Pro1X, Stock Android non-GMS build?

[qtekfun 3]

Hi there,

I've just received the Pro1x and I only want to use android without GMS. Although I can debloat it from adb I woud ask if it's possible from FXtec to make a stock build without GMS or if I have to wait until some lineage OS build comes to reallity. I'm the only one with this needs?

Thanks in advance!

[EskeRahn 5,459]

There is an official guide on rooting (see this) . So I guess from there you can uninstall about anything.
If you do not want to root, you can using ADB from a pc disable most. See this on how.

[Hook 3,016]

1 hour ago, qtekfun said:

Hi there,

I've just received the Pro1x and I only want to use android without GMS. Although I can debloat it from adb I woud ask if it's possible from FXtec to make a stock build without GMS or if I have to wait until some lineage OS build comes to reallity. I'm the only one with this needs?

Thanks in advance!

If I'm not mistaken, I don't think they can and still release properly certified Android.

[qtekfun 3]

@EskeRahn I've ususally use this: https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater but that's not what I want.

@Hook Whaaaat?  I don' know anything about that. Please some info is welcome!

[EskeRahn 5,459]

10 minutes ago, qtekfun said:

@EskeRahn I've ususally use this: https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater but that's not what I want.

@Hook Whaaaat?  I don' know anything about that. Please some info is welcome!

For an AOSP based version like LineageOS or AICP we will have to wait, and no, I have no idea how long, unfortunately.

[Hook 3,016]

24 minutes ago, qtekfun said:

@EskeRahn I've ususally use this: https://github.com/0x192/universal-android-debloater but that's not what I want.

@Hook Whaaaat?  I don' know anything about that. Please some info is welcome!

I've never been able to find a source that spells it out, but I believe that once a company has had  their Android GMS certified, there are road blocks to their providing a non-certfied version without Gapps. But, it's a guess, not fact.

[qtekfun 3]

2 hours ago, EskeRahn said:

For an AOSP based version like LineageOS or AICP we will have to wait, and no, I have no idea how long, unfortunately.

Don't worry. I know the rule about no ETA

 

1 hour ago, Hook said:

I've never been able to find a source that spells it out, but I believe that once a company has had  their Android GMS certified, there are road blocks to their providing a non-certfied version without Gapps. But, it's a guess, not fact.

Ok. Thanks

[brunoais 334]

I've asked f(x)tec some days ago about getting a Gappless version as an alternative of having to deal with google spy stuff and google's ToS (which is even worse than gmail's🤮). I'm waiting for an answer.

Do note that If there were early LOS builds, I wouldn't have asked that.

Edited August 24, 2022 by brunoais

[Noob 158]

We got this with the Pro1, but as a once-off that @tdm kindly provided because he had access to the source as the LineageOS developer at the time.  I don't believe it was updated though, and while it would be nice to get it again I wouldn't get my hopes up.  Note this also likely means no OTA updates.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Noob

[EskeRahn 5,459]

3 minutes ago, Noob said:

We got this with the Pro1, but as a once-off that @tdm kindly provided because he had access to the source as the LineageOS developer at the time.  I don't believe it was updated though, and while it would be nice to get it again I wouldn't get my hopes up.  Note this also likely means no OTA updates.

It would be nice with an official AOSP build, with updates, that LineageOS, AICP and others could build from.

[Casey 321]

On 8/23/2022 at 2:17 PM, qtekfun said:

Hi there,

I've just received the Pro1x and I only want to use android without GMS. Although I can debloat it from adb I woud ask if it's possible from FXtec to make a stock build without GMS or if I have to wait until some lineage OS build comes to reallity. I'm the only one with this needs?

Thanks in advance!

There is a GMS-less Android build available. I updated the G-drive link in here: 

 I suggest using QFIL method to flash rather than adb sideload. Good luck!

[asonix 5]

Is it possible to flash this with adb or fastboot? I'd rather not figure out how to set up a windows VM with USB passthrough just to play with this phone.

[Casey 321]

16 hours ago, asonix said:

Is it possible to flash this with adb or fastboot? I'd rather not figure out how to set up a windows VM with USB passthrough just to play with this phone.

Yes, you can. I'll list the general steps below, let me know if you have any questions:

 

1. Unlock bootloader first by following the guide here.

2. Then, flash the GMS-less recovery.img by doing:

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

3. After that, reboot your Pro1-X to recovery mode. On dead Android logo, use button combo : Power + Volume Up

adb reboot recovery

4. Use Volume buttons to navigate the menu to select "Apply update from ADB", and use power button to select.

5. We will now use ADB sideload to flash the "“merged-qssi_bengal-ota.zip” inside the GMS-less firmware folder. 

adb sideload merged-qssi_bengal-ota.zip

6. Once the process reaches 100%, you'll see the recovery menu again. Select "Reboot system now".

[EskeRahn 5,459]

9 hours ago, Casey said:

Yes, you can. I'll list the general steps below, let me know if you have any questions:

It would be great if we could have an equally simple process to flash it to its stock Android-state (with GMS).

[Casey 321]

14 hours ago, EskeRahn said:

It would be great if we could have an equally simple process to flash it to its stock Android-state (with GMS).

There is another way to use a script to flash all OTA images in fastbootd mode, but this needs more fine tuning. Same method stated above also works with GMS build, but still need testing too. I'm working with beta-testers to ensure everything works before I publish here. 

