Related
I've been reading the forum, and based on the information and the tools there I have been able to modify my extended ROM, which is great. Now of course I'd like to modify the main ROM as well, but despite the many hours I've spent searching the forum, I can't find the necessary information to do it. There's always something essential missing, something which probably is obvious to a programmer, but not to a normal user. As I've been able to modify the extended ROM, I guess I should be able to modify the main ROM too. Who can point me in the right direction?
from what i understand it's not even 100% possible with xda1 since people cant seem to make the extracted files back to a nbf file
and there are no tools that i know of that even extract the main rom from a xda2
As I understand it, when you upgrade the operating system, you're actually modifying the ROM. Some people here like to call it to "flash", I think, and there are a lot of messages about it in here. I just haven't found the information necessary to do it. I want to modify the ROM on my XDAII.
no the operating system is the rom which is in a eeprom in the device
when you flash the rom you replace the operating system with the new one
when you say modifying it mean more in the way of exchanging different files inside the rom
but if you just mean flashing the rom with a newer then here is a guide
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/wiki/HimalayaRomFlashing
What does EEP stand for? How many ROMs are there?
I've seen a ROM created here for the XDAI, containing more programs than what the devices normally come with. I would like to have a ROM on my XDAII containing the programs I use, so that I don't need to reinstall them every time the device is hard reset. Isn't this possible?
What does EEP stand for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
huh what does EEP have to do with this ?
suppose it could stand for
Executive Excellence Publishing
or
European Environmental Press
how many roms there are i think there are 1.5 1.6 1.66 and 1.72
about extra programs then they are not! in the rom they are in the extended rom any CAB file you copy to the extented will install after automatic after a hardreset
you should take a look at the romkitchens ( specifically for xda1, but can be made for xda2 as well ).
and mkrom, and the other romtools
EEPROM stands for "electrically erasable programmable read only memory".
this is sort of the predecessor of flash memory.
"electrically erasable programmable read only memory" sounds like a contradiction, but thanks for that, it makes more sense than EEPROM.
What about all of us users who don't have a Unix machine? I suppose we're stuck with the original ROM then, and have to install our programs over and over again for every hard reset. Of course you can put a few of them in the extended ROM, but it becomes full too quickly and you're left with installing the rest of them manually.
well you can upgrade to a newer rom as they come out
like i have 1.66 but if i wanted 1.72 i could upgrade
about contradiction heh yeah suppose so but then if it was 100% always READ ONLY then it would be random was what in it as how the transistors randomly set when it was produced
A newer ROM wouldn't contain the programs I want.
no :/ but it could contain bug fixes for ms and radiostack and such
i suspect that extented rom was made so it would be easier for the phonecompanys' and other 3th party resellers to get programs preinstalled fast without having to mess around too much in the rom
this is at the cost of memory though
but then some programs dident like to be in the rom i believe here i mean if setting files were places in the rom aswell and the program could not write to the setting file
mkrom also works on cygwin under windows.
( now I also wrote this in the wiki page )
Isn't that just for XDA I?
it works for windows ce in general.
that doesn't mean that there is no work involved in getting it to work, but it is possible to make it work for the xda2. I use it to build custom roms for the devices we sell, that is why I wrote it in the first place.
What's cygwin?
How much space is there in the ROM to add extra programs? In the ROM that this forum developed for XDA I they added quite many programs from what I could see.
http://www.google.dk/search?hl=da&ie=UTF-8&q=cygwin&btnG=Google-søgning
Thanks for that, Rudegar.
To Itsme: I don't mind the work, but it looks like its written for programmers and that if you're not a fairly skilled programmer, you wouldn't be able to do it.
and Who is The BEST ROM ?
There is no such thing as a "best ROM" - it's all up to personal preference
Hi -
There is no one right ROM for Trinity. Here's a quick explanation for what a ROM really is. There are many people on this board who know more about ROMs than I do, so if anyone sees any errors in what I've written, please let me know.
