text:
Apps say "bad password" for good password
I tried logging into Amazon for the first time on both my Android devices (S7 & Tab2) using the password that works on Windows and got a "bad password message". I even tried changing my password and, no joy. This happened last week. Suddenly, yesterday Yahoo mail started returning a bad password error, even though I can still sign in on Windows. Again even tried changing my password. The mail program was working fine until about noon yesterday. Has anyone else run into this? Nothing has been changed on either device, except using an Orange SIM in the phone for about a month, normally AT&T, mail worked during and after the change back to AT&T.

I think the problem doesn't come  from those apps but probably from you. You may have mistyped the password. Many apps now let you toggle the password visibility to avoid mistakes.

And your keyboard may be defaulting to first letter capitalisation, whereas your password isn't

When I create a password, I enter it into a password protected document. I copied and pasted the password to log into the Windows versions, then did the same in the Android version of the Apps and got the "bad password" message, so no keyboard issue. As a note, I run my own cloud server that only allows access to devices with MAC addresses I own, so the passwords are pretty safe. But THANKS for the suggestion. Further note, I found an "interesting" answer, see below.

I found an "interesting" solution to the problem. When I create a password, I enter it into a password protected document. I have been copying and pasting the passwords, so there is no issue of entering different passwords between the Android and Windows logins or mistyping them. As an experiment, I used the "Forgot Password" function in the Android apps. Then I pasted the exact same passwords I've been using and "changed" the passwords in the Android apps. Now I can log in using the same passwords and don't get the "Bad Password" error in the Android apps, and can still log in the Windows version. This worked for both apps that were having the issues. Go figure. Still haven't figured out why, especially why the mail app that had been working suddenly stopped.


text:
How to select a Non OEM USB Type C charger or cable for my device?
Internet is replete with reports of problems of USB Type C accessories. Also reported here, Can a faulty Micro-USB cable cause damage to your device?
How do I go about selecting right cable or charger, assuming I have a Pixel?
Note: This is a self answered question drawing from the spadework in answering a different question and felt it may be useful to share, given Type C is gaining popularity.  Additional answers are of of course welcome! Guidelines in answer are not restricted to Pixel.

USB C Chargers/ Cables are a minefield - In implementation

The standards (as they should) are said to clear and consistent but implementation has been shoddy causing multiple problems and even burnouts. One Plus pioneered Type C on Android (One Plus Two) and set a wrong precedent by saving few cents, maybe, with a non- standard resistor . They are not the only ones, Apple and Google too , to an extent ( not to forget laptops )
Coming to Google, sample this, quoted from reddit post Please ELI5:Chargers, charging cables, and safety for my Pixel
where Nathan K  , says :

On buying USB cables having USB_IF certification (USB C )

USB-IF Certification testing costs money -- lots of money. $10,000 per product. So a lot of generic manufacturers simply do not do it. Instead, they make products by the seat-of-their-pants. Others, like Apple and Google say "Screw the USB-IF, we know better than them. We can self-certify." So products you buy in an Apple Store or from Google may not have a USB-IF logo, but are (mostly) good. (There are some exceptions I've discovered, noted in my list.)

(Emphasis supplied)

On Chargers

...Google sells people on buying a $35 USB-PD charger its own product doesn't even utilize. The only time it would be used is with expensive peripherals like charge-through hubs.

( I am not sure what exactly is not utilized, haven't researched further   )
So, whom to trust ?
Nathan K is an independent tester, not affiliated to anyone (Google Plus ). Benson Leung is a Google software engineer ( Google Plus ). Individually and collectively, they carry out tests of practically any USB Type C equipment , chargers and cables and publish them on Google Plus.
They are doing a yeoman service by advising users on choosing right USB Type C accessories and their testing has at times forced prominent brands to remove products from sale (Anker, for example, see their blogs for more examples
Browse their blogs for the right accessory for your device and you may reach out to them on reddit / Google Plus
For Pixel users
You have it on a platter ! Nathan and Benson together they have curated a list of accessories that are tested for your device (details here ). Consider buying charger and cable based on the recommendations linked above (make sure look at the column titled "IR Drop compensation" (should have that). That is a very important feature to correctly charge
You will notice that some negatively or low  rated accessories include OEMs like LG, google and Huawei !
Disclaimer: Haven't owned any device with Type C charging and nor I am affiliated anyway with Nathan or Benson
Additional Information

USB Type C over Power Delivery (PD) , is different from Qualcomm Quick Charging. Qualcomm's Quick Charge will not work on a Pixel. The charger will default to a spec-standard current and voltage
What are USB PD Power Rules?
Can Qualcomm QC and USB Type-C coexist on the same connector?- No. Type C specs forbid that (though you will find cables that claim to do this on market- avoid them like plague). For the same reason,  Nexus 6P and 5X do not support QC
USB-PD can only work with a C-C USB cables. A to C cables - (pic here ) cannot charge as per specs (max current possible is 1.5 A)

The Google Plus links are broken.

@Flimm That's unfortunately true, after Google groups were pulled down. I tried reaching to Nathan for alternate links but didn't get a reply. I didn't prune the dead links hoping that some reader would be able to provide

source: Stack Exchange

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

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

sort: votes


text:
Factory reset Android using ADB
I am trying to factory data reset my Oppo Neo 7 (Android 5.1) using ADB shell. Any way I can try and link to ADB shell?

Similar Question:  https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10817721/wipe-data-factory-reset-through-adb

For my ROM, nothing here worked. But I found this: wipedata.

You need:

Minimal ADB & Fastboot which contains ADB executable then unzip the file
ADB drivers and install them
A computer

Steps:

Open the folder where Minimal ADB & Fastboot is, launch it.

Now on your phone, enable USB Debugging, then connect to the computer.

On the terminal window, type adb devices [press enter].
You should see something like: xxxxxxxxx device detected

Type adb shell  [press enter]

Type recovery --wipe_data [press enter], or if it doesn't work, type wipe data[press enter]

Your phone should restart and begin the restoration process.

Alternate Option
You can also simply boot into the recovery then perform the reset manually. Type the following command on your terminal:
adb reboot recovery

Worked for me! I had a Xiaomi Redme 7A, Android 9.0, which I had corrupted so badly I couldn't do a factory reset through Settings. So I went through your options. First adb shell and then recovery wipe_data, and got "... recovery: not found". Ditto for wipe data. Then I tried adb reboot recovery and the device responded (Joy!!!), and gave me a short sequence of confirmation dialogs, driven from the Volume Up/Down and power keys, and then did with the reset. The device was NOT in fastboot mode. It was just attached to the USB, with normal developer options enabled.

Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.

Not sure why this answer has so many upvotes but it is wrong at half. adb shell has no command recovery. Only small last part You can also simply boot into the recovery is correct (is it outdated?)

For devices that support Fastboot mode, you can try the following commands:

Enter fastboot mode: adb reboot bootloader
Check whether the mobile phone is also in fastboot mode: fastboot devices
Delete the data: fastboot erase userdata
Delete cache: fastboot erase cache

What if the device doesn't support Fastboot commands?

good point. Then your solution will need to be used. Many devices support fastboot commands, so I think this is a good option in most cases.

@esQmo_ Which devices?

source 404; if we delete data, cache will also delete?

@SmartManoj Samsung devices don't support fastboot commands. Deleting data also deletes cache

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


text:
Jailbroken when I am not? On Android?
I bought 4 TVs (Magnum 32" Android TV MAGE32DOAS35S) that run Android 4.4.2 Kitkat. I've installed my local IPTV app (Digicel Play Multiscreen) onto them hoping that I would be able to watch tv, apparently whenever I launch channels it says:

Error Jailbroken.

Now I am confused, I downloaded several root checker apps but all of them says that I am not rooted. What can the problem possibly be? Is it the TV or the app itself?

"Jailbreaking" is only a thing on iPhones, not Android. I suspect the developer of this app doesn't know what they're doing.

To get some more specific answers, you'll need to [edit] your question to give more specific details: what Android TVs are these? Which is your "local IPTV app"?

That's exactly what I was thinking and to clear all things up I live in a 3rd world country. The TV is a Magnum 32" Android TV MAGE32DOAS35S it was manufactured locally so there is little info on it. As for the IPTV app it's Digicel Play Multiscreen

Sounds like your TV is partially rooted, which is a thing. (Don't ask me why)

Strange because I've heard things about custom ROM and unlocked bootloader and all that stuff which claims that it is partially rooted as well.

To find out whether it's the app or the device, I'd try a different app. I'm not familiar with Android TV – but if standard Android apps run on it, you can find a few candidates in my corresponding app list.

I'm afraid it's the iptv app because I tried some german iptv apps in your repository and worked very well as of this point I am very confused

The Android version running on these is probably not supporting OEM and DRMs codecs / encryptions. You should check the manufacturer for more details about this.

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


text:
Pc doesn't detect my S7
I have a Samsung S7. When I connect the phone with my Pc to transfer work datas ( I use a USB cable), it doesn't detect the phone.
How do I fix this problem?

You should provide a bit more information in order to get help.  For example, How are you connecting (are you using a USB cable or are you attempting to use Bluetooth?)  The more information you can provide the better

I use a USB cable

Could you give me a solution?

What's your computer's OS?

You need to install appropriate usb drivers for the PC to detect your device.
It may be that  your PC is missing the required USB drivers or they have become corrupted, thus unable to recognise the device
If running Windows install the Samsung USB driver (includes MTP drivers as well).
Once installed reboot your PC and reconnect your Android device, it should be recognised.
Alternatively for Linux the guide for installing the drivers is found here: How to setup ADB/USB drivers for Ubuntu
Since you didn't mention your OS I have to assume Windows or Linux (sorry couldn't find MacOS instructions)


text:
How to disable MMS using APNs
Is it sufficient to simply clear (leave as blank) the MMSC, MMS proxy, and MMS protocol in an APN to disable MMS messaging completely?
As mentioned here these are the three fields related to sending/receiving MMS.
I believe there is a setting in the stock messaging app to disable receiving MMS but my issue is sending.
(Stock Android Noughat 7.0)

To disable MMS

Under your phones network settings you will see a section called
  “access point names” or “apn’s”. You will see either one or two apn’s
  listed. If you have two, the second one will be the MMS control. If
  you only have one the MMS control will be down the bottom of the apn
  settings. Just highlight the apn and choose “edit”.
Look for:
MMSC - http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
MMS Proxy - 82.132.254.1
MMS Port – 8080
and insert a * or # at the beginning of each line.

