Hi folks.
I'm new here.
It's my first post so please forgive me if there's something wrong.
Basically I want to know is, what type of knowledge do i need (programming language and other things) to work on root of android like build.prop and making custom roms and working on the custom recovery etc.
What do I need to learn to understand those things and work on them.
Thanks.
Kaksrocks said:
Hi folks.
I'm new here.
It's my first post so please forgive me if there's something wrong.
Basically I want to know is, what type of knowledge do i need (programming language and other things) to work on root of android like build.prop and making custom roms and working on the custom recovery etc.
What do I need to learn to understand those things and work on them.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your question is not specific and I not sure exactly what information you requesting. For instance,
1 "root of android" ? Are you trying to root you're phone?
2. "build.prop"? Adding or modifying that can be done with an android app provided your device is already rooted. Ising ADB and fastboot may also be a possible.
3. " making custom roms" ? Does that mean installing or actually building a custom rom? Actually building a custom rom that is best left for advanced level developers. If, you mean installing a custun rom then generally speaking that is usually done in custom recovery by flashing a .zip file. Its very specific for each phone and carrier.
4. "working on custom recovery"? Depends on which custom recovery you have installed and what options are available. A YouTube search can provide some general information.
I am assuming you are interested in rooting you phone and unfair with all is necessary in order to do so. I suggest, searching for your specific model and carrier hear on XDA. For instence, I have a note 4, I search, "XDA Sprint Note 4".
Mr. JAVI said:
Your question is not specific and I not sure exactly what information you requesting. For instance,
1 "root of android" ? Are you trying to root you're phone?
2. "build.prop"? Adding or modifying that can be done with an android app provided your device is already rooted. Ising ADB and fastboot may also be a possible.
3. " making custom roms" ? Does that mean installing or actually building a custom rom? Actually building a custom rom that is best left for advanced level developers. If, you mean installing a custun rom then generally speaking that is usually done in custom recovery by flashing a .zip file. Its very specific for each phone and carrier.
4. "working on custom recovery"? Depends on which custom recovery you have installed and what options are available. A YouTube search can provide some general information.
I am assuming you are interested in rooting you phone and unfair with all is necessary in order to do so. I suggest, searching for your specific model and carrier hear on XDA. For instence, I have a note 4, I search, "XDA Sprint Note 4".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well. First of all thanks for the reply.
I do have the knowledge on how to root the device and i have my device rooted.
I know how can i modify the build.prop file.
But i want to know how the tweaks are actually made to put them in build.prop file to get it into work. How that tweak is made.
How to know what actually should i edit and etc.
And for custom roms. I do actually want to know about how to actually make a custom rom. Even though if its a high level thing. I still want to know. So that i can start learning and get in that field.
I want to know how custom recovery is made. For ex how twrp was made. And i want to learn its functionality.
Thanks again for the reply.
Kaksrocks said:
Well. First of all thanks for the reply.
I do have the knowledge on how to root the device and i have my device rooted.
I know how can i modify the build.prop file.
But i want to know how the tweaks are actually made to put them in build.prop file to get it into work. How that tweak is made.
How to know what actually should i edit and etc.
And for custom roms. I do actually want to know about how to actually make a custom rom. Even though if its a high level thing. I still want to know. So that i can start learning and get in that field.
I want to know how custom recovery is made. For ex how twrp was made. And i want to learn its functionality.
Thanks again for the reply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I
You welcome and I also Thank you for responding.
In regards to modification of build.props, I advise beginning with custom recovery and making a full back- up (all partitions). I have soft bricked my phone more that once by modifying build.pros and simply did a full wipe and restored my backup and up and running. Kernel Aduitor is an app that provides a Build prop Editor but there are stand alone app that are also available.
If your custom recovery is TWRP then Tipatch is an app that is worth looking into. Its available here on XDA or can be downloaded via Google Play Store.
Odex Roms vs Deodex Roms and what that means. I suggest Deodex if your plan on modifying and/or porting.
Also good to know the differences between kerels permissive vs enforcing.
