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

[Guest Viv01]

Great to see we're looking at involving the media - I'm convinced that the only way to shift Tesco from their morally unacceptable stance is to make Consumer Relations feel the pain of the consequences of their actions.

If enough noise is made, they may yet relent and put some more time and effort into finding a solution. I'm convinced there is one, since logically all that should be necessary is for the server to bypass the step which is causing the block and allow Android 4.2 to set itself up normally. There may be a lot of truth in the theory that the current Tesco IT complement simply aren't capable of solving the problem without help, although I suspect directives from 'on high' may have limited the amount of time they're allowed to spend on it. I'll certainly add my voice to the media representations - looking at Baldi80's list, it might be worth adding a contact email for Channel 4's Dispatches - they have quite a following and would probably reach a wider audience if they could be persuaded to include a piece on the HUDL.

FYI, Tesco definitely have 'form' for this type of behaviour, as I can  testify from personal experience. Some years back they offered a digital set top TV box with a great flourish as one of the first to give online access to the TV players then available (Technika STBHDIS2010; Channel Zero). I bought one and used it for ca 6 months, after which time the internet connectivity went dead. This turned out to be due to the 3rd party Tesco had partnered with withdrawing from the arrangement and shutting down their servers (sounds familiar,  doesn't it ?). When I approached Tesco for help and / or a refund I was told that the Internet shutdown was 'nothing to do with them' and 'a refund would not be appropriate since the box was still functional'. This even when the box was still under its statutory 12 months guarantee....

Keep at 'em, I say....

 

[Guest Anna65]

13 hours ago, BellAlistair said:

Ah now I realise what it doesn't like about that reply  so

spoofing {"status":"OK","update":null}  instead gets me away for the Hudl 1 as well.

I am now even more disgusted at Tesco, it seems that all they need to do is set that as the response for any version they no longer wish to "support with updates" (not that they have been doing for years). Trivial cost.

I'll have a go at resetting Hudl again tomorrow and document my exact steps.

 

Sounds like you've figured it out - can you email tech support, ceo etc to tell them exactly what it is that needs done?!

[Guest Anna65]

12 hours ago, Baldi80 said:

For those, like me, wanting to take this matter further and involve consumer affairs media, then please feel free to contact the following...

 

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Great thanks for that, Baldi! As mentioned, I already emailed the guardian at the above address yesterday, and I have also already got open the BBC Watchdog contact page here on my computer and about to fill it in, but saves me some trouble looking up all those others you listed so thanks again, I will definitely be contacting everyone I can think of!

[Guest Emphatic Groan]

They can't have done it deliberately, whetever it was. If they had, they wouldn't have wasted time trying (and failing) to fix the problem. Shocking to now attempt to duck responsibility for the issue. And all without providing a single shred of information about the problem at their end. The corporate instinct for secrecy not doing them any favours either.

[Guest BuddyB]

In my post at 10.38 on Wednesday I posted about some of the points being raised.  Most of the staff who worked on the hudl had already left before the announcement in 2015 that Tesco were sold out or hudls and would not be producing any more.  As I said, I definitely get the impression that Dave Lewis as a hatchet man will have pulled the plug on finding a solution. He'll have wanted a quick win, but not tolerate too many resources being diverted to get it.  At the time of the announcement in 2015 Tesco said it would continue to offer technical support. It is appalling that it has given no notice of the withdrawal of this support with so many devices still in circulation.  Proprietary firmware was installed on hudls, so the very least Tesco could do is make the firmware files available and supply a patch removing the 'ping' process that's stopping owners completing the setup procedure.  Then we wouldn't need Tesco. 

Contacting ComputerActive in particular is an excellent idea. 

Edited March 22, 2019 by BuddyB

[Guest BellAlistair]

Note: due to Tesco making the change on their server today 21st March it appears these instructions are no longer required.

 

Right with many thanks to ChrisEvilGenius and Sarkie and others.

These were written for a Hudl1  I don't know if a variant may work for Hudl2s abandoned by Tesco  but it might well.

First install the Fiddler software on another machine (probably Windows though it looks like it could be Mac or Linux) https://www.telerik.com/download/fiddler

In Fiddler Tools - Options - Connections  Tick Allow remote computers to connect. Also under HTTPS tab tick Decrypt HTTPS traffic. You will get a popup about Windows trusting this certificate, click No (You don't need it locally as you aren't interested in traffic from the machine fiddler is installed on.)

