[Root] NookManager - graphical rooter for 1.2.x and beyond

[nmyshkin]

Thank you. Powering down and back on didn’t work. I will try your reformatting idea before giving up. I should have realised that something was not 100% seeing how hard it was for the pc to write the region change.(multiple failures) I just assumed it was due to the age of my pc.

I also haven’t realised it before, but my Nook’s battery was probably suffering for years, ever since the UK Nook urls were made inactive, so I suppose if I were to eventually give up, go for a hard reset, bypass registration and just root it, I’ll get nearly all the functionality but with the reduced battery life that I was used to. (I thought it was the machine’s age
That is, unless all the customised apps you guys have created, like kindle, Libby, file manager etc. Wont work on 1.2.1?

I'm becoming concerned that this process is spiraling out of control--too many unknowns. I tried to reproduce what you did with the SDcards so I'd at least be able to talk intelligently about that. I burned a NookManager card, used Windows to format it, then burned the region changer image to it. Although Windows was only able to see and format the primary partition of the NookManager card and left behind the partition structure, burning the region changer image to the same card gave the same result as burning to a clean, unpartitioned card. So as I suspected, the DiskImager tool takes care of everything. No need to reformat the card (assuming it has been formatted once) or merge the partitions.

What that means for your situation, I am not sure, but we can't get anywhere with this process unless we have functioning cards, preferably one NookManager and one RegionChanger. As I say, we can recover the RegionChanger card once that job is accomplished for your devices.

This is the list of files I see on the RegionChanger card:

boot.scr
boot.script
booting.pgm
cfg.bin
flash_spl.bin
mlo
nook_1_2_update_UK_CWM.zip
nook_1_2_update_US_CWM.zip
rom_backup.zip
u-boot.bin
uImage
uRamdisk
wvf.bin

The card has two partitions, "boot" and unallocated space (i.e., blank). Windows shows a data size of 243 Mb and a "total" card size of about 1.75 Gb. This is because it only sees the primary partition.

My chief concern now is that we have not managed to turn your NST into a doorstop. Since you will have to do it anyway before you try the region change again, I strongly suggest that you prepare a NookManager card (don't worry about the updating right now, we just need a functioning card) and use it to trigger a factory reimage (under the "Rescue" category, "Restore Factory zip"). If that works and you can get back to the "welcome" screen, then we're good and you can try the region change again (use your second card and prepare a fresh image burn on it).

 

[hawsey]

I've just bought a brand new NST for £15 in the UK in Settings it says it's a BNRVR300 on Software version 1.2.1 , am I good to follow this thread for rooting and getting APKs to run on my new toy ?
Thanks in advance

So I managed to get my NST rooted fine and backed up and the card stored safely .
Should APK s be able to install ok now , I tried one and it said unable to parse .
Do I need Gapps ? I am not really wanting Google stuff unless absolutely necessary . Also with the mod I've just done are most unneeded apps already removed or do I do that manually please .
I couldn't find a file manager either, I'm probably not looking properly
I basically want it the bare minimum with maybe a way to store extra apps on an SD card if possible .
Thanks in advance

 

[Renate]

Should APK s be able to install ok now , I tried one and it said unable to parse.

Did you:

C:\>adb install myapp.apk

Check your apk, check another apk. Try unzipping the apk to see if it's sane.
Make sure that it's signed (META-INF/MANIFEST.MF & others).

I couldn't find a file manager either...

Releases · openintents/filemanager

OpenIntents file manager. Contribute to openintents/filemanager development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[hawsey]

Did you:

C:\>adb install myapp.apk

What does the above mean please is that a way to install an APK ? I'm used to downloading and clicking

 

[nmyshkin]

So I managed to get my NST rooted fine and backed up and the card stored safely .
Should APK s be able to install ok now , I tried one and it said unable to parse .
Do I need Gapps ? I am not really wanting Google stuff unless absolutely necessary . Also with the mod I've just done are most unneeded apps already removed or do I do that manually please .
I couldn't find a file manager either, I'm probably not looking properly
I basically want it the bare minimum with maybe a way to store extra apps on an SD card if possible .
Thanks in advance

I don't know what customizations you may have made to NookManager. If you just updated it for 1.2.2 and left the rest unchanged, then ReLaunch is your file manager (and alternate launcher). Apps can be installed by placing them on the SDcard and tapping the file when in ReLaunch. Parsing errors during installation on the NST are almost always due to the wrong Android version. Remember, the NST runs Android 2.1. There are apps out there but you have to choose carefully and maybe hunt them down--or ask on the forum.

You do not need GApps unless you really have an urgent need for NetworkLocation. It and Gmail are the only two remaining pieces that work.