Apps= ApkTool X, Apk Editor v1.3,(this is a lower version that offers a rebuild function while the updated version available from Google Play dose not) Md5 , and ZArchiver.
As far as how to make custom roms? Thats above my skill level. However, If you download a custom rom make a copy and rename it, then use a root file manager to extract it or ZArciver app and look threw the files of the rom. May help prove helpful in learning basic structure.
Keep in mind I am not a developer. Modified, porting, flashing, treaking I do often. For instance, Im tunning and od Note 4 on marshmallow 6.0.1 and have official Google Play Dark Theme.
If you have any questions
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/themes/official-google-play-store-dark-theme-t3977061
Mr. JAVI said:
I
You welcome and I also Thank you for responding.
In regards to modification of build.props, I advise beginning with custom recovery and making a full back- up (all partitions). I have soft bricked my phone more that once by modifying build.pros and simply did a full wipe and restored my backup and up and running. Kernel Aduitor is an app that provides a Build prop Editor but there are stand alone app that are also available.
If your custom recovery is TWRP then Tipatch is an app that is worth looking into. Its available here on XDA or can be downloaded via Google Play Store.
Odex Roms vs Deodex Roms and what that means. I suggest Deodex if your plan on modifying and/or porting.
Also good to know the differences between kerels permissive vs enforcing.
Apps= ApkTool X, Apk Editor v1.3,(this is a lower version that offers a rebuild function while the updated version available from Google Play dose not) Md5 , and ZArchiver.
As far as how to make custom roms? Thats above my skill level. However, If you download a custom rom make a copy and rename it, then use a root file manager to extract it or ZArciver app and look threw the files of the rom. May help prove helpful in learning basic structure.
Keep in mind I am not a developer. Modified, porting, flashing, treaking I do often. For instance, Im tunning and od Note 4 on marshmallow 6.0.1 and have official Google Play Dark Theme.
If you have any questions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great. Thanks for the information you provided.
You were pretty helpful.
So again thanks.
Related
Hi Fellow old and New Devs,
The title suggests it all. I have four questions that I think ALL newbies want to understand. I would try and explain them, but as I am just coming out of the newbie stage, I'm sure people would prefer an answer from a experianced Dev.
When answering a question please put the Question Number. Feel free to answer only one or two of the questions, I'm sure other people will cover your missing fields of knowledge.
Here they are:
1. What is rooting? Can I root my device (HTC Buzz Wildfire) and keep the stock interface? Will I loose my data?
2. What do all these Dev's mean by Recovery? What are they, why are they needed?
3. What is a ROM? Do I need to be rooted for a custom ROM? How can you trust them? Will I loose my data when installing a custom ROM?
4. What is a Kernal? How are they Different to ROM's? Should I change from the stock Kernal?
I know this is a tall order and you could write a book on the topic, but please could you write a short (a couple of sentaces will do) paragraph on each question you choose to do.
When we get enough understandable answers I will edit this post publish the Final answers for other newbies in the future.
Also feel free to enter the poll! As this is a Dev site I presume one of the options will have the most votes but we will see....
Cheers for any contribution in advanced.
th3ant
th3ant said:
Hi Fellow old and New Devs,
The title suggests it all. I have four questions that I think ALL newbies want to understand. I would try and explain them, but as I am just coming out of the newbie stage, I'm sure people would prefer an answer from a experianced Dev.
When answering a question please put the Question Number. Feel free to answer only one or two of the questions, I'm sure other people will cover your missing fields of knowledge.
Here they are:
1. What is rooting? Can I root my device (HTC Buzz Wildfire) and keep the stock interface? Will I loose my data?
2. What do all these Dev's mean by Recovery? What are they, why are they needed?
3. What is a ROM? Do I need to be rooted for a custom ROM? How can you trust them? Will I loose my data when installing a custom ROM?
4. What is a Kernal? How are they Different to ROM's? Should I change from the stock Kernal?
I know this is a tall order and you could write a book on the topic, but please could you write a short (a couple of sentaces will do) paragraph on each question you choose to do.
