ZEKI TBD1083B 10" Tablet - Fully Rooting & GAPPS

[johngoodin]

I just purchased a ZEKI tablet the other day.

My general question is if this tablet can be safely rooted?

Posts I've read claims it comes pre-rooted at the factory. To my experience this is not so. I can't get such as the AVAST firewall section started. AVAST says I need root access. Nor can I install ADAWAY. Also claims it doesn't have root access.

It may or may not have a locked bootloader. Shortcuts at boot others claim gets you into recovery doesn't work on this model. They claim holding down the Volume- key at the same time as pressing the Power button gets you into recovery. As soon as you are in recovery release the volume- key. I've been trying and trying with no luck whatsoever, either it never powers up or fully boots to the home screen...

FYI:

ZEKI TBD1083B 10" Tablet

From Settings-About Tablet

Model number: TBD1083B

Android version: 4.1.1

Kernel version: 3.0.8

Build number: 20130117

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Printed On Back

FC QWK109R-TBD1083B

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If and then I can safely get this tablet rooted the first thing I will do is install CWR aka ROM manager to do a full backup of the factory ROM and then copy that to my PC.

As far as I can tell you can't boot from the MicroSDCard using the factory bootloader. If I can get CWR installed this might change.

It would be nice to be able to boot from the SDcard just to make a backup of the Factory ROM to the card for safekeeping.



FID : BN

 

[El Presidente]

It might not appear rooted because the Super User app isn't installed. If you download that from Play, then try avast again, does that make a difference?

I'd also be careful with ROM Manager and CWM. Clockwork is device specific and if you flash a recovery meant for another device, you could end up with a paperweight.

 

[Rumblesis162]

Did you get a rom to load? Mine seems to be bricked. I'd like to find a rom to load on it.

 

[johngoodin]

Your ZEKI may not be bricked. You might just have the very same problem I have had since the very day I got my ZEKI. Namely the power connector and power supply cables suck and I truely mean suck big time. In the first six months two ZEKI's from Kmart (returned the first one) and 5 replacement power AC power supplies mine is gathering dust in the trunk of my car. Seems you get what you pay for. The cheap cords on the power supplies are notorious for shorting out at the plug. Try holding the power cord between your fingers near the plug. It may simply be your battery is completely drained from never being property recharged. It's your money if you want to see about purchasing another power supply.

I quit trying after the fifth power supply. And purchased a Nook HD then I saw them go on sale at Kmart when they where closing stores about two years ago for the same $129.00 I paid for the ZEKI. It's still going strong after 2+ years. In fact I typed this message on it. Barnes & Noble nolonger makes them but you can still get used ones on Amazon and ebay. They even made a slate version that held 32 GB of external storage not to mention the 64 GB class 10 cards you could but in the external sdcard port. About the time I purchased mine they updated to firmware v2.20 that added full factory support for the Google Marketplace and Google Play Store. You can look for articles on how to fully root it, add Unknown Sources support, and even swap the internal and external sdcard descriptors so installs by default install to bigger storage media. You can still boot off the external sdcards so you can boot alternative roms. There's even been ways created so you can boot ClockWorkMod recovery off the external SD card so you can backup fully your factory-installed rom and return to stock any old time you need to not to leave out you can backup your customizations and restore any time you please.

With all this in mind does it any since to keep dumpling money into a device that maybe truely bricked and more trouble than it's worth??? Wished now I had waited the extra six months and not wasted the $100+ on the ZEKI.