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Root Unbrick Kyocera Hydro with No Google Play and No File Manager

S

susaqazi

Newbie
Hi

I am newb to this android world. Recently I did a mistake of uninstalling a few system apps after rooting the phone using the Poot method. However the end result was that I started getting the error "com.google.process.gapps has stopped".

I thought it was due to some apps not being there and I went ahead and reset the phone using built-in recovery. Now the problem is that I also lost the file manager as well as browser on the phone. And now there is no Poot or any other file manager on the phone. There is Google Play Store app on the phone but it keeps saying that "unfortunately Google Play store has stopped", even when I try to open the Play Store, I get the same error. Gmail is behaving the same way. However I can tell that my phone is not completely broken. I still get the network signals as well as the WIFI is also working.

I have looked into the option of installing/pushing the poot, Ministro and even a file manager apk's into the system/app folder using Android SDK and ADB. However I do not see these apps in the menu after rebooting the phone. I need some help in this regards. In particular if someone has an experience with this thing I would be more than obliged to have a Skype/TeamViewer session.

This community is great and I am sure that there would be someone who probably have faced something similar. If the live sessions are not a possibility, I would also appreciate any advice in this regards. Thanks
 
Can you still access the browser? if so, make sure you enable unknown sources (settings> security> unknown sources) and download this file explorer

https://db.tt/F7msEIpM

Through the phone's browser. Once it finishes downloading, select it in the notification bar and it should give you the option to install it. That should at least get you a working file explorer... However, I've seen little success with members being able to replace the Google services framework with this device. There's no "magic bullet" since the device doesn't have a custom recovery and there is no tool to use to reflash the phones firmware.

I see you've already noticed the issues pointed out in this thread
http://androidforums.com/showthread.php?t=677424

Best of luck, and if you come up with a solution, please share it here so others can benefit from it
 
Thank you for the heads up regarding the dropdown menu to accces the file. I think I will try to use bluetooth to send this apk file to my phone since I do not have a working browser on my phone either. Guess I really screwed up the phone. I do have a backup phone though so this is not my main phone, I was actually only using it as a GPS device but now after resetting to factory settings, I have lost most of the default apps on the phone. I even tried to copy the files on the phone's \system\app folder however that only seems to copy the files but does not show up on the installed apps whenever I turn the phone on.

Let me see if I can get the bluetooth file transfer to work now and I will post back my progress.
 
Unfortunately I could not use Bluetooth to receive the file. The bluetooth does show up and even gets activated and when I send the files to my phone through the PC using bluetooth, they do not show up in the drop down menu on the phone. Looks like I have a bricked phone now.

However I am still seeking help from someone who knows how to use ADB using Android SDK. The reason is that using ADB, I can access the phone. Also I used a utility called ADB Pusher that I found on XDA forums and it does let me get access to the internal files of the devices in the system/app folder. The utility does mention that the device looks rooted however it only mounts the device as Read only memory.

I need help from someone who knows how to access the device in R/W form once the device is connected to the PC using ADB. I have searched quite a bit on the internet but have kind of failed to access it so.

Any help in this regard would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
Hey susaqazi,

I could help you with the adb commands (syntax, examples, etc.), but not so much in terms of exactly what you need to do to get you going...

Does that make sense? I don't own a Kyocera Hydro, so I don't want to make your situation worse by telling you to do something that you shouldn't (i.e., especially in light of LV90's cautions above).

I'm happy to help, but want to make sure I don't lead (or encourage) you down the wrong path...
 
@Scary, here's the output of the mount command for the hydro

app_66@android:/ $ mount
rootfs / rootfs ro,relatime 0 0
tmpfs /dev tmpfs rw,nosuid,relatime,mode=755 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,relatime,mode=600 0 0
proc /proc proc rw,relatime 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs rw,relatime 0 0
none /acct cgroup rw,relatime,cpuacct 0 0
tmpfs /mnt/asec tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
tmpfs /mnt/obb tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
none /dev/cpuctl cgroup rw,relatime,cpu 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system ext4 ro,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=0,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p20 /data ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered,noauto_da_alloc 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p14 /persist ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p13 /cache ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 /carrier ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p17 /sysprop ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
app_66@android:/ $

So the proper command to mount /system as read-write would be

Code: 
adb shell
su
mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system

And then to set the permissions to rw-r--r-- you would do
Code: 
chmod 644 /system/app/{name of apk}

Correct?
 
Looks great/right to me, LV! :thumbup:

Assuming susaqazi's device is indeed rooted, it should be easy for susaqazi to confirm with a before and after display of the mount command:

[let's pretend the .apk application you want to install is called abc.apk and push it onto your device];

c:\> adb push abc.apk /sdcard/abc.apk

[next, let's start up an adb shell and do some stuff on the phone]:

c:\> adb shell
$ su
# mount

[examine the line for the /system filesystem from LV90's hidden output above, it should look like this initially]:

/dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system ext4 ro,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=0,data=ordered 0 0
Click to expand...

[and then to remount /system in read-write mode]:

# mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system

# mount

[and it's (/system) mount status will change to this after the above remount command]:

/dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=0,data=ordered 0 0
Click to expand...

