I'm So BLU... (old phone woes)

/e/OS Devices Request a Device
1

Hey all, I have a question that forks.

I’m trying to get my old BLU R1 HD set up to be an offline MP3 player. But it’s having…issues. It’s incredibly slow and won’t delete things. I’ve tried natively with it’s built in file manager and some others on fdroid and nada. It’s Android 6 (Marshmallow) so one could still integrate the SD card with the internal storage and I did so. So I’m not sure if it’s the phone or the card.

Anyway, I haven’t been able to find any BLU builds for the OS on here, is that correct?

Also, as you all deal with Android OS whatnot, I have a question that direction. If I format the device to see if that fixes it, while I still be able to draw what updates there are for it back onto it? Like, will the files still exist? Is that something Google keeps track of, or is it BLU? I know going back to five a LOT of apps won’t work on it that do on 6, so I’d like to stay on 6 if an alternative OS isn’t possible.

Thanks, and sorry for this being fairly off topic. But you all seem like you might have answers. ~<3

2

Yes.

The device is Android and registered with Google as

Retail Branding Marketing Name Device Model
Blu R1 HD BLU_R1_HDZ BLU R1 HD

In its time it attracted some work

https://xdaforums.com/f/blu-r1-hd-roms-kernels-recoveries-other-devel.5621/, these seem quite old now.

Factory reset the device should be fine … but you probably want to find a source of the original ROM or the very last manufacturer firmware revision before you experiment too aggressively.

1 Like
3

Would I need the ROM etc. for the Factory Reset, or only if I go harder?

Buying a used $30 Motorola and slapping /e/OS or asking my friend for her old MP3 player are sounding like better options…

4

No ROM really needed for Factory reset … but there is the possibility that you find the device at a lower than “latest” Android version after your Factory reset. [1]

So I think I would be actively searching for it.

You may already have some of this background information, idk.

Edit. [1] In this event you may be able to find the Software update within the phone’s Settings. This may allow you to apply the update(s).

1 Like
5

Quick look, there seems to have android 7.1.2 based LineageOS 14.1 for this device, so /e/ nougat may be possible…

2 Likes
6

Update:

Ran Factory Reset. Seems to be stable and back to the last OS patch. Also, considerably faster.

I think the SD card is shot.

A new question though.
I know forks of Android can run without the google app, but can a stock Android? I’ve disabled damn near everything else.

Now I just need a new SD card and to load it with tunes. :smiley:

1 Like
7
8

So a little update:

I think the SD card reader might be broken in it. I tried a fourth SD Card that I know works, (it was in an old tablet I still have and registered before I pulled it,) and the BLU said that card was corrupted to.

With this rig I’ll be unable to have my entire music library. But it has some internal storage, so I put what I could on it. Which is still hundreds of songs.

If I can get it to work with my Magsafe car mount it will be all done.

If it gives me more guff, I might try the LineageOS build.

Thanks for the help everyone. <3

9

@ ronnz98 have just made an /e/ build for you to test…

1 Like