Droid Stick A2 Firmware With Google Play Fix

If you have read my previous review of the Droid Stick A2, I was pretty upset about Google Play since I could not install most of the apps. This is now fixed, and Kimdecent has released a firmware upgrade.

Here’s how to upgrade:

  1. Download g02refDongle-ota-20130201.rar
  2. Extract it in your PC, and copy the files (g02refDongle-ota-20130201.zip and uImage_recovery) to the root of your microSD card (Formatted as FAT32)
  3. Insert the microSD into Droid Stick A2
  4. Boot the mini PC normally, and launch the “Upgrade” app
  5. Select Local Upgrade, then select g02refDongle-ota-20130201.zip and click on Reboot and Install Package
  6. Droid Stick A2 will reboot, and it should start upgrading Android.
  7. Done

Since I’ve been messing up with Android and broken something, “Reboot and Install Package” does nothing for me (some permissions issues with /cache/recovery/command), so I could not verify this works or not. Finally, I could install it on the first version of Droid Stick A2 and Google Play now works fine.

In the other, newer, stick I’ve bricked (or sort of bricked), I’ve tried to enter recovery mode by shorting the two large pads below TP14 (See pic), and it does seem to enter a special mode, but my TV does not detect any video signals.

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50 Comments
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Naismith
11 years ago

Works good for the first sample 🙂

You can root the stick with the same zip of prometheus 😉
http://www.armtvtech.com/armtvtechforum/viewtopic.php?f=132&t=1276

ADB is lock

Jprida@gmail.com
11 years ago

My wifi work fine.
Try to make a full restore in settings

Valter84
Valter84
11 years ago

Any one knows if multichannel audio 5.1 passthrough works on this device?
I am not sure but i think Amlogic AML8726 are the only android devices capable of dts passthrough through HDMI?
Can you confirm?

db260179
11 years ago

In the other, newer, stick I’ve bricked (or sort of bricked), I’ve tried to enter recovery mode by shorting the two large pads below TP14 Read more: http://www.cnx-software.com/2013/02/02/droid-stick-a2-firmware-with-google-play-fix/#ixzz2LvCcegkS Yes indeed, it put’s in to a forced SD boot mode. Unfortunately the firmware has no u-boot amlscript logic set! You can how ever put, factorymode=1 into the build.prop under the u-boot.env settings to force the device to boot into recovery mode – if the NAND is working OK? Mine had a borked NAND so had to get a usb to serial TTL card and connect to the TX,RX on the underneath.… Read more »

adem
adem
10 years ago

hi people i bricked this device my one is called mk810 8726-mx dongle. all i see is @9 picture and then the android picture and thats it nothing else happens if i burn the u-boot img to the micro sd card then format and copy over files and while pressing reset hole power on the device i see a green light from within the device but its the same boot iget @9 pic then the android pic. i think i bricked it can any one help me plzz

adem
adem
10 years ago

naaa no luck i tried it on 2 pc’s and a ibm laptop and my main pc the tool did not recognize device even though i installed the right usb driver (worldcup) and the second pc kept telling me to pull out the device and the laptop keeps stopping at 7% load uboot and the other port at around 80% saying cannot find device or something

adem
adem
10 years ago

update
i dont know what i did but in one of the ports i got 100% success but the other one stayed on 7% red box but still device not booting at all

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

Try updating on a USB3 port. Or try the method & firmware found in this document:
http://pan.baidu.com/share/link?shareid=495918&uk=4247564437

adem
adem
10 years ago

@Gabe

iam sorry Gabe but just wondering how can i translate this page i tried chrome firefox no luck and i cannot click on any links thanks

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

The update procedure is the same(with Amlogic Burning Tool), but the firmware is newer & I think there is a newer Amlogic Burning tool included. I will upload later the document & firmware.

