[Privacy Discussion] DeGoogle & Debloat - Root & adb uninstall

[denisuu]

Since the screen was broken on the Leaf 1 and the Leaf 2 was coming out I ordered the Leaf 2 White.

I will probably root it to install AFWall+ when I receive it. Root would also make it possible to remove all the Onyx Apps completely. (not just for user0 through adb) that might brick the device or make it bootloop. Since there is no recovery it's not possible to make a Nandroid backup and I wouldn't know how to factory reset it. Is there a way to make a backup or flash a factory image just in case?

I would install a different launcher like [E-Ink launcher, 4.2+] Simple Ink Launcher
before fully removing the default launcher of course.

I'm guessing that removing every Onyx app (including the launcher) might break the side-buttons, has anyone tried that?

[Renate]

Originally Posted by denisuu

I'm guessing that removing every Onyx app...

should not cause any major problems.
Just don't disable or delete SystemUI.apk
If you want a recovery I can probably mix up a recovery for the Leaf2 if you want to be a Beta. Get/post a rec.img
If it's not in an update use EDL and copy it from your device.

[denisuu]

Sure, I want to be a Beta tester. I'll send you the files once I receive the device. You're intending on porting TWRP or Clockworkmod? Do you use a custom recovery on your device?

It's possible to make a backup image before removing systemapps with root? I guess I could backup the system partition and flash it back with fastboot incase things go south?

[Renate]

Originally Posted by denisuu

You're intending on porting TWRP or Clockworkmod?

No, I just make a minimal recovery with a rooted, permissive ADB. You can still access stock recovery from it.

[denisuu]

Originally Posted by Renate

No, I just make a minimal recovery with a rooted, permissive ADB. You can still access stock recovery from it.

Just out of curiosity how would you achieve that? Any guides or resources on that?

There are many tutorials on porting TWRP. I find this interesting so it might be fun thing to have a go at later. I can already see myself messing around with it more than using it for its intended purpose (reading).

[denisuu]

I received the Leaf 2

I installed:
Simple Ink Launcher
F-Droid
Simple Keyboard
KoReader
Fennec


Then uninstalled these 77 apps through ADB:

pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.bips
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.bluetoothmidiservice
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.calllogbackup
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.cellbroadcastreceiver
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.cellbroadcastreceiver.module
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.cellbroadcastservice
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.cts.ctsshim
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.cts.priv.ctsshim
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.dreams.phototable
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.egg
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.emergency
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.display.cutout.emulation.corner
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.display.cutout.emulation.double
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.display.cutout.emulation.hole
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.display.cutout.emulation.tall
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.display.cutout.emulation.waterfall
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural_extra_wide_back
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural_narrow_back
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural_onyx
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.gestural_wide_back
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.internal.systemui.navbar.threebutton
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.nfc
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.printservice.recommendation
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.protips
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.providers.blockednumber
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.providers.contacts
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.quicksearchbox
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.smspush
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.amethyst
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.aquamarine
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.black
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.carbon
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.cinnamon
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.green
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.ocean
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.orchid
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.palette
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.purple
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.sand
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.space
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.color.tangerine
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon.teardrop
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon_pack.victor.android
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon_pack.victor.launcher
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon_pack.victor.settings
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon_pack.victor.systemui
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.theme.icon_pack.victor.themepicker
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.android.vending
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.gms
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.gsf
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.partnersetup
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.syncadapters.calendar
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.syncadapters.contacts
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.tts
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.android.ksync
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.android.onyxotaservice
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.android.production.test
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.appmarket
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.calculator
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.dict
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.easytransfer
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.factorytest
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.floatingbutton
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.igetshop
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.kime
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.kreader
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.latinime
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.onyx.mail
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.qualcomm.embms
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.qualcomm.qti.sva
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.simplemobiletools.clock
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.simplemobiletools.gallery
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.simplemobiletools.musicplayer
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.simplemobiletools.voicerecorder
pm uninstall -k --user 0 org.chromium.chrome

[twno1]

Originally Posted by denisuu

Since the screen was broken on the Leaf 1 and the Leaf 2 was coming out I ordered the Leaf 2 White.

I will probably root it to install AFWall+ when I receive it. Root would also make it possible to remove all the Onyx Apps completely. (not just for user0 through adb) that might brick the device or make it bootloop. Since there is no recovery it's not possible to make a Nandroid backup and I wouldn't know how to factory reset it. Is there a way to make a backup or flash a factory image just in case?

I would install a different launcher like [E-Ink launcher, 4.2+] Simple Ink Launcher
before fully removing the default launcher of course.

I'm guessing that removing every Onyx app (including the launcher) might break the side-buttons, has anyone tried that?

Just don't Uninstall com.onyx and the NeoReader to let navigation gesture and lock screen work properly(for V3.3 )

[denisuu]

Instruction on how I rooted the Leaf 2 can be found here: Boox Leaf 2 general discussion

Does anyone know how I can extract the stock recovery from the device? (It's rooted) I don't find any good instructions on that.

[denisuu]

Originally Posted by twno1

Just don't Uninstall com.onyx and the NeoReader to let navigation gesture and lock screen work properly(for V3.3 )

On 3.3.1 I didn't run in to any issues so far. Gestures still work though a navbar appears at the bottom, it isn't visible in KoReader so it doesn't bother me.

https://imgur.com/a/i8U9zHH

[mergen3107]

I also disabled com.onyx on my Onyx Boox Kon-Tiki 2. Lockscreen and gestures work, however if I need to change them I need to enable com.onyx again.

By the way, pm disable is virtually the same as pm uninstall for user 0. Don’t actually uninstall apks from system, there is verity check upon each reboot. So you might brick device.

@denisuu
To your question about recovery extraction, use edl from GitHub

[Renate]

Originally Posted by denisuu

Does anyone know how I can extract the stock recovery from the device?

# dd if=/dev/block/by-name/recovery of=/sdcard/rec.img
# ^D
C:\>adb pull sdcard/rec.img

[denisuu]

@renate

I already tried that, it doesn't work.

PS C:\> adb shell
Leaf2:/ $ su
Leaf2:/ # dd if=/dev/block/by-name/recovery of=/storage/E088-7398/Backup/recovery.img
dd: /dev/block/by-name/recovery: No such file or directory

When I search for recovery, nothing is found either.

find / recovery

I'm just dumping the whole MMC now.

dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/mmcblk0 of=/storage/E088-7398/Backup/mmcblk0.bin

[Renate]

Originally Posted by denisuu

I already tried that, it doesn't work.

Well, mine's called that.

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 20 1971-06-12 08:48 recovery -> /dev/block/mmcblk0p9

Maybe you've got that new-fangled stuff where recovery is part of the regular boot image.
Did you list out /dev/block/by-name ?

Also, with EDL you can back up directly without using dd or an SD card/flash drive.

[denisuu]

Ah I found it, seems there are 2 recovery partitions.

Leaf2:/ $ ls -al /dev/block/platform/soc/4744000.sdhci/by-name | grep recovery
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 21 1970-01-26 15:09 recovery_a -> /dev/block/mmcblk0p16
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 21 1970-01-26 15:09 recovery_b -> /dev/block/mmcblk0p17

I looked in to the EDL method and found it quite complicated. I was able to get the device detected but that was as far as I got. Although dumping the whole MMC took a while, It's nice to have a full dump. I can extract what I need now.

Thanks for the help guys!

[Renate]

C:\>edl.exe /lpoke3.bin
C:\>edl.exe /r wholedump.img
C:\>edl.exe /r /puserdata justdata.img
C:\>edl.exe /z