When we get enough understandable answers I will edit this post publish the Final answers for other newbies in the future.
Also feel free to enter the poll! As this is a Dev site I presume one of the options will have the most votes but we will see....
Cheers for any contribution in advanced.
th3ant
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, from the best of my understanding, here we go:
1: Rooting. To understand this, we must consider a computer, running linux, windows, or mac. In windows, the "Administrator" account is similar to the root account in linux and mac. Basically if you have root privileges in a system, you can modify every part of the filesystem, as well as perform any tasks the system is equipped to handle. Basically achieving root on an android device means that you can unlock the ability to flash roms, mod, and otherwise hack your device any which way you like. Nearly every model of android device has been rooted, so in most cases, yes you can root XXXXX phone. Also, since you're just gaining privileges, you can root without losing any data, apps, or settings.
2: Recovery. This is a long standing concept in SoC/Embedded device hacking. Basically it is a minimal operating system that performs some very basic, but very important tasks. The reason for it is so that you can write to the necessary areas on the NAND, which would be "busy" while android is booted. This offers a way to access the necessary partitions and write data to them while the data is not being accessed. It's also useful for backing up your NAND. Hence the name "nandroid."
3: ROM. By definition, it means "Read Only Memory." This is a chip on the board. ROM has evolved over the years. It started out as a chip that was sensitive to UV light. The earliest ROMs were "flashed" to a device by stenciling out the pathways and exposing the chip to UV radiation. Nowadays, we have fancy EEPROMs instead, which stands for Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory. This means that you can "flash" the chip by means of software, namely via Recovery mode in our case. Different ROMs have different features. They are all variations on source code made available by AOSP, or the android open source project. Some projects have their own code tracking, such as CyanogenMod. In most devices, you must be rooted to be able to install a ROM, however it is not explicitly necessary. A bit vague, I suppose. Specifically the tablet I own, the WITS a81e, you can flash a ROM to it just by putting the correct files on the TF card. This is not very common with phones, however. Flashing any rom that is not just a newer version of your current ROM will require a full format. For instance, if you have cyanogenmod and switch to a Sense or Blur ROM, you must format, but if you update from CM6 to CM6.1 you will not need to wipe. How can you trust ROM's? Well the best way to know is to either roll your own, or go with CyanogenMod, as their source is freely and easily available for scrutiny and improvement, along with a nice changelog tracker.
4. Kernels. A kernel is basically the most low level part of an operating system. It interfaces directly with the processor and provides all instruction for operation. Linux is technically not an operating system, it's a Kernel. The different distributions have the Linux kernel, and use their own different User Interfaces. Different kernels in android devices can allow you to overclock. There are many choices in kernels, and the features they offer. Some features are BFS/CFS which is the priority scheduling of processes. Some kernels allow you to charge your battery differently and conserve life. These are often called battery kernels. Also, some kernels unlock extra multitouch points in certain devices. There are different versions of the linux kernel, with many improvements with each iteration. Currently, the latest kernel available that I know of for android devices is 2.6.37. The froyo default kernel was a 2.6.32. I wish I knew a bit more about kernels, however this is about all I know. Perhaps someone could help us out and expand on this a bit?
Brilliant answer not too complicated... let's see what others say....
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using XDA App
What he said...
Pyroboy1080 well said...
That pretty much covers it.
thx for the infos..
Agreed. Thanks for using the poll!
nothing to add on that, as we used to say "merci beaucoup"
Can't ROM
Gotta be something stupid......
Can't install 2.2 or 2.3. Tried two different ODIN flashers. When I do the reset I do not get the triangel with downloading in the center. I'm rooted, Have ROM Manager, Superuser, Root Explorer, Super Manager, I'm unlocked.
I have Android SDK, Congnitive 4.1, NPS, Samsung Kies,SGH I897 USB Drivers, What else? I think I have it covered. In any case I never get the download . Even if I do a "ROM Manager Install fron SD Card, the result is a screen, blue at top and yellow at bottom with the last line saying "Installing Multi- CSC. I can let it run all night, no change in ROM. Does the Captivate sold by ATT have some kind of block or filter keeping me from updating?
