For those of you who want the AOSP experience, here is how to install generic Android system images. This -should- work on any Samsung device for which TWRP is available. A GSI is only a system image and does not include the kernel. You can use this guide to install any GSI as the process should work the same. You can find various projects in Treble-Enabled Device Development.
WARNING: These instructions are intended ONLY for those who are familiar with Android, partitions, Odin, TWRP, ADB tools, etc. If you are a beginner/novice, GO NO FURTHER. I am NOT a developer, and I will NOT provide support. All software linked herein is provided AS IS. If you screw something up with your phone because you're trying to do something you know nothing about, I won't help you fix it.
To check whether you can run a GSI on your device, you can either use Termux or adb shell:
getprop ro.treble.enabled
If this returns TRUE, your device is Treble enabled and can run GSIs.
Unlock Bootloader
Enable Developer Options and turn on OEM Unlocking
Disconnect USB/power cables and turn your device OFF
Hold both Volume buttons (do not press Power) and plug in the USB cord connected to your PC
The download/unlock screen should come up immediately. Select the option for device unlock mode.
Disable Knox Guard
After unlocking your bootloader, boot your device normally. Skip through setup, but make sure you connect to the Internet.
Enable Developer options again; OEM Unlocking will likely not be visible. To fix this, initiate a check for a firmware update. Do not download the update.
Go back to Developer Options and confirm that OEM Unlocking is visible; it should be grayed out with the message "Bootloader is already unlocked". If you do NOT see OEM Unlocking, do not attempt to flash any custom firmware.
Put your device in Download Mode. Look for a line that says "KG STATUS" - CHECKING or COMPLETE are OK. If this says LOCKED or PRENORMAL, do not attempt to flash custom firmware and go back to step 1 of this section.
Flash TWRP
Download TWRP for your device. You need the file that ends in .tar.
Put your device in download mode and connect to your PC.
Using Odin, flash the TWRP image in the AP slot. Make sure you either uncheck Auto Reboot in the Options tab, or be ready to force recovery mode when the device reboots. If you allow the OEM firmware to boot after flashing TWRP, it will automatically install the OEM recovery.
Install Multidisabler
Download Multidisabler, transfer it to your device, and flash in TWRP. Among other things, this will disable the recovery restoration, although since you won't be using the OEM firmware this doesn't matter.
Format /data.
Install GSI
Download the Android Preview GSI from Google
These builds are similar to what Pixel devices are running, although they lag behind in updates, and the GMS flavor includes Google Apps. If you want the pure AOSP source, check out Android Continuous Integration for the "master" builds.
If you prefer, you can install the vanilla version, and flash the GApps package of your choice. I highly recommend LiteGapps or NikGapps
Extract system.img from the above archive and transfer to your device
Wipe /system in TWRP. Do not wipe /boot as this will erase your kernel!
Install GSI in TWRP: Install > Install Image > Select GSI image > Select /system and flash.
Important: If you need to flash a GApps package, do this immediately after installing the GSI. You may need to resize /system if you get an error.
Root/Pass Play Integrity
If you want root, just flash Magisk in TWRP. No need to rename it to .zip. If you choose not to root, be aware that the device will not pass Play Integrity, so many banking/DRM apps will not work.
If you do want to be able to use banking/DRM apps, root with Magisk and install the Universal SafetyNet Fix Displax mod to pass BASIC_INTEGRITY and DEVICE_INTEGRITY attestation.
Notes:
If your device does not have TWRP available, you can try patching your own recovery to enable fastbootd; this will allow you to flash partitions directly from a fastboot command line.
If you're feeling really brave, you can try running a Generic Kernel Image, which you'd flash to /boot. This may not boot properly.
Thanks for the tutorial
I have a Galaxy Note 9 (snapdragon) and Galaxy Tab S8+, wich doesn't have (almost) any roms.
Do you think Samsung hardware like s pen and camera will work fine on GSI ?
Do KVM is enabled on GSI ?
shim80 said:
Thanks for the tutorial
I have a Galaxy Note 9 (snapdragon) and Galaxy Tab S8+, wich doesn't have (almost) any roms.
Do you think Samsung hardware like s pen and camera will work fine on GSI ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The idea behind GSIs, specifically Project Treble, is that the system image can change, while the hardware drivers and kernels will remain the same. So, in theory, yes - since you'd be using the original kernel, all hardware features should work. YMMV though, and I have no idea how to make them work if they don't. I'm not a developer.
shim80 said:
Do KVM is enabled on GSI ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What is KVM? If it is Samsung specific, then likely not, unless it's built into the kernel.
V0latyle said:
What is KVM? If it is Samsung specific, then likely not, unless it's built into the kernel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
KVM (for Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a feature that allow hardware virtualization on recent ARM chips.
It's enabled by default on Exynos and Tensor (Google), but Qualcomm is using it for protecting the kernel, so it's can't be enabled unless using modified custom kernel...
shim80 said:
KVM (for Kernel-based Virtual Machine) is a feature that allow hardware virtualization on recent ARM chips.
It's enabled by default on Exynos and Tensor (Google), but Qualcomm is using it for protecting the kernel, so it's can't be enabled unless using modified custom kernel...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah. Well, as I explained above, a Generic System Image is designed to be used with a separate kernel, most often the OEM kernel, so you could potentially flash a custom kernel and use a GSI with it. More to your point though, I have no idea - if KVM is implemented in the kernel, it should work on a GSI, provided you install the necessary framework to use it.
can you send any screenshot??
amirabbas mm said:
can you send any screenshot??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's just AOSP, it's not custom. Looks like the Pixel interface. I don't have any screenshots.
Suggestion, you can add https://github.com/Johx22/Patch-Recovery
for devices without twrp. I and other ppl have already tested on galaxy tab A7 Lite and it works fine
V0latyle said:
The idea behind GSIs, specifically Project Treble, is that the system image can change, while the hardware drivers and kernels will remain the same. So, in theory, yes - since you'd be using the original kernel, all hardware features should work. YMMV though, and I have no idea how to make them work if they don't. I'm not a developer.
What is KVM? If it is Samsung specific, then likely not, unless it's built into the kernel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What’s the catch? In other words, how is this different then the pixel experience rom?