If you're not on O2 then the details will be different in these three fields - or lines as phrased above, but this won't make any difference.


text:
Can I flash a rom, that is not exactly made for my phone, but has the some socket (MT6753)?
My phone is an Elephone P6000 Pro with Android 5.1 and I want to flash the Vernee Thor's 7.1 rom. Both of the phone has MT6753. Is it possible?

Generally, no... Android ROM's are VERY device specific, even a minor difference in hardware or configuration can cause permanent hard brick of the device.

If you still want to flash, don't flash the preloader, otherwise you kill your phone

I think the first thing is if the kernel matches the ROM features, otherwise, so many functions would freeze.

Please see: Can I install a ROM made for a different device?

Hmmm... i think i will not try, i'm too scared

Very bad idea.
They may use the same processor but other things you don't know about yet, are different. If the code isn't optimized for it, you are very likely to run into problems


text:
How to keep screen from turning on while unlocked?
When I get a notification from messaging apps like Snapchat, and my device is unlocked but the screen is off, the phone will not buzz but the screen will just turn on. This will happen when I am at a trusted place or I am connected to a trusted bluetooth because I use the smart lock feature. I would prefer to keep using smart lock, but if Snapchat turns the screen on and starts using the camera without me knowing, I'll miss incoming messages and lose massive amounts of battery.
How can I keep using smart-lock AND prevent incoming messages from turning my screen on?
I am on Android 6.0 on a Moto X Pure Edition.

Have you tried this setting: In the Moto app under display or in settings->display -> screen notifications -> none


text:
Move all photos from phone to PC: easy method
The more I'm using an Android phone since years, the more I see a general problem arriving, for which I haven't found any easy solution after many attempts, involving MTP, SSH, FTP, adb, AirDroid, Shared folders, Sambadroid, etc. Note: I've read nearly all questions about this here on Android.SE.
General question: How can a non-power user retrieve all his photos present on phone to his PC, in one or two easy steps? i.e.:
Phone/DCIM/Retrica
Phone/WhatsApp/WhatsApp Images/
Phone/WhatsApp/WhatsApp Images/Sent
Phone/WhatsApp/WhatsApp Videos/
Phone/WhatsApp/WhatsApp Videos/Sent
ExtSdCard/DCIM/Retrica
...

For myself, I've done a Terminal Emulator script, that moves everything in a single folder, and then I'm syncing this folder to a PC folder with Resilio Sync.
But this is super complicated, my mother wouldn't be able to do it for example, and nor my brother (who is just an everyday-life phone user but non-power user).

Let's compare these two methods:

Before Android 4: Connect phone to PC, use USB Mass Storage. Then it's like a good old standard USB flash drive. Search *.jpg, Cut, Paste. Done! Important: a non-power-user can do it.
After Android 4: Connect phone to PC, use MTP (UMS no more enabled). Impossible to search *.jpg. Impossible to run a script. Impossible to run any standard backup software because MTP doesn't give a drive letter. Any solution that involves hacking to actually have a letter would be a power-user solution, which I don't want, according to question before.

Remark: The fact that super easy method #1 is no more available might be done on purpose to force users to use cloud services, etc. but that's a whole debate that would be out of topic here.

Have you tried FreeFileSync? If you follow my answer from the sub-heading "Instructions" you would see that the software can be used easily by a non-power user and it also permits, if not searching, backing up only images.

The simplest method would be to connect the phone to the computer then enable PTP (pictures transfer protocol) on the phone instead of MTP.
On Windows, a dialog usually pops up just choose Import images and videos. Alternatively  you can  right-click on the phone icon in Computer and select Import images and videos.
The computer then retrieve ALL photos and videos inside the phone and copy them to a folder in the computer.
This article provide further informations about android USB connections.

Thanks @esQmo_. I had removed long ago Autorun when a SD card is inserted. So I don't see Import images and videos anymore on Windows 7. What is the .exe name that does this? Then I can maybe manually run it.

If you have disabled autorun, then go to Computer , right-click on your phone icon select Import images and videos.

enable developer mode and use otg cable and usb stick and copy pix to usb

What does "developer mode" have to do with OTG? And could you please give a few more details? A step-by-step guide would be appreciated, especially by "new users" not that familiar with the terms. Thanks in advance!


text:
Why does my wifi keep turning off and on?
I'm using an LG G5 with an AT&T mobile plan.
My wifi keeps turning off and back on every 30 to 60 seconds. If I enable wifi in the settings, it just disables itself 30 to 60 seconds later... and then 30 to 60 seconds after that, it turns itself back on... and it just cycles like this.
I've googled this problem and can tell that several people have had this problem, but none of the relevant solutions seem to work.


text:
what happens to my google acct if I delete the gmail service?
I found a section in my Google acct where I can delete Gmail and Youtube services.
I want to keep my Youtube but thinking of deleting my Gmail acct since I'm not using it anymore.
I still want to use my Google acct since I have $100s worth of paid apps attached to it.
Any ideas?
Thanks

No. Your purchases are tied to the Google account ( if they weren't paid apps are not any more paid and can be used for free )
Google help Delete your Google Account - Google Account Help

What happens when you delete your account
Once you delete your Google Account, you’ll no longer be able to use the following:

Services you have to sign in to, like Gmail, Drive, and Calendar.
Data associated with your account, including emails, photos, and records of transactions.
Subscriptions and content you purchased on YouTube, like movies and TV shows.
Content you bought on Google Play, like apps, movies, games, or music.
Information you saved in Chrome.
Your Gmail username. After you delete your username, it can't be used again by you or anyone else.

Edit: You can't use your you tube account either - is linked to Google account ( for tracking your playlists, purchases or rental, off line videos etc. If you log in to your Google account on web you can see your you tube activity , of course, if not disabled )

Can't keep YouTube without keeping Gmail?  Is that the way of it then?

No , you can't.  That's why highlighted that. As an example, let's say you rent or buy a movie on you tube. Payment is made through the means associated with your Google account. It's all tied up to thaw single account

Thanks for clearing that up for me.  That was the way I understood it, but it would be nice if you could have an account that wasn't tied to one service (gmail) as a requisite.


text:
Can't switch off functionality do not disturb
I've activated the functionality do not disturb for 6 hours for my phone, so all the sounds were turned off. Then I switched off my phone while thr functionality was still on without switching it off. When i open it up again I found that do not disturb it's still on, i can't deactivate or activate it, the volumes seekbars look like when they are switched off by the functionality, but i can hear sounds, and I can't move the volumes level, apart from the multimedia one

You need to create an avent of some minutes, that starts and stops the do not disturb, after that everything will be ok


text:
bottomNavigation view is overlapping calendar view
I have used calendar library in my app which is displaying full screen.When I add BottomNavigationView it is overlapping calendar view
This is the xml,
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:fab="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:sv="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/drawer_layout"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:fitsSystemWindows="true">

    <android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        tools:context=".activity.patient.PatientsActivity">

        <include
            layout="@layout/toolbar"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

        <RelativeLayout
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="match_parent"
            android:layout_marginTop="56dp">

            <com.alamkanak.weekview.WeekView
                android:id="@+id/weekView"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="600dp"
                app:columnGap="8dp"
                app:dayBackgroundColor="#05000000"
                app:eventTextColor="@android:color/white"
                app:headerColumnBackground="#ffffffff"
                app:headerColumnPadding="8dp"
                app:headerColumnTextColor="@color/toolbar_text"
                app:headerRowBackgroundColor="@color/toolbar"
                app:headerRowPadding="12dp"
                app:hourHeight="60dp"
                app:noOfVisibleDays="3"
                app:textSize="12sp"
                app:todayBackgroundColor="#1848adff"
                app:todayHeaderTextColor="@color/accent" />

            <android.support.design.widget.BottomNavigationView
                android:id="@+id/bottom_navigation"
                android:layout_width="match_parent"
                android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
                app:itemBackground="@color/white"
                app:menu="@menu/bottom_navigation_main" />

        </RelativeLayout>

    </android.support.design.widget.CoordinatorLayout>

</android.support.v4.widget.DrawerLayout>

before,

After,

The calendar hour(11Pm -12am) should display above navigationview

You can use either a scrollbar to scroll up the 11-12pm data.
Or You can apply Linear Layout inside your relative layout with vertical orientation and proper weight, it should work.
Alternatively also try layout_below="WeekView" in your bottom_nav tag.


text:
remap ab shutter 3 buttons to record video
I have a lg g5 with the built-in camera app.
I bought a remote shutter (ab shutter 3) which is a remote control (bluetooth based) for the camera which has two buttons: one for android and for iOS (iphone).
Apparently, the "iphone" button also works for androind (I think it is the 'volume up' button but i'm not sure).
The shutter works great but the problem is that both buttons take a picture.
What I want is to remap one of the buttons to make video recordings.
I think that this problem is equivalent to remapping the 'volume up' button in the built-in camera app to make video recordings instead of taking pictures.
How can I do that?

I solved this problem on a Galaxy S7 running Android 7.0. Go into the camera settings and scroll down to the bottom. Click on "Volume key function" and select "Record video". I can now click the top button on my AB Shutter 3 to record video.


text:
Cannot unlock bootloader on Vodafone Smart Mini and Huawei P8 Lite
I am trying to install Ubuntu Touch on Vodafone Smart Mini 7 (Android 6.0). I followed the instruction from the Ubuntu official site and when I hit sudo fastboot oem unlock, and press the UP volume button, I get this error: FAILED (remote: Unlock operation is not allowed)
Besides this, I don't have the "OEM Unlock" button in Developer Tools, nor on my main phone Huawei P8 Lite (Android 6.0), both phones were bought from the Vodafone store, so they are blocked in Vodafone.
A friend's Samsung Galaxy J5, blocked in Orange has the "OEM Unlock" option and that's pissing me off.
As I have seen from several forums, some operators let you unlock the OEM, some don't, and in my case, Vodafone doesn't. Is there a way to enable this option and continue the Ubuntu Touch installation?

