/e/OS initial experiences, getting root and other notes

Discuss The Products
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So, new FP4.

  1. Mobian does not currently work (phone fails to boot).
  2. Installed /e/OS.
  3. Configured /e/OS.
  4. Discover I do not have root - Google getting root, apparently it’s an option in developer builds, but only enabled for dev builds of /e/OS (I have stable).
  5. Wipe phone, install dev build.
  6. Realize said option gives root to adb sessions only. AFWall+ still cannot run. Facepalm. Looks like have to go to town with something called Magisk. Not looking forward to reconfiguring everything a second time.

Other notes.

  1. I can’t bring Signal over to the new phone. The problem is that Signal only understands one phone at a time; if I bring the account over, which I can do, when I wipe /e/OS and install Mobian, I will wipe the phone which holds Signal, so I will then not be able to install Signal on Mobian.

1a. Also, really not happy giving Signal my phone number. Signal jumped the shark about two years ago, so I knew I’d be moving on, now need to investigate Matrix.

  1. The map app on /e/OS is very nice for viewing maps, but the search functionality is absolutely unfit for purpose. Searching for, say, “supermarket”, totally fails - you get no local hits, and it takes you to some supermarket in a town 50 miles away. It’s not usable.

  2. There seems to be no way to remove search and widgets from one of the root/home page screens; I have those on an empty, additional screen, which I do not want.

  3. No shortcut button to enabled/disable GPS - you have to go into settings to toggle.

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Hi,

I am not familiar with /e/OS but Signal offers to backup and restore messages via file which might be an option for you:

Best Regards,

Mirko

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I could be completely wrong, but as I understand it, when you want to use Signal on a desktop or laptop, you have to use your phone install of Signal to recognize the desktop/laptop device - typically via a QR code.

So you need a working Signal on a phone.

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Because the option is Rooted debugging. Giving root to ADB is just what it does.
It should be in stable builds now, too, the split between dev and stable in this regard ended with Android 11 if I remember correctly. (Edit: with Android 12, actually)

Magisk is what gives you root on LineageOS and LineageOS-based custom ROMs like /e/OS nowadays.

If you need inspiration for alternatives …

https://community.e.foundation/t/navigation-app-is-junk/33508

https://community.e.foundation/t/and-why-not-change-the-gps-application/31829

An overhaul of the /e/OS default launcher (Bliss) is in the works.
Else, if you don’t like it, just install a different launcher you like.
If you need some starting point … https://community.e.foundation/t/launcher-search-like-aio-launcher-or-openlauncher/11170 … but any search for “launcher” in this forum here or in the /e/OS forum should give you something. There’s a ton of launchers out there.

There are more toggles you can put into the quick settings than are visible, there’s a “Location” toggle, too. For configuring this, see https://community.e.foundation/t/strange-system-icons-pull-down-menu/48436/13?u=anotherelk

I saw your other topic, you were in contact with them. Any timeframe (i.e. how realistic is it to wait for this)?

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To root

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Because the option is Rooted debugging. Giving root to ADB is just what it does.

Yes - as such, it’s not what I expected in a page titled “how to root /e/OS”, and which talks at length about rooting the device.

It should be in stable builds now, too, the split between dev and stable in this regard ended with Android 11 if I remember correctly.

Yes. The option was there, in developer options, and I had it turned on, but as AFWall+ still did not have root, I assumed it was shown but not active - after all, the docs said “in dev builds only”.

In any event, since I lost the work involved in configuring /e/OS, I’m having another go at getting Mobian to work.

If you need inspiration for alternatives …

Thankyou. I’ll have a look around. I used to use MAPS.ME, but they’ve messed up GPS, and it basically never locks (not on my old phone, anyway).

I recently was using OsmAnd, which has beautiful GPS, but limits now to 10 map downloads - I would pay for it, but I can’t see how, as I’m sideloading the APK.

What I really want is Mobian, so I can simply run my own map server, nav app, and search app, and get away from the entire APK/app ecosystem.

Else, if you don’t like it, just install a different launcher you like.