A ROM is a collection of software packaged together that when flashed to your phone installs the software. ROM packages generally consist of four categories of software:
1.) An operating system (some flavor of Windows Mobile, 5 or 6)
2.) Radio software (Radio ROM)
3.) Phone software (Dialer, Task Manager, Multimedia, SMS/MMS software, contact list)
4.) All other software (Adobe Reader, TomTom, etc.)
People create new ROM packages by gathering an operating system, a radio, and a collection of software, and "cooking" them into a single distribution file, usually in the form of a CAB compression file.
The differences between AXL and Mary are in the OS, radio and other software they have mixed together. You have to look at the contents of each ROM yourself and compare to see the exact differences. Although it would be nice, I'm not aware of anyone listing out the differences between the software choices made by each of the main ROM cookers, so you have to do it yourself.
Some important notes on ROM packages:
1.) Any software that is "cooked" into the ROM can't be removed or updated, it's in there permanently until you change your ROM. This is something to consider if you want to be able to upgrade to future versions, and is the reaosn many ROM cookers also make a "lite" version of their ROM.
2.) I'm pretty weak on this, but from what I understand in addition to the normal physical ROM memory, there is a section of physical ROM called "hidden" or "extended" ROM, and the cookers have figured out how to make that ROM available for use. This is why some ROMs show 70+ megs of ROM/RAM available. I think this extended ROM can also be used to store software.
3.) The operating systems (OS's) do continue to change. People get new phones from their telecom operator, and when they dissassemble the phone's ROM, they can extract the new OS's and check the version numbers. There is no way I know of currently to update the OS without flashing a completely new ROM. Different ROMs include different versions of the operating system, although many of the ROM cookers are quick to re-release their ROMs when a new OS comes out.
4.) Any software that can be installed manually can be installed in a ROM. This includes "trial" or "unregistered" versions. For that software, it may be installed on your phone when you install the ROM, but it is a limited-use version and you will need to purchase the software and get a registration code to unlock the full software. If the software is "cooked" into your ROM and you decide not to use it, YOU CAN'T UNINSTALL IT without reflashing to a new ROM. It won't do any harm, but it will use up memory that could be put to better use.
5.) A suggestion on other software: If you flash your OS often, it makes things easier to keep copies of the CAB files for your favorite other cab installations on your SD card, so you can easily reinstall them when you reflash the OS.
6.) Most of the ROMs use the same installer software,which works well and can recover from some errors (just follow the instructions or if no instructions retry the flash procedure). However, some telecom operators install something called a Service Provider Lock (SPL) to prevent people from installing "unapproved" software on their phone. Removing or otherwise getting around this SPL is a process called "unlocking" - if you try to reflash your phone's ROM, and something goes wrong, this SPL could prevent you from being able to fix your phone, making it useless (or "bricked"). There are software packages that should be able to fix a bricked phone (search the board to find), but it is easier to remove the SPL first, so you never have to worry about crashing your phone.
7.) If you remove your SPL, you have technically violated the terms of your contract with your service provider!!!! In daily use, it really doesn't affect them, so they probably won't make a stink about it, and probably can't tell you've done so. But, if you bring it in for service, send it in under warranty, call their service line to get support, the technician will probably see you have removed your SPL, and can refuse to provide service or warranty support. However, the techs are people and depending on the issue may or may not make a big deal about it, but it's certainly within their right to refuse to service for free.
8.) There are differences in telecom providers!!! This is particularly important with respect to Radio ROMs. If you think about it, your phone has to send the right signals to your service provider's radio tower to make a call. The specific information it has to send and the manner in which it sends it are determined by the radio protocol, which is built into the radio software. As a result, some radio software will not work with some providers, and some will work better than others. This difference willbe regional, so consider where you will be using the phone (Asia, Europe, SA, Africa, NA). Some radios could even be configured to specific providers (but I don't know for sure).
9.) Latest vs. most stable - sometimes, the latest versions introduce new bugsor are less stable than others, so consider this as well.
