Related
Hi all
I am opening up this Q&A thread as extension to my ROM threads, for the simple reason that ever since there is a limitation preventing new users from posting in development threads, I get flooded with PM's. So I intent to move any Q&A, help requests, as well as free and open discussions between users here.
Since the A750 and A789 are so similar, and I put the same stuff in them, I extent both into this one Q&A thread, and in fact, much of it knowledge applies to other Lenovo's like the P700, P700i, S880, A660 which are again very similar and I even use them as basis of my ROM.
Also, I am not intending to be topic police. Like in my other threads, I do not mind if you guys share knowledge about APKHOT or Smileyvvv or Etotalk ROM. As long as it is helpful. Also, I may not always reply myself, so feel free to help each other.
Link to the original threads:
[ROM][2012.xx.xx] Lenovo A750 custom ROM (GB&ICS). <last page>
[ROM][2012.xx.xx] Lenovo A789,P700i,A660 factory&custom ROM (ICS). <last page>
Other related threads (not all mine):
CWM flashing tutorial (update using recovery)
MT6575 flashing tutorial (update using flash utility
Lenovo Original recovery tutorial
[SCRIPTS] Unpack / repack MT65xx boot.img, recovery.img or logo.bin
[REF] Unpacking and repacking stock rom .img files
[UTIL][APP]Lenovo Security / LeSec app (anti-virus/spam/theft/firewall)
[TOOL][TUT]Backup and Restore Mediatek based phone's IMEI
How to DIY : Self root/gapps/playstore/locationfix/clean my ROM
This is a guide on how to root & cleanup your China ROM yourself. It will probably work on all ICS China phones. But it requires & starts with the availability of a recovery image for your phone
There are in fact a few steps:
- Get a proper recovery image for your phone.
- Root it by installing Chainfire's root package
- Install Google GMS ('GAPPS') to get Play Store and Localisation to work
And optionally
- Install Mobile UncleToolset
- Install an extra small fix with location services
- Install an extra small fix with latest APN list
- Install an extra fix to remove well known Chinese system apps
Recovery image
The Recovery Image allows you to boot into an alternative small Linux that you can then use to update the main Android. Updates usually come in "update.zip" scripted files. And the recovery has some other utilities like backup or wipe the entire phone. Getting a working recovery for your phone is step number one, because if you have a recovery, you can do everything else.
To check if you already have a recovery: Well, try to boot into it. The boot sequence may vary with the phone, but on MediaTek phones it is usually to replace the battery and then press&hold both volume buttons while powering up. I have seen it where you need to actually press the power button a split second before pressing both volume buttons. Try a few times, replacing the battery each time.
If you get to a screen that reads CWMR or CWMR Touch (short for ClockWorkModRecovery), you are all set and can continue with rooting. CWMR it is the most common open recovery image. If your recovery is closed, then you need to search the web for a working recovery for your specific model. Each brand and model needs its own recovery, because screen drivers, buttons and partition tables may differ.
Search the web is the best advise. Search wide and search deep. If you cannot find any recovery, then see if you can find a full ROM for your phone. If you have a working ROM image, then there are people on XDA that can make a recovery for you, but typically you need to show/prove that you have really tried to find one yourself.
Flashing a recovery
If you do find a recovery, that you suspect is the correct one for your ROM, then comes the scary part: Flashing the recovery to the phone.
This paragraph is specific to Mediatek based phones. On different hardware you also need a recovery, and once you have a recovery, you can use the other parts of this post, but how to flash other hardware, I do not know, sorry
Flashing using the flash tool is scary to new users. Because new users suspect that if they mess it up, the phone dies. And this is correct! But if you only flash the recovery.img part, you should be fairly safe. Read this manual on flashing. Getting the USB driver installed is sometimes a bit tricky, you may also want to read post #21 and post #25 for help.
I have seen several people asking 'where to find the scatter file'. Well, it comes with the ROM you want to flash. If your ROM file does not come with a scatter file, then is not a ROM file that can be flashed with the flash utility, but with an open recovery.
Rooting
Once you have a working recovery, the rest is simple. For rooting, simply install (from inside the recovery) chainfire's "CMW installable ZIP"
Link to his post: (ignore his big red 'requires root' warning). The file you need is labeled "CWM installable ZIP" at the bottom. Direct link to the file you need to install via recovery update.zip
This usually works by putting the zip file on the SD card (its name can be anything, though for some limited recoveries it sometimes must be named 'update.zip'), booting into recovery, and selecting the zip file to update.
Google GMS (Market/Play Store, Location, etc)
Simply install the latest Google Mobile Services (better known as GAPPS) from CyanogenMod V9. This is their explaining wiki from CyanogenMod
The file you need is called gapps-ics-20120429-signed.zip for ICS and gapps-jb-20121212-signed.zip for JB and can be found here. You probably also want to wipe your cache partition after doing this.
Mobile Uncle toolset
Just install this program apk (so not through the recovery, just install it normally). Or search the web for the latest one.
Fix location services
If location services does not work, do apply Google GMS (GAPPS) above. If it still does not work, it may be because the phone is programmed to use Chinese location services. This patch will tell it to use GMS. The patch will apply, and probably even work, on all ICS phones. But was originally made&tested on a Lenovo A750 ICS. Its called V1.3 because many people have downloaded the A750 v1.3 patch and used it on many MT6575 phones. It is still the same patch, except the update.zip is tweaked to work on any ICS phone, not only MT6575 ones.
