[Q] AOSP or true custom ROM - Vibrant Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I've been following the development of so-called ROMs for the Vibrant (and other SGS devices), but I have yet to see a single AOSP ROM. Even when Samsung released the original kernel sources for 2.1, there were no AOSP 2.1 ROMs. Why not? Is it because they don't know which BLOBs to pull for insertion or the proper vendor overlays?
Some developers have done great work with SGS kernels (especially supercurio and his Voodoo kernels ... eugene373's tend to always wipe the internal SD card unnecessarily ...). But, a kernel does not a ROM make ... therefore I ask, what is truly missing to build an AOSP ROM. I've gone through the sources, but I don't follow makefiles too well.
I know we have another month or so before Samsung is obligated to release their 2.2 kernel sources, but that should have no impact on 2.1 AOSP ROMs. Therefore, I ask "what is the hold up?" What is missing, and what might I contribute ...

Need 2.2 source code...
2.1 is a dead horse--why bother when 2.2/2.3 are out?

The reason to bother is to at least get AOSP running. Once its on 2.1, it'll be easier to get 2.2 AOSP running on it. But claiming 2.1 is a "dead horse" is the wrong path ... the real question still stands: after 9 months on the market their still are no AOSP ROMs.

MIUI
Now that vibrant 2.2 source is released ... we finally have a REAL AOSP port and my all time favorite from my old HD2 the MIUI.... so keep your heads up and wait for it to get finished.

Get a custom rom. There are so many good devs doing them don't waste your time on AOSP....... until they release the actual source code...... on April 22

sarim.ali said:
Now that vibrant 2.2 source is released ... we finally have a REAL AOSP port and my all time favorite from my old HD2 the MIUI.... so keep your heads up and wait for it to get finished.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except, the 2.2 source for the Vibrant has not been released. The SGH-T959D that shows Froyo sources on Samsung's site is for the Canadian Fascinate, not the US T-Mobile Vibrant. Samsung has yet to release the 2.2 sources.

oka1 said:
Get a custom rom. There are so many good devs doing them don't waste your time on AOSP....... until they release the actual source code...... on April 22
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except the so-called "custom ROMs" are just modifications on the stock theme, a replacement kernel and a change of some of the supplied applications.
There is nothing close to a full "custom ROM" such as CyanogenMod or MIUI because we don't have Samsung's sources. What is passing for a "custom ROM" for the Vibrant are just repackaged files. It is akin to the "ROM cooking" that took place for the WinMo phones, not a truly ground-up build from source that is possible with Android.

EDT/Devs4Android has the MIUI build. From Source.
TW has a 2.2.1 in testing.
EDT has a 2.2.1 Beta released.
TW has a 2.3 AOSP in testing. From Source.
EDT has 2.2 AOSP in testing. From Source.
What you want is out there for you.
Watch the forums and reply when a call for Alpha testers is posted.
Hopefully it won't be long before you see a full TW/EDT/Devs4Android collaboration!

I think what the original poster is trying to ask (and I have the same question) is why were there never any real 2.1 AOSP, cyanogen5 for the vibrant. The source for 2.1 has been around for many months. Were some other proprietary bits missing, was the released source code such a mess that it was unbuildable, something else? With those questions in mind, why will things be any different when the 2.2 source comes out?

mattb3 said:
I think what the original poster is trying to ask (and I have the same question) is why were there never any real 2.1 AOSP, cyanogen5 for the vibrant. The source for 2.1 has been around for many months. Were some other proprietary bits missing, was the released source code such a mess that it was unbuildable, something else? With those questions in mind, why will things be any different when the 2.2 source comes out?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this is more towards what I was getting at. We do not have Samsung's kernel sources for 2.2. And, we do not have a Samsung provided vendor overlay.
When we receive these two pieces, then a true AOSP build will be possible. However, we do have the 2.1 kernel sources, so why wasn't a true AOSP build possible then? What was missing, and can we actually expect Samsung to release the overlay that's needed?

Actually, that's true. I know it was old but why didn't anyone build a 2.1 cyanogen or aosp rom? (Not to say its easy.)
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

A noob question, kindly can someone explain what is the vendor overlay stuff?
Many thanks!

