PRS-T1 Usage of the Apps2SD package for a rooted device

SonyReaderT1 · 04-24-2012, 08:58 AM

Hello,

the instructions for applying the APPS2SD package are not very detailed on the Wiki page. Before screwing up my shiny new PRS-T1 I just want to make sure that I am doing it right

On the translated russian page rupor says that an "absolutly minimal root" has to be put on on the device before installing the Apps2SD package, however this minimal root package is different from the minimal root package of the Wiki page.
Is the Apps2SD package compatible with the minimal root package of the Wiki?
How do I apply the Apps2SD package? Just unpack somewhere on my Linux system, connect the reader and then run "do_update.sh"?
The russian page above mentioned some USB problems after installing Apps2SD. Are these problems solved?

It would be nice if someone could answer my questions.

Thanks and regards,
Joerg

SonyReaderT1 · 04-24-2012, 02:43 PM

Found it in the forum. Didn't expect to find it under No refresh mode in every app. The whole subject is still confusing though ...

rupor · 04-27-2012, 02:12 PM

Minimal root package from WiKi is a bit outdated - package was not updated for a while. I may be wrong but one of the reasons is that porkupan switched to my minimal root some time ago

App2SD is compatible with any root package (as long as it has latest Sony firmware version as a base - Linux kernel version is important).

The only reason I am suggesting to install root BEFORE App2SD - App2SD needs around 500KB of free space on /system and my minimal root surely provides more than that. You could only have all benefits of App2SD if you are using it with my latest minimal root (or any root which incorporates packages from latest root) - due to the bug in Android services framework which is fixed there (I guees you already seen our exchange with uboot on this subject).

So the easiest way to go would be:

1. Make sure you have clean Sony firmware of the proper version
2. Install AMR
3. Install App2SD
4. install applications
5. Enjoy

Hope this helps

SonyReaderT1 · 04-28-2012, 05:59 AM

@rupor: first of all, thanks for your effort and your root package. I bought an e-book reader and now I have a small tablet. Great!

I made a full backup using your recovery package, installed your minimal root and the APPS2SD and also some other apps. Everything is working fine ...

... except that I cannot boot into recovery mode. I wanted to apply some other hacks (Wifi ad-hoc networks, disable firewall etc.) and tried to login to the device, but the reader is not recognized by my computer as a serial device, neither with Windows nor with Linux. I tried several methods (TestTool, Home-Menu-Button), but neither of them worked.
When "Opening books" appears and the "slider" is at the far end, it stays there for maybe 30 to 40 seconds (as I said "dmesg" does not show the connection of a serial device and also the DeviceManager in Windows does not show anything). After 30-40 seconds the reader reboots again into normal mode.

I could not make much sense out of the translation of the russian page regarding the usage of ebook_msc:

Code:

"ebook_msc name" PRS-T1 "um recovery"

But I would like to stick with Linux anyway ...

Is this problem regarding the recovery mode related to the root package or am I doing something wrong? Is there actually anything like a root-shell for Android?

Thanks and regards,
Joerg

rupor · 04-28-2012, 02:50 PM

I am a bit lost here - since you were able to do full back up using my recovery package - you where in recovery mode!

You need to have proper SD card in your device in order to stay in recovery mode and connect to the device - otherwise recovery script simply reboots the device into normal mode, exactly as you are observing

ebook_msc is Windows program (created by igorsk and porkupan) which uses Sony proprietary protocol over USB to perform some actions (in this case force reboot into recovery mode), but it would not change anything if you do not have proper SD card - device will simply reboot into normal mode again.

In general in order to do "hacking" you are talking about you do not need recovery (and serial connection) - it is more than enough to use normal Android adb connection instead...

uboot · 04-29-2012, 06:09 AM

Have you followed the guide here: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/PRST...covery_Console ?

ebook_msc is not fail proof for booting into recovery, but the Testmode App and ADB shell should work.

Recovery mode is only available if the proper recovery kernel image is flashed. But this kernel image should get installed with the enable ADB package and also with the Apps2SD package....

SonyReaderT1 · 05-04-2012, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rupor

I am a bit lost here - since you were able to do full back up using my recovery package - you where in recovery mode!

