want to start making a custom rom where do I start? - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi I'm a newbie into android custom rom development. I'd like to know more about it and utilize a Notion Ink Adam as my test device. I want to port the latest version of android (maybe ubuntu or win 8 would also do) I just want to see that the Notion Ink Adam 1 works as a usable device and all peripherial devices work as well eg. Camera and the pixel Qi Screen etc. However I do not know where to start. I went through a youtube video which talks about android internals .. So far I have collected the below queries.
1) Why is it that installing android on devices is not the same as installing a regular operating system on a machine.?
2) Is my device really a paper weight if it gets hard bricked. It cannot be recovered Period ?
3) Since the Notion Ink Adam is based on a Tegra 2 process, would it be correct to assume that if a cyagenmod android os works on another device with a similar processor by some other company it will work on the Adam. Thanks.

Related

Who is Letama

Just for the fun
http://translate.google.com/transla...ation-de-le-tama-the-king-of-the-rom/&act=url
Nice
Anybody knows why google translates "firmware" to "shower"?
Nice, now we know a bit more of the guru
God, Google translation is awful
Here is my approximate translation of cajl interview:
1) Le Tama, master of archos roms, present yourself
I fall into computers when I was very young (11 year old, no personal computer at this time, I start programming on paper with a book ) and since then virus never left me. I'm 42, I'm technical director of a small software development company. As my current job don't give me much occasion to dig into code, I'm pursuing my passion as a leisure, and especially on Archos tablet these days.
2) Why Android ?
I came to Android with my HTC HD2. At that time, Android just started to show some great potential and Windows Mobile was getting old. I started to follow HD2 development efforts on Android. It was stuck on a kernel problem, it pushed me to start looking into linux kernel source code. I then took part of the desire kernel port to HD2 with Cotulla and the others and I also participated to the first Android release working on HD2.
3) Why Archos
I started looking at Archos when Google annonced ICS and annonced that they will be using Omap as reference platform. I always wanted to have a look at omap (too much qualcomm with hd2 ), so I started to look for a platform that would let me play with it without being too costly. That's why I naturally came to Archos. I started toying with my co-worker A70 and then purchased my A101G9.
The more I work on Archos, the more I like the "openness" of the platform. Gen8 bootloader is easy to crack, gen9 bootloaders are not even locked. Better, Archos thinks about us, hackers, by letting entry points like SDE, a reserved partition on gen9,...
4) By the way, what's the purpose of rooting ?
Ah! What's the purpose of root:
From a developer point of view, to give complete access to resources. With root, we can do a complete dump of disk and partitions to study firmware, install things we couldn't do without, like SDE for Gen9. It's the first necessary step to modify stock firmware. It's also mandatory if you want to do some specific operations like partitioning.
From an user point of view, it let you use application that demands root. My favorites are:
- Busybox
- Root Explorer
- Titanium backup
- Chainfire 3D
And I certainly forgot some. Just looking at market, we see thousands of applications that requires root to work.
5) Easy or not easy to find exploits ?
No, not easy with a well-made firmware. Except big mistake from manufacturer, exploits (weakness abused to obtain a temporary root) are fixed after discovery, and it's getting more and more difficult to find new weaknesses. Thankfully, our current exploit is not fixed, crossing finger.
6) What are you currently working on ?
I'm working a bit on too many fronts and not enough free time, but here is what I'm working on:
- Internal disk partitioning for g9 to let us install sde firmware on a separated native ext4 partition, without interfering with stock firmware and internal storage. It works on mine, I'm working on way to do it simply and safely to let everyone benefit from it.
- Clockworkmod Recovery. It also works on mine, but is only useful if tablet has been partitioned. It let us do complete backups, rom+apps+internal storage (nandroid backup), it let us use zips to install firmware and firmware updates, and it make our tablet feels more "android native".
- CM9: I built one for gen9 that worked not too badly, but there is a lot of work to get something completely functional.
- I also launched a first overclocked kernel for 1.0Ghz Gen9, stable on mine up to 1.2, almost at 1.3. I will have to work on this again when Archos will release a new firmware that fix current ICS problems.
- I'm working on the IT2, I activated SDE and I have a rooted firmware. I will try to port 3.0 kernel and ICS on it.
- I'd like to work on bootloader too, but this is another story...
7 How can we help ?
Explain my boss that I have to stop working on his projects! More seriously, I'll certainly need beta-testers that are willing to take risks for their tablets with partitioning, but I'm not there yet.
8 Why this nickname ?
Le Tama ? This is a wink to my wife! Sshhh!
9 Anything more ?
Nah, enough talk, back to work!
letama said:
God, Google translation is awful
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Naaaah, it's pretty funny (I had no idea that Gen9 has a shower onboard)
letama said:
7 How can we help ?
Explain my boss that I have to stop working on his projects! More seriously, I'll certainly need beta-testers that are willing to take risks for their tablets with partitioning, but I'm not there yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Count me in
letama said:
- Clockworkmod Recovery. It also works on mine, but is only useful if tablet has been partitioned. It let us do complete backups, rom+apps+internal storage (nandroid backup), it let us use zips to install firmware and firmware updates, and it make our tablet feels more "android native".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh my god! This is by far that feature that I am missing most on my G9. I hope this dream comes true one day.
letama is great!!!

