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Stupid questions regarding Updating and Root Access

Tags: 7cg2 root gps.conf gps

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Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/10 - 22:10

Hello everyone, this is my first post here, and I'm sure it will seem like a stupid question to most of you.

I'm here because I wanted to avoid having to buy a £800 Windows Laptop, just to run a few programs like email, web browsing, and occasionally to be able to pinpoint my exact location on a map.

I ended up with a £79 Arnova 7CG2, which I am reasonably happy with, apart from the fact that the GPS facility does not seem to work with Map software.

GPS Status and GPS Test seems to prove that the hardware components are OK though - they quickly finds between 6 and 8 satellites with good signal strength readings, and eventually shows additional information like local sunrise/sunset times, UTC time and date, etc.

Map programs like Google Maps and Mapdroyd don't seem to be able to use the GPS hardware to determine a location though, but I think I have found that the problem is with a 'gps.conf' file - and possibly another file, which need to be edited.

Most of the advice I have found so far by using the Search function, suggests that I need to 'Root' the device, and I would tend to agree - but I am at a loss as to what steps I need to take to do this.

Some other suggestions include flashing various updated custom roms to the device, and that also sounds like good advice, but again, I have not the first idea of where to start.

If this was a file on my Linux PC, I would probably open a terminal and do: >sudo gedit /etc/gps.conf - but how do I do that in Android?

Grateful thanks in advance for any help.

Alan.

globula_neagra

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2012/06/10 - 22:16

there is a guide that helps you to root, and flash custom firmwares

ROMS
http://www.arctablet.com/blog/forum/arnova-7c-g2-android-firmware-development/nano-cfw-arnova7cg2/
http://www.arctablet.com/blog/forum/arnova-7c-g2-android-firmware-development/glob_be_one-roms-arnova-7cg2-7c-g2-globula-sense-xperia-launcher-gapps/

Guides
http://www.arctablet.com/blog/forum/arnova-7c-g2-android-firmware-development/stock-rom-download-and-flash-tutorial/
http://www.arctablet.com/blog/forum/arnova-7c-g2-android-firmware-development/what-is-adb-and-fastboot-how-to-install-and-use/
http://www.arctablet.com/blog/forum/arnova-7c-g2-android-firmware-development/how-to-flash-a-rom-on-arnova-1/

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Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/10 - 22:44

Thank you for your prompt reply, but I have already studied those guides - I was just hoping there was some other way to edit a 10 line text file without having to buy the Windows Laptop that the Arnova was supposed to be doing the work of.

I have a Linux PC and a Linux Laptop, but can't get the SDK ADB or Fastboot to work other than for Windows.

I do not have access to a Windows PC, but seriously - is that the only way I can edit a simple little text file on an Android Tablet???

Regards,

Alan.

globula_neagra

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2012/06/10 - 23:08

yes, that is the only way, by getting root acces to the tablet.
you should be able to install android sdk also on linux, it is something that you do wrong
you also need the usb drivers for the arnova 7c g2

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globula_neagra

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2012/06/11 - 00:45

oh, i remebered, you can use a virtual machine, on which you could install windows 7 🙂

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Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/11 - 07:55

Thanks again,

I guess it is fortunate that you don't need a Mainframe or have to launch your own comms satellite to change a simple config item - but I wish I had bought the Windows Laptop first, I could have saved £79 on the Arnova!

Regards,

Alan.

globula_neagra

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2012/06/11 - 19:15

It is sad that you consider that, all the android devices in the root process it is involved a computer.

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2012/06/11 - 19:17

Taught2BeCautious said
Thank you for your prompt reply, but I have already studied those guides - I was just hoping there was some other way to edit a 10 line text file without having to buy the Windows Laptop that the Arnova was supposed to be doing the work of.

I have a Linux PC and a Linux Laptop, but can't get the SDK ADB or Fastboot to work other than for Windows.

I do not have access to a Windows PC, but seriously - is that the only way I can edit a simple little text file on an Android Tablet???

Regards,

Alan.

Hello Alan,

What's not working with ADB on Linux ?

Cheers.

