Hudl 2 connects to wifi but Tesco update server not switched on

[Guest Pwiggler]

nope.  just rooted hudl 1 with kingoroot which succeeded but still cannot get by updating ..

 

[Guest BuddyB]

Rooting or installing a different custom ROM doesn't help. I have seen plenty of posts on here and other forums from posters who tried this and I'm pretty sure that's how people started to twig the solution to the problem was not in their hands. 

[Guest BuddyB]

grocer I've been thinking about my earlier reply and if you have SuperUser on your device it is rooted. 

 

This got me thinking because before I did the factory reset on my hudl 1, I don't remember seeing the SuperUser icon.  The problem is I've been diagnosed with MS since I last used the hudl and my memory can be poor.  Now I'm wondering if I did root the device or if I've got it confused with another device. Tomorrow I will try the bootloader and see what that shows. 

[Guest Sarkie]

My Hudl 1 updating has started working this morning.

[Guest Sdroidz]

My unrooted, original firmware hudl1 still stuck in "checking for updates". I tested last night and just now. Tried with ticked and unticked options, with and without Google account. I always skip the Tescos account option. Maybe the services are intermittently up at the moment. 

[Guest BuddyB]

Same here - no change. 

[Guest Sarkie]

Ok, the only other thing I did was install a newer gapps via recovery but that was ages ago, so don't think it is related as it's the ota package messing everyone up.

 

My idea to fix this was to use the keyboard bypass trick and install an Https cert then use fiddler proxy to return a valid response

[Guest Freko106]

On 1/17/2019 at 12:46 PM, Emphatic Groan said:

Just received a 2nd hand Hudl 2 - performed a factory reset as a first step, now I can't proceed through the initial setup. It connects via wifi fine, but then cannot find the internet connection to proceed. If I access chrome through the keyboard settings, I can verify that it is in fact connected to the internet, it's just the tesco initial setup wizard that thinks internet not present. Tried multiple networks, multiple factor resets, hard resets, etc. etc.

 

Any advice would be great - can I try reflashing the original tesco firmward, or custom firmware or somthing? Would prefer not to but appears maybe the only route back from useless paperweight status...

 

EDIT: I think I have got to the bottom of it - the tesco server is down/switched off (https://device.mobile.tesco.com)

The device can access the internet, use chrome, etc., using the google keyboard servicdes workaround, but hudl can't be updated from within settings and all the hudl legal information links on the about tablet page are dead (non Tesco links work fine).

So Hudl 2s which are factory reset are now bricked unless Tesco turn the server back on or they are rooted...

Infuriating...

I have just bought a second-hand screen for my Hudl 2 that sat for a couple of years as replacement screens were costly, lucky I found some on eBay for £25, and I factory reset and never had that problem, The only problem I had was Google services error kept popping up until I updated the google services via google play store. It's Android 5.1 but I can't get Filelinked to work on it, installs fine and gets to startup for a couple of seconds and then goes back to home screen. My build is 20150917.142239  maybe that made a difference. All other apps work fine.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Freko106

[Guest BuddyB]

 

Freko106 when did you do the factory reset?  The problem has been intermittent until relatively recently. 

[Guest Anna65]

2 hours ago, Freko106 said:

I have just bought a second-hand screen for my Hudl 2 that sat for a couple of years as replacement screens were costly, lucky I found some on eBay for £25, and I factory reset and never had that problem, The only problem I had was Google services error kept popping up until I updated the google services via google play store. It's Android 5.1 but I can't get Filelinked to work on it, installs fine and gets to startup for a couple of seconds and then goes back to home screen. My build is 20150917.142239  maybe that made a difference. All other apps work fine.

Freko106

The issue this thread is about doesn't affect hudl2s running Android 5.1 so your issue is separate from this. The gapps error is also separate from this and is solved by clearing the cache and all data for Google Play Services, then updating the same app, as you have done and there's lots about this on the web. Please raise a separate thread for your problem.

[Guest BuddyB]

So 2 posters have hudl1s working - grocer and sarkie.  That's really weird.  You'd think it would be all or none. 

[Guest Sarkie]

Maybe they were testing something and I was very lucky?

[Guest BuddyB]

Could be. Right time and all that. 

