Coby Kyros 9742 Demo App Removal

worthyking

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2015
7
0
I recently acquired a brand new MID9742 (actually the model number on the box is MID9742-TRU) which has the store demo app running. I have tried to uninstall it from settings > apps, but the uninstall button is not available.

Can someone please give me a step-by-step on how to remove this annoying app?

p.s. I am an Android newbie, so please if you recommend rooting or something similar can you give detailed instructions. Thanks.
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
2,858
982
We've never seen a demo unit before. What store had one of these on display?

Root, make a system dump (if possible), then use ES File Explorer included with the tablet to search for the file and delete it. Unless you know the file name of the apk file, you'll have to look carefully and match icons. The app will be in either of the following folders.

/system/app
/data/app

After deleting the file, install Clockworkmod recovery, reboot into the recovery, and perform a factory reset.

Please note, you do this at your own risk. No one here will be held responsible if you permanently damage or completely brick the tablet.
 

worthyking

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2015
7
0
Thanks. Not sure what store had these. I bought a batch of them from a liquidation wholesaler. They are brand new and sealed with a model number of MID9742-TRU.

At this point i have already flashed one unit with cfw_coby_9742_4_0_1.img from Steev and everything works perfectly except for the damn camera :-|

So, either I'll need to risk another unit by starting fresh with it and following your above advice, or try and flash this one back to stock...but I cannot seem to locate a stock firmware file to use with LiveSuit. I did download Vampirfo's 9742_recovery_signed file and installed it with ADB as per this thread http://www.androidtablets.net/threads/coby-9742-6-0-2-8-upright-recovery-and-fake-recovery.66478/ but the camera still doesn't work.

I guess, if I'm going to try from scratch with a fresh unit, I really need to understand how exactly to do these steps (they sound so easy when you say them but I'm not sure exactly how to execute them):

1. Root
2. Make a system dump (if possible)
3. Then use ES File Explorer included with the tablet to search for the file and delete it (when I open ES Explorer all I can see is the SDCard directory, so how do I navigate to the system folder?)

Any help would be appreciated!
 

PitCarver

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 9, 2014
563
72
Screenshot_2015-06-11-15-21-18~01.png
A simpler answer may be available.
Check to see if there is a setting, under display, that would turn off the demo.
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
2,858
982
We do not use Livesuite here to root tablets for the very reason you demonstrated. The links to Livesuite ROMs were removed from this forum because Coby routinely changed the hardware in the tablets. This led to the issues you mentioned, at best. At worst, the tablets were bricked. Click on the appropriate link in my signature for proper rooting procedures for these tablets.

Once you get a tablet rooted, and the demo app deleted from it, make a firmware dump as instructed. From there, lather, rinse, and repeat until all the tablets are done.
 

worthyking

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2015
7
0
@Traveller Okay, I got a fresh tablet, rooted it without issue, dumped the system files, and located the demo app with ES File Explorer, however when I try to delete it it give an error saying the .apk file cannot be deleted.

I tried using terminal the following:

su
rm -f demoapp.apk
> No such file or directory

and this:

su
rm demoapp.apk
> rm failed for demoapp.apk, Read-only file system
 
Last edited:

worthyking

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2015
7
0
Nevermind, I got it figured out. I had to remount the file system to RW before I could delete it. Did that and rebooted and BINGO!!

Now, one final question:

Can I now do a system dump from this tablet and then flash and/or recover all of the others with it? Or is that more work than going through this procedure on each tablet?

Could you please point me to instructions also on how to restore the system dump that I just took (in case I need it in the future).

Thanks for all your help!!
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
2,858
982
You should make a system dump of the functioning tablet, but go one better and make a nandroid backup of the tablet firmware onto a MicroSD. Install Clockworkmod onto the tablet that you used Livesuite to flash, then insert the MicroSD card. Boot into recovery and restore the nandroid backup. I'm only guessing here, but if I'm correct, all these demo tablets were created at the same time using the same hardware, meaning the nandroid backup will restore the camera on the Livesuite tablet.
 

worthyking

Junior Member
Jun 10, 2015
7
0
I did the system dump of the working unit, then restored that good system dump to the livesuit tablet using these instructions: http://www.androidtablets.net/threads/how-to-restore-7042-8042-9742-dump.42750/

Everything went smoothly until after reboot, and now the tablet has no touchscreen capability at all. It boots up but does not recognize any touch at all. Also, it will not enter recovery mode (holding power, vol+ and back buttons). Cannot connect with ADB because USB Debugging is no longer turned on after reboot. Grrrrr. This one might have to go in the garbage.

p.s. Any idea where to find instructions on the making & restoring the nandroid backup you mentioned?
 

Traveller

Administrator
Staff member
Jun 16, 2012
2,858
982
I recommended trying that tablet because if you did kill it then you weren't any worse off than before. However, don't trash the tablet. Send it to me, as I need a spare parts tablet. ;)

Nandroid backups are made and restored through Clockworkmod's "Backup and Restore" menu.
 

kevinthefixer

Member
Developer
Feb 10, 2014
94
24
Sorry I've been hiding in a deep hole the last while. Hope I'm not too late--You should be able to simply hook a wired mouse to the USB port and use it to turn on USB debugging.

It may not help, though, as it sounds as if you do have two different touchscreen versions (at least), and do not have the proper drivers in the one tablet. Coby did that a lot, at least three times for the 9742 touchscreens.

If you have lots of time on your hands, you might try @vampirefo's mobiz_v2 ROM for the 9742. In its thread he posted several patches to make it work with several different hardware revisions. But is a 9742 worth the trouble?
 
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