[mrsburnout]

First post under construction.... Talya's original quote from this topic that I am hijacking will remain below.

thanks for your patience

I am tired of reposting links and directing people who do not know how to utilize the forum or wiki to learn before attempting modifications to their devices. Then I get n00bs like LaSponge (my original reply below his quote is the post I used to hijack Tayla's) so I'm going to start this help topic off with some useful links for newbies. Please read and learn BEFORE you render your devices unusable.

Taken from my reply in the 2011 FW New User's thread here: http://www.slatedroi...post__p__473810

People - Please don't make us drag information from you. Like this guy http://www.slatedroi...ally-need-help/ -- please do not make the same mistakes. We need much more information since the 2012 FWs appeared..

Wiki - Introduction to the Pandigital Novel

White PDN Owners START HERE

REQUIRED Reading: PDN FW Development Board

POST NEWBIE QUESTIONS HERE

Announcement: ATTN: Pandigital Novel/Tablet Users


DO NOT FLASH PANDIGITAL'S S20 OPEN PLATFORM KIT! -- THIS WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR DEVICE -- IT WILL MAKE IT UNUSABLE!


Current 2012 FW discussions - Read the entire topics / Understand / RE-read / be certain your device is compatible / Use at your own risk.

mac1_131 - Walmart WPDN R7T40WWHF1 firmware

Zeppelinman_2000 - R7T40WBLF0 - PDC1_20120214_B_PD_INX7E_ENG_6410POP

general warning topic created when the 2012 FW's first appeared - Do Not Downgrade WPDN from SL20_20120224 to S10 or SH20 FW

Good luck (there is hope) if you screwed yours up.

Happy reading..

LaSponge, on 05 December 2012 - 02:14 AM, said:

...snip...FIRMWARE VIRSION: SH20_20120214_B_PD_INX7E_ENG_6410POP

KERNEL VERSION: 2.6.29 eric@ubuntu #1 THU JAN 5 15:52:10 CST 2012

BUILD NUMBER: PD_NOVEL 2012.02.14

ON BACK SHOWS MODEL NUMBER AS : R7T40WWHF2

CORRECTION: responded to your post in the newbie thread here: http://www.slatedroi...700#entry470565

I am uncertain how you came to your incorrect assumption regarding your firmware revision.

LET THIS BE NOTICE TO ALL: Be careful what you flash to your device and absolutely certain which FW you have before altering your wPDNs -- Downgrading FW's from 2011 FWs to 2010 FWs have created bricks without the proper precautions provided by SLD. Bricks have been reported downgrading from some 2012 FWs and some have been successfully modified as well - ymmv

There are no known stock SH20 Firmwares with a 2012 naming convention. <--@LaSponge- I have modified your sig line to reflect this as well.

Talya, on 18 August 2012 - 05:10 PM, said:

Okay. I think I am falling victim to the curse of having too much info and I'm a bit lost.

From everything I've read- there's no point in doing an alternate firmware for my PDN, since this is Pandigital's most current firmware. However- I would really like to do two things that thus far this tablet will not do. 1) Install a recent version of the Kindle app, and 2) Have a working Amazon app store. Google claims that the Novel is not compatible for Kindle, even though I have seen comments saying it works fine. And the appstore downloads and sets up fine, but I cannot download anything from it.

I have not modded anything yet. My firmware is SL20_20120224_B_PD_INX7E_ENG_6410POP.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[mac1_131]

Kindle definately does work on the Novel. But you need the Android Market (now called Google Play on newer devices) to get it. Once Android Market is in and working, you can download it. It is not in the Slide Me market.

So if you had older firmware, I would just tell you to flash kewlguy's a la carte mods on top of what you have to install Gapps and the market.

But I see some new info that these mods are incompativle with your new firmware version, so be very careful before you flash anything. Make sure you understand what is happening.

The thread on KG's a la cate mods is here

But like I said, be careful before and before you do anything read this thread

read post #108 in the above thread in particular - it may be possible to just put gapps in without messing things up, not 100% sure myself right now

It may be that we need to cook up a new flash for that new firmware version if that is possible

stay tuned and best not to do anything for now

glad you asked first... this is a new problem that is still developing

but at least you know what has to happen to get Kindle, bad news is it may take a while to fix this mess

another alternative would be to get someone to email you the app and just install it directly for now, bypassing the market

[Talya]

No. Kindle does not work. I get a parsing error every time I try to install it.

It seems as if none of the other mods will work on my PDN, and I'm very squeamish about trying one- as I don't want to have a big white paperweight.
Everything I can find on the Net seems to be hacking an older version, and there are a lot of people waiting for some direction as far as this 2012 version is concerned.

