Database Develop

[MOD] Adfree System without RW Access to /system

Hey there,
this is my first thread ever created by me in a development forum.
I wanted to share my sollution for a adfree Android system, without unlocking the boatloader to get R/W access to /system.
I did try it on my device, everything went fine, but i will not take any kind of reponsibility for your devices. Also your warranty may be void!
What you need:
- rooted XTZ (i tried it on the 16GB Wifi only version)
- busybox installed
- Android SDK or adb.exe
- patched hosts file, I took mine from my HTC ONE with adaway installed (unzip first)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How to do it:
- get a patched hosts file from another device, or use mine (attached)
- put the file on the root of your sd card (so it will be /sdcard/hosts)
- connect your tablet to your PC, make sure usb debuggig is turned on
- launch cmd window, where your adb.exe is located
- entering following commands:
Code:
0. adb shell
1. su
2. stop ric
3. busybox pkill -f /sbin/ric
4. mount -ro remount,rw /system
5. busybox cp -af /sdcard/hosts /system/etc/hosts
- if everything went ok, you should now be able to see all the entries in your /system/etc/hosts file
- sadly you have to update the file if there some new adhosts, but it will remove a lot of annoying ads from all apps and the browser
- the changes are permanent, even at a reboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just let me know, if you have some kind of questions!
thanks @juanyunis for the [TEMPORAL-FIX] Remount RW /system reboot thread, from which i got some ideas.
Greetings from Germany

I have been using the AdAway app continuously since Google decided to eliminate all ad blocking apps from its Play Store and from my experience, AdAway does not require an unlocked boot loader to work, it only requires root access, and AdAway has no problem installing a hosts file in the /system/etc directory, so I am curious about why you have to go through all that.

The problem is, that if you using vroot like i did, and you doing nothing else, you don't have read write access to /system. So adaway, adfree and whatever can't edit the hosts file. Therefore is my little mod to get it done manually

Havoc2k said:
The problem is, that if you using vroot like i did, and you doing nothing else, you don't have read write access to /system. So adaway, adfree and whatever can't edit the hosts file. Therefore is my little mod to get it done manually
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
after vroot, install SuperSU and then all app ad-blocking apps are working good.

nope sorry, i did it, installed vroot, switched to normal superSU and installed busybox. But there is no RW access, so the ad blocking apps will work, but only to the next systemreboot / userswitch
tried all of them, and tried to manually edit the host file, but without access it will not happen
greetings

Havoc2k said:
But there is no RW access
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
strange thing that with root there is no RW access.

Havoc2k said:
nope sorry, i did it, installed vroot, switched to normal superSU and installed busybox. But there is no RW access, so the ad blocking apps will work, but only to the next systemreboot / userswitch
tried all of them, and tried to manually edit the host file, but without access it will not happen
greetings
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tested and have for several months ran AdAway on my XTZ, on which Vroot was used to gain root access and SuperSU is installed, and AdAway has no problem writing a hosts file to the /system/etc directory even though the permissions for the /system and /system/etc directories are set to read-only. So, because I have no problem with AdAway and you apparently have a problem with AdAway, I believe it is likely there is a flaw in your root access setup. But hey, I could be wrong.

SU Binary In /system/xbin, But SuperSU Is Not Working

Besides the SU Binary In /system/xbin, what else do I need for SuperSU to function?
It keeps saying the SU binary is not installed

SpikeyPsyche said:
Besides the SU Binary In /system/xbin, what else do I need for SuperSU to function?
It keeps saying the SU binary is not installed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did you download the su app from the playstore

jerrycoffman45 said:
did you download the su app from the playstore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was rooted on MI9 using the DLV method. I updated to NC2, and the SU binary installed by SuperSU persisted in the /system/xbin/ directory, but the SuperSU app says it is not installed. I wanted to know what, if anything, I can do with the SU binary in place to get the SuperSU app up and running again.

SpikeyPsyche said:
I was rooted on MI9 using the DLV method. I updated to NC2, and the SU binary installed by SuperSU persisted in the /system/xbin/ directory, but the SuperSU app says it is not installed. I wanted to know what, if anything, I can do with the SU binary in place to get the SuperSU app up and running again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am not sure there is anything you can do till we get a root exploit for nc2

yeah, i too have still have su in system/xbin on NC2, but root isn't working. it's weird, but as stated above, we probably need a new exploit or something

Are the permissions correct on the su binary? Might as well check that before we start despairing.

DrAzzy said:
Are the permissions correct on the su binary? Might as well check that before we start despairing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I'm not allowed to set the permissions in Root Explorer without root, but it does show a preview and the permissions do match all the other files in xbin

YrrchSebor said:
Yeah, I'm not allowed to set the permissions in Root Explorer without root, but it does show a preview and the permissions do match all the other files in xbin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here, permissions match all the other binaries in xbin.

SpikeyPsyche said:
Same here, permissions match all the other binaries in xbin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder what this means. I figure we dont need a new kind of su binary, but there must be something in the new software that blocks it from working?
I hope it isn't in the kernel. I had a Sony device last, and we needed an ever so slightly modified kernel in order to get full root on 4.3. But I doubt if we will ever be able to flash kernels.

