Database Users

BIOS - NAND - Whatever - Explain

Where is the BIOS in this thing? I get that it has /boot /system and /recovery but where is the firmware that the device very first utilizes?
Does the streak even have any type of NVRAM memory?

webdawg said:
Where is the BIOS in this thing? I get that it has /boot /system and /recovery but where is the firmware that the device very first utilizes?
Does the streak even have any type of NVRAM memory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What are you attempting to do?

Understanding and Hacking
I am trying to understand the device and search for potential exploit vectors. If I take out the inner SD card what type of data does the device still have on it?
It has to have something that starts the boot from the inner SD card. Does this something insert anything into the running code on the device? Can it?
Can, if the device has the type of storage I am talking about, the device record and store even a small amount of data?
I have heard of reference to NAND backups and even seen a quote about how the NAND backup util included in the recovery utils does not backup something. The something I am referring to is not the external SD card.
Web...
Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
What are you attempting to do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Why would you need exploit vectors when the system is completely open/unprotected?
the innerSD holds the /data and /cache partitions

It is like I am not making myself clear enough. A computer has a BIOS which passes boot to the OS/bootloader. Would not the phone have the same thing. If you do not know this answer do not ask anymore questions.
Stop asking why I am asking.
TheManii said:
Why would you need exploit vectors when the system is completely open/unprotected?
the innerSD holds the /data and /cache partitions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

webdawg said:
It is like I am not making myself clear enough. A computer has a BIOS which passes boot to the OS/bootloader. Would not the phone have the same thing. If you do not know this answer do not ask anymore questions.
Stop asking why I am asking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately for you it seems you don't know what you're doing or why you're even asking about it
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

Okay Then
cdzo72 said:
Unfortunately for you it seems you don't know what you're doing or why you're even asking about it
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please. Unless you have an answer please do not reply. I know exactly what I am talking about. If the device does not have any NVRAM in it that one could flash to and only internal memory via SD card then just say this.

webdawg said:
It is like I am not making myself clear enough. A computer has a BIOS which passes boot to the OS/bootloader. Would not the phone have the same thing. If you do not know this answer do not ask anymore questions.
Stop asking why I am asking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Manii knows far more about the Streak than you do, so if you want your questions answered, I suggest you check that attitude of yours at the door.

Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
Manii knows far more about the Streak than you do, so if you want your questions answered, I suggest you check that attitude of yours at the door.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your right. Did not realize it was him, work has an affect on my attention. Sorry Manni.
I am at home now. Let me try and expain myself.
I just do not get it. All the pages I have read and the research I have done everything tells me that everything is stored on the internal SD card.
But I still have this nagging thought from this page: http://www.rdtk.net/2011/06/25/using-streakmod-recovery/ that says this: the firmwares reside on the nand but in an entirely separate area. only stock recoverys can write to them under normal circumstances, you can probably read/write them manually but it’s dangerous as you can super-brick if you don’t know what you’re doing
What the hell is that guy talking about? The way I read it is that an entire subset of firmware exists on the device that only that one webpage has ever talked about. (That I have read)
I have read alot about BIOS hacks and how they function inserting code into Windows. Even legitimate code for paid services. Computrace.
I know about the Carrier IQ software. What I do not know about is the software outside the rom, recovery, boot partitions and such that exists on the Dell streak or any Android device.
I suppose my attitude comes from the ton of forum posts that I read with unanswered questions because people wanted to know why the OP is asking such a question.
I took Manii's post the wrong way because of your question Steven. Not to offend you and I understand why you ask. For example I just hate going into support channels and asking questions about an iptable rule and being told that I should relearn Linux networking because...well just because I did not understand one concept. I took it the same way here.
I apologize to all.
Web...