The sad part is- I specifically lurked in the forums, and thought that a PDN would be a good bet- not knowing that I would get a version incompatible with the listed mods. *sigh* It seems as though I'm still ending up with a big white paperweight, as it won't do what I bought it to do, so I don't use it all that much. I'm going to try Kewlguy's market-only flash and hope it works...

[Talya]

Well... the market only flash does and doesn't work. I didn't brick my PDN, and I now have the Market icon, BUT it does not connect to Google's servers (It keeps saying server error, and I flashed it twice, just to make sure). So I cannot get to any app to download, before I can get the Market update. Also the browser of Google Play says I must go through the app first.

So, not a brick, but still a paperweight.


--Update- Found some instructions on changing the date, clearing cache, rebooting and it works... sort of. Can you force a market update? I can get apps, but not the few I need. I need to update to Google Play before I can get Kindle, and while the hack is sticking- it hasn't forced an update yet. So I am limited to the old set of apps, until it updates to Google Play.

This post has been edited by Talya: 01 September 2012 - 10:48 AM

[mac1_131]

Talya, on 01 September 2012 - 10:13 AM, said:

Well... the market only flash does and doesn't work. I didn't brick my PDN, and I now have the Market icon, BUT it does not connect to Google's servers (It keeps saying server error, and I flashed it twice, just to make sure). So I cannot get to any app to download, before I can get the Market update. Also the browser of Google Play says I must go through the app first.

So, not a brick, but still a paperweight.


--Update- Found some instructions on changing the date, clearing cache, rebooting and it works... sort of. Can you force a market update? I can get apps, but not the few I need. I need to update to Google Play before I can get Kindle, and while the hack is sticking- it hasn't forced an update yet. So I am limited to the old set of apps, until it updates to Google Play.

it's never going to update to google play. but it likely did update to a slightly newer market that it had originally.

check the version of your market - what is it? mine is 2002306 (look in settings, applications, manage applications, scroll down to market and click it)

do you see any apps at all to download?

you may need to change your buildprop to trick the market that it is one version of andoid newer than it is. the SDK (android version it shows to market) is probably 5. mine is 7, which makes more apps show up.

however, I would not use KGs build.prop flash. let me make one for the walmart unit (now that I have one) so that the only thing that we change is the SDK - and leave everything else alone. actually KGs gapps may have already changed that, let me look at that first too.

I just bought one of these "new" novels since it was causing so much trouble. I will force Kindle into it and see if it works, or if it does not, what it takes to work. I have two of the slightly older Novels that are running Kindle just fine

I will try to explain the evolution of the market a little. The app is actually vending.apk. The "hack" that allows the market to work on a non-supported device works only on a very old version of market. That's why you have to download one free app quick - because it updates to a newer market soon that the hack does not work on.

But all this was cooked up before Google Play came around. The Novels will not update to Google Play. They are stuck at the newer market that was out until Google Play came around. So that is what you are looking for - this "middle" version of market which is 2002306. If you don't have that, it is possible that now it won't update because it wants to go right to Google Play and won't update at all now. That's why I need to know what version you have to try to figure out what happened.

I can make a flash for you that will put this middle version of market in that I am talking about, and that's the best we are going to be able to do.

Another thing on Kindle. The market hack replaces your framework with an older framework that the hack lives in. You need to put your correct framework back in after the market is working. But if you have the walmart unit, no one has made a flash to put that framework back in. And the whole firmware flash for that unit is absent - Pandigital hasn't published it anywhere.

That's part of the reason I bought one, and have not altered it yet. I can get the original framework out of it and make a flash for that too.

Once this is all sorted out, we probably need to start a new thread how to put gapps in it, and I can provide some flashes to put the old framework back in.

I know this was kind of long, but I hope it helps.

I need to know:

1. did you in fact get market working, and you can at least download some apps?
2. what you current market version is
3. confirm it is a walmart unit model number R7T40WWHF1
4. what version of Kindle is not working for you

hang in there, I think we can make this better

This post has been edited by mac1_131: 01 September 2012 - 04:11 PM

[Talya]

mac1_131, on 01 September 2012 - 04:10 PM, said:

I need to know:

1. did you in fact get market working, and you can at least download some apps?
2. what you current market version is
3. confirm it is a walmart unit model number R7T40WWHF1
4. what version of Kindle is not working for you

The market is working. Apps can be downloaded and are working fine. I have downloaded Pandora, Antivirus software, and a task killer. It's just since it is an older version of the market- my app selection is pitiful. Probably about half of what is available on the SAM market that comes with the PDN. And yes I knew I wouldn't have access to everything, it's just a bit shocking to see the market that bare.