10.) Most of the differences between the ROMs seem to revolve aroudn the cooker's choices for phone software - the dialers, the contact managers, etc. These primarily change the "look and feel" of the phone rather than the raw performance or capabilites. Since look and feel is the big difference, it's impossible to say which look and feel everyone will like - it's a matter of taste / personal preference.
11.) Don't bug the cookers!!!! The people cooking ROMs for us are doing it in their spare time. They're not getting paid to do it, they're just trying to help each other out. While they seem to be interested in hearing about bugs so they can fix their ROMs, pestering them with requests to make some piddly change just for you is rude. Don't pester them with change requests and customizations, and then throw a hissy fit when they don't want to do it your way. If you don't like their ROM, then cook your own.
So, to pick the ROM that works for you, you're probably going to have to try a few out. The combination of OS and Radio will likely be regional (some will not be able to use the latest radio, for example), and form there on in you have to choose which has the dialer/contact manager you like the most, and includes the software you want to have (or go with a lite version).
Good luck!
Mike
to Mike (landshark),
thank you and congratulations on your excellent explanation. I wish I read this when I bought my device, would make things much easier.
Great post!!!!
Good work!!!!
will be very usefull!
Thank you!
Wonderful post!!!!
Beautiful work!!!!
will be bloody usefull!
Orz
Sticky pls !
Thanks! Very useful for a noob like me
Question about SSPL
landshark said:
Hi -
There is no one right ROM for Trinity. Here's a quick explanation for what a ROM really is. There are many people on this board who know more about ROMs than I do, so if anyone sees any errors in what I've written, please let me know.
A ROM is a collection of software packaged together that when flashed to your phone installs the software. ROM packages generally consist of four categories of software:
1.) An operating system (some flavor of Windows Mobile, 5 or 6)
2.) Radio software (Radio ROM)
3.) Phone software (Dialer, Task Manager, Multimedia, SMS/MMS software, contact list)
4.) All other software (Adobe Reader, TomTom, etc.)
People create new ROM packages by gathering an operating system, a radio, and a collection of software, and "cooking" them into a single distribution file, usually in the form of a CAB compression file.
The differences between AXL and Mary are in the OS, radio and other software they have mixed together. You have to look at the contents of each ROM yourself and compare to see the exact differences. Although it would be nice, I'm not aware of anyone listing out the differences between the software choices made by each of the main ROM cookers, so you have to do it yourself.
Some important notes on ROM packages:
1.) Any software that is "cooked" into the ROM can't be removed or updated, it's in there permanently until you change your ROM. This is something to consider if you want to be able to upgrade to future versions, and is the reaosn many ROM cookers also make a "lite" version of their ROM.
2.) I'm pretty weak on this, but from what I understand in addition to the normal physical ROM memory, there is a section of physical ROM called "hidden" or "extended" ROM, and the cookers have figured out how to make that ROM available for use. This is why some ROMs show 70+ megs of ROM/RAM available. I think this extended ROM can also be used to store software.
3.) The operating systems (OS's) do continue to change. People get new phones from their telecom operator, and when they dissassemble the phone's ROM, they can extract the new OS's and check the version numbers. There is no way I know of currently to update the OS without flashing a completely new ROM. Different ROMs include different versions of the operating system, although many of the ROM cookers are quick to re-release their ROMs when a new OS comes out.
4.) Any software that can be installed manually can be installed in a ROM. This includes "trial" or "unregistered" versions. For that software, it may be installed on your phone when you install the ROM, but it is a limited-use version and you will need to purchase the software and get a registration code to unlock the full software. If the software is "cooked" into your ROM and you decide not to use it, YOU CAN'T UNINSTALL IT without reflashing to a new ROM. It won't do any harm, but it will use up memory that could be put to better use.
5.) A suggestion on other software: If you flash your OS often, it makes things easier to keep copies of the CAB files for your favorite other cab installations on your SD card, so you can easily reinstall them when you reflash the OS.