Where have you been?
rpcameron said:
I've been following the development of so-called ROMs for the Vibrant (and other SGS devices), but I have yet to see a single AOSP ROM. Even when Samsung released the original kernel sources for 2.1, there were no AOSP 2.1 ROMs. Why not? Is it because they don't know which BLOBs to pull for insertion or the proper vendor overlays?
Some developers have done great work with SGS kernels (especially supercurio and his Voodoo kernels ... eugene373's tend to always wipe the internal SD card unnecessarily ...). But, a kernel does not a ROM make ... therefore I ask, what is truly missing to build an AOSP ROM. I've gone through the sources, but I don't follow makefiles too well.
I know we have another month or so before Samsung is obligated to release their 2.2 kernel sources, but that should have no impact on 2.1 AOSP ROMs. Therefore, I ask "what is the hold up?" What is missing, and what might I contribute ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude theres been a true AOSP ROM for the Vibrant since like december and thats CM 6.1
Im running it now

rpcameron said:
I've been following the development of so-called ROMs for the Vibrant (and other SGS devices), but I have yet to see a single AOSP ROM. Even when Samsung released the original kernel sources for 2.1, there were no AOSP 2.1 ROMs. Why not? Is it because they don't know which BLOBs to pull for insertion or the proper vendor overlays?
Some developers have done great work with SGS kernels (especially supercurio and his Voodoo kernels ... eugene373's tend to always wipe the internal SD card unnecessarily ...). But, a kernel does not a ROM make ... therefore I ask, what is truly missing to build an AOSP ROM. I've gone through the sources, but I don't follow makefiles too well.
I know we have another month or so before Samsung is obligated to release their 2.2 kernel sources, but that should have no impact on 2.1 AOSP ROMs. Therefore, I ask "what is the hold up?" What is missing, and what might I contribute ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For probably the same reason that many phones with non AOSP firmware running 1.5/1.6 did not bother with AOSP 1.5/1.6 when they were released around the time 2.1 source hit. Why bother developing at all for what is essentially an "out of date" OS.
The only people it seems who actively continue to develop for existing (as opposed to new) firmware are manufacturers and carriers. This stupidity should be left to the manufacturers who still do this.
One of the larger snags way back then (sits in his rocking chair on the porch) was a lack of understanding of the phones proprietary aspects and how to work around them. But we have a fairly clear understanding of Samsung's boot process now, and RFS can now easily be turned into a distant memory.
I would wager a guess that the apathy towards 2.1 will not repeat itself once we have 2.2 source widely available and the low level similarities between 2.2 and 2.3 should have Gingerbread being more than the experiment it currently is. It's been barely more than a week since Eugene's little present manifested and there are already proper and stable kernels available.
Keep in mind that the devs we do have, have done a phenomenal job of cleaning up, speeding up, and drastically enhancing our existing 2.2 release. And perhaps to the point where many will not really care, though I know many would still like to see CyanogenMod6/7 properly on this phone.

Master&Slave™ said:
Dude theres been a true AOSP ROM for the Vibrant since like december and thats CM 6.1
Im running it now
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, that's not quite true. The CyanogenMod.com website lists 0 files available for download for either experimental or stable files. The CM6.1 you must be running is not a true CM build.
Also, CM is not AOSP, but rather AOSP with modifications.

phrozenflame said:
A noob question, kindly can someone explain what is the vendor overlay stuff?
Many thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The vendor overlay tells the AOSP build system which proprietary files are needed from the device that are not available in source form. This includes things like GPS and video drivers, baseband firmware for wireless radios, &c.

hi everybody !
a month age i decided to compile a new rom for my Galaxy S absolutely from AOSP source ( branch 2.2.1_r1 ) after some compile-time problem and many painful steps to resolve ,eventually the rom successfully built and can boot it up flawlessly on emulator.
i create a nandroid backup of current rom and installed the compiled one. but i am facing new problem :
1- the phone successfully boots but after short while screen began
flicking several time and the phone go in deep sleep and never wakeup
( power button or menu button does not do any thing )
2- touch screen works only for some second that I can unlock the
phone
3- there is no network available
4- I have downloaded samsung opesource package for GT-I9000. it
contains a folder named 'platform' but when i merge these files to
AOSP , the compile process stops and fails again. if there any one can
help me which files from samsung source should i merge and how ? if
you now the answer and dont have spare time then some internet link or
online document is really useful .i have no problem studding and
reading and searching . reaching to target is my only hope .
I am really disappointed why there is not a good and complete step2step tutorial to compile an AOSP rom for galaxy s (GT-I9000) !!
such docs is available for phones like dell streak , desire , dream , magic , .... . i really want to to active these aspect on XDA forum and with help of all you ( mods and masters ) try to create such tutorial that any one in world can use to refer . i think XDA is the only reference on net to collect and create such help and document. please help me and leave PM or comment to agree ot disagree and from where can i start ?!! thank in advanced .
edit :
there is a google groups post that i send my question in Android-platform . if you prefer please join this group and active that post to ask any question related to 'galaxy s compile from source ' .
post located at http://groups.google.com/group/android-platform/browse_thread/thread/da5d6f18f3bd3c9b

Related

Help me build an AOSP ROM!