Skorpion96 said:
Suggestion, you can add https://github.com/Johx22/Patch-Recovery
for devices without twrp. I and other ppl have already tested on galaxy tab A7 Lite and it works fine
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've never used that, can you describe how it works? I don't really intend this guide for beginners so I won't write detailed instructions but I can cover the basics. It sounds as though this can be used to flash system images via fastboot?
Arealhooman said:
What’s the catch? In other words, how is this different then the pixel experience rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll be honest, I've never used Pixel Experience, but from what I can see, the major difference is that it is based on AOSP and has a lot of Pixel stuff included. You can absolutely use this guide to install any GSI, they should all work the same since they're designed to work with a separate kernel. That being said, it appears that Pixel Experience is provided in a sideloadable ZIP, so you'd simply install the ZIP in TWRP.
What I have linked in this thread is the official Android Developer GSI which is intended to be used as a Compatibility Test Suite platform for Android apps, so it isn't really fine tuned for daily use, but in my experience it's been quite stable and usable. You can also use the master AOSP builds if you want the pure source.
V0latyle said:
I've never used that, can you describe how it works? I don't really intend this guide for beginners so I won't write detailed instructions but I can cover the basics. It sounds as though this can be used to flash system images via fastboot?
I'll be honest, I've never used Pixel Experience, but from what I can see, the major difference is that it is based on AOSP and has a lot of Pixel stuff included. You can absolutely use this guide to install any GSI, they should all work the same since they're designed to work with a separate kernel. That being said, it appears that Pixel Experience is provided in a sideloadable ZIP, so you'd simply install the ZIP in TWRP.
What I have linked in this thread is the official Android Developer GSI which is intended to be used as a Compatibility Test Suite platform for Android apps, so it isn't really fine tuned for daily use, but in my experience it's been quite stable and usable. You can also use the master AOSP builds if you want the pure source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would this have everything Google pixels have? Is this Google pixel firmware?
Arealhooman said:
Would this have everything Google pixels have? Is this Google pixel firmware?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is just AOSP - plain Jane vanilla Android, optionally with Google apps. As such, it doesn't include any of the device specific customizations that Pixels may have. Pixel firmware is very close to AOSP and I'm not sure what all is different but the Pixels are marketed as Google's "Android Showcase" devices that demonstrate what Android is capable of.
What the Pixel series does is use a generic kernel and system image - meaning that you could, in theory, use the same system image on any GSI capable device - but they also have a product partition that contains the various customizations for that particular device. This is done to make software updates much simpler; on the Pixel series, Google basically uses one system build across all its active devices, meaning they don't have to rebuild for every update, while the product partitions are what hold the device specific software.
Long story short, Pixels are indeed running the AOSP GSI that I've shared here, but the GSI itself does not contain anything specific to the Pixels.
Tysm, and thsi has no chance of a brick if I do it right and am supported by project treble?
Arealhooman said:
Tysm, and thsi has no chance of a brick if I do it right and am supported by project treble?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It depends on your definition of "brick". To me, "bricked" means the device is completely unusable and unrecoverable with the software and tools that are available to the average user - for example, if the screen doesn't come on, the bootloader is corrupted, something like that.
Using a GSI won't cause this to happen, if you do everything properly. At the very worst, it may be unstable, and you may have to go back to your last known good configuration to be able to get your device working again, but that's just a matter of either flashing different firmware or going back to OEM firmware.
It's entirely possible that this may not work properly on your device, and since I am not a developer, I am not providing any support whatsoever. Use at your own risk.
V0latyle said:
I've never used that, can you describe how it works? I don't really intend this guide for beginners so I won't write detailed instructions but I can cover the basics. It sounds as though this can be used to flash system images via fastboot?
I'll be honest, I've never used Pixel Experience, but from what I can see, the major difference is that it is based on AOSP and has a lot of Pixel stuff included. You can absolutely use this guide to install any GSI, they should all work the same since they're designed to work with a separate kernel. That being said, it appears that Pixel Experience is provided in a sideloadable ZIP, so you'd simply install the ZIP in TWRP.
What I have linked in this thread is the official Android Developer GSI which is intended to be used as a Compatibility Test Suite platform for Android apps, so it isn't really fine tuned for daily use, but in my experience it's been quite stable and usable. You can also use the master AOSP builds if you want the pure source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It decompile stock recovery, add fastboot and recompile, I'll show you a photo as attachment
Skorpion96 said:
It decompile stock recovery, add fastboot and recompile, I'll show you a photo as attachment
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah ok, so when you're in fastbootd mode, you can just flash the partitions directly?
Skorpion96 said:
It decompile stock recovery, add fastboot and recompile, I'll show you a photo as attachment
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In this picture, is this how fast boot d look like? Im scared flashing too good to be true stuff on my device, and even more scared that it works, and then when I try to flash soemthign thru it it break connection and gives me a hard brick
Arealhooman said:
In this picture, is this how fast boot d look like? Im scared flashing too good to be true stuff on my device, and even more scared that it works, and then when I try to flash soemthign thru it it break connection and gives me a hard brick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is fastboot on my galaxy tab A7 Lite, you can enter by recovery, it will add the option
V0latyle said:
Ah ok, so when you're in fastbootd mode, you can just flash the partitions directly?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep
can i install on costume rom??
Related
This guide is intended to be an all-in-one resource for people coming to Samsung phones after using other devices. It is a general introduction to the S4 and a glossary/explanation of terms you may see here in the forums.
This thread is slightly out of date but the info is still good, I will be updating again soon!!! Remember to hit thanks if this was useful
Disclaimer "Just because I am trying to be helpful does not make me responsible for anything that you do to your phone. Playing with any of this stuff could destroy your phone"
The layout of this post is as follows:
Welcome
FAQ
Glossary of terms
First off, welcome to XDA
The XDA community is home to the most talented and helpful phone developers on the planet.
These developers spend lots of their free time working on making all of our phones better. You should be nice and respectful to them and follow the rules. WHY? If the statement above isn’t enough reason then think selfishly, the less time they are dealing with redundant questions, the more time they have to develop stuff for all of us!
Help them help you by following the following basic rules:
1.If you are confused or have a question, the first thing to do is READ! Read lots, look things up both on xda and using google.
