Database Users

[request] how to edit ramdisk

I am very familiar with editing the ramdisk of a standard boot.img but have no idea how to do so with the way this phone is set up (has a zImage, etc). Can someone point me in the right direction so we can make some great things happen for this device? Thanks in advance

I can tell you how to extract the initramfs image, but I don't think anybody has had success in inserting an altered image into the stock kernel, so it's only of use in building your own kernel. You need to search for a gzip header in the zImage, it is a sequence of three bytes: 1F8B08. Gunzip this and all data following it to get the Image file. Search that for another gzip header, which is the start of the initramfs, in the form of a gzipped cpio archive. You will need to unpack this if you want to modify it. Be aware that it contains absolute pathnames and that cpio will cheerfully and silently extract these to the root of your filesystem if to don't explicitly tell it not to.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

[IDE] Build System for Boot Images v0.1 (Kernel, Ramdisk, Recovery Archive, ...)

Hi,
Because of the need of a bootmanager and the lack of patience to type a hack a lot at the console, I created a ubuntu maverick based build system for arm crosscompiling with a script helps by building kernel, ramdisk, recovery archive, debugging via fastboot and so on. As chroot env it is very flexible, needs not to install something and runs inside all linux distris.
just extract it somewhere onto an ext partition goto the directory and type ./start
in the root of the chroot env is a README file which contains infos where is what. read it before.
it contains three tools
build (a script supports different actions, "build help" shows them)
unpack-boot (extracts a boot image into the actual directory)
unpack-ramdisk (extracts a ramdisk into the actual directory)
Download:
http://www.bisme.net/files/xda/bootbs.tar.bz2
TODO:
the chroot env is still based on a desktop version of maverick and bigger than needed, this will change soon.
PS: Bootmanager is still in work, should finish(as a trivial but working version) in the next days and is the first step to support multiboot different linux installations(also different android versions) on android tablets. But this is another story will get an own Thread here. In the meantime I hope all romcookers out there will have fun with this build system.

[dev] fastboot kernel + patches

As we are able to fastboot, it make sense to have choice
As it is done now. Normal booting using 2ndinit
PC booting, not using 2ndinit (as the proper files can be inside the boot.img)
The drawback of 2. are obvious. if battery die, etc... but then 1. can be used. so i think 2. will have spread usage.
The pros of 2. are obvious too (no 2nd init, kernel can be modifed e.g. swap etc...) and not so obvious .... But it can be tested / used without compromising the phone usage (e.g. a plain reboot will go to 1.).
Having that in mind, fjfalcon your boot.img are working. (mine doesn't, mioze7ae`s too, there is some old post in some thread about that, but let's stick to this one).
So could you be so kind to share how to build usable (e.g. working) boot.img ?
Then using mio`s knowledge of preparing fastboot openrecovery it will be easy to implement inits, which don't rely on 2ndinit.
And then the real work can begin . Patching the kernel
I have found good starting point of patches:
http://omappedia.org/wiki/Patches_being_done_on_2.6.29_Android_kernel_not_yet_submitted_upstream
had checked some of them (there are not in our moto-compiled kernel), and most of them seems promising...
Of-course this will be just the beginning.
We can try to "patch" discovered goodies (via modules) to the moto-kernel
we can try to use newer version of the kernel (using 2./
etc...

i used motoroi devtree from opensource and kernel.tar.gz from 2.1.
Also i just patched some files... and that should be all.
I think when i get free time i will post our kernel to git.
But, idea about move 2ndinit away is back...
Much better idea will be usyng 2ndinit both times, with if/else statements.
Also, i'am almost done to building uart for kernel testing. I hope it will work.
I pushed mine kernel to https://github.com/CyanogenModXT720/android_kernel with xt720 branch. When it will be finished it will appear.
I need to run, good luck.
I also using command to build: make -j8 -f kernel/kernel.mk BLD_CONF=mine3

10x,
when i build modules, i had issue... they just did not load to the kernel... it turns out that my toolchain was not the right one... using another fixed the modules loading....
about 2ndinit we can brainstorm it later (i have mind floating around about the location of init_prep_keypad.sh)
i am curious about uart, where should we hook the wires :?)
i am curious more because of that commit comment
commit 9638a7f382b7ac1629cfa431bd32790362e3af70
Author: Muhammed Siju <[email protected]>
Date: Thu Jun 17 11:02:09 2010 +0530
IKSTR-401.Disable TV out accessory detection.
TV out code is currently enabled in kernel.So some 3.5mm accessory is getting detected as TV cable.However the TV out service APK was removed from the build.
This causes issues like accessory removal not getting detected and TTY cable failures.This is workaround to treat high impedence cables as headset without mic instead
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am not sure how to interpret the bolded one (and i am afraid to hope )

