen after install.
Is there anything I can do to fix the storage device error?
Is it related to the failure of F2FS, or is there anything else I can do to install with F2FS?

I posted this question over at the XDA developers forum and we have it figured out, if not completely resolved. Turns out the TWRP error was something introduced in the version 2.8.3.0, but is not present in previous versions. I have a different TF700t that had version 2.8.1.0 installed (the version immediately before the error came in). It did not have the error, but when I upgraded it to 2.8.3.0 the error appeared. When I downgraded the TWRP on both my devices to 2.8.1.0, the error went away on both.
Team Win released version 2.8.4.0 a few days ago, so I tried installing it. Unfortunately, it still displays the error.
As for the F2FS error, I found out that you should only convert the /data location to F2FS. The /system and /cache locations should stay at EXT4. Once I changed this, the install went thru just fine using F2FS.


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How do you maintain a constant load on the cpu?
I am looking at my phone with a thermal camera to watch the external heat distribution as I attempt to hold it at a constant high load.
What I need to do is hold the CPU at a constant load over the span of about 30 mins, I have achieved this with relative success using the two "burner" apps available on google play. I paired this with SetCPU to max out the allowable core frequencies.
I have used HWMonitor PRO to view the temp sensor values and record them on my PC.
Does anyone know if there is an app available that applies a repeatably constant load or how one would begin to do so through programming? The main issue I am finding is that the burner apps will shut down after a certain time (or temperature) and don't feel very consistent.
Any help is greatly appreciated!

If you want the app to not stop, just launch a thread (to prevent hanging) that does some complex calculation in a while-loop. Nothing else to add to your app.

Install a terminal emulator and try the following:
dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/null
or
dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/null
It will write random values to the nirvana, should cause a constant load. But since you typically have a lot of different processes on your phone running, it is hard to assure some processes don't wake up and cause load interruptions. Therefore, switch the phone to flight mode, disable all other connections like wifi/bluetooth/nfc etc. and try to shut down as many services as you can. But still, e.g. the garbage collector could run at unexpected times. Android is just not a realtime OS, but for the measurement you are probably attempting it should be sufficient.
And in case your device has several cores: Open more tabs in the emulator and run more dd processes.

I'm just curious if the CPU is doing much work there? It seems the memory controller has more to do. Generating random numbers is no significant work for a modern CPU.

Yes but at least the load should be pretty constant. To get higher load, you should probably also exercise the GPU as well. I would recommend gears/glxgears for this: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jeffboody.GearsES2eclair

That's true. The GPU can stress the device as well. I don't know how hot it will get but it should be quite hot.

Looking forward to the feedback of the OP then.

Thank you kuleszdl for your answer, I have tried what you mentioned and it appears to be working! The CPU utilization isn't maxed (sitting at around 30-50%) but the temps definitely increment with each process addition. @GiantTree is likely correct. The idea is more about temperature than cpu utilization so this is probably going to be enough. Does wifi/bluetooth/cellular add any heat with their modules?, I am figuring it is negligible in comparison to the CPU/GPU.

I don't know any other hardware other that CPU/GPU that generates much heat. WiFi shouldn't do it because it would lose connectivity (technical stuff on how WiFi works), Bluetooth as well and cellular network is the same. They don't generate heat because they are designed to use a minimum amount of power so that it would only drain your battery but not generate any additional heat. CPU and GPU are the main heat producers together with the battery itself.

Well I assume it really depends how these components are implemented in hardware. In many SoCs, the modem is located in the same chip as the CPU while in some it is on a separate chip. My experience with designs which use a separated modem is that if you use the modem a lot, it generates a lot of heat even if CPU usage is low. Maybe start a process which fetches some big file from your local network or a remote location and writes it to /dev/null, similar to the dd process above and check if this causes more heat.


text:
update.zip just for fixing file permissions, possible?
I soft bricked my colorfly g808 by following this guide (Japanese)
http://bl.oov.ch/2012/12/android-421-mvno-sim.html
I didnt do it using adb shell but using a terminal emulator in the phone itself, so I don't have ADB debug mode enabled.
the file in question is
/data/resource-cache/vendor@overlay@framework@framework-res.apk@idmap
I need to set its permissions to "644"
I have access to adb sideload by pressing the volume key while booting while connected by USB.
I tried several tutorials for making a custom updater-script but I always get the message "Installation aborted." when I try to install it. I tried signed and unsigned, by the way.
Is it possible at all to create an update.zip for just setting a permission on a file? do I need an "update-binary" also present? (I tried including one from here http://pan.baidu.com/share/link?shareid=92493&uk=252038779  which I thought was targeted for my device)
My android version is 4.2.2... I think..
What I see in the computer:
$ adb sideload update-signed.zip
loading: 'update-signed.zip'
sending: 'update-signed.zip'  100%

What I see in the device:
Now send the package you want to apply
to the device with "adb sideload <filename>"...
Installation aborted.

The "Installation aborted" appears right after I send the file. It looks like it doesn't even try to analyze it.
I tried simplifying the script using just
ui_print("Next time don't forget to enable debug mode before playing with fire!");
sleep(5);

(I'm taking care of leaving an empty line at the end also...)
The zip file I'm using:
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=79008422714753153826
Another trial:
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=00027545588116868142

Sure. Just put it in the updater-script which is usually located in META-INF/com/google/android/updater-script
Make sure your script mounts the data partition and executes something like this:
set_perm(0, 0, 0644, "/data/resource-cache/vendor@overlay@framework@framework-res.apk@idmap");
Not sure if the @ chars are not causing trouble in recovery though.
And yes, you need updater-script etc. in there.

You mean I need "update-binary" there?

Not necessarily. If you look e.g. at the update-binary script from Superuser, it can also be just a shell script: link

I'm fairly sure that ADB Sideload only works for packages that have a corresponding signature... You would need to flash it using a custom recovery.

authors: مجیب الرحمان


text:
Listing the achievements unlocked by a friend
In Google Play Games, is it possible to view all the achievements unlocked by a friend?

All the achievements wont be listed at once when you visit your friend's account(when you see their profile in the Google Play Games application). Instead when you visit their profile you get the list of games that your friend is playing/played. And you have to click each game your friend has played and compare/view the achievements with your friend's profile with your profile.


text:
Can I disable GPS?
Is there a way to completely switch off GPS or deny apps access to it?
Even though all three checkboxes in Settings -> More -> Location Services are unchecked and the button in the notification drawer is off, apps are still able to determine my location using GPS.

Disabling the Access to my location checkbox is not completely without effect, it does prevent Google Maps from showing my location. I noticed that in this demo application the "fused" location stops working but the "GPS" location still works. I further noticed that in GrabTaxi, a taxi hailing app, the map is disabled, but it is still able to search for "nearby places" (with much better accuracy than GeoIP).

related: How can Google Maps accurately locate my phone when GPS is disabled?


text:
Unable to install app on Micromax A106
I'm unable to install an app on Micromax A106. It shows sufficient space in storage, but an error comes out as not enough space.

This phone seems to have very little space for files. As you don't mention how much space has left for a user to install apps I will think it is too low to be any useful to any kind of user. The only real choices, that can work in this kind of situation, are the two I am describing in this question.
Be aware that these two solutions have as a requirement for the phone to be rooted. If these two solutions do not fit you, you can always try to uninstall big apps from your phone and install smaller ones that do the same job.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
i try to download games on my tablet and it keeps saying no space on device
I try to download games and it always say insufficient space on device what should I do. Google play or play store

You should ocassionally go to Settings -> Storage -> Cached Data and clear it, because over time it could use up more than a GB of storage. Of course, no need to do it to often as Android uses it to find data faster, only when it gets to big.

Go to "settings" and then "Storage", you'll see how much 'System Space' is left. You can uninstall useless app to make room for the game or go to "Files" and cleanup junk folders and files.


text:
How can I turn silent mode on (Lenovo yoga 2)
I just got Lenovo yoga 2 and can not find silent mode (power button offers just - power of, resrt and aeroplane mode). There must be silnt mode to turn every sound off...
Big thanks!

Can'y You find the option to toggle User profile such as Silent/Normal/Outdoor Mode in "Settings" App of Lenovo Yoga 2 Device?

Most phones go in silent mode when you just press volume down and silence it to the end. After hitting lowest volume, pressing it again should put it in vibrate only mode, and pressing it again will put it in silent mode. I'm not sure if Lenovo phones have that implemented but most other OEMs have it implemented.

In my Lenovo K3 Note there's a "Do Not Disturb" function. You can activate it from a button in the notification toolbar, the one that pictures a moon.


text:
How do app updates work if the system partition is read only?
I have a Android phone (Samsung). It comes with a whole bunch of pre-installed stock apps.
Q1: Is it correct that these stock apps are stored in the read-only partition /system?
Since getting the phone, I have updated most (if not all) of the stock apps via the Play Store.
Q2: Assuming app updates can't touch /system, how do they work? How can apps be updated if they are effectively read-only?

