MTCD MicroG Install (Massive speed improvements)

[Dec64]

So starting a new thread to collate all information regarding MicroG replacing google play services.

MTCD units running android lollipop are slow and sluggish due to google play services, you can either freeze/disable google play services and lose the ability to log in to maps and google now ect. Or you can go a bit further and replace it with MicroG.

https://microg.org/

More people need to test it and try out what does/does not work. My install wasn't super clean as I just figured it out as I went, so my "steps" are going to be a bit weird and if more people try/have better advice i'll amend as appropriate.

I installed from Malaysk's 10.8 rom.

I uninstalled all google apps I could find with titanium backup, google play services, google store, GmsCore, GoogleBackupTransport, GoogleFeedback, GoogleLoginService, GoogleOneTimeInitializer, GooglePartnerSetup, GoogleServicesFramework, Phonesky, SetupWizard and Velvet ect. You may not have all of these installed but if you have any of them, remove them.

I had issues removing google store and play services, I ended up having to freeze them with Titanium backup, rebooting, then uninstall, then rebooting.

Then you need to go into xposed and search for the module "FakeGApps by thermatk" , install it, activate it, reboot.

Now I installed f droid (https://f-droid.org/) and added the repo https://microg.org/fdroid/. Then installed the GmsCore, GsfProxy and FakeStore. Then rebooted.

Now it seemed to work-ish at this point. But if i tried to add a google account it got stuck at "please wait" loading. I then booted into recovery and whiped data/factory reset. Reinstalled gsfproxy and fake store, xposed FakeGApps ect, but when i tried to install GmsCore from f-droid, it never appeard for me to install. so I downloaded the latest PREVIEW RELEASE apk direct https://microg.org/download.html and installed that, rebooted and now it works perfectly.

The only issue i have found so far is google maps sometimes pops up saying "google maps isnt working do you want to close it?" when google maps is running fine so i just say no the once and all is ok. Based on this try the following steps to install.


These instructions assume you are using Malaysks lollipop rom!

1) use Titanium backup or root uninstaller ect to remove all google apps (GmsCore, GoogleBackupTransport, GoogleFeedback, GoogleLoginService, GoogleOneTimeInitializer, GooglePartnerSetup, GoogleServicesFramework, Phonesky, SetupWizard and Velvet ect)

2) reboot, ensure all google apps are removed (may need to freeze/disable any google apps not uninstalling first, then uninstalling)

2.5) Boot into recovery, delete all data/factory wipe option (you may be able to just wipe dalvik cache with a rooted app from the app store or similar instead, not tried, if anyone does let me know how it works.)

3) install FakeGApps by thermatk from xposed, activate, and reboot.

4) go to https://microg.org/download.html and download latest microG Services Core Preview release (not stable 0.2.4), microG Services Framework Proxy stable and microG Store (FakeStore release) stable.

5)Install the three apps, reboot.

6) Test if it works, try to go to settings -> accounts -> add account, add your google account and hopefully should all go ok.

There is a way to get the play store to work via blankstore, i have yet to try as I just use YALP store (https://f-droid.org/repo/com.github.yeriomin.yalpstore_12.apk) If you attempt to install blankstore let us know how it goes and how you did it.

 

[Dec64]

Apps working:
Maps (works 100% with logged in account)
Google play music

Apps partially working
AutoMate (Works, and works really fast, except when go to the maps section, the map loads but is cut off at the top where the menu bar should be, then it has some issues displaying navigation fully and crashes when trying to manually set home/work locations in app. Needs more testing)

Apps not working:
Android Auto (wont get past first loading screen, may need to try alternative versions, needs more testing)

How to install Blankstore (working play store) Not tested!

Download blankstore apk
On Android 4.4 replace /system/app with /system/priv-app in the following instructions!
Installation instructions Requires Android 4.0.4+:
Remove old PlayStore/Market files if needed (using adb shell or as you like):
/system/app/Vending.apk
/system/app/Phonesky.apk
/system/app/com.android.vending.apk
/data/app/com.android.vending-*.apk
/data/data/com.android.vending (folder)
Copy new com.android.vending.apk to /system/app with permission 644 or rw-r--r--
Reboot
Generate an Android ID
Create an "Google Play Store for BlankStore"-Account via Settings/Accounts&Sync
Launch BlankStore from your Launcher.

To generate an android id:
On your PC:
Install Java (if not already done)
Download android-checkin-1.0.jar from here
On Windows: Download bla.bat into the same folder as android-checkin-1.0.jar and double click it
On Linux/OSX: Open a Terminal in the folder where android-checkin-1.0.jar is located and run
Code:

java -jar android-checkin-1.0.jar <email> <password>

 

[RazGame]

Can you check Google Play Music works ?

 

[warata]

MicroG is a very effective tool as a means to not waste memory in google play services.
I have also experienced the problem of "Maps is not responding" like Dec64 said.
At this time, if Google MAP is running in the background, it stops automatically.
My experience does not stop automatically after Google MAP has been running for about 10 minutes.
By the way, this is an MTCD section but my unit is joying mtcb rk3188.
That is, the operation confirmation is obtained also with mtcb units.
Unfortunately I did not succeed in lollipop ROM(developed by Malaysk and Booroondooks)

Thank you Dec64 for creating a special thread.