[Q] searching for informations about dualboot on s3 and things about virtualization

Hi everybody,
By advance, I apologies for the long post, but I thought it would be necessary.
I'm the proud owner of the S3 (GT-I9300), and I actually run on Darky Rom, with a few audio mods (beats, noozy, ...) installed, and I'm right now interested in DualBooting the smartphone, but I'm kinda lost between the kernels and Roms I could be needing, the way I could have a "GRUB" like on my smartphone that could let me choose the rom to load on machine boot, or anything else I should know.
I'm explaining myself : I chose the S3 for it's possibilities in terms of everything, I mean that the games are beautiful, the quad CPU not fully exploited in my opinion, and I wanted to know if I could virtualise OS like windows or linux inside that powerful device. I've been a [email protected] cruncher since 5 years, and I always thought that when people sleep, there is wasted power, that could be used for bitcoin, SETI, FAH, or any project like that... and beacause software for theses programms are on windows or linux, why not virtualizing them?
I'm a pentester too (backtrack... love that thing!) and I saw that the galaxy S2 wifi chip now have drivers for monitoring mode, but I still don't know if that is possible for S3, but I hope so :fingers-crossed: and I was planning on testing it on the phone, but I don't want to have a "non-phone" smartphone without an android on it.... So here came the dual booting idea...
And recently, I heard about this :silly: : ubuntu as primary phone OS
So I'm hanging on the news about that ubuntu, and so there is my problem :
I don't know what to do about all of this...
So, I'm gonna ask things clearly, now that I'm done speaking about my life:
1. Is there a way for me to install 2 (or maybe 3) OS at the same-time and being able to choose which is gonna launch ?
for example :
-1st ROM : Android stock ; 2nd ROM : Android Custom ROM;
or
-1st ROM : Custom Android ; 2nd ROM : backtrack ARM;
And for this, which ROMs or kernels should I use ?
2. Is there a virtualization solution on android, where Android is the HOST and some others The guests? (like a virtualbox or vmware player?)
And a few other questions :
3. Is there a thread on the forum where I could pick up the best MODS for the S3? (like a stack of mods maybe?)
4. Is there a way to theme Touchwiz by myself ? (like restyling the notifications like this : CM deus ex human revolution , or can someone help me seek all the already done Themes by telling me what to write in the search box ("touchwiz themes" or "TW theme" is not concluding).
5. which are, in your opinion, the best 3D games that shows the power of the S3 at it's best? (I'm seeking fun ^^)
Here! finished.
Thank you for reading, and please MOD, I beg your mercy for this post ^^.
Install Siyah kernel and you will get dualboot for two (or three with a mod) Android roms.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Can we get an Ubuntu Touch Port on the DX2?

This is just a general question. I dont have the know how or skill to create a port like this. Maybe DZK could use his CM10 A3 base and move from there otherwise just build from scratch. It would be nice to see Ubuntu on our device.
Slowbalt
It depends on the structure of the files, Ubuntu moblie itself isnt running on a Jb base. The ubuntu moblie OS isnt a ROM Its an entire system its self. If someone along the line were to create some CM10 ROM that look and or acts like Ubuntu mobile then someone could port it over. But that is about all we could see on that.
P.S. it is very likely that someone will create a Ubuntu ROM on top of CM10
AKShotgun said:
It depends on the structure of the files, Ubuntu moblie itself isnt running on a Jb base. The ubuntu moblie OS isnt a ROM Its an entire system its self. If someone along the line were to create some CM10 ROM that look and or acts like Ubuntu mobile then someone could port it over. But that is about all we could see on that.
P.S. it is very likely that someone will create a Ubuntu ROM on top of CM10
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not exactly the code with in ubuntu touch is a lot like cm10.1. in fact it is the same just modified some with the ubuntu ui skined over it. it also uses a chroot process like you would if you felt like running full ubuntu virtually on the phone. making it slow and ineffecient. it can be done if someone is determined enough but i really see no point it doesnt support over 95% of apps and it does not support 3g data. it most likely will not be any reason to port it to the dx2/mx2 because by the time ubuntu touch be comes stable enough to use as a daily driver most developers will have stopped working on these devices and most people whod use it will have upgraded to a new phone.
Its extraordinarily hard since we have a locked boot loader and cannot flash a new kernel. SO it would have to run on top of GB 2.3.4 and have a monster set of patches just to get partial function. Not worth the effort for this phone.
For the Droid X2, it's probably unlikely you will ever see Ubuntu OS on your device. Like what was said above, the bootloader is locked so you can't simply install it like you would for phones that it is intended for (unlocked phones). Ubuntu OS is also not something just running on top of android. The only android stuff that is used is android kernel and services. They do this so they can support a variety of android phones and allow Ubuntu to run natively on a phone made for Android. But Ubuntu OS is its own OS and not a skin on top of android. But the biggest thing right now is that the version they released is not a full OS. Its a developer tool so developers can have something to test their apps and develop for. You dont want this on your device right now unless you plan on doing some development for Ubuntu. The OS is not functional as a daily driver as it is right now.
Yeah. I saw the xda developers YouTube. I was wrong. I didn't really expect the code to be like that.
Sent from my DROID X2 using xda app-developers app