You need to have proper SD card in your device in order to stay in recovery mode and connect to the device - otherwise recovery script simply reboots the device into normal mode, exactly as you are observing

Well, the problem is that I still do not know exactly what "recovery mode" is.
As a matter of fact I was able to login to the device using a terminal emulator when I had your recovery package (the folder "OS firmware") installed on the external SD card. But from the documentation in the Wiki I had the impression I could boot into "recovery mode" also without your code installed on the SD card, therefore I also do not know what you mean by "proper SD card"

BTW: your recovery package came in handy

. After syncing all my books with Calibre (I let it run over night), the reader crashed for some reasons. In the morning the battery of the reader was completely empty and the installation was corrupted: The pre-installed photos were missing and also apps that I installed were missing, others crashed with an error message. So I reflashed the device to its original state (which took quite a while, I really got nervous) and re-rooted again (rupor minimal root and Apps2SD). After that I made also an image of the rooted device with all apps installed, so that I can reflash to the rooted state, in case the device crashes again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by uboot

Have you followed the guide here: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/PRST...covery_Console ?

Yes I followed this instructions. But according to rupor there must be also a "proper SD card" installed!? The problem is (as I posted earlier) that the Reader is not recognized as a serial device by my computer (unless I have rupors recovery package installed, which I thought is not mandatory).

BTW: I was also able to get ADB to work, so I could apply the changes to the device (ad-hoc networks and firewall). The connection to ad-hoc networks is possible now (tested with JoikuSpot on my N8), but I wasn't able to connect with SSH to the device, although I enabled all incoming connections (DroidSSHd installed). I haven't had any time between family and work to investigate what the problem could be ...

Thanks again for the effort you guys put into this forum and for making the Reader a really good device ...

Regards,
Joerg

rupor · 05-04-2012, 10:35 AM

You could get into "recovery" mode with or without SD. Your problem is to stay in this mode - if I am not mistaken default script in this mode is looking for specially prepared update package and if not found - will simply reboot into normal mode. Recovery SD card is just one of such packages which is created for the sole purpose to stay in the "recovery" mode.

jojosk · 05-04-2012, 03:39 PM

Hi,
I tried to apply the AMR on my PRS-T1. It froze the system.
I needed to apply the sdcard-rescue package to restore to the factory system.
I want to ask of you one practical thing:
When you post a how-to guide make sure you attach the required file or link to it.
I spent hours looking for the correct version of app2sd and finally gave up being unsuccessful.
And please be specific. Instead of something like a "proper version" just specify the version.
Please try to understand not all of us are in love with our gadgets and enjoy linux tweaking.
Some of us just want to use the gadget for the original purpose. And YES we will be grateful for your help if provided effectively.

Thank you.

uboot · 05-05-2012, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rupor

You could get into "recovery" mode with or without SD. Your problem is to stay in this mode - if I am not mistaken default script in this mode is looking for specially prepared update package and if not found - will simply reboot into normal mode. Recovery SD card is just one of such packages which is created for the sole purpose to stay in the "recovery" mode.

Ah, I see!! That's why Boroda/Porkupan mentioned to not delete the Updater.package file in http://translate.google.com/translat...hp%3Ft%3D21458

Maybe that's exactly the case for the thread opener...

uboot · 05-05-2012, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jojosk

Hi,
I tried to apply the AMR on my PRS-T1. It froze the system.
I needed to apply the sdcard-rescue package to restore to the factory system.
I want to ask of you one practical thing:
When you post a how-to guide make sure you attach the required file or link to it.
I spent hours looking for the correct version of app2sd and finally gave up being unsuccessful.
And please be specific. Instead of something like a "proper version" just specify the version.
Please try to understand not all of us are in love with our gadgets and enjoy linux tweaking.
Some of us just want to use the gadget for the original purpose. And YES we will be grateful for your help if provided effectively.

Thank you.

