[UNOFFICIAL] [07/19] TWRP 3.1.1 with F2FS support - Nexus 6P Android Development

Introduction
Hello all, this is my version of TWRP for the Nexus 6P, which includes the ability to convert your /data and /cache partitions to F2FS. This will stay inline with TWRP's changes for the most part, the changes will be listed below.
What in the world is F2FS?
From Wikipedia:
F2FS (Flash-Friendly File System) is a flash file system initially developed by Samsung Electronics for the Linux kernel.
The motive for F2FS was to build a file system that, from the start, takes into account the characteristics of NAND flash memory-based storage devices (such as solid-state disks, eMMC, and SD cards), which are widely used in computer systems ranging from mobile devices to servers.
F2FS was designed on a basis of a log-structured file system approach, which it adapted to newer forms of storage. Jaegeuk Kim, the principal F2FS author, has stated that it remedies some known issues of the older log-structured file systems, such as the snowball effect of wandering trees and high cleaning overhead. In addition, since a NAND-based storage device shows different characteristics according to its internal geometry or flash memory management scheme (such as the Flash Translation Layer or FTL), it supports various parameters not only for configuring on-disk layout, but also for selecting allocation and cleaning algorithms.
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Click to collapse
Before diving into this, I would recommend reading the official F2FS documentation to understand why this may be good for you. This is potentially unstable, F2FS is a file system that is very much in active development. There is a reason that most OEMs go with ext4 out of the box. But I digress, I am NOT here to sell you on F2FS; it makes zero difference to me if you use it or not, I am merely providing you with a tool to do so.
Changelog + differences
Differences:
f2fs-tools bumped to 1.7.0 (Omni's 6.0 branch is on 1.4.0)
TWRP app installation offer disabled by default
Conversion procedure
Download TWRP from the link above
Grab a kernel that supports F2FS (I use my own as I know it works)
Back up any important data as this will wipe your entire internal storage
Boot into the bootloader and flash the recovery
Boot into TWRP and go into Wipe > Advanced Wipe
Select Data and then hit "Change or Repair File System"
Hit Change File System
Choose F2FS and slide to confirm
Repeat the previous three steps for cache
Reboot and move all of your files back over (if restoring through TWRP, make sure to check the option to use rm -rf instead of formatting)
If you have any issues with this, you may need to ask your ROM developer to merge the two commits below.
Bug reports
You are NOT in ANY circumstance to report ANY bugs to the TWRP team.
If you have an issue with flashing something in TWRP, copy the recovery log to your sdcard and post it here.
If swapping to F2FS does not stick, try formatting your data with TWRP (Wipe > Format Data) or fastboot format userdata first.
If your phone does not boot after swapping to F2FS, either your kernel or ROM does not have proper support; post in their thread.
Additionally, check out some of these helpful posts:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=70699197
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=71074016
Adding support to ROM
In order to properly support the initial conversion to F2FS, please add these two commits to your source:
https://github.com/omnirom/android_system_core/commit/1c6700a8fb31c6e314df4f031fa23fa9178c7ca7
https://github.com/omnirom/android_system_vold/commit/c879edb2fecae709f404c2d71c1d47ceac3a325e
The reason some people have issues converting is fs_mgr will try to read the block device as ext4 and destroy the f2fs block. This commit skips that check, allowing F2FS to pass through.
Sources
TWRP is licensed under GPLv3, meaning my changes must be disclosed. I also inline a custom kernel so that source is included as well. I also add in the other repos I modify.
Recovery: https://github.com/nathanchance/android_bootable_recovery/tree/android-7.1
Kernel: https://github.com/nathanchance/angler/tree/7.1.2-flash
Device tree: https://github.com/nathanchance/twrp_device_huawei_angler/tree/android-6.0
f2fs-tools: https://github.com/nathanchance/android_external_f2fs-tools/tree/android-6.0

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First!
Thanks for the recovery. Been using it with flash kernel. I see considerable performance improvement in asphalt Xtreme game( idk if its the f2fs or kernel ).

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Nice !!! :fingers-crossed::fingers-crossed::fingers-crossed::fingers-crossed::fingers-crossed:

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Thank you, and thank you for the exemplary GPL compliance. It's noticed and appreciated.