Sometimes you also need to go into MobileUncle tool, the MTK Engineer mode, and in location settings. Depending on your exact model, somewhere in there is a NetLoc or NetLocation and a GeoCoding setting, with options of MEDIATEK and GOOGLE. Ensure they are set to GOOGLE.
After messing with location settings, it is best to also wipe cache.
Fix APN list (or My 3G does not connect!)
You can always add your own APN (Access Point Names) from the settings menu. Just add your own, and select that over the pre-build one. But this package will update with the latest list as maintained by CyanogenMod 9. The update.zip was made in such a way it should work on all ICS phones, Mediatek or other.
Clean well known Chinese system apps
<patch still coming>
==========================================
List of known recovery images for Mediatek Flash tool:
Lenovo A750 : 592zn : See also this post #607, nandroid backup does not work.
Lenovo A789 : 592zn or APKHOT
Lenovo P700i : My own, based on APKHOT with CWM.
Lenovo P700 : My own, based on CWMT / 592zn. nandroid backup will not work.
Lenovo A660 : My own, based on APKHOT with CWM
Lenovo S560 : My own, based on APKHOT with CWM (as yet untested)
Additional Recovery Images in this post.
If you feel you searched all over the web, and could not find a recovery for your model, and you next feel you should ask me or one of the other people on XDA to make you one (which I am not encouraging), than please be aware we need at least a 'standard ROM' for your phone to start from. Without it, I can do nothing. So go back out there, and find a standard ROM, does not matter what language, as long as it is for your specific phone model and known to work.
Also, as an extra warning : If you are flashing, and you experiment with 'suspicious' ROM sources, *never ever* flash the preloader, mbr, ebr uboot. Only flash those from a trusted source and if they belong to your exact brand and model phone.
One more reserved
lolo250612 said:
Hello from France,
Just a little message to thank you very much for your very useful "Lenovo A789 factory&custom ROM (ICS)" thread. I have just bought a A789 from etotalk, and your posts really help to master the beast.
I can't participate to the thread because I am a new member and consequently can't post message to this development thread. And this very sad, because I have discovered a shortcoming of this phone. Apparently, the ICS entire phone encryption does not work and, according to some information I have gathered around the web, it may be due to the fact that the internal sd partition is not ext4 which seems to be required.
It may be due to the fact that the kernel does not support ext4. If this was the case, I would be very pleased to activate the option, recompile it and share the result with other people at xda. I have done it for two types of Samsung Galaxy phones.
In this case, the two problems I would be faced with are:
1) Getting the kernel sources. For Samsung it is quite easy. For Lenovo, I am not able to find them (I can't read Chinese).
2) The process to package the new compiled kernel to a zip, compatible with cwm.
Anyway, thanks for your help and to share your knowledge.
Sheers,
Laurent
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cybermaus said:
well, not sure about encryption, but I can *assure* you that the phone supports ext4, because in fact the root; system; cache; secro and data partitions are all in ext4 . I know that quite certain, because to unpack/repack, I need to recreate an ext4 loop device.
Internal SD is indeed FAT partition. But it is normal for SD to be FAT
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is possible the encryption fails on the FAT of the SD card. It is an internal device, if that encryption utility tries to parse all the internal partitions, it may fail on FAT, but I am guessing here. However, then it would fail on pretty much all recent china phones, they all seem to have this internal SD card. You could try to simply format the internal SD as ext4.
I do not think it would fail on the recovery or boot sections. Those are all nicely wrapped up in the first partition of the emmc chip (emmc0p0 or something) in a proprietary filesystem, as I suspect true for all Androids. So your tool would know to exclude that the first one. However, if you want, you can get the original recovery you asked about from the original A789 ROM in my Dev-Host.
Edit: Encryption issue solved, see post#9 below
I already managed to build a multilang framework-res.apk for the A789 ROM. But now there are all those apps that need to be made multilang also - settings.apk and more... a lot of work.
Is it possible to take a P700 ROM with A750 kernel and flash it to the A750? Or a P700i ROM and A789 kernel for the A789? They seem to be almost identical.
Any plans to integrate the long press home button function in A750_ROW_S114_cybermaus_ICS_V3.1? Would like to test this rom but this missing feature is essentail for me...and onother question: V3.1 is also for A789, right? Same problem with long press home feature?
@oz42
Well, I am a little disappointed about that question. Putting the P700_ROW on the A750 is *exactly* what my V3 series is. Works wonderful. It's the reason I have been updating this thread for the last two weeks. Problem is that the only extra language is Vietnamese. You may want to re-read posts #2 and #585 in the A750 thread.
I suspect the same is true for P700i and A789, but I did not find a P700i_ROW rom yet. I did find a S880_ROW, and when I have time (later this weekend) I will check if that has proper multilanguage (edit: No. It adds ru, vi, id to en and zh. Not quite what I had hoped for)
@metzner
Yes. When I know how. But I do not have a clue at this moment. I am very pleased about the V3.1, but the missing long press is annoying me at times.
No, V3.1 is not for A789 (yet). They have different partitions, different schreen driver. YOU CANNOT flash a A750 on A789 (or any MT6575 on MT7577) without 'porting' the ROM. I do have a Frankenstein ROM, using p700_ROW with kernel/partition/modules/baseband from A789. But it was not tried out yet.
A789: Encryption problem
I have installed aLogcat to determine what could block the encryption service on the different ROMS I have tested on my A789. The interesting part revealed to be:
E/Cryptfs ( 87): Orig filesystem overlaps crypto footer region. Cannot encrypt in place.