A1: I'm pretty positive that they are on the /system partition because you can't delete them, if you could, that would mean they are in /data partition or whatever it is called where the userspace is.
A2: I think they install updates in userspace, not in /system. The reason for believeing so is that after you update a system app, and you go in Settings -> Apps, it allows you to uninstall updates only, meaning that the update that was installed in userspace will get deleted but the original app, the version you got out of the box, is still left untact in /system, and you can't delete it.

userspace is indeed /data. All updates are installed there because /system  is obviously read only. Just remove your "I believe" or similar.

So what you're saying is old apps stay in /system untouched, updated apps are installed to /data, and Android just uses the newer updated apps automatically in preference to the old ones? Seems silly because that means all my apps are installed twice. And there's a lot of them!

@misha256 /system is for system installed apps. /data for userspace. Apps aren't installed twice. As far as being read-only partition, if that was the case you wouldn't be able to add any data (meaning no photos, texts saved, documents, or any downloads). You may be thinking of the /system which is read-only, but can edit it self.

@HasH_BrowN What I mean is that if a system app is updated via Play Store, the updated app is installed to /data. Which means the old version remains in '/system'. With 30+ stock system apps that kind of duplication eats up a fair bit of storage space.

If your wanting to clear as much of the "useless old data", the I would suggest trying the answer provided by Izzy for http://android.stackexchange.com/questions/95653/how-to-cleanly-remove-gmail-app-from-kitkat-i-have-fully-moved-over-to-inbox. His answer will eliminate as much of old data as possible without being rooted. Just follow the steps for your different stock apps.

@misha256 sorry, took me a while (7 years) to answer. Yes, but no. Becuase system is not available to you be it either way. It's storage you don't control. Think of system apps as "extra" apps that don't use up any /data space until you update them. If you update them, means you use them, means they would use up space on your /data regardless are they system apps or not because you would download them either way.


text:
unable to free up space on samsung s3 mini
I've got a Samsung S3 mini. It keeps telling me that I have insufficient space. I have just deleted loads of photos and videos, I only have a few apps. Instagram, pinterest, watsapp and picsart. I deleted two of the apps but it's still saying insufficiant space. I have no idea what i'm doing wrong? I have restarted the phone to see if that helps but NOTHING.
When I've gone into storage it says that I have 810mb in the downloads...so i clicked on it and cleared the two things that I had in there, it's cleared them but is still saying 810mb..
HELP

It might help to get a better look at your internal usage.
An app like Disk Map has a function to view disk usage. You may be able to use this to identify large files and delete them.
In this particular app, select 'Internal storage' and press the 'Disk map' button to see something like this:

And you can even long press items in this map to see options to delete them:

Download clean master from Google Play and try to clean your device using this app. Also go into your phone storage section, select miscellaneous and remove all data...
Hope this helps!!


text:
Lollipop update on Moto G XT1033
I check my Moto G XT1033 phone on daily basis hoping that one day I will get Android 5.0. But I didn't haven't got the update yet.
Is there any current expected date it will be released in India?

According to this post on 1/4/15:

NEW DELHI: Motorola reveals that the Android 5.0 update is about to release for the Moto G and then a member of the XDA Developers said that they had got the update in India for their Moto G XT1033.

They said that the version number is 220.21.16.en.03 and this is the official version. So it looks as though India has been the first region to get the Moto G update. This makes the device one of the most affordable that has the latest OS. The update is already getting rolled out in other regions."
Looks like it will be any day now, no exact date can be given as these updates are rolled out in bunches and might hit your neighbor before you. Just keep checking.
Source


text:
Terminal emulator permission denied on complex commands
I'm porting a script that runs well on android 4.0.4 to android 4.4.2
Simplified it does this:
ls *.a | ./busybox xargs ./busybox rm -f

I'm using a busybox binary in mi app's folder.
The error I'm getting is:

xargs: ./busybox: Permission denied

However, if I run ./busybox rm -f x.a it works.
I'm rooted and can execute simple commands as root, the problem is when a comand has a nested command inside.
same thing happens with rsync -e.
I've tested this on Samsung galaxy note 10.1 android 4.0.4 where it works fine, and Samsung galaxy note 10.1 2014 edittion android 4.4.2 where it fails.
I'm sensing this has something to do with the problem: Terminal emulator article about su and ping but it doesn't help on a solution.

I've confirmed that it was SELinux fault. Running as the app linux user instead of root took me further but "rsync -e ./ssh" still didn't work.
Flashed a custom kernel without SELinux (getenforce returns Disabled) and now it works fine.
For this you have to know how to uncompress an official android image and change the boot.img file with the one with custom kernel, then compress again and flash with odin.
Any attempt at disabling selinux got me nowhere, only changing kernel worked.


text:
Backup Homescreen shortcuts
I have a Galaxy S5. Last time I updated the OS, all my homescreen shortcuts and widgets were deleted and restored to the factory default, and it took an hour or 2 to set everything back the way it was.
Now Android is harassing me with another update, and I don't want to go through that process again.
Is there an easy/cheap way to backup my shortcuts and widgets before updating again? All the backup apps I've seen recommended cost money, have a bunch of features I don't need, and might not work with my Android version (I have Android 4.4.2).

Luckily when updating to Android 5 it saved my shortcuts.

You might be able to do it  (++) with Helium or My backup which are available on Google Play,  they both have a free version and a premium version , if you've updated to Android 5.0 like me your probably out of luck because the home screen has been locked down in "Lollipop" I did however get my wallpaper back by using Samsung Smart Switch but not short cuts though
 (++ I don't know for sure  if it can be done in 4.4.2 "Kitkatt" because I never got a chance to try it )
Good luck , Sonny .


text:
Rooted, but Failed to push selection: Read-only file system
I rooted my Alcatel OneTouch S'Pop using an exploit app Framaroot.apk.
When I tried to push a file to /system/usr/keylayout/Generic.kl using Eclipse's File Explorer, I got this error:
[2015-01-06 23:00:29 - ddms] transfer error: Read-only file system
[2015-01-06 23:00:29] Failed to push selection: Read-only file system

Pulling the file has no problems and I edited it to remap my camera button as a power button because the power button doesn't work well.
Could this be because the exploit method wasn't a good idea or do I somehow have to change the system folder to be R/W? And how do I do that?

You have to remount your /system partition be mounted as a read/write partition
What you need to do is
$ su
# mount -o remount,rw /system

I'm using Windows 7. Can you tell me where the console into which I need to type that code is?

@Foxcat385 Android Shell. Either use adb or get a terminal emulator on Play Store

Thanks. The terminal emulator worked, but the keyboard keys weren't remapped.

@Foxcat385 next question :)


text:
How do I change the terminal font?
I notice a difference in the terminal font between two of my Android devices, specifically in terms of character coverage (in both cases it's the terminal shell of JuiceSSH).  How do I set the font that the terminal uses in Android?

Increase/decrease general system wide font size by going to Settings > Display > Change Font Size or similar. Or if that specific application offers font size preference, then use it. Different android devices' font don't look the same because of screen sizes and resolutions / dpi.

I found two ways for changing font size in JuiceSSH.
Use Volume keys
The very first time you would've used JuiceSSH, you might have come across this brief tutorial:
(Click image to enlarge)

Use the Volume Up/Down keys to adjust the size of the font.

Traditional way (Settings)
On the default page of JuiceSSH, go to Settings → Font size → adjust it.

Use the Volume keys of your phone to adjust the font.


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Samsung Galaxy S III red light flashing rapidly upon plug in
The short version: I can't turn my Samsung Galaxy S III on, and when I plug it in, I get a rapid flashing red light, but no other response.
The long version: My Samsung Galaxy S III does not turn on. When I plug it in, the light on the top left flashes red. It does this rapidly, but it is not flickering, and stops after about a second or so. To give an indication as to how rapid it flashes, it goes about ten times in that second, and then just stops; that is, it flashes once every 100ms. Like I said, though, it is not flickering--the rate at which it flashes appears uniform.
Background information: This is following potential water damage. The device was put in a washing machine and I discovered it only after the cycle had completed. I removed the battery and the SIM card immediately and let it dry in front of a small fan for three days before attempting to plug it in. Due to concerns that the flashing red light might be the device's way of warning of a potential short-circuit, I have NOT left it plugged in for more than a few seconds at a time.
The question: What does this mean, exactly? Is this an obscure error code, and if so what does it mean? What approaches to salvaging this device apply in these circumstances, if any?

