[WINDOWS/LINUX][TOOL]Fire Toolbox V34.0
- Thread starter Datastream33
- Start date
Amazon fire 10 tablet. Been working fine with toolbox for months. Now all of a sudden my home/back buttons at the bottom are gone. I can still press them, just the visibility of the button (the triangle/circle/square) are gone.
Help? I'd prefer not to factory reset so I don't have to download all my kids games again.
I saw this question before just wondering if there's an updated answer to it?
Help? I'd prefer not to factory reset so I don't have to download all my kids games again.
I saw this question before just wondering if there's an updated answer to it?
@musbasura,
I had this happen a couple times. If you haven't already tried the below, this is what got the softkeys back from me.
1. Open the toolbox and go to the 2nd page/menu.
2. Open the Modify System settings and select the system UI Tab.
3. Then select "Execute" in system ui customizer. It is at the bottom.
4. Then across the top part of the menu click Navigation Bar Modifier
5. Go down to the PRESET drop down and select Android Default and click apply. This is the Preset for the softkeys. This should give you back the default softkeys.
**If Android Default doesn't work, select any of the other presets and click apply, and it should take. Then you can select Android Default to get the stock softkey layout**.
Hope this helps...
Thanks for this !!! The actual presets didn't work (I think my kid maybe deleted the icons or something) but I ended up uploading new icons I found and that worked , I also had to play with the space and padding so it ended up like this:
This is really weird. Do you have by any chance some other device with Android 12? The PlayServices9.0.apk is referring to SDK #31, which is Android 12, while Fire HD 10 (2021) runs Android 9, which is SDK #28.
So I wonder how it could happen, that Toolbox downloaded apk for Android 12.
Are you sure it pointed to the older version? According to a report above, it pointed to apk requiring SDK #31, which is the latest and greatest.
In case Toolbox downloads apks according to some hardwired links it could explain where can be an issue with play services auto-updates on Fire HD 10 (2021). I thought Toolbox detects Android version and architecture from the connected device and downloads matching apks. If that's not the case and you thought it runs 32bit OS, while it seems to run 64bit OS, it might explain issues we are having.
I would bet that if you install 32bit play services apk it works just fine on 64bit OS, but when it tries to update itself, it downloads 64bit apk and then it somehow fails during the update.
I mean in case the apk downloaded by toolbox is "armeabi-v7a Android 9.0+" instead of "arm64-v8a + armeabi-v7a Android 9.0+", this is probably the issue.
At least I didn't have an issue with the auto-update of play services since I manually sideloaded apk for "arm64-v8a + armeabi-v7a". I just checked my tablet and I now have version 21.39.16 (100400-402663742) and everything seems to work fine, while I sideloaded 21.36.55, so auto-update seems to be working fine now.
Hello all, I just bought the 2021 fire 10 tablet. I ran the new halloween fire toolbox and everything works great. But when I try removing lock screen ads, I click on run and nothing happens. I tried rebooting toolbox and it still won't run. Any suggestions? Thank you
I do have a device with Android 12, but it wasn't connected to this computer and FTB was definitely connected to the Fire throughout the process.
I did manage to get the correct version of Play Services on the Fire using https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/06/21/install-play-store-amazon-fire-tablet.
Is support for the 4th Gen HDX 8.9 possible (2014)?
It now runs Fire OS 5.6.8 which is based on Android 5 (I think the oldest HD models are also Android 5.)
It now runs Fire OS 5.6.8 which is based on Android 5 (I think the oldest HD models are also Android 5.)
Greetings!
I'm not sure if you've resolved the issue using @Falcon342's helpful advice or not. but I figured I'd drop this post in case someone else has the issue as well.
It looks like the code in the Run button's click event was deleted on accident (sounds like something I'd screw up). It's been fixed and the build has been attached below in a .zip file. Please download and extract the .zip file to the Toolbox's root directory (if you aren't sure where the installation is you can open the Toolbox, click the gear icon at the top-right to open Settings, then click the About button, and from there click Open Installation Directory), if it asks you if you'd like to replace Fire Toolbox.exe please allow it to do so. That should the trick and I'm really sorry about the inconvenience my friend!
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Greetings!
Let's first see what exact version of Android they are running. Could you please download and extract the IdentifyAndroidVer.zip to the desktop and run the Identify.bat file with your tablet plugged in. This will give us the exact android version (and codename) and based on that value we'll go from there. Thanks friend!
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Greetings my friend!
Could I please have you re-run the command once more, but this time let's try using the buttons without reapplying the custom icons. Do the buttons work now?
Hi, thanks, just did that, but only the back button appears. In the middle there's an elliptical space that does not resppond to touch, and the recents icon is gone entirely:
Two weeks ago I started using the great Fire Toolbox. A few days ago (21st of October) my Fire HD 10 (2019) tablet has been updated to FireOS 7.3.2.1.
