[WINDOWS][TOOL]Fire Toolbox V30.2

[10HDGermany]

Hello all!
I just got a Fire HD 10 with following Build Date: 29 MAY 2021 Fire OS 7.3.1.9

First thing I did, is to download Toolbox v30 and get rid of the Ads, and install google play store. Then some of the Amazon Apps did not work anymore,device not supported. Thx to Blaacksheep I could resolve.

Following question, getting rid of the Apps in the version I am in, did it automatically block the OTA Updates?

I did read that some devices have problems with the launcher, what launcher works best with my 7.3.1.9 version?

Should I Update from this version?

any recommendations ?

 

[blaacksheep]

Hello all!
I just got a Fire HD 10 with following Build Date: 29 MAY 2021 Fire OS 7.3.1.9

First thing I did, is to download Toolbox v30 and get rid of the Ads, and install google play store. Then some of the Amazon Apps did not work anymore,device not supported. Thx to Blaacksheep I could resolve.

Following question, getting rid of the Apps in the version I am in, did it automatically block the OTA Updates?

I did read that some devices have problems with the launcher, what launcher works best with my 7.3.1.9 version?

Should I Update from this version?

any recommendations ?

Most likely it did block OTA updates because it automatically warns me that they aren't blocked in my 7.3.2.3 tablet (which can't be blocked by disabling OTA updates anyway). Also, you would have already been updated to 7.3.2.6 by this point if they weren't disabled. To verify that they're disabled, connect to Toolbox and go to Manage System Settings.

The second line will tell you if they're disabled or not. If the slider is to the left, then they are. (The screenshot is from my 7.3.2.3 tablet where they can't be disabled.) You want the first two options disabled, and the third enabled.

I think that most of the launcher issues that are being seen are due to either the Google Drive account having already reached it's limit for the day and not downloading anything until the next day, or people not understanding that the newer firmware needs careful attention to the way the Custom Navbar Key is installed in order to fully work. I usually recommend Nova Launcher only because its pretty "vanilla" and it works very well.

Updating firmware is definitely not advised. If you turn on OTA updates again, it will jump straight to the latest version (7.3.2.6) and leave you with a whole mess of workarounds needed to make Amazon leave you alone. (They'll also slow your tablet down because of the extra memory they require.) Once updated, you can't go back to the old version and are stuck. If you were to find a .bin file of the last version of firmware to fully work with Toolbox (7.3.2.1) for your specific tablet, I suppose you might be able to load it but you wouldn't gain anything even if successful. I always advise people to never allow updates to Amazon tablets if they want to retain ownership and control over them instead of giving Amazon a free billboard to advertise "new and improved" placards to purchase more Amazon stuff. /rant

;-b

 

[MisterKevster]

Ah, you're talking about the "Recents" menu. It's easy to close an app there. Depending on your firmware version, you just swipe an app left or right to close on older fiirmware, and up on newer firmware. You can also choose "Clear all" at the top on older F/W, or the left-hand end of the apps on newer F/W.

Yes....I got there...and you're absolutely right
Swiping UP....removes from list....great .

 

[sd_dracula]

So for now v30 doesn't work to block OTA on fire hd10 gen11 correct?
And I have to use this method here? https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v30-0.3889604/post-87753555

 

[mojospur]

Hi there,

I cant get it working, the launcher doesnt work. I cant get google services. is this because if the version im on? is there any way to get google play a safe way? I would defo make a new google account though too. any ideas? Thanks

 

[blaacksheep]

So for now v30 doesn't work to block OTA on fire hd10 gen11 correct?
And I have to use this method here? https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/windows-tool-fire-toolbox-v30-0.3889604/post-87753555

FTB will block OTA updates with the new method on newer firmware (v7.3.2.2+), but it will also stop you from downloading Disney movies and will stop all other background data transfer too. If you don't want that and you don't use a VPN, then the method outlined in my guide will do the trick without blocking anything but 4 Amazon updating apps from internet access. The guide is in the last link in my signature.

 

[blaacksheep]

Hi there,

I cant get it working, the launcher doesnt work. I cant get google services. is this because if the version im on? is there any way to get google play a safe way? I would defo make a new google account though too. any ideas? Thanks

Hi, and welcome to XDA!

First off, what firmware version are you running? I assume it's 7.3.2.6 because of your problems with the launcher. If that's the case, you'll have to follow the instructions the program gives you EXACTLY so that Automate gets installed properly and gets all required permissions.

Second issue could be a number of things, but most likely it's because too many people have downloaded the files today and Google isn't serving the files anymore today. (That's the problem with using Google Drive as a means of sharing files to a large number of people.) Try again tomorrow and if you get there early enough, it should work.

There are other "safe" ways to get Google Services installed, but it involves picking out the correct files from a variety of different ones and installing them in the correct order. I'd recommend trying it again tomorrow the easier way before doing it manually. If you don't succeed, I'll point you to a guide on where to get the files and which ones to pick.

