My phone vendor has released the kernel sources for Android 7.1.2 I want to upgrade it for use with higher Android versions. Any help will be appreciated
JayAware said:
My phone vendor has released the kernel sources for Android 7.1.2 I want to upgrade it for use with higher Android versions. Any help will be appreciated
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Android's Linux kernel on a device is tied heavily to the version of the Android OS it's running.
My Suggestion: Don't try this stunt because you may end up with a kernel with miss matching drivers and also a boot-looped device as a bonus.
jwoegerbauer said:
Android's Linux kernel on a device is tied heavily to the version of the Android OS it's running.
My Suggestion: Don't try this stunt because you may end up with a kernel with miss matching drivers and also a boot-looped device as a bonus.
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But other developers of my device have already done so and their kernel works perfectly with my device
JayAware said:
But other developers of my device have already done so and their kernel works perfectly with my device
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Wondering why then you don't contact these developers to get helped?
Again:
Android - what is a stack of software components which is roughly divided into five sections and four main layers - is built on top of the Linux kernel, but it has always used a heavily-modified version with per-device changes from OEMs ( like Samsung & LG ), chip manufacturers like Qualcomm & MediaTek & Google.
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After seeing that the Galaxy Nexus is so far running kernel 3.0.1, I was wondering if it is possible to update current kernels on existing devices to a 3.x kernel. I have a little experience in at least successfully upgrading Debian to 3.1 kernel, but compiling for android is a bit different it seems.
On my G2x, which is running 2.6.32.45, I attempted to compile a 3.1 kernel, and it refused to boot into CM7. I followed the CM kernel compilation guide, but to no avail. Would this most likely be due just to error on my part during compilation or configuration, or do I need to wait for LG to make their own 3.x kernel based ROM to derive the proper drivers?
Is it even possible at all to "upgrade" to a higher kernel version if the phone manufacturer has not done so themselves already? Thanks for any input!
Yes, you will have to wait until LG releases their version. No, its not possible to upgrade to a higher kernel version if the phone manufacturer has not done so themselves (you could try to compile one based on a higher version but that would have to be from some other manufacturer and most likely it will not work). To answer your title question, yes, it most likely will be done in higher versions of android.
Theonew said:
Yes, you will have to wait until LG releases their version. No, its not possible to upgrade to a higher kernel version if the phone manufacturer has not done so themselves (you could try to compile one based on a higher version but that would have to be from some other manufacturer and most likely it will not work). To answer your title question, yes, it most likely will be done in higher versions of android.
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Thank you for replying so quickly and concisely!
That is a bit disappointing, but realistic I suppose. In the 3.1 kernel changelog there were a ton of Tegra based changes/fixes, so I figured I'd try it out on the Tegra based G2X. What is it that the newer kernels are missing that severely hinders upgrades on android as oppose to desktop (x86?) platforms?
In more realistic terms, the most likely way of being able to jump up to a higher kernel would be say, using the 3.0.1 kernel from the Galaxy Nexus dump as the source and use a current 2.6.32 config with it? I might try it out if it's a little more likely!
hobbla said:
Thank you for replying so quickly and concisely!
That is a bit disappointing, but realistic I suppose. In the 3.1 kernel changelog there were a ton of Tegra based changes/fixes, so I figured I'd try it out on the Tegra based G2X. What is it that the newer kernels are missing that severely hinders upgrades on android as oppose to desktop (x86?) platforms?
In more realistic terms, the most likely way of being able to jump up to a higher kernel would be say, using the 3.0.1 kernel from the Galaxy Nexus dump as the source and use a current 2.6.32 config with it? I might try it out if it's a little more likely!
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The newer kernels aren't missing anything. In fact, they have many more features, optimizations, and fixes which do not allow them to work on earlier versions of android.
More likely yes, but still, it most likely will not work (since these earlier version of android won't support all what higher kernels and android versions support).
hobbla said:
After seeing that the Galaxy Nexus is so far running kernel 3.0.1, I was wondering if it is possible to update current kernels on existing devices to a 3.x kernel. I have a little experience in at least successfully upgrading Debian to 3.1 kernel, but compiling for android is a bit different it seems.
