Hisense A5

[patjee]

Originally Posted by Anghirrim

Hi both, you may have you answers in my post just above yours.

The link I was given by the cect-shop guys is unfortunately not good. Maybe one of you can ask them an updated one.

I am at two questions already

I've asked them, so will let you know what they answer.

[patjee]

Originally Posted by patjee

I've asked them, so will let you know what they answer.

Here's the new ROM!

please try and use the following link https://mega.nz/folder/oxsz1ApK#GGCK9r-n1yfT2cZqdpXj0g to download the multi-language ROM for the HiSense A5 E-ink phone.

I've just downloaded it.

Sorry, I'm new to Android... How do I change the ROM? Does it mean losing the data on the phone? Any help is appreciated.

Cheers.

[Anghirrim]

Originally Posted by patjee

Here's the new ROM!

please try and use the following link https://mega.nz/folder/oxsz1ApK#GGCK9r-n1yfT2cZqdpXj0g to download the multi-language ROM for the HiSense A5 E-ink phone.

I've just downloaded it.

Sorry, I'm new to Android... How do I change the ROM? Does it mean losing the data on the phone? Any help is appreciated.

Cheers.

Don't try anything for now. They still are giving a link for a ROM for the HLTE730T, which is the Hisense A6L. This is surprising as the Hisense A5 is the HLTE202N, and it has a different hardware.

This would be surprising that Roms for both phones are compatible.

However, I have seen several threads combining A6L and A5, plus both their link to the forum and to Mega are pointing to the same .zip file.

So they "may" be compatible, but needs to be confirmed first. Otherwise, you may brick your phone by not flashing the right ROM on the right phone.

[Anghirrim]

BTW, for those who need, see below a Google translate version of the instructions to flash a TFDownlad Hisense file.


Once again, I would strongly recommend NOT TO flash this file until it's confirmed it can work on a Hisense A5 (it's named after HLTE730T, which is the Hisense A6L):

Upgrade method:
Use T card to upgrade.
(1) Upgrade notes:
1. The upgrade operation will clear all non-factory preset user information in the mobile phone. Please save important information in advance.
2. Make sure that the battery power is sufficient. It is recommended that the battery has at least 50% power to avoid interruption of the power during the upgrade process and cause the upgrade to fail.
(2) Preparations before T card upgrade:
1. Prepare a TF card, first format the TF card into FAT format;
2. Unzip the downloaded product software version (usually compressed package and divided into multiple compressed sub-packages), and copy the resulting folder named "HLTE202N_TF" to the root directory of the TF card;
3. Put the TF card into the mobile phone and put the battery into the mobile phone. Confirm that the battery charge is greater than 50%, if the battery charge is low, please charge first;
(3) T card upgrade process
1. Hold down both side buttons "Volume +" and "Volume-" at the same time, then press the power button, the phone will automatically enter the T card upgrade mode for upgrade, if the phone does not enter the T card upgrade mode, please shut down Then repeat the operation.
2. Wait about 5 minutes for the upgrade to complete, and a prompt for successful upgrade will be displayed.
3. Restart according to the prompt after the upgrade is successful. If there is no such prompt, press and hold the power button for more than 20 seconds to restart. The first boot after the upgrade will take a long time, which is several times the normal boot time. Please be patient.

[patjee]

Once again, I would strongly recommend NOT TO flash this file until it's confirmed it can work on a Hisense A5 (it's named after HLTE730T, which is the Hisense A6L):


Right! I've asked CECT for confirmation so once I have that in writing I could at least claim some type of "insurance" if they say I can proceed. I'll let you know.

An update from the Q&A on their site (https://www.cect-shop.com/en/hisense-a5.html?v=11377) > So far, we have not tested the ROM ourselves yet. Our technician has received the same ROM as you and we are about to try to flash the new firmware on the HiSense A5.

So, definitely wait.

[Anghirrim]

Wow impressed, they really are patient.

[kconan]

Thanks for the updates!

[Anghirrim]

Some progress on XDA

https://forum.xda-developers.com/and...t4058081/page5

[Anghirrim]

Updates:

- XDA guys found a man on Taobao offering root + play store installation for a 30rmb fee (about 4US$). I don't like the method, but if someone is interested....

- Those same guys downloaded the official .zip firmware files from Hisense forums. I have asked them if they could upload one to see if we could extract and do something with it.

- They also created a WeChat group for live discussion if one is interested.

[Anghirrim]

Hello,

Update again after some more investigation on rooted process:

- Downgrade the phone to a specific version of the official firmware (by puting the firmware on an micro SD card and boot under TF mode (vol Up+Down and Power)

- Put the phone under Emergency Download more (EDL mode) using "adb reboot edl"

- Then the Taobao guy runs a password protected .exe file (approx.11Mb) that executes something on the phone within seconds

- Reboot, install Magisk Manager, and check root status.

- Then manually add the gapps apk's into /system/priv-app to get Playstore up and running.

Based on this, our assumption is that the Taobao guy somehow managed to patch with Magisk a boot.img (a boot.img dump of the A5 is about 10.6Mo), then flash it onto the phone using Qualcomm tool (QPST) and the edl mode.

One of the A5 owner on XDA has one of this "rooted A5" made a dump of his boot.img.

We're now trying to figure out if with the Qualcomm tools, we can flash a specific partition.

Will keep you posted.

For those who want, I've asked some more question on Magisk official support thread.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/sho...ostcount=39661

[mobile12]

thanks to everyone working on this, I haven't been any help but appreciate people's efforts

[tarlcab]

Originally Posted by cartz

The CECT SHOP are now offering the A5 with an optional firmware that has Google Play. It won't have OTA updates so it is not official but they have obviously found a way to hack it on there.

Looks as if Alieexpress is also selling versions of this phone with play store.
Bummer we still can't get a6 or a6l with play store.

[lowsense]

Originally Posted by tarlcab

Looks as if Alieexpress is also selling versions of this phone with play store.
Bummer we still can't get a6 or a6l with play store.

I'm pretty sure you can have play store on A6 and A6L, I have seen it awhile ago.
But I don't remember where, probably XDA Developer.

[skynet84]

Originally Posted by lowsense

I'm pretty sure you can have play store on A6 and A6L, I have seen it awhile ago.
But I don't remember where, probably XDA Developer.

Do you remember which thread on XDA?
Cause, as far as I know, you can install Playstore on A6L with Apks, but some Google service will not work (like Keep and Gmail).
Maybe I'm wrong...

[lowsense]

Originally Posted by skynet84

Do you remember which thread on XDA?
Cause, as far as I know, you can install Playstore on A6L with Apks, but some Google service will not work (like Keep and Gmail).
Maybe I'm wrong...

Sorry I don't remember where exactly, but there were multiple people saying A6L can install Google stuff (I'm not sure what exactly). What I remember is that they said it's kinda easy, just install play store or similar things from the pre-installed Hisense Store, as A6L already has the frameworks. But don't count on what I said, I could remember wrong.

As for A6, there is a rom with all the google services on XDA-developer.

Sorry I don't have either of those 2 devices, can't help that much.