YrrchSebor said:
I wonder what this means. I figure we dont need a new kind of su binary, but there must be something in the new software that blocks it from working?
I hope it isn't in the kernel. I had a Sony device last, and we needed an ever so slightly modified kernel in order to get full root on 4.3. But I doubt if we will ever be able to flash kernels.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm guessing there is some setting or permission that needs to be changed.

adaway installation on official rom

Has anyone managed to install adaway on any official rom?
The program fails when trying to apply the hosts file.
Yes i have rooted the phone and yes i have granted permisions with supersu to adaway.

revery0 said:
Has anyone managed to install adaway on any official rom?
The program fails when trying to apply the hosts file.
Yes i have rooted the phone and yes i have granted permisions with supersu to adaway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had it many times. AdAway is working very wele. Maybe you have not full rooted phone. Use MyRoM it is full rotted and AdAway is preinstalled and many others additions.

Hey...
First step is normal root. If you are ready you have to delete the immutable.list on system. Then you can use adaway.
Booth ways need busybox! Install it before you try to delete immutable.
Make it with my tool - easy update and adjust (http://forum.xda-developers.com/asc...eandadjust-t2941186/post56774286#post56774286) or make it manuelly with your PC and ADB.
adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount /system
cd system
chattr -R -i *
rm –f /system/set_immutable.list
lsattr (to see if it's still there)
On my device with stock Rom it works well!

Thank you, it works like a charm!!!

revery0 said:
Thank you, it works like a charm!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem...
Wich way you have choosed?

Your script, cause command prompt returned an error when trying to change attributes, the reason was that adb hadnt have su permissions and for some reason supersu didnt prompt me to grant them. But with your script supersu prompt me to give adb su permissions and so i did, after that it worked.
Strange dont you think?

revery0 said:
Your util, cause command prompt returned an error when trying to change attributes, the reason was that wasanted su permiadbwasntions and suidnt proe to give it permissions, but when I tried your script then I got the prompt from supersu and itsusupersudidntsupersu..
Sounds strange dont you think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont understand you complete. But my batch is working for you, thats fine

Auto correction on swype keyboard sucks.... I edited the previous post

revery0 said:
Auto correction on swype keyboard sucks.... I edited the previous post
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah it corrects way u dont want it .. just turn off auto and leave options to pick..

Flashed Chainfire's modified boot.img, still no root? (solved: can't edit build.prop)

I searched, but didn't want to hijack a thread...
I just flashed marshmallow from the factory images (full wipe) with TWRP and chainfire's boot.img (http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/wip-android-6-0-marshmellow-t3219344). Then I downloaded Chainfire's SuperSU 2.52 beta, and flashed it via TWRP. SuperSU is now installed but it doesn't look like root is working, even though SuperSU "grants" apps root access.
What did I do wrong?
Thanks
Edit: Check posts 6/7 for setting SElinux to permissive to be able to edit build.prop

EvanVanVan said:
I searched, but didn't want to hijack a thread...
I just flashed marshmallow from the factory images (full wipe) with TWRP and chainfire's boot.img (http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/wip-android-6-0-marshmellow-t3219344). Then I downloaded Chainfire's SuperSU 2.52 beta, and flashed it via TWRP. SuperSU is now installed but it doesn't look like root is working, even though SuperSU "grants" apps root access.
What did I do wrong?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you define "not working?" I had to free up some space in /system before I could properly install Busybox in order for root apps to function properly.

Yeah, that's probably my exact problem. How can I free up space in system without having root? I tried to uninstall a half dozen Google apps from the play store (at least uninstall them back to their "base version"), but it only freed up like .17mb (Root Explorer said I had 16.17MB free in System instead of the 16MB it said originally).
Edit: Ok, I bought I was able to delete a couple Google Systems apps (Sheets/Slides/PingmeKeyboardwhatever) and have 200MB free in the System partition. I installed BusyBox successfully. I still can't get Root Explorer to open up the build.prop in a text editor.

EvanVanVan said:
Yeah, that's probably my exact problem. How can I free up space in system without having root? I tried to uninstall a half dozen Google apps from the play store (at least uninstall them back to their "base version"), but it only freed up like .17mb (Root Explorer said I had 16.17MB free in System instead of the 16MB it said originally).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
to get root on marshmallow, you need to flash a custom kernel(or modified stock) and supersu 2.5 or 2.51. the custom kernel part is very important.

simms22 said:
to get root on marshmallow, you need to flash a custom kernel(or modified stock) and supersu 2.5 or 2.51. the custom kernel part is very important.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was thinking that's what chainfire's boot.img (http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/wip-android-6-0-marshmellow-t3219344) was?
BetterBatteryStats seems to be installed as a System app properly now, and I could delete file in System/apps with Root Explorer. But I still can't edit my build.prop...
Edit: yeah, root checker says I have full root access. Now just to figure out how to edit the stupid build.prop.
When trying to open the build.prop in the text editor via Root Explorer:
"Root Explorer was unable to read this file. Please check that your device is rooted correctly and that access has been granted at the Superuser prompt."