On my G2x, which is running 2.6.32.45, I attempted to compile a 3.1 kernel, and it refused to boot into CM7. I followed the CM kernel compilation guide, but to no avail. Would this most likely be due just to error on my part during compilation or configuration, or do I need to wait for LG to make their own 3.x kernel based ROM to derive the proper drivers?
Is it even possible at all to "upgrade" to a higher kernel version if the phone manufacturer has not done so themselves already? Thanks for any input!
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Click to collapse
Just ported this 3.1 kernel last night. I took the Linaro 3.1 Linux kernel, and integrated ashmem, pmem, binder, and lowmemorykiller.
http :// i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj141/landcruiserfjz80/kernel/2011-11-09_09-39-08_429.jpg
forcedinductionz said:
Just ported this 3.1 kernel last night. I took the Linaro 3.1 Linux kernel, and integrated ashmem, pmem, binder, and lowmemorykiller.
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Care to upload it?
Theonew said:
Care to upload it?
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It's for an OMAP3 platform. If you are looking to port a Tegra 2 BSP to a 3.1 kernel i'd be willing to help get it going.
forcedinductionz said:
It's for an OMAP3 platform. If you are looking to port a Tegra 2 BSP to a 3.1 kernel i'd be willing to help get it going.
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That would be great! I've never considered Linaro before. From reading up on it, it seems to be an optimized kernel for ARM (and other mobile CPUs)? You might have to make a tutorial on how to customize your own kernel
hobbla said:
That would be great! I've never considered Linaro before. From reading up on it, it seems to be an optimized kernel for ARM (and other mobile CPUs)? You might have to make a tutorial on how to customize your own kernel
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I'm about to deliver some Android changes to this tree. If you are serious about supporting Tegra2 please point me to your current kernel's source code. I'll begin porting the BSP and drivers.
https :// github.com/EmbeddedAndroid/linaro-android-3.1
forcedinductionz said:
I'm about to deliver some Android changes to this tree. If you are serious about supporting Tegra2 please point me to your current kernel's source code. I'll begin porting the BSP and drivers.
https :// github.com/EmbeddedAndroid/linaro-android-3.1
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This looks great! Would you be including the Tegra 2 BSP and drivers into the embedded kernel? I (and any other Tegra device owners) really appreciate the help!
Here's the source for the device I have; LG G2X (P999) with a Tegra 250 (sorry about mediafire, LG doesn't allow hotlinking):
http :// www.mediafire.com/?9zt7suw7nivbr7o
If we wanted this to work on a Cyanogenmod based kernel, I guess you'd have to look at the Cyanogen Git. Here's the the P999 cyanogen git:
https :// github.com/CyanogenMod/android_device_lge_p999
You can look at getting set up with it easily here, I believe:
http :// wiki.cyanogenmod.com/wiki/Building_Kernel_from_source
Thank you for helping! If there's anything else I can help with, or resources you could post that would allow me to help you better that'd be great.
I am pulling down the sources now. It's been a busy week getting ICS up and running but now I have some time to play. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
How it's goin'?
forcedinductionz said:
I am pulling down the sources now. It's been a busy week getting ICS up and running but now I have some time to play. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
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Sounds great! Again, if there's anything we can assist you with just let us know. Or, outlining the steps you're taking could allow us to help in the future
Sent from my LG-P999 using XDA App
Is everything OK?
I have a general question about building the Android kernel. For understanding purposes, I'm a C/C++/C# developer (and Android application developer), but have little functional knowledge of the Linux kernel.
With regard to porting Android, I'm curious how one builds the latest Kernel. The Android Kernel is not simply the standard Linux Kernel branch, correct? Where does one get the latest "Android" Kernel from? Does Google host a Kernel site as part of AOSP that we can sync with?
Once you have the latest Kernel, is it simply a matter of ensuring the Make file is accurate, adding the appropriate device drivers (as .so files?) for your particular hardware, and performing a Make? Then I assume you can update your device's Kernel with the one you've buildt?
In closing, for example, I'd like to sync the Android 3.0 Kernel, update the drivers necessary for my EVO 4G, build the latest Kernel, and then flash it to my phone. Just looking for some insight as I start getting educated on the topic.