Googling for this problem, it appears that there is a strong probability that the culprit is CWMR that I have installed almost right after getting my phone. See: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1792101 or http://rootzwiki.com/topic/25652-fixing-galaxy-tab-2-encryption/.
So if somebody has a package that can be safely used with mt6575-flashing tools, to recover the stock recovery or, much better, to install a "clean" version of CWMR, I would be glad to test it and see if it is actually the origin of the encryption problem.
Edit:
@Cybermaus: I have just noticed that you have already addressed part of this message. I have already tried to format the internal sd as ext4 with Minitool partition Wizard on Windows. This fails also. Moreover, the system reports a failure on this partition and ask to reformat it as vfat. I will try by putting back the original recovery from your 4shared. Thanks a lot.
@lolo250612
If I read that post you found, the problem is not so much CWMR or CWMRT itself, but the fact it wipes and formats /data completely, without leaving 16KB of unused space at the end of the partition.
That means replacing it with factory recovery will not help, unless if you then also wipe using that factory recovery, and that factory recovery does leave 16KB. You could also try wiping it from the settings menu.
After you have tried the factory , let me know. I think I can make an empty /data for you that is 16KB shorter than the partition, but you would have to apply it using the flash-utility method.
Edit: checking, I found that the userdata.img that is inside the original S228 factory flash ROM is already 1024K short of 768M. So 767M. No need to build one with only 16K short, just use the one you already have.
Hi cybermaus
Thanks for your contribution. Please help me if you've free time.
Does this custom ROM support traditional Chinese character?? I'm sure Chinese support would include simplified Chinese.....
@loimlo
The A750 V1 and A789 V2has two forms of Chinese, which I cannot read, but I suspect are traditional and simplified. The A750 V3 has one form of Chinese, which I still cannot read, so I am not sure which of the two, but here is a screenshot of it, let me know which it is.
Amadis223 said:
Hi, I wrote with yuweng on this subject. And it is very strange. He says, that mt6575 has only ext4 filesystem, but I,am sure,that I have mt6575 and yaffs filesystem. What do you think ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, all the MT6575 and MT6577 based ROM's that I have dissected have ext4. This is probably because mediatek provides ext4 in their development kit. So yeah, I think all mt6575 are on ext4, and not yaffs. I think maybe the mt6573 has yaffs.
cybermaus said:
@lolo250612
If I read that post you found, the problem is not so much CWMR or CWMRT itself, but the fact it wipes and formats /data completely, without leaving 16KB of unused space at the end of the partition.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you.
Edit: checking, I found that the userdata.img that is inside the original S228 factory flash ROM is already 1024K short of 768M. So 767M. No need to build one with only 16K short, just use the one you already have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have flashed userdata.img. That WORKS :victory:. The phone reboots and then encryption starts. Done in less than 5 minutes. Great. Now, just have to tried one of the utility around that allows to have an encryption password different from the lock one. Many thanks for your help :good:.
hi there,
I just got a Lenovo A789 and i just installed A789_S228_cybermaus_V2.1 and it works perfecly...
i'm new to android and i can't get cellular data to work ( i have reason to believe that it worked in original ETOTALK rom, but im not sure ).
1) i do have a data plan
2) cellular data / mobile data is turned on
3) 3G card with cellular data plan is in slot 1
wrong basebands or apn settings (Portugal, Vodafone) ? ( i can see them in mobileuncletools but i cant change them )
help?
note: i cant follow most of android tips that i googled because some of the menus to edit APN settings do not exist on this rom :\
@spinal2k
Well, the simply solution would be to try and apply the A750 V1.4 as listed in post#2. It only applies location fix and new APN list, so its safe on the A789, even if it was originally for A750.
Second option would be to Google for the keyword APN together with your provider and country names.
Last option is to tell us the mcc/mnc that mobile uncle found, as well as your current APN settings, and maybe we can figure it out.
Edit: you can change APN in Settings->Wireless->More->MobileNetworks->AccessPointNames
cybermaus said:
Last option is to tell us the mcc/mnc that mobile uncle found, as well as your current APN settings, and maybe we can figure it out.
Edit: you can change APN in Settings->Wireless->More->MobileNetworks->AccessPointNames
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok, thanks for the tip... how can i see mmc/mnc on mobileuncle tools?
According to that wikipedia page, my MMC/MNC is 268/01 and that it uses GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / UMTS 2100.... On mobile uncle engineer mode i can see that on the 1st sim card UMTS 2100 doesn't exist ( only UMTS 2000 )... :\
acoording to the "you can change APN in..." i can't changed them, just see them... they look fine to me, they're not wrong...
:\
@spinal2k
Don't tell me the ones from that Wiki page, but the ones you find in the APN settings. And then also the "market name" of the service you have. You cannot change, but you can add a new APN, and then select that to use.
But simply applying the V1.3 may be easier, it has the APN list maintained by Cyanogenmod, and will probably solve it anyway.
cybermaus said:
@spinal2k
Don't tell me the ones from that Wiki page, but the ones you find in the APN settings. And then also the "market name" of the service you have. You cannot change, but you can add a new APN, and then select that to use.
But simply applying the V1.3 may be easier, it has the APN list maintained by Cyanogenmod, and will probably solve it anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
oh, i couldn't see that i could add new.... Now i added an optional apn ( even though the one listed was on official carriers page ) ... now its working...