Now go and hover over the Online in the top right of the Fiddler window and take note of the IP address given there (there will probably be an IPV6 address with letters in and below the IPV4 you want, looks something like 192.168.1.76 though almost certainly different numbers)

Now to the Hudl, holding volume up and power on gets you to a menu for a fresh reset.

Restart the Hudl. On the Hello screen click start.

On Select Wi-Fi,  do not connect.

Tap Other network then on the keyboard hold the microphone to get to settings. Tap Google Keyboard Settings.

Scroll to the bottom to About Google Keyboard, Tap Open-source licences.
Press and hold to select some text, then from the top menu that appears, tap Web Search.
Now in the search start typing Settings and you should be given a Settings result. Tap it (not Google Settings)to open the Hudl settings.

Scroll down to Users and then Add User (top right).
Ok to add new user.  Then Set up now.

Drag the padlock to unlock.

At Hello click the grey triangle to continue
Unset the google & location settings and continue
No, thanks to set up google
No to a Tesco account
Skip Register with Tesco
Now at Problem Connecting tap check Wi-Fi
This time connect to your Wi-Fi
(Whilst writing these notes I went round the last couple of steps twice but then it jumped to Updating Apps as it had previously, keep tapping Check Wi-Fi and it should get there).
At Updating apps tap Not now
All Done, tap finish
No thanks to Child advice
OK to a couple of demo screens
You now have a working user BUT don't stop here!

Turn the Hudl off and back on
When at the lock screen tap the Owner coloured blob (it might already be selected) and unlock
Tap Start at the Hello screen
At the Wi-Fi settings tap your connection and Forget

Connect again BUT this time after entering your pass key do not tap Connect but Show Advanced Options (you might need to scroll down to see it) and set

Proxy settings: Manual

Proxy hostname: the ip address from fiddler

Proxy port: 8888   

then Connect. (Traffic should now probably start to appear in Fiddler, nothing of interest yet)

The install will proceed but fail with a Check Wi-Fi prompt, OK

Now Tap Other Network
Hold Microphone as before and Google Keyboard Settings, scroll down to About Google Keyboard but this time tap Privacy Policy.

Chrome will load and ask you to sign in, tap No,thanks

There may be web errors showing, ignore them and type ipv4.fiddler:8888 into the address.

(If the network has disconnected, it did once for me, drag down from the top right  to get to the settings and reconnect)

You should get a Fiddler Echo Service page, at the bottom tap on the download the FiddlerRoot Certificate link

Give the certificate a name, you'll be removing it later, then tap OK.

Tap OK to the warning about a lock screen PIN, again you can remove it later if required.

Set a lock screen PIN/Pattern/Password (pattern is easiest)

Now back in Chrome you'll have an app select softbutton at the bottom right, swipe to close all the apps.

Back in google settings press the back soft button will get you back to the beginning.

Now in Wi-Fi setup tap your connection and forget then tap and connect again but without the proxy settings, just your pass key. (I'm not entirely sure which bit objects to being tunnelled through Fiddler and given we can work round it didn't bother digging too hard to find out).

Continue accepting the terms and conditions

Untick the Google & Location options and tap the grey triangle to continue.

No thanks to set up Google

No to Tesco Account

Skip (bottom left) to Register with Tesco

Now you are at the Couldn't Check for Updates that you are likely familiar with and couldn't get out of, only this time you can swipe down from the top right and get at the Wi-Fi settings.

Now tap your connection and Forget

Connect again BUT this time after entering your pass key do not tap Connect but Show Advanced Options (you might need to scroll down to see it) and set the proxy again
Proxy settings: Manual
Proxy hostname: the ip address from fiddler
Proxy port: 8888   
then Connect.

Tap back and Hudl will be checking for updates again and failing but this time you'll have a line appeared in Fiddler to the host device.mobile.tesco.com with a URL similar to /ota/20140424...

Now the clever bit
In Fiddler go to the menu Rules - Automatic Breakpoints  and set  After Responses   (or Alt+F11)

Tap try again on Hudl.

Now the new line will be the same as before but with a red icon next to it
Select the new entry and go to Inspectors on the right hand side, select Raw in the bottom half of the screen and delete much of the last line of the response there editing it from
{"status":"OK","update":{"currentAndroidVersion.............
to
{"status":"OK","update":null}
Click the green Run to completion button

Now go and right click on that entry in the listing and select Save - Response - Entire Response

Save it somewhere!