If YOU found the package and it is not properly mentioned anywhere, you may post the link / add information to the wiki too

That's how collaboration works... (I don't mean to offend you, just change the perspektive a bit

)

rupor · 05-05-2012, 03:37 PM

jojosk
I am assuming that something I said caused this pain of yours... Could I ask what "how-to guide" you are actually referring to? Because I never ever published any guides on this forum.

jojosk · 05-06-2012, 05:44 AM

Hi,
By mentioning a HOW-TO GUIDE I was referring to your post of 04-27-2012, 06:12 PM.
Have you got a better name for a consequence of 5 steps how to achieve a certain result?
:-)))
When I post a how-to on other forums I think of people who don't have the same amount of time to do all the research as I had. Otherwise they'd figure it all out by them selves. People are not stupid, right?
Anyway, if you're not just showing off please add the missing info.
Particularly I mean
1. Which is the correct version of the firmware in respect to what?
2. How can you proceed to the step 3. if the system freezes at the step 2?
3. How can one guess which apps2sd.apk is the right one?
Vsyo yasno?
;-)

rupor · 05-06-2012, 09:38 AM

jojosk
Listen man - read everything or shut up. Do not take somebody's staff out of context and stop giving me pointers, you are not my father.

Especially if you understand Russian - this post was explaining something people got via Google translation out of other forum, where everything you are asking for is explained in EVERY detail. So rather than bragging - go and read my friend, you may actually learn something.

Vsyo yasno?

jojosk · 05-06-2012, 11:49 AM

Relax man,
Did not expect to hurt your eastern pride so easily. A link to the particular content would have been enough. You don't have to post some vague elegies. Just focus on the topic and forget about the person. This is a discussion not a debate.

Hopefully someone else just Copy-Pastes a link to a more concentrated stuff than 97 pages of Russian posts.

04-24-2012, 08:58 AM	#1
SonyReaderT1 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Sony PRS-T1	Usage of the Apps2SD package for a rooted device Hello, the instructions for applying the APPS2SD package are not very detailed on the Wiki page. Before screwing up my shiny new PRS-T1 I just want to make sure that I am doing it right On the translated russian page rupor says that an "absolutly minimal root" has to be put on on the device before installing the Apps2SD package, however this minimal root package is different from the minimal root package of the Wiki page. Is the Apps2SD package compatible with the minimal root package of the Wiki? How do I apply the Apps2SD package? Just unpack somewhere on my Linux system, connect the reader and then run "do_update.sh"? The russian page above mentioned some USB problems after installing Apps2SD. Are these problems solved? It would be nice if someone could answer my questions. Thanks and regards, Joerg

04-24-2012, 02:43 PM	#2
SonyReaderT1 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Sony PRS-T1	Found it Found it in the forum. Didn't expect to find it under No refresh mode in every app. The whole subject is still confusing though ...

04-28-2012, 05:59 AM	#4
SonyReaderT1 Member Posts: 14 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2012 Device: Sony PRS-T1	Still some problems ... @rupor: first of all, thanks for your effort and your root package. I bought an e-book reader and now I have a small tablet. Great! I made a full backup using your recovery package, installed your minimal root and the APPS2SD and also some other apps. Everything is working fine ... ... except that I cannot boot into recovery mode. I wanted to apply some other hacks (Wifi ad-hoc networks, disable firewall etc.) and tried to login to the device, but the reader is not recognized by my computer as a serial device, neither with Windows nor with Linux. I tried several methods (TestTool, Home-Menu-Button), but neither of them worked. When "Opening books" appears and the "slider" is at the far end, it stays there for maybe 30 to 40 seconds (as I said "dmesg" does not show the connection of a serial device and also the DeviceManager in Windows does not show anything). After 30-40 seconds the reader reboots again into normal mode. I could not make much sense out of the translation of the russian page regarding the usage of ebook_msc: Code: "ebook_msc name" PRS-T1 "um recovery" But I would like to stick with Linux anyway ... Is this problem regarding the recovery mode related to the root package or am I doing something wrong? Is there actually anything like a root-shell for Android? Thanks and regards, Joerg

05-04-2012, 10:35 AM	#8
rupor meat popsicle Posts: 225 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: USA Device: Kindles, Pixels, iPads	You could get into "recovery" mode with or without SD. Your problem is to stay in this mode - if I am not mistaken default script in this mode is looking for specially prepared update package and if not found - will simply reboot into normal mode. Recovery SD card is just one of such packages which is created for the sole purpose to stay in the "recovery" mode. Last edited by rupor; 05-04-2012 at 03:03 PM.