Since you mentioned water damage, have you tried the rice trick? (Oh, and a source I found says that the blinking red light means a low battery, while blinking red light while charging means there's a problem with the battery/charger.)

Is a (potential) short circuit truly such a bad thing on a low-voltage (5-volt) device such as a cellphone?


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Setting a shortcut icon to switch to another home screen in Nova Launcher Prime
In Nova Launcher Prime, is there any way to set a shortcut icon to switch to another home screen? When going to the left or right home screen, I would prefer to tap on some icon rather than having to swipe.

Long-press -> Nova Action -> Jump to page. You can choose the icon by long-pressing on the shortcut after creation.

I believe you would need to use a third-party automation app such as Tasker. Nova Launcher is listed in the Go Home section of Tasker documentation as supporting the required action Go Home.
For example, you could create a shortcut icon to a Tasker task named Switch to Right Home. The Switch to Right Home task would contain the action Go Home with parameter Page set to 2 (possibly the right-most home screen depending on how many are displayed).
It is a variant of the solution on this blog, where he provides instructions for switching the home screen based on device orientation.


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Restore backup from internal storage
My first problem:
My Google Play had a persistent "No connection" error.
There are a bunch of fixes but none of them worked.
So I decided to try the final fix: Restore device.
Now I knew this would delete most my data (Rest stored in Google Account cloud).
So I looked into backup software for my laptop (since I couldn't get backup software on the play store).
My second problem:
I'm a recently started Android developer so I had the SDK and USB driver. Now I tried to push my software to the device through USB but USB debugging wasn't working (Yes my debugging is on, yes I've tried everything to fix my debugging problem).
So then:
When I couldn't get backup software on my android OR my computer I thought just copying the data off my device (my computer could see the device as a media device, so I could see the files on my computer just couldn't get USB debugging on).
My third problem:
So I copied everything I could and saved it to my computer.
Restored my device.
Dragged all the files back onto the Android.
Didn't work.
Is there anyway I can get those files back onto my device?
Is has folders such as: Android, DCIM, Download, Movies, Picture, Storage etc...
TL;DR:
My Play Store isn't working. (It now does after the reset).
My USB Debugging isn't working.
I can't get my "backup" back onto my device.
If anyone could fix any or all of these problems, that would be amazing, if you need anymore info let me know!

Typically, you should only ask 1 question at a time. it allows a person to specifically answer, and it to be accepted. if I know the answer to one of your questions, my answer would be "incomplete". - Your 3rd problem, shouldn't be a problem. Those folders live on the internal/external storage, they are not in a location that is wiped when you do a factory reset. They should still be there.


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Compiling and running java applications from android terminal?
I recently got a bluetooth keyboard for my Motorola Xoom tablet, and upon realizing that BusyBox comes with vi for text editing I started wondering about writing and executing code on android.
I tried running $ javac in Terminal Emulator but to no avail; I got javac: not found
I looked around a bit and found a post saying that since android is run on Dalvik there is no way for the JVM to run, but it seems counter-intuitive that an operating system built on java wouldn't be able to compile and run a java program.
I managed to find an app called AIDE that allows one to write and execute android apps (in java), but that's still not quite what I'm looking for.
I want to be able to compile and run a standard java command line application on android.
Does anybody know a way of doing this?

I found an app on the play store that let me answer this question. Below are the steps I used to get javac and java running.
Install Terminal IDE
Go to the play store and install Terminal IDE, this supports everything needed to write and run java applications: vim, javac, and java.
Once the app is installed, make sure you open the app and go to Install System to install everything needed.
Compile and Run Program
Now press the Terminal IDE button to open the terminal.
Use vim to write and save your hello world program.
Then to execute it has to be compiled to a JAR file:
# javac hello.java
# dx --dex --output=hello.jar hello.class
# java -jar hello.jar hello

Pitfalls
When I first tried to compile and execute I got
UNEXPECTED TOP-LEVEL EXCEPTION:
java.lang.RuntimeException: hello.class: file not readable

This issue was fixed by compiling and running as superuser. Here's the full terminal output of my issue
terminal++@192.168.1.30:~$ javac hello.java
terminal++@192.168.1.30:~$ dx --dex --output=hello.jar hello.class

UNEXPECTED TOP-LEVEL EXCEPTION:
java.lang.RuntimeException: hello.class: file not readable
        at com.android.dx.util.FileUtils.readFile(FileUtils.java:63)
        at com.android.dx.cf.direct.ClassPathOpener.processOne(ClassPathOpener.java:139)
        at com.android.dx.cf.direct.ClassPathOpener.process(ClassPathOpener.java:113)
        at com.android.dx.command.dexer.Main.processOne(Main.java:247)
        at com.android.dx.command.dexer.Main.processAllFiles(Main.java:183)
        at com.android.dx.command.dexer.Main.run(Main.java:139)
        at com.android.dx.command.dexer.Main.main(Main.java:120)
        at com.android.dx.command.Main.main(Main.java:89)
        at com.spartacusrex.spartacuside.external.dx.main(dx.java:14)
        at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
1 error; aborting
terminal++@192.168.1.30:~$ su
# dx --dex --output=hello.jar hello.class
# java -jar hello.jar hello
Hello world
#

More Information
Everything you could possibly want to know can be found in the Help section of the Terminal IDE app, especially in the Java sections of the Tutorial.

Well, what do you mean by a regular Java program? I don't think that anything beyond the basic namespaces and libraries are supported and supported on android. So even if you were to find javac, it's unlikely that you'd be able to "full" Java programs on an android device.


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How do I keep my camera active on Android even when the phone is locked and screen sleeps?
When I play Ingress, Ingress remains active. Even when my screen goes black, if I push the power button, Ingress is still active. I do not need to unlock my phone nor wait for it to "wake up". (The phone is locked though - to use any other app I need to unlock the phone.)
How do I get the same functionality for my camera app?
If I'm using the phone as a camera, with the camera app active, if the screen goes black, when I hit the power button, I want the camera to be open and active.
Things I've tried:

Keeping my phone unlocked when in paired to a trusted Bluetooth advice. Then when I push the power button, I get a screen where I have to swipe to wake it up. With Ingress, I don't have to swipe the screen nor wait for anything.
Snapshot. I've tried using the Snapshot app, but I have to wait for the phone to launch the camera app.
The camera on swipe from the lock screen ... and again I have to wait for the camera app to launch.

I'm willing to figure out how to build my own app if needed. (But would rather find something.)
I'm willing to take a battery hit.

Well, there are some spy camera apps available which can help you in doing that but I would say think again about it as it's capable of draining your device battery in an hour !

The app Haven at https://guardianproject.info/apps/ was built to turn a phone into a security camera. Search for guardianproject in Play.

It depends on your Android version. However, supposed you are using Lollipop, you can lock up an application to only make that one work.
You can also download an app called Caffeine from the Play Store that avoids your phone to go standby.
If you don't want to be noticed by any means, you can download an app called spy camera HD pro by MVM studio.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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Photos and music from internal storage got deleted. How to recover them?
I restarted my LG Android phone and it was supposed to back up my phone's memory – but it deleted my photos and music that was saved to my phone's internal memory.
How do I get my music and photos back?

I've just added the data-recovery tag to your question. Please check its tag-wiki for first aid. Be aware that using the device in its current state lowers your chances of recovery, as data might get overwritten!

I will guide you with the process of getting your pictures back. (For music I would say you always download them again from their original source). Additionally to your device, this procedure will require a Windows or Mac computer/Laptop and an USB cable.

I am going to guide you over here with the help of Dr. Fone for Android by Wondershare. So download and install it over your PC/Laptop.
Connect your device with your PC/Laptop with the help of USB cable. Also make sure that USB debugging is enabled over your device. If the USB debugging isn’t available then you can always enable USB debugging under Developers option available under setting. You'll see a notification at the bottom of the screen saying that USB Debugging is being opened in the Dr. Fone Software over your PC/Laptop.
Once the connection has been made you will be able to select categories of deleted files i.e Photos, Contacts… etc ! Tap over the category you want to recover! Next Step is to tap over the Scan button for deleted files and follow the options appearing on the screen!

Note: You'll need to accept the RSA key prompt on your smartphone (check ''Always accept'' to make it easier), making the connection between the two devices secure.
Once it will analyze your phone. There will be reboots, don’t be panic and let the tools do what its doing. Now you’ll get the scan results where you can tap over the check box for the photos you want to recover, so click over it and hit the recover button. And you will get your pictures back!

  Hope this time my post helps you in getting your photos back!

Btw: Behind the above link, you can also find a screencast visualizing the process I've explained here.

Thank for all the guidance over here @Izzy also this tool is available for both Mac/Windows Platform !