Now click on Autoresponder on the right hand side again

Click Add Rule then right at the very bottom Click the drop down "Local file to return or Action to execute"
Select find a file and find the file you saved just before.

Ensure Enable Rules  and Unmatched requests passthrough are ticked.

Lastly go to Rules - Automatic Breakpoints and set it to Disabled.

Now tap Try again on Hudl.... Magic....

At Updating apps tap Not now

All Done as the Hudl says

Tap through the intro and then tidy up.

In Wifi settings forget the settings for your network and put them in again without the proxy.
In Settings - Security - Clear Credentials    (or go to Trusted credentials and remove the Fiddler certificate only but then you have to keep the lock). Then you can remove the screen lock at the top of the security settings.

In User tap the dustbin next to the New user you created and Delete,

One working Hudl.

You can now uninstall Fiddler from whichever machine you were using to proxy unless you have a taste for it!

Edited March 21, 2019 by BellAlistair
Note superseded by Tesco change

[Guest Baldi80]

Only just come on here and seen this... Looks interesting and very promising if a little technical. Great work BellAlistair!

The file that you save to create a new rule in Fiddler... Does that have personal info in it specific to your own Hudl 1, or do you reckon it's a "universal" set of code for any Hudl 1?

I only ask in that if it's universal then could you upload it on here? Then it would possibly work the same way with half the instructions? Maybe I'm misunderstanding...

2 hours ago, BellAlistair said:

Now go and right click on that entry in the listing and select Save - Response - Entire Response

Save it somewhere!

Now click on Autoresponder on the right hand side again

Click Add Rule then right at the very bottom Click the drop down "Local file to return or Action to execute"
Select find a file and find the file you saved just before.

EDIT: Oh actually, yeah I see that you still need many of the steps regardless to get the temporary certificate. 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Baldi80

[Guest BuddyB]

 

 

I'm definitely going to try that BellAstair!   Well done for tackling Fiddler!  I think it's brilliant that one person can improve on the work of another. Isn't it amazing how we can cobble workarounds and Tesco with it's technical support team can't. 

 

PS I checked the support section for hudls on the Tesco website earlier. You're not going to believe this, but the note about the factory reset problem only on the hudl2 support section! (Please note: If you factory reset the device while the Hudl services are down, the device will stay on a loading screen until the services are back online.). There is absolutely nothing on  the hudl1 section.  

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by BuddyB

[Guest Sarkie]

On 3/15/2019 at 9:38 PM, BellAlistair said:

Might have had some progress with Fiddler and my Hudl1, shout up if I've missed something, I've only just installed Fiddler so am still working my way around.

Hudl apparently gets a response, not sure why it doesn't like it...  [see edit below]

 

GET https://device.mobile.tesco.com/ota/20140424.153851 HTTP/1.1
X-DeviceID: 097FA1404221356B9995CAEE815D9BFE
X-FirstJourney: true
Host: device.mobile.tesco.com
Connection: Keep-Alive
User-Agent: Dalvik/1.6.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.2.2; hudl ht7s3 Build/JDQ39)

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Length: 304
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
Server: Microsoft-IIS/10.0
Request-Context: appId=cid-v1:0e4682b9-4818-4748-8361-593e054eb1e8
Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=2592000
X-Powered-By: ASP.NET
Set-Cookie: ARRAffinity=af77d5f12d0680a0d1261e16e3ab9799abc44f688624e43b5c9b2c486cb4823a;Path=/;HttpOnly;Domain=device.mobile.tesco.com
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2019 21:16:45 GMT

{"status":"OK","update":{"currentAndroidVersion":"4.4","description":"Huld web service call","html_description":"<b>Huld web service call</b>","mandatory":true,"name":"huldv3","file_size":null,"terms":"Tesco Policies","datetime_released":"18-02-2019 10:10:10","file_md5":null,"url":null,"version":"1.7"}}

 

Edit:

Ah now I realise what it doesn't like about that reply  so

spoofing {"status":"OK","update":null}  instead gets me away for the Hudl 1 as well.

I am now even more disgusted at Tesco, it seems that all they need to do is set that as the response for any version they no longer wish to "support with updates" (not that they have been doing for years). Trivial cost.

