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Update full rom files in .img format for use w/ phoenix card 3.06

androidcustom18

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2014
113
4
Arizona
If someone can pack these as a whole img file excluding the parameter txt and use phoenixcard program to flash an sd card, tell me if you get a revive, or packing them in rkimage tools for update rkimage in rocovery, or packing them as firmware, also rockchip drivers are needed to connect to rca via pc if your trying to use adb if you can get into your rca before it loops get su then get reboot manager app you can enter bootloader mode, it becomes visible with some programs, can someone find out if there is a manual way to enter.
 
Have you or anyone else had any success in flashing these files to a device that doesn't boot? I'm new to all of this. Today, I made a breakthrough and have established a working ADB connection. However, I've yet to find a rom that works. BTW, has anybody confirmed that Phoenix card even works on this device? I have found Phoenixcard and other similar programs (livesuit, rockbatch, etc.), but I think they might be for specific devices.
 
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I haven't personally done it but im working on it. Nice did you have to add those lines, into the driver information. And i think the phoenixcard program, works with official firmwares,but i was hoping a dev would help out, but yes the rk batch tools are usefull, this rca Rk number is rk3168, and there isnt a tool yet specifically, but the rk 3066 programs get close, so far im able to unpack and repack the recovery, with that we can make the boot.img unsecure, then just push these files manuall through adb. There is also a generic cwm for rk chips. Ill make some links.
 
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I haven't personally done it but im working on it. Nice did you have to add those lines, into the driver information. And i think the phoenixcard program, works with official firmwares,but i was hoping a dev would help out, but yes the rk batch tools are usefull, this rca Rk number is rk3168, and there isnt a tool yet specifically, but the rk 3066 programs get close, so far im able to unpack and repack the recovery, with that we can make the boot.img unsecure, then just push these files manuall through adb. There is also a generic cwm for rk chips. Ill make some links.

Adroidcustom18 - I am glad you are still showing interest in getting this tablet going. I'm sure there are many people who have this tablet stuck in boot who would love to get them repaired and up and running. My tablet has never had a custom rom, never been rooted, and never had USB debugging enabled (thank you Google for making that a hidden option). So, I'm a little bit limited as to my recovery and repair options. I can access the android system recovery and use ADB sideload. I not had any other success with other ADB functions (push, etc.). I assume that this is because it is non-rooted and does not have USB debugging enabled. I could be wrong about this. As I said, I know very little. Many people have said that ADB can only be used with these things done. But I know for sure that I can do ADB sideload, as I have attemped to sideload many roms, but they are denied installation by the tablet due to verification failure. There were some firmwares posted (1.0.2.zip, 1.0.3.zip, and 1.0.7.zip) that were RCA firmware updates. These three firmwares can be successfully sideloaded on my device. Problem is, they are small updates, and do not replace enough OS files to get my tablet running. Anyways, seeing as many people have had problems with getting ADB to detect their devices, I will post what I have learned.

1. First, you must either download the android sdk packages or you can used a much smaller package called "Minimal ADB and Fastboot" found here.
[TOOL]Minimal ADB and Fastboot [7-18-13] | Android | XDA Forum
2. Install one of these packages. Navigate to the installation folder that contains the files "adb.exe" and the other installation files.
3. Once you get to this folder, move the mouse cursor to an empty space and hold shift and right click. You should see an option to "open command window here." Click this.
4. You should see a black terminal window open. Type in "adb devices" - without the quotation marks.
5. You should see "List of devices attached" and if your device is successfully connected, then you should see your device. If you don't see your device listed (usually a bunch of letters and numbers, sometimes followed by the word "sideload"), then you can try the following
6. Unplug your tablet. Enter recovery mode. (If you don't know how to do this, turn off device first. Then hold volume + and power button for about five seconds. Release the power button, but continue holding volume +. The white RCA dog screen should come on. Keep holding volume +. After about 5-10 seconds, the screen should go black. Keep holding volume +. After a couple more seconds, you should see the dead android robot screen. Release the volume button now. To access the recovery options, you must now press power and volume + at the same time very briefly. Once you can see your options, you are now in recovery mode).
7. Once you are in recovery mode, you will want to choose the option that said "install from ADB" or something like that. Click that. Your device should then say it is waiting.
8. Now plug your tablet into your computer via USB. Now you can go back to your black terminal window and type "adb devices" again. If your device does not show up, then it's a driver problem. Go to Windows device manager. (From control panel, find device manager).
9. You should usually see something that says, "Unknown device" or something similar to that. To my knowledge, RCA has not provided a driver for this. My computer (windows 8.1) kept trying to install some type of HTC Dream driver for this device. I had to uninstall this driver, and try several methods found online. If I remember correctly, I think this is the one that finally worked.
Simplified Method to Install Rockchip USB Drivers in Windows XP/7/8
10. Finally, after all of that, I have established an ABD connection to my tablet. Though I think sideload is the only ADB command that will work due to my phone being unrooted and not having USB Debugging enabled.
11. As said earlier, I can sideload roms, but they always fail verification EXCEPT for the three RCA firmware updates I mentioned.