Thank you for the tips... keep them updates coming
note: i did update with A750 v1.3 and i saw no changed in apn list...
A750 V3.1 battery life
I have been using the cybermaus V1.3 ICS for ages, and it works really well. Recently tried the V3.1 ICS.
Also seems to work really well as well, and a definite plus is the 3G signal strength - I see a definite improvement.
There is a dealbreaker problem for me, though - the battery life is noticeably worse than the excellent life on the V1.3 rom. I'm a noob - tried clearing user cache/dalvik, but not reset (I want to keep my apps/data).
Any suggestions before I go back to V1.3 - thanks.
zapzog said:
Any suggestions before I go back to V1.3 - thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, a request more than a suggestion: your battery is now a few months old, so slightly less good then when new, but you got used to it. But now, due to the flashing of a new ROM, you are playing on it more, and it is in your attention very much.
I cannot properly test myself, I have to tether it daily for data access. So please try to get a proper test of it:
Stay with V3.1 a few bit longer, at least 2 battery cycles extra. (you can barely have had one) so you get a better baseline. Charge the same method as before (I find that charger works better than PC-USB) After two more cycles, when you have a proper idea on the life, go back, and get a renewed baseline on V1.3 also. And then report your results
Hi all,
I need your help with the following tablet 9" GT90H with Allview A23 CPU/ chipset and android 4.2. I want to backup the ROM, to perform few modifications and to upload the modified image to the tablet, but I am stuck on the first phase (cannot dump the rom).
I tried several ways to do it (actually that I found) to dump/ backup the stock ROM but I was stuck on all of them. First I tried using the clockwork way, but unfortunately my tablet is not supported (and I could not find supported MOD). Then I tried with romdump, but unfortunately I was stuck because the tablet does not have /proc/mnt file. Finally I found a way using the rkdump method but I had non recognize image error (although I am not sure if I found the correct partition to back up - /dev/block/by-name/recovery ). I have doubts if this is the correct partition, because I did a binary copy using dd to a file, which ended up with size around 32 MB (which I found too small for a recovery image).
So that is why I decided to seek help from more advance users (this is my first tablet, and first android experience) and I believe this forum is the right place for that.
My first request is could someone guide how to make a proper ROM backup, that I would be able to restore later?
In addition I want to ask is it possible, once I backed up the ROM, to modify for example the home page (because on the current ROM the home page for all browsers that I install is http://www.baidu.com)?
Moreover I would like to to install the ROM on external memory card and to run the tablet from there (because the internal memory of this table is too low - 8GB but for the system partition I have only 500 mb, which are all occupied with pre installed software). Is this something that I can achieve (android as far as I know is *unix system, and in theory this should be possible)?
Thank you in advance.
For increase space you can use Terminal Emulator for market and must have root on tablet.
Open terminal , and run the commands :
pm get-install-location (this will show you where apps are installing in this moment)
Auto device install is 0 (the tablet chose auto where to install apps,usuale is chosing to internal memory,your 500mb )
internal memory is 1 (Tablet memory - your 500mb )
External memory is 2 this is where you want to instal apps - (your 8GB )
After run the comand and see the sistem is set to AUTO (0) you will run this :
pm set-install-location 2 - This will force apps to instal in your 8gb
to check if is ok , run again : pm-get-install-location
exit terminal emulator
Good luck ! Hope it help you
Problem with my GT90H
Hey Guys,
I have a Problem with my GT90H. It stops to boot at the screen: Tablet PC - Keep Moving Forward.
If i go in the recovery mode. I can reboot the system, but it stops at the same screen like I explained in my first sentence.
The Factory Reset doesn't work. So I read in some communitys that Tablets can be flashed with a new ROM (Android System) over the USB Port from the Computer.
So can anybody send me the Android 4.2.2 Image for my GT90H ?
It's very important. So thanks.
Thanks for your help.
Greetings from
TheGuardianTX
Hi,
so now I have an Firmware as an Image-File at my computer, but I don't know how I can flash my tablet via ADB.
So can someone help me ?
Thanks a lot.
Greetings
TheGuardianTX
Hi all!
I'm having some problems with the porting of a rom, my phone is a clone of the phone from which i'm taking the rom (My phone is a NGM Legend 2, which is also a clone of Gionee GN868, and the original is Blu Vivo 4.3) the only thing which is really different are the mounting positions of the internal memory.
In Blu Vivo 4.3 the system partition is mounted on /dev/block/mmcblk0p3 and the data partition is on /dev/block/mmcblk0p5 while in the mine they are mounted on /dev/block/mmcblk0p4 and /dev/block/mmcblk0p6.
I changed them in the updater-script so i'm able to install the rom, but i had to replace the boot.img with the one from my rom because the phone wasn't booting up, but i can't install any app from google play store (error 110) or any apk ("app not installed" error).
I would like to know if the problem are the mounting positions and if there is a way to fix this!
Thank you!
There is anybody who can help me please???
Please excuse asking questions as a first post, but I'm at the stage where I'm stumped and a search isn't helping.
Mlais MX28 fresh from MM pre-rooted. Managed to get the ROM backed up and CWM installed with Rua1's excellent MTK Droid Root & Tools. However, removing the Chinese useless (for me - no offence intended) apks proved not to be happening from the one-click button in that excellent piece of software. No bother, thought I, I'll just use adb and remove the relevant apks manually from /system/app. Famous last words.