Now I have the following MAJOR ISSUES and wish I have never used Fire Toolbox (because I believe doing so might have created those issues):
1. Control center from top does not open at all in lockscreen.
2. Control center from the top can not be expanded all the way down! This button is not working, nor is sliding down:
3. Of 3 main buttons at the bottom, only the left one (back) works, home button and recents button without any function!
4. If an app is in fullscreen mode, neither the control center bar from the top, nor the main button bar from the bottom can be shown by sliding up/down from the top/bottom of the screen.
For issue #3 I already tried
- https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v24-0.3889604/page-328#post-85796069 and
- https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v24-0.3889604/page-328#post-85799949
but both buttons still don´t WORK (I press them and get visual feedback, but no action is performed)!
I´m strongly seeking for any help on this, at least issues #2 and #3 need to be fixed asap cause the device is pretty unusable with those limitations.
Now I have the following MAJOR ISSUES and wish I have never used Fire Toolbox (because I believe doing so might have created those issues):
1. Control center from top does not open at all in lockscreen.
2. Control center from the top can not be expanded all the way down! This button is not working, nor is sliding down:
3. Of 3 main buttons at the bottom, only the left one (back) works, home button and recents button without any function!
4. If an app is in fullscreen mode, neither the control center bar from the top, nor the main button bar from the bottom can be shown by sliding up/down from the top/bottom of the screen.
For issue #3 I already tried
- https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v24-0.3889604/page-328#post-85796069 and
- https://xdaforums.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v24-0.3889604/page-328#post-85799949
but both buttons still don´t WORK (I press them and get visual feedback, but no action is performed)!
I´m strongly seeking for any help on this, at least issues #2 and #3 need to be fixed asap cause the device is pretty unusable with those limitations.
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OK, first off I'd like to deeply apologize for the issues you're encountering. It makes me sad to read that you're having all these issues. Now I must ask, do you remember what tools you've ran in the Toolbox? This will help us narrow down what tool may be causing the issue. Thanks!
Hmm, now that i think about it, these issues could be a result of the "device_provisioned" string being tripped somehow. Let's try toggling it and see how it goes:
- Open the Toolbox.
- Execute an ADB Shell.
- Run the following commands one at a time:
Code:settings put global device_provisioned 0Code:settings put global device_provisioned 1
After executing the commands above, please reboot the tablet. Hopefully, this should resolve the issues. Let us know how it goes and best of luck my friend!
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Looks like e-raser's and my problem are the same. Thanks DataStream for trying to help. I executed both of those commands and rebooted yet no luck. And now wherever I touch the screen a small circle lights up (but the buttons still don't work). I can also confirm that my control center will also not expand as well, and that my Fire 8 2018 is on the latest OS, 7.3.2.1. Thanks again.Hmm, now that i think about it, these issues could be a result of the "device_provisioned" string being tripped somehow. Let's try toggling it and see how it goes:
- Open the Toolbox.
- Execute an ADB Shell.
- Run the following commands one at a time:
Code:settings put global device_provisioned 0Code:settings put global device_provisioned 1
After executing the commands above, please reboot the tablet. Hopefully, this should resolve the issues. Let us know how it goes and best of luck my friend!
Hmm, now that i think about it, these issues could be a result of the "device_provisioned" string being tripped somehow. Let's try toggling it and see how it goes:
- Open the Toolbox.
- Execute an ADB Shell.
- Run the following commands one at a time:
Code:settings put global device_provisioned 0Code:settings put global device_provisioned 1
After executing the commands above, please reboot the tablet. Hopefully, this should resolve the issues. Let us know how it goes and best of luck my friend!
Unfortunately those two ADB commands plus rebooting the tablet did change: nothing :-(
I used Fire Toolbox to
- hide few Amazon apps using "Manage Amazon Apps" (Simple mode)
- try to remove Device Dashboard button in navigation bar (bottom) (which didn´t work and resulted in 3 main action buttons been spread way to far on the screen so I had to ADB command "settings put secure sysui_nav_bar "space,space,space,back;home;recent,space,space,space"" which was recommended in this topic too) - that was before the FireOS update and everything was working fine at that point
- remove/reposition items in control center menu (top menu)
- try some screen capturing
- try to create a system backup
So indeed those things broken now have been touched using Fire Toolbox.
Another two small pieces of information:
a) for a few days I have the download manager complaining about a "failed download" for Google Play. Important: I installed Google Play manually a long time ago and did not use Fire Toolbox for that.
b) Freshly after reboot I get a popup (enabled those in developer tools) that "DavsClientService" has been stopped. Not sure if that is related in any way, don´t think so.