Assuming you used NookManager "as-is" except for the 1.2.2 update change, there will be stuff left to get rid of:

Browser
Gallery
Music
NookCommunity

That last one is extremely annoying, constantly sending out nagging notifications. It can be removed without any apparent issue--except to silence the nagging. These are system apps and can be deleted from /system/app, not uninstalled. My list is minimal. There are other things that could go, but it's not like you need to free up internal space.

To do that you will need a file manager with root capabilities, something ReLaunch lacks and just one of the reasons I think it's not a good choice. I mean, you go to all the trouble of rooting the device and now you can't access root?? Where is the sense in that? I'm aware that ADB will do all these things but saying that is a bit like suggesting that Windows users do mundane stuff like copying, moving and deleting files from the command prompt! So if you need a "real" file manager, I suggest ES File Explorer (you can get it in the NookManager update thread). It has root options and enables you to mount /system as RW so changes are easy to make. It also includes a simple text editor, music player and has FTP abilities for wireless transfer from your PC to the NST.

 

[Renate]

It has root options and enables you to mount /system as RW so changes are easy to make.

Eh, my thoughts on this is that I don't want SU or apps having root.
I just don't understand the need.

I use my usbhostd daemon to do a specific root-like thing without allowing general access.

 

[Grailerdio]

My wife just picked up an old nook nst. It's running 1.2.2, I did the changes to to update nook manager to work with this version. In nook manager root shows success, but nothing is changed after rebooting. After some investigation it seems as if none of the scripts listed in do_root are being executed. the only success echo I can get is the one in the do_root itself.

 

[nmyshkin]

My wife just picked up an old nook nst. It's running 1.2.2, I did the changes to to update nook manager to work with this version. In nook manager root shows success, but nothing is changed after rebooting. After some investigation it seems as if none of the scripts listed in do_root are being executed. the only success echo I can get is the one in the do_root itself.

"Nothing is changed" is a little vague. What is not vague is that scripts are 100% unforgiving. A stray or missing bit of punctuation, an unexpected CR or LF, missing targets: all will sink the ship. If you can't find any obvious issue with what you did--and I'm assuming you did something beyond just the update for 1.2.2--the best advice I can give is to make a new NookManager card and only do the update for 1.2.2 (you can use the scripts I provided, if you think that might help). Then try again. No need to reset the device. You can run NookManager repeatedly--or should be able to--and it won't wreck things. Yes, you might get some stuff that you don't want and one dead app, but if you can get through the whole script then you're good to go and you can side-load and uninstall whatever you want.

 

[Grailerdio]

Sorry, by nothing changed I meant that the nook was exactly the same as it was before the rooting attempt, no alternate launcher or mod to reassign the buttons, etc. that should have existed after rooting using nookmanager.

I'm guessing I must have had a wayward formatting mark or such, I originally manually editied the scripts to update, but using yours it now worked. Thanks for all your work

 

[Grailerdio]

In case this helps anyone in the future, I appears my problem was with wordpad. even just opening the do_root file and saving without altering anything and making sure it saved in the same format would cause none of the scripts called in it to be executed. Using notepad seems to work though

 

[Renate]

Using notepad seems to work though

Many Linux things take joy in turning up their noses at the Windows End of Line CR/LF.
It's best to use an editor like the (free) Notepad++ which always makes it clear whether it's Unix (LF) or Windows (CR/LF).

Downloads | Notepad++

notepad-plus-plus.org

Note: I've not recently seen any Windows thing that hates LF so all my text files are "Unix" style.

 

[AlpacaJones]

Hello, I can't seem to find a download link for NookManager. Is there still one available? Preferably for windows. It looks like people were still active here a month ago so I still have hope

 

[nmyshkin]

Hello, I can't seem to find a download link for NookManager. Is there still one available? Preferably for windows. It looks like people were still active here a month ago so I still have hope

The link is in the first post. If you are going to root FW 1.2.2 you will need to update the package. See here: https://xdaforums.com/t/nst-g-updating-nookmanager.3873048/

NookManager is an Android application, but you will need an image burning application for Windows, also linked in the first post.

 

[AlpacaJones]

The link is in the first post. If you are going to root FW 1.2.2 you will need to update the package. See here: https://xdaforums.com/t/nst-g-updating-nookmanager.3873048/

NookManager is an Android application, but you will need an image burning application for Windows, also linked in the first post.

Ha! You're right, I tried the link again and it worked Done gone made a fool out of meself.

Many thanks.

 

[jptiger]

Hey all, I tried making a backup with this recently before updating cacerts, but I just learned the hard way that the top left button on my NST isn't working . This makes navigating the menus a little challenging, and backing up impossible. Any way alternative ways to navigate the menus, or alternative tools/ways to create a backup?

