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Hang on boot with older bootloader

I've got reports when for some users, the device would freeze on boot when using older bootloader versions (3.41 I guess?) and custom kernel. This hang apparently disappears if the user upgrades to the newest bootloader.
Does anybody knows why this happens? I know Metallice has this issue with his kernel, so he tells users to upgrade to newest bootloader. Does anybody else have the same issue, maybe pinpointed the reason why this happens?
It doesn't cause any real problems because newest bootloader works okay, but I would still like to know why it happens.

Tasssadar said:
I've got reports when for some users, the device would freeze on boot when using older bootloader versions (3.41 I guess?) and custom kernel. This hang apparently disappears if the user upgrades to the newest bootloader.
Does anybody knows why this happens? I know Metallice has this issue with his kernel, so he tells users to upgrade to newest bootloader. Does anybody else have the same issue, maybe pinpointed the reason why this happens?
It doesn't cause any real problems because newest bootloader works okay, but I would still like to know why it happens.
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I found after wondering the same question that it doens't actually hang but people are to impatient to wait and see. I also found that on a dead battery even on the newest bootloader even if there is enough charge that it can hang and a reboot is needed to be forced apon.

Google made an announcement that they added some extra suppliers for certain components, I think some different storage chips, that required the new boot loader. That's probably the issue.

[speculation]
There is no hardware reset/change which occurs when the bootloader transfers control to whatever comes next (recovery kernel, OS kernel, etc) other than what the kernel itself will attempt to do on it's own as it begins initializing, so beyond things which are explicitly passed to the kernel from the bootloader (e.g. the kernel boot command argument list), whatever hardware state - clocking configuration, rate, or a whole slew of other device initializations - that the bootloader sets up can be regarded as an implicit set of "hardware state" parameters for the kernel which follows. (It is impossible for the kernel to reset *everything* back to a known state via a hardware reset, as this would just re-launch the bootloader)
So, the scenario described certainly seems feasible enough if the kernel code makes inappropriate assumptions about inherited state, sequences initializations differently, etc.
I was poking through TWRP's kernel log the other day, and was somewhat shocked to see a message about failure to read the mmc device's (Flash Memory!) partition table - followed immediately by an indecipherable message about a clocking change .... and then normal sorts of messages about partitions found. Rather unnerving as that suggests something extremely fundamental for a recovery (partition layout) is being attempted initially in a sketchy fashion.
It does seem rather odd that some mismatch between the kernel's presumption of inherited hardware state would manifest itself in late boot behavior - the boot animation screen for the OS is in /system, no? Seems like if you are seeing things progress that far along the kernel probably has not failed in any dramatic way.
Anyhow - why not just put the question to the M-kernel dev in his thread, or give him the URL to this thread and ask him to comment?
[/speculation]
cheers
[ Edit ] I suppose I should have added that if you experience the problem yourself with a set of kernel mods, you might be able to come up with a hypothesis by bisecting backwards towards a reference commit that doesn't have the problem. Seems like a lot of work though, given that - for lack of Asus bootloader source code - the bootloader's behavior changes between releases are opaque.

I spent a long time trying to figure it out before the bootloader update fixed it. Couldn't. The problem would just appear randomly. I tried reverting patches, resetting git, trying to find a cause, but there seemed to be no definite cause. One patch removal would seem to solve it, and then it would come back after adding another, dissapear when I added back the patch I thought was causing it, etc. etc.
I now don't see it as an issue since any bootloader beyond 4.1.x fixes this.

was on 3.34 when started to experience this the only way it gets fix for me is pressing the up/power button
and the hang was not just in boot even going to the recovery via fastboot also hangs
i think the only fix for this is updating bootloader

Random WiFi-MAC Address Changes on Reboot

Well hi folks...
from today on - made no changes to my rooted nexus5 with graviton n5 1.1, which worked without any problems from the day I got it - it keeps changing the WiFi-mac-address after rebooting. (first 3 octets stay the same, last 3 octets change randomly, see attachment)
The issue seems to be well known on some other devices, but obviously I´m the first one experiencing this on the Nexus5.
Anyone else having this problem and maybe got a solution for ? It´s pretty annoying to have lots of entries on my wlan-router, also persistent ip assingning is not possible any more.
Things I tried already to fix the problem:
- installed different custom (bricked and franco) and stock kernels
- wiping dalvic/cache
- restored EFS-Backup made on the second day I got the phone
- reverted back to full stock without root / unlocked bootloader
Any help / tips / tricks to get things fixed would be highly appreciated ...