http://xt720.ru/foto mine uart.
Sent from my Milestone XT720 using xda premium

stock recovery adb ?
i just take a look at
cg35.img (e.g. boot image, when boot normaly) and
cg47.img (e.g. boot image, when booted in stock recovery)
equals: kernel
differs: kernel cmdline, and the ramdisk.
in the normal boot.img there is no cmdline, in the recovery one there is
Code:
console=ttyS2,115200n8 rw [email protected] init=/init ip=off motobldlabel=none mtdparts=omap2-nand.0:128k(mbmloader),640k(mbm),640k(mbmbackup),384k(bploader),384k(cdt),1536k(pds),384k(lbl),384k(lbl_backup),384k(cid),1536k(sp),384k(devtree),640k(logo),384k(misc),3584k(boot),3840k(bpsw),4608k(recovery),8960k(cdrom),384k(unused0),204416k(system),384k(unused1),106m(cache),177280k(userdata),1536k(cust),384k(unused2),2m(kpanic),512k(rsv)
kernel cmdline is curious to me, and will need more investigate, mostly because it is present in the normal boot too. (have to compare to the recovery one). I suppose, that the bootloader passes it to the normal boot ...
about initial ramdisk there is something interesting in it
mainly the adbd
service is defined in init.rc
Code:
service adbd /sbin/adbd recovery
on property:persist.service.adb.enable=1
start adbd
on property:persist.service.adb.enable=0
stop adbd
but disabled in default.prop
Code:
persist.service.adb.enable=0
as we are able to fastboot, it will be very interesting to see what can be done within the recovery shell (just have to modify default.prop using unpackbootimg and mkbootimg )
Personally i plan to do it near future (e.g. have time, did not test long term stability etc....)

recovery.img afaik also signed.

peshovec said:
i just take a look at
cg35.img (e.g. boot image, when boot normaly) and
cg47.img (e.g. boot image, when booted in stock recovery)
equals: kernel
differs: kernel cmdline, and the ramdisk.
in the normal boot.img there is no cmdline, in the recovery one there is
Code:
console=ttyS2,115200n8 rw [email protected] init=/init ip=off motobldlabel=none mtdparts=omap2-nand.0:128k(mbmloader),640k(mbm),640k(mbmbackup),384k(bploader),384k(cdt),1536k(pds),384k(lbl),384k(lbl_backup),384k(cid),1536k(sp),384k(devtree),640k(logo),384k(misc),3584k(boot),3840k(bpsw),4608k(recovery),8960k(cdrom),384k(unused0),204416k(system),384k(unused1),106m(cache),177280k(userdata),1536k(cust),384k(unused2),2m(kpanic),512k(rsv)
kernel cmdline is curious to me, and will need more investigate, mostly because it is present in the normal boot too. (have to compare to the recovery one). I suppose, that the bootloader passes it to the normal boot ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Normal boot ignores cmdline and uses atags struct from cdt.bin table (CG31) instead. Recovery boot ignores atags struct and uses cmdline from recovery.img. This is why:
xt720mod.sbf uses normal Milestone XT720 boot.img (UK) but has Motoroi partition structure and recovery--the cmdline inside boot.img is ignored--partition locations come from CDT. If the normal boot used cmdline, xt720mod.sbf could never work using the Milestone XT720 kernel--we'd have to use the Motoroi kernel.
Normal boot has boot.img read-only and missing bpsw etc, but booting into stock recovery has all of the missing ones and they are read/write (because recovery.img uses the cmdline instead of atags)
Tangentially, there's also the devtree (CG61). For some reason the vulnerable Motoroi recovery.img used in xt720mod.sbf doesn't work with Milestone XT720 devtree {=stuck at (M)} *but* Milestone XT720 boot.img does work with Motoroi devtree ... sensorfix.ko tries to correct for some of the Milestone/Motoroi devtree differences (most of the devtree data is actually identical--just some subtle differences), but I haven't gotten to all of them yet (sensorfix.ko at the moment just corrects the accelerator axis mapping--I suspect there's something weird going on with the light sensor, too but I haven't figured that out yet).
fjfalcon said:
recovery.img afaik also signed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think he's talking about making a fastboot recovery. That's also what I did here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/archive/index.php/t-1477752.html and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=23965193#post23965193. I thought about putting in a different recovery at first--but the more I thought about it, I couldn't find any reason to justify using a recovery different from openrecovery--just about anything you'd want to do in a custom recovery requires a sdcard to be present and openrecovery is already field-tested on XT720. I can't remember if fastbooted recovery uses the atags or cmdline... I don't think I ever figured out if the difference is in the bootloader or in the kernels.
Edit: when I created the fastboot-openrecovery.img I used the kernel from normal boot.img and used a custom ramdisk that was derived from recovery.img. And I didn't add any command line:
Code:
rm ramdisk.cpio.gz
cd ramdisk/
find . | cpio -o -H newc | gzip > ../ramdisk.cpio.gz
cd ..
rm openrecovery-fastboot.img
mkbootimg \
--kernel stock-boot.img-zImage \
--ramdisk ramdisk.cpio.gz \
--cmdline '' \
--base 10000000 \
--pagesize 00000800 \
-o openrecovery-fastboot.img
I can't remember if I tried using the recovery.img kernel or if I just decided not to risk that the recovery.img kernel wasn't flexible enough--I wanted the same fastboot recovery to work on both stock.sbf's and xt720mod.sbf... i.e. I explicitly wanted to use the atags data in cdt.bin that will always match the installed sbf rather than a static command line... and the mtdhack.ko I've made for XT720 is carefully crafted to work on both Milestone XT720 and Motoroi sbfs by relying on atags... so... I doubt I ever pursued using the recovery kernel.