2.If after searching you still have not answered your question, then post in the Q&A forum.
3.Asking for ETAs on ROMs, updates, etc. is considered rude.. DON’T DO IT!
4.Don’t report bugs to a developer unless:
a.You know 100% that it hasn’t already been reported,
b.You know how to reproduce it
c.You can get a logcat of the problem (more on this later)
Some advice if you are new to all this and don’t want to ruin your phone:
1.Be patient. Don’t be the first or even the tenth person to flash anything. Wait until you see others using whatever Rom or kernel with success.
2.If you have any doubts about what you are doing, read more. Don’t flash.
3.Make sure you are in the forum for your device, not some similar or related device.
FAQ:
Q. Is my bootloader locked?
A. Only if you have an AT&T or Verizon phone
******* Info for AT&T users *******
Q. What is LOKI?
A. Loki is an exploit for phones with locked boot loader that allows us to bypass the locked boot loader in order to install custom roms or recoveries. More Loki info down below
Q. Whats the deal with MF3?
A. MF3 is the current firmware from AT&T that comes on any new phone. Your phone may also auto update to MF3 if you are not careful. MF3 patched the ability to use Loki to install custom roms/recoveries so if you are on MF3 things are much more difficult.
Q. How can I keep my phone from updating to MF3?
A. If you want to avoid the update, you should root your phone and freeze the following three apps using titanium backup or some similar app.
1. AT&T Software update Vxx_x_xxxx_x_x
2. FWUpgrade x.x.x
3. LocalFOTA vx_xxxx_x_x
Why flash?
by flashing your device you can make your phone act differently, look different, and enable new or disabled options. you could ,for example:
enable native tethering
enable call recording
change the look of your phone
add custom toggle buttons
overclock or undervolt
increase battery life
etc..
Kernel vs Rom vs Recovery vs Modem
Kernel is the layer between the phone hardware and the rom. it controls things like Wi-Fi power, touch sensitivity, possible range of screen brightness, phone logging, and processor max and min speed. kernel must be designed not only for your device but also for the type of rom you are using (Sammy rom or Aosp) some kernels support all roms, others are specific.
Rom is the operating system of your phone. there are three main categories of roms.
roms that are based off of the Samsung stock rom (Sammy rom)
roms that are based off of Android open source project aka AOSP (AOSP, AOKP)
roms based off of the miui project (these used to be a branch of AOSP but recently they have also used Sammy base for miui)
recovery is a partition that you can access at boot by holding down a combination of keys. (volume up and home button in the case of our sgs4) every phone has recovery stock but it doesn't do much. you can replace stock with clockwork mod recovery which is extremely useful for flashing all kinds of things and making backups before you do. There are other alternative recoveries besides clockwork but that seems to be the most common. TWRP is also gaining popularity these days. You can easily switch between recoveries and or upgrade your current recovery. All that needs to happen is for a new image to be flashed onto the recovery partition. See the rooting guide for more info on how to flash a custom recovery.
modem is a file that controls the cell radio of the phone. Helps determine what frequencies to use and settings for a particular network. It is important when flashing a radio that you flash a radio that is for the AT&T sgs4
Methods for flashing files - Odin vs mobile Odin vs. clockworkmod(cwm) vs adb
Odin is the internal Samsung tool for flashing. I believe it only exists on Windows platform. This tool is mostly used to initially flash an insecure kernel or rooted kernel, OR to return to completely stock rom.. Files for flashing in odin generally should end in .tar or .tar.md5 although sometimes they come zipped and the tar is inside the zip. Read more about Odin before using it as it can easily break your phone. !!!as a general rule make sure you never check the "partition" checkbox EVER!!!
Mobile Odin (THIS TOOL DOES NOT SUPPORT ALL S4 MODELS...make sure you check that it specifically works with yours first. I think at this time it works on your phone unless you have locked bootloader but STILL DOUBLE CHECK) is a phone based version of Odin made by the very talented developer Chainfire. It can be installed on a rooted phone and used to flash the same .tar based files as the desktop version. Mobile odin has a few advantages. 1 you can use it from your phone. 2 it can auto root a stock rom (nice if you want to try out a brand new update that has not been rooted yet)
clockworkmod(cwm) or TWRP is recovery based tool that can make backups of your entire phone, flash new roms, kernels etc.., and do many other useful tasks. Once you have this on your phone my guess is that most of your flashing will be done through this tool. The files for flashing through clockworkmod are .zip files.
ADB is the android develpment bridge. It allows for command line interface with your phone through its debugging options. ADB can do most anything as I understand it. In my several years of flashing I have only had to use it once, and i could have waited for someone to come up with another solution. In general as a noob i recommend you stay away from ADB.
open source vs Samsung base(aka Touchwiz or TW) vs miui
Open Source Roms such as AOSP/AOKP are built using Google's open source android code as a base. The developers then add functionality specific to the device. The advantages of these builds are that they often have tons of options built in to the rom that change the behavior and look of the phone. They usually allow you to change the toggles in your notification pull down, change the battery display, make all kinds of adjustments to sounds, vibration etc... Some people also prefer the "vanilla" android look and feel. These roms often provide "bleeding edge" concepts, design, and modifications. The Disadvantages of these roms is that some of the hardware coding is done closed source by the phone manufacturers, which means that things like Infrared, bluetooth, camera, video recording, and MHL video out often don't work or take much longer to get working by the developers. Basically anything that relies on the Samsung framework will not work in an open source build. This means Svoice, Snote, and the Samsung camera app will not work.
Samsung based roms (aka Touchwiz/TW) are taken from the Samsung original phone software and modified by the developer. Usually, these roms are modified in order to be faster and to make changes to some of the features. Expect to see changes to the stock rom like: debloated (ATT and samsung software removed), de-odexed (explained later), enable tethering, unlimited sms recipients, added notification toggles, etc. Most of these changes are made to: make the phone faster, improve battery life, make the phone easier to theme. The advantage of these roms is that they still use the Samsung framework so all the proprietary stuff like camera, bluetooth, MHL still work, the disadvantage is that they will never be as customisable as open source roms.
