[ABANDONED] AndroPlusKernel v43 - Xperia Z4 Tablet Android Development

***ABANDONED***
I am sorry but I stopped supporting this kernel because I don't have much time recently.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
This is first custom kernel for Xperia Z4 Tablet SGP712/SGP771.
Download
Download from official website
How to root
See my blog post:
https://androplus.org/Entry/626/
I won't create kernel for device which I don't own.
If you want me to create, please give me the device.
Donate:
PayPal
XDA:DevDB Information
AndroPlusKernel for Z4 Tablet, Kernel for the Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet
Contributors
AndroPlus, Tommy-Geenexus, DHGE, dl12345, andip71, nilezon
Source Code: https://github.com/AndroPlus-org/android_kernel_sony_msm8994
Kernel Special Features:
Version Information
Status: Testing
Created 2015-08-02
Last Updated 2017-05-04

---

Features and changelog
I won't answer questions or requests for older version (e.g. "Please update kernel for old firmware!")
Moved to here

---

SONY has a 28.0.A.7.31 under "Android Downloads"
Have not found a changelog yet.

---

DHGE said:
SONY has a 28.0.A.7.31 under "Android Downloads"
Have not found a changelog yet.
A device tree is in the attachment.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh I meant set of files such as "android_device_sony_karin" or "android_device_sony_msm8994-common". (you can see some device tree for other devices on cyanogenmod's Github)
This is also called device tree.

---

@AndroPlus:
Hello, I'm seriously considering to buy this device but first I want to make sure (before buying a new tablet) that (a) it supports root (which obviously you were able to do) and (b) to support linux running on the device's framebuffer.
Since running linux on my 10 inch + tablets has become a 2nd nature to me (tablets make some of the best netbooks, being so light and battery-efficient compared to regular netbook) may I venture a suggestion?
Can you try enabling the config_VT on the kernel's option (i.e. the Virtual Terminal feature)? I know some devices to be unbootable after enabling that feature, others do boot. I mean I would be happy to try it myself, but for that I would need to buy the device first, and I much prefer to have a confirmation first.
So yeah great work there (creating the first custom kernel et al). Enabling a single feature would -at worse- cause a boot loop, so I'd guess it would be an easy experiment to do (in case of bootloop you just reflash a "proper" version of the kernel).
Thanks.

---

Code:
# Character devices
#
CONFIG_TTY=y
# [COLOR="Red"]CONFIG_VT is not set[/COLOR]
CONFIG_UNIX98_PTYS=y
# CONFIG_DEVPTS_MULTIPLE_INSTANCES is not set
# CONFIG_LEGACY_PTYS is not set
# CONFIG_SERIAL_NONSTANDARD is not set
# CONFIG_NOZOMI is not set
# CONFIG_N_GSM is not set
# CONFIG_N_SMUX is not set
# CONFIG_TRACE_SINK is not set
CONFIG_DEVMEM=y
CONFIG_DEVKMEM=y
I do not have the time ATM to test VT.
When I have the itch to work in terminal mode I either use adb from my Debian box or the app "Terminal Emulator".
What would VT give us more?
I'd like (as a challenge, not too useful) to port Perl 5.22 to the device and some tools...
But that should be possible with my above mentioned terminals at hand.
I have disabled SONY's RIC and that prevents the bootloops when fiddling with the configuration.
No guaranty for CONFIG_VT though.
Next thing I will try (not this week I suppose): work with the latest ..31 version from SONY and try to enable SELinux again. AndroPlus used my sources and with "his" kernel SELinux is disabled - necessary for me in rooting in the first attempt but I'd like to have SELinux again (stagefright etc.)

---

Virtual Terminal gives us the chance to output whatever image "we wish" directly to Android's framebuffer.
To make a longer story short, it lets us run Linux on a chroot environment almost natively.
The alternative to that would be running a whole X-server on top of Android or -worse- establish a VNC connection to the chroot environment. In both occasions running a (Desktop) linux distro would be a pain both for every-day use purposes but also kill the battery.
So -yeah- enabling the VT feature lets us -basically- turn our android tablet into a linux tablet with a press of a button (a script that starts the chroot environment and outputs to android's framebuffer) and then back to android through a second script.
I find the concept of Android/Linux netbooks/tablet very appealing as unlike Surface pro it lasts a longer (battery wise), it's half the weight and much better for tablet purposes.
Anyway testing VT would be a godsend (just see whether it boots at least). If it does boot I will buy the tablet in a heartbeat, and probably even write a guide of how to turn it into a full featured Linux machine with the press of a button (without having to dual boot)

---

I'll try to build config_VT enabled kernel.
For ric problem, maybe this commit works, so I'll try this.
https://github.com/fxpdev/android_k...mmit/a1223a90286f3a59eadb82c709c8d3c427e7bb78https://github.com/fxpdev/android_k...mmit/a1223a90286f3a59eadb82c709c8d3c427e7bb78

---

maybe this commit works
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is straight disabling RIC.
Fine but when I went this route my device bootlooped. I suppose because RIC-calls are hardcoded into SONY's init binary and we do not have the source for that.
So my "solution" was just to patch the calls to RIC and give OK on every call.
When AOSP sources will be available we have a modifiable init and you get your device tree.