If you get this far and /system is now remounted in read-write mode, you should be able to install the desired .apk file in /system/app similar to this:

[assuming that you copied your abc.apk file to your /sdcard folder]:

# cat /sdcard/abc.apk > /system/app/abc.apk
# chmod 644 /system/app/abc.apk

Not 100% sure that a reboot would be needed to get the app registered (i.e., force the building of the app's .odex file) or if you could just try to launch it from the app drawer (I think I've successfully done that before, but I can't remember for sure).

That's all I got...susaqazi, please let us know if you have questions or anything before you attempt...happy to try to help.

:)
 
Just to reaffirm we are both correct, i ran the commands through terminal emulator on the hydro and was successful in mounting /system as read/write. Thanks for confirming Scary :)

app_66@android:/ $ mount
rootfs / rootfs rw,relatime 0 0
tmpfs /dev tmpfs rw,nosuid,relatime,mode=755 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,relatime,mode=600 0 0
proc /proc proc rw,relatime 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs rw,relatime 0 0
none /acct cgroup rw,relatime,cpuacct 0 0
tmpfs /mnt/asec tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
tmpfs /mnt/obb tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
none /dev/cpuctl cgroup rw,relatime,cpu 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system ext4 ro,realtime,user_xattr,barrier=0,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p20 /data ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered,noauto_da_alloc 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p14 /persist ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p13 /cache ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 /carrier ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p17 /sysprop ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0

app_66@android:/ $ su

app_66@android:/ # mount -o remount,rw /dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system

app_66@android:/ # mount
rootfs / rootfs rw,relatime 0 0
tmpfs /dev tmpfs rw,nosuid,relatime,mode=755 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,relatime,mode=600 0 0
proc /proc proc rw,relatime 0 0
sysfs /sys sysfs rw,relatime 0 0
none /acct cgroup rw,relatime,cpuacct 0 0
tmpfs /mnt/asec tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
tmpfs /mnt/obb tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
none /dev/cpuctl cgroup rw,relatime,cpu 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p12 /system ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=0,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p20 /data ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered,noauto_da_alloc 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p14 /persist ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p13 /cache ext4 rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p18 /carrier ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
/dev/block/mmcblk0p17 /sysprop ext4 rw,relatime,user_xattr,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
app_66@android:/ #
 
Sorry guys for not being very active. The school jut started so I am catching up with the things now. I would probably have more time over the weekend to do this toying around with the phone (though I am not developer by any means). I am just trying to get this device back to life after almost bricking it. I might not be successful in that effort but the help and support you guys have provided is already overwhelming to me.
 
Hi ndex

Thanks for the help. But unfortunately I had already gone through that procedure after which I went on to reset my phone and that caused a grave problem for me (which I am dealing with now). That option was of no use for me unfortunately. But thanks for the help anyways.
 
If someone has atitanium backup of the default system apps folder, could they please share it with me? I think I would need this when I start toying around. Thanks.
 
Hi ScaryAlien

Following your guide above, I have been able to install the root browser file that was suggested by Lordvincent90. if you read the thread above, I tried sending this same file to my phone using the Bluetooth but it did not work. Now I can see the root browser installed on my phone. Yay!!!

Now I need further suggestions as to what my course of next action should be? Should I install Titanium backup file the same way? If so then I would need someone to please share the titanium Backup zip folder for the Kyocera Hydro so I can restore my phone back to factory settings. Thanks a ton guys, already!!
 
susaqazi said:
Thanks Lordvincent

Unfortunately for me it says the file is not found. I do not know if it is for me or for everyone else as well. If you find the files to be active, could you please download and send them to me?
Click to expand...

Strange, it says the same for me as well now. I'm away from home until Sunday night, If you do not get the needed files before then i will pull them and back then up for you. I will be using titanium backup to do it. So the files i plan to upload will require that app.

(Unless you would prefer them in apk form so you can try to install them with adb. If that's the case, just let me know :) )
 
Lordvincent 90 said:
Strange, it says the same for me as well now. I'm away from home until Sunday night, If you do not get the needed files before then i will pull them and back then up for you. I will be using titanium backup to do it. So the files i plan to upload will require that app.

(Unless you would prefer them in apk form so you can try to install them with adb. If that's the case, just let me know :) )
Click to expand...


Thanks! I would be installing titanium backup using the same method with which I installed the root browser on my phone. And then I will wait for your backup zip file. If that works, it would be great, or else I would have to ask you for the apk files :)
 
So I have been able to install titanium backup using the same method now. However I see that I do not have the root access from within the device. I mean when I am using ADB shell, I do get the root access but when I open the Titanium Backup app on my phone, I get the error that the phone does not have the root and the app needs root permission to work.

So does this mean that I have to re-install Poot and Ministro apps too? So that system can get the root access back?
 
So it looks like I have bricked my phone now. I installed Poot and when I tried to install Ministro, I got an error that the system does not have enough memory/storage. I deleted a few files from the sdcard folder (which I know were not the system apps, only the apps that I had previously installed on the phone before it was corrupted). The phone restarted by itself and now it is stuck in bootloop. I guess that probably was the end of the story for my phone. What do you guys think? Is it still possible to save this phone or should I put it in the garbage bin and have the rest of my weekend mourning the loss of this good little toy? :D
 
Ouch :eek:

Can the computer still see it with adb? If so there may be hope... If not, I'm afraid this is the end of the line :(
 
all hydro (my phone, yippe) and some other kyocera phones effected- sept 21 google update screwed the pooch- all google play services apps crash. Kyocera "working on a fix, no time frame yet"...so, basically, sorry 'bout us.
 
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