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

So here is the document in original & crude translation, firmware update tool & firmware.
https://mega.co.nz/#F!BdsU2CpS!dCvv9jCpIOZ7Hb4ab_CyBw
Maybe it’s compatible maybe it isn’t. I’m not responsible if you break your hdmi stick. Does your stick look like Kimdecent A2 or AM911(AM6086A)? Do you have a MK810 firmware from the manufacturer? What version was installed on your stick?

adem
adem
10 years ago

@Gabe

http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/290021085.html

they look very similar and they are same as spec wise

adem
adem
10 years ago

on the pcb it says amedia_am6086_V1.3
http://www.cnx-software.com/2013/01/29/kimdecent-droid-stick-a2-review/
its the same stick as the cnx link above except it has a reset button on the pcb and it came with android 4.2 but play store hat apps missing
are there devices not all the same also i think i really bricked the dongle i dont see any @9 or android picture all i see is screen not detecded

adem
adem
10 years ago

on the pcb it says amedia_am6086_V1.3
http://www.cnx-software.com/2013/01/29/kimdecent-droid-stick-a2-review/
its the same stick as the cnx link above except it has a reset button on the pcb and it came with android 4.2 but play store hat apps missing
are there devices not all the same also i think i really bricked the dongle i dont see any @9 or android picture all i see is screen not detecded
also made quick video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8_j6pkMqLs

adem
adem
10 years ago

ok i some how got it to boot thank you sooo much Gabe that last link you gave it worked after countless tries encase any one is having same problems make SURE you go in to your device manager and un tick the top box in power management on all usb hub’s and make sure you run the burning tool as admin also gabe how do i install playstore it does not seem to have it

adem
adem
10 years ago

hold on going to try above method

adem
adem
10 years ago

nope i tried above method and i put the zip file into a microsd and booted up the device and whent apps selected update then external drive then selected the zip file then clicked on reboot and install or rather something like that what happens is that the device reboot and boots back into the system and nothing has happend

adem
adem
10 years ago

i went back and reflashed it with another older firmware that has the playstore with all apps going to try to update again a little later

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

@adem
I’m glad you managed to revive your device. Did you receive a firmware from the place you bought it? If yes can you share it, maybe I’ll try to root it & add google apps.

adem
adem
10 years ago

hey Gabe the firmware i got does not work perhaps i need a different flash firmware like the one you gave me you see when i got the dongle it came with android 4.2 and the 2 flash firmware i got are android 4.1 including the one you gave me. at the moment i stuffed it up again i am trying to flash it and its giving the same problems. also when i flashed it with the firmware you gave me it wouldent let me update with the zip files from within the system update utility or from the recovery… Read more »

adem
adem
10 years ago

also just wondering would it be possible to install g-box software on this stick

adem
adem
10 years ago

made a quick video of the update fail it verifies but when as soon as its installing it fails

adem
adem
10 years ago

@adem

made a quick video of the update fail it verifies but when as soon as its installing it fails https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1f3aDpPzpg

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

You are trying to install an older firmware that’s why the update fails(they changed to ext4 filesystem from ubifs in newer firmware). You have to use Hardware Flash firmware posted by cnxsoft with the reset button & then update to 20130201 firmware.

adem
adem
10 years ago

sorry Gabe i made a mistake the link u gave me is actually 4.2.2 but iam stuck on fixing play store and do i need to root it

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

I have a rooted firmware based on 4.2.2 in which I’ve put google apps, but in playstore there are many incompatible apps & the browser app doesn’t work.

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

Here is the firmware I was talking about, you need to have Android 4.2.2 to update:
https://mega.co.nz/#!sN00mCxR!E1uTrAWpZP3d4-1Wo2i1qV1A7i4xJiSU_nJI8qP0YyA

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

Here is the firmware I was talking about, you need to have Android 4.2.2 to update:
https://mega.co.nz/#!sN00mCxR!E1uTrAWpZP3d4-1Wo2i1qV1A7i4xJiSU_nJI8qP0YyA
Extract it to the root of your microsd card.

adem
adem
10 years ago

@Gabe

thank Gabe

niabi
niabi
10 years ago

@gabe you seem to be knowledgeable about this, I have an ATV120 stick by geniatech, the PCB looks exactly like the one on this stick, geniatech told me they will not be releasing 4.2.2 for the ATV120 🙁 so I was wondering if this FW could be made to work on my stick seeing as how similiar (or probably even the same) they look. dor starters I noticed this one says g02refDongle on the updater-script but my device is stvmx, no problem there, I just renamed g02refDongle to stvmx and resigned the zip, but the installation fails with no error.… Read more »

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

Sorry, it seems like your device is not compatible with g02refdongle firmware. You can try replacing the boot.img and bootloader.img with yours.

niabi
niabi
10 years ago

@Gabe
thanks thats what I imagined

but wouldn’t the kernel be on boot.img? would a 4.1 kernel work for 4.2.2?