I hope that you will be able to bring the experience of everyone and make the microG more stable on our car android.

 

[warata]

Can you check Google Play Music works ?

Confirmed(even though I am a free trial)

 

[makes2068]

Looks intereeting - Sounds complicated.

What if installation will fail? Alle google apps gone than.
Factory reset is not a good option. Re-install all apps incl. Tomtom with huge maps, aso...

At the moment i had deactivate google play services. The only thing thats missing to me is Mail support and Play store.

 

[warata]

Quoted from Official site

"Store (Phonesky) is a frontend application providing access to the Google Play Store to download and update applications. Development is in early stage and there is no usable application yet."

 

[Dec64]

Looks intereeting - Sounds complicated.

What if installation will fail? Alle google apps gone than.
Factory reset is not a good option. Re-install all apps incl. Tomtom with huge maps, aso...

At the moment i had deactivate google play services. The only thing thats missing to me is Mail support and Play store.

You can download the apks from apkmirror or similar, or make backups of your current google apks. I think there is also packs of the gapps about for custom roms that aren't bundled with google services. At worst you reflash your rom.

Also just make a backup of your maps? That's what I did. Copy maps folder to SD card and back again.

For some users cutting google out by disabling google play services will be enough, but for other people who need/want to gain access to the entire android experience this is the only way i've found so far that comes close and enables a useable experience.

"Store (Phonesky) is a frontend application providing access to the Google Play Store to download and update applications. Development is in early stage and there is no usable application yet."

As far as I could tell from my little research, phonesky seems to be defunct old attempt, Blankstore is the useable open source play store. Or perhaps Phonesky is the newest version of Blankstore without a release, either way, Blankstore seems to be the only way to get Google Play Store.

 

[dude-nl]

Just spent 50 dollars for a 2GB upgrade, it solves all you problems

 

[Wout2426]

Just spent 50 dollars for a 2GB upgrade, it solves all you problems

How ? Link ?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using XDA-Developers Legacy app

 

[dongali]

Just spent 50 dollars for a 2GB upgrade, it solves all you problems

Why spend $50 for 2GB when you can spend $40 for an easy PX5 swap? Check it out:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an.../to-upgrade-mtcd-rk3188-5-1-1-to-px5-t3581741

 

[makes2068]

Is it really that easy? Are alle boards and their connections the same so we can easily replace them?

Got an Erisin 3015. Will it work?

 

[Al Ferro]

Why spend $50 for 2GB when you can spend $40 for an easy PX5 swap? Check it out:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an.../to-upgrade-mtcd-rk3188-5-1-1-to-px5-t3581741

I would like to see pictures of the PX5 core board before buying one. I got to make sure it has the same connection terminals that my head unit has.

 

[Dec64]

Quoted from Official site

"Store (Phonesky) is a frontend application providing access to the Google Play Store to download and update applications. Development is in early stage and there is no usable application yet."

Just spent 50 dollars for a 2GB upgrade, it solves all you problems

Depends if an hour of your time is worth $50.

 

[warata]

I do not think that memory expansion and microG are equivalent.
Will you buy memory again when Google Play services get more fat?

---------- Post added at 11:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:55 AM ----------

Today I challenged 511 ROM(Malaysk30_10_2016_MTCB) but I could not resolve "just a sec" isue again.
This problem does not occur in Kitkat ROM.And I gave up. Because it exceeds my ability.

I found that you can not use it unless you install at least microG servicecore and FakeStore(Or its equivalent apk).

Should be deleted

GmsCore(Google Play services)
GoogleBackupTransport
GoogleFeedback(Market Feedback Agent)
GoogleLoginService(Google Account Manager)
GoogleOneTimeInitializer
GooglePartnerSetup
GoogleServicesFramework
Phonesky(Google Play Store)
SetupWizard(I think that this is not included in the custom ROM)
Velvet(Google App)

 

[dcplaya]

I was able to get an account to sign in but Google Music says its unable to connect. Anyone run into this issue?

 

[harlam]

Why spend $50 for 2GB when you can spend $40 for an easy PX5 swap? Check it out:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an.../to-upgrade-mtcd-rk3188-5-1-1-to-px5-t3581741

Reading through the thread, I think this is only for headunits that are from HotAudio or MTCD-HA. I don't see any confirmation these would work with KDL or JY units. Mine is a JY unit so not sure it would work for people aside from those that have those particular units.

Will try the MicroG to see if that helps with the speed also.

 

[dude-nl]

How ? Link ?

Sent from my Nexus 5X using XDA-Developers Legacy app

https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...e-development/mtcb-c-d-2gb-ram-buy-2-t3512366

 

[masri1987]

any new development on this??

Willing to donate if someone wants to take it up and make it work for MTCD units as intended.

 

[Dec64]

any new development on this??

Willing to donate if someone wants to take it up and make it work for MTCD units as intended.

What do you mean? It does work as intended if you install it.

Only issues is microG isn't exactly the same as google play services so some apps that use certain elements of google play services will not run, nor ever run untill/if microG includes that level of API function or whatever is missing.