Current firmware is 2.1 update 1, baseband I897UCJH7, Kernel 2.6.29 [email protected] #2, Build ECLAIR.UCJH7
Thanks
To better answer your question, I first need to know what type of device you're using...
fxstsb said:
Gotta be something stupid......
Can't install 2.2 or 2.3. Tried two different ODIN flashers. When I do the reset I do not get the triangel with downloading in the center. I'm rooted, Have ROM Manager, Superuser, Root Explorer, Super Manager, I'm unlocked.
I have Android SDK, Congnitive 4.1, NPS, Samsung Kies,SGH I897 USB Drivers, What else? I think I have it covered. In any case I never get the download . Even if I do a "ROM Manager Install fron SD Card, the result is a screen, blue at top and yellow at bottom with the last line saying "Installing Multi- CSC. I can let it run all night, no change in ROM. Does the Captivate sold by ATT have some kind of block or filter keeping me from updating?
Current firmware is 2.1 update 1, baseband I897UCJH7, Kernel 2.6.29 [email protected] #2, Build ECLAIR.UCJH7
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
didn't know where to ask this?
hello, everyone..
i have some questions, i'm hoping some of you can anwser.
I used unrevoked to root my htc desire. after that, I used alpharev to gain s-off.
everything went fine, i got the joker, the white screen that lets me pick different options..
now Í tried all those options, nothing works.
I've been searching all night for a solution, and it seems my recovery boot and rom are missing? and what I came across is installing ANDROID SDK tools, and then run fastboot to recover an image. So I installed SDK tools, but fastboot doesn't run, it says some .dll driver is missing. in the platform-tools map is that .dll driver, should i move it?
Can someone get me a step by step tutorial on how to make my desire work again? Im kind of a noob, all I needed was to make a screenshot..
Thanks in advance, it would be appreciated so much..
Pyroboy, I'm using a Samsung Captivate. In another thread someone lead me to "All in One Toolbox". The other stuff is just stuff. That allowed me to install my ROM.
Hi All,
I am working on a custom RoM with specific focus.
So basically i will be taking a standard rom and will be adding some softwares some binaries some terminal related shortcuts and stuff.
Now i had two apporaches for it
1) create a custom ROM for each device.
2) create / user a mod manager which allows for mods which are not incremental in nature and can coexisit independently.
example i release m1 m2 and m3 as 3 Mod packs.
person A might want m1 m3 but not m2
person B might want just m3
person C is happy with just m2
and m1 m2 m3 are completely inependent packages.
Can any one suggest if such a solution exist in the wild I have tried to look at various rom managers but they all work on update mode and not mod mode.
Also using such a system i would like to create zip's which i can install in simmilar fashion to the recovery based update.zip flashing. but in running environment. (considering they are not hurting any running code)
Thanks in advance for help
Check out the AROMA Installer thread...see if it does what you are looking for...
-BMFC
bmfc187 said:
Check out the AROMA Installer thread...see if it does what you are looking for...
-BMFC
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting project will check it out.
however as far as i can understand it right now its running in recovery mode, I am looking for something which can work when device is running.
If i was not clear before i will give some examples.
I have some apk's and some system mod's
now i want some software which a person can install on his machine and he can securely see the list of items on my server,
he selects i want to install apk.
apk gets downloaded and installed
he selects a system mod
zip file will be downloaded and it will be extracted on /system or / as required and permissions to be setted as listed in a update script on file.
Basically what i am trying to do is to put my mod's and apk's in generalized manner so i don't have to deal with the nittygritties of the android system's on each device. i can directly work on my stuff.
I hope i am clear this time
Now real question ? Is there any such thing in wild?
or am i looking at building something from scratch and if yes what's the cost.
Can anyone explain me the meaning of 1.Custom Roms
2.Kernels
3.CMW Recovery
Also Does any Custom Rom allows me to change the boot animation?
Any help would be appreciated.