In some devices, you can enable OEM unlocking even with the option being disabled in the Developer options menu. Ensure ADB Debugging is enabled on the device and try this command
sudo -i
adb enable oem unlocking
adb reboot bootloader

Then, once the bootloader is loaded, use fastboot to attempt an OEM unlock. Note that this still may not work as many devices require a code or unlock token from the manufacturer to actually unlock the bootloader and I can find no information on a successful bootloader unlock for this specific device.
Also be aware that Ubuntu Touch has been discontinued and your device does not seem to be supported anyway, so all this may be for nothing. There also does not appear to be any custom ROMs available for your device.

uhm, it won't take enable command, everytime when i write adb enable, terminal thinks I only write adb and shows me the commands ; won't work with adb shell either

@sticsk So it is disabled by the manufacturer on a deeper level than just removing it from the developer menu. There is no other way to enable OEM unlocking. Most likely the manufacturer has setup this phone so that the bootloader cannot be unlocked.


text:
Katakana on Google Japanese Keyboard
In the Google keyboard, I can type most of the characters I want to type, but I'm having trouble getting the keyboard to suggest the katakana ji. Is there a specific way to coax it into doing that?
Cheers

After some tinkering and suggestions from someone using a different keyboard, I found a workaround.
If you type the hiragana character shi, then convert the character to katakana then the keyboard doesn't seem to contextually recognize you may be trying to type ji in katakana.
However, if you type shi in hiragana, a button in the bottom left can be used to manually add a dakuten to it. If this is done, the suggestion bar seems to recognize what you're looking for and will offer the correct katakana character.
Once I got it to work the first time, it seems to be suggesting the correct character by default.


text:
What does the message "Normal calls are restricted by access control" mean?
I'm trying to call someone on an Android phone (UK, dual SIM), but instead of ringing, I'm getting about 6 seconds of silence then a popup system message (plain text in a while box):

Normal calls are restricted by access control
Okay

Then the call attempt ends.
What does this mean? My phone was working fine earlier, I haven't installed anything or changed any settings, I have credit, etc etc.

I saw a question where someone with the same error message was asking how to programmatically detect this state, but their suggested quick fix of flicking airplane mode on and off didn't immediately fix it (and doesn't help me understand what it means).

It is not a network problem, it's a device problem.
We tested by changing the SIM. The SIM with the issue was swapped to another handset and worked fine. The SIM from the working handset swapped into the faulty one and had the exact same problem. This proves it is a device, not a network issue.

I was getting this problem on one device in areas where signal on that one network was weak. I didn't get the same problem on the same SIM on a different device in the same area, or on the same SIM and device in a different area

It's a carrier related problem - not Android or device . See

MIUI forum
Google help forum

This is caused by your provider. You should give them a call and explain the problem....

(and it points to Android forum discussion)

You may need to register to see MIUI thread and search for thread-116409-1-1.htm . I got it from Google search which has many more references

Was your problem fixed?


text:
Two clocks, different times
The clock in the lockscreen shows the right time, but the one on the right corner of the status bar gets stuck. It shows the right time when I turn the mobile on, but then at some point it stops and stays at whatever time it was showing at that moment.
What could be happening? Is there a way to fix it?

One for the local time for your time zone the other for another time zone may be?

Not both clocks have to display same time, what will be the point?

@esQmo_ I edited the question to clarify the problem.

What device is that?

@esQmo_ Blu Studio XL2


text:
App installed from apk, but not in app drawer and in settings
I have installed an app fusing its apk. After installation, I clicked on 'Done'. Then, I checked app on app drawer and Settings->Apps, it was not found there. I am running Nova launcher, in Lineage Os 14.1,Rooted, Xiaomi Redmi 1s. Earlier, in settings it showed 47 apps installed, now it shows 48 apps installed(including hidden app).

I have checked for app in /data/app, app not found.
Installed Quickshortcutmaker to create app shortcut, but app not found.
Tried to hide in Nova settings, app not found.
Tried to reinstall that apk, it overwrites app like an update.

I need to uninstall this app.
The app is PixBar (installed apk), In file name like this com_dunrite_pixbar-10011002.apk.apk. And while opening through es (for install), it showed package as net.upper.master.support.texas.stem.threw, which is found as malware(google). I try some apps like this(install from apk), but, this have no option to uninstall, which I have never experienced before.

So does pm list packages show its package ID?

how to perform this? I am not experienced in adb, terminal installations. Now, I installed terminal, applied root permissions.

Just execute this from a rooted shell (terminal), it will give you a long list of installed package IDs. Search for the anomaly inside. Also, if you still have the app's APK in your hand, you should know its package ID as well, so you know what to look for. The ID is in AndroidManifest.xml - search for keyword "manifest" in the file, and the ID is right after the first entry, in "bla.bla.bla" format.

What will happen if you click on launch instead of done? Some apps may install in stealth mode. Case for spying apps.

I cannot launch, because for the first time I clicked on DONE, after that I installed again, but now launch option is hidden, only Done is available.

@esQmo_ how to uninstall this app.

You need ADB to do that.

Not all apps show up in the app drawer – if they're just providing some background service, or are only useful inside a specific other application ("plugin"), there'd be no point in that as they had "nothing to show".

Thanks for your update, @RahulGopi – I've integrated that with your question, and will cleanup comments now (to make things easier to follow). I concur with esQmo that ADB is the way to go.

Would it be possible for you to share this apk for research purposes?

Seems like a spying apps which can install in stealth mode and never being detected.
Try with ADB commands to check if it appears in the list of installed apps and eventually delete it.

Download Minimal ADB and fastboot . Unzip and run it. (Windows machines)
On the phone, enable USB debugging in Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging. If the Developer Options is not present: Go to Settings > About then hit 7 times on Build number then go back to Settings.
Depending on your phone, you'll need drivers for your device to be detected (Windows).
Connect the phone to the computer. On the terminal window, type adb devices [press enter]  this checks if the phone is detected. Output : xxxxxxx devices
Type adb shell [press enter]
Type pm list packages -f [press enter]. A long list of apps with their packages name will output, just check if your app is listed.
Then to delete the app, type cd /system/app [press enter] or cd /system/priv-app [press enter] depending on the app location and then type rm app_name.apk [press enter] (app names are case sensitive).

Note: An alternative for Minimal ADB and fastboot which is available for Linux, Mac and Windows as well, can be found in the answers on Is there a minimal installation of ADB?.
Since you are using Nova Launcher, I remember you can hide apps. Check if you didn't do so inadvertently.

Go to Nova's Settings menu, by either long-pressing on the home screen and selecting the “Settings” icon in the bottom right, or heading into the app drawer and tapping the “Nova Settings” icon.
Open the second entry App & widget drawers
In the Drawer groups section, select the **Hide apps* option.
Then check if the app appears there and eventually uncheck the check mark.

When on Windows (which is the only OS supported by the linked installer), you might need specific drivers installed before you can succeed in step 3 ;) When not on windows, check with Is there a minimal installation of ADB? (and find the appropriate archive e.g. on my site).

Thanks! Maybe you also want to include the link from my previous comment – for people who are not on Windows? The page you've linked states it only works for .

Done editing. Windows users which I am, are lazy :)

Yeah. And they are mixing things up. Like now: Your original link is Windows only. The one I gave (and you included now) is available for Windows, Mac and Linux – nothing to do with .NET and stuff. ;) I've fixed it up, hope it's OK with you :)

Oops! My bad, I clearly confused Minimal ADB and fastboot with Debloater which requires .Net Framework as I was about to suggest OP this alternative also. Need to switch to Linux :D

By the way, as step 5 usually leaves you in Android's rootfs, step 7 (rm app_name.apk) won't delete anything, as there's nothing to delete.

I forgot one steps I guess. Will update. Thanks for pointing that. @DeathMaskSalesman

@esQmo_ Anytime.


text:
Using ADB, what command can I use to break/permanently destroy a Galaxy S5?
I really need to know how to completely fry an S5 (don't ask why) using ADB while attached to a USB to my computer. Someone had posted the instructions for an S4 but the command only turned it off and on again when I used it. If there is any other method I can use to do this (break it I mean, but not physically), let me know.

Dumb question... Why would you want to do this?

Requires root access
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/block/mmcblk0

It won't complete through the whole disk, but will proceed to a point where the device flashes black and falls irresponsive. All data are not erased, but the system is gone and it's very hard to recover.
For the same effect:
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/block/mmcblk0 bs=4096 count=256
# Only erases the first 1MB, where the GPT table lies

Alternatively (for Galaxy S5 and other "modern" phones):
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/block/by-name/aboot

An aftersale service can recover the device without breaking it open, which is what you wanted. I'm not going to post any details about recovery, only the fact that it can be recovered.

do you know a command that doesn't require root access?

@Jay AFAIK there doesn't exist one.

If you have root right then its very simple. with adb command
$ adb shell rm /system/bin/linker

you can also try this with terminal emulater with root permission
this will remove executable linker which is very important for .so library in system or in apps.
after reboot i'm sure you can't access your device.
but if you want it back you can use flash tool to flash stock ram and get running it back.
you can also try to remove some other binary in system part.


text:
How to recover phone from lost mi account?
I got a xiaomi mi4i from my brother a while ago which was lying with him for quite a while. So, after I got it, I did a factory reset and tried logging into mi account only to realize that the device has been associated with another account. I asked my brother about account info but he had given the phone to a friend and he doesn't remember the account. So, basically the phone is useless right now.
BTW, before anyone of you say so, this phone is not stolen and I have the proof of purchase with me.
So, is there anything I can do to remove the associated mi account?
I know I can downgrade the OS to unlock it, but as soon as I upgrade from it, it again locks the phone with a message "this device is locked". what can I do to unlock it?