MTD based nands are more complicated then eMMC nands in this aspect, as MTD nands you simply cannot read from the 'hidden' portions of the nand. eMMC ones you can.
eMMC devices you can always read from any eMMC partition, so you can likely make complete backups including your modem (though no custom recovery does this by default, it's still a bad idea)
Fortunately for us, MTD seems to be 'obsolete', every device that launched with GB installed or newer uses eMMC.
Dell Streak 5/Partition layout - XDA wiki
Dell Streak Pro/Partition layout - XDA wiki
The S5 is a MTD device, the SPro is eMMC, note how the SPro has many more partitions.
The majority of them also exist on the S5, but the only way to access them (safely) is though a stock recovery.
You can write to them with fastboot, but some of them must be unpacked by an updater in the stock recovery. Simply flash them (specific ones) and you'll super-brick that would require JTAGging at a minimum to fix.
You simply cant read the other MTD partitions without JTAGing (it might be possible with a specificly modified kernal, but you dont gain anything doing this, if at all), assuming that the hidden parts are MTD partitions even. For all we know the controller could be directly writing onto NAND pages with their locs hardcoded (which would kinda be like partitioning, but without the formal partition tables(?) )
There's also is a small amount of memory that can only be written (afaik) via JTAG.
It contains your device's ID, such as Service tag and IMEI.
On tegra devices (at least the S7 and S10) it's the WP1 and WP2 partition.
It could be possible that it's on the NAND as a MTD partition, but if it is we dont know about it. It would be insane (and illegal, as changing your IMEI is illegal in most countries) to write to it, but so there's never been an example of it. I dont know where they are on the SPro, i'd need a live device to check.
The modem OS itself is stored on the nand, the modem processor knows (or the bootloader knows) how to feed it it's OS image.
Location breakdown:
NAND: <everything on the partition layout above, including the below>
/system
/firstboot
boot.img
recovery.img
amss.mbn
appsboot.mbn
dbl.mbn
dsp1.mbn
fsbl.mbn
osbl.mbn
DT.img
The innerSD
/data
/cache
Modem storage (lock state)
Device unique data (IMEI and Service tag)
RTC (the clock)
I dont know the exact terminology or the exact order of booting on qualcomm snapdragons (it's likely to be the same with all at least in the same generation)
But it's something like:
Press power button
CPU powers up
IPL loads <hardwired onto cpu>
Check if innerSD is valid (this is streak specific, device also locks up if it fails as the loader isnt robust enough to work around it)
Init modem and it's firmware <amss.mbn on older devices, non_hlos.bin on newer devices> (FYI modems are themselves complete 'system's in that they have their own ram and OS, basebands are complete OS images in most devices)
Check what button combos are pressed
Start booting:
If you pressed the recovery mode combo:
Load recovery SPL <dbl.mbn? + DT.img>
Display SPL menu:
Reboot
Load Recovery ("update from update.pkg")
Read from recovery.img and load it
Caliberate screen
If you pressed fastboot mode combo:
Load the fastboot loader <fsbl.mbn?>
If you pressed the download mode combo:
Go into download mode (for QDLtool)
If you did not press any combo: begin booting normally
Load dsp1.mbn
Load boot.bin
Linux kernal mounts and starts reading:
/system
/cache
/firstboot
/data
Android boots normally
Boot completes, you're at the lockscreen/home screen
I'm just making educated guesses at which *.mbn does what, as noone's really studied them to the point that they are willing to modify them.
Regardless they're signed so you cant modify them (we dont know per-se that the CPU checks the signatures on *.mbns, but I dont think any is willing to risk their device to try anyway)
The kernal images arnt signed, you can simply toss any kernal that is valid (otherwise it wouldnt boot)
When your device boots, the logo flashes 4 times:
1st logo: IPL and it's logo (possibly hardwired onto chip)
2nd logo: SPL and it's logo (stored in one of the *.mbns)
3rd logo: UBOOT and the kernal logo (stored with the kernal, sounds like a band name)
4th logo: bootimage.zip (whatever boot splash is with the installed rom

TheManii,
Thanks for the information. This is everything I wanted to know. If I have anymore questions I will ask later.
Web...

[Q] Unlocked bootloader for E617G?

