Rooting Boyue Likebook

[guest]

Let's start with the usual formula: you are the only one responsible for what you do with your device. If you do what follows, without any doubt you will brick your device. And you will be sad. Most likely you will cry. And no one will help you. Well, at least for sure I won't. The only think I can advice you: DO NOT DO THIS.

Now that you know what kind future awaits you, here are some steps (most likely incomplete and incorrect) that will give you hope to root Boyue ereader, but eventually will prove to you that you shouldn't have done this:

• Download from your device system.img. You can use for example rkflashtool.
• Download flashable SuperSu. For example SuperSU-v2.82-201705271822.zip.
• Mount system.img to a local folder.
• Unpack from SuperSu zip: folders common and arm64 and /META-INF/com/google/android/update-binary script.
• Now the hard part: read update-binary and modify it (*) so it can be run on a mounted local folder. The script contains comments specifying what should be done. Those comment's aren't exactly correct, but they are helpful.
• Unmount system.img and upload it to your device.
• Now most likely you have a bricked device. What can you do about it? Don't ask me - I have no idea. Also don't ask Boyue. They were kind enough to provide a pretty decent device with the ability to root it. It wouldn't be very nice to bother them because you thought that you can make it even better than they did, and you have failed.

(*) - you can also take a look at this script (I didn't use exactly this script to root my Ares, but the one I used was similar):

PREFIX=parent_directory_of_mounted_system

set_perm() {
  chown $2:$3 $1 || exit 1
  chmod $4 $1    || exit 1
}

mkdir_perm() {
  mkdir -p $1 || exit 1
  set_perm $1 $2 $3 $4
}

cp_perm() {
  cp $1 $2 || exit 1
  set_perm $2 $3 $4 $5
}

mv_perm() {
  mv $1 $2 || exit 1
  set_perm $2 $3 $4 $5
}

mkdir_perm  "${PREFIX}/system/app/SuperSU"  0  0  0755
mkdir_perm  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/.ext"     0  0  0777

cp_perm  common/Superuser.apk        "${PREFIX}/system/app/SuperSU/SuperSU.apk"  0  0  0644
cp_perm  common/install-recovery.sh  "${PREFIX}/system/etc/install-recovery.sh"  0  0  0755
cp_perm  arm64/su                    "${PREFIX}/system/xbin/su"                  0  0  0755
cp_perm  arm64/su                    "${PREFIX}/system/bin/.ext/.su"             0  0  0755
cp_perm  arm64/su                    "${PREFIX}/system/xbin/daemonsu"            0  0  0755
cp_perm  arm64/supolicy              "${PREFIX}/system/xbin/supolicy"            0  0  0755
cp_perm  arm64/libsupol.so           "${PREFIX}/system/lib64/libsupol.so"        0  0  0644

cp_perm  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process64"  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process64_original"  0  2000  0755
mv_perm  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process64"  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process_init"        0  2000  0755

mv  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/install-recovery.sh"  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/install-recovery_original.sh" || exit 1
rm  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process" || exit 1

ln -s  /system/etc/install-recovery.sh  "${PREFIX}/system/bin/install-recovery.sh" || exit 1
ln -s  /system/xbin/daemonsu            "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process"         || exit 1
ln -s  /system/xbin/daemonsu            "${PREFIX}/system/bin/app_process64"       || exit 1

# After installation, run '/system/xbin/su --install', which may need to
# perform some additional installation steps.

[pazos]

You probably need to modify boot.img, add an oneshot service that starts daemonsu on a valid selinux context. From 4.2 onwards installing /system/xbin/su isn't enough to get a root shell.

[TifyHab]

I can confirm the script you put together works and persists between factory resets on my newly bought BoYue LemonRead S62A.

[WurstH]

Originally Posted by pazos

You probably need to modify boot.img, add an oneshot service that starts daemonsu on a valid selinux context. From 4.2 onwards installing /system/xbin/su isn't enough to get a root shell.

Hi there my dear friend, I am lost of finding ways how to do it. Is there a chance, you can give me instructions the way you did it, if better in the private way. I do not trust these chinese devices, but there just aint any alternative for out there, Thank you so crazy much!

[Quoth]

I'm curious as to the purpose of rooting a Boyue Likebook.
The Mars I have allows turning on / off the Google Framework. Only needed for PlayStore & Google Playbooks so far.
The Playstore Android apps or other Android apps that don't work, don't work because it's eink. Rooting won't help that.

An Android APK can be installed by direct download using the supplied browser, or USB copy, or copy via SD-Card. Then they install. Such as KOReader which isn't (or wasn't) on the Playstore.

Normally I don't have WiFi or BT on.

Any mainstream Android phone seems less private.

Kindle App calls "home" even if not run. KoReader, Libby, Borrowbox, K9-email, Lichess, Kobo app and Musicolet all work without the Google Framework.

[WurstH]

Originally Posted by Quoth

I'm curious as to the purpose of rooting a Boyue Likebook.

Well, even the fact that it is a chinese device handling private stuff like my browsing, mailing so one gives me a cough.
There just ain't any usefulll device out there (Pinenote) yet.

So, the main reason for root is to install Magisk with xPrivacy, Afwall with filterlists for spycompanys and chinese adresses etc., being able to play around generall speaking and killing everything with the super power of SU My old phone going back to 2011 runs quicker than new phones being a year old as I limit everything the way like it
I can even run Linux like PuppyLinux for good

You might be right, but there a way to take back the controll over your devices (see eff, Replicant or Mike Kuketz with a translator)



Soooo, is there any way contact the smart guys of the forum being capable to do the fun stuff? I am to old for this

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by WurstH

Well, even the fact that it is a chinese device handling private stuff like my browsing, mailing so one gives me a cough.

OK, thanks.
If you are not Chinese or not working for a government then Google is more of a threat on a Chinese Android (and all Android, using Chrome OS, gmail and Chrome Browser too). Android Messages (used for SMS) may share all with Google. Not just gmail, but Android Mail shares all with Google, and the SPTP, POP3 or IMAP credentials are actually used by Google/Alphabet server to access the email, Android Mail isn't a true email client at all, which is why I use K9 Email on Android. I did use Signal as the SMS client for a while on the phone, but they dropped it. I must look at something else because Google is now making a pop-up offering chat every time I go to compose an SMS.

So while there are risks with some Chinese products, surveillance by other "Actors" is a bigger issue for most people outside China. US was caught pre-loading spyware on Cisco. Amazon & Google home products (Ring, Nest etc) are a bigger issue than a Chinese brand ereader.

1) On Android ereader I only use wiFi to use the library in Ireland, though I have K9 email. Occasionally add an app.

2) I've not found any browser / eink combination I'd care to use.

3) On regular Android I only have a few Internet using Apps: Viber, K9 email, Firefox, Shortwave schedule, Telegram, Signal and one other. I never install an app to replace a website. Mostly I only use those on a Tablet. Mobile Data is disabled on all the phones (including background) and the phone WiFi only on occasionally for Viber.

4) Location and GPS is disabled on all Android devices. I know where I am and have maps. I also had a rechargeable BT GPS which can sit at window etc. I've used it years ago with the laptop (XP then Linux) in the car. Not used it in years, though I checked it recently and it still charges & connects.