Normal boot ignores cmdline and uses atags struct from cdt.bin table (CG31) instead. Recovery boot ignores atags struct and uses cmdline from recovery.img.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
10x
will have to play using simultaneously fastboot and pressing the buttons, which screamed "stock recovery" just to check if we can benefit from cmdline somehow..
however i tried to automate the boot.img repack.
https://github.com/CyanogenModXT720/fastboot-repack
the default generated image (boot-custom.img) should work as test proofing
(will use the init*rc from my testing build, and will avoid 2ndint), the kernel is still stock (yet).
When i will find enough time to test, will start playing with different kernel (mainly the above mentioned patches )
p.s. yes i know fastbooting is annoying, but if there are charger near where, it will be perfectly usable for a long time...

One thing I've wanted to try is creating a basically stock kernel+compcache/ramz. Nadlabak says it's very helpful on A853 (he has a motorola development grade A853 that has high-security mode disabled so he can flash anything). The idea is you could fastboot to have a ram boost without using a swap partition (ramz does swap into a compressed region of ram).

Nadlabak says it's very helpful on A853 (he has a motorola development grade A853 that has high-security mode disabled so he can flash anything)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
interesting, i have read something like that somewhere, but it was stated this is just rumor....
the approach with starting with stock kernel, then just enable some useful options (like swap), then start observing patches fits my vision too

peshovec said:
i tried to automate the boot.img repack.
https://github.com/CyanogenModXT720/fastboot-repack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was just reading through the repository and saw the comment about replacing /init with one that handles parameters properly for insmod. You can also replace /init just before 2nd-init for the hijacked boot (2nd-init kills* /init and it gets restarted fresh). nadlabak's been doing this to add udev support on a853. I think fjfalcon's done that, too iirc.
*not really kill, it causes the original /init to exec /init

it can be done in the squisher...
# Rootfs stuff
mkdir -p $REPACK/ota/system/etc/rootfs/sbin
cp $OUT/root/sbin/adbd $REPACK/ota/system/etc/rootfs/sbin/adbd
cp $OUT/root/init $REPACK/ota/system/etc/rootfs/init
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
(nadlabak "Replaces" init and adbd)
then have to set permission in sh_hijack ...
probably will do that sometime in the future (if we had for example usb otg, probably we should have benefit of udev, but right now, it is just the feeling to be on the edge/latest and greatest ......e.g. not so high priority )

ok, run some tests
successful boot is achieved after
Code:
export CROSS_COMPILE=.......cyano/nadlabak/prebuilt/linux-x86/toolchain/arm-eabi-4.4.0/bin/arm-eabi-
will try to attach the .config (swap enabled and the zImage
(attached in kernel_plus_config.tar )
of course i had some troubles mainly because the stock modules, are build with gcc 4.4.0 . Before seeing that, i was using different prebuilt toolchains ... and the kernel was tainted, paniced etc.....
using the above right now....
Code:
<6>[ 0.000000] Initializing cgroup subsys cpu
<5>[ 0.000000] Linux version 2.6.29-omap1 ([email protected]) (gcc version 4.4.0 (GCC) ) #2 PREEMPT Tue Apr 24 10:17:21 EEST 2012
/system/xbin/dd if=/dev/zero of=/sdcard/swap.img bs=1M count=50
mkswap /sdcard/swap.img
swapon /sdcard/swap.img
~ # free
total used free shared buffers
Mem: 230256 219232 11024 0 212
-/+ buffers: 219020 11236
Swap: 51192 1700 49492
So Mio, you can now try the swapz/
i will play with other options (moto has at least hdmi and camera driver, which are not present in later version of the omap 2.6.29 ... so i will try to merge

the gsm radio is very easy to break ...
i discovered, that if some module did not load 100% clean, the phone will lock/reboot ....
Then i start playing around that. Did not load any modules, and when load the modules about radio i discovered the title (e.g. still no radio, but phone lock/reboot again....)
So till now, my best combination (which i plan to test for a long (few days atleast) period) is:
plain stock + swap + 250, 500, 600, 800 Mhz (the default were always strange to me 250, 500, 550, 720 )
Also till now, i was not able to compile zram module
p.s. btw, i hope everybody knows, that actually there is no need for a separate swap partition,for somebody to use the swap, right ?

linkdriver
the following commit is very interesting to me ...
Code:
commit 1b533b8c037ae496a329e8e6c5e793232310b559
Author: Wei-Yu-Neng Loic <[email protected]>
Date: Tue Jun 9 17:48:14 2009 +0200
Add netmux_linkdriver and compile the netmux drivers in modules and not static
I wonder if before this commit, the radio was working?
Also this commit adds some harcoded configs ...
Code:
drivers/misc/netmux_linkdriver/usb/ModKconfig
....
+title = netmux_linkdriver
+obj_tree =
+depends =
+kconfig = Kconfig
+config = .config
+autoconf_header = modkconfig/autoconf.h
+config_header = modkconfig/config.h
.....
the autoconf.h and config.h are basically the kernel config ...
I suspect, that if we change the kernel config, in such way, that the modules will not be able to load, then we have to modify the modkonfig headers too...