[Guest grocer]

BuddyB. I checked with "rootchecker" app. and it seems my Hudl is not rooted. I attach a screenshot showing the tablet's details.It would seem that not many others have been successful,which doesn't say much for Tesco's efforts.I am no expert but i would have thought that a factory reset would first of all clear all content from the tablet and then install a complete system but this seems not to be the case.Has anyone heard from Tesco as to what is going on? I thought that that was had happened to my Hudl as it seems to have reloaded all the original apps.,I have about 34 ( all the usual Google stuff but not,surprisingly, the Tesco  icon !) I have downloaded some apps. from Play Store with no problems but have found one quirk.When I connect the Hudl charger the screen displays the white star starting screen but this remains on show even when the cable is disconnected after charging.The tablet then seems completely locked and will not respond to any key pressing.I found that using the high tec bent paper clip in the hole on the back routine did the trick and I was able to start the tablet as normal.Although it seems to be working OK I am still wondering if it is 100% but I don't think I will push my luck and try another Factory reset !

[Guest BuddyB]

grocer it's my understanding that a factory reset will return you to the original version of Android,  i.e.  remove the custom ROM, but I thought the device would still be rooted. TBH I'm in no way an expert on this, as I have only rooted 3 or 4 of my own devices over the years (after they were out of warranty and I wanted to free up space).   Maybe someone with more knowledge could help. 

[Guest Anna65]

33 minutes ago, BuddyB said:

grocer it's my understanding that a factory reset will return you to the original version of Android,  i.e.  remove the custom ROM, but I thought the device would still be rooted. TBH I'm in no way an expert on this, as I have only rooted 3 or 4 of my own devices over the years (after they were out of warranty and I wanted to free up space).   Maybe someone with more knowledge could help. 

I'm not technical enough to know anything about rooting or custom ROMs but I do know that after a device has been updated from one version of Android to a newer one, e.g. a hudl2 from 4.4.2 KitKat to 5.1 Lollipop, a factory reset does NOT roll the operating system back to the original version it came with from the factory, the reset only rolls back user and app data. Hence all hudl2s that have been updated to run Lollipop are safe from the issue discussed in this thread regardless of how many factory resets they have.

[Guest BuddyB]

That's interesting Anna and not what I would have expected.   Not speaking about hudls specifically, but if I did a factory reset I would have been expecting to see the original version and to have to update it again.   Mind you, I think I've only ever had one device that updated to a new version and I can't even remember what it was!

Edited March 7, 2019 by BuddyB

[Guest BuddyB]

Received an email from Lewis Gorrie 

Hello Alison

Thank you for your patience while we’ve been working on a solution to the Hudl server issue. You should be able to fix your tablet by following the steps below, but you must carry them out exactly as written. 

I hope this allows you to enjoy using your Hudl again. 

Best wishes

Lewis Gorrie

Customer Service Executive to the Board

Steps to fix Hudl:

1. After a factory reset, the first thing the user has to do is to Select Wi-Fi which ensures that customers are connected to the Internet
2. Following that, when it accesses Hudl Services which is back online, it will ask to Continue after the “Terms & Conditions” dialog box
3. After clicking on Continue, “Set up Google interface” will pop up. The user has to select No
4. Following that, the “Google & Location” interface will be displayed. Uncheck all the checkboxes and click on Arrow Button
5. Then “Have a Tesco Account interface” will be displayed, user must select No. Following that on “Register with Tesco Account” interface user should Skip it
6. After skipping Tesco Account Interface, the Hudl will try to update showing a progress bar
7. After “Checking for updates”, ”Updating apps” progress interface will be shown
8. After “Updating apps” progress interface, two buttons will appear. User must select Not Now
9. After selecting Not Now, Hudl’s initial video will be played after which user should click on Continue
10. Finally, the user will be at the Home Interface

This didn't work for me and look like the same instructions Anna posted on 27th February. 

[Guest Sdroidz]

Yes, didn't work and was wrong in one place for my hudl1. I replied with my procedure:

The process for my hudl1 is: 
 

Power off and power up pressing the volume key at the same time. Use the boot recovery system v4.2.41 menu to perform a "wipe data/factory reset" then reboot. The hudl logo is displayed for some time. 
 