MIUI is a rom that focuses on theming. Official MIUI (Chinese) gets updated weekly on Friday and then there are lots of miui developers who adapt it to other languanges and make some tweaks to it. MIUI can be built from AOSP source or Samsung source and depending will have different features. The first MIUI rom for our phone just appeared in these forums and it is based off of AOSP. MIUI has a unique look and is also highly customizable through theming. There are tons of themes available for download through the rom itself and you can mix and match any part of any theme you want. This includes icons, lockscreen style, etc.. Some people criticize while others praise MIUI for being very "iphone like". This is because the icons look more iphone like and there is no app drawer in the MIUI launcher. However, you can still use any launcher you like within MIUI.
odexed vs de-odexed
odexed is how the phone comes stock from Samsung. Odexed means that system files and apps are split into two pieces and kept in different places on the phone. This is done to speed things up a bit. However, it makes it harder to theme the phone because the apps are split up. Most custom roms choose to de-odex (basically regroup the files back into one) so that custom themers can make themes more easily for the phone.
Flashing "dirty" vs flashing "clean"
Clean
Doing a clean install of a rom means erasing or formatting all the data from the previous rom before you flash the new one. This is the prefered way to flash a rom to ensure that it will run smoothly. It is necessary if you are switching from one rom type to another (CM to Samsung base). In order to do a clean flash you need to boot into recovery and select the following options: wipe user data (this wipes all apps and personal data, but not your photos/videos), wipe cache, advanced>wipe dalvik cache, storage/mounts>format system. This will ensure that no trace of the former rom is left on the phone. Beware that at this point your phone will not boot until you install a new rom. I suggest using titanium backup to backup apps and smsbackup+ for texts to make getting your new rom configured easy.
Dirty
Doing a dirty install means just flashing a new rom right over the top of the old one without wiping any data. The advantage to this is that you don't lose any apps or account info. The disadvantage is that you open up the possibility for problems. Generally you only want to flash this way if you are upgrading a rom (CM10 nightly to the next nightly, or from one samsung based rom to another). If you decide to flash over the top and have any issues, you should not report bugs, but try flashing clean first.
Logcat
Logcat is a way to access the android system log for everything that is going on behind the scenes. This tool is used to help developers pinpoint problems in a rom. If you want to actually be helpful to a dev when reporting a bug, you should really learn to use this tool. I am no expert on logcat but you can find some good information in this post: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1726238
What is the Bootloader?
The bootloader is basically what it sounds like...it loads the boot image of the device. Basically it is one of the first things to run on the phone and it shows the phone where to find the boot image and how to start. The bootloader is also responsible for allowing access to the recovery part of the phone.
Locked Bootloader?
This seems to confuse a lot of users so here goes: The AT&T and Verizon versions of our phone have a locked bootloader. What does this mean? To the noob, it means that the devs had to figure out how to bypass or unlock this part of the phone in order to be able to boot custom recoveries such as CWM and TWRP. Getting a custom recovery means being able to backup the phone as well as flash custom roms. Luckily for us, Djrbliss (make sure and thank him! his thread is here:http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2292157) figured out how to bypass the locked bootloader. The exploit he used is known as Loki. Please remember that the loki exploit is not the same thing as unlocking the bootloader, it is a bypass/trick. AT&T and Verizon have fixed the exploit that allowed loki to work in there newest firmware. Loki patch will not work for MF3 firmware or later.
Loki
refers to the exploit that allows us to run custom recoveries as well as custom roms. You only need to have a loki'd rom if you have a model with a locked bootloader (AT&T). Thankfully, you can install a custom recovery that will auto-Loki any rom you flash so that you can install almost any rom built for our model phone (see below). I strongly recommend flashing an auto loki recovery if you have a phone with locked bootloader. I use this one here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2291956
Compatible Roms
you should be able to run any rom built for AT&T, TMobile, or the I9505 international model (NOT I9500!!) as long as you flash with an auto loki recovery. You can check out this thread for more info. Make sure and thank TheAxman! http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2295557
You may have to manually set the APN. If you encounter problems with the rom look in that roms thread for answers.
Sticky!!
Well damn, I thought I knew a lot, but after reading this thread, I really didn't. Well done. :good:
Incredible resource for those coming in from a different ecosystem.
Thanks much!!
Thread stuck!! Nice work!
Got my new At&t Samsung Galaxy S4 and this will definitely help me!!
this is another thread that really helped me as well these two have really helped me so far i have rooted several divices and just relied on everyone else and not i am starting to take a lot more of an interest ant these threads have been the most helpful
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=42055644#post42055644
WoW
Great work! I'm sure this thread will be very helpful to a lot of people (Myself included). Tanks bro! :victory:
More! More! :d
I've been searching high and low ive read everything and maybe im not understanding but after I root my phone how do I do the whole loki thing??... I'm eager to start flashing roms... Ive read of some recoveries that do this is that an accurate assessment??
KINGDROID25 said:
I've been searching high and low ive read everything and maybe im not understanding but after I root my phone how do I do the whole loki thing??... I'm eager to start flashing roms... Ive read of some recoveries that do this is that an accurate assessment??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly are you trying to do?
If you want to install a custom ROM or kernel, you need a custom recovery. The ROM or Kernel developer will have LOKI-fied it for you.
For TWRP (my custom recovery of choice) Download GooManager from the Play Store and install.
Inside the goo.im app, go to menu>Install OpenRecovery Script
then you can boot into recovery to apply kernels, ROMs, etc to your hearts desire
joeybear23 said:
What exactly are you trying to do?
If you want to install a custom ROM or kernel, you need a custom recovery. The ROM or Kernel developer will have LOKI-fied it for you.
For TWRP (my custom recovery of choice) Download GooManager from the Play Store and install.