Here's where things get really odd. I can mount root fine using the usual procedure but mount -o rw,remount /[email protected] /system works once and once only. Even stranger is that the first time gets you a rw mounted filesystem for about 10 seconds, at which point it gets remounted ro and no amount of faff will get it back to rw without a full power off and restart. All it does is spits out
Code:
mount: Read-only file system
Any ideas, please? I suspect there's some write protection going on but I haven't the first idea where to look.
Edit: Having done a little more searching on this issue, it seems there's a few Acers with the same behaviour, caused by a compiled-in kernel option. Looks like it may well be "wait for a custom ROM" is the answer. Not sure if rolling our own is possible unless anyone knows where to get the Mediatek sources for this device from?
Anyway, :good: to all those who have viewed my question. It's appreciated.
Edit 2: There's an S4UI ROM on needrom<dot>com that is rumoured to have solved this issue. Note that if you have installed CWM using the "magic" MTK Droid Root & Tools method, chances are you can't mount /system rw using ADB in CWM either - I suspect they share the same kernel. I haven't tried the S4UI ROM myself as the recovery needed to install it seems to be in Chinese. Possible solution for anyone with a grasp of that language and script but that someone isn't me
[Q] Mlais MX28 Recovery in Chinese Any help with translation
Hello, bud Any help yet also gut stuck in this.
I'm afraid not at the moment. The S4UI ROM on needrom does indeed enable /system rw but the WiFi and Bluetooth will not activate. Replacing mtk_stp_wmt.ko in /system/lib/modules/ with the version from the stock ROM that should fix this issue, doesn't fix this issue. It's a shame as the S4UI ROM is rather pleasant to use and if I could get that fully operational I expect I would be quite happy with this device. Oddly, the stock ROM came back with a different MAC for the WiFi. As I restored from a backup created with MTKDR&T, this is a little perplexing.
I'll update if I find any more clues.
{Possible solution/nasty hack]
Here's a way to get full /system access on the stock ROM. It requires
Clockwork Mod recovery
ADB
Courage
Install/create Clockwork Mod with MTKDR&T. Now boot into recovery by holding Vol+ and power until the boot selection screen appears and then select recovery with Vol+ and press Vol- to accept.
Do not mount /system in CWM.
On your ADB equipped computer, start
Code:
adb shell
Now issue the following at the root shell prompt:
Code:
tune2fs -e continue /dev/block/mmcblk0p5
Reboot the system and enjoy the power of full root.
This may well be a nasty hack. I was convinced the issue was a protected kernel module but it seems the ext4fs image of the system block is corrupt in some way and the default error action is to mount -o ro. We're disabling that default action and letting the mount remain unchanged.
As always with these things, proceed at your own risk. If you break it, you have the privilege of keeping both bits.
Good way around mate, but risky as no CWM yet installed, seem's the mobile gut some bug problem, should expect an official update rom soon enough, Root method you used for this? i intend flashing Clockwork Mod can seem to understand fully as i'm new to android development and customizing, again problem with battery do you get a full day (few moment on screen) light usage? Feel its no actual 25000mah on board.
codedmax said:
Good way around mate, but risky as no CWM yet installed, seem's the mobile gut some bug problem, should expect an official update rom soon enough, Root method you used for this? i intend flashing Clockwork Mod can seem to understand fully as i'm new to android development and customizing, again problem with battery do you get a full day (few moment on screen) light usage? Feel its no actual 25000mah on board.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears there's an fsck implementation in the shell of CWM as well.
Code:
e2fsck -pfv /dev/block/mmcblk0p5
That should fix most of the errors in the filesystem.
The device came with su and SuperSU installed but it was fairly useless without /system access.
CWM can be easily installed using MTK Droid Root & Tools to extract the boot image, auto-patch, build CWM and install the lot. It really is a slick piece of software.
As for the battery, an even bigger issue is the supplied charger which is puny. Of course, looking at the battery and then looking at a proper, honest-to-goodness 2.2Ah Panasonic 18650 cylindrical cell you have to wonder if 2.5Ah isn't awfully optimistic.
Chron0s said:
It appears there's an fsck implementation in the shell of CWM as well.
Code:
e2fsck -pfv /dev/block/mmcblk0p5
That should fix most of the errors in the filesystem.
The device came with su and SuperSU installed but it was fairly useless without /system access.
CWM can be easily installed using MTK Droid Root & Tools to extract the boot image, auto-patch, build CWM and install the lot. It really is a slick piece of software.
As for the battery, an even bigger issue is the supplied charger which is puny. Of course, looking at the battery and then looking at a proper, honest-to-goodness 2.2Ah Panasonic 18650 cylindrical cell you have to wonder if 2.5Ah isn't awfully optimistic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very Well concerned,
once again good job, but how do i go about implementing this,
would you be kind enough to put in some more details on the file system code and CWM flashing with MTK Droid root & Tool did you manage to get a translation on the chinese langauage recovery problem,
(a tutorial is just fine) Thanks alot bud.
Okay, give me a little time to set it all up for screenshots as I don't generally use Windows unless I have to. It's all fairly straightforward. The CWM installation is four clicks and some waiting and repairing the /system block is a couple of commands.
Oscarblue48 has a tutorial on installing CWM on Mediatek devices here or here if your MX28 isn't rooted which is the procedure I followed. Then it's just a case of booting into CWM, connecting your device to USB and using adb's shell to fsck the filesystem on that block.
really nice, okay as you say,
i would look forward to it (some screen shots aid), in the main time with full study & concentration on the CWM tutorial you gave, quite interesting if you ask me.
