A13 Boxchip CM9/CM10 Development - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I now know the Allwinner A13 is a stripped down version of the Allwinner A10, to be clearer the specifications of my Tablet (from UniFlash and AnTuTu Benchmark) are as follows:
Manufacturer: None
Brand: softwinners
CPU hardware: sun5i
CPU model: ARMv7 Processor (VFPv3, NEON)
CPU frequency: 60.0 ~ 1008.0 MHz
Screen resolution: 800 x 444
GPU vendor: Mali-400 MP
GPU version (OpenGL): OpenGL ES 2.0
RAM size: 512 MB DDR2 RAM
Knowing this, I used UniFlash to make a backup of the firmware bt after using UniFlash to try and load a CM9 Rom on to the Tablet, the Tablet died. After alot of googling I discovered AllWinner based chipsets use Live Suite (sometimes called LiveSuit) to flash firmwares on to the device.
To Flash firmware on to the device you need to follow the attached instructions ((http://dragondevs.com/viewtopic.php?f=159&t=390):
Download LiveSuite (http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/Live-Suit-Pack.shtml)
Install Live Suite
Start Live Suite
Select the Live Suite image file (folder icon
Turn device off (to be sure hold power button for 12 - 20 seconds)
Hold "Volume Up" button down
Connect the device to your PC (while still holding "Volume Up" down)
Start pressing the power button (you may need to do this once a second for 5/6 seconds)
If you haven't installed windows will ask to install a driver for a device (Dive Id will be something like Vf73465789123465435_Id, if the device is in the right mode, A13-MID, ADB-Interface indicates the tablet has connected in anouther mode).
Once this has finished LiveSuite will detect the device and a wizard will flash the firmware for you.
I have found a working firmware which according to AnTuTU Benchmark gives my tablet a rating of 3047 (see firmware section), this is on the higher end of reported A13-MID tablets
I have found out how to install CWM on to the device via SaussageMod (http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/29916-scriptmod-for-allwinner-a1x-platforms/). This solution is untested, further more it may be unnessary futher investigation has shown this website (https://www.miniand.com/forums/forums/2/topics/73) has developed a way of create Live Suite images. This is simplier than installing clockworkmod recovery,
I tried to load the following images on to my tablet and failed completely: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=31043317 It didn't work and forced me to do a firmware refresh.
My other step for the day was to create Ubuntu 10.10 installation then I began following this guide to construct an Xperia Play CM9 Rom/Kernel. once I have created a working ROM (I own an Xperia Play). I'm hoping to be able to modify the kernel to include the relevent A13 drivers, but one step at a time.
TODO
Create Ubuntu Partition
Follow Xperia Play CM9 Rom/Kernel Guide and create working rom (test on my Xperia Play)
Download CT repository (https://github.com/christiantroy) and compare with Xperia Play CM9 rom
Find the relevent drivers from https://github.com/amery/linux-allwinner leaked source
Retrieve offical MALI 400 MP drivers (parts of it have been released) compare with leaked source
Use UniFlash backup of original Rom along with LiveSuite image creation to try and restore original firmware (see If I understand it properly)
Examine Build.prop find out why original firmware displayed ina phone layout and new one is in tablet mode (potentially reference CM supported Tablets).
Attempt to compile a A13 (Sun5i) based rom
Create a google code page to hold all of these thoughts properly.

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Left blank will include rom/firmwares here for future reference
Firmware
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bzjt7mzuftwz79f/nt7mRMPDj1 - My public Dropbox
http://www.azhuo.net/en/products_A13B_Allwinner-A13_7_inch_Android_4.0_Upgrade.html - password is: tabletpc
http://dragondevs.com/viewtopic.php?f=159&t=390 - McPad F1 firmware
Novo 7 Tools
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/74970692/Novotools_v1.0.apk
SausageMod
http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/29916-scriptmod-for-allwinner-a1x-platforms
Gapps - http://goo.im/gapps/

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I have the same tablet and it would be very cool if you succeeded in your attempt to create a CM9 rom for it. I tried ROM made by Tragidy from this thread but there is a problem with touchscreen driver, ROM booted successfully but I could not even unlock the screen cause touchscreen did not work. I finaly flashed rom DCPAD2121.zip using livesuite which I belive is the original ROM that came with tablet and it worked.
I installed clockwordmod using sausagemod successfully, but there is a big problem - no hardware "back" key and only volume up works.
novo7tools.apk works OK for reboot, reboot to recovery or shutdown.

