Intenso TAB744

= Identification = On the back of the device, the following is printed: TAB744 5.0V ⎓ 2.0 A Wi-Fi Intenso GmbH
 * (Intenso)
 * 7" TABLET PC

= Tips, Tricks, Caveats =

Recovery mode

 * 1) Power off the device
 * 2) Hold down the vol+ button
 * 3) Power on the device
 * 4) Release the vol+ button when recovery starts

FEL (flash/upgrade mode)
See LiveSuit and Sunxi-tools for tools to flash, download or upgrade firmware on TAB744.


 * switch the device off (press power button longer than 10 s)
 * enter FEL mode by holding Vol+ button while connecting USB cable to PC
 * then repeatedly press power button while still holding Vol+ button

If you are using LiveSuit, you need to start and select firmware first, before connecting the device. To troubleshoot the process you can check if you've entered flash mode using e.g. lsusb:

Bus 003 Device 018: ID 1f3a:efe8 Onda (unverified) V972 tablet in flashing mode
 * FEL mode check
 * 1) lsusb


 * 1) If you get ID 1f3a:1000 Onda (unverified) instead, then tablet is _not_ in flashing mode,
 * 2) the kernel will then attach scsi generic driver with output in 'dmesg' like this:
 * 3) [12514.909226] scsi host27: usb-storage 3-1:1.0
 * 4) [12515.909172] scsi 27:0:0:0: Direct-Access              TAB744           0100 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
 * 5) [12515.909332] scsi 27:0:0:1: Direct-Access              TAB744           0100 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
 * 6) [12515.909796] sd 27:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg6 type 0
 * 7) [12515.914209] sd 27:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg7 type 0
 * 8) [12515.914385] sd 27:0:0:1: [sdg] Attached SCSI removable disk
 * 9) [12515.917020] sd 27:0:0:0: [sdf] Attached SCSI removable disk

$ ./sunxi-fel version AWUSBFEX soc=00001667(A33) 00000001 ver=0001 44 08 scratchpad=00007e00 00000000 00000000
 * FEL version example

ADB (remote debug mode)
This device does not have root access enabled by default. If USB debugging is enabled in settings on the tablet, run echo -e '0x1f3a\n0x1002' >> .android/adb_usb.ini sudo bash -c 'echo SUBSYSTEM==\"usb\", ATTR{idVendor}==\"1f3a\", ATTRS{idProduct}==\"1002\", MODE=\"0666\", \ GROUP=\"plugdev\", SYMLINK+=\"android%n\" >> /etc/udev/rules.d/51-android.rules' udevadm control --reload-rules

for android debug bridge to work: adb devices adb shell ..

You can change build.prop after having flashed the firmware. adb shell remount -o remount,rw /system busybox vi /system/build.prop # use :wq to write and quit sync remount -o remount,ro /system
 * change build.prop

Modify firmware
You can unpack, modify and repack firmware images before flashing them. This way build.prop may also be changed before flashing the firmware.

For script, update_* tools clone pctools/linux/mod_update, sunxi-pack-tools, sunxi-tools

The steps to modify files within system partition are roughly: imgrepacker kk.img cd kk.img.dump simg2img system.fex system.bin mkdir sys sudo mount -o loop system.bin sys sudo vim sys/build.prop # or other files # copy/rm files within sys as necessary sudo umount sys ext2simg system.bin system.fex FileAddSum system.fex Vsystem.fex cd .. imgrepacker kk.img.dump
 * system.fex

To modify boot.fex that contains kernel zImage and cpio ramdisk: imgrepacker kk.img cd kk.img.dump # for *bootimg, *ramdisk tools see e.g. xda-developers.com umkbootimg boot.fex unpack_ramdisk initramfs.cpio.gz  #edit files in ramdisk/, see e.g. sun8i.rc files for modules loaded during init repack_ramdisk ramdisk/ mkbootimg --kernel zImage --ramdisk new-ramdisk.cpio.gz --base 0x40000000 -o boot.fex rm -rf zImage *.cpio.gz ramdisk/ FileAddSum boot.fex Vboot.fex cd .. imgrepacker kk.img.dump
 * boot.fex