Hey guys. So would anyone like to help me out in building an AOSP ROM for the LG Optimus S?
Currently, I have compiled the LG AOSP 2.2 kernel (zImage), and compiled the Android 2.2 AOSP system. Apparently now I need to get the LG vendor tree so I can compile that too into a working system? Can anyone help me out with that? This is my first time ever building a ROM from source code.
i hope someone will listen your help request
I hope so too... I hope so too.
I hope so too, would be nice to have another ROM option for the Optimus S. And this is a stepping stone to CyanogenMod on it
I'm also interested to create a fully working build of 2.2.2 AOSP Froyo.
But I'm new to the Android's world. I need that someone teach me how to build android from source. Also I need to know how to port the LG's drivers.....
I'm willing to help, but I can't program in any language. However, I know the basics, I can compile stuff, can do fairly well with the command line, I use Arch Linux as my main OS (so I can pretty much do compilations and stuff without a problem), etc.
I still don't know much about Android at this time, and contributing to this "project" may be my way of getting to know things
Count be in.. i m good with C,C++ ,shell scripts .tell me wat to do..i m new to android
Building Android from source can be quite tricky when proprietary software must be compiled in. I'm compiling since 2 months on gingerbread and nothing but phone is working... no USB,no camera, no bluetooth ... its now simply a phone^^
But, if your are lucky with Froyo you need only the source from android 2.2.x and the one shipped by LG (I know there are some sources for Optimus One, but don't know about Optimus S). Put it all together and compile the code - while/after compiling you will see lot of errors, there must be fixed by yours.
Have a look at cyanogen CM6.1, there have many fixes built in. If you would like to build a brand new system from scratch by yourself, i'll wish you many luck and lots of time
andy572 said:
Building Android from source can be quite tricky when proprietary software must be compiled in. I'm compiling since 2 months on gingerbread and nothing but phone is working... no USB,no camera, no bluetooth ... its now simply a phone^^
But, if your are lucky with Froyo you need only the source from android 2.2.x and the one shipped by LG (I know there are some sources for Optimus One, but don't know about Optimus S). Put it all together and compile the code - while/after compiling you will see lot of errors, there must be fixed by yours.
Have a look at cyanogen CM6.1, there have many fixes built in. If you would like to build a brand new system from scratch by yourself, i'll wish you many luck and lots of time
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So in your opinion it would be a lot easier to just build a CyanogenMod 6.1 ROM? Sounds like a plan. I read that I could just pull stuff from the Legend and use that as well? Could you help me with that stuff (pulling from the Legend source, that is)?
Legend stuff is less compatible then i thought. You can't use nothing from there.
As my work at 2.3 is now stopped (I haven't bugs related to working stuff, I have no idea what to do with 3d and gps and I too lazy to patch libcamera now) I hope to start work on CM6 next holiday's.
mik_os said:
Legend stuff is less compatible then i thought. You can't use nothing from there.
As my work at 2.3 is now stopped (I haven't bugs related to working stuff, I have no idea what to do with 3d and gps and I too lazy to patch libcamera now) I hope to start work on CM6 next holiday's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We'll work on it together then? I started a GitHub. github.com/mrinehart93
mrinehart93 said:
We'll work on it together then? I started a GitHub. github.com/mrinehart93
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I already got working GSM/Audio/WiFi/Bluetooth/USB/Sensors in 2.3 (port to 2.2 is easy) I will continue work in my repo https://github.com/mik9
Ypu can send your patches via "pull request" functionality.
mik_os said:
As I already got working GSM/Audio/WiFi/Bluetooth/USB/Sensors in 2.3 (port to 2.2 is easy) I will continue work in my repo https://github.com/mik9
Ypu can send your patches via "pull request" functionality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I won't have any time to work on CM tonight or probably the rest of this week, but as soon as I do I'll set up my Github.