Inside the goo.im app, go to menu>Install OpenRecovery Script
then you can boot into recovery to apply kernels, ROMs, etc to your hearts desire
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its tht ez just root and add custom recovery??.. The whole loki thing is what's been throwing me off
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
KINGDROID25 said:
Its tht ez just root and add custom recovery??.. The whole loki thing is what's been throwing me off
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes... the difficult part is if you are a developer. They make our lives much easier.
joeybear23 said:
Yes... the difficult part is if you are a developer. They make our lives much easier.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanx ima root tonight I jus need to get a copy of the stock firmware
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
KINGDROID25 said:
Thanx ima root tonight I jus need to get a copy of the stock firmware
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stock Firmware:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2261573
That is a HUGE download, but the process is simple.
im not a newb but i need to boost my post count lol...soooo spam
KINGDROID25 said:
I've been searching high and low ive read everything and maybe im not understanding but after I root my phone how do I do the whole loki thing??... I'm eager to start flashing roms... Ive read of some recoveries that do this is that an accurate assessment??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have updated the OP to explain Loki, hope that helps :good:
Noob here first time posting I rooted my phone and installed cwm using casual method, created backup and installed mint rom love it but after a couple of post I see I didn't backup EFS should I be worried?
I'm not sure what the deal is with backing up the IMEI number on our phones yet. I have not seen anyone post about losing their IMEI yet so I wouldn't be too worried. On the s3 only the international model phones could be backed up by saving the efs folder. The backup process for AT&T phones was much more complex. I assume the same holds true on the s4. Will update when I find out more
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda premium
I wanted to make sure Thx. Is it to late to back EFS or can I just restore my backup and do it?
Hello guys, I open a Question and Answer Thread for all SuperKernel users, so even users under 10 posts can ask their questions here.
Below I added some basic Q&A stuff which here so hopefully it will answer most of your questions!
Q: How to get into Download Mode?
A: Power off your phone, than hold: home + volume down + power on button until you see the download mode.
Q: How to get into Recovery Mode?
A: Power off your phone, than hold: home + volume up + power on button until you see the recovery mode.
Q: I get verification failed at start up!?!? My phone is broken now?
A: Yes, you have to buy a new phone now. Just kidding You did not disable force encryption in TWRP (how to do so you will find below in how to decrypt your phone).
Q: I get FRP LOCK? WHYYYYYY???
A: Very simple answer, you did not enable OEM Unlock in developer options. Now you need to flash full rom with odin again and start from scratch. But don't forget to enable OEM Unlock this time!
Q: I got FC's and other Problems with the kernel, what to do?
A: Take a logcat for me, developers use to say: without a log, it never happened . A logcat can be grapped with a PC and ADB installed, simply type: adb logcat > log.txt while your phone is connected and the error is happening.
Q: What kind of logs can I provide to help you?
A: Logcat: This one is for general infos about FC's
DMESG: this is for kernel related things
Last_Kmsg: this can be used after a random reboot
Q: How to get logs?
A: 1. Connect your phone to your pc
2. Make sure you got usb debugging enabled
3. Install Minimal ADB tool
4. After install open it and type: adb logcat > logcat.txt, adb shell dmesg > dmesg.log, adb shell cat proc/last_kmsg kmsg.log
5. Send me the file you got
Q: Which devices are supported at the moment?
A: Current supported devices are: SM-G930F/FD/W8. All other exynos models can work but are UNTESTED
Q: Is this kernel working on Snapdragon 820 variants?
A: No, sadly not.
Q: Help, I never had a code and now after installing the rom my phone asks for a password??
A: Your device is still encrypted, on step 0 it tells you to be sure you're not. So, what do you need to to in case you are still encrypted:
1. Boot into TWRP
2. Select Wipe
3. Select wipe data
4. Then you manually need to type "yes" with the keyboard
5. Confirm the wipe (this will remove the encryption)
6. Reboot your recovery
Q: Is there a way to get rid of encryption which is simpler?
A: Not really, you could also wipe data with stock recovery but this is quite a big hassle so above method works better.
Q: On TWRP there is an error about /data mount, what to do?
A: Your device is encrypted, follow the above steps to get rid of your encryption.
Q: Synapse shows no UCI support!
A: Reflash kernel, a script of you may overwrite my synapse config
Q: I want to switch kernel, how?
A: Since we have systemless xposed and systemless supersu, we have patches in ramdisk of boot.img. This means you have to reflash xposed and supersu after every change of kernel!.
Q: I lost root after installing this rom. What to do?
A: All mods (like supersu, phh's root, xposed and magisk) are stored in /ramdisk of kernel boot.img. So if you flash this rom, and after this another kernel (Which has supersu included by default) you can not do much. You have to stick to the two kernels provided in rom. Also when switching kernel, you need to flash all related zips again after changing it. Last tip: Do not use magisk until you really need it for android pay!
Q: I got random reboots, heeelp!
A: This is most likely from a custom kernel, if you face random reboots please check if you have the latest kernel installed or switch back to the stock kernel included in the rom.
Q: My screen is kind of yellow/orange and the touchscreen doesn't work at all!
A: You have chosen the wrong kernel in aroma selection. Reflash the rom without any wipe selecting the right kernel version.
should i do Factory reset before upgrading my samsung galaxy s7 from Marshmallow to Nougat ??????
plz tell me
( in ur opinion which is better in performance and battery life ,,, M or N ??? )
ThnQ
Casanova887 said:
should i do Factory reset before upgrading my samsung galaxy s7 from Marshmallow to Nougat ??????
plz tell me
( in ur opinion which is better in performance and battery life ,,, M or N ??? )
ThnQ
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course you should factory reset in such a major upgrade, about the MM or N, I think N is better but many people say the opposite, so it depends on your usage
can you use ANY of the open source stuff without tripping knox ?
as i see the open source kernel listed on many (mainly jrkruse) threads and how they are able to do small modifications to system files without tripping DM-Verity thus staying 'stock'
was opensource implemented in this accomplishment, or was it just lucky that TMO boot.img allows it ? (vulnerability if you will)
a budding dev, Mick ..
miniminus said:
can you use ANY of the open source stuff without tripping knox ?
as i see the open source kernel listed on many (mainly jrkruse) threads and how they are able to do small modifications to system files without tripping DM-Verity thus staying 'stock'
was opensource implemented in this accomplishment, or was it just lucky that TMO boot.img allows it ? (vulnerability if you will)
a budding dev, Mick ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not tripping dmverity is an easy thing, you simply don't compile it in the kernel and it can't do the check. Knox is something completly else. It's build into bootloader and you can't get around it if you want to install anything custom. As soon as something custom is flashed, an efuse chip is tripped and that can't be changed
Tkkg1994 said:
Not tripping dmverity is an easy thing, you simply don't compile it in the kernel and it can't do the check. Knox is something completly else. It's build into bootloader and you can't get around it if you want to install anything custom. As soon as something custom is flashed, an efuse chip is tripped and that can't be changed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first Thankyou for replying, seems hard to be able to speak to dev people for us budding devs...
so could this be used in conjunction with the stock boot.img to get around DM-Verity ?
or will that break the checksum check for the .img file overall ?
is this what jrkruse uses ? i know he lists the opensource kernel on his OP's...
or is/was that just a happy t-mobile boot.img signed error/vulnerability ?