I have created a kernel that has ramz and the ramzswap module for testing/experimentation.
Built from compcache-0.6.2 with the notify patches applied
Kernel source: ramz branch @ https://github.com/CyanogenModXT720/android_kernel
Rough notes on how to make your own bootz.img:
Compile using 4.4.0 toolchain from the android NDK version 5c. Something like:
Code:
export ARCH=arm
export CROSS_COMPILE=path/to/android-ndk-r5c/toolchains/arm-eabi-4.4.0/prebuilt/linux-x86/bin/arm-eabi-
export KERNEL_DIR=path/to/android_kernel
cd $KERNEL_DIR
make str_ramz_defconfig
make
Create bootz.img something like this:
Code:
mkbootimg \
--kernel path/to/android_kernel/arch/arm/boot/zImage \
--ramdisk path/to/uk-boot.img-ramdisk.gz \
--cmdline "" \
--base 10000000 \
--pagesize 00000800 \
-o bootz.img
Build the ramzswap.ko something like this:
Code:
cd compcache-0.6.2
# edit compat.h as described in "HIGHLY RECOMMENDED" section of README to enable use of the notify patch
make -C $KERNEL_DIR SUBDIRS=`pwd` modules
The kernel config I used is modified from str_defconfig, added as str_ramz_config (basically add swap, lzo_compress/lzo_decompress, /proc/config.gz) Link to config: https://github.com/CyanogenModXT720/android_kernel/blob/ramz/arch/arm/configs/str_ramz_defconfig
I haven't figured out how to cross-compile the rzscontrol yet so the CM compcache script doesn't work. OG Droid builds it as part of CM, so we can probably snag theirs.
Example of manual use (after fastboot boot bootz.img):
Code:
# Create 20MB zram
insmod ramzswap num_devices=1 disksize_kb=20480
# Enable swap on the new ramzswap0 device
swapon /dev/block/ramzswap0
# Set swappiness
echo 100 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness
Be sure to check if your sdcard has a swap partition, you may want to disable the script that turns on swap there--it's usually in /system/etc/init.d/ with the name "swap" in the filename. I'm not sure how android sets priorities on different swap devices, the usual linux command isn't supported.
I have no idea what size of ramz people use. sholes (OG Droid) has compcache support in their CM7, so I'll probably look there next.
I've only tested this on a custom-tweaked version of peshovec's Apr 4 CM7 build running on xt720mod.sbf--I don't expect problems, but ymmv and you should be very aware of what the various /system/etc/init.d scripts (and possibly /system/etc/rootfs/*.rc) are up to.
The config can also be obtained from /proc/config.gz -- I propose we "insist" that custom kernels use that feature and then shell scripts can easily test existence of /proc/config.gz to detect custom kernels. On the other hand, that file consumes 16k...

Mioze7Ae said:
[*]Built from compcache-0.6.2 with the notify patches applied
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hehe, that explain my troubles with compiling
i had used https://github.com/a853/a853_compcache
now tried the same setup with the old plain 0.6.2 and it compiles ...

Sweet. On peshovec's CM7 with a 40mb ramzswap, I'm able to keep XDA, HackerNews, Diode and Gh4a all running and switch between any of them instantly (also note I was already very happy with memory use on peshovec's CM7 without ramzswap). Probably not big news for people who've been using a swap partition, but compcache/ramzswap is swap without a swap partition--so no sdcard chewing. My perspective is: phone is perfectly usable without ramz if a reboot happens, but if I keep it charged I get some extra boost. For now, this is what I'm using as /system/etc/init.d/02ramz:
Code:
#!/system/xbin/busybox sh
# Don't do anything unless custom boot.img
[ -f /proc/config.gz ] || exit
# Create 40MB zram
/system/xbin/insmod /system/lib/modules/ramzswap.ko num_devices=1 disksize_kb=40960
/system/xbin/swapon /dev/block/ramzswap0
echo 100 > /proc/sys/vm/swappiness

hopefully in some days i will gather enough information, about how much exactly memory we are missing...
preliminary results are:
about 25 swap (pure one) needed,
-
about 5 which can be recovered with pkill at 4am (hello cron)
equal to about 20 MB more ram needed for full pleasure
This number can be used for calculating the percentage of ramz (which obviously is a trade between more RAM and faster RAM )

Doh! The device is automatically created as /dev/block/ramzswap0 on android not /dev/ramzswap0. I've updated my posts above appropriately.