A rapid Google search shows tons of potential solutions to your problem! This one for example: http://en.miui.com/thread-428375-1-1.html

@esQmo_ I know. As I've mentioned in the question(read the last paragraph). I tried calling the call centre and they suggested I go to the service centre. To which they say, they have to change the motherboard and they can't fix it through software. So basically I have 130g of paper weight. That's why I'm looking for an unofficial hack to bypass the mi account login.

There are tools that can reset the lock via fastboot. Just Google for that

Or just downgrad and use it like that


text:
Retrieve photos from half booting tablet
Last week I retrieved an Android Tablet (an Asus Transformer Pad tf300t).
Now it does not want to boot-up. To be honest, I don't really care about the tablet itself, but the photos on it.
I can boot in on fast boot I think, and see three icons: RCK, Android and Wipe data.
When you connect the USB cable to it, the computer will recognize the fast boot of the tablet. But you cannot do anything with it.
So how can I get the photos from the tablet :(
/Daan

Fastboot usually only can write to, but not read from the device's partitions. RCK most likely stands for the "ReCovery Konsole"; if you're very lucky (rare case here), ADB might recognize it there (or it might offer some backup options). Could you please [edit] your question and include the full name of the device?

I cannot find it, it does not have a serial number (c8okct032813). But I cannot find the model.... When I press RCK, I get a error..

Isn't there a name on the cover, or on the box (if you still have it)? Or maybe you've kept the bill? Without some identifier, it's hard to recommend a straight way. I thought e.g. if it is an MTK device, one could use Flashtool to extract the partitions and then TestDisk to retrieve contents.

It is an Asus transformer pad tf300t (took some time to find it)

OK, that seems to rule out the MTK Flashtool approach, sorry :(


text:
Receiving a call downgrades to 3G/H permanently?
Some background
I'm using my Nexus 5X running Android 7.1.2 as a wifi access point for my computers. I'm subscribed to an unlimited 4G plan, no upper limits. I got the phone last Fall, which is also when I switched from a wired ADSL connection, and this has been a consistent problem.
The problem itself
Whenever I receive a phone call, the mobile signal downgrades from 4G to H and speeds drop significantly (as one would expect). This isn't a problem in itself; 4G is exclusively for mobile data. But after the call has ended, the phone can't reacquire 4G until I restart it or turn off tethering for a long time. Turning mobile data on/off to reacquire the connection does not work.
What now
Obviously having to reboot the phone every time I receive a phone call is bad, so what can I do about it? I don't use my phone or Android a lot so I might just be missing something obvious here.
Not working

Toggling airplane mode does not restore 4G
Toggling mobile data does not restore 4G

It's not permanent... it's until the connections are closed. Android isn't going to switch it's HSPA/LTE connection while network connections are active to prevent loss of information, this is normal behavior. When you toggle off hotspot all your open connections are closed and the device sees the network as idle and switches back to LTE without interruption. At least that is how all of our devices work.

...but it happily switches down to HSPA from LTE while connections are active..?


text:
Nexus 5X in setup wizard mode
I was developping an Android app on my stock 7.1.2 nexus 5X and next thing you know, the bottom buttons are not working anymore and I can't open the notification tray. I can't access developer options because "they are not enabled on this user", and user settings are not working (when I click on it nothing happens).
I saw online that it was related to some corruption somewhere, and that the phone was in "setup wizard" mode. The easy solution is to open the wizard back or reset the configuration using adb, but I'm facing a security exception because the SetupWizardActivity is not exported... I also tried the Nova Launcher trick but same security issue there. I finally wiped the cache partition, with no success.
Here is the command I tried and its output :
adb shell am start -n com.google.android.setupwizard/.SetupWizardTestActivity

Starting: Intent { cmp=com.google.android.setupwizard/.SetupWizardTestActivity }
java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: starting Intent { flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.google.android.setupwizard/.SetupWizardTestActivity } from null (pid=9864, uid=2000) not exported from uid 10026
    at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1684)
    at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1637)
    at android.app.ActivityManagerProxy.startActivityAsUser(ActivityManagerNative.java:3137)
    at com.android.commands.am.Am.runStart(Am.java:643)
    at com.android.commands.am.Am.onRun(Am.java:394)
    at com.android.internal.os.BaseCommand.run(BaseCommand.java:51)
    at com.android.commands.am.Am.main(Am.java:124)
    at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit.nativeFinishInit(Native Method)
    at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit.main(RuntimeInit.java:262)

Do any of you have a solution ? I would really like to not factory reset the device :(

I don't own a Nexus device, but there should be a feature called Home or Home screen in Settings, see to what is set as default. Normally it's the default launcher that is set as default.

It's set to Evie, my usual launcher

Okay. But what happed exactly? Did your app cause this? What do you mean by "I was as developing"?

I was on Android studio developing and app, and when I hit run I noticed that the phone was acting weird : the home and multitask buttons are not working, the notification tray cannot be opened, I don't have any notification,  the status bar is stucked at default icons, I can't enable wifi or Bluetooth... The phone is back like it's not been setup, out of nowhere

I ended up factory resetting the phone. It looks like there is no solution to resolve this issue if it has not been rooted beforehand, or at least the bootloader unlocked. You can't even unlock the bootloader since developer options are not accessible when the phone is bugging like this.


text:
Should I do a factory reset or just change accounts when I give my phone to my mom?
What's the best way to swap Android phones? I have an older Android phone (Moto G; Marshmallow) that I want to give my mom to use. She currently has an older Android phone.
So far I've only upgraded to brand new Androids from old Androids or just done factory resets to wipe out all data before I trash Androids. So I'm used to that. But this time its a different goal.
Should I be:

Just doing a factory reset & then do an Android to Android transfer?
Merely change the account associated with this phone?
Some other way.

What's the recommended strategy? Any tips? Pitfalls?
PS. I've spent a day installing all the recommended updates to upgrade it all the way to Marshmallow. So if I can I don't want to lose that effort. Almost 700 MB of incremental upgrades.

I feel this is very opinion based. I'd prefer a clean factory reset, but I think this is a person to person thing

@curious_cat Doing factory reset will remove android updates and restore the phone back to packing condition.

@WrichikBasu I request you follow the link to understand the factory reset a bit better. https://android.stackexchange.com/q/155185/96277 :)


text:
How to run Android apps on Amazon EC2?
I'm aware of two Android emulators such as BlueStacks (Windows and macOS) and Genymotion (macOS and Linux). They both use virtual images to run Android emulation and they work fine on my MacBook. However they won't work on VPS, as you can't use VM within already virtualized environment (such as VPS or Amazon EC2).
Is there any solution to run Android app with works 24h/7d on Amazon EC2 or on different VPS, either on Linux, macOS or using some special AMI used for Android?

There is a Genymotion on-Demand available in AWS Marketplace to get Android emulated directly using AMI (support for Android 5-7).

Genymotion on-Demand for AWS, based on industry-leading Genymotion, is Android operating system on EC2.

Check Genymotion on Demand Tutorial for further details.

Genymotion on-Demand is rubbish, cna't run it 24//7 it's too expensive.

Try EC2 Reserved Instances?

Genymotion isn't opensource , you can't run it your own I believe.

Thanks to Ravello’s full nested virtualization support, it is possible to run Android emulator with hardware acceleration in any public cloud by following these steps:

Create a host VM in Ravello (on AWS) for the Android emulator.

The easiest way to get a Xubuntu 14.04.1 up and running on Ravello is by installing it from a CD-ROM.

Make sure to enable full virtualization support for the emulator on this Ubuntu VM by loading the KVM module:
sudo modprobe kvm_amd
sudo chmod 666 /dev/kvm

Install the Android Emulator on the newly created VM in AWS.

Install OpenJDK
sudo apt-get install openjdk-6-jre openjdk-6-jdk icedtea6-plugin

Download and install the latest Android SDK:
wget http://dl.google.com/android/android-sdk_r23.0.2-linux.tgz
tar -xvzf android-sdk_r23.0.2-linux.tgz
cd ~/android-sdk-linux/tools
./android

Create an AVD  (Android Virtual Device) to run on emulator.
~/android-sdk-linux/tools/android avd

Run the android virtual device with a local display (to the ravello console):
sudo ./emulator64-x86 -avd [AVD Name] -noaudio -nojni -netfast -no-boot-anim  -qemu -enable-kvm -snapshot

Enable direct VNC connection to the AVD.

You would like to be able to allow for direct VNC connection to this AVD, either using a VNC client, or by using a VNC to HTML5 gateway such as Guacamole or NoVNC to enable direct access to the Android device from any web browser.

Source: How to run the Android Emulator (with Hardware Acceleration) on Amazon EC2 and Google Cloud
See also: Getting Started with Ravello - Step-by-Step

As Ravello does not exist anymore, is there a new solution?

There is an available instance of BlueStacks App Player on Windows 2012 R2 on the Amazon Marketplace provided by Cognosys Inc.

BlueStacks App Player is a great tool for allowing you to run your favorite mobile apps/games in full screen in your browser using a PC or Mac.

It is suggested to use the minimum of t2-medium type of the instance which will start the player app and can provide low-color low-action games can be played (slow, but it does work). For more resource-hungry games, higher type of instances needs to be used. For the storage, 32GB should be used or more.


text:
Browsers crashing when trying to access captive portal (Wi-Fi log in page)
Recently I noticed that whenever I try to login to a captive portal Wi-Fi page, all of the browsers that
I'm using crash. This happens before the page even finishes loading and consenquently I am unable to log in to the Wi-Fi service.
I have tried using different browsers (Stock Android browser, Google Chrome, Dolphin browser and Opera Mini). The following error shows:
Unfortunately "browser" has stopped

for each of the mentioned browsers or sometimes they just close to home screen with no specific error message. I suspect it may be due to a conflicting certificate signature or problems with certificate because Chrome shows  NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID with HTS error  but I have
no substantive evidence for this, since it used to work fine before.
Also I have noticed that on the other device running Android 7.0 it reports a problem with the certificate:

There is a problem with the  security certificate for this site

What could be the cause of the problem and are there any workarounds to fix this?
Edit: I've included the screenshot

A Captive Portal Login never requires a certificate. I suppose the Wi-Fi is badly configured so that all browsers crash. Have you tried another Wi-Fi with CPL or an alternative device?