[Q] How is Cyanogenmod related?

I had hear about cyanogenmod earlier and even tried to install it once when I was a rank noob without much luck. In my recent explorations of kernels and cifs I found myself at the cm site. It seemed pretty organized and I thought it might be interesting to have another go at it. I followed the instructions and installed it and it worked flawlessly. I restored my apps from Titanium backup and I'm up and running. I did some research in our forum and that, combined with some of my own observations, makes me wonder about the relationship between CM and some of the other roms like Vegan Ginger (which I really like) I get the impression that some or even all of our roms here are derivatives of CM that have been tweaked further by our devs. Is this correct? What is the difference between Vegan Ginger for example and CM7? I'm really puzzled because the kernels and the basic look and feel seem very similar. Someone even remarked that all of our roms are derivatives of CM. I'd be interested to know some of the background and the pedigrees of the various roms and their relationship with CM.
Cyanogenmod is one of the more known and talented group of Android ROM developers, developing for many devices and being a large team of dedicated coders, artist, etc...
They have taken the stock AOSP code and have modified, enhanced and added features far beyond the stock code. Most ROMs you see that have these additions are because they are forked from Cyanogenmod's github and then edited to look like their own (different graphic images, different text wording, etc..).
CyanogenMod was also one of the only ROM devs that I know of that got a Cease & Desist letter from Google early on and created the separated config of installing the rom.zip and Gapps.zip (Rom image and Google Apps).
As for how Vegan-Ginger relates...
Project Moving to Gingerbread
January 12, 2011 14 Comments
Just a quick update for everyone so you know where we stand at this point. Because of all the issues I have had trying to reverse engineer fixes into VEGAn, we have decided to move away from the actual VEGA system image. We have decided to move the project to a MODIFIED CyanogenMod 7 (aka Gingerbread) ROM with “inspiration from VEGA”. This will allow us to not only fix issues more easily but our work would also directly benefit the CM7 camp as well. This would give also give everyone the choice of a completely stock gingerbread like ROM as well.
THERE IS NO ETA AS OF YET FOR A RELEASE. When there is one…. you all will be the first to know! Exciting Times Ahead.
-GoJimi
Extreme GingerNerd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

[Q] How did your developers build a ROM when there isn't one from Samsung?

Hi.
I am a noob, not a techy
just curios - how can your devs build ICS roms when Samsung themselves did not build/create/honed/refined the Vibrant for Android 4?
What I am trying to ask is, how can your devs manage to control the hardware via android 4, if Samsung did not supply the codes/drivers/source?
Thanks
I'm not 100% sure but I think I read somewhere you can use the source code to build a ROM and then they used the Gingerbread bootloader/kernel and from there it's debugging.... again I could be wrong.
I think they took the source, and compile the source with the characteristics of the device. then applications that do not work, modified or exchanged for other versions of other rom, like the kernel, and other modifications, which is why the rom, there are many versions which fix bugs Version earlier after many users try it. (an example of this is the ICS Passion, which is now in its version 13)
Well passion is based on cm9. Which is aosp rom using source code android releases. Basically if you have drivers for hardware and a device tree you can use that source to build for any device.
Wherelse Samsung roms are usually not directly from source but just modded firmware from Samsung leaks. Oems do use close sources drivers though, usually better and get more out of hardware.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

[DEV][DEPRECATED][4.0]ICS 4.0.4 for the 4.0 (Build #3.5 up)