Thanks, Peter – I've just integrated that directly with your answer. I cannot verify it (neither have a broken device, nor a Windows/Mac machine), but it looks pretty good, so I'll upvote it now. You might wish to [edit] the answer once more to include "pricing information" (if any, otherwise it cannot hurt to mention it's free ;)

@Izzy don't worry whenever you ran onto trouble you can always follow my post over here! :D Also I don't want to add the pricing information as it will look promotional and I am not promoting anything over here rather than what I am trying to do is help ! Free version of the tool is quite good but as like most of the they have locked down some features but for normal usage i think the free version worth ! Also do you have any blog I would like to follow you so I can learn something form you !

I won't be able to apply your solution – but no worries, I have other means (all my devices are rooted, so I'd just dump the entire partition and "carve" it – details in the tag-wiki, see the last item). My Adebar partially takes care for that. As for the blog: See IzzyOnDroid and be welcome to follow the same on Twitter :)

Will this work for internal storage which will connected through MTP and not MSC. I think google ditched MSC from Kitkat.

@sameer No, worries at all you can use MTP connection type it will work !


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Why does my google account not work?
I rooted my LG G3 awhile back and everything was fine. One day, I couldn't access my gmail or play store using the installed apps due to a connection error. I factory reset my phone and whenever I try to add my gmail account, I get an error that says "Can't establish a reliable connection to the server". How do I go about fixing this?
Note: I'm with Verizon on 4.4.2

Is there supposed to be anything other than the local host entry? I saw "..*. android.clients.google.com mtalk.google.com"in it. The asterisks represent numbers that I wasn't comfortable posting.

Related: Synchronisation of contacts and calendar suddenly stopped working

check date/time
If they are "too far off", it might cause problems with certificates – which then either appear "not yet valid" (with your date too far in the past), or "no longer valid" (with your date too far in the future). Most Google components such as Playstore, Gmail, Sync, use secure communications, and thus rely on certificates.
check the /etc/hosts file
Especially with Custom ROMs or on rooted devices in general, the file might have been altered. Some "ROM cooks" add the IP for Google's servers here "to speed things up" (avoiding "lookup overhead") – with the side effect being things break when those servers are "relocated".
So in that file, there might be multiple entries you need to comment out or remove (check first if that's the case – if not, you can save yourself the trouble). Leave only the local host entry as is. You'll need to remount the system partition read/write to modify this file--, which requires root access. This can be done either via adb shell from your computer, or with a terminal app directly on the device:

$ cat /system/etc/hosts # first check if the work below needs to be done. If so:
$ su
# mount -o remount,rw /system
# cd /system/etc
# cp hosts hosts.bak
# echo "127.0.0.1 localhost" > hosts

Now see if it works again. If not, you can always restore your original hosts file (note we copied it to hosts.bak). When done, don't forget to remount /system read/write again – either by a reboot, or with mount -o remount,ro /system.

What does the date/time have to do with not being able to connect to google account? if it really does have something to do with it, you should probably explain. Editing the hosts file requires root, the original quest does not mention the device is rooted, you should not assume that it is. And if they are rooted, what "entry (or 2)" do they need to have commented out, and why would they be in there if they should be commented out?

He did a factory reset so the hostfile would be wiped anyways.

-for date and time see user186247 answer
-the lg phone was originally rooted and even if you factory reset, the phone still remains rooted.
-stop being snarky. if you aren't satisfied with my answers downvote me or provide a better one

The date and time is fine

its your host file then. those two entries that you have listed put a # infront of them like this
android.clients.google.com # mtalk.google.com and then try again. you may need to reboot your phone but most cases it should be ok.

Date/time might be an issue for certificate check (when too far off). @MatthewRead since when does a factory-reset modify /system? /etc is nothing but a link to /system/etc (usually). So only "root actions" change it. // Seth: To avoid "snarkyness", please note answers should provide some background on recommended actions ;) You might be right with the hosts file, though – I once had a comparable case.

@Seth, you are correct about the rooting, sorry, I missed that when i first read the question, and since that is the case, the hosts file could likely be the problem.

I had this issue and it was because my phones had year randomly changed to 1990, check your date and time settings.

authors: Айнур Аминев


text:
Copy bluetooth paired devices from one phone to another
I bought a new Android phone and was able to transfer all my data, sms, call log, etc to it.
My question is how can I transfer the list of all paired bluetooth devices from my old phone to the new one so that I won't need to pair my new phone with my bluetooth devices again?
Is this even possible given that each phone has a unique bluetooth mac address?

I really want to know this too...  and/or how this perhaps can be done at the code level (as opposed to system level or using an app)

i need a workaround too


text:
How can I root my Samsung Dart (SGH-T499)?
I've seen several sites using SuperOneClick, but can't seem to find a legitimate download link to it. (The original site, shortfuse.org was down).
I then saw TowelRoot, but it tripped Norton, saying it was a Trojan.
I also looked at iRoot, which also tried to trick me into downloading a virus.
I thought the gurus here might have some advice (or even just a SuperOneClick executable) to help me out.
How do I root my device?
Thanks!
evamvid
PS I already looked at the one-root-question-per-device thread -- my device wasn't there.
PPS Possible relevant information -- It is speculated that this phone is a rebranding of the Galaxy Mini for T-Mobile, however it has capacitative buttons instead of the galaxy mini's tactile buttons. (I don't know if this helps)
PPPS The original SuperOneClick thread on XDA-Developers
PPPPS I also checked KingoApp -- no dice


text:
ADB Shell In Recovery Mode - Error:Closed
I smashed my display pretty good today and am unable to use the digitizer. The upper half of the screen is barely visible and the lower half is black. I have debugging enabled on the phone but I can't push the button to accept the key when the phone is connected to the computer. So, I am unable to gain access to my data/texts while I wait on my new phone. I found a blog post where the guy walks through a whole series of commands to permanently enable debug mode on his phone through use of adb in recovery.
Fortunately I am able to use the volume, home and power keys to boot into recover. I am also able to read enough of the screen to make the selection to "apply update from ADB". Once I select this I run...
adb devices

...where my device is listed with a status of sideload. All seems good until I attempt to do anything else. Issuing...
adb shell

... returns error:closed as does pretty much any other command.
Any thoughts as to what I may be doing wrong?

You're not doing anything wrong. You're most likely using a stock recovery. Access to shell can prove to be  potentially dangerous when it comes to userdata so a lot of OEMs or vendors (I don't know the correct term) prefer to ship a locked-down stock recovery which would do what OEM wants them to do, such as flashing OTA updates, sideloading updates from OEM, doing factory reset and in some cases, some hardware testing options. That's the scope they follow.
If you want unconditional shell access, you would've to flash a custom recovery.

Both terms are correct

It's very likely that you're running a stock recovery.
Since your power & volume keys are OK, you are able to boot it into fastboot (or bootloader) mode, where you can flash another recovery using fastboot. That's it. Go & get a TWRP or CWM for your device and flash it in. The reboot to the new recovery and adb shell should be available at this point.


text:
TouchWiz Air View no longer expanding / "exploding" home screen folders
The TouchWiz Air View feature on my Samsung Galaxy S4 used to provide a very cool feedback feature where holding a finger over a home screen folder without actually touching it would cause the folder icon to expand / "explode" and show a clearer picture of everything that is in the folder before actually opening it.
This is no longer working, and I cannot figure out why.  (It is not critical by any means, but it is annoying me that I cannot figure it out.)  How can I and the other users impacted by this (below) fix this?
Since I can't get it working again, I can't post my own picture to better demonstrate what is expected - but the forum thread at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2730260 ("[Q] Air view for folders in GS4 I9505") describes my exact same issue and includes several screenshots - though it is also unsolved.
Another reference to the same issue also exists at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2601067&page=63 ("KitKat 4.4 thread", buried in 227 pages).
"Air view" and all of its options are ON under the "My device" settings, and working elsewhere as advertised in the other applications.  (I even tried turning it off and back on.)  It is only the home screen folders that are no longer working.  I've tried rebooting.  I even used the "Force stop", "Clear cache", and "Clear data" options from the Application Manager for "TouchWiz home" (Version 4.4.4-I337UCUFNJ4) - and while this caused everything else on the home screen to reset to defaults (requiring me to re-place all my icons and widgets), it did nothing to resolve the issue.
I have not applied any device / firmware updates since this stopped working - though I'm uncertain if anything came through Google Play automatic updates that would have caused this (I haven't installed new anything recently).  There was a "Samsung Galaxy" update on 2014-12-19, and a "Samsung account" update on 2014-12-29...
Stock AT&T firmware, Android 4.4.4, SGH-I337, Build Number KTU84P.I337UCUFNJ4.


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How can I make it so my cyanogenmod phone is silent for everything but calls and alarms?
I like to keep my phone on silent at night so I can actually sleep without disturbance. The problem with that is that everything becomes silent. No one can reach me in case of emergency or anything.
Is there a way to put my phone in a "calls only mode" or something where everything is silent except phone calls and alarms?
I have the One Plus One with the latest android cyanogenmod available for that.