Thanks, On desktop when using Chrome, it usually displays certificate error, so I use IE to login to WifFi service and so far its the only browser that access captive portal with no issues. For Android all browsers crash, from time to time Chrone eventually loads but it first presents a certificate error on the webpage, that is why I thought it may be certificate issue causing this


text:
Does the space used by app increase on updating?
I'm working on Samsung Galaxy On7, Android 6.0-Marshmallow. Many apps like MS excel and word comes inbuilt, so I cannot move them to sd card, and they are taking up huge space on the phone memory.
Now, b other of these apps have released updates of size about 50MB. The mobile data is not a problem, but will the size of the app increase if I update it? If it increases,  then I cannot install the updates.
I tried contacting the app developers but got no response from their side. So, it'll be very helpful to me if anyone knowing this can explain the bit.
N.B.: I don't have a rooted phone, and nor do I want to root it, and thereafter use apps like Link2SD.

There's really not a generic answer to this. If the developer added new things without removing anything in the previous version then it will likely be bigger. If they do they opposite then it will be smaller.

@eldarerathis OP most likely asks for pre-installed apps (see first paragraph of the question) – and for those, there is a generic answer (see below ;)

If you are asking about the apps that came pre-installed with your device: Yes, their updates definitely will consume additional space, for a simple reason: The pre-installed apps are stored on the /system partition, which is read-only during normal operations¹ – so the update cannot be written there. Instead, it goes to the user /data partition. So with an update applied, there are always 2 copies of the app on your device.
You can easily tell affected apps when going to Settings › Apps and checking their entry. If it shows a button labeled "uninstall updates", that's a clear indicator.
All you can do in such cases is "disabling" the app – that is, if you don't use it anyway. Disabled apps are not updated, and already installed updates will be removed when disabling them. If at a later point you decide to enable them again, updates will be applied again as well.

¹ That usually means: always, except when applying system updates

You're saying in the case when my phone comes first time and I set it up for first time. You've partly misunderstood the question. I'm asking for consequent updates after that, to which, I now believe, there is no generic answer.

Also,is there any way to remove the first copy of the app (one in /system)?

For "consequent" updates there's in fact no generic answer – see eldarerathis' comment on the question. And as for removal of the original: not without root. And you wouldn't gain much by that, as the space on /system is not at the user's disposal anyway (nothing you could use it for).


text:
What is the easiest way to record gameplay on android?
I have a Moto g3. Is it possible to record android gameplay in the same way fraps records pc gameplay?

Play Games provide a way to record gameplays.
You can capture your gameplay in 720p or 480p, and choose to add video of yourself and commentary via your device's front facing camera and microphone.
Steps:

Open the Play Games app.
Select a game to open the game details page.
At the top of the game details page, touch the record icon.
Select your desired video quality setting. You can record in 480p SD or 720p HD.
Based on your device's available storage space, you'll be shown  the maximum video length that you can record.
Touch Launch to start your game. You'll see a floating video bubble appear with recording settings.
Touch the record icon.
After a 3-second countdown, your recording will begin.

Notes:
To stop recording: Touch the floating video bubble, then the red stop icon Stop icon.
To dismiss recording: Drag the floating video bubble into the center of the screen. Drop the video bubble over the "X" to dismiss your recording.
Once you are finished recording, the video will save to your phone or tablet. You will also see an option to share your video online.
Source: Google support


text:
Undo failed encryption?
I am on Android 6 (AOKP), TWRP installed, and Xposed/Xprivacy. I wanted to encrypt the device from the settings dialog but apparently that failed - it just sits there with the boot animation doing nothing.
I can adb shell into it, logcat says:
06-03 03:58:47.076 E/BootAnimation(22199): couldn't find audio_conf.txt
06-03 03:58:51.208 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568213): avc: denied { read } for name="fd" dev="proc" ino=3926686 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=dir permissive=0
06-03 03:58:51.208 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568214): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/cwd" dev="proc" ino=3926688 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:58:51.208 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568215): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/root" dev="proc" ino=3926689 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:58:51.208 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568216): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/exe" dev="proc" ino=3926690 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.618 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568217): avc: denied { read } for name="fd" dev="proc" ino=3926686 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=dir permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.622 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568218): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/cwd" dev="proc" ino=3926688 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.622 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568219): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/root" dev="proc" ino=3926689 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.622 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568220): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/exe" dev="proc" ino=3926690 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.679 E/Cryptfs (  249): unmounting /data failed: Device or resource busy
06-03 03:59:11.698 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568221): avc: denied { read } for name="fd" dev="proc" ino=3926686 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=dir permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.698 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568222): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/cwd" dev="proc" ino=3926688 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.698 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568223): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/root" dev="proc" ino=3926689 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.698 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568224): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/exe" dev="proc" ino=3926690 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:11.752 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568225): avc: granted { read write } for name="mmcblk0p32" dev="tmpfs" ino=9999 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:block_device:s0 tclass=blk_file
06-03 03:59:11.752 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568226): avc: granted { read write open } for name="mmcblk0p32" dev="tmpfs" ino=9999 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:block_device:s0 tclass=blk_file
06-03 03:59:11.752 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568227): avc: granted { getattr } for path="/dev/block/mmcblk0p32" dev="tmpfs" ino=9999 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:block_device:s0 tclass=blk_file
06-03 03:59:11.832 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568228): avc: granted { read } for name="mmcblk0p47" dev="tmpfs" ino=10059 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:userdata_block_device:s0 tclass=blk_file
06-03 03:59:11.832 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568229): avc: granted { read open } for name="mmcblk0p47" dev="tmpfs" ino=10059 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:userdata_block_device:s0 tclass=blk_file
06-03 03:59:11.832 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568230): avc: granted { ioctl } for path="/dev/block/mmcblk0p47" dev="tmpfs" ino=10059 ioctlcmd=1260 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:userdata_block_device:s0 tclass=blk_file
06-03 03:59:11.835 E/Cryptfs (  249): Bad magic for real block device /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/extra
06-03 03:59:11.841 D/Cryptfs (  249): Just asked init to shut down class main
06-03 03:59:11.841 W/vold    (  249): emulated unmount requires state mounted
06-03 03:59:11.841 W/vold    (  249): public:179_129 unmount requires state mounted
06-03 03:59:31.935 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568231): avc: denied { read } for name="fd" dev="proc" ino=3926686 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=dir permissive=0
06-03 03:59:31.935 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568232): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/cwd" dev="proc" ino=3926688 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:31.935 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568233): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/root" dev="proc" ino=3926689 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:31.935 W/vold    (  260): type=1400 audit(0.0:9568234): avc: denied { getattr } for path="/proc/248/exe" dev="proc" ino=3926690 scontext=u:r:vold:s0 tcontext=u:r:logd:s0 tclass=lnk_file permissive=0
06-03 03:59:32.007 E/Cryptfs (  249): unmounting /data failed: Device or resource busy
06-03 03:59:32.007 W/SocketClient(  249): write error (Broken pipe)
06-03 03:59:32.007 W/SocketClient(  249): Unable to send msg '200 8 -1'

Now, is it possible to undo the beginning of the encryption, since apparently no sectors were encrypted yet? Maybe I could somehow overwrite the luks header, restore the original one, or maybe the key (if there is one) is still in memory? I do have a TWRP backup from maybe 2 months ago.
I cannot su anymore, so that may be a problem.... it just hangs. But I am afraid that if I reboot, every last chance of recovery will be gone.
mount says:
rootfs on / type rootfs (ro,seclabel,relatime)
tmpfs on /dev type tmpfs (rw,seclabel,nosuid,relatime,mode=755)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,seclabel,relatime,mode=600)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,relatime)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw,seclabel,relatime)
selinuxfs on /sys/fs/selinux type selinuxfs (rw,relatime)
/sys/kernel/debug on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw,seclabel,relatime)
none on /acct type cgroup (rw,relatime,cpuacct)
none on /sys/fs/cgroup type tmpfs (rw,seclabel,relatime,mode=750,gid=1000)
tmpfs on /mnt type tmpfs (rw,seclabel,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000)
none on /dev/cpuctl type cgroup (rw,relatime,cpu)
none on /sys/fs/cgroup/bfqio type cgroup (rw,relatime,bfqio)
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system on /system type ext4 (ro,seclabel,noatime,data=ordered)
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata on /data type ext4 (rw,seclabel,nosuid,nodev,noatime,journal_checksum,journal_async_commit,noauto_da_alloc,errors=panic,data=ordered)
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/cache on /cache type ext4 (rw,seclabel,nosuid,nodev,noatime,journal_checksum,journal_async_commit,noauto_da_alloc,errors=panic,data=ordered)
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/radio on /firmware/radio type vfat (ro,context=u:object_r:firmware_file:s0,noatime,uid=1000,gid=1000,fmask=0337,dmask=0227,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=lower,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/adsp on /firmware/adsp type vfat (ro,context=u:object_r:firmware_file:s0,noatime,uid=1000,gid=1000,fmask=0337,dmask=0227,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=lower,errors=remount-ro)
tmpfs on /storage type tmpfs (rw,seclabel,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000)
/dev/block/loop0 on /su type ext4 (rw,seclabel,noatime,data=ordered)

I finally found the answer here: Cryptfs : unmounting /data failed: Device or resource busy
In short: just rebooting worked, nothing was written to disk at all yet.
Note to self: always make a backup right before potentially destructive operations. Saves quite a lot of headaches :)
The answer above also says booting into safe mode fixes the problem. I have yet to verify that.


text:
GT-i9195I not recognized by USB
I was not able to boot into system and thought it was a good idea to format the
sdcard and flash a new firmaware.
Unfortunately I can't find a working rom. So I decided to Flash stock rom or update twrp (hoping this will fix my flash problem).
When plugin my phone to my pc it will be recognized fine (when in TWRP) by adb.
But when I boot into bootloader nothing happens.
Linux and Windows do not even recognize that there is a device plugged in. I tried several Drivers on Windows. On Linux I did nothing because I do not get the vendors ID form fastboot (because the device is not recogniced by the pc).
I tried several cables and different PCs. But I don't get it working.
Because of formatting the sdcard and not be able to boot into system I can't enable USB Debugging.
If you need more information please ask.
I am glad about every help / hint I can get.
Thank you very much and Kind regards
j0chn

Samsung devices don't have fastboot, except for Samsung Nexus devices. What you call fastboot is Download mode in which no fastboot commands is recognized.
I think the computer is detecting the device but not as a fastboot device. On Windows,  go to the Device Manager, you should see Samsung Mobile USB modem which is used as flashing interface. No USB Debugging needed here.
Flashing stock firmware on Samsung devices is easy. Just download the firmware and the flasher (Odin for Windows or Heimdall for Mac).

