Leaf 2: Some questions

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

Ah, the new update has just appeared as available on my Leaf 2. Do I or don't I?

What number?

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

What number?

Firmware 3.3.1

Edit: This is the second update I've seen for 3.3.1. To be more exact, it is:

2022-11-14_16-04_3.3.1_41f225958

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

Firmware 3.3.1

Edit: This is the second update I've seen for 3.3.1. To be more exact, it is:

2022-11-14_16-04_3.3.1_41f225958

This I didnt get.
I have 2022-10-29_19.....

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

This I didnt get.
I have 2022-10-29_19.....

That's the previous one.

This is odd. I hadn't downloaded or installed that newest update when I first saw it. Now, when I go to Firmware Update in Settings, it says that I have the latest firmware, which is the one you have. In Update history, it says that my last update was the 14 Nov one which I haven't downloaded yet! I may not get that latest update after all!

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

That's the previous one.

This is odd. I hadn't downloaded or installed that newest update when I first saw it. Now, when I go to Firmware Update in Settings, it says that I have the latest firmware, which is the one you have. In Update history, it says that my last update was the 14 Nov one which I haven't downloaded yet! I may not get that latest update after all!

I got mine yesterday eveningand today morning I saw a black point at "Einstellungen".
When looking for an update, there was no.

[CrazyCoder]

I've already posted about this update in another thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...42#post4273742.

Installed, rooted, works fine.

It looks like they removed it, at least according to this update link.

If anyone needs an upx file, it's still available here: http://firmware-us.boox.com/c9c6293c...62d/update.upx.
Onyx/Leaf2/Leaf2:11/2022-11-14_16-04_3.3.1_41f225958/1734:user/dev-keys

[downeaster59]

Hmmm.... why would Onyx have removed the update? In the past, they have done so only when there were problems with the update. Better to pass, just to be sure.

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

Hmmm.... why would Onyx have removed the update? In the past, they have done so only when there were problems with the update. Better to pass, just to be sure.

Today I got it and I installed, because it seems important for me - it can change the button direction and loud/direction for every app.

[Garret]

I am supposed to receive the Leaf 2 today and join the club (ordered through ereader.store).
I have been reading all messages on this thread and also on the other ("Three new Boox readers") about the rooting process but admit I can't really get it at all.

I have had some experience in the past with installing roms in android devices and also Magisk on rooted devices but everything you have been mentioning (framework.jar, create a module with magisk, etc...) seems quite difficult and don't really get how to do it.

Do you know where can I find an easy guide to follow stepwise?

As I understand, it seems safe to update the device to the latest firmware when I receive it and then my plan was to root it, especially to avoid the device phoning home to China but to get the extra functionality with the keys as well.

Thank you very much in advance!

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by Garret

I am supposed to receive the Leaf 2 today and join the club (ordered through ereader.store).
I have been reading all messages on this thread and also on the other ("Three new Boox readers") about the rooting process but admit I can't really get it at all.

I have had some experience in the past with installing roms in android devices and also Magisk on rooted devices but everything you have been mentioning (framework.jar, create a module with magisk, etc...) seems quite difficult and don't really get how to do it.

Do you know where can I find an easy guide to follow stepwise?

As I understand, it seems safe to update the device to the latest firmware when I receive it and then my plan was to root it, especially to avoid the device phoning home to China but to get the extra functionality with the keys as well.
Thank you very much in advance!

Unless you want to remap the side buttons, then the discussion about framework.jar and Magisk modules isn't relevant for you.

Basically, as you may already know, if you want to root with Magisk, you need the boot.img for your device. Getting boot.img for an Onyx device is where it gets complicated. Moreover, there are no custom recoveries like TWRP for the Leaf 2 yet. That takes away some rooting options.

I know of two options. One is to extract it from an update. Onyx sends out updates in the format update.upx, not update.zip. So, we need to convert one to the other. That's where DeBooxUpx.py comes in. Even when converted to update.zip, you still don't get boot.img, but a larger img file that contains it. So, you need another process to finally extract boot.img. Both need to be set up on your desktop or laptop.

The second option is to use edl mode. That requires installation of the proper packages on your desktop/laptop, enabling adb on your device, finding a loader for your device, and some dumb luck. Edl mode is finnicky, but a bit simpler as far as what you need to do beforehand to set it up.

I say this to give you an indication of what it might take to write up a guide for either process. The info is on this forum in bits and pieces. A written guide to rooting would be very useful. It would take time to do it well, though.

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Today I got it and I installed, because it seems important for me - it can change the button direction and loud/direction for every app.

If this is the case, then any problems with the update must have been minor or easily corrected. I'll look for it!

[ottischwenk]

Originally Posted by downeaster59

If this is the case, then any problems with the update must have been minor or easily corrected. I'll look for it!

Or Boox has server problems - i had to try to connect 4 times.

[downeaster59]

Originally Posted by ottischwenk

Or Boox has server problems - i had to try to connect 4 times.

I can attest to the server problems. I also had difficulties downloading this update. I finally did, and now it's installed. I tried it out before rooting again in order to see if the changes in the side button controls would have any effect on the apps that could not use the buttons before. No effect, as it turns out. I'll still need to root and to have a patched framework.jar.

[Garret]

Originally Posted by Renate

Eventually it will be possible using my mergesmali.exe and smali patches.
Right now baksmali (in apktool) is not up to speed so that I have to use my (recently updated) dexdump.exe to figure out offsets inside classes.dex
Then I have to hexedit it by hand.

At this very moment I'm working on "kpatch.exe".
It's a utility for patching kernels where all the addresses have changed.
It works in tandem with "kallsyms.exe".

Each sentence of what you said is like alien language to me.
However, it seems that if I wait enough time a simpler procedure should come out to root the device?

In the meanwhile, I received the device yesterday. Really satisfied with the flush screen (at least to me who relies a lot on android hand gestures).

[downeaster59]

@Garret: Renate is talking about things that can be done only after the device is already rooted. They have nothing to do with the rooting process itself. That said, you may need someone to walk you through the rooting process, step-by-step, or someone to write up a rooting procedure that you can follow. I've written up rooting procedures for other devices. If I have the time, I'll try to do one for the Leaf 2. I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do.