What you are looking for is Cyanogen User Profiles which can be found in Settings->Profiles under the Personal section header. Pick a profile or create a new one and select what parts of your phone are active.

This is awesome! Thanks! Had no idea that that's what user profiles meant.


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It that possible for the wallpaper cache saved in Android /data folder being hacked? (Not Rooted)
My boyfriend was kidding with me, setting my private photo as wallpaper.
I deleted the photo but the wallpaper still remains there...
After browsing through some information on the net, I found out that the wallpaper is saved to a folder which only can be accessed after rooting.
If I change the wallpaper, will the previous wallpaper automatically be deleted?
If not, since it is saving in a folder which only can be accessed after rooting, is it safe? Or does it still have a possibility of being hacked by others?

Deleting the photo doesn't remove the wallpaper, that's correct. If you change it, the cache gets overwritten and the cached file will be deleted. Also, I don't think this is even worth such a complex question ;)

As New-To-IT said, if you want to be 100% sure all traces of the photo are removed, you should wipe the cache.
However, to answer your first question, whether changing the wallpaper automatically deletes the previous wallpaper from the location where the system stores the current wallpaper:
Yes. Or, more accurately, the previous wallpaper is overwritten with the new one, because the same filename is always used. The current wallpaper is stored in an image file that's actually named "wallpaper". When you select a new wallpaper, the image file you select is copied to the standard location (either /data/system/users/<userid> or /data/data/com.android.settings/files, depending on which version) and given the same filename, so the previous "wallpaper" file is overwritten. (Of course, that doesn't delete the image from the original location, but you've already deleted it from there.)
Regarding your second question, it's not entirely clear what you mean by "possibility of being hacked". If you want to know whether anyone else who has physical access to the phone can access the file, the answer is that as long as the phone is not rooted, there's no way to browse to the current wallpaper file. But yes, there is a possibility of accessing the file by hacking, of course: it's possible to root the phone and then access the file. But the answer to the first question makes this question moot, because as long as the image is present in that system location, anyone who has the phone can plainly see it as the home screen background, and if you change the wallpaper then the image is no longer stored there.

If you'd like to be safe, you could always wipe the cache of the phone:

1. Turn off your Galaxy S3.
2. Hold down the Home and Volume Up keys.
3. Press and hold the Power button while still holding the other keys
4. As soon as you see the Samsung logo, release all keys/buttons.
5. Press on the Volume Down key to tab down to “wipe cache partition”
6. Once it is highlighted, press the Power button to select it.
7. On the next page, Press the Volume down button to highlight "yes" and press the
   Power button to select it.
8. Wait for a few seconds for the phone to clear the data.
9. Press the Power button on the next page to select “reboot system now.”
10.Wait for your phone to reboot.

*This will not wipe any of your information stored on phone, pictures, video's, apps, contacts, etc. will all be safe

Source

Just navigate to below app in settings menu and click clear data button...viola it works....
Settings → Apps → All → search com.android.wallpapercropper

Settings->
    Advanced->
        Storage->
            Cached-data->
                "Clear cached data?"
                Click OK


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System Files Edit Without Root?
can I change system files on my android without them being rooted. And does changing the files mean my phone is now rooted ?

No, you don't have permission to access it. 2) No, changing them is not the same as rooting at all.

@AndrewT. I guess that depends on how you interpret the question. :) Yeah, changing system files is not the same as rooting, but as Izzy pointed out, modifying system files (directly) does mean the phone is rooted, because if it weren't, you wouldn't be able to monkey around with system files.

Most system files are protected in different ways.
"system files" viewed as "managed by the Android system"

everybody can read them, but only root1 can modify ("read-only" for all non-root)
only root1 has access to them at all ("invisible" for all non-root)

So no: without rooting the device, you cannot modify them directly. Nevertheless, some of them can be modified indirectly, using the appropriate "activities" implemented in the Android GUI – which you might know as "Settings screens".
"system files" viewed as "located on the /system partition"
Here the entire file-system is mounted read-only – and only root can make it writeable.

The second part of your question is answered implicitly: root being a requirement to edit those files would implicate your device is rooted when you're able to modify them. But before drawing wrong conclusions, you should be sure the file you've modified really is a "system file". To find out whether your device is rooted, there are better means: "root checker".

1: sometimes there are dedicated system processes with elevated privileges, able to "trigger a modification" – this is how those GUI elements (in Settings) work.

Always glad to help, @Ekene! When it solved your problem, please mark the answer "accepted" (by clicking the check-mark next to it) – so it gets visible as "solved" in search results etc.


text:
How to take screenshot in NEXUS 5?
I have one question How to take screen shot in LG NEXUS 5?
My device has Android 4.4.4 installed.
Any tricks.

Press and HOLD 'power key' and 'Volume down' key together.

I already done with this but i failed.

Well maybe you are trying to get screen shot in app which doesnt allow to capture sceen

No men. I trying to take screen shot of my home screen.

If that doesn't work, try to download app in play store which takes screen shot.

If you have any app link or name.please give me..

Sorry, no app in mind. Try Google :)

Yeah. Just like that, right? :) @MD it's sometimes a "timing thing". Some devices are a little difficult with that, as you'll hardly manage to press both buttons at the exact same moment

Exactly! I found out that too, my Nexus was not able to take screen shot if I pressed power button down little little liiittle bit earlier.

What you also can try: Long-press the power button and check the "power menu" popping up. I don't know for the Nexus, but many devices have a screenshot option in there. Might be easier and faster to use with "tricky-timing-devices".


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I dont know how to update android wia twrp
I root my LG G3 month ago. I also installed TWRP recovery.
Today an Android update comes to my phone. I download the update, my phone restarts and shows TWRP. So I reboot my phone again – but again it shows TWRP!
Now I dont know what to do. Please help me to get my Android system running again. Currently, regardless of what I try, it always boots to TWRP.

Please explain the steps you tried clearly so that the users can help you

Its because you changed the stock recovery to twrp. OTA update requires stock recovery.
Try the below steps :

Download the file
Connect your phone to pc and select the mount option in twrp
Copy the downloaded file to the phone
Flash the zip using twrp

thanks for you cooperation but i dont now what to do ,,,,

on my phone screen shows just twrp so now what steps should i take please help again just twrp shows on my screen I reboot phone but nothing again shows twrp, what steps should i take

@fatos You should run those commands from the PC via console. You'll need to download Android SDK (Hint, look for Android Mini SDK in Google. ADB tool is there.)


text:
Transfer android speaker output to windows pc over wifi
I Google for it but didn't find any solution: How to transfer/stream android sound output to pc?
I want to transfer all sound that android speaker plays, that includes app sound, games sound. I know about different music streaming apps like vlc app. But I want to transfer all sound not just song or video sound.
As I want to use it from a "far end", it must work wirelessly. Cable-bound solutions don't work for this case.

Might not be what you want to hear, but the easiest way probably is plugging a cable with one end into your Android's 3.5" headphone jack, and the other end to "line in" on your computer's sound card.

Yeah but I want to use it from far end

Thanks for the feedback! I've [edit]ed that into your question directly, so potential answerers do not miss it.


text:
Notification icon that looks like "b" with segmented rings and a circle
I have this strange icon that appears in my notification bar (on the right hand side) every once in a while. I have only seen it when running an app in fullscreen, and then checking stuff in the notification bar. It disappears after a few seconds when quitting the full screen app.

(I have HTC One M8 with Android 4.4.4)

Have you looked at all your installed apps to see if any of them have a similar or related looking icon?

@MichaelKohne Worth noting: "in my notification bar (on the right hand side)" (emphasis mine). That almost rules out an app, as the "right hand side" usually is reserved for "system status".

Checking my sources, this might be a status icon signaling "Location service is ON" (see network icons on this page, right column, third-to-last row). Unfortunately, each manufacturer seems to use his own set of icons, so it's hard to say. So you might try a Google Image Search on the terms "htc notification icons" (a good load of useful results, I've just tried).

It's HTC BoomSound. It shows when sound is playing.


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How to automatically shutdown below certain battery level
Is there a way to make my phone turn off when the battery level is below 50%?
At the moment it does this when the battery level (or voltage) is critically low, but I want it to do it when there is still half the juice left.
A paid app would be fine too.

I think I could write you one, but from what I can find online you will have to root your device to allow the app to shut down your device. I could write one that gives a notification which means you won't need to root.

Rooting the subduct l device is inevitable for full automation and control over the device.

Instead of paying for Tasker, the same things can be automated for free using the app Automate. It has blocks for checking battery level and rebooting the device. However, rebooting a device programmatically will required a rooted device.