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syncing
Thanks, it's slow going at the moment, I only spending ~1 hour each day on it and at the moment trying to sync the CM9 source is painful (it keeps timing out, due to "remote side corruption").
I figure I would start there as all the firmware images I can find are ICS roms (meaning the drivers must be ICS).

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Hi, I have the same tablet but I cannot find the firwmare DCPAD2121.zip
Could you upload it please? From dropbox has been deleted
Thanks

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You should check this topic:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861445

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WillingMagic said:
You should check this topic:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1861445
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried that ROM, on my tablet after flashing the ROM it got stuck in a boot loop. It might be an idea to steal the config he created. The ROM is pre CM9 release. The A10 Flash kitchen software seems to work. I was hoping on producing a complete Live Suit image that people could flash (figuring our what CT has done on the A10 took a while).
Still having fun trying to sync the repositories, given up on trying to use a Debian VM, I'll will install full Ubuntu on a drive tomorrow, hopefully that will help fix things. It doesn't help most of the guides I can find are out of date and I keep having to make corrections.
I've also uploading all firmware I can find to my dropbox (at 200mb each they will take a while), I won't with tools simply because others ask you not too.
The Dropbox firmware was out of date when I tried to download it sun5i_android_a13-pfdq88_en_D06 firmware worked well for me, the firmwares are located at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bzjt7mzuftwz79f/nt7mRMPDj1

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Cyanogenmod 9 in not working for you. Did you made data and cache wipe? Can you send me logcat and dmesg output?
You can`t steal my config, you have to remember about credits, and other stuff.
Creating a wiki is useless, there is already wiki for allwinner products, so better update info on it.
Github is better than google code to keep sources.
Using Livesuit=Windows, I hate dual booting just for flashing, Clockwork Recovery or modified SDcard with uboot is better solution.
Current kernel is not working well, with sun5i.
Using VM is stupid, because building rom takes a lot of time on quad core pc without it.

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WillingMagic said:
Cyanogenmod 9 in not working for you. Did you made data and cache wipe? Can you send me logcat and dmesg output?
You can`t steal my config, you have to remember about credits, and other stuff.
Creating a wiki is useless, there is already wiki for allwinner products, so better update info on it.
Github is better than google code to keep sources.
Using Livesuit=Windows, I hate dual booting just for flashing, Clockwork Recovery or modified SDcard with uboot is better solution.
Current kernel is not working well, with sun5i.
Using VM is stupid, because building rom takes a lot of time on quad core pc without it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wiped the caches I couldn't send a logcat or dmesg as the device simply boot looped.
I've been providing links to threads whenever I come across others work, I'm new to android rom development for me this is a research effort which will hopefully produce something cool for my £50 tablet. Basically my day job has switched to developing UI's and I am looking for something new to learn (instead of why is Vaadin, Guice, SWT, Javascript, etc... is putting that button there).
Said dev career has also made me hate Git with a passion (not as bad as perforce but still) since Git integrates poorly with Visual Studio and Eclipse and you end up getting everyone overwriting each others changes. The idea of google code is simply because it makes a good platform for projects and you can use things like git with it. I didn't know about an Allwinner wiki, with all of my Googling I haven't come across it, where is it?
I don't care about build times I'm just researching, alas Debian has caused me enough problems so I've installed ubuntu on to a old disk I had lying around. Considering I've just tried to install Ubuntu via a Net install CD and it has screwed up the GRUB installation (nicely taking out my windows partition as well) can you blame me?
The reason for nabbing the config (and the Xperia Play and Christian Troys) is to understand how they work. Over the years I've found most Open Source software documentation is poor unless you have a set level of knowledge about it already.
Lastly I like automation, I want things to just work. Livesuit does that since I am normally a windows user, I as hoping in the distant future once I understand the build process to set up a Jenkins server to do it and create the whole lot automatically (via the Allwinner flash kitchen). In the even longer term I would like to update FlashTool to do what LiveSuit does. In the near term (next couple of months) I just want to be able to build a CM9 image.