 

[JumpingJack123]

Hi folks, I just got my Fire HD 10 (2021) and luckily it shipped with 7.3.2.1. I noticed it tried to connect to my wifi at the start, even though I unchecked the "Link device" box upon ordering. Sneaky buggers...

Now I'm just hoping FTB's "OTA updates: disabled" really means that it'll safely stay on 7.3.2.1.

Anyway major thanks to @Datastream33 for the "new user tour" in FTB. I was afraid I'd have to discover all the options and which ones to use, but the tour runs all the useful changes.

And also a big thank you to all the helpful people in this thread - @Jumbo100 , @blaacksheep and way too many others! Your posts have helped me make this setup easy as pie. And now I'm going to install some Play Store apps.

 

[tk–421]

Hi guys!
Just bought the new Fire HD 8 2022, running Fire OS 8.3.1.3. Loving the improved experience over the 2020 version, the quality of the display is miles ahead in terms of color accuracy, despite not being laminated.

I installed the Google Play services manually using the How to Geek guide, and everything is working really well.

Only problem is that I cannot make any of the two the custom launcher methods work. This is using Fire Toolbox 30.0. It seems like the button presses are registered because the screen does react at the end of the ADB commands, but my custom launcher (Microsoft Launcher) doesn't open.

When using the second method, Fire Tool box does install Automate on my tablet, yet there is no flo that can be seen in the application.

Am I doing anything wrong or does the Fire Toolbox cannot yet implement a custom launcher on Fire OS 8?

I own both the latest 10 and 8 tablets, and I really love the devices after customizing them. I'd love the launcher to work on the 8 to make my experience near perfect.

Thanks in advance guys! Thanks to Datastream for the great work!

 

[blaacksheep]

Hi guys!
Just bought the new Fire HD 8 2022, running Fire OS 8.3.1.3. Loving the improved experience over the 2020 version, the quality of the display is miles ahead in terms of color accuracy, despite not being laminated.

I installed the Google Play services manually using the How to Geek guide, and everything is working really well.

Only problem is that I cannot make any of the two the custom launcher methods work. This is using Fire Toolbox 30.0. It seems like the button presses are registered because the screen does react at the end of the ADB commands, but my custom launcher (Microsoft Launcher) doesn't open.

When using the second method, Fire Tool box does install Automate on my tablet, yet there is no flo that can be seen in the application.

Am I doing anything wrong or does the Fire Toolbox cannot yet implement a custom launcher on Fire OS 8?

I own both the latest 10 and 8 tablets, and I really love the devices after customizing them. I'd love the launcher to work on the 8 to make my experience near perfect.

Thanks in advance guys! Thanks to Datastream for the great work!

Hi, and welcome to XDA!

Hmmm..... it seems that your installation was incomplete. If you successfully installed your launcher and Automate, but it somehow didn't download the .flo file with it, you probably didn't follow the given instructions precisely.

Make sure that Automate is allowed to start automatically on boot, and import the attached file into it. The Automate app needs ALL it's permissions granted in order for the remapping to work. Then start the attached .flo file (attached in .zip format, meaning it has to be extracted and imported first), and if all goes well your tablet will function as desired.

 

[charliehorseuk]

Hi everyone first i would like to say a huge thank you to Datastream33 for this amazing tool.
I bought a Fire HD 10+ and using the tool i have the tablet running nearly perfectly apart from one small issue. I have set Nova as my launcher which works almost perfectly for what i need apart from when using full screen apps. When i swipe up to bring up the nav bar in a fullscreen app and then hit the home button nothing happens even though i can see its detecting im touching the button. If i press the switch app button that does work so i can then hit the home button to get back to the launcher. Is this just something i need to live with or is there anything i can do to fix this behavior?
Thanks

 

[lovingboth]

You need to uninstall that Google Play version of Shop Amazon and/or Amazon for Tablets. It won't work and will break the app. After uninstalling the Google version, click on the last link in my signature and grab the apk files of any Amazon apps you are using. I pulled the updates from another tablet I have with the newer firmware.

I tried the Amazon ROM version first - it told me it was no longer supported and opened a browser page.

I then tried the Google Play version, expecting it not to work (and it doesn't!)

Thanks, I will try the apk...

 

[Eldith]

I have just got a Fire 10 tab, I'm running through the first setup and just got to using Fire ToolBox on pc.

Just installed V30 but when running it for the first time it hangs on Starting the Android Debug Bridge and will not run (have waited for about 1-2 hours) have tried a multiple restarts and a reinstall. Any help would be great.

Edit: Have just tried V30 on a another machine same issue

 

[RVD26]

I have an issue with the ESPN app on my Amazon Fire HD tablet 2021 version where authentication fails when I select my TV provider.
I had a similar issue with my older Amazon Fire HD tablet (also rooted) and it would seemingly resolve itself after a while.

When I reached out to ESPN about the issue, I received this response:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting ESPN Fan Support.

I'm sorry you're having so much trouble with the app. I can try to help you out.