I'll have a go at resetting Hudl again tomorrow and document my exact steps.

 

Perfect, exactly what I needed.

You just manually edited the response?

 

I've forgotten what I've done to my ROM (edited and removed files) but if I Factory Reset it then it doesn't talk to Hudl servers, so I can create a Cyanogenmod Backup with this version for future reference.

[Guest Sarkie]

Ah just saw the updates, this is exactly what was needed.

Can someone follow the same steps for a Hudl 2?

There was another thread where a user knew what response to send back for a Hudl 2 for the JSON response part.

Great work @BellAlistair thanks for persevering. 

 

[Guest BellAlistair]

Glad the notes make some sort of sense, attached is the response file I saved which includes the manual edit, it might work universally but I'm not sure hence writing the instructions to capture and edit your own.

644_Response.txt

[Guest Anna65]

Glad all the above makes sense to some people - but unfortunately all that sounds way to technical for me so I'm still hoping we can put enough pressure on Tesco to fix it, especially since it seems pretty simple for those who are technically minded. 

But I have a question to all you tech wizards here - is there a way to back up the entire contents of a working, factory reset, hudl2 on 5.1, operating system and all, and then use this backup to replace the entire contents of a non-working 4.4.2 hudl2, e.g. via the Android Recovery Menu? Basically give the stuck hudl2 a complete "brain transplant" and it'd wake up from its surgery a clone of the working hudl2?!

If anyone knows of a way to do this, or thinks this might be possible and is willing to experiment, I'm happy to supply a working 5.1 hudl2 (if I can have it back afterwards   - and also the non-working 4.4.2 hudl2, if the tech wizard in question only owns a hudl1).

[Guest Sarkie]

For the non technical people, a solution could be if someone could host a proxy service that responds correct JSON response but would need to pass through data.

The thing you want @Anna65 can be done, I'm looking at that, but you'll need a Linux cd and replace the default recovery image. So still quite technical unfortunately.

[Guest Anna65]

6 minutes ago, Sarkie said:

For the non technical people, a solution could be if someone could host a proxy service that responds correct JSON response but would need to pass through data.

The thing you want @Anna65 can be done, I'm looking at that, but you'll need a Linux cd and replace the default recovery image. So still quite technical unfortunately.

Thanks Sarkie - even if it was a bit technical, it would have the advantage of being something that would only ever need done to a hudl2 once, even if it was factory reset it would now be safe from the current Tesco issue! The reason I'm asking is that in order to continue to sell hudl2s on eBay I would need a solution that will be invisible to the buyer - a hudl2 working perfectly normally on 5.1. I couldn't sell hudls that come with complicated instructions, complete embargo on ever doing a factory reset, etc... So if at some point you were able to issue step-by-step instructions on how to clone a 5.1 hudl2 onto 4.4.2 hudl2s I would definitely at least try to have a go at it, despite it being technical... Seeing I have 50ish 4.4.2 hudl2s to lose otherwise!

[Guest Sarkie]

1 minute ago, Anna65 said:

Thanks Sarkie - even if it was a bit technical, it would have the advantage of being something that would only ever need done to a hudl2 once, even if it was factory reset it would now be safe from the current Tesco issue! The reason I'm asking is that in order to continue to sell hudl2s on eBay I would need a solution that will be invisible to the buyer - a hudl2 working perfectly normally on 5.1. I couldn't sell hudls that come with complicated instructions, complete embargo on ever doing a factory reset, etc... So if at some point you were able to issue step-by-step instructions on how to clone a 5.1 hudl2 onto 4.4.2 hudl2s I would definitely at least try to have a go at it, despite it being technical... Seeing I have 50ish 4.4.2 hudl2s to lose otherwise!

Ok, so for your case, you need someone to do the same instructions for a Hudl 2 and figure out the right response. I'm sure someone will help soon.

And then you need a Windows laptop, and once you've done it once it'll be easy for the other tablets, you just need a Sunday like today to understand the instructions and then bypass the updates, then create a tablet user with instructions on your listings to not Factory Reset!

[Guest Anna65]

2 hours ago, Sarkie said:

Ok, so for your case, you need someone to do the same instructions for a Hudl 2 and figure out the right response. I'm sure someone will help soon.

