[Q] pmid10c boot image help - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I am looking to compile a new kernel for this device. I have pulled off the boot.img file from /dev/block/nandc and used split_bootimg.pl to pull apart the kernel and the boot ramdisk. I have used extract-ikconfig to get the kernel config and built my new 3.4 kernel (with modules). So far so good...
I have tried to build the new boot.img file with no avail. My concern is with the original kernel as the new one should be build the same (I think). It looks like it is not compressed as I run the command
file boot.img-kernel
It returns
boot.img-kernel: data
So it is not a Linux kernel ARM boot executable zImage
Is this correct? Can Android boot with this or is the split_bootimg.pl tool not creating the file correctly (it does pull the ramdisk as I have uncompressed it fine! and the file does contain the kernel config)
Ok So assuming I can create a proper boot.img with my built zImage and the old ramdisk, what do I need to do with the modules? Do I update the boot.img on the tablet and copy the modules over to the existing /system/lib/modules? (this appears to not work)
I did not find an exact guide on android kernel and the modules....
Domenic
link to the old (working) boot.img hxxps://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0c1jpaziDZ-NU5Sd18wbUVjN1E/edit?usp=sharing

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some progress
domenictroilo said:
I am looking to compile a new kernel for this device. I have pulled off the boot.img file from /dev/block/nandc and used split_bootimg.pl to pull apart the kernel and the boot ramdisk. I have used extract-ikconfig to get the kernel config and built my new 3.4 kernel (with modules). So far so good...
I have tried to build the new boot.img file with no avail. My concern is with the original kernel as the new one should be build the same (I think). It looks like it is not compressed as I run the command
file boot.img-kernel
It returns
boot.img-kernel: data
So it is not a Linux kernel ARM boot executable zImage
Is this correct? Can Android boot with this or is the split_bootimg.pl tool not creating the file correctly (it does pull the ramdisk as I have uncompressed it fine! and the file does contain the kernel config)
Ok So assuming I can create a proper boot.img with my built zImage and the old ramdisk, what do I need to do with the modules? Do I update the boot.img on the tablet and copy the modules over to the existing /system/lib/modules? (this appears to not work)
I did not find an exact guide on android kernel and the modules....
Domenic
link to the old (working) boot.img hxxps://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0c1jpaziDZ-NU5Sd18wbUVjN1E/edit?usp=sharing
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok so the mkimage command can be used to pull the uImage out of the Kernel Part of the file like this:
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x40008000 -e 0x40008000 -n "Linux 3.0.8" -d uImage boot.img-kernel2
The only question is where in the boot process can I find the "Load Address" and "Entry Point" values that are required to create my uImage. I would think that these are going to be needed as options when I build my new kernel, and I will need to change the boot process or add a boot.scr file with my options. I have mounted the /dev/block/nanda partition (uBoot partition) but am not certain on where I would find the current environment values.
I did find this little snippet on the net that referes to the base address for this device xxx.tabletroms.com/forums/all-other-android-tablets-general-discussion/5791-full-specs-whatever-else-polaroid-pmid10c-tablet-2.htmlx
mkbootimg --kernel boot.img-kernel --ramdisk boot.img-ramdisk.cpio.gz --cmdline 'console=ttyS0,115200 rw init=/init loglevel=8' --board sun4i --base 0x40000000 -o boot.img
But he never discusses where he found the -base address. Is this the same as the Load Address and Entry Point?
Domenic

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domenictroilo said:
Ok so the mkimage command can be used to pull the uImage out of the Kernel Part of the file like this:
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x40008000 -e 0x40008000 -n "Linux 3.0.8" -d uImage boot.img-kernel2
The only question is where in the boot process can I find the "Load Address" and "Entry Point" values that are required to create my uImage. I would think that these are going to be needed as options when I build my new kernel, and I will need to change the boot process or add a boot.scr file with my options. I have mounted the /dev/block/nanda partition (uBoot partition) but am not certain on where I would find the current environment values.
I did find this little snippet on the net that referes to the base address for this device xxx.tabletroms.com/forums/all-other-android-tablets-general-discussion/5791-full-specs-whatever-else-polaroid-pmid10c-tablet-2.htmlx
mkbootimg --kernel boot.img-kernel --ramdisk boot.img-ramdisk.cpio.gz --cmdline 'console=ttyS0,115200 rw init=/init loglevel=8' --board sun4i --base 0x40000000 -o boot.img
But he never discusses where he found the -base address. Is this the same as the Load Address and Entry Point?
Domenic
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the base address is found in script.bin (converted to text file with bin2fex tool). This is the information found in it:
[dram_para]
dram_baseaddr = 0x40000000
Still how do I find the "Load Address" and "Entry Point" for the current kernel...