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Actually, the android kernel is very similar to the linux kernel (well it is based on the linux kernel). You can get the kernel from here: http://source.android.com/source/downloading.html. You can also take a look here: http://elinux.org/Android_Kernel_Download and here: http://elinux.org/Android_Kernel_Features. It will be quite difficult to build a kernel for your device without the source (there's none for 3.0.1 for your device), but you could still build it from a lower kernel version: http://linux.softpedia.com/progDownload/HTC-EVO-4G-Sprint-Kernel-Source-Code-Download-58254.html.
Thanks for the info, Theonew. When you say that it will be difficult for me to build the kernel for an EVO without the source, is that because the vendors (Qualcomm, for example) haven't made source for their devices available, so it's hard to build the drivers (.so files?) that are compatible with the latest kernel?
Shidell said:
Thanks for the info, Theonew. When you say that it will be difficult for me to build the kernel for an EVO without the source, is that because the vendors (Qualcomm, for example) haven't made source for their devices available, so it's hard to build the drivers (.so files?) that are compatible with the latest kernel?
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HTC hasn't released the source of the kernel v3.0.1 (which comes in Ice Cream Sandwich) for your device (since it's not available for your device...yet at least).
hey can we create our own version of android like, for example, (Android 4.3 dev by someone not in the google android company)....
Short answer: No
Think yourself if that would be possible then why would everyone stuck on jellybean.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using xda app-developers app
You are a genius
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda app-developers app
imda1 said:
hey can we create our own version of android like, for example, (Android 4.3 dev by someone not in the google android company)....
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Technically there is no reason why not Android is open source and you could freely fork the code and start building your own modified version and then distribute as you see fit.
This is after all what the likes of Cyanogen Mod do, but at the end of the day you would still have to work off a current version and mod to your needs.
zacthespack said:
Technically there is no reason why not Android is open source and you could freely fork the code and start building your own modified version and then distribute as you see fit.
This is after all what the likes of Cyanogen Mod do, but at the end of the day you would still have to work off a current version and mod to your needs.
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So, what you mean is that all ROMs actually are android version, right?
Then what does an android version exactly mean?
Does it define a unique -
ROM +kernel
ROM
Kernel
ROM +kernel + extra innovation
???
imda1 said:
So, what you mean is that all ROMs actually are android version, right?
Then what does an android version exactly mean?
Does it define a unique -
ROM +kernel
ROM
Kernel
ROM +kernel + extra innovation
???
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Click to collapse
Yes, all ROMs which are released are based on Android Open Source Project's (AOSP) source. Initially Google have to release the source (Latest is Android 4.2) and then manufactures like Samsung, HTC, Sony, LG etc. works on their own to provide the updated Android version to their phones skinned with their proprietory UI's or themes.
Android version exactly means changes in features added by Google itself, which are incorporated by Manufactures when they push updates to their phones.
ROM is actually the term used for your Operating System. Kernel is complete different subject related to ROMs, it works as the medium of communication between your hardware and the operating System thus involving drivers and CPU controls.
The HTC Desire 310 runs on a MediaTek SoC, and HTC only has the source code for the kernel. Is it possible to build a Custom ROM like CM for the device? And what are the drawbacks of doing this?
Lynuxen said:
The HTC Desire 310 runs on a MediaTek SoC, and HTC only has the source code for the kernel. Is it possible to build a Custom ROM like CM for the device? And what are the drawbacks of doing this?
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Basically all a ROM development takes is a kernel source ,a device tree(how the source has to build your ROM {resolution,kernel source command lines....etc are set here}) , a vendor tree( usually proprietary shared libraries got from stock ROM ). Once you've got all these all you have to so is type make bacon. But since its mediatek its pretty hard to build anything since mediatek ril/libraries are not open source.
So doing this blindfolded won't work.
Lynuxen said:
So doing this blindfolded won't work.
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Won't work, unless you set up a device tree for your SoC. MT6589 device tree may work for building only recovery but nothing further.
Yes, as @MasterAwesome said you need actually 3 components: Vendor tree, kernel source and device tree. Making vendor and device tree from scratch is hard.
GeekyDroid said:
Yes, as @MasterAwesome said you need actually 3 components: Vendor tree, kernel source and device tree. Making vendor and device tree from scratch is hard.
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Hard, but not impossible? I really want to invest my time in something like this. Pretty long shot, will something like a method for reversed engineering the vendor and device tree work?
Lynuxen said:
Hard, but not impossible? I really want to invest my time in something like this. Pretty long shot, will something like a method for reversed engineering the vendor and device tree work?