And then you need a Windows laptop, and once you've done it once it'll be easy for the other tablets, you just need a Sunday like today to understand the instructions and then bypass the updates, then create a tablet user with instructions on your listings to not Factory Reset!

I'd rather do the other thing you said was possible, .i.e. to clone a 5.1 tablet and make all the 4.4.2 ones copies of it instead! That way no workarounds, user accounts, special instructions would be needed. So if anyone can figure out how to clone and can issue instructions, that would be great! (And as I said, I can provide both 5.1 and 4.4.2 hudl2s if necessary for the investigation.)

[Guest Sarkie]

Well, if it's the same hardware, do we have the firmware for it? I'm new to Hudl scene

[Guest MikeProbs2]

21 hours ago, BellAlistair said:

Right with many thanks to ChrisEvilGenius and Sarkie and others.

These were written for a Hudl1  I don't know if a variant may work for Hudl2s abandoned by Tesco  but it might well.

First install the Fiddler software on another machine (probably Windows though it looks like it could be Mac or Linux) https://www.telerik.com/download/fiddler

In Fiddler Tools - Options - Connections  Tick Allow remote computers to connect. Also under HTTPS tab tick Decrypt HTTPS traffic. You will get a popup about Windows trusting this certificate, click No (You don't need it locally as you aren't interested in traffic from the machine fiddler is installed on.)

Now go and hover over the Online in the top right of the Fiddler window and take note of the IP address given there (there will probably be an IPV6 address with letters in and below the IPV4 you want, looks something like 192.168.1.76 though almost certainly different numbers)

Now to the Hudl, holding volume up and power on gets you to a menu for a fresh reset.

Restart the Hudl. On the Hello screen click start.

On Select Wi-Fi,  do not connect.

Tap Other network then on the keyboard hold the microphone to get to settings. Tap Google Keyboard Settings.

Scroll to the bottom to About Google Keyboard, Tap Open-source licences.
Press and hold to select some text, then from the top menu that appears, tap Web Search.
Now in the search start typing Settings and you should be given a Settings result. Tap it (not Google Settings)to open the Hudl settings.

Scroll down to Users and then Add User (top right).
Ok to add new user.  Then Set up now.

Drag the padlock to unlock.

At Hello click the grey triangle to continue
Unset the google & location settings and continue
No, thanks to set up google
No to a Tesco account
Skip Register with Tesco
Now at Problem Connecting tap check Wi-Fi
This time connect to your Wi-Fi
(Whilst writing these notes I went round the last couple of steps twice but then it jumped to Updating Apps as it had previously, keep tapping Check Wi-Fi and it should get there).
At Updating apps tap Not now
All Done, tap finish
No thanks to Child advice
OK to a couple of demo screens
You now have a working user BUT don't stop here!

Turn the Hudl off and back on
When at the lock screen tap the Owner coloured blob (it might already be selected) and unlock
Tap Start at the Hello screen
At the Wi-Fi settings tap your connection and Forget

Connect again BUT this time after entering your pass key do not tap Connect but Show Advanced Options (you might need to scroll down to see it) and set

Proxy settings: Manual

Proxy hostname: the ip address from fiddler

Proxy port: 8888   

then Connect. (Traffic should now probably start to appear in Fiddler, nothing of interest yet)

The install will proceed but fail with a Check Wi-Fi prompt, OK

Now Tap Other Network
Hold Microphone as before and Google Keyboard Settings, scroll down to About Google Keyboard but this time tap Privacy Policy.

Chrome will load and ask you to sign in, tap No,thanks

There may be web errors showing, ignore them and type ipv4.fiddler:8888 into the address.

(If the network has disconnected, it did once for me, drag down from the top right  to get to the settings and reconnect)

You should get a Fiddler Echo Service page, at the bottom tap on the download the FiddlerRoot Certificate link

Give the certificate a name, you'll be removing it later, then tap OK.

Tap OK to the warning about a lock screen PIN, again you can remove it later if required.

Set a lock screen PIN/Pattern/Password (pattern is easiest)

Now back in Chrome you'll have an app select softbutton at the bottom right, swipe to close all the apps.

Back in google settings press the back soft button will get you back to the beginning.

Now in Wi-Fi setup tap your connection and forget then tap and connect again but without the proxy settings, just your pass key. (I'm not entirely sure which bit objects to being tunnelled through Fiddler and given we can work round it didn't bother digging too hard to find out).