uboot bootloader - for the true multiboot

Hi! I have ported the u-boot bootloader to Samsung Galaxy S2.
What's this for
This is for allowing true multi-boot on our device. Since Samsung combined boot and recovery partitions into a single one, it is impossible to use different kernels for boot and recovery, thus it is impossible to, say, dual-boot android and ubuntu with different kernels without reflashing.
Is it safe?
Should be not more dangerous than flashing a new kernel. We're not overwriting the original Secondary Bootloader (SBL), we're chainloading from it.
Mind that currently only european galaxy s2 (with max8997 pmic and wvga screen) is supported.
How to install and test
Download the precompiled u-boot.bin http://www.mediafire.com/?ovd6asa90de4ifn
Download the uImage (3.0.30 cm9 image) http://www.mediafire.com/?y3g1e463rzas9vm
flash the uboot with heimdall
Code:
heimdall flash --kernel u-boot.bin
we abuse the unused-by-default recovery partition for keeping the linux kernel
Code:
heimdall flash --recovery uImage
You may put a custom uImage and u-boot boot script to the emmc ums partition (the 12G one). Put them to
Code:
boot/vmlinux.uimg
boot/boot.scr.uimg
accordingly. vmlinux.uimg is just a renamed uImage. Take care - for this 'custom' kernel the cmdline is different from android one, it tells the kernel to boot off microsd partition 2. If you want to use custom kernels, please hardcode the command line in kernel config when compiling. To boot the 'custom' kernel you need to hold the home key while turning on the device.
A practical example - booting Siyah kernel from emmc
Get boot.scr.uimg http://www.mediafire.com/?k4s2ldudk8g9u4e
Get siyah uImage http://www.mediafire.com/?w57aqn7jig4ij5k
copy them to the device
Code:
adb shell mkdir /sdcard/boot
adb push boot.scr.uimg /sdcard/boot
mv uImage android.uimg
adb push android.uimg /sdcard/boot
For devs - How to compile
Grab u-boot source @ my gitorious, branch is i9100_tracking
https://gitorious.org/i9100-proper-linux/i9100-uboot
for compiling uboot:
export PATH, CROSS_COMPILE and ARCH variables and do sth like this
Code:
make galaxys2_config
make -j6 galaxys2
for compiling uImage either add uboot/tools to PATH and use "make uImage" target in kernel. Or, wrap the existing zImage into uImage
Code:
u-boot/tools/mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x40008000 -e 0x40008000 -n Linux-android-sucks -d cm9_kernel/arch/arm/boot/zImage uImage
for compiling boot script, use the following command. Please remember that you need to use a different loadaddr not to overwrite the boto script
Code:
mkimage -A arm -O linux -T script -C none -a 0 -e 0 -n "android" -d boot.cmd boot.scr.uimg
Here is an example boot script
Code:
setenv android_cmd loglevel=4 console=ram sec_debug.enable=0 sec_debug.enable_user=0 [email protected] s3cfb.bootloaderfb=0x5ec00000 ld9040.get_lcdtype=0x2 consoleblank=0 lpj=3981312 vmalloc=144m;
if test $sgs2_bootmode_val -eq 1; then
setenv android_cmd ${android_cmd} bootmode=2;
fi
setenv bootargs ${android_cmd}
setenv devtype mmc
setenv devnum 0
setenv kernel_part 0xb
setenv kernel_name /boot/android.uimg
setenv loadaddr 0x4EF08000
echo Load Address:${loadaddr};
echo Cmdline:${bootargs};
if fatload ${devtype} ${devnum}:${kernel_part} ${loadaddr} ${kernel_name}; then
bootm ${loadaddr};
exit 0;
elif ext2load ${devtype} ${devnum}:${kernel_part} ${loadaddr} ${kernel_name}; then
bootm ${loadaddr};
exit 0;
else
echo failed to boot custom image;
fi
TODO
Add lcd and board revision detection to build a proper command line
Add support for other galaxy s2 and Note revisions - depending on the user feedback and testing volunteers
Fix MTYPE (linux kernel machine type). Samsung uses the same mtype for all boards which is clearly wrong. In my linaro-based kernel I'm using a new mtype which I registered for I9100. Since CM9 kernels enable more than one board, booting will fail if mtype is wrong. So, for now, uboot is using samsung's mtype, and I want to find a way to switch it in runtime.
Add galaxys2 modem support to fsogsmd or ofono, install Mer or ubuntu and get rid of the java-ridden crapware named Android

Great job! Any chance on getting it as a .tar ODIN flashable file? I could make a guide to help newbies use the uboot bl as well when it's developed further
Using both CM9 Kernel for CM9 and Siyah for Resurrection Remix ICS is a great sight!

looks promising. great going

dual boot ... mean two different roms on sgs2 like siyah kernel???