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All android and kernel source are keep on git, so changing it is stupid.
This is allwinner wiki: http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10 you can also update http://elinux.org/Hack_A10_devices
Everyone use CWM and it's standard for unofficial firmware/ROMS

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brandonlee2 said:
Hi, I have the same tablet but I cannot find the firwmare DCPAD2121.zip
Could you upload it please? From dropbox has been deleted
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's my upload, I packed it in rar format: http://www.mediafire.com/?we4zhgop29bg3dj
I also found it here: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0BzQuMwoMQqvba1VtQ1p1ZWJkR2M
from this forum post: http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/35314-a13-generic-tablet/page__view__findpost__p__421128

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I built a CM10 rom for A13 from sources. It boots fine but hangs either at the Android setup wizard or sometimes even at the CM animation.

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myfluxi said:
I built a CM10 rom for A13 from sources. It boots fine but hangs either at the Android setup wizard or sometimes even at the CM animation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mind sharing your repo ?

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Trying 4.1.2
Hi all,
So I've tried compiling from 4.1.2 source for my A13 Emgeton Consul 3
It boots up and gets to the CM10 boot animation but it doesn't get past it.
I can adb at first boot until adb stops.
logcat from boot attempt:
http://pastebin.com/gLTrieHm
My build.prop:
http://pastebin.com/Ap9M1tjW
Any pointers as to why it doesn't get past the boot animation?

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Hello guys! I know it's not he proper place here to pose my question, but I am definitely at loss!
Do you happen to know if there is a way of rooting this tablet? And if so, does everything work properly after that?

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phoivos86 said:
Hello guys! I know it's not he proper place here to pose my question, but I am definitely at loss!
Do you happen to know if there is a way of rooting this tablet? And if so, does everything work properly after that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine came pre-rooted.

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Just received my MID A13 Tablet. Is this thread dead?

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koodiifin said:
Just received my MID A13 Tablet. Is this thread dead?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've gone a bit quiet on the development front, setting up a file/media server & samba domain server to power my home network is eating up my time.
My dropbox contains every image I could find for the tablet, as mentioned previously you can root the device using saussage mod, although my device and every one of those images is already rooted. You can prove this by installing super user.
Sassage mod's clockworkmod recovery doesn't work for me and I was looking at the backup tool in order to generate my own one. If you are aimed at any development, let me know and I will update the main thread

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Many have said that they have "lost" "forget" to take backup from original rom. So, i'd like to have backup from my original to go back if/when something goes wrong. How do i do that? What software i need. Do i need to root?
This is from my info sheet:
Model TWD_MID
android version 6.0.1 ?????
Baseband 1.5
Kernel 3.0.8+
Buildnumber: nuclear_evb-eng6.0.1 IMM76D 20120917 test keys

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I am in a desperate need for some help:
My tablets specs are these:
Phone model: A13-MID
Brand: softwinners
CPU hardware: sun5i
CPU model: ARMv7 Processor (VFPv3.NEON)
CPU frequency: 60.0 - 1008.0 MHz
Screen Resolution: 800 x 444
GPU vendor: ARM
GPU render: Mali-400 MP
GPU version (OpenGL): OpenGL ES 2.0
Memory size: 353.5 MB
Android version: 4.0.4
Build number: nuclear_pfdq88c-eng 4.0.4 IMM76D 20120821 test-keys
Kernel: Linux version 3.0.8+
I just installed OpenVPN installer and installed the OpenVPN binary in the system/xbin
After that I tried to connect to my university's VPN but when it tried to connect, the tablet lost wifi connection and ever since it doesnt connect to any available wifi network!! I manually deleted the OpenVPN binary, but problem remains!
Do you know where could I find the stock ROM for this tablet in order to re-flash it?
Do you have any other proposals? Anything will help!
Thank you very much!!