Granting permission to AutoMagic

[husky]

Hi,

I was roaming the forum and found a command to force stop a package.

After starting adb under Android Studio I tried this:

adb shell pm grant ch.gridvision.ppam.androidautomagic android.permission.FORCE_STOP_PACKAGES


The return was:
Operation not allowed: java.lang.SecurityException: Package ch.gridvision.ppam.androidautomagic has not requested permission android.permission.FORCE_STOP_PACKAGES

The idea here is allow AutoMagic to force stop any app using the Execute Command am force-stop <package-name>

Would there be some way to grant the permission to AutoMagic?

I don't know how to root a Nexuxs 6P 7.1.1 and I'm not so confident to try and eventually blow the phone to kingdom come.

I know I'm flying too high again, but then...

Thanks

Husky

[Scotty]

On my rooted Nexus 6 I can use Automagic to stop any app that I've tried (so far), so maybe just try to root your phone?

I have used Wugfresh's Nexus Root Toolkit (NRT) for several years to flash my phones (Galaxy Nexus, then Nexus 6). Last week, I used it to update my rooted N6 from 7.0.0 (NBD91U) to 7.1.1 (N6F26Q).

NRT hasn't been updated for a little while, so at present it doesn't automatically list the current factory image releases. So, I downloaded the N6F26Q factory image myself, pointed NRT to the downloaded file, and thereby flashed 7.1.1. I used NRT's "no-wipe" mode, so my data were untouched. (I know that some prefer to do clean flashes, but I do that only for major version changes). This, of course, restored the phone to stock (unrooted) but it took only about 5 mins (again using NRT) to re-root (and install TWRP).

The current NRT release is 2.1.9, and although it hasn't been updated for some time, the process went very smoothly. You have a different phone (your factory image would be one of the ones shown here), but NRT does support the 6P. NRT has been rock-solid for me. But of course, there are no guarantees....YMMV.

If you're uncomfortable going out on a limb with this older version of NRT, you can keep checking the link above. Hopefully, Wug will update the toolkit to include the latest images (& other files, such as those needed to root).

[husky]

Hi Scotty,

Thanks for the reply.

It seems to me, as newbie with android phones, a little risky to jump into rooting sort of blindly.
I guess the best way to go is check back on that link from time to time to be absolutely sure it works for my phone.

Your build is N6F26Q. Mine is NMF26F . Oddly enough I found this in the site :

Nexus 5X binaries for Android 7.1.1 ( NMF26F )

My phone is a Nexus 6P. This add more questions than answers. Does this mean Nexus 5 binaries are "interchangeable" with 6P? I don't believe so.

Anyway, I'll keep an eye on things and with your reply, now I know where to look.

Thanks again,

Husky

[Scotty]

Your build is N6F26Q. Mine is NMF26F . Oddly enough I found this in the site :

Nexus 5X binaries for Android 7.1.1 ( NMF26F )

My phone is a Nexus 6P. This add more questions than answers. Does this mean Nexus 5 binaries are "interchangeable" with 6P? I don't believe so.

Just to be clear: That is the official Android / Google factory image site, not a shady knock-off. You can trust it absolutely.

Re; "I don't believe so" -- I have just now Googled NMF26F 5X 6P; for Dec 2016, that build number was, indeed, for both phones (and also for the Nexus 9).

I do understand your reluctance to root, if you're new to Android. However, one of the huge benefits of a Nexus phone is that it is pretty darn solid, and very difficult to "brick". The worst that has happened to me, over the years, is losing some customized settings (my fault entirely - I made sure I had access to the programs themselves - the apk files - but I forgot to make backups of my customized settings).