Hi all,
I was following the "main thread" a while ago before these phones had their own section, but hadn't checked for updates since early to mid January (before the bootloader was unlocked). Now I see that it's unlocked, there is unfortunately no support for the Canadian (Bell) variant, the E617G.
I extracted the bootloader from my wife's phone and did a binary comprison to the various unlocked bootloaders for the E610, 612 and 615 and it's almost identical byte for byte to the E610. Aside from the edited messages and the tail end of the files where the checks appear to be located, there is one location (byte 0xB476) that is different.
I'm not really experienced in this sort of work, but could that one byte be what's causing the random reboots for the E617 variants? Before I try truncating the file I extracted to removed what appears to be the secure checks and flashing it, does anybody have any other reasons why the E617 has been "left out in the cold"?
I've attached some screenshots of the comparison to the E610 emmc_appsboot.bin
First Difference
Differences in Messages
Apparent Secure Checks?
In the 3rd screenshot, you can see in the E610 file, after 0x40F07 the file is blank, but in mine the file continues on (it's 4MB of null padding by the looks of it).

Skellums said:
Hi all,
I was following the "main thread" a while ago before these phones had their own section, but hadn't checked for updates since early to mid January (before the bootloader was unlocked). Now I see that it's unlocked, there is unfortunately no support for the Canadian (Bell) variant, the E617G.
I extracted the bootloader from my wife's phone and did a binary comprison to the various unlocked bootloaders for the E610, 612 and 615 and it's almost identical byte for byte to the E610. Aside from the edited messages and the tail end of the files where the checks appear to be located, there is one location (byte 0xB476) that is different.
I'm not really experienced in this sort of work, but could that one byte be what's causing the random reboots for the E617 variants? Before I try truncating the file I extracted to removed what appears to be the secure checks and flashing it, does anybody have any other reasons why the E617 has been "left out in the cold"?
I've attached some screenshots of the comparison to the E610 emmc_appsboot.bin
First Difference
Differences in Messages
Apparent Secure Checks?
In the 3rd screenshot, you can see in the E610 file, after 0x40F07 the file is blank, but in mine the file continues on (it's 4MB of null padding by the looks of it).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I have the E617-G too and I'm looking for a way to unlock the bootloader. have you made any progress on doing it? I would forever be in debt to you if you did hahahahh!

KingDaedrix said:
Hey, I have the E617-G too and I'm looking for a way to unlock the bootloader. have you made any progress on doing it? I would forever be in debt to you if you did hahahahh!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the lack of reply, I've been busy for the past few weeks!
I went ahead and truncated the backup I made, and changed the one byte that was different... So far I haven't had any problems. I was able to flash the recovery image and make a CWM backup.
I made a few other slight modifications (changed the messages in the file, from "Russia" to "Canada" ), but other than that the files are identical.
I've attached my modified file if you want to give it a go. The instructions are the same as the other unlock instructions here.
Make sure you don't skip making a backup just in case!!!
As usual with things of this nature: I claim no resposibility for any damage to your phone, loss of data, etc!! Flash at your own risk!
All credit to the original devs of the unlock, fix is the same, just different source files were used.

Skellums said:
Sorry for the lack of reply, I've been busy for the past few weeks!
I went ahead and truncated the backup I made, and changed the one byte that was different... So far I haven't had any problems. I was able to flash the recovery image and make a CWM backup.
I made a few other slight modifications (changed the messages in the file, from "Russia" to "Canada" ), but other than that the files are identical.
I've attached my modified file if you want to give it a go. The instructions are the same as the other unlock instructions here.
Make sure you don't skip making a backup just in case!!!
As usual with things of this nature: I claim no resposibility for any damage to your phone, loss of data, etc!! Flash at your own risk!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks a lot! I was looking to put a Windows Phone 7 ROM on it, is that possible? Sorry, I'm kind of a noob with phones, more into building computers and such.

KingDaedrix said:
thanks a lot! I was looking to put a Windows Phone 7 ROM on it, is that possible? Sorry, I'm kind of a noob with phones, more into building computers and such.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately no. Windows Phone 7 is not open source so there is no easy/legal way to port the OS over. There are launchers that have been made so the Android interface mimics Windows Phone 7, but it's still Android running under the hood.