Deleted

I am unsure about multiple android kernels - need to make some boot scripts to test. My initial aim was to support both android and native Ubuntu. I will tell you about dual-booting android, but I need time for testing

How about using my code in board_unit()? Seems to me like the only way. I don't see how it can be done without modifying uboot.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

MemoryController said:
How about using my code in board_unit()? Seems to me like the only way. I don't see how it can be done without modifying uboot.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please take a look at my git, the boot key detection is done in a very similiar way. I would suppose that we can put any commands in the uboot script file and can boot custom android kernels with that

About the mtype I mean. Doesn't it need to be set in board_init ()? I will checkout the git later.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA

need to think of mtype..
anyway, updated the first post with the instructions how to boot siyah from emmc. now we can multi-boot android kernels

With the SGS3 and this,I think my SGS2 will just replace my fried old PC and get hooked to my TV.Nice job man.Really nice.

cool

Would love it on international gs2 variant
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Awesome work. But I want to know if, at the actual state, it could handle the true multiboot between android and linux's distros
Inviato dal mio GT-I9100 con Tapatalk 2

Why is this posted in the general thread ? Shouldn't it be moved to Original Development?

hello
I know you state this will only work on the European version but just wanted to confirm this would not work on att i777. There was so many variants i was not sure.
I think i have the max8997 pmic and wvga screen but not positive

This is geat news. Just wondering why this is not buzzing as big news. Native booting linux, who wouldn't apreciate that. Especially if the telephony part got worked out, could hardly see much point in booting to android. Good work.

Uboot is extremely useful, and native debian is awesome, not that chroot crap
Sent from my GT-I9100 running CM10

Could anyone write a step by step tutorial. I am a little confused as to how to and what to do. Do I loe my siyah kernel? Or does it dual boot my dual boot kernel, lol.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

This is awesome.. ¿any detailed tutorial, please?

[EXPERIMENTAL/TOOLS/GUIDE/ADV.] Toolchain gcc 4.6.3 Cygwin/Linux/OSX; kernel builds