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unmkbootimg
domenictroilo said:
So the base address is found in script.bin (converted to text file with bin2fex tool). This is the information found in it:
[dram_para]
dram_baseaddr = 0x40000000
Still how do I find the "Load Address" and "Entry Point" for the current kernel...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well more reading leads me to use unmkbootimg but on my linux 32bit system all I get is:
# strace ./unmkbootimg
execve("./unmkbootimg", ["./unmkbootimg"], [/* 20 vars */]) = 0
--- SIGILL (Illegal instruction) @ 0 (0) ---
+++ killed by SIGILL +++
Illegal instruction
Too bad I can see the souce code to find out what this program is doing or compile it for myself.....

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split_bootimg.pl should give you the parameters i listed on tabletroms.
What source are you using? Polaroid never coughed any up and i last harassed them in February.

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bigsupersquid said:
split_bootimg.pl should give you the parameters i listed on tabletroms.
What source are you using? Polaroid never coughed any up and i last harassed them in February.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is the split:
letourneau:~/tmp# ../split_bootimg.pl /root/boot.img
Page size: 2048 (0x00000800)
Kernel size: 8112836 (0x007bcac4)
Ramdisk size: 210343 (0x000335a7)
Second size: 0 (0x00000000)
Board name:
Command line: console=ttyS0,115200 rw init=/init loglevel=8
Writing boot.img-kernel ... complete.
Writing boot.img-ramdisk.gz ... complete.
I am using the linux--sunxi kernel for now with an additional patch for dmard06.ko (which I do not expect to work!) I emailed them for the kernel source but just received a form email saying they will get back to me..... oh well I will as again.
Just playing around for now to see if a newer kernel will tweek up the speed on this device as it is very laggy.
Domenic
I may be using an older version of split_bootimg.pl?

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On another note, I was able to execute unmkbootimg on a different linux server. I was attempting to run it on a PIII 800 so it needs something > a pentium (I guess).
./unmkbootimg boot.img
unmkbootimg version 1.2 - Mikael Q Kuisma <[email protected]>
Kernel size 8112836
Kernel address 0x40008000
Ramdisk size 210343
Ramdisk address 0x41000000
Secondary size 0
Secondary address 0x40f00000
Kernel tags address 0x40000100
Flash page size 2048
Board name is ""
Command line "console=ttyS0,115200 rw init=/init loglevel=8"
This image is built using standard mkbootimg
Extracting kernel to file zImage ...
Extracting root filesystem to file initramfs.cpio.gz ...
All done.
---------------
To recompile this image, use:
mkbootimg --kernel zImage --ramdisk initramfs.cpio.gz --base 0x40000000 --cmdline 'console=ttyS0,115200 rw init=/init loglevel=8' -o new_boot.img
---------------
Domenic

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think the parameters you're searching for are specific for building the new kernel without proper source code to extract them from?
maybe you could get them from dmesg while the tablet is running?
else think there might be a way to grep the variable names in the existing kernel binary or headers?
i also would like a fresh kernel.
maybe useful stuff here:
https://vilimpoc.org/research/sh3dev/kernel-hacking.html

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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=46668556&postcount=31
thanks jjchico
i haven't checked this out yet, but may be useful.

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Well I have build a new kernel and copied the modules over, but I does not boot. It appears that it never mounts the ramdisk as it never gets to the second splash screen, but I am flying blind as there is no serial port to debug with. I suspect that I do not quite understand the boot process for this tablet.... here is what is on the nanda vfat partition: (good information here http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/a10_boot_process/)
since this is in my linux.ini
cat linux.ini
[segment]
img_name = c:\linux\u-boot.bin
img_size = 0x80000
img_base = 0x4A000000
[script_info]
script_base = 0x43000000
script_size = 0x10000
[logo_info]
logo_name = c:\linux\linux.bmp
logo_show = 1
Not quite certain how to setup img_base on my compile I guess.
I have tried the linix.ini from the link above but the tablet booted to livesuite image... that is a fail.