---

@Stevethegreat
It booted successfully after adding CONFIG_VT and patch to arch/arm64/kernel/setup.c.
https://github.com/AndroPlus-org/an...mmit/18db9f30bc60bdb5ec0e91826e1ebba313b762a0
How do I check if it really works?

---

AndroPlus said:
@Stevethegreat
It booted successfully after adding CONFIG_VT and patch to arch/arm64/kernel/setup.c.
https://github.com/AndroPlus-org/an...mmit/18db9f30bc60bdb5ec0e91826e1ebba313b762a0
How do I check if it really works?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow those are great news. Thanks!
A quick way to check if it worked is to open Terminal emulator. Then navigate to dev/graphics and make a mental note of the different fb files that exist in that folder (for example fb0, fb1, etc)
When you do that you simply type "su" (to gain super user access) and lastly:
cat /dev/urandom > /dev/graphics/fb0
If all goes well you should get a flashing screen or even a solid screen with urandom's gibberish on top of the screen (a screen fillled with characters). You should *not* get "static" (non specific image) or an error code, really. After trying fb0 , please try the rest of FBx that you found in /dev/graphics. At least one should work as above (generally fb0 does).
Once again thanks man, much appreciated. If all goes well, I'm buying this tablet

---

I built a new kernel from the 28.0.A.31 sources with SELinux enabled (Yeah!! :laugh.
On a second run I set CONFIG_VT=y.
cat /dev/urandom > /dev/graphics/fb0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
gives:
tmp-mksh: ... No space left on device
attempting to write on fb2 (three framebuffers 0-2) gives No such device
So no sport here ...

---

Hmmm pity :/.
Hope you ran the command as a super user.
Also maybee trying it w SeLinux in permissive may give different result.
Still I may buy the tablet annyway. As long as it boots with VT on I may find a way to make it work once I have it in hand...

---

yes I used the root account
I really like the tablet:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62033395&postcount=17
Was fortunate to get it for 465 EUR, otherwise I'd have used my Tablet Z longer.

---

DHGE said:
yes I used the root account
I really like the tablet:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=62033395&postcount=17
Was fortunate to get it for 465 EUR, otherwise I'd have used my Tablet Z longer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since I'm very much interested, where did you find it (selling it) at 465 Euros? Everywhere I look is close to 600 Euros (shipping included) and that's kind of too much.
edit: sorry for the off-topic, I just remembered that this thread is about the OP's kernel, not our discussion (still PM me the answer if you wish, thanks).

---

I use this way to disable RIC:
CONFIG_SECURITY_SONY_RIC=n

---

I did diff command to check what files are changed in 28.0.A.7.31 and... no diff
Well I uploaded v2, now kernel has some new features such as KCAL and CPUQuiet.
I could build TWRP from source but it didn't boot, so I need to brush up my dirty device tree...

---

I compile a dtbtool from this git: https://github.com/scotthartbti/android_device_common_qcom.git
and use this command: dtbtool --force-v2 -o dt.img -s 2048 -p scripts/dtc/ arch/arm/boot/dts/
thus I have made a dt.img for my xperia z4

---

I tried to build TWRP and build succeeded, but didn't boot
here's last_log
kitakami device tree
https://github.com/AndroPlus-org/android_device_sony_karin
I could build and boot Cyanogen Recovery (useless...):
Download
If someone want to try useless recovery, enter into fastboot mode and type
Code:
fastboot flash recovery cmr.img
then reboot and hit power key when LED turn on.
[UPDATE]
OK, TWRP now boots!
...but no touch input:crying:
Build from official source didn't boot at all, and this multi-language fork boots.

---

Recap please
I've been following this thread intrigued for about a month, as long as I've had the tablet. I see that people have been successful in getting their tablets rooted and even gotten TWRP to work on some of them.
What I'm interested is getting simple instructions on how to get root access and of course TWRP would be a big plus since I'm using it on my phone