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04-27-2012, 02:12 PM	#3
rupor meat popsicle Posts: 225 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: USA Device: Kindles, Pixels, iPads	Minimal root package from WiKi is a bit outdated - package was not updated for a while. I may be wrong but one of the reasons is that porkupan switched to my minimal root some time ago App2SD is compatible with any root package (as long as it has latest Sony firmware version as a base - Linux kernel version is important). The only reason I am suggesting to install root BEFORE App2SD - App2SD needs around 500KB of free space on /system and my minimal root surely provides more than that. You could only have all benefits of App2SD if you are using it with my latest minimal root (or any root which incorporates packages from latest root) - due to the bug in Android services framework which is fixed there (I guees you already seen our exchange with uboot on this subject). So the easiest way to go would be: 1. Make sure you have clean Sony firmware of the proper version 2. Install AMR 3. Install App2SD 4. install applications 5. Enjoy Hope this helps

04-28-2012, 02:50 PM	#5
rupor meat popsicle Posts: 225 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: USA Device: Kindles, Pixels, iPads	I am a bit lost here - since you were able to do full back up using my recovery package - you where in recovery mode! You need to have proper SD card in your device in order to stay in recovery mode and connect to the device - otherwise recovery script simply reboots the device into normal mode, exactly as you are observing ebook_msc is Windows program (created by igorsk and porkupan) which uses Sony proprietary protocol over USB to perform some actions (in this case force reboot into recovery mode), but it would not change anything if you do not have proper SD card - device will simply reboot into normal mode again. In general in order to do "hacking" you are talking about you do not need recovery (and serial connection) - it is more than enough to use normal Android adb connection instead...

04-29-2012, 06:09 AM	#6
uboot Evangelist Posts: 425 Karma: 75216 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: old europe Device: Kobo Mini, Tolino Epos 2	Have you followed the guide here: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/PRST...covery_Console ? ebook_msc is not fail proof for booting into recovery, but the Testmode App and ADB shell should work. Recovery mode is only available if the proper recovery kernel image is flashed. But this kernel image should get installed with the enable ADB package and also with the Apps2SD package....

05-04-2012, 03:39 PM	#9
jojosk Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: PRS-t1	Hi, I tried to apply the AMR on my PRS-T1. It froze the system. I needed to apply the sdcard-rescue package to restore to the factory system. I want to ask of you one practical thing: When you post a how-to guide make sure you attach the required file or link to it. I spent hours looking for the correct version of app2sd and finally gave up being unsuccessful. And please be specific. Instead of something like a "proper version" just specify the version. Please try to understand not all of us are in love with our gadgets and enjoy linux tweaking. Some of us just want to use the gadget for the original purpose. And YES we will be grateful for your help if provided effectively. Thank you.

05-05-2012, 03:37 PM	#12
rupor meat popsicle Posts: 225 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: USA Device: Kindles, Pixels, iPads	jojosk I am assuming that something I said caused this pain of yours... Could I ask what "how-to guide" you are actually referring to? Because I never ever published any guides on this forum.

05-06-2012, 05:44 AM	#13
jojosk Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: PRS-t1	Hi, By mentioning a HOW-TO GUIDE I was referring to your post of 04-27-2012, 06:12 PM. Have you got a better name for a consequence of 5 steps how to achieve a certain result? :-))) When I post a how-to on other forums I think of people who don't have the same amount of time to do all the research as I had. Otherwise they'd figure it all out by them selves. People are not stupid, right? Anyway, if you're not just showing off please add the missing info. Particularly I mean 1. Which is the correct version of the firmware in respect to what? 2. How can you proceed to the step 3. if the system freezes at the step 2? 3. How can one guess which apps2sd.apk is the right one? Vsyo yasno? ;-)

05-06-2012, 09:38 AM	#14
rupor meat popsicle Posts: 225 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: USA Device: Kindles, Pixels, iPads	jojosk Listen man - read everything or shut up. Do not take somebody's staff out of context and stop giving me pointers, you are not my father. Especially if you understand Russian - this post was explaining something people got via Google translation out of other forum, where everything you are asking for is explained in EVERY detail. So rather than bragging - go and read my friend, you may actually learn something. Vsyo yasno?

05-06-2012, 11:49 AM	#15
jojosk Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2012 Device: PRS-t1	Relax man, Did not expect to hurt your eastern pride so easily. A link to the particular content would have been enough. You don't have to post some vague elegies. Just focus on the topic and forget about the person. This is a discussion not a debate. Hopefully someone else just Copy-Pastes a link to a more concentrated stuff than 97 pages of Russian posts.