(NOT TESTED) There is a community flow for shutting down below 10% battery: https://llamalab.com/automate/community/flows/31775

In Android, In order to shutdown or to reboot a device, programatically, based on certain system parameters (such as battery level), Phone needs to be ROOTED.
So, any apps that wants to achieve the functionality that you mentioned, can only Work on ROOTED Devices.
The closet app which offers Shutdown that I came across is "Shutdown Timer" by SpecSoft.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=at.specsoft.shutdowntimertrial
Please note that this app does not shutdown phone when battery is low (which is what you asked), but allow user to "Schedule" shutdown.

I suggest you look at the app Tasker.
With Tasker you are able to literally automate your whole phone.
There are also many tutorials covering the of Tasker and what you can do with it (change settings and launch apps based on events, location, time and other variables)

As with many similar applications, this one needs root for many functions.


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Downgrade Nexus 9 running lollipop to KitKat
I'd like to downgrade my Nexus 9 to android 4.X (KitKat). Is this possible?
I'm not the pro doing something like that and I could not find something with google.
Can you help me please?
Thank you

It is unlikely, since the Nexus 9 was a Android 5.0 Lollipop launch device. There are no official (Google developed & distributed) versions of Android 4.4 KitKat for the Nexus 9.
Third party roms would be the way to go - but I have found no KitKat roms for the Nexus 9, and I personally doubt one would be developed unless there was a massive interest in it.

Agreed that the N9 is intended to be a Lollipop device, and you are unlikely to find a 3rd party ROM for that device.

You can find the easiest tutorial to downgrade your device here : Downgrade Lollipop to KitKat
You have to wipe/ factory reset the device and flash the Factory Images to downgrade the Android version.

This is how you can do it: http://thetechrism.com/downgrade-lollipop-kitkat-nexus/
You can't do it without doing some sort factory image/reset. Google has not officially distributed version of KitKat, however. So you'd have to use third party.


text:
Hide contact groups
Is it possible to hide some contact groups from the default People App?
I'm talking in particular about the default Google groups named "Family", "Friends" and "Coworkers"; since I don't use them, and in their stead I have added some other groups that are more useful to me, I'd like to remove or simply hide these default ones, in order to keep the list of groups less cluttered.
Is it possible to do so?

When you log into Google Contacts you can remove all such groups (and "circles") there. They will disappear from your app after synchronization.

Yes, it is possible using the following navigation path:

Open People app
Tap the Overflow (menu icon)
Select Contacts to Display option
Select Customize option (at bottom of the list)
Select the appropriate Google account
Use checkboxes to select which categories are displayed

This is not what I have asked. I want to hide the actual groups, not the contacts.


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How does Samsung implement SD card encryption?
My Samsung Android device just stopped working. I still have my SD card, but all data in it is encrypted. Encryption has been performed at the file level, so I have the directory structure and filenames in plain text, but file contents are encrypted.
I remember the key I used to set up encryption, but I need to know what algorithm did Samsung use for encryption and how they generated an encryption key from my passphrase.
Does anyone know if I can recover my data without the original device, using OpenSSL or a similar program?

Does this answer your question? How do I decrypt files on SD card that I encrypted on a different device?

Comments have been moved to chat; please do not continue the discussion here. Before posting a comment below this one, please review the purposes of comments. Comments that do not request clarification or suggest improvements usually belong as an answer, on [meta], or in [chat]. Comments continuing discussion may be removed.

Samsung uses its own solutions for SD card encryption in Android devices at the file level.
Only the device which encrypted the SD card can decrypt it because when the SD card is encrypted, an encryption policy file is saved into the device and SD card.
If you insert an encrypted SD card into another device, then you will only be able to see the encrypted contents of those files.
So, if you have the same device which encrypted the SD card and you know the lock screen which was used to encrypt it, then you can easily decrypt the SD card by navigating as below:
Settings -> Security -> Encrypt External Sdcard -> Disable/Turn off
A notification pop-up will appear for decrypting SD card on your device.

The first paragraph contains the info which we can already see in the body of the question. The rest of the content doesn't really address "Does anyone know if I can recover my data without the original device" and "I need to know what algorithm did Samsung use for encryption and how they generated an encryption key from my passphrase".

Seems like an answer to me, it's just not using the best technical language for the crucial point: The device has a unique hardware key that is used in encryption, and thus decryption is impossible without retrieving that key from the original device (which is not made accessible anyways).


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How to retrieve file from broken samsung
I have a broken Samsung Express GT-I8730 which keeps rebooting every 5 sec.
There is no sd card in the phone but I need the pictures that are on the phone.
In recovery mode, the phone is not seen by the computer.
I cannot copy the photos because it reboots to fast.
Is there any way to retrieve them without starting up the phone?

Have you tried a different battery, on the off chance this one is borked?

I dont have another battery. Also I dont think it is the battery because in recovery mode it does not reboot

I'd suggest trying a new battery anyway. Keep in mind that there's more than one way a battery can go bad. If the battery can't hold a charge, then the recovery and splash screens won't run either, of course. However, it could be that the battery can hold a charge but the voltage has dropped to a level that's sufficient for recovery and startup graphics, but once the OS starts the current is insufficient so it crashes within seconds. Mobile device batteries are dirt cheap, so it's worth a try before giving up on the phone.

Case in point, I had a Samsung phone start rebooting at random times while running, and at one point it stopped completing the boot process. I could go into recovery (stock and custom), and if I tried to boot to the system, it would go through the startup animations, stay at the bright red Verizon splash screen for about 15 seconds, then restart. Over and over and over. So it obviously had enough charge to show the startup graphics multiple times, but the OS couldn't run. I swapped the battery and it never happened again. Also, I put that battery in another phone and the same thing happened.

And is it possible to measure the amount of volts to be sure? If so.. Do you perhaps know how many volts the battery need to support?

If you had Auto Backup turned on in Google Photos, you can retrieve them through your browser at https://plus.google.com/photos.

No I dont have a backup


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What is the internal storage being used for?
My Android phone is showing me a notification saying that the "Phone storage is low". So, when I click on the notification, it shows me this:

The total space used is 6.59 GB, but the space used by the apps (which, I suppose, include cache and data as well as the application binaries). So what is using the other 6 GB!?
Android version: 4.2.2
Manufacturer: HTC

Not sure from the information given. There are apps that can help you track down just where your storage is being used, such as DiskUsage: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.diskusage

Related: https://android.stackexchange.com/a/216132/218526

...or you can go to android settings for free and select storage option and see which category takes most of your space. If you want to clean your cached files (you can do it directly from storage screen, just click on Cached data category), I recommend ES Task Manager, its free and in the combination with ES File Explorer he's best option, at least for me.

A good few GB is only your OS (android) then you have all that sometimes useless apps pre-installed on your phone + the apps you installed yourself it is not possible to say from that image but musics and photos usually take a large amount of MB if let to indefinitely accumulation especially if you use whatsapp/other apps.
Cache of apps can really take up alot of space if not cleared regularly(you would be surprised) use cache cleaner app
This is a major problem on androids because the internal memory is so low and you can't move apps to sd card so yeah its very annoying(i had to live with one with 2GB free only)
Clear your cache of apps using an app delete photos you don' want anymore uninstall apps you don't use anymore and if rooted uninstall all the blotware they forced on you is what you can do to get rid of that message.

I thought the cache was being accounted for in those 374.89 MB.

If you want to know go to settings > storage and wait for it to load all of the used storage, but more than likely the majority of it is the android system itself and misc files.
If you find you aren't wasting a ton of space, you can double your space for 5 bucks.


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Google now on moto 360 thinks i am talking in arabic
Everytime I say somehting to my moto 360, it thinks I said something in arabic and searches for something absurd in arabic.
How can I change that? I don't remember ever setting it to arabic

Try changing the voice language settings of the Google app on your phone. You select several ones. You just have to tap and hold to select the main one.

authors: عبدالله الشيباني


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Accidentally Deleted Voice-to-Text app for Samsung Galaxy SIII
I was running out of memory on my phone, and so went through all my apps and deleted those I didn't use to create more room....apparently, by doing so, I deleted the app that lets me voice-to-text on text messages or even search by voice in google chrome.
Can someone help me fix this without resetting my phone to factory settings???

Is your device rooted? if so, restoring it will be more difficult, and a factory reset will not help. If it isn't rooted, and you did remove it, than it can be restored from the play store, or you may have just disabled it.