Hope all that information helps you to help us! I really do. :-( :-( :-(
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Just messing with you man. As I've stated a few times, without you there would be so many issues that would of flown under the radar and made it into a public release.I'm not trying to escape. I just thought that I do an awful lot of picking at your programming for someone who doesn't bear much of the responsibility for the results.
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Awesome! So glad to hear everything is working as intended! Again, thank you for the reports. You rock!Just downloaded the micropatch and can confirm it's all working now. Excellent support, thank you!
Can confirm this also popped up and worked as you described.
Thanks so much for your quick response.
I can confirm that from a standing start, following a Factory Reset, my Fire Max 11 (running 8.3.1.5) was able to succefully complete every step of FTB's Setup Tour. Prefection!
Have a goody friend! -
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It's fine if your tablet registers w/Amazon. As for updates, it really depends where your interests/passions lie. Blocking updates will give you more control over the device but an inferior experience with some apps, especially those linked to the Google ecosystem. Allowing updates will resolve most app issues but limit device customization. It's important to understand there is no going back once your device updates.
More recent Amazon devices (2022 and beyond) running FireOS 8 fare poorly with Google apps if not brought to at least FireOS 8.3.2.x. Once at that level there's little benefit to continued blocking.
If you value control and enjoy endlessly fiddling with your device then follow advise posted earlier in this thread to keep the Amazon boogeyman at bay. If you bought your device with the intention of using a variety of contemporary Google apps then allowing your device to behave naturally will yield the fewest hassles.3
Greetings
Failed to mention this in the method description - if the custom launcher can't be seen on the first few rows (the rows of apps present when Fire Launcher is started) and is further down the list then Automate won't start the launcher (tap on it) as it's waiting for the element to "appear" on screen. Try testing this theory out by swiping down on Fire Launcher and see if Automate starts the custom launcher once it appears on screen.3Welp, an unexpected gift for those running a FireOS 8.3.2.2 on a Max 11 or HD10; not certain about other devices rocking FireOS 8. Google Voice typing is working again! I'm dictating this post on a Max 11.
Not sure when that got enabled; thought I had checked after fire OS 8.3.2.2 came out but perhaps not.
Happy yapping!3
I don't necessarily see a problem with restoring the 2020 backup onto a 2019 model (they both run Android 9). However, I would HIGHLY advise against restoring the 2020's settings database onto the 2019 as there are some keys in some of the tables that could result in a soft brick if changed. But, if you're just trying to copy the apps from the 2020 to the 2019 then I say go for it. Just make sure to create a backup on your 2020 with ONLY the user apps option selected (make sure to name it something simple like "UserApps_Backup" for easy identification later), then restore that newly created backup onto the 2019 tablet. Here's how:
Launch the Toolbox, click the gear icon at the upper-right to open the settings, click the "About" tab in the Settings window, then click "Open Installation Directory".
This will open the Toolbox's root directory in File Explorer. Now click the "bin" folder, then "System Backups". In the "System Backups" folder, create a new folder, and name it "Amazon Fire HD 7 (2019)" (without the quotes). Now double click the "Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020)" folder, and copy the backup file you want to restore onto your 2019 tablet (the UserApps_Backup.7z file from earlier). Paste that backup file into the "Amazon Fire HD 7 (2019)" folder. Now the backup should show up in the Toolbox for restore.
Please note that I don't recommend restoring backups on different Android versions. But because both your tablets run Android 9 you should ok as long as you're just restoring user apps and package states.3
Your File Management app set up as an Anonymous FPT client as default.
If you don't want Anonymous mode by default, reconfigure app as a regular Google/Android FTP client. -
381
Fire Toolbox V34.0
All-In-One Toolbox for Fire Tablets!
The Fire Toolbox is a collection of useful ADB (Android Debug Bridge) tweaks that can be applied to Amazon's Fire Tablets. The Toolbox project aims to help users fully customize and unlock the full potential of their tablets by putting all the power into their hands.The Toolbox doesn't touch the system partition meaning all changes made can be reversed either through the tools/subtools themselves or through a factory reset. This means the Toolbox does NOT void your warranty.
Device Name: *Generation:FireOS VersionBase Android Version**RestrictedAmazon Fire HD 10 (2023) 13811Yes (8.3.1.9+)Amazon Fire Max 11 (2023) 13811Yes (8.3.1.9+)Amazon Fire 8 (2022) 12811Yes (8.3.1.9+)Amazon Fire 7 (2022) 12811Yes (8.3.1.9+)Amazon Fire 10/10+ (2021) 1179Yes (7.3.2.2+)Amazon Fire 8/8+ (2020) 1079Yes (7.3.2.2+)Amazon Fire 10 (2019) 979Yes (7.3.2.2+)Amazon Fire 7 (2019) 979Yes (7.3.2.2+)Amazon Fire 8 (2018) 879Yes (7.3.2.2+)Amazon Fire 10 (2017) 755.1NoAmazon Fire 8 (2017) 755.1NoAmazon Fire 7 (2017) 755.1NoAmazon Fire HD8 (2016) 655.1NoAmazon Fire HD10 (2015) 555.1NoAmazon Fire HD8 (2015) 555.1NoAmazon Fire HD7 (2015) 555.1NoAmazon Fire HD7 (2014) 455.1NoAmazon Fire HD6 (2014) 455.1No
* Generation equates to the year the tablet was released. For example, if the generation is 13 it means the tablet was released in 2023. 10 means the tablet was released in 2020... so on and so forth.