THIS THREAD IS DEPRECATED.
This project has move down, out of the alpha stage, to here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1950453
This thread is here for documentation purposes only! There are better builds at the new link, more detailed instructions, and support. Please direct your attention there! Thank you.
Warning! Flashing this may/will delete your /efs, which will causes major issues if you ever decide to return back to stock, so make sure you make a backup! If you don't know how, frankly you shouldn't flash this, as you need at least some experience just in case something goes wrong.
Team SuperNOva:
Oisis (helped us get over the final issue)
Zaclimon (first kernel dev, did a LOT of the preliminary work)
Neyodmium (helped us sort out that SGS sources that CAN be used for the 4.0, and helped pinpoint what needed to be replaced/fixed)
Me, hanthesolo (Rom dev, I will be providing updates, support, and other smaller things, so they can concentrate on the kernel, while I fix up the ROM)
The Back Story:
Firstly, excuse my cheesy biblical writing, I just have always wanted to write something in that format .
In the beginning (march 2012), there was hanthesolo. He saw the Galaxy Player forums, and all that he saw was good. This man started creating new work for the Gplayer forums, a and gained a small following. There was just one issue that concerned him: NO ICS!
In light of this, this man created a thread, to collect all ICS development, into one easy-to-read forum. Other began to follow him, zaclimon, Ijimaniac, and several others. Ideas flew fast and furious, but hope was waning quickly. A kernel would have to be created from scratch, a monumental task that had not been undertaken by any man so far.
All was quiet for awhile, and people began to slowly fade out, until only hanthesolo and zaclimon remained, slowly trading ideas and guesses over several weeks. Then a new disciple arrived: neyodmium. This korean (?) developer brought a different kind of kernel experience to the trio, and development began in earnest, with zaclimon and neyodmium trading work, while hanthesolo contributed where he could. One unsurmountable issue arose: this magnificient kernel, the likes of which had never lit up these forums before, would merely boot into recovery, not into Android.
Then Oisis came around, hearing our desperate cries for help. Like a moses, he guided his flock in the right direction, squashing issue after issue, until a monumental day arrived: August 13, 2012. On this day, ICS was finally created in Cyanogen's own image, and it was good.
Then increased development began, with hanthesolo squashing CM9 bugs, while zaclimon, neyodmium, and Oisis working feverishly on the kernel.
But an issue occurred, a wrench in the works. Thine enemy's name is GL, SuperNOva. GL would not cooperate, acting as a barrier between usable ICS, and frustrated efforts to fix it. But one day, the magical variable was flipped, and the builds booted! About this time there was a github mishap involving a bad I9000 push that stopped things for about a week, but that's another story.
What happens next? I dunno, but I will update this story when it happens .
NOTE: This does NOT represent anyone's political or religious standpoint, or the way anyone is viewed. It was created as a humorous way to explain our situation to users.
The fix list:
ROM:
Bluetooth (should be easy)
HW acceleration (easy, just neds to be implemented)
Camera (will take awhile)
Kernel:
HW acceleration (Oisis is working on it)
Drm manager (needs to be fixed before market can be used!)
US home button
Boot to recovery (very annoying when trying to flash builds)
Camera (?)
Changelog:
Build#1:
Initial release, basically everything is broken.
Build#2 changelog:
Finally fixed bootlooping that was plaguing our github
fixed ALL GL crashing and oddness
Fixed/improved sound (if it was broken)
Fixed Browser (slow, but usable)
Waiting on a new kernel to readd GL and/or HW acceleration.
FM radio! Just download the spirit FM app, you can find it for free on XDA
Build#3 changelog:
Fixed av codecs (videos should play just fine now, as well as youtube)
General code cleanup and optimizations
Build #3.5:
Performance improvements and some code cleanup.
Download links:
Build#1:
CM9: http://www.broken-arrow.pl/oisis/aokp/YPG1-CM9-OiSiS-build-02.zip
Kernel: http://zhshibenzhu.host22.com/tuchuang/cm9_kernel.tar
Build#2:
CM9: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?lu33uubm6der2j9
Kernel: Flash the one above.
Build#3:
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?96yk0e3y8cqzj1b
New kernel: http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1298676&d=1346633739
Build #3.5: http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?oscyfde4w364dj6
Install instructions:
Special thanks to daniel644 for the video and his high praises of me .
If you get stuck in recovery, flash a GB kernel, it will boot into recovery, simply hit "reboot". When it bootloops, boot into download and flash the CM9 kernel.
Resources:
Manifest.xml (so you can just simple "repo sync" instead of git pulling every time we have a new commit):http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1278615&d=1345762041
Wiki link (please help improve it!): http://forum.xda-developers.com/wiki/YP-G1
Github repo: https://github.com/TeamSupernovaSGP
NOTE: this is just the modded files. You need to full CM9 source before you can compile!
Contact us at: [email protected]
Please only emails us with valid questions or useful support!
port kernel 3.x from Galaxy S to SGP4.0 should be easy, coz hardware parts are almost the same, but SGP5.0 conpoments arent the same, the way for SGP5.0's 3.x kernel should be harder.