I really don't know much about all of this, but I think that the Phoenixcard program is specifically for tablets with the Allwinner chip. see the link below:
downloads [Cubieboard Docs]
As you mentioned, this tablet uses a Rockchip motherboard. It is a RK30 board, specifically RK30SDK. I am assuming the link below is correct:
Foxconn International Holdings Limited RCT6378W2 - Geekbench Browser
After doing some research, it seems that the Rockchip motherboards have their own flashing tool, which is very similar to Phoenixcard and Livesuit. Actually, there are a few rockchip tools:
Developer Tools | Rockchip Firmware
Firmware Downloads | Rockchip FirmwareThe problem is, I cannot get these tools to detect my device. It might be because they are specifically for certain motherboards such as the RK3066, which should be very similar to the RK30SDK. If I could get this to work, I might be able to flash my tablet with a rom from another tablet that uses the same motherboard. Unless I can manage to get this work, or find some other tool or method, I think my only hope would be to somehow edit one of the three RCA firmware updates that pass verification. But I'm not even sure if this is possible.

Any thoughts? Or more information?
 
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I haven't personally done it but im working on it. Nice did you have to add those lines, into the driver information. And i think the phoenixcard program, works with official firmwares,but i was hoping a dev would help out, but yes the rk batch tools are usefull, this rca Rk number is rk3168, and there isnt a tool yet specifically, but the rk 3066 programs get close, so far im able to unpack and repack the recovery, with that we can make the boot.img unsecure, then just push these files manuall through adb. There is also a generic cwm for rk chips. Ill make some links.

Androidcustom - Does your device currently boot into android successfully or is your tablet stuck on the boot screen as well?
 
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Yea im just trying to help out. Even with root and usb debugging enabled, sideload is still the only option in adb, im sure it has to do with our system being secured, to change this we, have to unpack the recovery img i posted then in ramdisk open the default prop and make ro.secure-0 not -1 then pack and flash the img, with this i would assume we could push the imgs through adb. Ok phoenixcard is a nogo, im just checking any possibilitie. Can you post links to the update firmwares you have? There is programs that can unpack the firmware, and pack it back, i can try adding files to see if it will flash them. Have you downloaded that rk program i posted, it gets so close for me. And i posted a youtube video on how to get into recovery its a little easier, with the tablet off, hold vol up then power for 5 secs let go of power keep holding vol then when no command screen appears let go then press vol up again and your in.
 
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Yea im just trying to help out. Even with root and usb debugging enabled, sideload is still the only option in adb, im sure it has to do with our system being secured, to change this we, have to unpack the recovery img i posted then in ramdisk open the default prop and make ro.secure-0 not -1 then pack and flash the img, with this i would assume we could push the imgs through adb. Ok phoenixcard is a nogo, im just checking any possibilitie. Can you post links to the update firmwares you have? There is programs that can unpack the firmware, and pack it back, i can try adding files to see if it will flash them. Have you downloaded that rk program i posted, it gets so close for me. And i posted a youtube video on how to get into recovery its a little easier, with the tablet off, hold vol up then power for 5 secs let go of power keep holding vol then when no command screen appears let go then press vol up again and your in.

OK, so it sounds like our only option in ADB is the sideload. After doing a little more research on ADB sideload, it sounds like this is not capable of flashing a whole rom but just updates (I could be wrong about this). Yes, I will post the links to the updates that were successfully flashed through ADB Sideload.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tzt9uvdzr0gp7qq/ZjYQoIxD5j

I have never used one of the tools to unpack a firmware, but if you want to give it a shot, it might be worth a try. Actually, I did try one tool to repackage an update.zip, but it did not pass verification. Let me know if you are able to do this (whether a failure or success). I will see if I can get ahold of one of these tools and give it a shot myself.
 