** Restricted equates to wether or not Amazon has locked down the firmware. When a firmware is restricted it means we cannot fully block OTAs, use custom launchers without Fire Launcher, lockscreen ads can no longer be permanantly removed, and some system apps can't be disabled. Even though a tablet is marked as Restricted in the table above, sometimes it may only apply to certain versions of FireOS. If your tablet is on a firmware before the listed firmware then your tablet is NOT restricted. See the "FireOS Restrictions and Fire Toolbox" section of the FAQ section (post #2) for further information on restricted firmwares.
Getting the Toolbox up and running with your tablet is surprisingly a very easy procedure. The only thing required is for you to enable Developer Options and ADB on your tablet. So, without further ado, let's get started.
At this point, please read the section below, and make sure to follow the correct guide that is made for your tablet on how to set up the device so it works with the Toolbox.
FIRE HD 7, 8, 10 (2018 - 2023) Guide:Before purchasing the tablet:- Make sure you uncheck the "Link device to your Amazon account to simplify setup" box before Adding to Cart. (See this screenshot, credits go to @ancientrael)
if the box remains checked, your tablet will automatically update to the latest version of FireOS the second it auto-connects to your wifi.
Booting the tablet for the first time:- Wait for your tablet to fully boot up for the first time (may take a few seconds to minutes).
- When it boots, it will ask you for the language you'd like the OS to use. Select your prefered language.
- Tapping the blue arrow at the bottom of the screen, you'll be asked to connect to a WIFI network.
- Select ANY network from the list (even if you don't know the password).
- Once it asks for the password, tap the "Cancel" button and it will take you to the previous screen with the Wifi networks.
- At the bottom of the screen, you should now see a "Skip Setup" button, go ahead and tap that.
- It will now ask if you're sure you want to skip fire setup. Just tap "Skip" once more.
- You should immeditely be thrown into Fire Launcher. You're now ready to enable USB/ADB Debugging.
Enabling USB Debugging:- Turn on your tablet and go to Settings > Device Options > About Fire Tablet and tap on the Serial Number until you unlock Developer Options.
- Press the back button and find the new Developer Options and toggle it on.
- Scroll down till you find USB Debugging and enable it.
Setting up the drivers:If you are on Windows 10 or Windows 11 you do NOT need to following this guide because Windows will setup the needed drivers by default automatically. All you need to do is plug your tablet in and Windows will take care of the rest. Please wait until these drivers are fully installed before laucnhing the Toolbox for the first time. - Download the latest version of the Toolbox from the Downloads section of this page and install it onto your PC.
- Plug your tablet into the computer, and Windows will start installing the MTP drivers. It will also attempt to install the ADB driver but will fail. (This is normal and to be expected)
- Launch the Toolbox, and it should detect your Windows version and inform you that further driver setup is required. It will then ask you if you'd like the Toolbox to download and install the drivers.
- Click the "Yes" button, wait for the download to finish and follow the driver setup. If this for some reason doesn't work, please follow this guide to manually install the drivers.
- At this point, If drivers are setup properly... the Toolbox will inform you that the "device isn't authorized. Please authorize your device now."
- On your tablet, you should see a new prompt asking if you want to Allow USB Debugging and should show the computer's RSA key fingerprint. Tick the box that says "Always allow from the computer" and hit ok.
That's it, the Toolbox should recognize your tablet and will take you to the main menu. Enjoy!
FIRE HD 6, 7, 8, 10 (2014 - 2017) Guide:Before purchasing the tablet:- Make sure you uncheck the "Link device to your Amazon account to simplify setup" box before Adding to Cart. (See this screenshot, credits go to @ancientrael)
if the box remains checked, your tablet will automatically update to the latest version of FireOS the second it auto-connects to your wifi.
Booting the tablet for the first time:- Wait for your tablet to fully boot up for the first time (may take a few seconds to minutes).
- When it boots, it will ask you for the language you'd like the OS to use. Select your prefered language.
- Tapping the blue arrow at the bottom of the screen, you'll be asked to connect to a WIFI network.
- Select ANY network from the list (even if you don't know the password).
- Once it asks for the password, tap the "Cancel" button and it will take you to the previous screen with the Wifi networks.
- At the bottom of the screen, you should now see a "Skip Setup" button, go ahead and tap that.