XiS
XiS
10 years ago

Old thread but worth a shot. @ db260179 or anyone else. My one am6086a stick is fine. The other froze and wouldn’t boot back up. I sent it back. Came back all was well. I played with the working stick while the other was fixed. I flashed these firmwares 100 times. Stick is still good. Now stick that came back froze again won’t boot and aml burn tool will not Go at all. Failed uboot. Bought myself a USB to ttl which came in the mail today. Instructions above are vag I can make a sd card using sd maker.… Read more »

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

@XiS
db260179 told me:
“You have to connect TX and RX to the boards rx,tx pins.
Once this is done you will be able to set the u-boot environment variables via a serial program – putty or minicom.”

XiS
XiS
10 years ago

Yes I tried AML Burn Tool. As stated I used multiple times on still working a2 stick
non working a2 stick will not flash.

Thanks Gabe that is more of what I was looking for. But more or less specifics. there are other guides I just hope they work with this stick via SSH.

adem
adem
10 years ago

guys if its not working then try different usb ports this flash tool did not work on both my pc’s but it worked on sum of the usb port on my laptop pc and even then it would not work on some usb ports its very choosy i dont know why

Joe Malone
10 years ago

@Gabe
Hi Gabe

I have a mk810 i am trying to root.

I tried the prometheus root, seems to complete without errors, but no root. I don’t want to lose working browser, so won’t flash your version at the moment.

Prometheus root:
http://www.armtvtech.com/armtvtechforum/download/file.php?id=416

My version info is
Android 4.2.2
Kernel 3.0.50 May 20 2013
jdq39.20130518

Do you have any suggestions?

Joe Malone
10 years ago

Gabe :
I have a rooted firmware based on 4.2.2 in which I’ve put google apps, but in playstore there are many incompatible apps & the browser app doesn’t work.

The browser that does not work, is for internet or filesystem?

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

@Joe Malone
Do you have the firmware that comes with your device? If yes, then that can be turned into a rooted rom.
Prometheus root method is for the UBIFS system partition. I think your firmware already has ext3 or ext4 system partition. You can check with Terminal Emulator & running mount command. You can modify the updater-script to mount ext4 system partition.

Joe Malone
10 years ago

@Gabe
Thank you for the response.
I don’t have the firmware. I’ll try asking the seller, but i don’t have high hopes.
You are right. It is ext4. I replaced ubifs UBI with ext4 EMMC in the script, used supersu 2.01 and signed the file with signapk. But now my update is aborted after verifycation.

Joe Malone
10 years ago

@Gabe
Ok i tried with the builder from the prometheus forums. I was able to produce valid updaters. But the errors remained the same. symlink failure for superuser zip and no errors but also no root for the supersu one.

Gabe
Gabe
10 years ago

Look for /system/bin/su, is it there? If yes, then try to run it in terminal emulator. Then check for superuser(you can update su binary from there), if it is installed or not, if not install it or install supersu.

Joe Malone
10 years ago

@Gabe
I should have read the mount output more carefully.
I also had to change the mount path.

mount(“ext4”, “EMMC”, “/dev/block/system”, “/system”);

My updater:
https://mega.co.nz/#!BRMCFQ6I

Thank you Gabe for the helpful pointers.

papayoyo
papayoyo
8 years ago

@db260179
I’ve inserted the line:
“ubootenv.var.factorymode=1”
into the build.prop but it still doesn’t boot into recovery. Is the syntax wrong? Is there something else you have to do to get into recovery?

Khadas VIM4 SBC