If you like our web site, applications and firmwares, feel free to support our site. Donations are used to pay the bills for our server hosting costs, development tools and purchase new tablets to support.

Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/11 - 22:10

admin said
Hello Alan,

What's not working with ADB on Linux ?

Cheers.

I downloaded a file called Android-sdk_r18-linux.tgz but can't get it to install - I just get thousands of error messages.

It's too much of a paradox for me to have to buy an expensive computer just to make a cheap one work - especially when it's just a simple config file, but it doesn't end there - I just got a reply from Arnova Tech Support.

They suggest that because the GPS module uses so much power, that I should plug in the mains charger.

Brilliant - satellite navigation that only works when it's plugged into the mains! Why didn't I think of that!

Regards,

Alan.

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2012/06/11 - 22:34

The difficulty about the config file (if that's really the problem, I'm wouldn't be 100% sure) is that you can't modify it on a non rooted device.

Flashing a custom firmware thru fastboot is an easy thing, I made this quick video about it...

The only problem you're having is getting adb to work on your computer, maybe other forum members or myself to get you fixed; which Linux distribution are you using ? which platform (Intel, 32 bits, 64 bits) ?

Finally, I won't comment on Arnova nonsense answer to your problem Confused

globula_neagra

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2012/06/11 - 23:08

We offer our support, you just need to accept it 🙂
I have installed a custom firmware on debian linux, that had a virtual machine with windows 7.
http://www.arctablet.com/blog/forum/arnova-7c-g2-android-firmware-development/need-help-to-flash-im-here-1/
Check this topic, i have spended hours with others to make their device more usable, the difference was that the rest have tried other ways and thei not embraced " the device is shit for 80 pounds", when you wish more, you make it happen.

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Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/17 - 11:28

I really appreciate all the help so far, I think I'm just having a few hardware issues at the moment.

I finally managed to get the Android SDK installed on my Ubuntu PC. I followed the instructions to get the Platform-Tools added, but I still can't get Fastboot or ADB to run.

/android-sdk-linux/platform-tools# dir

aapt aidl dexdump fastboot llvm-rs-cc renderscript
adb api dx lib NOTICE.txt source.properties

/android-sdk-linux/platform-tools#sudo fastboot devices

fastboot: command not found

The Ubuntu PC mounts the Arnova as 2 Devices - one with a 2.6Gb 'MSDOS' file system, and the other as the 8Gb SD Card.

It is difficult for me to be able to tell what exactly is going wrong, because some things work - like copying files both ways - but things like Fastboot and ADB don't work.

I notice from the Arnova Tech website that the method to update the stock firmware is to download the appropriate 'system.img' file and copy it to the device. When the device is switched on, it finds the file and installs it.

Unfortunately, this works for all of the Arnova range - except the 7cG2!

globula_neagra

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2012/06/17 - 13:20

there is no firmware for arnova 7cg2 on the official site, and you can`t flash another device firmware on the arnova
have you installed the usb drivers ? (if you do not have the drivers installed you can not use adb and fastboot)
can you go in the /android-sdk-linux/platform-tools/ and see what you if you have the fastboot, and adb files

can you tell me more about the 2.6 gb msdos file system, can you acces it, what is on that file system ?

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Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/17 - 16:36

I made some rough notes:

Android

data

Data

DCIM

100ANDRO

CAMERA

download

LOST.DIR

lrc

Music

sdcard

System

APK

AT, AU, BE, ... COMMON, ... VN, ZA (49 folders in total)

205 Items, totalling 710.1Mb

975.9Mb Used, 1.6GB Free, 2.6GB Total.

Filesystem: msdos

It definitely wasn't a partition of the SD Card, as I could see it when it was removed... but it is different now, I did a reset and I can't see the msdos partition any more. It may have been due to a couple of files I was using - Ghost Commander and File Expert.

Now I can only see the SD Card.

Taught2BeCautious

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2012/06/17 - 16:52

I also looked for USB drivers - there are some in the SDK, but flagged "Not compatible with Linux". Can't find anything else listed for Ubuntu, all the drivers seem to be for Windows.

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