This seems to be a nexus thing, but not everyone's phone does this. There is a fix for it (I applied it to my galaxy nexus) but I'll have to get hone before I can find the instructions...it requires some hex editing
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Nobody any useable information regarding this problem?

Experiencing the same. Except for when I restore stock it returns to its original. So weird, maybe has something to with restoring a twrp backup checking Vendor partition?

6.0.1 Update - Battery Percentage messed up

Anyone has this issue with the battery reading a ridiculous percentage?
I just updated to 6.0.1 and this shows up.

Also got this. Did you make any modifications?

The only mods that I have is TWRP, root, and Elemental kernel. But that showed up before the mods.
I don't know if this was due to flashing the update files individually. I didn't want to go the "flash all.bat" way.
Maybe a clean install will solve it.
I also noticed that access to the battery information is no longer present.
I ended up restoring back to 6.0 for now.

I also had got this but I forgot to flash kernel.
Problem solved after 6.0.1 kernel flash.

I just read that on another forum. It is related to the boot.img. I guess we would need a new modified boot.img to be able to root.

I had this too, ElementalX Kernel fixed it for me as it's been updated for 6.0.1 - http://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/orig-development/kernel-elementalx-n5-0-44-t2519607
I would imagine other kernels will be available soon.

Internal problem with the device (DTBO?)

Hi all
Recently I flashed Oreo 8.1 on my Pixel, rooted with latest magisk and flashed latest elementalX. On boot I noticed this strange popup-error (see attached image)
On every boot the popup is still there, I just have to press Ok and the popup goes away, but it's pretty annoying.
Reading here and there on internet I found that it's the DTBO error, this happens on Pixel 2s and there is a fix flashing dtbo.img, but since I'm on Pixel of first generation I can't because the factory image doesn't contain that image file.
Is there a fix? Someone knows why this is happening? (Of course it's not a big problem since it's just a popup and everything works perfectly, just wondering if I can remove it btw).
Thanks in advance.

No solution. Commonly experienced by some/most users these days. See Magisk and/or kernel threads.

This only happens after installing a custom kernel. Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with your device.

3a, issues with Android System/Kernel killing battery?

Hello! Let me know if this is the wrong place but ever since I got my 3a a few weeks ago, I've been disappointed with the battery life. The stats are below. The "Averaged per complete charge" are completely inaccurate as I've never hit > 4 SOT, ever. I don't really know what to do at this point because I've tried cleaning out everything I could.
These stats are on a regular work day, light usage. Texting, 2 or 3 calls, etc.
battery stats
Any tips?

If you're on stock, then custom kernel should help. I'm quite happy with the battery benefits that EX kernel brought to my Pixel 3a. You can find it here - https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-3a/development/kernel-pixel-3a-xl-elementalx-1-01-t3931185

pasha_d said:
If you're on stock, then custom kernel should help. I'm quite happy with the battery benefits that EX kernel brought to my Pixel 3a. You can find it here - https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-3a/development/kernel-pixel-3a-xl-elementalx-1-01-t3931185
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Click to collapse
Thanks. A poster elsewhere recommended a system reset and flash the newest update and release basic apps for a few days to see how the battery does.
Can I flash a custom kernel without root?

sippinhenn said:
Thanks. A poster elsewhere recommended a system reset and flash the newest update and release basic apps for a few days to see how the battery does.
Can I flash a custom kernel without root?
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In Android 9 you can use TWRP custom recovery to flash kernel ZIP without having root. If you're on 10 you still might be able to flash it without root in fastboot (or should I say in "fastbootd"), but I didn't try that.