Hey, thanks for your answer. Unfortunately I don't see any Samsung or Android devices in my device manager when I boot the phone into download mode. When I boot into TWRP I can see it as "Samsung_Android".


text:
Is it possible to enter a lock code on a computer?
I locked my phone during a false "it's been stolen" panic using Google's device manager.
I chose a nontrivial password. I thought I was safe since I cut-and-pasted the password after first typing it in a text editor.
Now either something is wrong or my fingers are incapable of duplicating this password on the (now found) device itself.
Is there a way to cut-and-paste the password from a computer, rather than on the device itself? The device is in developer mode and is not rooted.
Update
Luckily I had the "Hacker's keyboard" as an option. The default Gboard keyboard does not give any feedback, but this hacker's keyboard flashes the last key pressed. Now I know with certainty that I've typed the password exactly as I had cut-and-pasted it. Hence entering the password on a computer may not help either. I wish they'd have added an "Unlock your phone" feature along with "Lock your phone" on Google's device manager page.
Update 2:
As a reference I'd like to mention here that entering a second password using the GDM is rejected. You're stuck with the first password you chose.
Having a GDM as flawed as this is still better than risking that your private information gets in the hands of random strangers, but be prepared to wipe your phone when you recover it. It may be the only option remaining.

I've read about this issue quite a few times here (see these search-results: the password set via Google Device Manager doesn't unlock the device in some cases). I have not followed it up, but with some luck one of the answers in the linked result set helps you out of the misery.

Sometimes when you cut & paste an extra "space" can be added, have you tried the passcode with an extra space at the end or leading space? Otherwise, try resetting the lock passcode on Google ADM again and wait about 15 minutes with the device booted up (assuming it has a network connection).

@Izzy If they don't properly debug the Device Manager lock/unlock procedure for a Nexus device (non-rooted, most recent official update, etc), it makes one wonder how much debugging has gone into the GDM before release. Thanks for the information and pointer. I'm going through them.

@acejavelin I used a text editor with which I'm extremely familiar (Emacs), and so I'd like to think that this is not an option, but then I have few other options than to try blindly. As I mention in the update, the "Hacker's keyboard" at least shows the characters as one is typing them.

@Calaf doesn't make me wonder. How long do we have that "Google backup", and the restore still doesn't work reliably? Somehow sounds similar: "backup works, restore not" vs. "locking works, unlocking not"…


text:
Android Stock Browser downloads file immediately after start
Android 4.4.2 Kitkat Stock Browser
If I start it or open new tab, downloading of apk file (xb_client_blah-blah-blah.apk) from site no.stepfaster.com immediately starts instead of opening page which is set as default.
Obviously some malware fixed Browser's config. Which file and how to fix this?
No root. Browser was stopped and cache cleaned several time. Nothing was installed before this. The mentioned site contains AdSDK apk-files.

Did you clean the browser data also? I think you need to first find which app is responsible

Button "clear data" in Application manager is grayed out for Browser.
What do you mean under "which application is responsible". Responsible for what?

Related on Android Central Forums: Android Tablet Browser - Keeps Downloading Suspicious Web Address

Community bump prevention: this question was closed because the question seems to have been abandoned (OP hasn't visited the site after asking the question, and no answers have score above 0). If anyone can evaluate the existing answers, feel free to vote accordingly and reopen the question (or mod-flag the question requesting for reopening). For anyone else having the same issue, please post a new question and refer to this question as additional context.

I had this today.
I cleared the download manager cache and rebooted, but the problem persisted.
I then re cleared the download manager cache AND the stock browser cache, rebooted and the issue had stopped.

I did the same before and repeated today with no luck. The problem persists.

I cleared not only the cache but also the data of the browser. Then I deactivated it.
Then I cleared the cache of the application launcher. I tracked down and removed the apk in Download. If you click on them before removing them, you can see what the app has access to.
I rebooted. I activated Browser again. I rebooted again. Now it works fine. It stopped downloading apk when opened. I may be still infected by the previous apk, though.


text:
Does the Google Play Store app requires a SIM card?
I noticed on a device that the Play Store app didn't work until I inserted a SIM card: is this just a bug or does the Google Play Store app requires a SIM card being present?
Background:
I've installed LineageOS + OpenGApps Nano on a Nexus 5 device (without a SIM card). Almost everything worked as expected, including the Google account creation.
What didn't work was the Google Play Store app, though. When going to the 'My apps' sections, there was just an endless checking for updates/connecting animation. Installing apps wasn't possible. Clearing the cache/app data etc. didn't make a difference.
What helped was this: inserting a SIM card! After that and clearing the app data/cache again, the Google Play Store app worked as expected.

No SIM or service is required. How long did you wait, possibly was just Google Play or its services updating?

@acejavelin, I waited ~ 45 minutes, also tried it several times with reboot and cache-clearing in between. Downloads via other apps (e.g. fdroid) finished with normal speeds.

Odd. A SIM is not required, we have lots of devices in our test bench, from Gingerbread to Nougat, includes lots of Nexus 5's, never had to have a SIM in any of them to use Google Play.

I have the same issue. I read somewhere that in order to solve play store connection issues, you need to enable automatic time and time zone. This takes its information from the cellular network, which in turn needs a SIM card.

No, a SIM is not required to access to Google Play on any device.

If it were, it couldn't work on SIM-less tablets :)

@Izzy, well, technically, the play store app could only require a SIM card if the device also has a sim card slot. Sure, acejavelin's answer contradicts this possibility.

A SIM card is required to download from the Google Play store; I just verified it through my Galaxy Note 20.

Could you also explain what would happen if no SIM card was inserted? I'm using Pixel 3a without SIM and I have no problem installing and updating apps from Play Store.

I was trying to use one of those terrible Calypso phones AT&T sent out for my child to do Zoom. I had to download it from the website directly instead of the play store. I was afraid if I used the Sim card they gave me, it would activate the phone instead of the new upgrade I got after receiving the Calypso. I'm signed into my Google account but it tries to update or download apps, but then quits and points me to a help page that said to clear the cache - no mention of requiring Sim card, yet it seems to. I got into the developer options by tapping the build a bunch of times, but it still has no setting I can find to bypass the Sim card.

Regarding "no mention of requiring Sim card, yet it seems to.", could you provide the exact message and/or provide a screenshot of it? This might help in collecting the info on which situation the user needs a SIM card to access Play Store.


text:
Unable to flash stock ROM of Moto X Dev edition
I have a Motorola X 2013 Dev edition unlocked (XT1053) that I'm trying to flash the stock firmware onto after using Cyanogenmod12. However, the process is failing. Following Motorola's instructions...

After downloading the image for your device:

Make sure you have a Moto Pure Edition or a Developer Edition device.

Make sure you download the corresponding recovery image from the above
portal.

To flash, put the phone in fastboot mode:

Power OFF your device
Then Power ON + Volume Down

Alternatively, you can reboot into fastboot mode if you have adb...adb reboot bootloader.

Next flash the images using fastboot:
$ fastboot flash partition gpt.bin
$ fastboot
$ flash motoboot motoboot.img
$ fastboot reboot-bootloader
$ fastboot flash logo logo.bin
$ fastboot flash boot boot.img
$ fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
$ fastboot flash system system.img
$ fastboot flash modem NON-HLOS.bin
$ fastboot erase modemst1
$ fastboot erase modemst2
$ fastboot flash fsg fsg.mbn
$ fastboot reboot

You also have the option to erase all the data on your device with
$ fastboot erase
$ fastboot erase cache

After performing this sequence, you can relock your device with
$ fastboot oem lock

When I try to flash gpt.bin, the following error appears on my phone
downgraded security version
update gpt_main version failed
preflash validation failed for GPT

Now I've looked into this quite a bit and found that it is caused by Motorola's own security protections. The only thing I can find to get around it is waiting for the new security patches. However, those threads I find are pre dropped support. Cyanogenmod is probably responsible for this since it is still getting security patches. Therefore, there never will be an updated stock to flash.
How do I get around this issue? I have a nandroid backup of the phone pre-Cyanogen, but I'd rather just flash a clean stock than use the backup if possible.

You need a newer ROM image... Preflash Validation Error indicates the image you are trying to flash is older than what's installed currently and you need a newer image. In all honesty, you can usually just skip gpt.bin and bootloader.img or motoboot.img and your good.

I've been in a similar situation with the XT1052 model,  I don't know if the script below will work for you.
Boot in fastboot, either manually or through ADB. Then type:
mfastboot oem fb_mode_set
mfastboot flash partition gpt.bin
mfastboot flash motoboot motoboot.img
mfastboot flash logo logo.bin
mfastboot flash boot boot.img
mfastboot flash recovery recovery.img
mfastboot flash system system.img
mfastboot flash modem NON-HLOS.bin
mfastboot erase modemst1
mfastboot erase modemst2
mfastboot flash fsg fsg.mbn
mfastboot erase cache
mfastboot erase userdata
mfastboot erase customize
mfastboot erase clogo
mfastboot oem config carrier vzw
mfastboot oem fb_mode_clear

I just noticed a fastboot executable for darwin is specifically inside the rom folder. I'll give that a shot for mfastboot

Same exact error using the provided fastboot

This only happens with the gpt partition?