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Not being a kernel developer.... I am wondering if the option to setup SUNXI_NAND_COMPAT_DEV is creating /dev/block/nandX or /dev/nandX as this will definatly impact the init.sun4i.rc file as it is mounting /dev/block/nandX This could be my first issue.... but then does /init first display the initlogo.rle or start processing init.sun4i.rc. Well if the first thing it does in load initlogo.rle then I am not even getting this far....below is the description of SUNXI_NAND_COMPAT_DEV
Symbol: SUNXI_NAND_COMPAT_DEV [=y] │
│ Type : boolean │
│ Prompt: Create old nand device names (nanda-nandz) │
│ Defined at drivers/block/Kconfig:564 │
│ Depends on: BLK_DEV [=y] && SUNXI_NAND [=y] │
│ Location: │
│ -> Device Drivers │
│ -> Block devices (BLK_DEV [=y]) │
│ -> SUNXI Nandflash Driver (SUNXI_NAND [=y]) │

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well a little more reading leads me to this page on the CarbonRom http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/64378-rom-carbonrom-422/ turns out that if you want to run a 3.4 kernel you MUST update u-boot (http://www.mediafire...4ro667xcfkd2dv7).... so I have flashed the CarbonRom and it does boot with the u-boot update. Not to worry the new u-boot will still boot the old kernel. The only issue I have with the CarbonRom kernel is the missing dmard06 driver so no touch screen..... I may get a new kernel working yet!

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domenictroilo said:
well a little more reading leads me to this page on the CarbonRom http://www.slatedroid.com/topic/64378-rom-carbonrom-422/ turns out that if you want to run a 3.4 kernel you MUST update u-boot (http://www.mediafire...4ro667xcfkd2dv7).... so I have flashed the CarbonRom and it does boot with the u-boot update. Not to worry the new u-boot will still boot the old kernel. The only issue I have with the CarbonRom kernel is the missing dmard06 driver so no touch screen..... I may get a new kernel working yet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://github.com/fsebentley/linux_allwinner_drivers_input_touchscreen_mods
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/linux-sunxi/D0n8dyaVA34
?

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bigsupersquid said:
https://github.com/fsebentley/linux_allwinner_drivers_input_touchscreen_mods
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/linux-sunxi/D0n8dyaVA34
?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the patch compiles,you need to comment out #include <linux/earlysuspend.h> as it is not supported on the newer kernel and not required by the driver anyway. I just need to get the kernel to actually load lol..... I have at least gotten past the boot screen now, but it hangs.... I will try a different arm tool chain and see what happens next.....

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So close but yet so far..... well I have the new kernel installed and booted with adb shell available but it turns out the new mma7660.ko is not compatable with my device I get this error from dmesg over and over and over....
<4>[ 3254.934675] incomplete xfer (0x20)
<3>[ 3254.938093] Assertion failed! drivers/hwmon/mma7660.c,196,mma7660_read_xyz,result>=0
Will rename the driver and see if I can get past init further in the boot....
Edit
Well more issues with drivers the dmard06 is not compatible either, I had more success with the Carbon Kernel I will see if I can find the source git, should be around....
dmesg | busybox grep dmard
<4>[ 5.408528] dmard06: init
<3>[ 5.447835] dmard06gsensor_fetch_sysconfig_para: after: gsensor_twi_addr is 0x4c, dirty_addr_buf: 0x4c. dirty_addr_buf[1]: 0xfffe
<4>[ 5.488546] dmard06_init: after fetch_sysconfig_para: normal_i2c: 0x4c. normal_i2c[1]: 0xfffe
<6>[ 5.508612] gsensor_detect: Detected chip dmard06 at adapter 1, address 0x4c
<4>[ 5.601533] dmard06 gsensor I2C err = 0!
<4>[ 5.613430] dmard06 probe failed
<4>[ 5.624926] dmard06: probe of 1-004c failed with error -1
This all makes some sense as Polaroid has not get gotten me the kernel and the drivers they load (their kernel have very unique names:
Module Size Used by Not tainted
8192cu 575431 0
rtl8150 8910 0
mcs7830 6557 0
qf9700 8513 0
asix 22500 0
usbnet 23745 3 mcs7830,qf9700,asix
dmard06_gl 8202 2
mma7660 6541 0
mali 130177 14
ump 42178 19 mali
gt811_ts_828 19947 0
sun4i_csi0 27946 0
nt99250 14254 1
gc0308 12848 1
videobuf_dma_contig 5659 1 sun4i_csi0
videobuf_core 18067 2 sun4i_csi0,videobuf_dma_contig