My market version is 2002306.

I did not buy the PDN at Walmart. I bought it from a California vendor, from Amazon. In the About Device, it just lists the model as PD_Novel. (-UPDATE- Found the box. *sigh* Yes, it is the R7T40WWHF1.)

As for the Kindle- When I first got the PDN- I tried an earlier version of Kindle (I think it was a 2.something - the link is floating around the forums), but that one would not sync at all. I tried again after the KG Market Hack- I downloaded and installed Kindle 3.2.0.35. It almost works. It syncs to Amazon just fine, and it lists all the archives that I am supposed to have. It even sees the books that I send to it. HOWEVER- it will not download anything. Like the Amazon Appstore- any attempted download will stall and fail.

This post has been edited by Talya: 01 September 2012 - 10:11 PM

[mac1_131]

Ok how about the complete model number and firmware version then?

Sent from my slatedroid-pdn using Tapatalk

[Talya]

mac1_131, on 01 September 2012 - 10:12 PM, said:

Ok how about the complete model number and firmware version then?

Firmware: SL20_20120224_B_PD_INX7E_ENG_6410POP
Model: R7T40WWHF1 (or PD_Novel as the device says in Settings)
Build: PD_Novel 2011.01.27
Kernel version 2.6.29

[mac1_131]

OK thanks. Just wanted to confirm for sure you have what I thought you have.

You probably need to put your original framework back in, now that you have market working. The gapps flash puts the hacked framework in (which is old) and it is only needed until you get market activated. Once that occurs, it is better to have the correct framework in.

That may explain some of your other funny problems.

I would flash this in if I were you. It puts the original framework back in (which I retrieved from the unit I just bought) and also puts in the original build.prop file, with one small change, leaving the SDK set to 7 to maximize the number of apps the market will offer.

As time goes on, the app developers are requiring newer and newer versions of android on the device. That is why you may not see the market offer everything. They can restrict what you see by Android version, and even by cellular carrier, which in this case is of course none. All that conspires to reduce the number of apps one can get. And it has been getting worse lately. I have some apps on mine that I was able to get through the market before, and now they won't let me see them any more.

The same thing is happening with iPhone by the way. If you don't have version 4 or version 5 and are still using version 3, the number of apps in the apple store is decreasing too.

Try the above flash please, and that may be as good as it gets.

[Talya]

mac1_131, on 02 September 2012 - 01:54 PM, said:

Try the above flash please, and that may be as good as it gets.

Flashed the original framework back in. Nothing seems to be different yet- still having the download problem for Kindle.

I'm not really worried, as far as the market is concerned- I can just sideload what I need and cross my fingers.

[mac1_131]

OK, well I just don't get it. I finally did put kindle in mine (manually with adb) and it seems to work fine. It did demand an SDK of at least 7 to install. the older version would take an SDK of 5.

I do have the odd book or two that I can download but won't open, and they open fine on my wife's kindle, but they all show up in archive, just can't read a few of them

does your device show up in the amazon manage my kindle web site, after clicking the manage my devices link on the left?

I can also put up a download link to an older version if you want to try that.

[Talya]

mac1_131, on 03 September 2012 - 09:19 AM, said:

OK, well I just don't get it. I finally did put kindle in mine (manually with adb) and it seems to work fine. It did demand an SDK of at least 7 to install. the older version would take an SDK of 5.

I do have the odd book or two that I can download but won't open, and they open fine on my wife's kindle, but they all show up in archive, just can't read a few of them

does your device show up in the amazon manage my kindle web site, after clicking the manage my devices link on the left?

I can also put up a download link to an older version if you want to try that.

I am getting the same thing. I can read all of the books I download on my phone, but I randomly selected a few from my archives and they will not install on the PDN. Also none of the three books I have tried to send directly to it will download. It does show in my devices under Manage Kindle devices on the Amazon site.

I am always open to trying an older version. But the one I had on the PDN before this one, would not sync with Amazon at all. So I think this is at least a step up- being that I can sync with this one- I just can't read anything yet.

[pdn-newuser]

having see that there is new firmware for the novel, interest to update. Checking their site, no longer have the firmware download as zip file. Need to download a PC Updater. Anyone can advise how it is done. Can I save the firmware as zip if need to redo the update process.
Also, knew that freshing new firmware will wipe all apps installed. Anyway to back up the installed apps in the Novel and restore it back after update. Need to do that instead of re-download from market because some apps no longer available, not sure market will done after update since it has not worked for a while.
Thank.