1. At the "hello, let's get you up and running" greeting, press [Start] 

2. Select WiFi. It connects to my chosen access point. 

3. Press [Continue] to accept terms and conditions (your option 3 does not happen) 

4. At the "Google & location" screen, uncheck "use WiFi location" and "let Google apps access your location" and press [>] 

5. At the "set up Google" screen, press [No thanks]

6. At the "have a tesco account", press [No] 

7. Press the "skip this for now" link at the "register with tesco" screen. 

8. The "couldn't check for updates" screen is displayed. Pressing [try again] repeats the screen. Pressing [check Wi-Fi] allows a Wi-Fi access point to be selected again - well, almost. It displays a list of APs then quickly goes to the checking for updates screen again. 

 

[Guest BuddyB]

Yes, I mentioned that in my reply and that I'd already tried the instructions on 27th Feb after Anna posted them on here. I too did a new factory reset through the recovery menu (several!) to be sure to get the process correct to reply (my version is 4.2.41 too). I attached screenshots of the two sticking points, as well including a link to page 3 of this thread where Anna posted the instructions before. This is my reply - 

Hello Lewis,

Thank s for your message, but unfortunately this didn't work. 

Firstly, on my hudl 1 steps 3 and 4 are reversed, but this might not be important. 

However, I still can't get past step 7. Checking for updates first shows the screen in attachment 1 and if I click on 'Check WiFi' I briefly see the network selection screen showing it is connected to the Internet (the icon at the top of the screen also shows a full signal), then I get the screen showing in attachment 2.

These instructions appear to be the same as those issued on 27th February to other hudl owners who post on on page 3 of this thread on MoDaCo. The instructions didn't work for hudl 1 owners and they still don't work for me now. 

Is this solution working for other hudl 1 owners? 

Thanks. 

Wonder what will happen next? 

[Guest Sarkie]

Would it be worth me creating a Cyanogen backup of my working hudl1 rom and share that?

[Guest stoicalm]

I have a work around for this .... Use the long press on , to access chrome ... Install apex launcher and also install startup manager which allows you to run apex launcher at startup. When you next turn on the hudl just wait at the start screen eventually the start up manager will launch the apex launcher ... Not perfect but better than a bricked hudl :-)

[Guest stoicalm]

At the select WiFi screen choose other network then hold and press the comma (,) then choose send feedback then click on policy and terms to get to the chrome internet explorer

[Guest BuddyB]

This has worked for me - sort of. But I have no navigation icons at the bottom of the screen and I can't access the notifications area at the top of the screen. This means to exit an app with no dedicated exit button you have to switch the hudl off and back on again. It will still get stuck on the updates screen, but you can update apps through the play store.

 

To expand on stoicalm's posts this is what I did. I already tried the instructions by Istvan Vago on another thread, but couldn't get them to work. So I combined the instructions from both posters and did this - 

1. Click  'Add network' on Select Wi-Fi page

2.  Long press the mic key to select Google Keyboard Settings

3.  Click on Send feedback

4.  Clicking "privacy policy" starts Chrome

5. Search for Play Store and click to open it 

6. Click "Add An Account" and add your account 

7.  Then you can access the Play Store

8.  Install Apex Launcher and Startup Manager

9.  Open Startup Manager* and add Apex Launcher to start up apps

10.  Restart your hudl 

* When you open Startup Manager you're given a choice of installing its replacement which is part of a new app called All-in-One Toolbox or continue to use Startup Manager - I chose All-in-One Toolbox.

You'll still see the 'Let's get you started screen', but then you're taken to the home page. 

I then updated the apps I want to use in Play Store and stopped the automatic updating of the apps I won't use. 

That's as far as I've got. When I open Apex Settings you are instructed to 'Please open recent apps and swipe away other launchers to clear them from memory'. Haven't worked out what this means yet, so any help would be much appreciated. 

Hope this helps someone. 

Thanks to stoicalm and Istvan Vago. 

 

Edited March 9, 2019 by BuddyB

[Guest stoicalm]

I find i still get the start screen... but it disappears after a few seconds.. also kill the hudl setup using system apps in the start up manager .. if most apps have a way of using the keyboard so you can mostly always get back to chrome i do not update the keyboard. I set google play as my home page and launch apex launcher from there.

Edited March 9, 2019 by stoicalm
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