The following contains binaries, and instructions for use of an experimental newer toolchain than those included in the android pre-built package.
This is provided to allow existing linux kernel developers experiment with the updated version of GCC (besides the complicated building instructions the code just has a small patch for a known issue with android and 4.6.* otherwise is directly from GNU (see build information below)
The packages I'm also providing to help developers current on windows (With cygwin but no other virtual environment) to start exploring android Linux kernel development for their devices. (In addition to a OSX toolchain for more advanced mac users)
due to the slight differences between kernels on different devices this How To is intended to be used for advanced users who can adjust for the differences required for the devices specific kernel.
I may add additional guides to this thread if I find a need for them.
[size=+1]Binary Toolchains[/size]
I have two versions of a GCC-4.6.3 toolchain
1) For x86 linux: toolchain-4.6.3.tar.bz2 (Sha1: c8c57aba6ad92e9acddf29ba8620ba880be09a81)
2) For Cygwin (windows): toolchain-4.6.3.cygwin.tar.bz2 (Sha1: 6947e1c1ba95195019f542eb8ba0708667b63eca)
3) For OSX (mac/darwin): toolchain-4.6.3.darwin.tar.bz2 (Sha1: 9a977f0672863fdd9501383a6ad1e30723281f68)
[size=-1]> The linux version was built via this script: http://pastebin.com/b2dZ8YtG (or in the included toolchain_notes.txt)
> The cygwin/darwin version uses the same source however has a slightly modified script (see the included toolchain_notes.txt for the updated script)[/size]
[size=+1]System Requirements[/size]
Note I have a 64bit debian linux box, and a 64bit version of WIndows7 Pro running cygwin, while I believe these binaries ought to be compatible with all x86 linux and cygwin installs these have not been tested by a wide number of people yet.
> Linux users: If you have a working android build environment likely no additional requirements are needed. In addition you must build any kernel/android utilities from a case sensitive filesystem or disk image.
> OSx users: the cygwin packages will give you an idea of what is required, please also see the README in the tar.bz2 about manually installing elf.h
> Cygwin users: as its unlikely you have compiled a kernel with cygwin up to this point you may wish to ensure the following packages are installed (as well as any cygwin recommends to be used with them):
vim
vim-common
make
cmake
lzop
gcc
gcc-core
gcc-g++
wget
git
git-compleation
libncurses-devel
python​
Cygwin users must also set their NTFS file partition to allow case sensitive files:
To do this open regedit and change:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\kernel\obcaseinsensitive
to 0
after this reboot and the NTFS kernel will allow cygwin to use case sensitive files (ie 'AbC' and 'aBc' as two different files)​
[size=+1]Advanced Kernel Building Guide[/size]
Since may devices are slightly different this can only be a high level kernel building guide
Please ask for any specific directions from the current kernel maintainer.
To most people who have built kernels before this will look familiar, the most important part is preparing your local environment to use the new toolchain,
1) If you have not already download the tar.bz2 above, (pick the one for the computer you are preparing to build kernels on)
2) extract the file (for the sake of this guide I will assume it is extracted into a ~/android directory)
ie on cygwin you might:
mkdir -p ~/android
cd ~/android
tar -xjvf toolchain-4.6.3.cygwin.tar.bz2
Note: steps one and two are just properly installing the toolchain, you will not need
to repeat them to build a different kernel.
2.b) OSX Only: check elf.h
open ~/android/toolchain-4.6.3/README in a text editor and check if elf.h is installed, otherwise manually install it as per the readme
3) fetch your kernel source into the ~/android directory and change into the
source codes root directory
(this can be via a git repo or tarball)
example if you wanted my ACER a100/a500 source you might run:
git clone git://github.com/ezterry/AcerTabKernel.git
cd AcerTabKernel
change this to match the source you are fetching
4) In the root directory of the kernel source (~/android/AcerTabKernel in the about a100/a500 example) update the environment for the cross compiler
add the toolchain to your path:
export PATH=$HOME/android/toolchain-4.6.3/bin:$PATH​
set the cross compile:
export ARCH=arm
export CROSS_COMPILE=arm-linux-androideabi-
export KERNEL_DIR=`pwd`​
(this will need to be done once for each terminal you use to run any of the following make commands)
5) Grab your configuration
From the device:
adb pull /proc/config.gz
gzip -dc config.gz > .config
or from a prepared configuration if it's included in your code base by running
make _defconfig
example for the a100/a500 code base is 'make vangogh_defconfig' for the a100 and 'make picasso_defconfig' for the a500
6) Customize configuration
just run menuconfig and use the UI to update settings
make menuconfig​
7) building the kernel (zImage)
This is normal at this point with 'make -j'
so for a quad core CPU you can run
make -j5​
(note: the wrong number in the -j argument will not harm the build but may slow down the building process by either using too few threads or needing to keep track of too many)
8) If it worked you will now have the kernel in arch/arm/boot/zImage
this can be injected into the boot.img (as the kernel, using an existing ramdisk) as is
If it failed for your kernel your kernel source may need one of the common patches
9) Building modules
the following will prepare the modules in subdirectory mod:
make modules
rm -rf mod
mkdir mod
cp `find ./ | grep .ko$` modules.order mod/​
After these commands [if no errors] you can simply copy the contents of mod/ to /system/lib/modules on your device, note it is recommended usually to remove the existing contents of /system/lib/modules unless there is a closed source module required from the previous build despite the new kernel.
[size=+1]Common Patches Required[/size]
If your kernel has not been built for the new toolchain or on cygwin before you may require some of these common patchs: (I've thus far only tested this on my Acer A100/A500 source)
wireless/bcm4329 for GCC-4.6.3:
https://github.com/ezterry/AcerTabKernel/commit/123f32e27e2c74f1c1789ae5d6d5a1c04e1e264c
linux kernel module patch for cygwin (broken elf.h):
https://github.com/ezterry/AcerTabKernel/commit/220db49593cf6b9f3b556e2f4b75b2f6d3ff556c
Error compiling security/smc/bridge_pub2sec.S (I required the cygwin elf patch and this patch to build the Franco galaxy nexus kernel)
0001-Fix-build-error-with-4.6.3-toolchain-smc-0.patch
(use 'git am 0001-Fix-build-error-with-4.6.3-toolchain-smc-0.patch' to apply)
OSX stat patches (fixes errors between GNU and BSD stat):
https://github.com/ezterry/AcerTabKernel/commit/0c49df3cc1a05a0ccd98201511cdc0534aaeb35a
Errors loading newly built modules (modules appear to build cleanly but wont install):
simply add -fno-pic to CFLAGS_MODULE
https://github.com/ezterry/AcerTabKernel/commit/c5ed0fcb014d36936a86ad253f15af43de2f644a
(I can add others here if highlighted to me, and as I find them)
[size=+1]Other Toolchain uses[/size]
The linux toolchain can be used to build android components, however this requires various manipulation to the android /build git repository as currently various other toolchains have hard coded paths into the prebuilt repo. If you intend to incorporate this into your build it may be best to inject the toolchain into your prebuilt repo rather than expect your users to download the links above, ensure to keep the compile notes as it explains how to get the source code to the toolchains)
On cygwin/osx it may also be possible to build android applications however I've not yet tested this as the scripts to make a proper build are complex when attempted outside the android build tree.

Excellent!!! thanks Man!!! Has been looking for one of these

Added in the OSX version of the toolchain (and some related patches)
Also if you are having problems with your modules built with this toolchain a CFLAG fixes it. (see note in common patches)

FINALLY!!! Great Instructions followed them to the T and BAM got my kernel compiled!!!

wow your toolchain is so small, many thanks, just compiled a kernel for my LG P500 gonna test it, thanks again

Bookmarked for testing when I wake up...
I can almost put: "Building under Windows is not currently supported." (quote from google), unofficially at least, out of my mind...
I have been spoiled by Windows for far too long I fear, my attempt for this last week at getting Linux setup and building CM9 has been nothing but a complete FAILURE, too many single line entrys for different distributions/package combo's, commands I dont know and cant find because of wildcard portions of them and lack of understanding, and not enough scripts like the wonderful Compile CM9 script someone put up (cant run it because all the pre-req's arent setup).
Good god Ill be jumping for joy if this works tomorrow on WinBlows!

EDIT: never mind, problem solved, what I need to know now won't be solved here

I wish i knew how to go about doing this..

Thanks
Thanks For ........... i Really need It .........

