[Think Tank] Installing Non-market apps without a custom ROM or ADB

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OK, I made a zip. Who wants to be my guinea pig? It's at the bottom of the post. (erase -signed and put it on the internal sd)

Originally Posted by blackjackboy

I guess my idea would be to take the settings.apk from either the Vibrant dump or cyanogenmod 5.0 and push it to /system/app or wherever the settings.apk is located. Does anyone think that this would work or be willing to try it? I'm just worried that this will brick the touchwiz, and without an "original ROM" or RUU and custom recovery, I'm afraid to try it. Is there anyone braver than me?

Did you check this thread?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=728121

Originally Posted by tbae2

Did you check this thread?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=728121

The thing is, root explorer isn't free. I want to give people an easy, free solution (maybe flashing something from recovery?). For now, ADB will work for me, but in the future I want to provide something flashable from recovery.

Well, the best thing to do, simply run a sql command along with the rooting update.zip.

I will work on this today and get back to you guys soon.

http://androidforums.com/samsung-cap...ml#post1178618

Been done.

Originally Posted by blackjackboy

The thing is, root explorer isn't free. I want to give people an easy, free solution (maybe flashing something from recovery?). For now, ADB will work for me, but in the future I want to provide something flashable from recovery.

It isn't free but it isn't expensive either. You just dropped a large wad of cash for the phone, seems like another $3 to get it the way you want it wouldn't be such a big deal.

Originally Posted by blackjackboy

The thing is, root explorer isn't free. I want to give people an easy, free solution (maybe flashing something from recovery?). For now, ADB will work for me, but in the future I want to provide something flashable from recovery.

Droid Explorer is.

I'm an android noob but experienced linux user, so I came up with my own free solution: download a terminal emulator app (the one i got was free, and called, simply, Terminal Emulator, I think).

Then (in the terminal emulator):

Copy the settings.db file to the SD card:

To get superuser access so you can get to the settings.db file (need a rooted phone, obv):

$su

And confirm the popup allowing access.

#busybox cp /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db  /sdcard/settings.db

Then hook up your phone via USB (mass storage method) and use your window manager to copy that from the phone to the computer, edit with an SQL database browser, save it, verify it's still good, move it back to the SD card, then, back on the phone in the terminal emulator:

To get superuser access again:

$su

Shouldn't have to confirm the popup allowing access again, as the first time appears to do it.

Move the original file to a backup name (just to be safe):

#busybox mv /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db.old

Copy the new (edited) file into place:

#busybox cp /sdcard/settings.db /dbdata/databases/com.android.providers.settings/settings.db

Then reboot, and enjoy the ability to install non-market apps. My first install was Flash 10.1. Works fine on the Captivate.

Originally Posted by blackjackboy

The thing is, root explorer isn't free. I want to give people an easy, free solution (maybe flashing something from recovery?). For now, ADB will work for me, but in the future I want to provide something flashable from recovery.

Grab Android Mate from the market, it is free and has root level exploration

Originally Posted by blackjackboy

OK, I made a zip. Who wants to be my guinea pig? It's at the bottom of the post. (erase -signed and put it on the internal sd)

This might also work, I have used it, pretty simple
http://m.androidcentral.com/sideload...wonder-machine