I haven't tried any of the others. I don't want to brick the phone as it's my daily use one.

I think tu this is because you are trying to downgrade so the bootloader is blocking

Let us continue this discussion in chat.


text:
Why can't my phone write to external USB drive?
I bought a new 3TB USB3.0 external harddisk for storing and transferring large files (mainly hd movies from my camera) between my Android phone (Galaxy S7 edge) and my PC (Win10).
Using windows, I...

formatted the disk as exFAT
transferred (moved) some folders with files to the drive
created some new folders and transferred some files into those

Now when I plug this drive into my phone, it:

can read and copy the moved directories and files
can see the newly created directories
can not see any files into the newly created directories
can not create a directory anywhere on the USB drive
can not edit or rename any files on the drive

My Phone

is running Android 7.0
is not rooted
is using the default "My files" app

What do I need to do to give my phone full access to all files on the drive?

Try formatting the drive with your phone.

@esQmo_ thanks, I did that, but then it only created a partition of about 700GB and couldn't find a way to create a 3TB (full size) one

This phone doesn't support greater storage than 700MB? Does formatting as FAT32 in Windows helped ?

@esQmo_ The phone does support greater storage. I did not try FAT32 because the disk is way bigger than FAT32 supports.


text:
Backup Android phone directly to network location periodically
I want to backup as much as possible from a rooted Android phone(user-data, app-data, etc) on a daily basis to a Synology NAS.
I've found this tutorial:
Automatic Nightly Backups for Your Android Device to Your Computer | Guysoft's Weblog
https://guysoft.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/android-nightly-backups/
The only problem remaining is that Titanium Backup performs the backup image on the phone, which is then copied to the NAS via rsync. I cannot afford this, since I don't have an SD card slot, nor much space left on the phone.
Any ideas on how to save directly to NAS(smb share) instead?
On the other hand, I was thinking at adb, as an alternative way to do a backup, but I haven't seen anyone installing it on a NAS. Besides installing, there should be some scripting involved, in order to detect the connection to the phone via USB or WiFi, and then the backup process.

SMBSync2 might be what you're looking for.

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center.


text:
What Android version can I install on Samsung Galaxy S3 safely?
My old Samsung S3 is getting sluggish. Really sluggish. I want to know which version of Android I can install on it? I cannot find on Samsung's web site some kind of reference table that says which OS version can be installed on which phone.
I have found a YouTube video showing Lollipop installed on S3. Should I do that?

The S3 official last update, I think,  is Android 4.3. Any other greater versions are custom ROMs. Custom ROMs have their pros and cons.

Hi @esQmo_  I am new to android (as you can see from my question). So, please let me know why I should NOT install a newer Android version. I mean at this moment my phone really really really sucks (slow). So, what is better to buy a new phone or (try to) install a new OS ?

This question is opinion based and may be too broad. Android Enthusiasts prohibits such questions. But to answer to your question the lag may be a software issue or even a hardware issue. Sometimes flashing can solve this or a simple factory reset. Custom ROMs exist because manufacturers decide to not make an update to a newer android version due to hardware limitations or because they want you buy a new model etc...

Just a reminder that Android 6+ is somewhat beyond the abilities of the hardware of S3 family, be it the Exynos or Snapdragon variant. It's overall usable, but micro-stutters happen very often, due to the SoC's lack of power and the wear-out of the eMMC chip.

@esQmo_ "opinion based" - Do you feel like a wizard? I am not. We are not speaking about wizardry here. We are speaking about software/hardware engineering, right? Concrete example: other operating systems are shipped with a WELL DEFINED list of "minimum hardware requirements" parameters. It seems that Android also has some compatibility tests ( https://source.android.com/compatibility/cts/ ) but I am not an Android savvy so I don't really understand how to install those tests on my S3. I don't need opinions, I need facts (am searching for is that "minimum hardware requirements" list)   :)

Official website is awful quite about hardware requirements. No wonder so much voodoo and wizardry around Android.  https://source.android.com/source/requirements#hardware-requirements

@FreeAndNil See? No answer till now. Such questions don't get much attention! But anyway, I think I have answered the question on whether you should install or not.

It is also super ODD that such a basic information is missing from Android official web site. Android always seemed to me an infant OS (but promising). This actually confirms it.

"Such questions don't get much attention" - The question was awarded "Notable question" with 3K views. If this question helped 3000 people in the world, then it is something!! PS: Remember it is a question! not a popularity contest!

The problem is not really about hardware requirements since Android can even run on Raspberry Pi (the link you mentioned is about hardware requirements for the PC host to build the OS). The problem is more about finding someone who can create/port a ROM with the later Android version for the specific device, since there's no single universal ROM that can be flashed to all Android devices. Follow XDA Forums for more updated info regarding custom ROM.

Looks like Android 7 can be installed on S3:
http://wccftech.com/update-galaxy-s3-to-android-7-1


text:
Help in identifying the pop up notification icon
Can anyone please help me figure out the icon provided by me in the screenshot that appears on the top left corner of the notification bar which looks like a message box with an exclamation mark! Whether it is an app notification icon or android system based icon.

Pull down the notification bar to see which is the app responsible for this

Being on the left side it is an app icon and not system icon

This looks like a mail client not able to send messages in outbox, due to poor  connection or wrong outgoing server settings. Review the settings and try resending the message again, it will disappear

Thank you guys for your promt replies, @xavier_fakerat Yes that was an issue with my mail client, however somehow the name of the 3rd party mail app wasn't showing initially. I had to manually search 3 of my apps and check for then unsent item that was pending showing 62 days ago.

You can pull down the notification bar, tap and hold on the notification and then tap "i" to show more information about the app that pushed the notification.

Thanks for your advise, was an issue with my mail client. However the notification icon wasn't showing any details but rather stayed static with that icon, even when I tried to swipe it off to clear. Thanks anyways.


text:
Does "test-keys" mean device is rooted?
I have Android phone that fails to boot after working happily some time.
I'm trying to install official firmware update zip from manufacturer's site, but update fails with errors:

  E: footer is wrong
  E: signature verification failed
  E: install package error, result = 7

Google results suggest that official updates can fail integrity verification only if the device is rooted (yes, I've re-downloaded the update several times, the file is ok). As the phone does not boot, I cannot use the "root check" app or terminal etc. On top of the recovery menu, after the ROM version (I guess) there's a line: user/test-keys.
Is this a sign that the device is rooted?

I don't think so but which device?

HOMTOM HT16 Purchased 3 months ago. The user does not remember rooting it but I guess it could be remotely hacked.

It means that firmware on your device is not signed by release keys and is vulnerable

Signing Builds for Release  |  Android Open Source Project explains test keys as compared to release keys in building a ROM or OS

The Android tree includes test-keys under build/target/product/security. Building an Android OS image using make will sign all .apk files using the test-keys. Since the test-keys are publicly known, anybody can sign their own .apk files with the same keys, which may allow them to replace or hijack system apps built into your OS image. For this reason it is critical to sign any publicly released or deployed Android OS image with a special set of release-keys that only you have access to.

(Emphasis Supplied)
This SO question supports

Release-Keys and Test-Keys has to do with how the kernel is signed when it is compiled. Release-Keys means it was signed with an official Key from an official developer. Test-Keys means it was signed with a custom key generated by a third-party developer. From a security standpoint Release-Keys generally means the kernel is more secure, which is not always the case

and hence is a security risk as reiterated in this XDA post
Does it mean my device is rooted?
The fact that you have not been able to apply official firware updates ( which check for root  ) indicates that the device may be rooted  (in addition ).  You can verify in alternate ways (other than apps ) as mentioned here How can I tell if I have root?
Related Can I 'trick' my device into thinking it's unrooted?

beeshyams, I didn't remember installing other firmware updates on this phone before. What official updates do you mean: apps from the Google Store?

So, the line "user/test-keys" does mean that the current firmware (whatever it is) built with these test keys?


text:
Droid Turbo Won't Receive Texts
I have a Motorola Droid Turbo with Verizon as my carrier. Earlier this week (May 30th), my phone began to receive text messages intermittently. I now go hours without receiving any text messages and then all of a sudden tons of texts will come through that I had missed. Even when I receive the giant dump of texts at that time, not all of the texts will come. I've missed a bunch of texts this week that have never shown up. This is more apparent in group messages. Also, most of the time when I send a text message to someone it will tell me that it failed to send even if they actually received it.
Here are some of the things I've done to try and fix it:

Turn my phone on and off (many times, and for long periods of times)
Turn my WiFi on and off
Turn my bluetooth on and off
Backed up all of my texts on to Google Drive and then deleted them all off my phone
Switched from using Textra to using Google Messenger
Switched from using Google Messenger to using Verizon Messages
Switched from using Verizon Messages to using the stock messaging app

I've read a bunch of different forums, but nothing seems to be working. I don't think it's the carrier because no one else on my plan is having problems, and I will often get a notification on my phone saying "MMS Timeout - click to retry" and then I click and it doesn't do anything.
I don't really want to reset the phone, especially since it might not fix anything. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

I went to this Verizon troubleshooting page: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/motorola-droid-turbo-troubleshooting/#/main/device/&MOTXT1254&8617/troubleshooting_steps/17893&17885&&&&Troubleshooting&&/step/
The step that finally fixed it was sending a text to myself. I have no idea why that does anything, but it is now working fine. Hopefully it stays that way. I posted the link here in the answer so that anyone with the same problem can go there and walk through the steps.

I switched from the android Messenger app to the Verizon Messenger app and that loaded a bunch of messages I hadn't received, and started sending to people who weren't getting my messages. so that appears to have fixed it.
Some folks on the verizon boards indicated it may be the latest android update causing the issue, and based on the fix I'm inclined to believe that.


text:
How to check the current platform of Android OS?
There are 4 common platform such as: ARM, ARM64, x86 and x86_64 on which Android can run.
How can I check which platform I'm on within Android OS? So I can check whether my app is compatible with it or not.
I'm using different emulators (BlueStacks on Mac, Genymotion on Demand, etc.), so I'd like to check basically which platform they're exactly emulating, because some apps works for me on BlueStacks, but not on Genymotion.