(where dm-verity is switched on, but it seems to ignore basic system file change) ...
cheers again Mick
miniminus said:
first Thankyou for replying, seems hard to be able to speak to dev people for us budding devs...
so could this be used in conjunction with the stock boot.img to get around DM-Verity ?
or will that break the checksum check for the .img file overall ?
is this what jrkruse uses ? i know he lists the opensource kernel on his OP's...
or is/was that just a happy t-mobile boot.img signed error/vulnerability ?
(where dm-verity is switched on, but it seems to ignore basic system file change) ...
cheers again Mick
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem, I'm here to help whenever I can.
I have no idea who are you talking about and who that jrkruse is and what kernel he made etc. Can you link me maybe?
Tkkg1994 said:
No problem, I'm here to help whenever I can.
I have no idea who are you talking about and who that jrkruse is and what kernel he made etc. Can you link me maybe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its most appreciated.
yes heres one of his 'ROMS', but its based around the, i think, stock vulnerable boot.img...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/tmobile-s7-edge/development/rom-t3572739
https://forum.xda-developers.com/verizon-s7-edge/development/rom-t3569416
adaway example
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=71331817&postcount=2
will give you some background info...
ive been trying to convert some stuff over to the s7active,
(which is basiclly same s7 snapdragon/qualcomm but with extra hardware buttons, bigger battery, in a armoured case)
At first i was just trying to get the GearVR goin on them, but many hours later, i feel its kernel locked ??? as NOTHING happens logcat wise when plugging them in...
but that lead me to debloating etc as i now could understand that...
so following his roms/debloat scripts, i tried to port it over.... MANY many hours later, as learning as i go, i find at the base of the mods is a tmomible boot.img, which seems to allow basic file changes in system, and doesnt trip dm-verity/bootloops..
so enables you to for example, from stock, flash engboot.img, which allow adb root, swop out host file for adaways one, reflash back the TMO boot.img, and it boots, and you keep stock, and saftynet etc etc
took me far longer than i wanna admit to reach that info, after many hours reading and messing with scripts etc thinking scripts was the culprit.
i think, i found a post that he says he just using the TMO img as it allows it.... but read so much now, and got lost in so many threads i cannot re-find which one it was in !!! (will try and find it now)
but after all, it HAS tought me alot along the way, as im now releasing a 'rom'
but wanted to understand it all abit more, and maybe even get back to my original quest !
been told that opensource kernels out for active (SM-G891a) but not able to find it anyhows..
oops sorry my long post !! Cheers Mick,,
EDIT
added adaway example as it shows the vulnerability off nicely
EDIT 2
well i was mistaken, its not a boot.img vulnerability...
from jrkruse ""It's not the boot.img it's the dm verity process of the cdma firmware when gsm firmware is flashed over the top of cdma firmware. That's why in every case you have to start on cdma firmware it doesn't have to be Verizon""
Pretty tricky to find anything for this tablet, but I managed to find a way to get an official image.
What you need:
Alcatel Mobile Upgrade Q 5.1.7 (or newer), get it here.
This will overwrite all your data on the device.
1. Install Mobile Upgrade Q
2. Run "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mobile Upgrade Q\tool\usb_driver\installdriver\DriverInstaller.exe" to install the USB Drivers.
3. Enable USB Debugging
4. adb reboot edl
5. Mobile Upgrade Q and select "VF1400" (note it also lists 9030G and 9030Q, the unbranded variants of this tablet (yet unreleased?), but unfortunately you can't flash these, it will just download the Vodafone branded image)
6. It will download the image files into "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mobile Upgrade Q\bin\download" (note while it's downloading the image files, these are just filled with 0s)
7. After it downloaded the image it starts flashing ("initialisation") and you can copy the files to some place safe (from bin\VF1400-2AVDXXX), it deletes some after it's done
B1BEB0B0CD00.mbn is the boot image, R1BEB0B0CD00.mbn the recovery. Some of the files have partition information, probably can use these to flash with QPST.
Going to have a look into compiling a TWRP, now that I have the kernel
Also, Alcatel seems to have released a *very incomplete* kernel source (build scripts and other things missing) over at https://sourceforge.net/projects/alcatel/files/, see OT_VDF_1400_20160520.tar.xz.
A bummer since the kernel in the official image seems to have all kinds of debugging stuff enabled.
Some more findings. You can coax SUGAR QCT_SP (and maybe Alcatel Mobile Upgrade Q 5.1.7?) into flashing any images.
Before starting SUGAR QCT_SP, copy your backup of the VF1400-2AVDDE1 folder into bin/. It should flash these files.
I flashed a ported recovery, but I couldn't boot it (always boots stock recovery). I guess because of secure boot? Read something about the recovery-from-boot.p file...
Don't worry about bricking, you can get the tab into edl mode with an edl cable. http://xiaomitips.com/guide/miui-deep-flash-engineering-cable-solution-to-non-edl-device/
Some progress, if anyone cares :laugh: (doubt it).
Flashed boot with altered build.pros, selinux is off, but adb root kills the adbd.
Same on recovery, but kind of pointless with zip verification. Now it's either compile a recovery or add a custom key too boot and sign the supersu zip myself.
Also flashed a slimmer system, minus all the google apps I don't use anyway. Stock image carries 1GB of empty space that is being flashed every time
One more interesting thing: You can get into fastboot by flashing a recovery with the wrong kernel and then booting to recovery. Fastboot is crippled though and does nothing useful, can't even flash with it.
Btw to turn off the device if you are stuck in a bootloop to recovery: With usb cable unconnected, hold Power and Volume down. It screen goes black after 5 sec, keep holding the buttons. It should come up again and very shortly after, let go of the buttons screen when the screen goes black a second time.