Continue accepting the terms and conditions

Untick the Google & Location options and tap the grey triangle to continue.

No thanks to set up Google

No to Tesco Account

Skip (bottom left) to Register with Tesco

Now you are at the Couldn't Check for Updates that you are likely familiar with and couldn't get out of, only this time you can swipe down from the top right and get at the Wi-Fi settings.

Now tap your connection and Forget

Connect again BUT this time after entering your pass key do not tap Connect but Show Advanced Options (you might need to scroll down to see it) and set the proxy again
Proxy settings: Manual
Proxy hostname: the ip address from fiddler
Proxy port: 8888   
then Connect.

Tap back and Hudl will be checking for updates again and failing but this time you'll have a line appeared in Fiddler to the host device.mobile.tesco.com with a URL similar to /ota/20140424...

Now the clever bit
In Fiddler go to the menu Rules - Automatic Breakpoints  and set  After Responses   (or Alt+F11)

Tap try again on Hudl.

Now the new line will be the same as before but with a red icon next to it
Select the new entry and go to Inspectors on the right hand side, select Raw in the bottom half of the screen and delete much of the last line of the response there editing it from
{"status":"OK","update":{"currentAndroidVersion.............
to
{"status":"OK","update":null}
Click the green Run to completion button

Now go and right click on that entry in the listing and select Save - Response - Entire Response

Save it somewhere!

Now click on Autoresponder on the right hand side again

Click Add Rule then right at the very bottom Click the drop down "Local file to return or Action to execute"
Select find a file and find the file you saved just before.

Ensure Enable Rules  and Unmatched requests passthrough are ticked.

Lastly go to Rules - Automatic Breakpoints and set it to Disabled.

Now tap Try again on Hudl.... Magic....

At Updating apps tap Not now

All Done as the Hudl says

Tap through the intro and then tidy up.

In Wifi settings forget the settings for your network and put them in again without the proxy.
In Settings - Security - Clear Credentials    (or go to Trusted credentials and remove the Fiddler certificate only but then you have to keep the lock). Then you can remove the screen lock at the top of the security settings.

In User tap the dustbin next to the New user you created and Delete,

One working Hudl.

You can now uninstall Fiddler from whichever machine you were using to proxy unless you have a taste for it!

Hi Guys,

Can I just say that what @BellAlistair has done here is really quite extraordinary. I take my hat off to you, even though I have to be honest and say that it is way above my head.

Can I, however, ask a simple question? Would it be possible to now approach the tech guys at Tesco with details of this process, so that they can be shamed into resolving the problem for all of us? Or am I being too simplistic here? Anybody?

[Guest BellAlistair]

I've emailed Tesco yesterday to suggest the minor change they need to make to their server to make my instructions redundant and ask the reason why they aren't doing it!  I've had a response from the front line staff to say it has been passed to the support team so you never know... It all hinges around that one response from the Tesco server that the rest of the instructions are simply enabling us to intercept and change, if we can persuade them to change it at their end then all is well.

Back up the thread on the 8th Feb  @chrisevilgenius had success for the Hudl 2 using essentially the same method (different implementation) so I think if we can persuade Tesco to make the change to their webserver

Quote

Configure the webserver to return the json below for any request to https://device.mobile.tesco.com/ota/ or below i.e. https://device.mobile.tesco.com/ota/rel.android-build.20150917.142239
{"status":"OK", "update": null}

Then all will be well, Tesco will actually be in their stated position that they are no longer supplying updates but now in the position that their server is effectively saying "no updates available" rather than replying with something that causes older Hudls to get confused and stop. Whether that null is really handled in the software or just causes the code to continue is really neither here nor there just as long as the code continues and lets the setup complete!

Will let you know if I get a real reply from Tesco.

[Guest MikeProbs2]

1 hour ago, BellAlistair said:

I've emailed Tesco yesterday to suggest the minor change they need to make to their server to make my instructions redundant and ask the reason why they aren't doing it!  I've had a response from the front line staff to say it has been passed to the support team so you never know... It all hinges around that one response from the Tesco server that the rest of the instructions are simply enabling us to intercept and change, if we can persuade them to change it at their end then all is well.

