this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2024
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Can any custom OS or rooting be done? (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 months ago by AndrewZabar@lemmy.world to c/android@lemmy.world
21 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

I got this RCA Reno it’s sluggish but in excellent condition, so I’m wondering if I could do any hacking to it to make it more smoothly operable.

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[–] grue@lemmy.world 31 points 2 months ago (2 children)

...the fuck? An RCA-branded smartphone?!

Considering that RCA is nothing but a zombie trademark these days, whored out to label what would otherwise be no-name generic junk, I think that the odds that whoever actually made this thing would spend the effort to lock it down (or otherwise customizing the software in any meaningful way) are low. That's the good news.

The bad news is that the sort of people who would buy an RCA-branded thing made after the 1980s are the opposite of informed enthusiasts, so the odds of anybody caring enough to go to the trouble of making rooting instructions or building a custom ROM for this device are also low. Not zero, apparently, at least for the rooting part, but low.

Frankly, IMO it only makes sense to bother with this device if you're doing it out of principle to stop it from becoming e-waste or something like that. If your goal is to have a useful device with root and a custom OS, the quicker/easier way to achieve that would be to get a more mainstream device officially supported by the firmware you want to run.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

lol hey I share your ~~flabbergastiness~~ - [I’m gonna go with _Flabbergastitude_™ ;-)] - about this. I got it in a lot of used devices and I just want the challenge of hacking it.

Most likely it’s made by HTC or maybe one of the Chinese brands…? I dunno. I know that some carrier-branded phones I used to have were just HTC models slightly modified.

So yeah, it’s just the challenge I want.

On another note, I’m also trying to do a LineageOS install onto a Galaxy J7 Sky Pro. All the literature I can find online is somewhat confusing insofar as getting the files onto the thing. I put everything onto a microSD and it’s in there, but I can’t figure out how to flash it. There is an article about first doing a file system mod etc. I followed directions but I am not seeing what they indicate I would see. It’s that way so often :-( anyway I’m going to next try something to free it because it has the message of an unauthorized factory wipe, so I am going to use droidkit to remedy that. After that I think it’s necessary to go into debug mode. I tried using the built-in Odin mode but it only says it can do update from sd card but that’s not what the file is.

Anyway sorry to ramble… I haven’t done any kind of rooting since I worked on my Zenpad to turn it into an e-reader. It’s so slow that it’s absolutely unconscionable that they would sell such a thing. These days it seems perfectly ok to sell a device that literally all it can manage is to load the Android OS. Once it succeeds then they presumably are able to release to market and not get their pants sued off. But beyond actual bootup everything is terminally slow, I have even seen to the point of a device just freezing up and shutting down lol. So they sell this thing that can just bootup and then it’s a brick draining a battery. Despicable.

But I am rambling again lol.

Anyway, back to the adventures.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 9 points 2 months ago

Evidently it's some company called Sonoma Communications.

https://fccid.io/OCVRCAR1ENO205

[–] rovingnothing29@lemmy.world 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I've put lineage on unsupported phones before, so it CAN be done if you can unlock the bootloader. It's been listed under developer options for years now. If the toggle is present then you can proceed.

Settings > About Phone > Build Number. Keep tapping build number fast until "you're now a developer"

Settings > System > Developer Options > OEM Unlocking, toggle this to on.

From there you'll have to settle for a GSI. This guide worked for me on a Moto G Pure which XDA calls e-waste You'll also need to figure out what version your device can run, 64 bit, 64-binder or 32 bit and modify the directions accordingly. Only you can figure this part out as you have the phone in hand and none of us know anything about it. If you want magisk then download it and flash it to system after flashing the GSI but before rebooting.

GSI images can be gotten here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/andyyan-gsi/ Magisk here: https://github.com/topjohnwu/Magisk/releases

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (3 children)

The phone I have is FRP locked. I have searched enough to make my hair fall out this is one of those things where a thousand websites SWEAR that THIS software does the bypass for FREE. Then you install it and it says oh yeah we can do it but you have to pay.

Fucking parasites. I think these basement dwellers package an affiliate key in there so they get a nickel every time someone falls for it and pays.

Is there ANY completely free solution to clear this lockout? It’s a Galaxy J7 Sky Pro.

I’m reminded of years ago there were some wonky issues with SD cards that sometimes the file table became messed up and you needed to salvage the data. Nothing was actually deleted but it required a tool to retrieve the actual files. Oh my god there were hundreds of thousands of tools that were the same fucking thing repackaged and charged money to execute the restore. Every website was like “Oh yeah don’t fall for those scams this is a utility that does it for free,” and then BAM it requires payment.