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OK, so it sounds like our only option in ADB is the sideload. After doing a little more research on ADB sideload, it sounds like this is not capable of flashing a whole rom but just updates (I could be wrong about this). Yes, I will post the links to the updates that were successfully flashed through ADB Sideload.

50.57.107.96:2300/OtaUpdater/android?product=RCT6378W2&version=1.0.1

I have never used one of the tools to unpack a firmware, but if you want to give it a shot, it might be worth a try. Actually, I did try one tool to repackage an update.zip, but it did not pass verification. Let me know if you are able to do this (whether a failure or success). I will see if I can get ahold of one of these tools and give it a shot myself.

Link doesnt work
 
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I tried to add files in the first link update, but i forgot we have to modify the update script, im trying to figure that out, the header shows the original size, not the modified size, so the rca automatically aborts it.

I could be wrong, but I think it might be best to modify the 1.0.7.zip since it is the newest. I really know nothing as far as editing these files. I'm not sure, but I think the signature/verification process might be pretty advanced and unchangeable. In a different forum, I asked the question as to whether or not it was possible, and someone said no. However, it doesn't necessarily mean they are right. I have attempted a few minor changes. The update.zips are extremely sensitive to change. For example, I tried three tests:

1. I added a random text file to the update.zip (1.0.7.zip) and saved it. When I tried to sideload it to the device, it was rejected and failed verification. Apparently, adding an insignificant file causes failure.

2. I tried removing one of the files from the zip. I also removed it's entry from the manifest and cert files. It failed verification.

3. This is the slightest change possible. I took the update.zip, deleted a file, then saved the zip. Then I reopened it, added the same file back in the same spot, and saved the zip file. Then I tried sideloading it to the device. Verification failure.

4. I just remembered one other test. I tried opening the build.prop file and changing the value of the thing you suggested to 0 instead of 1. I saved it and rezipped it. Still failed verification.

I am not sure how the signatures work, but it seems that these update.zip files are extremely sensitive to any change. Due to the failure of test #3, I think that Winrar (the program I used to zip/unzip) must not be sufficient. In test three, the contents were not changed, but simply rezipped using Winrar.

The program you gave me the link to (Rock batch rom extraction tool) only accepts a .img file. The problem here is that the only firmwares we have that are accepted by the tablet are in update.zip form. Within the update.zip there is a boot.img file as well as some other files in folders which are being modified. It seems that the Rockbatch rom extraction tool is meant for OS firmwares while the firmwares we have are merely firmware updates. I could be wrong, but this seems to be the case.

Do you have any more ideas? Or have we met a dead end? If I had more knowledge and experience in this stuff, I might be more willing to try other possibilities. But right now, I'm wondering if I'm just trying to shove a square peg in a round hole.
 
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Well i have seen forums with new update scripts so i am assuming scripts can be modified but it could only be for cwm. Yes that program uses .img files if you use the onees i posted they seem like they go through, except for the system and userdata img, because they are ext3 format,ill change them to ext4 and see if its a go, maybe theres a special img burn program that can integrate them all in one, cause i tried it with mine, and it doesnt read the format. Also in the imgrepacker program is where we can make changes to the build.prop and it packs it as stock, and should flash with some chmod codes in sideload, ill create one and post the link. Have you tried the rom flasher tool with these .imgs.
 
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Well i have seen forums with new update scripts so i am assuming scripts can be modified but it could only be for cwm. Yes that program uses .img files if you use the onees i posted they seem like they go through, except for the system and userdata img, because they are ext3 format,ill change them to ext4 and see if its a go, maybe theres a special img burn program that can integrate them all in one, cause i tried it with mine, and it doesnt read the format. Also in the imgrepacker program is where we can make changes to the build.prop and it packs it as stock, and should flash with some chmod codes in sideload, ill create one and post the link. Have you tried the rom flasher tool with these .imgs.

Which rom flasher tool are you talking about? I've tried everything I could think of, but to be honest, I have run out of time to work on this tablet.
 
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