Hammerfest said:
Bookmarked for testing when I wake up...
I can almost put: "Building under Windows is not currently supported." (quote from google), unofficially at least, out of my mind...
I have been spoiled by Windows for far too long I fear, my attempt for this last week at getting Linux setup and building CM9 has been nothing but a complete FAILURE, too many single line entrys for different distributions/package combo's, commands I dont know and cant find because of wildcard portions of them and lack of understanding, and not enough scripts like the wonderful Compile CM9 script someone put up (cant run it because all the pre-req's arent setup).
Good god Ill be jumping for joy if this works tomorrow on WinBlows!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you succeed tell me how to do it in a more familiar way

I get errors regading the processor not being supported?

brfield said:
I get errors regading the processor not being supported?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I can't support devs that have not learned cut copy and paste.
You probably forgot to export some of the environment variables or are just trying to run a arm binary on your PC and or a x86 binary on your arm device.
But why am I guessing? Why don't we know what you tried to run and what the actual text of the error was.. what type of kernel you tried to build, what you are running?
These packages are for developers if you feel like using them its time to learn to how to trouble shoot a problem and write a ticket to explain said problem clearly to others with at least some information to give us a chance to understand.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Great guide. Have the bcm4329 wireless module, so followed the tips and everything compiled and works!
Thanks!

one question,how to compiled android kernel with -O3 optimization?

jxxhwy said:
one question,how to compiled android kernel with -O3 optimization?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um, in general its recommended you don't:
-O3 is not recommended for the kernel as many low level parts require the assembly code generated to remain as is and not be optimized as will be by some of the options -O3 enables thus likely reducing the stability of your kernel.
---
That said the menuconfig has an option to optimize for size (-Os) if enabled else -O2
For other optimization (including tuning for your cpu) you can add them to the CFLAGS_KERNEL/CFLAGS_MODULE in the make file.)
For -O3 like functionality you could add the increment to the line:
-finline-functions, -funswitch-loops, -fpredictive-commoning, -fgcse-after-reload, -ftreel-vectorize, -ftree-partial-pre and -fipa-cp-clone
-Ofast is -O3 with -ffast-math as well
If you do build with all the -O3 or-Ofast options ensure you test the kernel for stability and run some benchmarks. (as it may not actually be faster depending on the cache misses)
The first option I'd start pruning was the one mentioned in my reference below -fgcse-after-reload.
If you really insist on -O3 rather than just adding the optimization you want that are not in O2,it can be added also in the Makefile where the configure flag is checked and its added to KBUILD_CFLAGS
Obviously all and any of this is at your own risk, anything that breaks you have to find a way to fix it.
Reference:
Gcc optimize options:
http://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/Optimize-Options.html
Talk of O3 and the kernel (not android specific)
http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/1597/compiling-gnu-linux-with-o3-optimization

ezterry,thank you very much!
I want to build cm9 kernel using toolchain 4.6.3.
How to replace the default GCC 4.4.3 to 4.6.3 version?
BTW,I use the way -- make bootimage

jxxhwy said:
ezterry,thank you very much!
I want to build cm9 kernel using toolchain 4.6.3.
How to replace the default GCC 4.4.3 to 4.6.3 version?
BTW,I use the way -- make bootimage
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are asking in a cm9 build tree.. its a pain, best is to update the cm kernel makefile to point the build chain temporarily.
If you mean just to compile by hand as described in the op
Once the kernel is compiled find an anykernel update.zip or manually use mkbootimg or fastboot to merge it with the ram disk. Cm9 targets mkbootimg and unpackbootimg (if I'm not mistaken) will build the applications to unpack your current (or the default cm9) boot image and re-create them with your custom kernel built from hand.

Now,I runing script file:
#Let's make sure the environment is clean and ready to compile the kernel
echo "Cleaning house!!"
make mrproper
echo "House cleaned, lets build a kernel!!!"
#
# Lets set the kernel defconfig
echo "defconfig = cyanogenmod_iprj_defconfig"
make ARCH=arm cyanogenmod_iprj_defconfig
#
# Let's build a kernel
echo "Now compiling kernel, go get a soda! "
ARCH=arm CROSS_COMPILE=~/Android/sourcecm9/cm9/toolchain-4.6.3/bin/arm-linux-androideabi- make zImage -j4
#
if [ -f arch/arm/boot/zImage ]; then
echo "Plague has been compiled!!! You can find it in arch/arm/boot/zImage"
else
echo "Kernel did not compile, please check for errors!!"
fi
but,I got some error output:
/home/xxx/cm9/toolchain-4.6.3/bin/arm-linux-androideabi-ld: cannot find usr/initramfs_data.o: No such file or directory
thanks again!!!

I think that means there is an issue with your config..
Most android kernels require initramfs, but don't specify a file, as its provided by the bootloader.. However in your case it is trying to embed it into the kernel.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2

ezterry said:
I think that means there is an issue with your config..
Most android kernels require initramfs, but don't specify a file, as its provided by the bootloader.. However in your case it is trying to embed it into the kernel.
Sent from my A500 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
issue has been resolved by myslef.Thanks for your time.