[Zero7]

pdn-newuser, on 06 September 2012 - 01:46 PM, said:

having see that there is new firmware for the novel, interest to update. Checking their site, no longer have the firmware download as zip file. Need to download a PC Updater. Anyone can advise how it is done. Can I save the firmware as zip if need to redo the update process.
Also, knew that freshing new firmware will wipe all apps installed. Anyway to back up the installed apps in the Novel and restore it back after update. Need to do that instead of re-download from market because some apps no longer available, not sure market will done after update since it has not worked for a while.
Thank.

Before attempting any firmware update, please go through the WIKI and understand the process. As of today, PDN White has multiple versions and not all firmwares is compatible with all White PDNs. If you are not seeing a Firmware update for your Novel in Pandigital site means that there may not be any update available. Yours could be the latest Walmart version I think.

Once you are clear reading the Wiki about your model and compatible firmware, there is option to download the zip file from the mirror site.
[Mirror] But any wrong firmware can/may brick your device.

For taking the back up of Apps, you can use Apps like AppInstaller, Titanium Back up etc. I use AppInstaller and able to backup all apk files to SD. Titanium back up is more powerful and advanced, where you can take complete back up of your device.

This post has been edited by Zero7: 07 September 2012 - 01:17 AM

[mac1_131]

or you can "pull" them with adb then re-install them later with adb if you update it

but you are 100% correct that some apps will no longer be available on market, as app developers require newer versions of android for their later versions

so you are smart to know to back them up first because you might not get them back!

they live in /data/app by the way - if you can use adb then you just pull everything in /data/app then install them back later

what firmware do you currently run?

This post has been edited by mac1_131: 07 September 2012 - 05:47 AM

[pdn-newuser]

Thank for the helps.
Got appinstaller and start backing up the apps now. By the way, the apps downloaded no longer stay in data/app
i have the white pdn, brought back in 2010. definitely the "original novel" running kewlguy's SH20_OPDN_2_10_BASE_PD_INX7E_ENG_6410POP.
Just wonder, is the 2012 firmware better?
can it get google play?

[mac1_131]

pdn-newuser, on 08 September 2012 - 07:03 PM, said:

By the way, the apps downloaded no longer stay in data/app

Yes they do. User apps are installed in /data/app

Where do you think they are installed?

I would not try putting the 2012 firmware on an older unit yet until it is better understood. If it is a version for the new Novel, the kernel is different. I don't think anyone knows yet if it is forward compatible. We definately know it is not backward compatible.

[pdn-newuser]

using es file explorer to look at \data folder and found it is empty. in the sd card, however, data\app does have some apk files but that is before I update to kewlguy firmware.
The user manual did say "to save memory, once a program is installed, the download file is deleted. If you need to re-install, you need to re-download from the source".

I do agree to hold off updating to 2012 firmware is a good idea since other posts said with new firmware, it is cannot or very hard to reverse back to kewlguy firmware.

Hopefully, will get more info from the forum about the 2012 firmware.
Thank.

[mac1_131]

pdn-newuser, on 10 September 2012 - 01:01 PM, said:

using es file explorer to look at \data folder and found it is empty. in the sd card, however, data\app does have some apk files but that is before I update to kewlguy firmware.
The user manual did say "to save memory, once a program is installed, the download file is deleted. If you need to re-install, you need to re-download from the source".

I really don't want to get into an argument here, but you are spreading inaccurate information so I have to respond.

It is true es file explorer shows /data as empty. For one reason or another, it does not see that part of the file system. Probably designed that way so you don't accidentally delete something.

I can assure you that there are thousands of files and directories in /data, and that the user apps ARE installed in /data/app. If you login to the shell with adb or with an android terminal on the device, you will see this.

This post has been edited by mac1_131: 10 September 2012 - 01:59 PM

[pdn-newuser]

mac1_131, on 10 September 2012 - 01:55 PM, said:

I really don't want to get into an argument here, but you are spreading inaccurate information so I have to respond.

It is true es file explorer shows /data as empty. For one reason or another, it does not see that part of the file system. Probably designed that way so you don't accidentally delete something.

I can assure you that there are thousands of files and directories in /data, and that the user apps ARE installed in /data/app. If you login to the shell with adb or with an android terminal on the device, you will see this.

The information from the user manual was under the section of getting apps from SAM, not sure if it applies.

Did not want to spread any wrong information. Just do not know enough how to do this advance stuff and very much appreciate your help.
Please provide instruction how to login to the shell with adb so I can find the apps l downloaded.
Is there other apps besides ES file explorer I can use to see the files that is hidden?