#back to studying, looking forward to a bug free final optimization of the Mlais MX28 as its a great buy for such a price.
codedmax said:
really nice, okay as you say,
i would look forward to it (some screen shots aid), in the main time with full study & concentration on the CWM tutorial you gave, quite interesting if you ask me.
#back to studying, looking forward to a bug free final optimization of the Mlais MX28 as its a great buy for such a price.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the delay, I ran into a few issues and had to work out what was going on. Basically the e2fsck in CWM cannot write back to the block device so is useless. I extracted the system.ext4.img, added it as a file backed memory disk on my main computer and ran an e2fsck from there, which found and fixed the errors in the FS image. Writing that back after changing a few MD5sums in the file MTKDR&T creates allowed me to flash it back.
However it makes absolutely no difference to the mount behaviour. It still drops back to ro without the tune2fs -e continue set so that is, barring someone else coming up with a more elegant fix, the workaround. In a nutshell, follow the guide for either root or CWM recovery installation that others have posted linked above (no point wasting board space on repetition) and then simply follow my instructions for setting the error behaviour on the mmcblk0p5 slice and you should be good to go.
It's still an awful hack IMHO but, since there's nothing else so far that works, it's the uncomplicated way to get full root. Most of us will install CWM anyway, so it's no big chore just to boot into recovery and type one command "tune2fs -e continue /dev/block/mmcblk0p5" at the ADB shell.
Chron0s said:
Sorry for the delay, I ran into a few issues and had to work out what was going on. Basically the e2fsck in CWM cannot write back to the block device so is useless. I extracted the system.ext4.img, added it as a file backed memory disk on my main computer and ran an e2fsck from there, which found and fixed the errors in the FS image. Writing that back after changing a few MD5sums in the file MTKDR&T creates allowed me to flash it back.
However it makes absolutely no difference to the mount behaviour. It still drops back to ro without the tune2fs -e continue set so that is, barring someone else coming up with a more elegant fix, the workaround. In a nutshell, follow the guide for either root or CWM recovery installation that others have posted linked above (no point wasting board space on repetition) and then simply follow my instructions for setting the error behaviour on the mmcblk0p5 slice and you should be good to go.
It's still an awful hack IMHO but, since there's nothing else so far that works, it's the uncomplicated way to get full root. Most of us will install CWM anyway, so it's no big chore just to boot into recovery and type one command "tune2fs -e continue /dev/block/mmcblk0p5" at the ADB shell.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Greetings bud, gut CWM installed, all thanks to you (indeed greatful), have you been lucky with any custom rom as of now that works efficently on your device?
I seem to find a few bug here and there on the manufacturer stock, puny wifi & gps lock in, slight screen maulfuctions a little times.
As with most mtk gps can not finding a lock in hows it with your device.
codedmax said:
Greetings bud, gut CWM installed, all thanks to you (indeed greatful), have you been lucky with any custom rom as of now that works efficently on your device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of the custom ROMs on needrom work correctly which is a shame. The stock ROM's UI is awful.
codedmax said:
I seem to find a few bug here and there on the manufacturer stock, puny wifi & gps lock in, slight screen maulfuctions a little times. As with most mtk gps can not finding a lock in hows it with your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now you have root you can use FasterGPS from FDroid to intialise the gps.conf file with appropriate settings for your location. My GPS is rock solid now, even in a moving vehicle. Not had any screen malfunctions. What version is your stock ROM? Mine's the 20140221 update.
Chron0s said:
None of the custom ROMs on needrom work correctly which is a shame. The stock ROM's UI is awful.
Now you have root you can use FasterGPS from FDroid to intialise the gps.conf file with appropriate settings for your location. My GPS is rock solid now, even in a moving vehicle. Not had any screen malfunctions. What version is your stock ROM? Mine's the 20140221 update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello great bud,
Sorry for late reply, been up with alot on my plate from work lately, gps has been improved upon using that wonderful app "FasterGPS" now able lock in under a split couple of min not as before were it take like forever *Nice*
gut the same stock version "20140221" gusse its down to my own unit with the screen ish
Did a little searching around found a recent update from a online retailer outlet via their forum "merimobiles"
forum.merimobilesdotcom.previewdnsdotcom/showthread.php?465-Unified-thread -for-Mlais-MX28-stock-ROM-updates
Hope im not infringing on any xda TOS as i just seek some help.
Thanks
Please i need help, i have a mlais mx28 buy in buyincoins, with the refer gordete200, it´s all ok.
i´m very happy with the mlais mx28, but i used a 8 gigas sd card, it´s all ok.
My problem: i have install with flashtools the new rom stock update : mx28_0312_N2.rar from the official mlais mx28 web
When i have install this ultimate ( update ) ROM, it´s was with reebots, and the wifi and blutooth crash 0_0 !!! what happend?
I back to the Rom stock : 0115 but the sd partitions was changed : 1 gb for apps, and 1.75 gb for internal memory, it´s very strange, before install the Update, i had 2,3 gb for apps and 256 gb for internal memory...
I´m very worry, the actual problem is the sd card:
With 8 gb sd card class 10, it´s all ok, all correct, but when i put the 16 gb sd card class 10, it´s don´t mount sd correctly always.