Yes. I remembered after a while the UI is called a launcher, and I looked in the app store for others. When I tried to install them, it looks like the app store, or something in the UI, silently crashes - you are taken back to the normal UI home page. The second time I tried it, a dialog popped up, saying “this app keeps crashing, disable dialogues”, or something like that.

There are more toggles you can put into the quick settings than are visible, there’s a “Location” toggle, too.

Thankyou. I did look for a way to do this, but failed to find it. If I can’t get Mobian working, I’ll have a look at that URL.

I saw your other topic, you were in contact with them. Any timeframe (i.e. how realistic is it to wait for this)?

Contact is too strong a word. I went to the IRC channel, explained, got one question (“is the backlight illuminated?”) and that was it. I do not think I have actually communicated to whatever devs there are that Mobian is currently broken on FP4.

A new Mobian release came out today, the weekly build, dated 2023-07-09 (presumably they release stuff which is older, to give it time to be checked and so on), this build also fails, in the same way as the previous build.

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The full, unrestricted version of OsmAnd is available as “OsmAnd~” in F-Droid for free … OsmAnd~ | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository, it’s the same as OsmAnd+ in the Play Store.
If you don’t want to install F-Droid just for checking out an App, F-Droid offers APKs for download further down in the App’s page (at “Versions”).

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The full, unrestricted version of OsmAnd is available as “OsmAnd~” in F-Droid for free

How remarkable and unexpected! thankyou very much for letting me know.

I will install, if I go back to /e/OS (as seems likely).

This makes no sense? they’re selling it through Google Apps, but it’s free in another app store?

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I currently have no direct reference for what the OsmAnd developers have in mind, but OsmAnd is not alone with this, and the developer of a different App gave some insight, see https://community.e.foundation/t/list-apps-that-work-or-do-not-work-with-microg/21151/180?u=anotherelk

Edit: At FairEmail - Status it says at the bottom of the page in the old, obsolete FAQ:
“Would it be an option to distribute the app on GitHub, F-Droid, etc only?
About 99 % of the people using the app download it via the Play Store.”

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Please be aware that /e/OS has not updated the included Browser & System WebView since December of 2022 and has 196 known security issues.

Their next update also adds an OTA license key system which includes a persistent, non-resettable, unique ID with every request to their update server: https://gitlab.e.foundation/e/os/android_packages_apps_Updater/uploads/bb0e5656df992b3717d4df9c71ebf39e/Screenshot_20230713_121140.png

I document these issues and more with sources here: https://divestos.org/misc/e.txt

now need to investigate Matrix.

Please see my messengers comparison here: Messengers - DivestOS Mobile

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Please be aware that /e/OS has not updated the included Browser & System WebView since December of 2022 and has 196 known security issues.

Bailing - hopefully - on /e/OS. It looks like Ubuntu Touch will work, and that’s not completely wholly Linux, but very nearly (and what remains of Android runs in a container).

Which, ironically, means I now need to reinstall Fairphone OS Android 11 on the phone :slight_smile: this is needed for the UT installer.

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seems installation will work with A12 as well

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@Xeno

ubports still depends on all the proprietary Android blobs under the hood and runs an even more insecure outdated kernel that they don’t keep in sync.

Runs Linux 4.19.157: Makefile · halium-11.0 · UBports / Porting / Reference Device Ports / Halium 11 / Fairphone 4 / kernel-fairphone-sm7225 · GitLab
“Tue, 10 Nov 2020”: Linux 4.19.157 [LWN.net]

This is demonstrated by the need to downgrade to stock Android 11.

ubports doesn’t even have any file encryption support either: Support disk encryption · Issue #178 · ubports/ubuntu-touch · GitHub

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Expand the “Android 11” bar on the page, and the download link there works for me.

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@SkewedZeppelin

Yes to all the above - it’s a temporary (although I could imagine it being around for some time) solution, until Mobian works.

It will allow me, crucially, to figure out Linux-based solutions to my functionality requirements (such as off-line mapping and translate), where I can use that knowledge when Mobian comes, to easily get back up to speed on Mobian.

It allows me also, critically, to get the hell out of the Android ecosystem - no more APKs and dicking about getting root (at least, I assume I’ll be root - we will see!)

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