OK Im goin to try
Custom ROM - you could think of it as modified version of android. Stock ROM is ROM that comes with your phone when you but it. Custom ROMs are mostly debloated (without crap apps that just slow you phone etc. and they are tweaked to run more efficiently)
Kernel is a piece of software that is a core of your OS and basically mediates comunication between hardware and applications.
CWM Recovery is a "upgrade" of default recovery. It enables you to do NAND Backups and Restores of your whole phone, and many other great features that you cant do on default recovery. Its very powerfull tool
OK I hope that this will help you
Sent from my HTC Wildfire S using xda app-developers app
pansysk75 said:
Can anyone explain me the meaning of 1.Custom Roms
2.Kernels
3.CMW Recovery
Also Does any Custom Rom allows me to change the boot animation?
Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm new to the Android/Rooting community so take everything I say with a grain of salt. I'm still learning, but this is what I've learned in the past month of tinkering with this stuff:
1) A custom ROM is like a custom version of the software you interact with. Android by itself is not configured to each specific device it is installed on. So, the manufacturers (like Acer, Asus, Samsung, etc) take that android compilation and configure it for the devices they sell. Each of these configurations is different and some of them prevent you from having full functionality, whereas others might be bloated/slow/need other tweaks. Enter some awesome guys here on the XDA-forums and other places who took these manufacturer-specific installs and stock installs and customized them to enhance performance, battery life, change the look and feel, and offer various tweaks & fixes.
2. A kernel is the underlying code that runs the operating system. I haven't messed with this stuff yet, I don't know much about it, and if you don't know anything just DON'T mess with it. Breaking the kernel will completely prevent you from using your device (I'm applying my computer knowledge to assume the Linux/android kernel operates on the same principles as computers)
3. CWM recovery stands for clockwork mod recovery. Basically, these stock tablets and devices include a "recovery" module built-in that lets you backup your tablet and hopefully restore it in case things go horribly, horribly wrong. CWM is an after-market/3rd-party recovery that has a TON of functionality and is very well-supported and updated. Most tutorials assume you HAVE CWM recovery installed so its a pretty awesome and pretty important program to have. The CWM recovery wiki has more information depending on your model of device.
I hope this answers your questions, and if I am mistaken in any aspect I encourage another member to correct me.
Thanks,
Opethfan89
This link explains all kinds of android terminology. I was incorrect about a few things, glad I found this: link here
Thanks for your time!
pansysk75 said:
Thanks for your time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
as for your other question about bootanimations....you only have to be rooted to install a boot animation. and depending on the original location (some manufacturers put it in system/media orthes in a non-root required location)
find an animation you like, download it, use root explorer or another file explorer and copy it to the system/media folder and change permissions to rw/r/r and reboot and it will play the new animation.
there are also apps on the market (Rom toolbox) that has a TON of tablet specific animations, it will download them, and install them for you....and as long as you are rooted you just have to sit back and relax
If the vendor (in this case Vodafone) don't provide sources, does it mean I'm unable to create a ROM for it?
Put it another way, is it possible to create a ROM using only a running device?
The Original Leppa said:
If the vendor (in this case Vodafone) don't provide sources, does it mean I'm unable to create a ROM for it?
Put it another way, is it possible to create a ROM using only a running device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, if you want to build a "true" custom ROM you will need the stock source code for your device.
If you can root, you can use adb or Terminal Emulator to do a "ROM dump", or dump just a copy of your system.img, then modify that system.img and then use adb to push the modified system.img to your device. It will be considered a modified stock ROM, it won't be a "custom" ROM but you can modify it quite heavily with things like Xposed, Gravity Box, and a few other good mods and themes.
Or you can get a copy of your stock firmware(not the same as source code), then find other devices with the exact same hardware that have a better version of Android than yours, then use your stock firmware to port the better version to work on your device.
Building a true custom ROM is "possible" without stock source code but it would require VERY extensive programming and developer knowledge to do it because you'd have to do every bit of it from scratch with no resources to work with.
Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk
So, I'm screwed, in terms of porting?
The Original Leppa said:
So, I'm screwed, in terms of porting?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would help if you had stock firmware for your model then you can find another device with the same hardware architecture(chipset), if they are similar enough you can port it.