Help!
Skellums said:
Sorry for the lack of reply, I've been busy for the past few weeks!
I went ahead and truncated the backup I made, and changed the one byte that was different... So far I haven't had any problems. I was able to flash the recovery image and make a CWM backup.
I made a few other slight modifications (changed the messages in the file, from "Russia" to "Canada" ), but other than that the files are identical.
I've attached my modified file if you want to give it a go. The instructions are the same as the other unlock instructions here.
Make sure you don't skip making a backup just in case!!!
As usual with things of this nature: I claim no resposibility for any damage to your phone, loss of data, etc!! Flash at your own risk!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have followed the instruction you posted but i still cant boot into recovery. I have used adb command reboot bootloader and it gets stuck on a black and white screen tht says fastboot processing.
I am not sure if there something wrong with my device.

Thanks!
Me again, just replying to confirm that following the steps posted I successfully unlocked the bootloader of the phone. Not very much use however as there is very few ROMs for the model. Thanks a lot though OP!

I also successfully unlocked the bootloader using your binary. Thank you!
I wrote an article here on getting it all running with CM10.1 on the L5 E617G!

[VIDEO] How to Factory Restore your Moto X back to stock using Fastboot.

I just made a video on how to use fastboot to factory reset back to 100% stock, as I could not find a helpful video on how to do so.
http://youtu.be/ZtRSrQrzIPI
please like and subscribe for more helpful videos to come! :good:

UbuntuBrandon said:
I just made a video on how to use fastboot to factory reset back to 100% stock, as I could not find a helpful video on how to do so.
http://youtu.be/ZtRSrQrzIPI
please like and subscribe for more helpful videos to come! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/general/guide-moto-x-return-to-100-stock-using-t2446515

samwathegreat said:
?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-x/general/guide-moto-x-return-to-100-stock-using-t2446515
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i saw the text guide with that video, but i wanted to do one with a little more production value. it helps people when they can see what youre doing better.

UbuntuBrandon said:
yea i saw the text guide with that video, but i wanted to do one with a little more production value. it helps people when they can see what youre doing better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, in that case, thanks.
Here's a suggestion: what would *really* be helpful would be an additional video for Linux / Mac users with links to the relevant "motofastboot" binaries for those respective OS's. I find that since there is no guide, I'm having to type -everything- out each time I help someone on Linux or Mac. In all reality, I should have written one long ago (at this point it would have saved me tons of time)....but your username suggests you are Linux-savvy.
Really, the only difference (as you likely already know) is that the Linux variant of the mfastboot binary is called "fastboot" (though you can use it for all commands), and the mac variant has yet another filename.
Additionally, the windows mfastboot binary -can- be used for all flashing and not just system.img -- I often have users use mfastboot for all flashing commands just for simplicity's sake.
Good Luck. I hope to see many more videos to come. :good:

samwathegreat said:
Ok, in that case, thanks.
Here's a suggestion: what would *really* be helpful would be an additional video for Linux / Mac users with links to the relevant "motofastboot" binaries for those respective OS's. I find that since there is no guide, I'm having to type -everything- out each time I help someone on Linux or Mac. In all reality, I should have written one long ago (at this point it would have saved me tons of time)....but your username suggests you are Linux-savvy.
Really, the only difference (as you likely already know) is that the Linux variant of the mfastboot binary is called "fastboot" (though you can use it for all commands), and the mac variant has yet another filename.
Additionally, the windows mfastboot binary -can- be used for all flashing and not just system.img -- I often have users use mfastboot for all flashing commands just for simplicity's sake.
Good Luck. I hope to see many more videos to come. :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the feedback! I plan on doing my videos in series with one another, where if one process has a linux counterpart, I will make a corresponding video before I move too far past the topic into different videos.
I would appreciate if anyone has ideas/guides that they would like me to make into a high-quality, in-depth production.

I rarely post but read a lot.. I want to thank you for providing this...its great

UbuntuBrandon said:
Appreciate the feedback! I plan on doing my videos in series with one another, where if one process has a linux counterpart, I will make a corresponding video before I move too far past the topic into different videos.
I would appreciate if anyone has ideas/guides that they would like me to make into a high-quality, in-depth production.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just use a virtual box to emulate a Linux system and a MacOS system.