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Now this is awesome... On it, will report soon

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Much appreciated!
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

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So what rom is compatible with f2fs ?
Lineage : yes
RR : yes
UberRom : of course
pN : idk
DU : idk
Nitrogen : yes
Somebody must report it and i will update my post.
ThNks

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ariefabuzaky said:
So what rom is compatible with f2fs ?
Lineage : yes
RR : yes
UberRom : of course
pN : idk
DU : idk
Somebody must report it and i will update my post.
ThNks
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Click to collapse
Nitrogen should also work but i am doing something wrong... PN should only work with data to f2fs... i am trying different ways right now.
I restored everything to ext4 but i get bootloops now with everyrom... reboots constand... damnit
restored my twrp to latest 3.0.3 but i still get bootlooping... whay did i wrong :S Going back to complete stock latest google image... can anoyone tell me what i did wrong here?!
Restoring factory worked... back on 3.0.3 twrp and with PN rom installed. I will wait a couple of days on how to get it working properly on PN

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Worked perfect! Thanks Flash!!!

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I tried this with PN and am now stuck in a boot loop. I flashed the twrp with F2FS support then tried to change the file system followed by installing the latest vendor, latest flashable bootloader+radio, latest pure nexus and gapps, flash kernel, and latest su. Didnt work. Im not stuck in a boot loop I cant get out of. Ive tried every combination of the above. I also tried restoring my backup but that gives me an error. I also tried changing the file system back to ext4. Nothing works. Anyone experience this or have any suggestions?
---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 AM ----------
jochem86 said:
Nitrogen should also work but i am doing something wrong... PN should only work with data to f2fs... i am trying different ways right now.
I restored everything to ext4 but i get bootloops now with everyrom... reboots constand... damnit
restored my twrp to latest 3.0.3 but i still get bootlooping... whay did i wrong :S Going back to complete stock latest google image... can anoyone tell me what i did wrong here?!
Restoring factory worked... back on 3.0.3 twrp and with PN rom installed. I will wait a couple of days on how to get it working properly on PN
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im in the same boat.....what steps did you do to get back to stock?

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Data keeps reverting back to ext4 after 1st boot.

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vnphantom said:
Data keeps reverting back to ext4 after 1st boot.
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Click to collapse
Mine too....Im stuck in a bootloop. Are you?
Whats also weird is switching too f2fs wiped my storage but once the data reverted back to ext4....my original storage came back too!! Im not sure how or why that is happening either.

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I just followed OP and formatted everything first, now i have SAOSP running with flash on f2fs..
Works great, so far it doesn't feel like a huge improvement though..
Sent from my Nexus 6P using XDA-Developers Legacy app

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vnphantom said:
Data keeps reverting back to ext4 after 1st boot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What makes you say that?

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Back then when I was using Temasek on my Note 3, he incorporate a script that automatically format the system partition to F2FS when flashing his ROM. That is if the system partition is already in f2fs and I think that was pretty amazing but short live. I wonder if other ROM developer could go the same route if formatting F2FS system was popular enough. That would make updating new rom one step easier. Just for thought.
---------- Post added at 09:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 AM ----------
Hi All,
Make sure to restore your backup with "Use rm -rf instead of formating"; else the restore will reformat the partition back to the file system use in the backup.

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minhgi said:
Hi All,
Make sure to restore your backup with "Use rm -rf instead of formating"; else the restore will reformat the partition back to the file system use in the backup.
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Click to collapse
I wish you told this earlier....This is exactly what happened and I had to clean install

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NoobInToto said:
I wish you told this earlier....This is exactly what happened and I had to clean install
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It wouldn't matter though, I get a warning that the backup was made with EXT4 and that backup may not boot unless changed back to it

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Iceburn1 said:
What makes you say that?
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Click to collapse
Because that's what's happening to me. Maybe it's because I'm on PN. At this time f2fs has not been widely adopted by too many devs so compatibility could be an issue. I think I'll stick with ext4 a bit until f2fs is fully mature.

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vnphantom said:
Because that's what's happening to me. Maybe it's because I'm on PN. At this time f2fs has not been widely adopted by too many devs so compatibility could be an issue. I think I'll stick with ext4 a bit until f2fs is fully mature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly doing the same....

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vnphantom said:
Because that's what's happening to me. Maybe it's because I'm on PN. At this time f2fs has not been widely adopted by too many devs so compatibility could be an issue. I think I'll stick with ext4 a bit until f2fs is fully mature.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's too bad its not working for you, its working on my side no problem, did you format in twrp if its not sticking? Im on RR with Flash kernel.