- It will now ask if you're sure you want to skip fire setup. Just tap "Skip" once more.
- You should immeditely be thrown into Fire Launcher. You're now ready to enable ADB Debugging.
Enabling ADB Debugging:- Turn on your tablet and go to Settings > Device Options and tap on the Serial Number until you unlock Developer Options.
- Find the new Developer Options and toggle it on.
- Scroll down till you find ADB Debugging and enable it.
Setting up the drivers:If you are on Windows 10 or Windows 11 you do NOT need to following this guide because Windows will setup the needed drivers by default automatically. All you need to do is plug your tablet in and Windows will take care of the rest. Please wait until these drivers are fully installed before laucnhing the Toolbox for the first time. - Download the latest version of the Toolbox from the Downloads section of this page and install it onto your PC.
- Plug your tablet into the computer, and Windows will start installing the MTP drivers. It will also attempt to install the ADB driver but will fail. (This is normal and to be expected)
- Launch the Toolbox, and it should detect your Windows version and inform you that further driver setup is required. It will then ask you if you'd like the Toolbox to download and install the drivers.
- Click the "Yes" button, wait for the download to finish and follow the driver setup. If this for some reason doesn't work, please follow this guide to manually install the drivers.
- At this point, If drivers are setup properly... the Toolbox will inform you that the "device isn't authorized. Please authorize your device now."
- On your tablet, you should see a new prompt asking if you want to Allow USB Debugging and should show the computer's RSA key fingerprint. Tick the box that says "Always allow from the computer" and hit ok.
That's it, the Toolbox should recognize your tablet and will take you to the main menu. Enjoy!
Windows:
SHA256 Hashes
Filename SHA256 Hash FTB_V34.0_Installer.exe df19c7f691674c1dc4d3a91c32f3fa351a27c344f3bf265c6d8301f0056a98dc FTB_V34.0_Portable.zip f47618c589e61dc94c7672b37d38a3ae31bb8edf2e5bae8f0ded8d2a1321dd5f
VersionInstaller (.exe)Portable (.zip)Update PostVirusTotalChecksumsV33.1PostLinkV33.0DownloadPostLinkV32.4PostLinkV32.3DownloadPostLinkV32.2PostLinkV32.0DownloadPostLinkV31.0DownloadPostLinkV30.2DownloadPostLinkV30.1DownloadPostLinkV30.0DownloadPostLinkV29.0DownloadPostLinkV28.9DownloadDownloadPostLinkV27.0DownloadPostLinkV26.1DownloadPostLinkV25.2PostLinkV24.0DownloadPostLink*Halloween EditionDownload*Bug FixLinkV23.0DownloadPostLinkV22.0DownloadPostLinkV21.0DownloadPostLinkV20.0DownloadPostLinkV19.0DownloadPostLinkV18.0DownloadPostLinkV17.0DownloadPostLinkV16.0PostLinkv15.0PostLinkV13.0PostLinkV12.0PostLinkV11.1PostLinkV11.0PostLinkV10.2PostLinkV10.1PostLinkV10.0PostLinkV9.2PostLinkV9.1PostLinkV9.0PostLinkV8.2PostLinkV8.1PostLinkV7.2.1DownloadPostLinkV7.1PostLinkV7.0PostLinkV6.56PostLinkV6.55PostLinkV6.54DownloadPostLink
*Linux:
NOTICE: You must obtain the correct version for your installed Python version. Run "python3 -V" in the Terminal to get the installed python version for your distro.
SHA256 Hashes
Filename SHA256 Hash FTB_V5.0_Installer_Python3.10.7z 985f1fc24d21c7506b9245f8ba37194380535fb5a8ef9af762d7d6d3853498ec FTB_V5.0_Installer_Python3.11.7z 110bebfe5e28c75bd6235434f3b0ea640d6f24f77ef859a704db2a673972e01b
* While in Beta, I'd like to heavy push the installer so that we can get it to stable along with the Toolbox. So, for now, the only download option will be the installer. Once the Toolbox and the Installer are both stable a portable option will be available. However, if you really need a portable version please PM me and I'll send you the link.
Other Downloads:
ResourceResource LinkApplicable ToolsCustom Navigation Bar IconsNavigation Bar ModifierToolbox ChangelogsN/A
If you like my work and would like to support me feel free to Donate. Thank you!76
The Toolbox won't display correctly. The window is pure white and the text is faded. How can I fix this?
This can happen if window style and effects are turned off.
Windows 7
Control Panel > Performance Information and Tools > Adjust Visual Effects > Use Visual Styles on Windows and Buttons.