EvanVanVan said:
I was thinking that's what chainfire's boot.img (http://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/wip-android-6-0-marshmellow-t3219344) was?
BetterBatteryStats seems to be installed as a System app properly now, and I could delete file in System/apps with Root Explorer. But I still can't edit my build.prop...
Edit: yeah, root checker says I have full root access. Now just to figure out how to edit the stupid build.prop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, i had the same issue. pissed me off, couldnt change my build.prop. so i kept on setting up, and rebooted a few times. then, it just starting working properly. and edited my build.prop
it could because i used an app to change SElinux to be permissive.

simms22 said:
lol, i had the same issue. pissed me off, couldnt change my build.prop. so i kept on setting up, and rebooted a few times. then, it just starting working properly. and edited my build.prop
it could because i used an app to change SElinux to be permissive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aha, thank you. Setting SElinux to permissive allowed me to edit the build.prop.
For future reference, I was able to temporarily set SElinux to permissive from the instructions in this thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/how-to-set-selinux-to-permissive-boot-t3034245).
Basically:
Code:
adb shell
su
setenforce 0
Then I was able to edit my build.prop (for my lcd density), and after restarting SElinux reverts back to enforced.

EvanVanVan said:
Aha, thank you. Setting SElinux to permissive allowed me to edit the build.prop.
For future reference, I was able to temporarily set SElinux to permissive from the instructions in this thread (http://forum.xda-developers.com/xposed/how-to-set-selinux-to-permissive-boot-t3034245).
Basically:
Code:
adb shell
su
setenforce 0
Then I was able to edit my build.prop (for my lcd density), and after restarting SElinux reverts back to enforced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ive been using an app for viper4android, it also needs SElinux to be permissive. all i do is press a button to make it permissive or enforcing. it can be done in a terminal emulator app as well.

make system dir writeable

Hi, long story short, I want to make some apps system apps with Link2SD.
I tried using LO14 or some other LO14 based rom and just can't. I read som ewhere that it may be because I have no permissions to write on the system folder. I tried starting TWRP wizard again and setting it to be able to write with no success.
Any help?
I am rooted with magisk working just fine.
thanks!

groggycl said:
Hi, long story short, I want to make some apps system apps with Link2SD.
I tried using LO14 or some other LO14 based rom and just can't. I read som ewhere that it may be because I have no permissions to write on the system folder. I tried starting TWRP wizard again and setting it to be able to write with no success.
Any help?
I am rooted with magisk working just fine.
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I've seen, Some apps don't work well with other SU except for SuperSU. Get rooted using superSU, everything should work just fine. You can always Uninstall and go back to magisk once you're done.

mhrajib said:
As I've seen, Some apps don't work well with other SU except for SuperSU. Get rooted using superSU, everything should work just fine. You can always Uninstall and go back to magisk once you're done.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But should I delete magisk, unroot and root again with super su?
Or is it as simple as installing supersu or something?

groggycl said:
But should I delete magisk, unroot and root again with super su?
Or is it as simple as installing supersu or something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's better to follow the procedure you mentioned Uninstall magisk, install supersu then install magisk again... But only flashing superSU zip will also work I guess. You can give it a try. I've done it once I guess

mhrajib said:
It's better to follow the procedure you mentioned Uninstall magisk, install supersu then install magisk again... But only flashing superSU zip will also work I guess. You can give it a try. I've done it once I guess
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I managed to install supersu but anyways wasn't able to get the /system partition writable. Used many guides and even apps that should do it with superuser permissions and nothing. Just cant.
Any help?

groggycl said:
I managed to install supersu but anyways wasn't able to get the /system partition writable. Used many guides and even apps that should do it with superuser permissions and nothing. Just cant.
Any help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of error do you get?? Can you do other operations through link2sd??

mhrajib said:
What kind of error do you get?? Can you do other operations through link2sd??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the error is the following..
mount: '/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/system'->':/system': Device or resource busy
Thats the error. Tried with titanium backup pro version and it gets stuck "PROCESING" the thing... It uninstall the app I want to move to system app, but then never finishes processing..
I also used a app called mount "/system ro/rw". I grant it superuser permissions and when I hit the "mount /system rw" a message appears that says; "Your device might not be rooted or is it not compatible!"

groggycl said:
mount: '/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/system'->':/system': Device or resource busy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do this from terminal emulator (don't use GUI apps for things like this, they hide important errors most of the time):
Code:
$ su
# lsof /system
And watch for processes that hold the mountpoint.
Code:
# kill <that process id, one by one>
if you're sure they're not doing anything important, then try:
Code:
mount -o rw,remount /system
again.
P.S.: you might need to install BusyBox, I don't know if lsof is available out of the box.

leledumbo said:
Do this from terminal emulator (don't use GUI apps for things like this, they hide important errors most of the time):
Code:
$ su
# lsof /system
And watch for processes that hold the mountpoint.
Code:
# kill <that process id, one by one>
if you're sure they're not doing anything important, then try:
Code:
mount -o rw,remount /system
again.
P.S.: you might need to install BusyBox, I don't know if lsof is available out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've installed busybox and when I try lsof /system it says "toybox: Unknown command lsof", is there any solution?