If you have adb set up, it's a one-liner at the shell prompt:
$ adb shell "getprop ro.product.cpu.abi"
arm64-v8a

In this example, the device asked answered that it has a 64bit ARM V8a CPU (second line).
Note: You can also run the quoted command in a terminal emulator running on the device / emulator. In there, it's just getprop ro.product.cpu.abi.

CPU -Z is a versatile app that gives you SoC information apart from some other apps

From app description on play store


text:
repair SD-card after Marshmallow
everyone
I used the feature in Android Marshmallow, format SD card as internal, and I have 3 devices all the same feature available.
after a while I made a factory reset for the devices, and the SD card is not supported and can't be formatted in android device.
I tried using the diskpart in windows, and after "create partition primary" it shows "virtual disk service error the operation is not supported on a non-empty removable disk".
I tried using MiniTool Partition Wizard, but it shows bad disk and after re-inserting the SD card shown nothing was done.
disk management in windows with no use.
what I understood that the android feature make two partitions, 16MB partition and another one for the rest storage which only readable within the android device made it (encrypted some how).

Have you tried "Cleaning" or deleting the partition in diskpart before creating a primary partition?

yes I tried clean and delete partition and all show successful but when I try the next order "create partition primary" it shows "virtual disk service error the operation is not supported on a non-empty removable disk"

This will fix it.
https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/eula_windows/index.html
It is the official reformat tool of the people who design sd card standards. I had to do this with my own 200gb sd card that was seen as 16mb after using as internal storage for a phone.


text:
64GB phone storage but only 8 available
I have a pad with 64GB internal storage space. It seems I can only use 8GB at a time. All the apps I tried shows 48GB free storage, but I don't have the chance to access all this memory. Does anybody knows how to solve that issue? thanks in advance.

This can be one of the reasons below:-

Maybe the storage was mistakenly partitioned when the manufacturing guys were installing the OS.
There's some real problem with the hardware or software. Contact the nearest service centre.
The storage is corrupted. Did you do some experiments?

The problem can be something different also. I also had the same problem when I rooted and flashed a custom OS on my phone. The problem was due to some code error in the ROM which made useless partitions in the storage and rendered the storage of no use. If this is the case with your tab, then try flashing a different ROM.

Don't forget fake Chinese devices also

Apologies, but I don't have much experience withe the fake chinese phones. If its one of them, probably you'll have to live with 8GB storage.

They can display 8GB storage but in reality it's less than that

Thank you very much for your answer, I'll try to bring some more light into it:   1.- probably, no answer from the manufacturers.                                                    2.- not such a thing exists, manufacturers are in UK and they don't answer.                                                                                3.- not yet, but soon.                                                                                4.- I need to learn what is to flash a ROM, I'll keep looking.

I am trying to create a new partition with the unused space, but I am going slowly because I am learning at the same time. Thanks for you help!!!

Please move forward with the partitioning stuff only after you are sure that the partitions have have so.e error. Have you tried factory resetting your phone?

@Guillermo Flashing a rom means that you are installing a different version of Android onto your phone. It's a lengthy process, and since this is not the problem with your phone, you don't need to know much about it.(Still, you can Google about it to satisfy your curiosity)


text:
Using Official Raspberry Pi Power Supply to charge phone?
I have a Moto G 3rd Gen, and my phone charger broke. I have both the raspberry pi official 10W power supply and the raspberry pi official 13W power supply. Can I use either or both of them to charge my moto g 3rd gen?

USB standards specify 5V plus / minus 0.25 V which is supplied by pi 10W supply whereas 13 W supply is 5.1 V which is not recommended
So you can use the 10W power supply
Thanks to Ghanima in comments
 , who pointed out something I overlooked

The 13W supply is listed as 5.1 V with a 2% line regulation (that would be 5.1 V plus/minus 0.1 V) which puts it well within the USB spec

So you can use both chargers safely, as pointed out in other answer giving additional reasons. Sorry for missing this detail

Then WHY does Samsung ship 5.3V chargers?

Samsung's "labelledly" 5.3V chargers can even raise output voltage to 5.60V, which is far too higher than 5+0.25V. Well, why?

@iBug: good point. OPs device does not support fast charging and for standard chargers reply above is correct. For various fast or quick charging especially from Qualcomm quick charge 3.0 onwards, it is the *power * that matters and increasing the voltage level (while maintaing a lower current) delivers the required power. This 5.3 V does appear to be a violation of standards but I haven't seen any conclusive result except heated discussion. Do let me know if you are aware. Thanks

There are (majorly) two kinds of Fast Charging. One is low-voltage, high-current, like the DASH in OnePlus 3/3T. Another is high-voltage, high-currect, the most prevalent solution used by Qualcomm QC series (from 9V to 20V). As is clear, 5V and 5.3V don't make a gap between so it's safe to mix them up.

@iBug: I was aware of the first portion but for non fast charging it is better to be on the safer side. As pointed to Izzy in the comments below your answer, resistance drop is long known, so why not 5.3 earlier ( before fast charging came on scene ) remains unexplained- it appears to be linked with requirements of higher power to charge while maintaing safety with a wider range of voltage ( and lesser current) as required in diffrent stages of battery charging

If you're interested in this, you can buy a USB meter.

I am interested but you require more investment than a meter - devices too not to mention that the cost of USB Meters is too high for my liking

The 13W supply is listed as 5.1 V with a 2% line regulation (that would be 5.1 V plus/minus 0.1 V) which puts it well within the USB spec (though load regulation is unfortunately not listed). So I would think your answer is quite misleading.

@Ghanima:  How did I miss that ? Stupid of me. Will amend answer. Thanks a ton for pointing it out :)

As @beeshyams answered, the USB Standards specify that charging voltage should be 5.00V ± 0.25V, i.e. 4.75V~5.25V.
Most cables have resistance, which lowers the actual voltage that your phone receives. A typical 1-meter long 24AWG cable eats approximately 0.5V. So some good chargers have a feature called loss compensation. These chargers raise their output voltage when a load is detected. In my case a Samsung charger (shipped with S5/Note 4) can raise output V to 5.6V at a load of 2 Amperes. It's completely safe to use the 13W charger if it doesn't exceed 5.5V. It will be faster than the regular 10W one. But if it only output power at 5.1V, the speed boost isn't quite noticeable.

This may be a reason but then don't you think the standards or earlier OEM devices wouldn't have taken care of it and all along had higher rated chargers ? I am not totally convinced. +1 for bringing this possibility

@beeshyams As so often, they might have saved a cent or two on that one resistor to boost their marge (instgead of your charging speed). Wouldn't be the first time.

@izzy: possible but I only see 5.3V chargers after quick charging came in so I think this is related to that. See my comment below my answer

@beeshyams Yeah. I was just throwing in another possibility. Have no special knowledge here, so I cannot tell (but only speculate, which is OT here). Hence I better not "discuss" it :)

@beeshyams More examples: earlier iPad's original charger is 2.1A@5.1V. Some ZTE phones' original is 2.0A@5.2V

Let's leave Apple out- they pretty much make their own standards. Wasn't aware of ZTE though

Was ZTE normal or fast charging ?

@beeshyams Definitely regular normal charging. As I've said, since it's neither high-current nor high-voltage, it can't be fast charging.

@beeshyams Despite Apple's making a standard of their own in many extents, this time they can't. They can't guarantee iPhone users always bring its "particular" charger, so they have to compromise and make their specifications compatible with "general" ones.


text:
Does the LG Aristo work with gamepads, if so how can I connect it too the ípega?
I have an LG Aristo and I recently got an ípega Bluetooth controller off the wish website, the phone isn't rooted an I don't know much on what to do so it's not working for any of my games I don't know what to do please help...

You can connect your GamePad to your LG as you connect  headphones or any wireless devices.
Your gamepad  supports android 3.2 and above.
METHOD 1:

Install iPega Game Center English version(Google for that).  and install it. This will serve as  IPEGA remote Bluetooth gamepad driver for your Android device.
Enable Bluetooth on your LG phone.
Once you have installed the IPEGA Game Center successully you need to enable BitGames IME as default input.
Turn on the controller by pressing Y + Home button simultaneously. Wait until the red LED indicator blinks as it pairs with your device.
Once the red LED indicator blinks, open the IPEGA Game Center application. Go to mydevice and bind controller.
A console will open. This will help you calibrate your controller.  Try moving the joystick and the buttons.
Done. Test it with a supported game or an emulator.

METHOD 2:
If you have the PG-9028 model, you won't need  the IPEGA Bluetooth controller app.

Turn on your IPEGA PG-9028. Also, make sure that your LG Bluetooth is turned on.
Now, on your IPEGA Bluetooth controller,  press and hold both the X + HOME button, simultaneously.
Wait until you see the LED from your IPEGA gamepad with touchpad blinking constantly.
On your mobile device,  open the Bluetooth menu. Scroll down (if needed) and look for Available Devices.
What you should look for is “PG-9028” or sometimes Android will see it as a keyboard input device.
Select PG-9028 to start pairing. Once the pairing is successful, you will notice that the LED light on your IPEGA PG-9028 will stop blinking.
Done.


text:
How to disable "achievement" pop-ups?
When I'm playing a game, sometimes Google Play Games gives a pop-up at the top of the screen notifying me of a an "achievement". How do I disable this? The settings have checkboxes for notifications for "multiplayer", "missions" and "requests" but not for "achievements".

Try doing this in Google Settings app?

@xavier_fakerat That shows exactly the same settings as the Google Play Games app

I think I managed to disable this by going to Settings -> Apps -> Google Play Games -> Notification -> Off

@bdforbes Had no effect

That's unfortunate... I'll play a game at some point today and see if I still get achievement notifications.