Image credit: @gsm2001
The Toolbox is being marked as a virus?This is likely because the Toolbox (and it's installer) aren't signed with a software license. This freaks Windows out because it sees that there is no publisher, and as a result it displays a warning (smartscreen). In addition, some anti-viruses might also flag the Toolbox as a virus simply because the build is relatively new and there is no record of it in the anti-viruses database, resulting in a false positve.As always, I take your security and privacy VERY seriously! If you do not feel safe with installing the Toolbox due to virus concerns, I respect and support your decision. It is always up to the user and their judgment!32I'd also like to take the time to acknowledge today as a very special day for this project! Today marks the 3RD YEAR anniversary of the project!!!
It seems like only yesterday, that the first version of the Toolbox was released! It's just crazy to think that it all started in 2019, as a very simple batch file program designed solemnly to remove lock screen ads, and has grown into what it is today! If you're interested in what started it all, I'd highly recommend checking out this post. It dives a little more into the Toolbox's background and it's beginnings!
I just wanted to THANK YOU all from the bottom of my heart for making the last 3 years so memorable! If it wasn't for the amazing support and this wonderful community, the project would've died a long time ago! You guys are the fuel that feeds the Toolbox's development!
Through this project, I've gotten to meet some wonderful people that I'd consider to be good friends:
@Davy49, @Tailborn, @Falcon342, @blaacksheep, and of course you (the one reading this)!
So, where does the Toolbox go from here? Well, I suppose the next step would be to bring the Toolbox to more platforms! Currently, the Toolbox is being ported to other platforms using the Python programming language, and PySimpleGUI. I've also been asked if the Toolbox Python port will ever become open-source, and I think the answer is most likely yes. Big things are planned for the Toolbox this year, and I hope you'll join me on this journey!
HERE'S TO THE TOOLBOX'S 3RD YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!
28Last edited 9-30-2022
A lot has changed since I first posted this. Toolbox has been updated to v29.0 and now has a new method of replacing the Fire Launcher, DNS66 is only a delaying tactic and doesn't stop updates in all cases, and the Lockscreen Ad removal process in the old FTB v9.2 still works to remove the ads. I leave the post up, but understand that it's just for reference as a starting point for you to explore these things.
What to do about F/W v. 7.3.2.2
So your Fire tablet has the latest firmware update on it (v7.3.2.2) and Fire Toolbox won't do what it's supposed to. All is not lost. I've collected some workarounds that will keep Amazon at bay. The three main problems are:
1) You can't stop Automatic updates.
2) You can't get rid of the lockscreen ads.
3) You hate the Amazon Launcher, but Amazon won't let you change it permanently.
Once those three problems are addressed, you pretty much have your tablet back. The Toolbox will still work for all the other things you want modify. First, get your tablet set up with Toolbox, install Google Services, and install the launcher you want. (Make sure to select "Enable Widget Support".) We'll take care of the Amazon Launcher later. So let's get started with the 3 main problems.
1) Automatic updates.
This method is far from perfect and has sometimes allowed updates to somehow slip by. The only other way to do this that I know is to use an app blocking firewall and block the update apps. I chose this method because it doesn't require a 'training period' to train the app on what to block and what to let through. Also, if you've already got lockscreen ads in your tablet's cache, this will not remove them. This method must be in place before you first connect to WiFi for the lockscreen ad blocking to work.
We need to stop the tablet from contacting Amazon to update it's firmware. We can no longer disable the service that does this, BUT, we can interfere with it's ability to contact the server from which it gets its updates. On a computer, we would modify the hosts file and block the addresses of the update servers. On an Android device, we need root access to do that, but there is an alternate way of adding things to the hosts file - with a VPN. We'll use a free and open source ad blocking VPN app to do this. The app is called DNS66 and it's available through F-Droid. You need to make sure this is always running to be protected from updates.Luckily, android has a feature to assist us in this. It's called "Always On VPN" and we need another app to access the hidden setting for this. We'll use "Activity Launcher" to get to this setting. Activity Launcher is available from Google's Play Store.
It turns out that using Activity Launcher to change this hidden setting does nothing more than give you an extra notification that your VPN is off. It doesn't stop traffic, so it's useless. Besides, my tablet has taken to turning the "Always On VPN" setting back off every time I boot. (Thanks Amazon!) Activity Launcher is still useful for finding settings that Amazon doesn't see fit to include. It also makes desktop shortcuts to those settings if you wish.
Download DNS66 to your computer from f-droid.org or from the attached file, copy it to your tablet and install it.Also go to the Play Store and install Activity Launcher.Finally, get the Amzn_Blcklist.txt that's attached to this post and copy that to your tablet. The blocklist file must remain on your tablet, so put it somewhere where it won't get deleted. I suggest in the root of your internal storage. (/storage/emulated/0)
Open DNS66. There are a couple settings that must be changed. On the Start tab, turn on "Watch Connection". (All 3 switches should now be on.)