Not to wake an old thread but I was looking for the solution to this same problem and wasn't finding a solution. I had disabled my Google  app , turning it back on fixed my issue. Settings,applications,all and find "google app"

If anything like this happens, just search online for the apk eg. Samsung default Voice-to-Text apk download. But here are the links: Install from play store Sign into your google account that you use on your phone/tablet and then click on install
APK Download
Not reccommended, use the first one becuase its easier. But if you have to use this one: Download it on your Android and then open it, accept 'Unknown Sources' and you're done)

The problem in my case was that I had disabled Google App. As soon as I enabled the App, the microphone icon started appearing in my keyboard. Try it, maybe it's the same case.


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Rooting An HTC Droid DNA Phone on Verizon Network
I have a Droid DNA, running on the Verizon network. I would like to root this phone so I can use some of the more advanced features of Tasker; however, I am very fearful of "bricking" my phone. I see many approaches, which concerns me, because I would feel more comfortable if I could be sure process X is the one to use and works. Here are the particulars of my phone:
Model:  Droid DNA
Model #: HTC6435LVW
Android Version: 4.4.2
HTC Sense Version: 5.5
Software # (Build #): 4.09.605.5
Baseband Version: 1.02.01.0818
Kernel Version: 3.4.10-gc345f6f and @ABM101 #1 SMP PREEMPT

Can anyone advise me as to the best approach to take, even if it means there is no current software to root my phone with the version it has?
Thanks, FDijohn

Related: How do I root my android device?. The device is specifically not in that question/answer, but there are many generic methods that may work for this device.

Thanks Ryan, but I a very leery of trying any generic approach for the fear of "bricking" my phone, which is why I was hoping someone who actually rooted their Droid DNA phone could tell me the steps and software they used.

Posts say RevOne works. But I did not look at what the steps are.

I know this is late, and you probably have already rooted it. I'm going to go ahead and answer this for other people's benefit.
I understand the problems, because I have an HTC One M7, Verizon branded. Kingroot
(Which can be found here) worked for my Samsung Galaxy S3, which was running Kitkat (4.4.2). If that one does not work, try Kingoroot.They are both reliable, and should work. If you want functionality, use kingroot, but if it is a good UI, use kingoroot. They both are similiar, so it should not matter too much.
Hope this helps.
PS.
If none of that works, then you might want to cough up the $25 for Sunshine S-OFF. It should root , and S-OFF.


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How to get photos off device?
My samsung galaxy s4 screen and touch no longer work and I am trying to move my photos to my mac. The screen is locked and the mac is not authorized to connect the phone. I've tried to use a mouse to control the phone, it didn't work. I do not have a samsung account so I cannot unlock the screen that way. I know the problem could probably be solved by rooting but because I need my warranty this is not an option. I have onedrive(skydrive) installed, maybe it is possible to remotely activate photo backups?
My question:
How can I get my photos off the device? or how can I unlock the screen so I can get the photos off the device?

One thing that could be very useful is adb commands, but that only works if you have USB debugging enabled under developer options. If you happen to be in that situation, you can connect your phone to your computer and you can easily unlock your phone that way.
Otherwise, using a mouse is the only other option I can think of. The easiest solution is adb, however, if you can find a way to make it work.

This is a good idea, I have actually tried it but as earlier mentioned I have to authorize my computer from my broken phone to use adb.(Unless I'm missing something.)

@user73759 No, if you have USB debugging enabled you can plug it in and run commands from the get-go. If you don't, then you wont be able to use this method.

What is the get-go?

Is the Bluetooth on and paired with a device? If you were signed in to a google account on it, the photos should be Auto Backed Up. You said you tried using a mouse, you could try using a keyboard with a OTG cable (Use the ←↑↓→ keys to select items and then press enter to click on it). If you had android device manager enabled then there is ways to change the password (That probably wont help though, unless you had the keyboard working with the OTG cable). You could try unlocking it using the bootloader (I don't know much about this so i cant give you any info)


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Open YouTube's saved offline video (.exo file)
My question is specific to YouTube app's new offline functionality.
I have saved some video from YouTube app on my Android phone. I restored my phone OS due to some problem. But I have files that were downloaded by YouTube app stored on SD Card. Now YouTube is not showing that videos in offline list.
Is there any way by which I can open those files in through YouTube app?
Append
I am just wondering whether youtube uses some config files to store list of downloaded videos. If so can we modify such config files and add those videos to the offline list.

You haven't mentioned the time interval between saving the video and restoring it. According to an article on Engadget, "Anything you save will be accessible for 48 hours in the offline section on the left-hand sliding menu." You might need to redownload the video again.

@AndrewT. Actually it was definitely more than 48 hours. But google offline shows 1gb sdcard memory being used but contents not visible in the  youtube offline list.

More-or-less, that's what I mean: YouTube controls access to the offline file. Even if the file is there, YouTube won't list it if it's already expired. I assume the permission is controlled on their server per account basis, so you have to delete the file manually and redownload it from YouTube. I believe it's like that for good reason.

No, currently there is NO way to recover those previously downloaded videos.
Reason?
Offline feature rather counts as cache so it's not considered as "your data".
And since you restored phone (assuming it to be "factory-reset"), what it basically does  is  to wipe the content specially  from the /cache (holding the application cache) and /data (user data and user-installed apps, dalvik cache) partitions.
Caution: You will loose all Downloaded Offline YouTube videos, when you "Uninstall Updates" of YouTube App.
I asked similar question HERE when I too found that my offline videos from YouTube Gone Missing!

This question seems to be answering a different question (though it may be the asker's intended question given the comments).

@agweber Yes, when i posted the answer, the OP had provided some comments and my answer post is based on that. But it seems those comments are now removed.

I disagree. I don't think it(youtube) saves the video in cache anymore. One can watch a one-week-old video too.

No there is no way to open the .exo file since it is encrypted and the video file is split into chunks of .exo files. Even if you have one offline video stored in your phone you can find more than one .exo file under Internal Storage/Android/data/com.youtube.com directory. They are nothing but the encrypted exo files that can only be opened through the Youtube App. From the xda-developers forum post,

1- Google is using EXO file format to save videos. This is apparently
  a file format used for system files and while we managed to copy these
  EXO files onto a computer, it can be apparently played only through
  the YouTube Android app.
2- When you request a download for an offline video in the YouTube
  app, the video is downloaded in chunks. For example, a 3-minute file
  we downloaded was saved in five parts. It is possible that only the
  YouTube app for Android can make sense of these chunks and join them
  together.
3- We also feel there is real-time encryption going on here. When the
  video is downloaded, not only it is broken into parts but is also
  converted to EXO format, compressed and encrypted in real time. This
  has several benefits, the one obvious benefit is that people can't
  copy-paste the video and share it indiscriminately. The compression,
  meanwhile, saves space on the disk. For example, the 3-minute long
  video that we downloaded actually consumed around 40MB data. But when
  stored on the phone, the video took only around 25mb space.
4- When a user plays the video, it is decrypted in real time. It is
  possible that only YouTube's app can do this decryption.
5- If you share the offline video using Bluetooth, instead of the
  actual file, a web link to the video is sent to the recipient.

However you may want to look into this Exoplayer Library on Github and see if that helps.

ExoPlayer is an application level media player for Android. It
  provides an alternative to Android’s MediaPlayer API for playing audio
  and video both locally and over the Internet.

If the YouTube app does it offline, it can most certainly be reverse engineered to extract the logic for decryption and the keys. But of course this isn't too useful as you can download unencrypted YouTube videos easily.


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Can't find "iplink" program on rooted phone
I'm using LG Optimus Black P970 with ICS 4.0.4. After rooting my phone, when I'm writing in the terminal the command busybox iplink show eth0, it shows iplink applet not found. What should I do? Also how do I find /data/misc/wifi?

It's "ip link show", not "iplink show".  You're missing a space.
As for "how to find /data/misc/wifi", it's unclear what you mean by "find" it; that's the path that says where it is.  In the root directory (/) there's a directory called data, and in that there's another directory called misc, and in that there's a directory called wifi.
It sounds like you're following a tutorial and typing commands without having any understanding of what they mean.  It'd be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basics of how a Linux system works before you go mucking about with root on your phone.

After typing in the terminal "busybox ip link show eth0", it is showing that "ip: can't find device etho". What to do next. It's true that I'm not a technical person, but I want to learn the rooting process.


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Exporting progress from Google Play Games to iOS Game Center
I used Google Play Games to connect to Despicable Me: Minion Rush!. Is there any way to export my progress to the same game on iOS (which can be connected to iOS Game Center)?

Apparently, exporting progress from Google Play Games to iOS Game Center is possible if the game can also connect to Facebook:

On your Android device (where the game progress is located), log in to Facebook (see screenshot below)
On your iPhone device,  log in to Facebook, and it will retrieve all game information.

If I have 2 Android Devices. Can I transfer the progress from one device to the other using the google account ?