tdmcode actually has a booting CM9 build. I believe that wifi and sound work, but nothing else. His vendor tree and device tree are here:
https://github.com/tdm/android_vendor_samsung_ypg1/tree/ics-cm
https://github.com/tdm/android_device_samsung_ypg1/tree/ics-cm
He just never released it as it is still not very functional.
Maybe it would be easier to just take his source and try and fix the issues and make it fully working. Because getting an AOSP bringup to boot is most of the work; the rest should be easier to do.
Would it not be easier to port over a rom, as the hardware is the same? It would at least be more helpful, because if we could create a guide, we could port other roms over very quickly!
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
klin1344 said:
tdmcode actually has a booting CM9 build. I believe that wifi and sound work, but nothing else. His vendor tree and device tree are here:
https://github.com/tdm/android_vendor_samsung_ypg1/tree/ics-cm
https://github.com/tdm/android_device_samsung_ypg1/tree/ics-cm
He just never released it as it is still not very functional.
Maybe it would be easier to just take his source and try and fix the issues and make it fully working. Because getting an AOSP bringup to boot is most of the work; the rest should be easier to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I built it and I will test to see if it works (I'll use the newest kernel from cm7)
I am going out on a limb here...could we use the cm7 kerbel to help port a workable ics kernel for a galaxy s port? Once thats done cooking up a working rom should be easy and quick.
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
One thing
Ambitious project hanthesolo
one thing: could i suggest that the title of this thread should be Operation: ICS for Galaxy Player 4.0 or something?
Okay, I may rename it. ICS is far more feasible than you think. Once we get a working kernel running (which will be soon) we can port ics over from the galaxy s (which would be best, as once it boots most features would work). I hope by the time school starts up ics will be functional as a daily driver. I may not be able to help a ton, as most of this revolves around making a working kernel, but I will try to help where I can.
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
I can't get it to boot. (stuck at samsung logo) I think it would be better to build it from source instead of porting over.
Its stuck at the samsung logo because the kernel probably didnt work. It has happened to me before, we need to compile an ics kernel. The galaxy s one almost works, we just need to find out what makes it fail to boot.
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
We can use the BML/STL partition layout in waiting for yaffs2. We can use entrophy's device tree as base for it(we can ask for help from him too)
https://github.com/Entropy512/android_device_samsung_infuse4g
Thanks for looking into that zaclimon! I will pm him and see if he would be interested. I willxupdate the opxwoth info from various people/sies as I get it.
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
Would a tablet kernel made from scratch to run ICS do anything or does it need to be more kosher with Samsung and their device tree?
rozelle25 said:
Would a tablet kernel made from scratch to run ICS do anything or does it need to be more kosher with Samsung and their device tree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont quite understand what you mean. Can you elaborate please?
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
Hey I've been looking at this situation too and science coming back after q long time in the Xperia play forum I decided I wanted to help I found this guide about compelling ics http://www.freeyourandroid.com/guide/compile-ics but 1 problem I need to find the device and vendor tree on github but I've never used githubn before so need some help with that so if I can help please let me know
minipot said:
Hey I've been looking at this situation too and science coming back after q long time in the Xperia play forum I decided I wanted to help I found this guide about compelling ics http://www.freeyourandroid.com/guide/compile-ics but 1 problem I need to find the device and vendor tree on github but I've never used githubn before so need some help with that so if I can help please let me know
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If it was that easy, webwould have ics today on our devices. The reason its been so difficult is that we need to combine/port githubs to create a working kerbel, which is a lot harder than it sounds. Thanks for the link! I will put it in the op.
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
Im guessing u mean we could make a rom using that but first we need a kernel that qill work with it
Yeah. Porting a rom is easy, but getting a working kernel is not. Once we get a working kernel we can port as many roms as we please.
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA
Well I don't think it is that hard if we base ourselves from other devices trees like entrophy's one. I think he removed RFS from his initramfs which leaves him only ext4. Then he used a script that would convert the partitions to ext4 when installing CM9. I think it is the same things than with the mmc partitions (I think this is a part of why the 5.0 got ICS sonner than 4.0)
EDIT: And I think it's better to build it from source the first time. (instead of porting for the case of CM9 for example.)
Yeah, I was just talking comparatively. Has anyone begun working on this yet? I have been researching a LOT (the best thing I can do to help right now), but since my knowledge is limited on kernels, i cant help with that riht now
Sent From my Galaxy Player running StratusRom using XDA