I´m very crazy for all...
codedmax said:
Hello great bud,
Sorry for late reply, been up with alot on my plate from work lately, gps has been improved upon using that wonderful app "FasterGPS" now able lock in under a split couple of min not as before were it take like forever *Nice*
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good stuff. Once you have the gps.conf set up, try using Mobileuncle Tools to pull in the EPO (extended prediction orbit, basically a nice big list of keplers for the satellites so it knows which to expect to be in view at a given time without having to scan the sky for what's actually there) data which should stabilise the GPS even further.
codedmax said:
gut the same stock version "20140221" gusse its down to my own unit with the screen ish
Did a little searching around found a recent update from a online retailer outlet via their forum "merimobiles"
forum.merimobilesdotcom.previewdnsdotcom/showthread.php?465-Unified-thread -for-Mlais-MX28-stock-ROM-updates
Hope im not infringing on any xda TOS as i just seek some help.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if it's the bodged Trebuchet they're using? It's a bit of a disaster as they've taken the CM launcher, bodged bits of MIUI into it and given the whole thing a "that'll do" look and feel. I replaced it with the real Trebuchet after a thorough decrapify, along with the AOSP stock keyboard. There's a "modified" apk of Trebuchet (all the dev did was lower the base API level so it would install on 4.1) floating about on the 'net somewhere. The various KitKat-alikes work fairly well but I wanted something open source that I could slam into /system/app without worrying.
It has taken a lot of faff to get to this stage but I now have a very usable and fast device for not a great deal of outlay.
gordo100 said:
Please i need help, i have a mlais mx28 buy in buyincoins, with the refer gordete200, it´s all ok.
i´m very happy with the mlais mx28, but i used a 8 gigas sd card, it´s all ok.
My problem: i have install with flashtools the new rom stock update : mx28_0312_N2.rar from the official mlais mx28 web
When i have install this ultimate ( update ) ROM, it´s was with reebots, and the wifi and blutooth crash 0_0 !!! what happend?
I back to the Rom stock : 0115 but the sd partitions was changed : 1 gb for apps, and 1.75 gb for internal memory, it´s very strange, before install the Update, i had 2,3 gb for apps and 256 gb for internal memory...
I´m very worry, the actual problem is the sd card:
With 8 gb sd card class 10, it´s all ok, all correct, but when i put the 16 gb sd card class 10, it´s don´t mount sd correctly always.
I´m very crazy for all...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have a backup of the original ROM and scatter (partition layout) file? You really should (read: MUST) back up these devices before flashing new firmware as there's often bits missing, as you found with the WiFi and Bluetooth issue. MTK Droid Root & Tools will create a useful backup of the partition layout and contents for you without too much difficulty.
Please do not write to the preloader partition with the SP flash tool. Once the preloader is corrupt, your device is a brick which only JTAG will recover. I seriously doubt anyone has a JTAG solution for this device right now. There is no need to rewrite the preloader at all in any case so simply deselect the preloader block in SP Flash tool before downloading.
As for the SD cards, you need to make sure your card is formatted FAT, not NTFS, and the card must be partitioned correctly, i.e. the FAT partition must be the first primary. The MX28 will accept a card of up to 32GB if I recall correctly, which is the limit of SD-HC. Clockwork Mod can format your card for you.
Chron0s said:
Do you have a backup of the original ROM and scatter (partition layout) file? You really should (read: MUST) back up these devices before flashing new firmware as there's often bits missing, as you found with the WiFi and Bluetooth issue. MTK Droid Root & Tools will create a useful backup of the partition layout and contents for you without too much difficulty.
Please do not write to the preloader partition with the SP flash tool. Once the preloader is corrupt, your device is a brick which only JTAG will recover. I seriously doubt anyone has a JTAG solution for this device right now. There is no need to rewrite the preloader at all in any case so simply deselect the preloader block in SP Flash tool before downloading.
As for the SD cards, you need to make sure your card is formatted FAT, not NTFS, and the card must be partitioned correctly, i.e. the FAT partition must be the first primary. The MX28 will accept a card of up to 32GB if I recall correctly, which is the limit of SD-HC. Clockwork Mod can format your card for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks for your help. I have a back up of my mlais, i have a back up with mtk droid and tools 2.5.3 ( new version ), but when i put it on the flash tools, the cache and user is missing, and it´s imposible to download it. and then i put a recovery CWM on the mlais with droid and tools ( very easy ), and use a nandroid back up, it´s no problem, but the internal sd partition is always changed : 1 gb for apps and 1.75 for sd internal, i´m very sad because i would like back to the 2,3 gb for apps ( original partition )
Yes... always fat32 sd cards of course, but i have problems with the sd up to 8 gb, the mlais freeze, or sd desmount ( it´s imposible sometimes write in sd external ) i don´t find the problem with this... i have the rom stock : 115.
Other problem, i would like to up the ultimate ROM stock 221. but the wifi and bluetooth crash, and reboot the phone sometimes ( terrible...) , what can i do ? your solution is don´t stick the PRELOADER on the Flashtool when i upload the firmware ? it´s correct? ( i think that if don´t mark the preloader it´s imposible flash... ?¿ )
Many thanks for your help !
gordo100 said:
Other problem, i would like to up the ultimate ROM stock 221. but the wifi and bluetooth crash, and reboot the phone sometimes ( terrible...) , what can i do ? your solution is don´t stick the PRELOADER on the Flashtool when i upload the firmware ? it´s correct? ( i think that if don´t mark the preloader it´s imposible flash... ?¿ )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, what I'm saying is we don't yet know why the WLAN and Bluetooth stop working when a different ROM from the one flashed at the factory is installed. There is clearly some mechanism at work here that is blocking those two devices after an update and it's not the usual shared objects as it is on other devices. It also doesn't seem to be NVRAM related as the MAC and BDaddr remain once the old firmware is re-flashed.