[Noob 158]

I missed this when it was originally posted, thanks for the update @Casey.  I'll be firing up my Pro1x to give this a try.

[claude0001 1,340]

Thanks for making the GMS-less beta-build available. Installed it via fastboot/adb as described above and rooted following the official guide (thanks for that, too!) - works fine.

I won't use the Pro1X productively before a somewhat mature LineageOS becomes available. But until then, this is a good way to play around with the device without big G watching too much.

Dumb question: Is it normal that in GMS-less 2.1.5 available WiFi networks are not automatically detected or listed in the quick-settings panel? In stock 2.1.2 (as in LineageOS) I get a list of all networks in range by tapping the SSID below the WiFi icon. In GMS-less 2.1.5 I have to set up every single network by going through the settings app. 

[EskeRahn 5,459]

8 hours ago, claude0001 said:

Is it normal that in GMS-less 2.1.5 available WiFi networks are not automatically detected or listed in the quick-settings panel

....Sounds like a bug to me....

[ducksoup 110]

On 10/26/2022 at 1:07 PM, claude0001 said:

Is it normal that in GMS-less 2.1.5 available WiFi networks are not automatically detected or listed in the quick-settings panel?

I am running GMS-less 2.1.5 and I see all wifi networks in the quicksettings panel.

[brunoais 334]

On 10/26/2022 at 11:07 AM, claude0001 said:

GMS-less 2.1.5 available WiFi networks are not automatically detected

Cannot reproduce. I can't answer that well

[MonCon 125]

I had a few uncertainties about the flashing process that I felt were a bit long winded and vague for the forum so I PMed Casey.  He tidied up my questions and supplied clear and comprehensive answers to all points, so I'm posting here so that others may possibly benefit.  
My questions neatly summarised by Casey in bold, my additions to Casey comments for context outside the PM in italic. 

23 hours ago, Casey said:

Q1:  Is there a specific reason for preferring the QFIL method over 'adb sideload', or is it just that the QFIL method is currently better developed and documented? 

Frankly speaking, they are both safe ways to flash the GMS-less OS. At the time, adb sideload user manual wasn't ready yet so I referred them to use QFIL instead. But from my perspective, adb sideload is indeed much faster and less tedious compared to QFIL. I've attached the full user manual for using adb sideload to flash the GMS-less version (bear in mind that this was for beta-testers flashing beta firmwares, but the process is 100% the same).

But just to give some background information regarding the difference between QFIL and adb sideload:

• QFIL is the official tool to configure Qualcomm-based devices, it is considered to be the safest method for flashing.
• adb sideload can only be used for flashing a OS version higher than your current one. i.e. stock Android is v2.1.2, whereas GMS-less is v2.1.5. So using sideload in this case would be applicable.
• You can use QFIL to downgrade from v2.1.5 to v2.1.2, but you cannot use adb sideload to downgrade.

Q2:  Is this (the GMS-less version) the recovery.img file extracted from the 'Release_SM6115_S701_V2.1.5_20220906-2009_user-001.rar' in the 'Pro1-X_Stock_Android_OS_GMS-less_v2.1.5' folder on Google Drive? 

Yes. The recovery image is inside this file you quoted. Once you've extracted this file, the name of the recovery image is: recovery.img.

Q3:  I struggled to extract from the .rar file on a Windoze PC

For Windows PC, you can use a free software called 7zip to extract all kinds of files. This is the one I use and it works well.

and ended up using 'peazip' on Linux 

Sorry, I haven't used peazip before so I wouldn't know.

is there any 'checksum' routine I should use to verify the extracted files? 

There isn't a checksum to verify the extracted files. But you only need two files from the .rar to flash the GMS-less OS with adb sideload. Here is the list:

• recovery.img
• merged-qssi_bengal-ota.zip <---  you do not need to extract this file

The link you pasted ('https://community.fxtec.com/topic/3670-pro1x-stock-android-non-gms-build/?do=findComment&comment=63778') about the general steps I listed is indeed everything you need to know. But there is one thing I forget to mention in the post (considering you're new to this), is that your Terminal/Command Prompt needs to be in the same directory as where you saved the two files mentioned above when you do either "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img" and "adb sideload merged-qssi_bengal-ota.zip". 

For example, you use "cd" in Terminal/Command Prompt to access a directory, and "cd .." to exit that folder. Alternatively, remember the file paths of these files on your computer so you can just copy and paste it in Terminal/Command Prompt as such: "cd /Users/Fxtec/Downloads" (assuming both files are in the Downloads folder), then you can proceed with "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img" and "adb sideload merged-qssi_bengal-ota.zip". 

 

I hope this helps. Feel free to let me know if you need any help, I'll be here for you. 🙂

Good luck!

Pro1-X_ How to Upgrade Beta Firmware - README.pdf 1.47 MB · 0 downloads

Thanks for the speedy and comprehensive response @Casey, I don't remember Steve Jobs being so forthcoming that time I asked him for some crapple information, maybe that's why his iphones are such garbage.  🙂

Live long and prosper

Edited November 5, 2022 by MonCon

[ColdCamel 16]

On 9/22/2022 at 11:37 AM, Casey said:

2. Then, flash the GMS-less recovery.img by doing:

adb reboot bootloader

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img

 

hey in step 2. you shold also add:
fastboot flash boot boot.img

at least with a comment, that this is needed to restore stock OS after using some other android like LineageOS :)