[Q] Kernels and Android Versions

I'm not understanding how kernels and ROMs connect. Can someone give me some extra insight?
[Hardware] <-- Unique to every phone
--
[Kernel] <--- Tells the OS how to talk to the hardware
--
[ROM] <--- Slightly confused. Is the OS in the Read only Memory, or has this term changed its "street" meaning?
I understand that most ROMs (e.g. CM7 and CM9) include both the kernel and the ROM, but can you flash these separately too?
I have a 1.5 year old thunderbolt that's rooted, and has CM7 which is based on gingerbread. I believe HTC has also released the kernel as open source, which is probably the reason I have CM7
Anyway, I guess what I'm looking for is an answer/guide/forum that explains why I can't install newer versions of android onto the already working/open source kernel I'm already running. Is it accurate to view the kernel as all the phone's drivers, or just the CPU driver? If that statement is true, why can't I load ICS or Jelly Bean onto my already existing set of drivers?
I'm thinking about starting a Wiki on this if 1) it doesn't already exist, and 2) I can wrap my brain around it enough to share with others!
Thanks to anyone with a response!
shadowrelic said:
I'm not understanding how kernels and ROMs connect. Can someone give me some extra insight?
[Hardware] <-- Unique to every phone
--
[Kernel] <--- Tells the OS how to talk to the hardware
--
[ROM] <--- Slightly confused. Is the OS in the Read only Memory, or has this term changed its "street" meaning?
I understand that most ROMs (e.g. CM7 and CM9) include both the kernel and the ROM, but can you flash these separately too?
I have a 1.5 year old thunderbolt that's rooted, and has CM7 which is based on gingerbread. I believe HTC has also released the kernel as open source, which is probably the reason I have CM7
Anyway, I guess what I'm looking for is an answer/guide/forum that explains why I can't install newer versions of android onto the already working/open source kernel I'm already running. Is it accurate to view the kernel as all the phone's drivers, or just the CPU driver? If that statement is true, why can't I load ICS or Jelly Bean onto my already existing set of drivers?
I'm thinking about starting a Wiki on this if 1) it doesn't already exist, and 2) I can wrap my brain around it enough to share with others!
Thanks to anyone with a response!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct about the ROM, but ROMs also include the kernel (if it didn't, or no kernel was flashed separately, the device would not boot). Yes, other kernels can be flashed on your existing ROM, but it's not necessarily going to be compatible.
Sort of, but there's a lot more than that. See here and here. Later versions of Android will require newer drivers,etc. which the existing kernel won't provide (they'll be outdated). Back porting and additional coding is theoretically possible, but insanely difficult (many times). Even after this some things may still not work.
Thanks for the insight, I was able to get a lot deeper into this with those links. For anyone else wandering down a similar path, you might as well stop now! Here are a few links:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1039217&page=2#17
http://www.cs.uwc.ac.za/~mmotlhabi/avmk.pdf
http://www.iteachandroid.com/2012/01/what-is-firmware-rom-and-firmware.html
So, if anyone else is still listening, I do have two more questions:
Do any phones have truly open source drivers? (a.k.a. higher probability of allowing old hardware to work with new android OS)
Is there any way to determine which phones will be supported by the custom-ROM community early on? I know the Nexus line doesn't have vendor modified code, is that the direction which would have the highest probability to stay at top of the Custom ROM curve without upgrading devices every year?
Thanks again for any insight! I hope I'm posting this in a Newb-Friendly forum!
shadowrelic said:
Thanks for the insight, I was able to get a lot deeper into this with those links. For anyone else wandering down a similar path, you might as well stop now! Here are a few links:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1039217&page=2#17
http://www.cs.uwc.ac.za/~mmotlhabi/avmk.pdf
http://www.iteachandroid.com/2012/01/what-is-firmware-rom-and-firmware.html
So, if anyone else is still listening, I do have two more questions:
Do any phones have truly open source drivers? (a.k.a. higher probability of allowing old hardware to work with new android OS)
Is there any way to determine which phones will be supported by the custom-ROM community early on? I know the Nexus line doesn't have vendor modified code, is that the direction which would have the highest probability to stay at top of the Custom ROM curve without upgrading devices every year?
Thanks again for any insight! I hope I'm posting this in a Newb-Friendly forum!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For both your questions, the Nexus-line devices would be the way to go. They usually have everything working on new Android versions the soonest, and Google always releases their code, etc.
Hi
i can use linux kernel (zimage) to update android kernel if yes ,how ?
thnx

Categories

Resources