Now go to the Hosts tab. Tap the "+" in the lower-right. Under Title, type "Amazon Blocklist". Tap the paper clip on the next line. Navigate to the Amzn_Blocklist.txt file you downloaded earlier and select it. Now tap "Done" in the upper-right. You should now have the first and last entry on the displayed list selected.
Now go to the Apps tab. Turn on "Show System Apps". Tap the gear under the Show System Apps switch and select "No Apps". All the switches below that should now be off.
You can optionally set your own DNS servers on the next screen if you'd like. I like to turn on Custom DNS Servers, deselect the German ones that are pre-selected, and then turn on the last two servers (CloudFlare).
This can also be done with Toolbox making this step unnecessary. Now go back to the Start tab. Tap "Start". It will notify you that it wants to connect to a VPN. Tap Yes or OK and allow it.
Quick note: Do not use the Toolbox DNS changer in Modify System Settings AND the DNS66 Custom DNS setting together. This will cause connectivity to fail. I use DNS66 and not Toolbox's DNS changer. Having the Custom DNS Servers set ins DNS66, and using the Toolbox DNS changer simultaneously caused me hours of grief trying to figure out why Google couldn't connect!
Now Launch Activity Launcher. Tap the magnifying glass in the upper-right. Enter "VPN". One setting should appear called "VPN". Tap it. Tap the gear on the end of the DNS66 line. Turn on Always-on VPN. Turning on the other switch makes Google Services think you are disconnected, so leave that one off. Step one accomplished.
Notes:
DNS66 takes several seconds before it gets started when you first boot, so it is possible that the tablet will make a DNS query for the update server or the lockscreen ad server before it loads. Best practice is to turn off WiFi before you power down or reboot.
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2) Lockscreen Ads.
Toolbox v29.0 now takes care of lockscreen ads!
It turns out, that blocking those update servers also blocks your tablet from getting any lockscreen
ads! No further action is needed. I stopped investigating this because I chose to disable the lockscreen completely. If you want to do that, you can do it in Toolbox, or in Activity Launcher that you just installed. Launch Activity Launcher. Tap the magnifying glass. Type in "screenlock". Now tap the last item (.password.ScreenLockSuggestionActivity). Select None and you're done.
Notes:
It has come to my attention that when disabling your PIN, it may still ask you for a PIN by Parental Controls for some settings or activities. I would suggest if you're going to disable your PIN, to first set it to something simple like 0000, reboot it, and then disable the PIN. That way you'll know what PIN you set if it suddenly asks you next month for your PIN.
Another way to disable lockscreen ads is detailedHere.
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3) Amazon Launcher.
New: Toolbox v29 has remediated most of the difficulties in replacing the launcher. Always check that you have the latest version of Toolbox. I'll leave the rest of the post up to inspire ideas.
The latest version of Toolbox (v 28.1) has a new tool called 'Custom Navbar Key'. This method uses Automate to automatically replace the Home button every time you reboot. It works rather nicely. I leave this section posted for completeness and to facilitate experimentation on other choices.
The way we're going to get rid of the Amazon Launcher is by not calling it! We're going to replace the Home button with another button that we can map to any launcher we'd like. This isn't a perfect solution, but it is FREE. If you're willing to spend a couple bucks, you can purchase a more configurable gesture navigation app with more features, but this is FREE, so maybe you can accept it's shortcomings. I'll keep this post updated with other navbar replacements that people suggest.
Go to the Play Store. Get and install "One Button Navigation". Launch it. It will want you to turn on Accessability Service for it. Follow the on-screen instructions and turn on "One Button Navigation Bar". You'll see your new nav button at the bottom of the screen. I like to adjust the width down to a dot, like the button it's replacing, but that's up to you. I also like to make the background black and the botton bright yellow so that I'm reminded it's running. Set up the background and button colors as you like them. Yeah, I know the ads in this are obtrusive, but you'll never see them once it's set up. Also DNS66 will block the ads if you install that first.
Next tap the Action tab. Tap "Single Click". Scroll down and select "Launch Application...". Select the launcher that you installed with Toolbox here. In my case, it was Nova 7. (Google updated the Nova version that Toolbox installed.) Now you can set any other actions you'd like for the new button.
I didn't want anything additional, so I made the gestures similar to the original buttons. This is all up to you. You can reverse them or set additional functionality to the button. I ended up with a new navbar that covers the original navbar (the one with the home button that brings up the Amazon Launcher). I now have a button that when pressed, takes me to my launcher. When I swipe it left, it goes back a screen. When I swipe it right, it shows the recents. I spent a lot of time with other navbar replacements and this is the minimalist replacement that works best for me. YMMV. Before someone complains that it doesn't work in landscape mode, I'm not the developer. You should rate it and leave a comment for him! This is the best I could find that does what I want for FREE.
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I'll edit this post with your suggestions for better solutions to these problems and keep a list of navbar replacements that people suggest at the end so you can find what works best for you.
