[Q] Need Help Creating a flashable ROM

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karlkarloff

Senior Member
Jan 2, 2011
290
58
Boone, North Carolina
So, I have been attempting this on my own for a couple weeks with little to no luck, and searching XDA hasn't really been fruitful, so I thought I would ask.

So I work in Tech Services at the library at my local university. My team is in charge of electronic equipment loans, and recently purchased 20 Galaxy Tab 3 10.1s for student checkout. What I am trying to do is make a straight factory ROM that is flashable through TWRP but with a set of 3 e-book apps added into system apps. The 3 apps I need added are Kindle, Overdrive Media Console, and Bluefire Reader (it is after all, a library). Doesn't need to be rooted or anything, but to speed up turn-around time, it would be nice if it would wipe data automatically as part of the flashing process so we don't have to worry about peoples passwords or account info being compromised. I have tried many different things, but can't seem to get A: the apps added correctly (they install but FC as soon as I try to open them) and B: a script added that would wipe before flashing the ROM. As far as I can tell through my research, it might be possible, but far beyond my skill and knowledge levels. Honestly, I am not even sure if flashing through recovery is the best solution. I have looked at Samsung Configurator as well as many 3rd party MDM tools and none of them seem to be able to do what I want. Possibly something that could be flashed through Odin?

Any thoughts, suggestions, advise, help, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Moderators: If this needs to be moved, feel free to do so. I wasn't sure where it belonged, but figured this would be okay.

Thanks everyone!

Edit: Don't know if it matters, but they are Wifi only models.
 

gr8nole

Senior Member
Oct 9, 2010
3,958
8,042
Lynchburg, VA
So, I have been attempting this on my own for a couple weeks with little to no luck, and searching XDA hasn't really been fruitful, so I thought I would ask.

So I work in Tech Services at the library at my local university. My team is in charge of electronic equipment loans, and recently purchased 20 Galaxy Tab 3 10.1s for student checkout. What I am trying to do is make a straight factory ROM that is flashable through TWRP but with a set of 3 e-book apps added into system apps. The 3 apps I need added are Kindle, Overdrive Media Console, and Bluefire Reader (it is after all, a library). Doesn't need to be rooted or anything, but to speed up turn-around time, it would be nice if it would wipe data automatically as part of the flashing process so we don't have to worry about peoples passwords or account info being compromised. I have tried many different things, but can't seem to get A: the apps added correctly (they install but FC as soon as I try to open them) and B: a script added that would wipe before flashing the ROM. As far as I can tell through my research, it might be possible, but far beyond my skill and knowledge levels. Honestly, I am not even sure if flashing through recovery is the best solution. I have looked at Samsung Configurator as well as many 3rd party MDM tools and none of them seem to be able to do what I want. Possibly something that could be flashed through Odin?

Any thoughts, suggestions, advise, help, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Moderators: If this needs to be moved, feel free to do so. I wasn't sure where it belonged, but figured this would be okay.

Thanks everyone!

Edit: Don't know if it matters, but they are Wifi only models.

Just off the top of my head...this is what I would do.

  1. Root the tabs (probably need to install custom recovery for that, but I'm not sure since I don't follow the 10 in forum).
  2. Install Titanium Backup
  3. Install the 3 apps that you want to make as "system" apps (install as any normal app).
  4. Use Titanium backup to "convert to system app" (this will place app in the /system/app" directory).
  5. Uninstall Titanium Backup and use the unroot option in SuperSu.

This should leave you those 3 apps installed as system apps.
You can then, perform a factory reset when the Tabs are returned and still have those apps available. Factory reset does not wipe the system partition, so the apps will remain.
 
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    So, I have been attempting this on my own for a couple weeks with little to no luck, and searching XDA hasn't really been fruitful, so I thought I would ask.

    So I work in Tech Services at the library at my local university. My team is in charge of electronic equipment loans, and recently purchased 20 Galaxy Tab 3 10.1s for student checkout. What I am trying to do is make a straight factory ROM that is flashable through TWRP but with a set of 3 e-book apps added into system apps. The 3 apps I need added are Kindle, Overdrive Media Console, and Bluefire Reader (it is after all, a library). Doesn't need to be rooted or anything, but to speed up turn-around time, it would be nice if it would wipe data automatically as part of the flashing process so we don't have to worry about peoples passwords or account info being compromised. I have tried many different things, but can't seem to get A: the apps added correctly (they install but FC as soon as I try to open them) and B: a script added that would wipe before flashing the ROM. As far as I can tell through my research, it might be possible, but far beyond my skill and knowledge levels. Honestly, I am not even sure if flashing through recovery is the best solution. I have looked at Samsung Configurator as well as many 3rd party MDM tools and none of them seem to be able to do what I want. Possibly something that could be flashed through Odin?

    Any thoughts, suggestions, advise, help, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

    Moderators: If this needs to be moved, feel free to do so. I wasn't sure where it belonged, but figured this would be okay.

    Thanks everyone!

    Edit: Don't know if it matters, but they are Wifi only models.

    Just off the top of my head...this is what I would do.

    1. Root the tabs (probably need to install custom recovery for that, but I'm not sure since I don't follow the 10 in forum).
    2. Install Titanium Backup
    3. Install the 3 apps that you want to make as "system" apps (install as any normal app).
    4. Use Titanium backup to "convert to system app" (this will place app in the /system/app" directory).
    5. Uninstall Titanium Backup and use the unroot option in SuperSu.

    This should leave you those 3 apps installed as system apps.
    You can then, perform a factory reset when the Tabs are returned and still have those apps available. Factory reset does not wipe the system partition, so the apps will remain.