Back up the thread on the 8th Feb  @chrisevilgenius had success for the Hudl 2 using essentially the same method (different implementation) so I think if we can persuade Tesco to make the change to their webserver

Then all will be well, Tesco will actually be in their stated position that they are no longer supplying updates but now in the position that their server is effectively saying "no updates available" rather than replying with something that causes older Hudls to get confused and stop. Whether that null is really handled in the software or just causes the code to continue is really neither here nor there just as long as the code continues and lets the setup complete!

Will let you know if I get a real reply from Tesco.

That sounds great . I take my hat off to you again!

[Guest BuddyB]

 

On 3/15/2019 at 4:05 PM, grocer said:

 

 

1 hour ago, BellAlistair said:

I've emailed Tesco yesterday to suggest the minor change they need to make to their server to make my instructions redundant and ask the reason why they aren't doing it!  I've had a response from the front line staff to say it has been passed to the support team so you never know... It all hinges around that one response from the Tesco server that the rest of the instructions are simply enabling us to intercept and change, if we can persuade them to change it at their end then all is well.

Back up the thread on the 8th Feb  @chrisevilgenius had success for the Hudl 2 using essentially the same method (different implementation) so I think if we can persuade Tesco to make the change to their webserver

Then all will be well, Tesco will actually be in their stated position that they are no longer supplying updates but now in the position that their server is effectively saying "no updates available" rather than replying with something that causes older Hudls to get confused and stop. Whether that null is really handled in the software or just causes the code to continue is really neither here nor there just as long as the code continues and lets the setup complete!

Will let you know if I get a real reply from Tesco.

So does this mean Tesco could turn off the server permanently? 

 

Also can someone please tell me how to get rid of box for grocer's quote I decided not to use? It appears in the reply box all the time now. 

Edited March 17, 2019 by BuddyB

[Guest Viv01]

It will certainly be interesting to see what Tesco IT's reply To BelAstair's message is....it could be quite revealing.

My guess is that they've gone for the 'end of useful life' approach not because they can't generate a solution, but because they've been told by higher management that it isn't acceptable to generate one that commits Tesco to any further support resource in future. I feel sure that's the real sticking point.... 

If I'm right, they might well be open a compromise in providing a solution that permanently removes any future support  commitment. In practice, given that most users won't be capable of the ingenious solutions we've already seen on this forum, this would probably mean their providing an update which removes the requirement to go through Tesco's servers during setup. Provided they issued the necessary instructions for this, and warned everyone with affected HUDLs to run it within a reasonable timeframe, they could then withdraw server support. It would also get them out of a potentially nasty reputational backlash if the broadcast media do start to take an interest. The debacle of the accounting scandal is still relatively fresh in peoples' minds, and they won't want this dredged up again.

Let's hope reason prevails...

[Guest Dave the bus]

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 come off the phone with tesco about my 2 hudl 2"s that won't connect and have been told its not their problem and they won't do anything about it and it's tough luck go buy a new one... Now both these tablets were working fine before hand and I've had them 2 years from new but sorry to say they don't want to know and say its not there software update so that's it!!!!!! Anyone want a couple of expensive bookends... Dave

[Guest Anna65]

Hi again everyone,

Yesterday afternoon I did another stint of warning sellers on eBay who are selling their hudls (both 1s and 2s) as fully working, unaware that their buyers will want to return them as faulty due to this issue... However, it looks like I've triggered some red flag on eBay and the number of messages I can send per day has been limited (to 6, it seems, after having sent 35 yesterday) so I wondered if someone else could take over for a bit? Someone on this thread did say earlier that they'd been doing the same. I've just had an online chat with eBay and they couldn't see any reason for my outgoing messages being restricted and promised to get the restriction lifted, but if someone else could warn the slew of new listings that would be good. Thanks!

[Guest Rpt3fois]

On 3/15/2019 at 4:05 PM, grocer said:

It seems very odd that Tesco are now saying there is nothing they can do after their initial reply advising how to solve this problem.

My first thought on receiving my own "Hudl1 is end of life" response from their social media team.

What are they doing that takes a blue age to suggest that they want to help, come up with a technical "solution" that doesn't work (for a device that they knew how to maintain for years), to suddenly discover a business decision to ditch customers? Quite apart from the fact that we have been left with bricked devices because of Tesco's doings or omissions, with no prior warning about no longer being able to do factory resets, to essentially walk away in this manner after the past few months of hinting at being helpful is embarrassingly amateurish.

I'll be taking it further.