It's possible to port between devices that aren't exactly the same chipset but that also requires extensive developer knowledge.
If you aren't experienced then you're pretty much out of luck.
If you want to customize android devices then you need to get less obscure devices. Next time, research the device first to see if there is a known rooting method for it and whether there is custom development available for it before you get it. Or if you get a device that just came out, get a device that you are certain that developers will support, typically a flagship/popular device.
The cheap low-mid range devices usually don't get support from developers and the ones that do get support are not supported by real develoers, they are supported by members that took it on themselves to learn how to build android just so they can update their device but their work usually isn't exactly right due to their lack of experience.
Sent from my SM-S903VL using Tapatalk
Hello everyone,
First let me start of by saying that I love this forum, I love the idea of it; having all android consumers' needs all grouped in one place I wish they were different websites as focused as this one. And I am thankful for every person in this pseudo system that helps everyday, make it a better version of what it is.
I've been considering rooting my device for months. Now, I finally have some time to get to it.
I saved up some questions while browsing the forums, I am hoping you could save 2 minutes to answer whatever question you think your best suited to answer. (I am patient )
1. If I freeze/ delete bloatware from my device, does it become aosp?
2. After downloading, can I download Aosp as my ROM or do I have to use a custom rom like Lineage, MIUI, etc ...?
3. When I Am using a ROM + an android launcher, do the ressources(Battery, memory, ...) used by both add up. What I am asking is it always better to use a rom without a launcher?
4. What are CAFs?
5. what exactly is CMW or TWRP?
6. If I already have greenify, do I need doze? or is it redundant? (stock rom is kitkat 4.4)
I'll be posting again, because, I don't want to brick my phone (SIGH!), untill then have a good day.
CWM and TWRP are custom recoveries that let you install zip files. Custom ROMs and other mods come in zip form so you need TWRP if you want to install anything like Roms.
What device are you planning on rooting?
Anarhy said:
Hello everyone,
First let me start of by saying that I love this forum, I love the idea of it; having all android consumers' needs all grouped in one place I wish they were different websites as focused as this one. And I am thankful for every person in this pseudo system that helps everyday, make it a better version of what it is.
I've been considering rooting my device for months. Now, I finally have some time to get to it.
I saved up some questions while browsing the forums, I am hoping you could save 2 minutes to answer whatever question you think your best suited to answer. (I am patient )
1. If I freeze/ delete bloatware from my device, does it become aosp?
2. After downloading, can I download Aosp as my ROM or do I have to use a custom rom like Lineage, MIUI, etc ...?
3. When I Am using a ROM + an android launcher, do the ressources(Battery, memory, ...) used by both add up. What I am asking is it always better to use a rom without a launcher?
4. What are CAFs?
5. what exactly is CMW or TWRP?
6. If I already have greenify, do I need doze? or is it redundant? (stock rom is kitkat 4.4)
I'll be posting again, because, I don't want to brick my phone (SIGH!), untill then have a good day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) no, if you freeze/remove bloatware it does not make AOSP.
2) The ROMs you use will depend on what(if anything) is available for your model number, there may be no custom ROMs or there may be up to 10 or 20 custom ROMs. It just depends on whether anyone has chosen to build ROMs and what type of ROM(s) they choose to build. This is all determined by the model number of your device.
3) Yes, everything that is installed, loaded and running will use battery. I don't exactly undrstand why or what you are asking this for.
4) http://openattitude.com/2016/01/18/android-6-custom-roms-aosp-vs-caf/
https://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/help/caf-vs-caf-t3341502
5) CWM(ClockWorkMod) and TWRP(Team Win Recovery Project) are custom recoveries used to flash ROMs, make backups, restore backups, wipe the devices partitions, adb access and management, etc..
6) Greenify freezes apps and Doze puts the device in deep sleep so it's OK to use them together as long as it doesn't cause a conflict, it may depend on how you arrange each of their settings.
I DO NOT PROVIDE HELP IN PM, KEEP IT IN THE THREADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN SHARE