Recovery partition is infested with malware and viruses. Wipe & reinstall OS?

[AC Question]

OK... I will admit it. I am a complete newbie here.

If it was Windows or even OS-X I could figure this out, but with Android I am left muttering Whiskey Tango Foxtrot to myself. I have my aunt's Android tablet and it is the most virus and malware infested thing I have ever seen. I threw every available cure I can think of at at it all to no avail. My usual tool of HitmanPro is not available for Android.

To add insult to injury, the recovery partition is also infected.

Doing a factory reset just reinstalls what little Kapersky and the other tools were able to remove.

That said, how can I wipe the hard drive completely and reinstall Lollipop?

 

[Golfdriver97]

From what I am reading, it appears that some of these issues I have been experiencing may be the manufacturers fault. It seems that the a33 ROMs are full of time delay trojans. I am beginning to think this may just be an expensive doorstop now...

Well, let's talk some other options:
1. Is getting a new device to replace this one an option?
1a. If the above is yes, what would the price limit be?
2. If not new what about used?
3. If a different device is totally out of the question, how unusable is the current one? Have you tried a different browser?

 

[Iamsideshowbob]

I don't think getting a new device is out of the question and price shouldn't be a consideration in this case.

For me, it's more a matter of principle and I hate admitting that there is a malware/viral infection I couldn't remove by the right combination of software or by nuking the hard drive and starting fresh. I hate to admit that I am beat, but this thing has royally kicked my butt!

As for usability, I would say it is like trying to carry on a conversation in a room filled with five year olds jacked up on Red Bull.

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

I like anyone who hates to give up

1 — I don't think any of the firmware files on your link are for your specific tablet. I would be very careful about trying to flash any of them.

But that's OK.

This should work for you: [GUIDE][ROOT][TWEAKS] Generic Allwinner A23 Tablet

If it does, you'll have root permissions and can delete all the crap from the factory. Here are the files you want to remove:

/system/app/CloudService.apk
/system/app/FileExplorer.apk
/system/app/PartnerBookmarksProvider.apk
/system/app/Update.apk
/system/priv-app/OneTimeInitializer.apk
EVERYTHING in /system/preinstall

You can do this over a cable from a computer or on the phone itself. I suggest copying the files to a folder on the tablet's storage under the /sdcard directory, and keep a list of exactly where each file originally came from. If you do it via computer, keep the files and the list somewhere until you're sure everything works.


Next, create a blank text file. It has to be blank and it has to be created with a Unix-style text editor (for Windows, use Notepad++)
Name this file CloudService.apk (NOT CloudService.apk.txt — mind the file extension)
Then place this file in /system/app

Reboot, cross your fingers and hope.

Good luck.

Edited to add: Know up front that if this doesn't work (there are like 100 generic models of your tablet and not all of them may be the same) there is the risk that it will never work again once you remove things and reboot,

 

[Iamsideshowbob]

At this stage I would rather brick the thing trying than let this be controlled by malware!

 

[Jerry Hildenbrand]

At this stage I would rather brick the thing trying than let this be controlled by malware!

I really like this dude.

Welcome to AC my man.