Flashtools (MiFlash4Linux, Recovery from QDL/DLOAD, Partition resize)

Introduction
This is a collection of Tools and Resources for Flashing Mi2(s)(c).
MiFlash4Linux
https://github.com/M1cha/aries-image-builder
Core Recovery Package for MiFlash
This is a small package to Recovery MI2 from any bricked state. It has the following advantages over the official ones from Xiaomi:
They don't flash any ROM, just the core system(bootloaders, modem and recovery)
They are small which means both Download and Installation are faster
It directly installs custom Bootloader and TWRP. That means you easily get your device back to a modded status.
Please follow the official MiFlash guidelines for installation with the following differences:
the DLOAD config is called rawprogram_core.xml
the fastboot script is called flash_core.bat(or flash_core.sh for linux)
there's a script called flash_partition_table_and_core which is a alternative to flash_core.bat/sh.
It can be used to change the partition table.
USE THIS WITH THE CUSTOM BOOTLOADER INSTALLED BY ONE OF THE CORE PACKAGES ONLY. Xiaomi's bootloader will format your whole MMC device. THIS WOULD ERASE YOUR EFS AND YOU CAN'T MAKE CALLS ANYMORE
Changing the partition table
There are multiple packages available:
separated: Xiaomi's original layout with a virtual internal sdcard
separated_single: same as separated but without Dualsystem and bigger system partitions
unified: Xiaomi's new layout with /data/media support
unified_single: same as unified but without Dualsystem and bigger system partitions
unified_single_xiaomi: Xiaomi's version of unified_single
SkiFire13 said:
aries_core_unified_single.zip -> only MIUI > 5.4.x or M1cha's CM12.1 or latest AOSP5 works (only they can see Internal Storage, that now is a virtual sd-card in /data/media/0)
aries_separated_single.zip -> other roms
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installation:
Backup all your data(including internal sdcard, and EFS just to be safe)
if you don't use the custom Bootloader yet, flash this package using flash_core.bat/sh first. See the big red warning above for more information
flash the package using flash_partition_table_and_core.bat/sh
boot into recovery(which is TWRP now), recreate the filesystems for all partitions(system,data,cache,sdcard to ext4) in the wipe menu and reinstall your ROM.
Version Information
Bootloader: https://github.com/M1cha/mi2_lk/commits/LA.AF.1.1-02810-8064.0
TWRP: v2.8.7.0
core partitions: aries_images_5.7.16_20150626.0000.4_5.0_cn_a63cddccfa.tgz
Download links for Mobile users:
aries_core_unified_single_xiaomi.zip
aries_core_unified_single.zip
aries_core_unified.zip
aries_core_separated_single.zip
aries_core_separated.zip
XDA:DevDB Information
Flashtools, Tool/Utility for the Xiaomi Mi 2
Contributors
m11kkaa
Source Code: https://github.com/M1cha/aries-image-builder
Version Information
Status: Stable
Created 2015-02-21
Last Updated 2015-07-27

First (as always)
Sent from my A0001

the singleboot packages causes the latest version of CM12 to fail booting because of SELinux enforcing. I'll upload a fixed package asap.

everything has been fixed and is up again.
Pls download everything again(especially MiFlash4Linux if u use that).

i think i will wait util the release of GRUB4Android....

acastrocab said:
i think i will wait util the release of GRUB4Android....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the purpose of this thread is not G4A
G4A doesn't allow u to change the partition table. I may publish a simple tool for it though.(so u don't need a computer).

m11kkaa said:
the purpose of this thread is not G4A
G4A doesn't allow u to change the partition table. I may publish a simple tool for it though.(so u don't need a computer).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey m11kkaa, I'm sorry for the noob question, but where can I download the files for windows? And how should I use them? I can't understand from the OP. Thanks in advantage for your help

