[Q] What are the steps to port a ROM to an unsupported device? - Android

First a short question. What is the device configuration.(For example:https://github.com/TeamICS/android_device_htc_heroc) Which information does it contain? I don't think it's the whole Rom, but they update it, change stuff and so on?
Now my actual question:
I want to port a Kernel+System on an unsupported device.
Where do I have to start. Is there a difference between building it from source or port one from a similar device? Is one solution slower, more complicated or anything? There are many tutorials for porting, just bundle a system with a working kernel, but what to do if I want to have the Kernel also?
How do I extract the Device Proprietary Files without an github of the device?
Links, short explanation of the steps or anything else would be helpful.
I am sorry if this post seems to be ill informed, but I am searching and searching and can't find really helpful information..

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chaoskoch said:
First a short question. What is the device configuration.(For example:https://github.com/TeamICS/android_device_htc_heroc) Which information does it contain? I don't think it's the whole Rom, but they update it, change stuff and so on?
Now my actual question:
I want to port a Kernel+System on an unsupported device.
Where do I have to start. Is there a difference between building it from source or port one from a similar device? Is one solution slower, more complicated or anything? There are many tutorials for porting, just bundle a system with a working kernel, but what to do if I want to have the Kernel also?
How do I extract the Device Proprietary Files without an github of the device?
Links, short explanation of the steps or anything else would be helpful.
I am sorry if this post seems to be ill informed, but I am searching and searching and can't find really helpful information..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off what device do you have?
This link might be helpful
How to Port Android to Another Device
Now in regard to your questions i'll do my best to answer them best I can. The device configuration think of it as a fingerprint every fingerprint is unique (Although some a very similar), basically when building from source is tells the build what device you want the version of android your compiling to run on. They update and change the device configuration to reflect changes in the different versions of Android (Going from Gingerbread to ICS for example). Porting Kernels is not easy if you don't know C, things about embedded systems, basic Linux knowledge, among other skills but take a look at Guidance regarding Kernel porting, and what do you mean by port system? Here is a basic place to start for kernels AOSP Building Kernels and Building Your First Kernel. Yes their is a difference between porting a kernel and building from source, porting implies taking a kernel from device A and porting it to device B, while building from source means your building directly for device A. Porting in your case is probably going to be harder then building from source. If you want to have the kernel also again you have to modify it to run on the device you are porting it too. To extract proprietary files you have to hook your device up to your computer, turn on usb debugging, and using ADB run these commands:
Code:
cd ~/android/system/device/motorola/sholes/ # Replace Motorola and Sholes with your vendor such as HTC, Samsung, etc. and your device codename
Then run:
Code:
./extract-files.sh
Look at this guide for more info Compiling ICS from Source. Hope this helps you in some way :good:.