ALSO - consider the costs & benefits of rooting. COSTS: If you root, Android Pay won't work. There used to be ways around it, but Google is closing off the holes, one by one. The latest way to circumvent Google's blocking of "rooted Android Pay" is something called Magisk, but my understanding is that even that is now getting shut down by Google. I haven't bothered trying Magisk, because I don't care about Android Pay. Also, if you are rooted, the "over the air" monthly security updates can't be readily installed. Instead, I install the complete new factory image, and then re-root, all using NRT. Doesn't take much effort - basically, I plug the phone in and let NRT do it for me, with only occasional intervention. BENEFITS: I root because (i) I can access system functions via Automagic & other apps; and (ii) I can install a very effective ad blocker, which is wonderful when browsing the web (and also when using some ad-loaded apps).

[husky]

Hi Scotty,

Excellent explanation.

Some things are obvious to you but not to me.

Doesn't take much effort - basically, I plug the phone in and let NRT do it for me, with only occasional intervention.
What would be " occasional intervention"?

By looking the screenshot of the NTR it seems to me straightforward.

Can't imagine me doing it without running into a problem and then staring at it with a dumb face trying to figure out which way to go. Would that be something likely to happen?

I install the complete new factory image, and then re-root, all using NRT

How do you I know which one is a new factory image for a HUAWEI phone?

As of Android Pay, I couldn't care less. I'd never use it anyway.

if you are rooted, the "over the air" monthly security updates can't be readily installed

What does that mean? The image installed will be exactly the same as the one I have now, from the manufaturer and V 7.1.1?

With this installing new image and re-rooting, the monthly security updates will then run correctly/without problems?

Last but not least, how do you save your settings and bring them back later?

Scotty, I appologize for being too cautious or just plain dumb but if I mess up, I'd be dead meat when my wife gets the bad news.

If and when you feel like, I'd appreciate your thoughts concerning my questions.

Best Regards

Husky

[Scotty]

What it occasional intervention:
I make sure it's set up properly (point it to the correct factory image, and tell it that I want to use "no-wipe" mode).
I tell it to go ahead. It does everything automatically.
Now I have a fully-operative non-rooted phone.
So now I intervene again, telling NRT to root the phone.
It does so.

How do I know which one is a new factory image for a HUAWEI phone?
The manufacturer is irrelevant. It's a Nexus phone, so you get the correct factory image from the Google page that I linked to.

Re: the OTA updates.
Generally, these are much smaller than the full factory image, and on non-rooted phones they are just installed "on top of" the existing image. However, if your phone is rooted, then it's inadvisable to do that (in fact, I don't think it'd work - but I haven't taken the risk). Hence, I just install the complete new image (which has the OTA update already built in) and then re-root.

Saving settings:
I do this on an app by app basis. If you wipe the phone (removing all of its data) then (assuming you have things set up correctly) most / all of the apps will be correctly restored to the phone afterwards. You'll lose some things (e.g. existing SMS messages) unless you back those up beforehand. I don't bother with that - none of my texts are really "important". But I DO want to retain the customized settings for some apps, and those settings aren't always properly restored after you've completely wiped the phone. As I said, though, I usually do NOT wipe the phone - I do so (and I save settings) only when it's a major upgrade, say from Marshmallow to Nougat.

Am I likely to run into a problem?
I never have, but as I said, YMMV, there are no guarantees. Honestly, given your reluctance, I'm not sure that this particular grapefruit is worth the squeeze. An irate wife is something to be avoided. The Scottish poet Robert Burns put it beautifully, describing an angry wife awaiting the arrival of her foolish husband: Gathering her brows, like gathering storm. Nursing her wrath, to keep it warm.

[husky]

Heh....

Besides a tech guy, you are a poet too. Nice combination.

I'm thinking real hard on going ahead an root the phone. All I need is gather a bit more guts and run if things go South.

One thing I learned with my years as IBM systems programmer. Not to rush things. Think it over, analyze all aspects but avoiding getting into "analysis-paralysis".

I'll be out of commssion for a while starting on January 17 and if I make it back alive, I'll probably will try
to root the phone.

Thank you for your patience assisting me with all my questions.

Best Regards,

Husky