Make you Chuwi HI8 Awesome (Must Do's!)

[Mikey]

Ok so firstly, my Chuwi HI8 arrived last week, Its not my first Chinese Android – I had an Ainol Novo 7 about 3 years ago and it lasted me very well, so anyone concerned about Chinese tablets really shouldn’t be, especially at the price of these units.

I had some concerns about battery life and the fact Kitkat does not allow you to move Apps 2 SD anymore, but the fact it was £61 and had good specs and dual boot sold me. The day it arrived I set up Windows and installed updates which gave me the reserve Windows 10 app icon so I went ahead and reserved my download. The next day my Windows 10 was available to download and I ran the install which went very smoothly (compared to my laptop upgrade) then I went straight ahead and deleted the old Windows OS which gave me more storage than when the device arrived.

After installing Windows 10 I rooted the Android side using the technique shown here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA2YEMTYL2I and again it was really easy and fast. After I rooted it I was met with the disappointing realization that I still could not moves Apps to SD 🙁

After a few hours on the net looking for work arounds I came across an app called GL to SD (Root) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slf.ListglApp and I thought I would give it a try seeing as my tablet was already rooted, so I installed it and was able to move 4gb of game files to my SD card so which gave me plenty of room for other apps. SEeing as games take up the most storage, I continued to download some big games and transfer them to my SD card, and its hardly making a dent in the internal memory (GREAT).

To overcome the battery issue I have resorted to using a XIAOMI 5.1V 2.1A 10000mAh Power Bank – http://www.banggood.com/Original-XIAOMI-5_1V-2_1A-10000mAh-Power-Bank-For-Smartphone-p-977406.html which charges the device when in use very well and really its not an inconvenience at all as its pretty small (pocket size) but gives me a full day of very heavy use (yesterday it was on gaming and watching movies all day).

Unfortunately Windows 10 did not add the feature where you can install Apps and programs to and external drive (hopefully this is coming soon) I have not found a work around for this yet, so if anyone knows please let me know because once this feature is possible it will make this device unstoppable.

 

So here’s my recommendations for what you should do to your HI8

*Buy a decent power bank

*Root Android

*Install GL to SD

*Upgrade to Windows 10 and delete old OS

*Wait for windows to allow users to install Apps to SD, then buy a decent external hard drive.

I hope this is useful to someone out there.

Before I go, If anyone is thinking about the Chuwi HI8 and doesn’t mind hooking it up to a portable power bank occasionally throughout the day then you definitely should. The device is amazing for the price and a very capable and decently spec’d Android tablet.

 

[Mikey]

Oh and I forgot to say the HI8 comes with a years free Office 365 which you can also install on your main pc under the same license, it gives you all the office programs + 1tb of one drive storage and 60 minutes per month of Skype calls. What are you waiting for?

[Stefan]

You can install programs anywhere you like with Windows, just not (yet) the apps from Windows Store. Also very easy to move the pictures, music, video and download folders to SD via context menu.

 

I don’t want a year of MS office because I can have a lifetime of Libre Office for free.

Easily the most useful tool I found was TouchMousePointer, which made the desktop usable without a mouse (which is still better, of course).

[Mikey]

Thanks for replying Stefan, touchmousepointer sounds great ill go get that. I have found a full work around for moving windows 10 apps and programs, its called steam mover http://www.traynier.com/software/steammover

[Viktor]

One more thing under windows (since I use it under windows 10 more than 90% of the time) is that you can move the “common folders” (no idea how they are really called)

Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos; to be on the SD card instead of the eMMC.

All you need to do is right click the folder -> Properties -> Location and change the “C:\Videos” to “D:\Videos”. Hit OK and tell it to transfer the existing files as well. Just do it for all the folders and it becomes really convenient as it no longer takes any space on your main drive.

[cochecito]

I have a great problem!!!

 

I followed steps in video in first post:

At first attemp it says tablet was rootwd so I push on button: “root again” then appears as root succesfull

But apps didn´t can acces to root acces. So root was failed.

I connect again with kingo and it sais that it is not rooted. So I push “root” again, but at the end “root failed”. Now always the same.

I think the problem is that the KINGO SU called: “SUPERUSER” is instaled (but bad installed) and I can not unsinstall in any way. I have follow the Ishan procces (Temporal CMW recovery). All steps ok but everything the same at the end.

I have even done a factory restore but no luck.

So I have I fail SU app from KINGO  installed and now I can not root.

 

Could someone help me please? 🙁

[cochecito]

When it was supossed rooted I was able to install busybox and super su then I uninstall both but there are still a lot of files in system/xbin from busybox that I can not delete cause I am not root.

 

 

Please help.

 

 

How could I re-install only android part? cause windows is everything ok.

[Paschalis]

Is it so easy to upgrade to Windows10? Is everything working as it should? I’m waiting for mine to arrive I’m the next days and I’m wondering if I can just upgrade, if I have to follow the guide in this forum or wait for an OTA update.

[izak]

@cochecito  I have the same problem followed same video and then ishan method and stuck with their apps with no root, factory reset is no help now I have downloaded the original android ROM but don’t know how to install it, I hope help is coming soon.

 

@paschalls.  Installing windows 10 is very easy.

http://chinagadgetsreviews.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/how-to-easily-install-windows-10-pro.html

[Anonymous]

hi I have a problem I forgot my password for windows 10 (it is a local user) and I ask do anyone know of a way to reset window 10 or reset the tablet like brand new

 

[Rikko]

FYI, you can move apps to the SD in Win10 1511 / 10586.71 the latest consumer build.

[Author]

Posts