So, at the moment there is no way to root?
Geeting the device tomrrow
Yes there is. After getting rid of selinux, you can get temporary root using dirty cow, or bake supersu into the boot or system image.
Also I'm working on porting a recovery. It works, more or less already.
I just flashed SuperSU via the recovery I ported. Seems to work
Nice! Is it possible to Upload your Recovery? Simply flash via Fastboot?
gella1992 said:
Nice! Is it possible to Upload your Recovery? Simply flash via Fastboot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can upload it later.
Fastboot is crippled and you can't boot into it directly, at least on mine. Try booting into it (hold power + vol down). Otherwise see my earlier posts on how to do the initial flash. A little inconvenient, but it's only once
Will post detailed instructions with the recovery.
gella1992 said:
Nice! Is it possible to Upload your Recovery? Simply flash via Fastboot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/development/recovery-vodafone-prime-tab-7-t3548560
Working on a frankenkernel with some salvaged parts from the incomplete kernel source from alcatel: https://github.com/852Kerfunkle/android_kernel_vodafone_vfd1400
Works for booting into recovery.
While trying some things with caf android builds, I flashed aboot, thinking I could always get back into download mode with the makeshift EDL cable. Turns out you can't.
Do not mess with aboot unless you are 100% sure (unlike me). The device will only register as HS-USB Diagnostic 900E. Even with an EDL cable.
For anyone who did: your device is not dead, but it's a bit of a mission.
1. Take of the back cover: Remove the screw behind the sim/sd latch and open the device with one of these plastic opener thingies, start at the latch.
2. Bridge the pin marked on the image (take a cable and connect the pin to the ground of the usb connector, i.e. the metal bit).
3. Plug in the usb cable.
4. It should register as HS-USB QDloader 9008 (assuming you have the right drivers).
5. Flash with Sugar.
Hopefully everything is working great again!
Do you think it would be possible to port a Lineage OS to this Tab?
I know how to compile from source, but actually not developing a Rom
gella1992 said:
Hopefully everything is working great again!
Do you think it would be possible to port a Lineage OS to this Tab?
I know how to compile from source, but actually not developing a Rom
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah it's working alright again, thanks
I tried, no luck yet. Am stuck on a crash in libsdm. Once I had it boot to the point where it was initialising the apps (dexopt or whatever?), but it crashed right after.
For now I am focusing on codeaurora android. If I get that working, maybe the caf parts can be used to make a working LineageOS build.
I also have little to no idea how to do anything android related, so most of the time is spent reading and googling silly errors. Just give it a go, if you get stuck I can help out with what I found so far.
At the moment I am busy. Will give it a try when I have more time :fingers-crossed:
fused#1 said:
Working on a frankenkernel with some salvaged parts from the incomplete kernel source from alcatel:
Works for booting into recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you still working on this ?
I'm currently considering the option of running a git diff against the CAF msm-3.18 "LA.UM.5.1-03210-8x37.0" TAG/branch, which the released incomplete kernel source appears to be based on.
Then going through the patches and applying them one by one on the newest CAF 8937 TAG/branch.
Although getting LA.UM.5.1-03210-8x37.0 to work with the patches applied would be nice already.
My ultimate goal is OMNI, im not interested in CM/Lineage.
Problem is at the moment i don't have much time for this.
But we'll see :good:
nevexc said:
Are you still working on this ?
I'm currently considering the option of running a git diff against the CAF msm-3.18 "LA.UM.5.1-03210-8x37.0" TAG/branch, which the released incomplete kernel source appears to be based on.
Then going through the patches and applying them one by one on the newest CAF 8937 TAG/branch.
Although getting LA.UM.5.1-03210-8x37.0 to work with the patches applied would be nice already.
My ultimate goal is OMNI, im not interested in CM/Lineage.
Problem is at the moment i don't have much time for this.
But we'll see :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey,
That's pretty much what I was doing before I got caught up in other stuff
Was stuck at trying to figure out how to actually build caf android. Which of the files on the rom belong the the proprietary blobs and how to properly include them in the makefiles so it actually builds...
Hit me up with a PM, maybe we can coordinate our efforts :fingers-crossed:
Thanks for this Guide, but I have a quick question:
I am currently trying to restore my VF-1497 to a stock rom with Mobile Upgrade Q 5.1.7, but the Upgrader always kicks my Tablet out of edl, and throws the error:
'There is no greater version available to upgrade your phone, actual version of your phone is the latest'
Is there any way to restore this device back to stock?
Thank you in advance
ASP
Hi is there a custom "clean" firmware for vdf1400 that can go instead of the latest 6.0.1 150fkg1
Any word on whether custom recovery can be available anytime soon for the 4a? Mine arrives in 2 weeks or so and I hope it's available by then.
Crickets... Is this because the device is shipping globally pretty slowly? I figured with a Pixel we'd see this sooner.
With the new security enhancements of android there isnt a custom recovery for android 10 so I doubt there will be one going forward.
It's really unnecessary these days anyhow
Still seems to me like there is a role for custom recovery to play. If the phone won't boot, it's a way to get in and unscrew it or at least do a full backup before any sort of full reset. I do see Pixel 4 has an experimental version for Android 10.
cmstlist said:
Still seems to me like there is a role for custom recovery to play. If the phone won't boot, it's a way to get in and unscrew it or at least do a full backup before any sort of full reset. I do see Pixel 4 has an experimental version for Android 10.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree - the ability to do a full backup on the device and restore it is a nice-to-have, and an unofficial version does exist for A10 Pixel 4.
That said, the September update is probably the last update of A10 for this device.
That backup is fully available function of adb
https://9to5google.com/2017/11/04/how-to-backup-restore-android-device-data-android-basics/
But based on this I will admit, when it's not creating problems twrp can be quite convenient and simplify many processes. I'm building it now, will post soon™
It's going to be an adjustment having to flash ROMs through ADB/fastboot. I've kept my 2xl up to date solely through TWRP for months.
Gonna have to dust off my computer!