This file contains an ascii-pendant to  (a.k.a. , a.k.a  ). It can be thought of as an alternative to a device tree specification used in the mainline linux kernel and newer versions of u-boot. If you want to change it, keep in mind to update its binary representation and files that incorporate it afterwards: imgrepacker kk.img cd kk.img.dump f=sys_config.fex b=${f/.fex/.bin} ../mod_update/script $f # fex2bin $f $b ../mod_update/update_boot0 boot0_sdcard.fex $b SDMMC_CARD ../mod_update/update_boot0 boot0_nand.fex $b NAND ../mod_update/update_fes1 fes1.fex $b #../mod_update/update_uboot u-boot.fex $b # troublesome, see mv $b config.fex cd .. imgrepacker kk.img.dump
 * sys_config.fex

A problematic firmware, e.g. black screen, may be fixed by simply overwriting it with u-boot.fex from another, working firmware. Since the file is not checksumed, you can simply exchange it, repack the firmware and flash. It makes a difference, because u-boot.fex contains a copy of.
 * u-boot.fex

Note: In theory you should also be able to  , but this tool throws memory access errors when run after  . Since the output of allwinner's  command differs from sunxi's   this could have been caused by an alignment issue, research needed.

The presence of this file in a firmware sometimes prevents flashing it with LiveSuit. This can be fixed by imgrepacker kk.img cd kk.img.dump rm Vdiskfs.fex for f in image.cfg _img.files/Filelist.txt do sed -i -e '/Vdiskfs.fex/d' $f done f=sys_partition.fex b=${f/.fex/.bin} sed -i -e '/diskfs.fex]/,$ s/;verify *= *0/verify = 0/' $f unix2dos $f ../mod_update/script $f # fex2bin $f $b ../mod_update/update_mbr $b 4 # eventually overwrite u-boot.fex with known-to-work copy, see #cp ../u-boot.fex u-boot.fex cd .. imgrepacker kk.img.dump mv kk.img    kk-mod_$(date +%Y%m%dT%H%M).img mv kk.img.bak kk.img
 * Vdiskfs.fex

= Device disassembly (voids warranty)=

The back cover uses snap-ins, but sits very tight on the front frame. Where the volume and power buttons sit, the plastic is so thin that it's very likely to break, when trying to remove the back cover. To start opening, be sure to pick a spot about one mm below the display at a place where no buttons or connection holes are situated. Remember that you will loose warranty doing this with most vendors.

Adding a serial port
Howto needed: Does the N7 Pro serial port guide to add a serial port work for this device too!?

= Pictures =

= Also known as =

Since there are no firmware files publicly available to this date from Intenso, firmware images from different vendors need to be tried to repair a broken tab. When applied to a TAB744, most of these just show black screens, have wrong display resolutions, non-working sound and/or no touchscreen support. Some can be modified to work, your mileage may vary.
 * Unofficial:

Caution: If your TAB744 is working fine, do not flash the below, but rather try to extract the stock rom firmware with  from sunxi-tools above and have someone with a broken one test your image. Ideally upload an image from a fresh device to a file sharing service and post a link here.


 * The following options seem to be the last resort to unbrick a TAB744 until oem stock firmware file(s) are found or released on the net.


 * The somewhat compatible Kitkat image from an Eken V11 has working sound and correct display resolution. The specific file name of that image is


 * Another good working Kitkat image is from an Unicus U1021C. It has brilliant screen support (better than Eken V11) and WiFi works, sound does not.


 * To flash the Kitkat image from a Yonestoptech BA1078, modify and remove Vdiskfs.fex from image first. The screen support is as good as in U1021C, sound works, but WiFi does not (although 8188eu.ko is part of the image).


 * The Lollipop firmware images for the Softwinner/YonesTop BA1078 work as well, although flashing errors appear near the end of the flashing process.


 * Common to all of them is broken Touchscreen input. To access the device attach external mouse/keyboard or work with . Correct an eventually wrong sensor orientation by setting/changing   and   in , see  or.

If you have links to original stock rom or a better compatible firmware, please edit and add to this wiki page.

= See also =
 * Android Firmware sources
 * Download and service support for Yones Toptech


 * chinagadgetsreviews.blogspot.de/search?q=A33+firmware
 * mytabletguru.com/allwinner-a33-firmware-and-tool - 2015/05/12
 * electroniaychinas.wordpress.com/2015/03/06/a33-tablet-fimrware
 * electroniaychinas.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/firmware-tablet-dragon-touch-akaso


 * Y88X firmwares
 * None of Y88X images have display working when applied without modification to TAB744. A quick start is to just replace u-boot.fex with the one from BA1078 kitkat image, see . in particular looks promising, since the firmware filename suggests rtl8188eu support.