MyNameIsKappa said:
Hey m11kkaa, I'm sorry for the noob question, but where can I download the files for windows? And how should I use them? I can't understand from the OP. Thanks in advantage for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the top of the page just followed by the title, there is a "Download" tab, you could find the miracle at there ;p

MyNameIsKappa said:
Hey m11kkaa, I'm sorry for the noob question, but where can I download the files for windows? And how should I use them? I can't understand from the OP. Thanks in advantage for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't find the links too, but i saw this link in another thread... http://forum.xda-developers.com/devdb/project/?id=8360#downloads

ancics said:
I can't find the links too, but i saw this link in another thread... http://forum.xda-developers.com/devdb/project/?id=8360#downloads
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can see this with a computer only.(Tapatalk doesn't work)
http://puu.sh/gamlY/dd7e4904f9.png

Hey M1cha, thank you! Great job!
I have some issues about the procedure:
1. I am not sure if already had a custom bootloader, so first i'll flash the package flash_core.bat :
- turn on mi2s in fastboot mode
- plug usb, device should appear in miflash(the program should be configured as the photo?)
- and click flash
- reboot phone, enter in fastboot mode again and do the same procedure with flash_partition_table_and_core.bat
Is that right?
It's easy to recreate the ext4 filesystem in TWRP? always used CWM....

m11kkaa said:
You can see this with a computer only.(Tapatalk doesn't work)
http://puu.sh/gamlY/dd7e4904f9.png
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh that's why, I'll download it from a computer, thanks!
Sent from my MI 2S using XDA Free mobile app

@m11kkaa: thnx for the linux tools/scripts, it made my migration from CWM to single-system partition + new bootloader + TWRP easier.
BTW, I just wanted to migrate and keep my current CM11 for the time being. I had to fight a bit with restore from backup because I was not aware of the incompatibility between CWM and TWRP, luckily enough it eventually was sufficient to:
reformat system, data and cache in TWRP
flash the old CWM temporarily and restore boot, system and data
flash TWRP again and make new backups.
Proposal:
It would be good if you can change the heading style of "Installation" in the OP to be the same as e.g "Introduction", because now it looks like part of "Singleboot Partition Layout" section only. It is confusing IMHO.
In my case (i.e. flashing both flash_core.sh and then flash_partition_table_and_core.sh), I had to recreate ext4 FS not only on the system partition in TWRP, but also on the data partition (it could not be mounted and TWRP announced 0 MB size) and eventually also on the cache partition. This seems to contradict the info in OP, part "Singleboot Partition Layout", which mentions that data will be preserved.

@cogano thx for your feedback
it's weird that u had to recreate the filesystems because the positions of these partitions still are the same. I resized system1, modem1 and boot1 to 2KB and system, modem and boot to 2*oldsize-2KB. I checked the offsets and they still are the same.

I have another phone and plan to do the same some time in the next week.
I'll try to avoid the trial&error approach and keep notes between the steps.
P. S. I am quite proficient with Linux administration. However I have to admit that upgrading android devices is usually a risky thing: I would have to read lot of guides - often unclear and confusing - or just give it a go and resolve the problems as they appear. The latter one eventually seems to be faster

cogano said:
I have another phone and plan to do the same some time in the next week.
I'll try to avoid the trial&error approach and keep notes between the steps.
P. S. I am quite proficient with Linux administration. However I have to admit that upgrading android devices is usually a risky thing: I would have to read lot of guides - often unclear and confusing - or just give it a go and resolve the problems as they appear. The latter one eventually seems to be faster
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx "parted /dev/block/mmcblk0 p" will help to debug these things.
If you don't have a ROM/Recovery with parted you can reboot to dload from the bootloader which will provide ur whole MMC as a usb drive to your computer.

i didn't see the download tab at first, so i downloaded the whole zip from the github and excuted the ./build.sh in Cygwin. Anyway, it works!

m11kkaa said:
you can reboot to dload from the bootloader which will provide ur whole MMC as a usb drive to your computer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What a great feature!

superiyezi said:
i didn't see the download tab at first, so i downloaded the whole zip from the github and excuted the ./build.sh in Cygwin. Anyway, it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a Download "card" on top.