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Well more issues with drivers the dmard06 is not compatible either, I had more success with the Carbon Kernel I will see if I can find the kernel source git, should be around....
dmesg | busybox grep dmard
<4>[ 5.408528] dmard06: init
<3>[ 5.447835] dmard06gsensor_fetch_sysconfig_para: after: gsensor_twi_addr is 0x4c, dirty_addr_buf: 0x4c. dirty_addr_buf[1]: 0xfffe
<4>[ 5.488546] dmard06_init: after fetch_sysconfig_para: normal_i2c: 0x4c. normal_i2c[1]: 0xfffe
<6>[ 5.508612] gsensor_detect: Detected chip dmard06 at adapter 1, address 0x4c
<4>[ 5.601533] dmard06 gsensor I2C err = 0!
<4>[ 5.613430] dmard06 probe failed
<4>[ 5.624926] dmard06: probe of 1-004c failed with error -1
This all makes some sense as Polaroid has not provided me the kernel they used and the drivers they load have unique names see below from the original stock rom:
Module Size Used by Not tainted
8192cu 575431 0
rtl8150 8910 0
mcs7830 6557 0
qf9700 8513 0
asix 22500 0
usbnet 23745 3 mcs7830,qf9700,asix
dmard06_gl 8202 2
mma7660 6541 0
mali 130177 14
ump 42178 19 mali
gt811_ts_828 19947 0
sun4i_csi0 27946 0
nt99250 14254 1
gc0308 12848 1
videobuf_dma_contig 5659 1 sun4i_csi0
videobuf_core 18067 2 sun4i_csi0,videobuf_dma_contig

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I suspect after all the trouble I had with LG source that there are device-specific bits in the drivers.
Polaroid will most likely have to cough up source to get it all working.
Have you considered trying punchmod to use the old drivers? I dunno if that'd work considering the stock kernel is a lower version... but it might be worth a try.

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bigsupersquid said:
I suspect after all the trouble I had with LG source that there are device-specific bits in the drivers.
Polaroid will most likely have to cough up source to get it all working.
Have you considered trying punchmod to use the old drivers? I dunno if that'd work considering the stock kernel is a lower version... but it might be worth a try.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have changed the vermagic on the old modules and tried with the newer kernel but no go.... the latest 3.0 sunxi kernel is at 3.0.96 so I will build this one and see if I can get the special 3.0.8 polaroid modules to load.
I have a ticket open with Polaroid lol I guess we will see if the cough up a kernel or not.... I would not put money on it...

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domenictroilo said:
I have changed the vermagic on the old modules and tried with the newer kernel but no go.... the latest 3.0 sunxi kernel is at 3.0.96 so I will build this one and see if I can get the special 3.0.8 polaroid modules to load.
I have a ticket open with Polaroid lol I guess we will see if the cough up a kernel or not.... I would not put money on it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had an open ticket since November from talking on the phone after email did nothing.
nothing but autoresponder.

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bigsupersquid said:
I've had an open ticket since November from talking on the phone after email did nothing.
nothing but autoresponder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you believe that something like this http://gpl-violations.org/faq/violation-faq.html could force them to provide the source code? I could try to get the group at "FreakTab" to make the same requests for the kernel sources. Maybe with enough requests the gpl-violations group could take it on?
(K I am getting off topic here sorry anyone out there......)
I have attempted to build the 3.0.96 kernel but it did not boot.... back to hacking at the .config to see what I have missed (I need to move my build environment off this old p3 800 lol)