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Galaxy S3 mini only boots to recovery - how can I fix it?
I was installing CyanogenMod when something went wrong and now my phone will only boot to recovery mode. I had made a backup but it somehow got deleted, I don't know why that happened. My computer doesn't recognize my phone when I connect it.
My phone is the Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini and I used ClockworkMod recovery. What can I do now, to fix my phone?

Welcome to Android Enthusiasts. Can you please edit your question? It is very hard to understand what your issue is.

You're probably not in trouble, you can go ahead and follow this link, follow the directions, and get the stock rom back on the phone.  Would probably avoid rooting the phone again if I were you.
Flash Stock Rom
Requirements:

Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini GT-I8190 ( N / L / T )
USB Data Cable
Windows Laptop / Desktop
Odin3 v3.07
Stock Rom ( Main / Mirror )
Stock Recovery ( CWM / Odin )

1 Install Recovery:
CWM =

Copy File onto sdcard
Place sdcard into Phone
Boot phone to Recovery Mode ( Hold Vol Up + Home + Power )
Click Install Zip from sdcard
Find downloaded file on sdcard
Click Install this Zip
Wait till completed install
Click Reboot Device

Odin =
( DO NOT LOAD PIT FILE IN THIS METHODS )

Extract Zip Folder's
Boot up Odin
Ensure that the RE-PARTITION is unchecked, only the AUTO-REBOOT and F.RESET TIME are both remained checked.
Place Phone into Download Mode ( Hold Vol Down + Home + Power ).
Plug Phone into Laptop / Computer via USB
Wait till get Connection Sign.
Press PDA and select downloaded recovery ( .tar file )
Click START
Wait till get a PASS.
Boot up Phone

[2] Install Rom onto Phone
Single Package =
( DO NOT LOAD PIT FILE IN THIS METHODS )

Extract Zip Folder's
Boot up Odin
Ensure that the RE-PARTITION is unchecked, only the AUTO-REBOOT and F.RESET TIME are both remained checked.
Place Phone into Download Mode ( Hold Vol Down + Home + Power ).
Plug Phone into Laptop / Computer via USB
Wait till get Connection Sign.
Press PDA and select downloaded Rom ( .tar file ).
Click START
Wait till get a PASS.
Boot up Phone

Multi File Package =
( DO NOT LOAD PIT FILE IN THIS METHODS )

Extract Zip Folder's
Boot up Odin
Ensure that the RE-PARTITION is unchecked, only the AUTO-REBOOT and F.RESET TIME are both remained checked. Image 1
Place Phone into Download Mode ( Hold Vol Down + Home + Power ).
Plug Phone into Laptop / Computer via USB
Wait till get Connection Sign.
Press PDA and select the .tar file associated with a name CODE after the build number example ' CODE_I9300xxxxx_xxxxx_.tar '
Press CSC and select the .tar file associated with a name ‘CSC’ after the build number example ' CSC_XXX_I9300xxxxx_xxxxx_.tar '
Press PHONE and select the .tar file associated with a name ‘MODEM’ after the build number example ' MODEM_I9300xxxxx_xxxxx_.tar '

Image 5

Click START
Wait till get a PASS.
Boot up Phone

Can I use any custom ROM instead of stock ROM ?


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Connecting to a network that blocks non-computer devices with Galaxy S4
I would like to connect my Galaxy S4 to my school's WiFi network in order to cut down on expensive data usage. The problem is that some mobile devices (including my phone) can't connect, so I can't access the internet. I have the same problem at my house, where every 24 hours anything that isn't a computer gets kicked off and I need to reset the router. I am trying to find a way to fix this with all networks that have this issue (from my phone, as I can't modify the servers at my school). Since my phone is rooted, I can edit system files, so if I could modify my phone so that the signals sent to the network I am trying to connect to appear to be coming from a computer, I could be able to connect. Are there system files that I could modify to achieve this, or is it more hardwired into my phone? Note: I would only like to modify my phone's files, so that it is detected as a computer and not a phone. Mobile features may need to be disabled for this, so that it can technically be considered as a computer by the network.

This question appears to be off-topic because it is about Hacking the school's network for unauthorised internet access. If they don't want you accessing the Internet via their WiFi then you won't be able to outside of brute force hacking your way into it which is not advised and completely illegal in most parts of the world.

I know this doesn't require hacking with brute force. Brute force is for cracking passwords, and this network is not password-protected. It only requires changing the signatures coming from my phone. This requires no hacking-- nothing illegal, and nothing even against school rules. There is no rule saying phones aren't allowed to connect to the network, but for some reason they are blocked.

Yes, there is such a rule: the owner of a network has full authority on it. Tricking your way in without allowance is called "hacking", and it's abusing someone else's property. They're making the rules. If I were the network admin, I'd additionally implement additional measures such as MAC filters (to only allow "known devices" in) – which might even be the way how they detect mobile devices in the first place, as their MAC addresses first fields might reveal this fact.

As far as I'm aware, this is not illegal; he's not looking for WPA cracking or the like.  If there is any sort of agreement between the school and users of its Wi-Fi, it doesn't involve us.  This ultimately seems no different from changing a user agent, which we would support here for Android browsers.

Except, we don't even know what blocks the connection on mobile, and thus making it unclear. First, you mentioned "some mobile devices (including my phone) can't connect", does it mean that there are mobile devices that can connect and use its connection? Anyway, why didn't you ask their IT service if it's possible for your device to connect? AFAIK, for browsing, the only thing that can differentiate between PC or mobile is user-agent. Other than that, it would be related to hardware ID (e.g. MAC address, as mentioned on Izzy's comment)

Some iPods can connect. I don't know about smartphones. But if what is being used to block me is my MAC address or user agent, how could I change them to appear as a computer?


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Access Denied to site using Chrome app
When attempting to access the NASA ADS ( http://adsabs.harvard.edu/ ) site via my Samsung tablet (SM-T530NU) connected to a WiFi network I get the following message:
http://ads.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/access_denied
This does not happen when I try to access via my laptop connected to the same WiFi network. This also does not happen if I use the default browser that Samsun ships instead of the Chrome Android app.
I contacted the administrator of the site and he told me that there's an issue where Chrome is apparently "sending out HTTP requests with X-Forwarded-For set in the header", which is causing this. My IP is not blacklisted by the way, I checked.
I have no idea what this means or how I can fix this. Any help will be much appreciated.

Any reason why you have to use Chrome?

Well because I like it :) I know I can get around using the stock browser but I want to solve this issue, not hide it.

You may not be able to resolve it since you've already indicated it's bug in Chrome. You can always revert back if they fix it.

I don't think I've indicated it's a bug. I said what the administrator told me, perhaps it can be solved via some configuration on the app or the system.

It may be that Google Chrome's traffic compression servers are blocked. They work as proxies and compress your traffic from non-secured websites. Also they are fully transparent so that the server always knows who you are even though you used that proxy.

@GiantTree your comment hit the nail on the head. I had Chrome's "Reduce data usage" (translated from Spanish, not sure how it's called in English) option activated, after I disabled it I was able to access the site normally. Would you mind turning your comment into an answer so I can mark it as accepted?

Google Chrome's traffic compression servers may be blocked.
They work as proxies and compress your traffic from non-secured websites. Also they are fully transparent so that the server always knows who you are even though you used that proxy.
This means they send the HTTP-X-FORWARDED-FOR flag which seems to be blocked by the website you try to access.

I'd suggest to add the solution on OP's comment too, as I can confirm that "Reduce data usage" is using HTTP-X-FORWARDED-FOR and the cause of this issue.


text:
How to force software update on Android 2.3.4 model GT-S5830D Galaxy Ace
According to what I've read on line, it should be Setting -> About Phone -> Software Update, but in the About Phone section I don't have that option. Just Status, Battery use, Legal information, System tutorial, Model number, Android version, Baseband version, Kernel version, and Build number.
I also tried what lifehacker recommended, which was to

Go to Settings > Apps (or Applications) and select show All. Then find Google Services Framework and click the Clear Data button. Then click the Force Stop button.

or

dial ##checkin## (using the numbers on the dial pad for the letters)

But neither of these worked. Any suggestions on how to update the software, or clarification on whether or not I can at all?
Thanks in advance.

First line of that post: "Android: If you know or suspect there's an update" Do you know or suspect there is an update for a phone released like 4 years ago(?).

I'm not sure. This is the first android I've ever used and I was just given it to develop an app on. I expected I would be able to update the software somewhat.

It's very hard to believe your very first Android device is a model from 4 years ago and even then this device had no chance to receive a major upgrade. I know this site isn't stop supposed to be for recommendation but if you want to receive future major upgrades you will have to buy the top phones and even then you will probably as much receive 2 major upgrades.

It was just given to me to develop an android application on and I needed something to test it on. If it's impossible to ugrade it, that's not too much of a problem, I'll just make sure the application is compatible with gingerbread. -