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Vendor tree is pretty easy to setup. You'd want to start with the CyanogenMod version which is similar your current android version. If your device has kitkat download cm11 sources. Read their docs about setting up a device tree(its not that hard). Vendor tree is basically just your stock ROM use it as a base to get your libs which are required for your ROM to start(logcats are helpful here). Since you have a similar SoC, you can use my device tree as a reference https://github.com/MasterAwesome/a210_device_tree/tree/master/micromax/a210. Initially just build a kernel and check if it works. And I have guides for kernel and ROM building,you could check it out.
MasterAwesome said:
Vendor tree is pretty easy to setup. You'd want to start with the CyanogenMod version which is similar your current android version. If your device has kitkat download cm11 sources. Read their docs about setting up a device tree(its not that hard). Vendor tree is basically just your stock ROM use it as a base to get your libs which are required for your ROM to start(logcats are helpful here). Since you have a similar SoC, you can use my device tree as a reference https://github.com/MasterAwesome/a210_device_tree/tree/master/micromax/a210. Initially just build a kernel and check if it works. And I have guides for kernel and ROM building,you could check it out.
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Massive thanks MasterAwesome. :highfive:
Hello!
I have been following annual Google I/O 2017 and heard about all the benefits of Google's Project Treble.
I cannot help but wonder how are developers (for example here at XDA) able to create custom roms or unofficial Android updates. Why Google can't make official Android Nougat update for Nexus 7 2013, but you here at XDA can. What is different between your work and Google's when it comes to these things, as far as neither has access to hardware manufacturer's code support.
I have to say I am not a professional software developer, so I understand if this topic is beyond my comprehension.
Thank you!
"Why Google can't make official Android Nougat update for Nexus 7 2013"
Planned obsolescence.
"neither has access to hardware manufacturer's code support"
Google is obliged to release kernel source code because Linux(the kernel powering Android) is released under the GPL. The kernel is responsible for letting Android "talk" to the hardware. Developers at XDA can then modify the open-source kernel to "fit" newer versions of Android.
I'd like to chime in on this.
Let's use the Nexus 7 2013 as an example. The difference between what an official build of Nougat from Google would be and what a build of Nougat from XDA is that the Google released one will have updated devices drivers that are made specifically for Nougat, while the XDA released one simply uses the older device drivers and hope they work. In some cases they work flawlessly (mostly on Nexus devices), however other times there are things that don't work so they either need to be disabled or worked around. So essentially a Google released OS has everything updated and tested to work with the new OS, while XDA releases are more 'hacked' together to work (simply because the device drivers aren't Open Source). Google may not have access to the hardware drivers, but they still get them updated.
Now let's touch on Project Treble (and why I am so excited about it). Instead of each and every device driver needing to be upgraded and tested for each new OS version, the OS version will specify which version of the drivers (HAL's) will work with the OS. This means there will be a separate space where all the device drivers will reside, and the OS will simply load those when booting (no more proprietary binary blobs to include in the ROM! hopefully...).
This means on any Project Treble compatible device (all phones that ship with Oreo, and some that update to Oreo) with an unlocked bootloader, a user can simply compile AOSP and flash it directly to the device with no modifications and have the device work. I believe this is actually a requirement to pass Google's certification process for new devices with Oreo. That means, say, with the LG v30 if the bootloader is unlocked, there can be an AOSP ROM on day one of its release.
So instead of Android being strictly a per device compile, it is just a general compile (sans device specific features). However, this doesn't remove the old driver issue. If the drivers in their respective partition no longer are updated by the manufacturer, the later AOSP code will need to be modified to work around these (and accept them). This is still easier in my opinion than the binary blobs.
As for official updates, Project Treble allows device hardware manufacturers to work on updating the device drivers while the OS Dev (Samsung, etc) works on updating their OS. So it is a parallel development instead of a serial one (hardware AND os instead of hardware THEN os).
A question.
Do the Nexus 5X devices have the Treble system or project incorporated with Oreo?
I do not understand the other manufacturers that cheaper excuses are giving, it is true that they are not obliged but I think it would be good practice, maybe they think as before that you will not buy them a phone.
Does someone make a Change.org or similar campaign to ask all Android manufacturers to make a minimum effort?