[noob questions] ROM/Kernel - building/porting

I’ll start by admiting that, in the arts of cooking/building/porting android innards, I’m closer to being a complete noob than na intermediate user.
I own a Newman K1S, JB 4.2.2, MT6592, 2Gb/16Gb, 720p, and, sadly for me, it looks like the manufacturer (Newman Mobile, or Newsmy, who knows) pretty much disavows any knowledge of this model ever being built or sold. No reference to it, no community, no android updates or ROM releases.
Taking into account some MediaTek source codes for KitKat were made available earlier this year (even if unofficially), I was wondering:
So, question number 1 – Is it possible to build android 4.4 for my device straight from said sources? Or are they unreliable and it would be best not to attempt it?
And question number 2 – Being at the noob level, should I stay away from such a task? And, in this case, would I be better off porting a 4.4 ROM from a similar spec’ed device?
Also, while browsing needrom, I noticed that a 4.4 “official” ROM was posted for my device. However, having flashed it, I found that it produces no sounds from the external speaker (although with headphones it works fine). Same thing was experienced by other users, and there is no fix so far.
Which takes me to question number 3 – What may I try, in order to fix an issue like this? Does KK use the same sound drivers as JB, and maybe it’s only a matter of replacing them? (if so, I believe this is within my grasp, even if I must unpack the IMG files to reach the drivers)
Lastly, Newman K1S has a severe overheating problem when pushed, which I believe would be easily solved by underclocking it to 1.3 or 1.5, or maybe implementing an optimized kernel.
Final question – How do I manage to underclock with my current kernel, or, better yet, how do I port a custom, optimized kernel to my device?
Congratulations to everyone who managed to read this far, and thank you in advance for any help provided. I’ve spent the last few days reading tutorials and guides, only to become even more confused… I did manage to get android kitchen running on my Windows laptop, though!
Links to recent/updated guides that might be useful are appreciated, too.

I've successfully rooted my Leagoo T5c, now what?

Hi everyone,
After a few hiccups, I successfully rooted my Leagoo T5c, thanks to the excellent tutorial posted here. The phone works fine, thank you, but now, I'd like to know how to proceed to, say, upgrade the phone from its current Android version (7.0) to a more recent version.
Where to start?
Since this phone has a Spreadtrum/Unisoc SC9853i SoC (Intel-based), I suppose the custom ROMs and upgrade possibilities are few and far between, but I'd like to give it a shot.
I'm open to ideas, tips, tricks, voodoo moves and Santeria incantations, but I'm still a noob when it comes to Android, so please, be patient, and methodical... :good:
@UglyStuff
If you can unlock phone's boot-loader then you should be able to flash any Custom Recovery and/or Custom ROM that's suitable to 100% to phone's CPU-architecture. Who is the supplier of phone's SoC isn't of any interest at all.
Hi,
Thing is, as I said, I'm a noob when it comes to Android, so I don't want to brick my phone by trying to make it ingest a ROM that's not suitable for it.
If my phone came with a MediaTek or Qualcomm SoC, I wouldn't worry, because there are plenty of ROMs out there, custom or not, to play with, but this Spreadtrum/Unisoc SoC is a thing of its own.
It's based on Intel's Airmont architecture, and few phones or tablets use it, at least this specific version (SC9853i). Maybe I just don't understand too well how a ROM is built.
UglyStuff said:
Hi,
Thing is, as I said, I'm a noob when it comes to Android, so I don't want to brick my phone by trying to make it ingest a ROM that's not suitable for it.
If my phone came with a MediaTek or Qualcomm SoC, I wouldn't worry, because there are plenty of ROMs out there, custom or not, to play with, but this Spreadtrum/Unisoc SoC is a thing of its own.
It's based on Intel's Airmont architecture, and few phones or tablets use it, at least this specific version (SC9853i). Maybe I just don't understand too well how a ROM is built.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For example, I found this article where they explain how to flash LineageOS 17 (based on Android 10) on a Panasonic Eluga Ray 800 that uses the same SoC as my Leagoo T5c.
The thing is, I don't know if this is transposable to my device, though the two share the same SoC. As I said earlier, I don't want to permanently brick my phone...
@UglyStuff
The mentioned Intel Airmount SoC's instruction set architecture is x86_64 , the also mentioned Intel Spreadtrum SC9853i SoC's instruction set architecture is x86_64, too. Hence in order to upgrade yor phone's Android you need a Custom ROM compiled for x86_64 architecture. GIYF ...
OK, but since this Panasonic and my Leagoo share the same SoC, they also share the same x64 instruction set, so do I get it right if I say that the custom ROM built for the Panasonic would fit on my Leagoo, or am I missing something?
In theory it should.
OK, I guess I'll have to chance it, and use recovery in case things so south. My phone isn't compatible with Treble, according to this app. Does it mean anything in terms of installing one of the generic system images found here or not?

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