So now I’m looking at that kind of parasitic situation with this FRP bypass lock. It’s almost as if the manufacturer wants phones to be thrown in the garbage so users are forced to buy from them rather than aftermarket. Noooooo. /s

[–] Markaos@lemmy.one 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So now I’m looking at that kind of parasitic situation with this FRP bypass lock. It’s almost as if the manufacturer wants phones to be thrown in the garbage so users are forced to buy from them rather than aftermarket. Noooooo. /s

It's a theft deterrent, so it would be kind of pointless if there was an intentional way to disable it other than to log in with the owner's account. The people providing the tools to bypass FRP want their cut of the stolen goods, that's all.

I'm not saying that your specific phone is stolen (although if you got it in this state... yeah, it most likely is, FRP triggers when you do a factory reset from the recovery instead of going through settings), but you have to understand that what you want is exactly what a thief would want, and the proce of the tools reflects that.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Well, I got it on eBay with a bunch of stuff that needed repair some were ok. This device works fine, seemingly, but I can’t get in so I’m gonna just sell it with disclaimer about the lockout.

[–] ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I once found a workaround on a trashpicked Android 5.1 phone by Huawei. There was a shitty third-party keyboard during the setup, so I tapped around and found that it has DLC themes. Attempting to download one resulted in a popup "Offline? Check network settings" with a link into the Settings app, where I could set a lock screen passcode and then remove it, which nullified FRP.

Later, I found a YouTube video with instructions for another exploit, which somehow reached Settings via the screenshot shortcut and then attempting to share it via Gmail. I imagine weird phone brands will have several exploits like this.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Oh… lol okay I think my responses got derailed a bit. The RCA Reno is fine I don’t have a problem. The FRP lockout is on a Samsung Galaxy J7 Sky Pro. I have it listed on eBay for sale now, including a warning about the FRP lock. Hopefully someone who has lots of exp with this maybe will purchase it. If not after a while, maybe I’ll make another attempt.

[–] rovingnothing29@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Yeah that is outdated. This is such a bitch. I’ve even tried DroidKit cracked but the dial sequence it says to use to bring up option to factory reset doesn’t actually do that, it brings up test buttons to test the sensors etc.

I’m so fed up with this constant war the manufacturers wage to retain control of something that customers pay for. It’s now mine and I should be able to do absolutely whatever the fuck I want.

This is seeming hopeless though.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

I’m just gonna put this thing on eBay because droidkit gives me this 9 page set of instructions that are like 40 steps and the first is to get a file online from within the phone. Uh, HELLO I’m locked out that’s why this entire endeavor. I think it’s just a con to get payment but good thing I got cracked version. I’m so exhausted trying this bullshit.

[–] Persen@lemmy.world 0 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I looked it up on youtube and: tutorial

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Yeah so, that one and numerous others have a different interface than mine. Same phone model, maybe different Android version? Not sure. But many of them are either outdated or just bullshit to get clicks. Either way, I'm still screwed. Still trying to find a solution. This is such a heap of crap the manufacturers act like it's to protect customers but it's really they want any method possible to facilitate devices needing to be thrown out and new ones bought. Even if it only happens sometimes, they're happy.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

I will take a look thank you.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Not sure of that exact model, but any custom ROM would require unlocking the bootloader first. Try the steps on this page first to see if you're even able to unlock the bootloader.

https://www.naldotech.com/oppo-reno-6-unlock-bootloader/

I don't know if that's the same model or not, but the instructions are pretty generic. If the bootloader won't unlock, you're probably out of luck and will just have to debloat/tweak the stock OS as best you can. It may also require a code from the manufacturer to properly unlock. Sometimes they'll give those out (or more often, provide a webpage where you can request them), sometimes they won't.

If you can post the model number (usually can get from Settings -> About Phone) it might help.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I don’t know if that’s the same model or not

Comparing OP's photo to the one on the page you linked, the "RCA Reno" and the "OPPO Reno 6" appear to be completely unrelated devices.

[–] ptz@dubvee.org 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Just assumed that was a generic image in the header.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

My cursory search showed similar images, so credit to naldotech for unexpectedly not being lazy, I guess.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

That image does seem like just a stock image to depict a smartphone. Can’t hurt to try stuff at this point so thank you for info and I’ll post if I’m successful.

[–] AndrewZabar@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Thank you!!