EDIT: If it helps, I can enable wireless in the beginning and start adb, but not SSH (triggered by the button that isn't working)

EDIT the second: Managed to make an image backup using a different tool with these instructions. Noogie link there is busted, you can download it here.

 

[nmyshkin]

Hey all, I tried making a backup with this recently before updating cacerts, but I just learned the hard way that the top left button on my NST isn't working . This makes navigating the menus a little challenging, and backing up impossible. Any way alternative ways to navigate the menus, or alternative tools/ways to create a backup?

EDIT: If it helps, I can enable wireless in the beginning and start adb, but not SSH (triggered by the button that isn't working)

EDIT the second: Managed to make an image backup using a different tool with these instructions. Noogie link there is busted, you can download it here.

Hmm... as far as I can tell, the buttons are "defined" in \scripts\menu_getkey on the NookManager card:

if [ "$key" = "019c" -a "$button1" != "" ]; then
exit 1
elif [ "$key" = "0197" -a "$button2" != "" ]; then
exit 2
elif [ "$key" = "008b" -a "$button3" != "" ]; then
exit 3
elif [ "$key" = "009e" -a "$button4" != "" ]; then
exit 4
fi

I'm thinking that the "n" button is never used in NookManager, so I suppose it might be possible to substitute the code for the "n" button for the hardware button that seems not to be functioning. Maybe?

Or, better, use the scripts for backup that already exist and copy them over to the "custom" section, selecting your own key (avoiding the non-working one).

 

[jptiger]

Hmm... as far as I can tell, the buttons are "defined" in \scripts\menu_getkey on the NookManager card:

if [ "$key" = "019c" -a "$button1" != "" ]; then
exit 1
elif [ "$key" = "0197" -a "$button2" != "" ]; then
exit 2
elif [ "$key" = "008b" -a "$button3" != "" ]; then
exit 3
elif [ "$key" = "009e" -a "$button4" != "" ]; then
exit 4
fi

I'm thinking that the "n" button is never used in NookManager, so I suppose it might be possible to substitute the code for the "n" button for the hardware button that seems not to be functioning. Maybe?

Not critical since I was able to find a workaround, but any idea where I can find the code for the n button? Forum search seems to be busted and googling any of the exisiting ids "019c site:xda-developers.com" is only returning this thread as a hit...

 

[nmyshkin]

Not critical since I was able to find a workaround, but any idea where I can find the code for the n button? Forum search seems to be busted and googling any of the exisiting ids "019c site:xda-developers.com" is only returning this thread as a hit...

That first one looks like hex to me. So I read that in decimal as 412. Let me see....where are those keycodes....

So I have: 407 Right_nextpage, 412 Left_nextpage, 139 Left_prevpage, 158 Right_prevpage as defaults for the hardware buttons. In that same file Home is listed as 102 (066 Hex). Not saying it will work...

Edit: according to the User Guide the two top buttons default to nextpage,so I guess 412 (019c) is the value you want to try changing. It may depend on how he's reading the information but it looks like all the hex values are 4 digits. You might need to use "0066".

Edit: Well, phooey. I decided to try this myself. I first did a getevent on the "n" button and it is indeed 0066. But changing the keycode in the NM file only disables the upper left button. The "n" button has no effect :-(

Edit: Something else not to bother trying... It occurred to me that you can start wireless ADB from the opening of NookManager. So maybe "input keyevent 412" might work as a shell command to spoof the keypress. Nothing happened, but I did get an error message about not recognizing "input". So then I went for something more primitive like sendevent with multiple lines. No error messages, but no dice.

I'm feeling like short of repairing the hardware key the only other option is to copy whatever functions you would want from "Rescue" into the "Custom" folder, always avoiding the use of that one button. That will involve some careful tinkering to get all the pieces in the right place.

 

[nmyshkin]

DON'T try this:

• Turning the Nook off completely
• Turning it on
• As soon as you see the screen flash begin holding the bottom page turn buttons until the screen flashes with a message asking if you would like to do a reset
• Press the 'n' key twice to start the reset

Changed my mind. I suspect this just wipes user data. We need to remove root and make the device recognizable to the update.

So...power up and as soon as you see the "Read Forever", press and hold the power button to cause a reboot. Repeat 7 more times. If you miss even one attempt you start over again to rack up 8 failed boots. When you reach the magic 8 you'll see the factory reset dialog.

 

[Renate]

We need to remove root and make the device recognizable to the update.

Huh? Why? You should be able to do an update over anything.
(It will kill the root anyway.)
The only thing AFAIK that it cares about:

getprop("ro.product.device") == "ntx_6sl" || abort("This package is for \"ntx_6sl\" devices; this is a \"" + getprop("ro.product.device") + "\".");