This same problem occurs with all the custom ROMs on needrom.
The reason I say do not needlessly flash the preloader is the danger of a full brick from which you cannot recover. The preloader code very rarely changes - its only purpose is to provide an interface to SP flash tools or boot; think "BIOS" in PC terms - so it is a pointless risk. You most certainly can flash the other blocks with the preloader block deselected.
The bottom line right now is stick with the factory ROM, install CWM, apply the system mount fix and use Xposed and suchlike to customise until we come up with something a little more sensible or at least find out why the WLAN and Bluetooth stop working.
Given that the Wiko Darkmoon is based on the same SoC and has full sources available <EDIT: It isn't. It's just the kernel as usual.>, it may be prudent to wait until someone with more clue than I has a look at what makes these things tick.
Chron0s said:
No, what I'm saying is we don't yet know why the WLAN and Bluetooth stop working when a different ROM from the one flashed at the factory is installed. There is clearly some mechanism at work here that is blocking those two devices after an update and it's not the usual shared objects as it is on other devices. It also doesn't seem to be NVRAM related as the MAC and BDaddr remain once the old firmware is re-flashed.
This same problem occurs with all the custom ROMs on needrom.
The reason I say do not needlessly flash the preloader is the danger of a full brick from which you cannot recover. The preloader code very rarely changes - its only purpose is to provide an interface to SP flash tools or boot; think "BIOS" in PC terms - so it is a pointless risk. You most certainly can flash the other blocks with the preloader block deselected.
The bottom line right now is stick with the factory ROM, install CWM, apply the system mount fix and use Xposed and suchlike to customise until we come up with something a little more sensible or at least find out why the WLAN and Bluetooth stop working.
Given that the Wiko Darkmoon is based on the same SoC and has full sources available <EDIT: It isn't. It's just the kernel as usual.>, it may be prudent to wait until someone with more clue than I has a look at what makes these things tick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Many thanks Chronos!, The problem is also with the official ROMS on mlais.com/mlaismx28 i don´t understand it...
Please i need help to back restore the partitions of my sd internal ( ROM ), i would like back to 2,3 gb for apps, actually i have only 0,98 gb and 1,75 gb internal store.
I think that the solution is back up for flash tools and reflash with the rom stock ( the back up of mlais mx28 of my friend, he have other new mx28 )
But my BIG problem with the flash with flash tools is the USER DATA and CACHE is always empty, and then it´s imposible to reflash it it´s always and error : Rom changed PTM ...
Please, what can i do for have USER DATA and CACHE with mtk droid and tools 2.5.3 versión?? ( in this version to click User data and Cache with to do the back it´s imposible, this option is missing in 2.5.3. version )
http://dl.xda-developers.com/attachdl/b2f11c741aab592a8f66616d932af983/533c2dcc/2/6/6/4/5/2/2/Sin_t_tulo.jpg
[ROM] Official Update
Hello guys, there's a new rom update for the mx28
Official Mlais MX28 version: Mlais_MX28_20140312
www.needrom.com/mobile/mlais-mx28-2/
Try it out seems, it works perfect.
Cheers!!
Hi all. New to ROM cooking, so be patient with me please
I am working on a creating a CWM flashable "custom" ROM (actually it's stock ROM with updated preloader, EBR files, performance scripts that is pre-rooted) for a device that currently has no flashable zip ROMS (I can currently only flash stock via SP Flashtool). It uses an Octa core Mediatek MTK8392 chipset, which is basically the tablet version of the 6592 (they are in fact mostly the same processor, and scatter file even shows it as a 6592).
I have got the device rooted, CWM installed (generated with MTK Droid Tools) busybox intalled, everything deodexed, and zipaligned via dsixda kitchen, and the ROM itself is packaged and ready to go. But..after multiple Status 0 attempts in CWM, I realize that my updater script is the issue. I have used kitchen to modify "update" script to "updater", but still no luck. I have attempted to use other updater scripts from similar devices, but even after 1 or 2 of those stated "installation successful", it was clear that the ROM actually wasn't flashed.
I have tried soooo many combinations, and this tool on XDA to generate a working script, but apparently I am just too stupid to get this done (using a master script also didnt work for me). After literally 11 hours of working on this yesterday and trying this method repeatedly, I thought I should ask the pros here on XDA.
I have attached the script from the ROM I recently compiled, and the blocks map file for my device generated from MTK Droid Tools. Could anyone point me in the right direction to FINALLY get this ROM booting? I would greatly appreciate some help.
Also, I have used modded EBR files to extend the internal system storage (1gb for installing apps is a joke). Partition was extended to around 9gb and is working fine, but could it be causing me issues? I basically used EBRs (attached..im using 10GB 1 and 2) to reduce the 12gb USB storage down to around 2.5, and extend internal memory to around 10gb.
@moderators - Sorry, I put this in the wrong section. Could you kindly move it to the Q&A Troubleshooting section?
EDIT: Thanks mods
So I just flashed stock ROM with original EBRs and will try to compile this way. I dont think it will make a difference, but it's worth trying. Maybe the new partitions negatively effected the blocks that need to be written to?
Bump.
Ah common guys. Surely someone here can give a little assistance with an updater script?