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Some Suggested Navigation Bar replacements:
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One Button Navigation Bar by Nu-Kob (PlayStore)
Pie Control by coolAce (PlayStore)
Simple Control by coolAce (PlayStore)
DNS66 is available from F-Droid.org (dated March 26, 2021)
Activity Launcher is available from APKMirror.com (dated March 21,2022)21What's going on, guys?
I sincerely hope everyone is doing good, and having a wonderful December so far!
Today marks the release of V26.0 of the Toolbox! So, without further ado... let's take a look at what this release has to offer!
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome... Screen!
You know, every time I run a build for the first time I go through the Theme Selector, then the Tour, and then the Welcome Screen. I just think to myself "this is just a mess" - so in this update I thought I'd focus on improving it and making it better. I started by re-designing the Welcome Screen and doing my best to link all three tools into something that looked visually appealing. Now, in a tabbed interface you'll find the Setup Tour in the very first tab, Theme Selection (with a new UI) in the second, Installation Management in the third, and finally in the fourth the Changelog.
Now let's talk specifically about the Installation Management tool. This bad boy now has the ability to read installations from directories other than the default (localappdata\Datastream). So, if you've got your installations in a custom location, and you'd like to manage them, it's now possible to point the path to that location. This should help make managing installations a lot easier!
Custom Launchers on FireOS 7.3.2.2
As some of you may know, I bit the bullet and updated my tablet to the latest version of FireOS... to the dreaded 7.3.2.2. This update, from what I heard, caused the Custom Launcher and disabling OTAs tools to no longer function and after updating, I soon discovered that it was indeed the case. I then tried everything I could think and well really didn't turn up any valuable workarounds... until I tried the method we'd been using on older gen devices... and it worked! Of course, just like on the older gens, it has the drawback of being removed every time the device is rebooted. However, it's the only method I could find, so it's better than nothing, right?
Anyway, while coding it in I decided to take the liberty of also clean up the code, and the UI a bit. What's cool is the tool will now read what generation your tablet is, and display what methods are available to use. You'll also find that the initial method selection UI is a lot more usable compared to its previous iteration.
Change the Timeout for the Display?
Ah, the latest addition to the General group in the Modify System Settings tool. This subtool not only allows you to alter the timeout to traditional values, but also allows you to set a custom timeout. Want your screen to sleep after 24 hours of inactivity? This one's for you folks who want to extend the timeout as much as you can. Just be careful, it may cause a burn-in if your tablet's screen remains on the same screen for too long!
Let's Talk Linux Port Stuff
I guess the point of this section is to ask you guys if you're ok with updates to the VB version being slowed down, so I can focus more on the port? I'd also like to address a common question I get asked about it being open-source. Right now, I'm planning on it being closed-source for now. However, I am planning on making it open-source when I feel like the time is right. Please be patient! So, let's get back to the original question... are you guy's ok if I shift primary focus to the port?
Wait, that's not everything! If you're interested in everything that's changed... please take a look at the changelog below:
Ready to download V26.0? Head on over to the Download's section of the OP. By the way, because of some directory changes to the bin folder... the update will not show up in the Updater. It must be installed via the Installer or extracted from the Portable release.
Ok, my favorite part about of these release posts... sharing appreciation for you awesome folks! I just wanted to say I'm so blessed to be a part of the wonderful community over here on XDA. You guys are incredible people and in fact... this is perhaps the one place I've been on that I don't see negativity or people bullying one another. You guys are just AMAZING and I wanted to let you know that I appreciate everyone's support! Furthermore, you guys are what keep this project going, and it wouldn't be where it is today without you guys! So please pat yourself on the back - you deserve it!
Also, I'd like to place the limelight on my good friends @blaacksheep, and of course @Falcon342. I just can't express how much I appreciate all you've done for this thread! I haven't had the time to get on here because of work and when I come on the forum I see you guys helping out and answering questions. I really do appreciate the time and effort you two have put into being so freaking helpful! However, I've got to be honest, I'm extremely sad because I feel like I'm not doing enough. I'm sure you guys would like a little help (I'm gonna try harder to be more active on here when I can to hopefully help you guys out). Anyway, thank you guys again!! I really do appreciate it!!!!
Also, don't think I forgot about you donators! I just want to say I'm so honored that you'd donate your hard-earned cash. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve it. Guys and gals, THANK YOU so much for donating! I really do appreciate every penny!
This year has flown by and Christmas is right around the corner, so I just wanted to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and I hope you all had a remarkable 2021! Let's hope 2022 is an even better year!
Well, that's all I've got for now! Have a good one, guys, and until next time... Peace!
- Make sure you uncheck the "Link device to your Amazon account to simplify setup" box before Adding to Cart. (See this screenshot, credits go to @ancientrael)