What are the partitions sizes after flashing the singleboot partition layout?

Difference between adb and SP Flash tool

What is the difference between the two tools? Are they equivalent?
Are they two interchangeable programs from different developers - if yes which one is better and why?
Or are they used for different things - if yes what are they used for?
Thanks

fxuser said:
What is the difference between the two tools? Are they equivalent?
Are they two interchangeable programs from different developers - if yes which one is better and why?
Or are they used for different things - if yes what are they used for?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't know the difference you should not try anything until you learn this.
Sent from my LEX727 using xda premium

mchlbenner said:
If you don't know the difference you should not try anything until you learn this.
Sent from my LEX727 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's why I'm asking someone with more experience to describe the difference.
My phone is Leeco Le Pro 3 AI x27 (x650 ) with CPU MediaTek Helio X27 (MT6797X) with Android 6
Actually I would like to make a full dump of my stock rom and firstly try this to do with adb tool.
But "adb backup -all" doesnt create a full image backup - for my phone it was only about 90 MB - so this was only data backup not the whole image backup.
Next I start reading and find that with SP flash tool I can create full stock rom dump but for this I firstly need to have a scater file which file shows the partitions.
To create scater file for mediatek cpu I need a toll like MTK_DROID_TOOL - but as I read it is not compatible with MT6797X and for android higher than 4.4
So I can't create scater file => can't use SP flash tool => can't create backup of stock rom and my knowledge about adb doesn't help me with creating a dump of stock rom and I came here!
Also there is no working version of TWRP for my phone .
So any kind of help will be appreciated
Regards

Your phone type has no custom ROM about the twrp check this link I'm giving you.
You might be able to flash root at least.
Check with the maker of this make sure it works before messing with it.
You would have to unlock bootloader first before flashing custom recovery I don't know if it is possible to do so
Start their first.
Sent from my LEX720 using xda premium

fxuser said:
That's why I'm asking someone with more experience to describe the difference.
My phone is Leeco Le Pro 3 AI x27 (x650 ) with CPU MediaTek Helio X27 (MT6797X) with Android 6
Actually I would like to make a full dump of my stock rom and firstly try this to do with adb tool.
But "adb backup -all" doesnt create a full image backup - for my phone it was only about 90 MB - so this was only data backup not the whole image backup.
Next I start reading and find that with SP flash tool I can create full stock rom dump but for this I firstly need to have a scater file which file shows the partitions.
To create scater file for mediatek cpu I need a toll like MTK_DROID_TOOL - but as I read it is not compatible with MT6797X and for android higher than 4.4
So I can't create scater file => can't use SP flash tool => can't create backup of stock rom and my knowledge about adb doesn't help me with creating a dump of stock rom and I came here!
Also there is no working version of TWRP for my phone .
So any kind of help will be appreciated
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
SPFT is MediaTek's implementation to mess with partitions and to write hard bytes to the flash. It's more or less the same as fastboot for Qualcomm or Odin/Heimdall for Samsung. It is SoC vendor specific.
ADB on the other hand is way higher in the boot hierarchy. You can imagine it as a way to access the built in Linux shell of a running Android. It doesn't care what SoC it runs on.
To answer your question the easiest way to make a full ROM backup is to flash TWRP for your device and then do a Nandroid backup.

BlueFlame4 said:
SPFT is MediaTek's implementation to mess with partitions and to write hard bytes to the flash. It's more or less the same as fastboot for Qualcomm or Odin/Heimdall for Samsung. It is SoC vendor specific.
ADB on the other hand is way higher in the boot hierarchy. You can imagine it as a way to access the built in Linux shell of a running Android. It doesn't care what SoC it runs on.
To answer your question the easiest way to make a full ROM backup is to flash TWRP for your device and then do a Nandroid backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your answer but as I know there is now working and reliable version of TWRP for Leeco Le pro 3 AI

fxuser said:
Thank you for your answer but as I know there is now working and reliable version of TWRP for Leeco Le pro 3 AI
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure your bootloader is unlock first.