EDIT: oops double posted
xstefen said:
That backup is fully available function of adb
https://9to5google.com/2017/11/04/how-to-backup-restore-android-device-data-android-basics/
But based on this I will admit, when it's not creating problems twrp can be quite convenient and simplify many processes. I'm building it now, will post soon™
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experience, adb backup can have unpredictable results. Plus if I need to unscrew a non booting device, I can't get into adb without a recovery. Glad to hear you are working on a build! My 4a should arrive in a week or two and I can test it eventually.
xstefen said:
That backup is fully available function of adb
https://9to5google.com/2017/11/04/how-to-backup-restore-android-device-data-android-basics/
But based on this I will admit, when it's not creating problems twrp can be quite convenient and simplify many processes. I'm building it now, will post soon™
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any luck? ?
Well my Pixel arrived (Canada). I guess no recovery available for now. Hoping that with increased global distribution of the 4a as of this month, we'll see dev interest pick up.
Flashing through ADB isn't so bad. Just got DU flashed without a hitch
For me the primary benefit of a recovery is ability to extract data from a non bootable device. Gives the ability to recover from a flashing disaster.
xstefen said:
I will admit, when it's not creating problems twrp can be quite convenient and simplify many processes. I'm building it now, will post soon™
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any updates? ?
As mentioned previously, the unofficial TWRP does work in fact for Android 10 because I tested it with a backup from one device and then did a restore to another device and they were both identical:
TWRP 3.7.0-12 for Sunfish[Testing]
[RECOVERY] TWRP 3.7.0-12 - TeamWin Recovery Project Introduction: Team Win Recovery Project or TWRP for short, is a custom recovery built with ease of use and customization in mind. We started from the ground up by taking AOSP recovery and...
forum.xda-developers.com
*You just need to flash it with a compatible kernel - this guide is a very good how to:
[GUIDE] UNLOCKING, DOWNGRADING TO A10, TWRP, ROOT
Hello, I'm posting this guide for those (like me) who can't do without TWRP on their device. I'm providing only a step-by-step explanation. Credits to @nikamura for his kernel and TWRP...
forum.xda-developers.com
Looks like I'm gonna get a free P2 from my son. It maybe has 1 update left before Google abandons it. When I get it I want to root and put Lineage on it, or maybe a different rom based on opinions provided.
I have some questions:
1- I'm looking for the simplest method to unlock the bootloader and root, as I am not the most knowledgable Android/Linux user. I'm familiar with adb, although best if I can follow a written script. I would appreciate a recommendation on which method posted on XDA. I've seen Deuces and Nathanchance's methods. They seem easy enough to follow along with.
2- I'm a little confused about the Pixel factory images that folks mention in their posts. I see that Google has images catalogued on their site for downloading. How do you choose which one to flash to the phone after bootloader/root process? Does it matter? I'm located in Canada if that makes a difference.
3- I have used TWRP and never used Magisk for loading roms. I also see from one of the bootloader unlock/root methods that TWRP may not be all that reliable. Would TWRP be good enough to flash the factory image with, or should I get familiar with Magisk?
4- Am I correct in thinking that the Google image is flashed first to get the phone up and running, followed by Lineage (and gapps), or an different rom that would be flashed thereafter with TWRP/Magisk?
5- If I screw up during the unlock/root is there a recovery method available?
Thanks for any help provided.
jjcdennis said:
Looks like I'm gonna get a free P2 from my son. It maybe has 1 update left before Google abandons it. When I get it I want to root and put Lineage on it, or maybe a different rom based on opinions provided.
I have some questions:
1- I'm looking for the simplest method to unlock the bootloader and root, as I am not the most knowledgable Android/Linux user. I'm familiar with adb, although best if I can follow a written script. I would appreciate a recommendation on which method posted on XDA. I've seen Deuces and Nathanchance's methods. They seem easy enough to follow along with.
2- I'm a little confused about the Pixel factory images that folks mention in their posts. I see that Google has images catalogued on their site for downloading. How do you choose which one to flash to the phone after bootloader/root process? Does it matter? I'm located in Canada if that makes a difference.
3- I have used TWRP and never used Magisk for loading roms. I also see from one of the bootloader unlock/root methods that TWRP may not be all that reliable. Would TWRP be good enough to flash the factory image with, or should I get familiar with Magisk?
4- Am I correct in thinking that the Google image is flashed first to get the phone up and running, followed by Lineage (and gapps), or an different rom that would be flashed thereafter with TWRP/Magisk?
5- If I screw up during the unlock/root is there a recovery method available?
Thanks for any help provided.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Would appreciate some help...
Pixel 2 was updated to android 11, and will likely continue to to get monthly security updates until the release of android 12, so you should have about another year if staying stock.
As far as rooting, the xda guides as you mentioned are pretty straightforward and comprehensive.
Pixel factory images are the stock system images that are provided by google. They are what you would flash if you wanted to run a stock system, and also the means for 'resetting' the phone back to a factory state in the event of a screwup. On the site, you'll notice that google has each of the images organized by phone type (the Pixel 2 is walleye) and within each phone type is operating system version going from oldest at the top to newest at the bottom. Typically you'd want to flash the newest os version unless you have a special use case. There are also cases where a particular version is only for a particular carrier, in which case google will note it under the version number.
As far as flashing lineage, I'm not too sure. I run stock (rooted) on my P2, but lineage is it's own rom so would be flashed directly via twrp. I would image the lineage thread would have install instructions and q/a.
clcdev said:
Pixel 2 was updated to android 11, and will likely continue to to get monthly security updates until the release of android 12, so you should have about another year if staying stock.
As far as rooting, the xda guides as you mentioned are pretty straightforward and comprehensive.
Pixel factory images are the stock system images that are provided by google. They are what you would flash if you wanted to run a stock system, and also the means for 'resetting' the phone back to a factory state in the event of a screwup. On the site, you'll notice that google has each of the images organized by phone type (the Pixel 2 is walleye) and within each phone type is operating system version going from oldest at the top to newest at the bottom. Typically you'd want to flash the newest os version unless you have a special use case. There are also cases where a particular version is only for a particular carrier, in which case google will note it under the version number.
As far as flashing lineage, I'm not too sure. I run stock (rooted) on my P2, but lineage is it's own rom so would be flashed directly via twrp. I would image the lineage thread would have install instructions and q/a.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks very much for the help.