This is not due to anything you are doing wrong, there is a known compatibility issue affecting many people who try to use our app with Amazon devices that run on the FIre OS operating system, including the Firestick, FireCube, FireTV and the Kindle Fire Tablets.

We have been in contact with our friends at Amazon Support and they have identified the cause of the error.

As long as your device has been upgraded to software version 7.2.9.2 or higher and you have the Silk browser app installed then the ESPN app will function properly on your device. However if you have deleted, or never had previously installed the Silk app, or your device's OS is any version before 7.2.9.2 the the ESPN app will remain incompatible with that device.

If your device's software can't be upgraded to the minimum required version that would mean that it is past it's lifecycle and is no longer receiving updates from Amazon. You may be able to continue using it with other apps, but ESPN will no longer function and you would need to replace the device. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

Hopefully this information is useful. If you have upgraded your software to 7.2.9.2 and have Silk installed and the ESPN app still doesn't work I would recommend contacting Amazon Support directly for more assistance.

First, how do I get Silk browser installed on the tablet? I opened the Toolbox app but don't see Silk Browser as an option to install.
Second, any tips on how to get the ESPN app working if the tablet is not supposed to be updated?

 

[tk–421]

Hi, and welcome to XDA!

Hmmm..... it seems that your installation was incomplete. If you successfully installed your launcher and Automate, but it somehow didn't download the .flo file with it, you probably didn't follow the given instructions precisely.

Make sure that Automate is allowed to start automatically on boot, and import the attached file into it. The Automate app needs ALL it's permissions granted in order for the remapping to work. Then start the attached .flo file (attached in .zip format, meaning it has to be extracted and imported first), and if all goes well your tablet will function as desired

It still doesn't work. The home button launches MS Launcher only once, then goes back to the Fire launcher.

When I go in the screen for the Launcher Invoker settings, I have checked all the boxes. Is that enough? In the main app settings, there is a section called "Privileges" with a series of checkboxes. Would I need to check all those as well?

I still can't use the first method to reroute the home key. I almost never reboot my Fire HD 8 so I would prefer to do it that way. But right now no method works and I am at a loss.

I was thinking of entering the abd commands to reroute the home button myself. What is the command to be entered? Goes too fast on my screen.

Otherwise what could I be missing? Maybe I should reset my tablet and start from scratch? Again, I would rather use the first method but it doesn't even work.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[blaacksheep]

tk-421 said:

When I go in the screen for the Launcher Invoker settings, I have checked all the boxes. Is that enough? In the main app settings, there is a section called "Privileges" with a series of checkboxes. Would I need to check all those as well?


Yes! Check ALL boxes.

 

[SurroundSound]

Updating to latest OS on my 10 plus messed everything up. I'm new and naive to this. Goodbye NOVA until some genius figures this out.

 

[Zorazza]

Updating to latest OS on my 10 plus messed everything up. I'm new and naive to this. Goodbye NOVA until some genius figures this out.

Nova Launcher should still work with Automate + flo-file.

 

[blaacksheep]

Updating to latest OS on my 10 plus messed everything up. I'm new and naive to this. Goodbye NOVA until some genius figures this out.

Yep! Updating OS (to latest firmware) messes EVERYTHING up. Now you know - NEVER UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE. I'm assuming you used to have an earlier version of firmware that was pre-7.3.2.2. You're going to start from scratch defeating all the "new improved" bloatware that Amazon has put on your tablet and locked you into. There is currently no way to go back to your old firmware.

Rerun Toolbox. It will offer you a different set of options to disable or defeat most of the new stuff. As far as Nova goes, you'll have to choose the Custom Navbar Key option in Custom Launcher to get it back to replacing the Amazon Launcher. The lockscreen ads can be removed with the Lockscreen Management tool that now uses a newer method of removal, or just disabling the lockscreen altogether. OTA updates can no longer be disabled, but there is a newer method of preventing them included in Toolbox, or you can use the RethinkDNS method linked in my signature.

I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way about the newest firmware.

 

[SurroundSound]

Yep! Updating OS (to latest firmware) messes EVERYTHING up. Now you know - NEVER UPDATE YOUR FIRMWARE. I'm assuming you used to have an earlier version of firmware that was pre-7.3.2.2. You're going to start from scratch defeating all the "new improved" bloatware that Amazon has put on your tablet and locked you into. There is currently no way to go back to your old firmware.

Rerun Toolbox. It will offer you a different set of options to disable or defeat most of the new stuff. As far as Nova goes, you'll have to choose the Custom Navbar Key option in Custom Launcher to get it back to replacing the Amazon Launcher. The lockscreen ads can be removed with the Lockscreen Management tool that now uses a newer method of removal, or just disabling the lockscreen altogether. OTA updates can no longer be disabled, but there is a newer method of preventing them included in Toolbox, or you can use the RethinkDNS method linked in my signature.

I'm sorry you had to learn the hard way about the newest firmware.

I got NOVA working again with automate so that's great ! I also followed your tutorial to block OTA updates. The tablet is actually ok now. Slight delay with home key press but its fine. Cheers !