6.) Most of the ROMs use the same installer software,which works well and can recover from some errors (just follow the instructions or if no instructions retry the flash procedure). However, some telecom operators install something called a Service Provider Lock (SPL) to prevent people from installing "unapproved" software on their phone. Removing or otherwise getting around this SPL is a process called "unlocking" - if you try to reflash your phone's ROM, and something goes wrong, this SPL could prevent you from being able to fix your phone, making it useless (or "bricked"). There are software packages that should be able to fix a bricked phone (search the board to find), but it is easier to remove the SPL first, so you never have to worry about crashing your phone.
7.) If you remove your SPL, you have technically violated the terms of your contract with your service provider!!!! In daily use, it really doesn't affect them, so they probably won't make a stink about it, and probably can't tell you've done so. But, if you bring it in for service, send it in under warranty, call their service line to get support, the technician will probably see you have removed your SPL, and can refuse to provide service or warranty support. However, the techs are people and depending on the issue may or may not make a big deal about it, but it's certainly within their right to refuse to service for free.
8.) There are differences in telecom providers!!! This is particularly important with respect to Radio ROMs. If you think about it, your phone has to send the right signals to your service provider's radio tower to make a call. The specific information it has to send and the manner in which it sends it are determined by the radio protocol, which is built into the radio software. As a result, some radio software will not work with some providers, and some will work better than others. This difference willbe regional, so consider where you will be using the phone (Asia, Europe, SA, Africa, NA). Some radios could even be configured to specific providers (but I don't know for sure).
9.) Latest vs. most stable - sometimes, the latest versions introduce new bugsor are less stable than others, so consider this as well.
10.) Most of the differences between the ROMs seem to revolve aroudn the cooker's choices for phone software - the dialers, the contact managers, etc. These primarily change the "look and feel" of the phone rather than the raw performance or capabilites. Since look and feel is the big difference, it's impossible to say which look and feel everyone will like - it's a matter of taste / personal preference.
11.) Don't bug the cookers!!!! The people cooking ROMs for us are doing it in their spare time. They're not getting paid to do it, they're just trying to help each other out. While they seem to be interested in hearing about bugs so they can fix their ROMs, pestering them with requests to make some piddly change just for you is rude. Don't pester them with change requests and customizations, and then throw a hissy fit when they don't want to do it your way. If you don't like their ROM, then cook your own.
So, to pick the ROM that works for you, you're probably going to have to try a few out. The combination of OS and Radio will likely be regional (some will not be able to use the latest radio, for example), and form there on in you have to choose which has the dialer/contact manager you like the most, and includes the software you want to have (or go with a lite version).
Good luck!
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sow basicly if I use Soft SPL and install a rom that has no radio and something goes wrong I can return to my original ROM. Is that right?
Thread renamed: added [Q] tag.
Please read the Announcements in the forums regarding posting rules!
I am a dangerous noob, know enough to be dangerous literally. I am in search of the easiest to use software to build ROM's.
What I plan to do: Cook a Android ROM for the TP2 that is CDMA compatible.
The questions I have are:
1. What kitchen do you recommend to do this?
2. Is there software to import a .cab to compile a new ROM?
3. Is there software to import a custom ROM and start work from there?
( I would like to use the GSM rom, but rewrite it to CDMA, as most of the GSM drivers are the same)
I think I can get everything I need by using the existing GSM android TP2 cab( thanks to all here for making that), the SPRINT hero ROM (http://developer.htc.com/), and the A rom of the sprint TP2. ( I actually got the GSM android to see the sprint network lastnight with some reg edits)
I have searched here and found tons of programs, but almost all were out of date or 404 errors. Basicly my searches are slow since the servers are loaded up here, and i cannot mine the info i need. If someone could please point me in the right direction it would be GREAT.
Oh yes, I am using windows, but can setup a linux box if needed. or I can use a VMware image if needed, but I would rather build as much as possible in windows.
Please point me in the right direction!
Thank you
Greetings all,
I would like to know something that seems to be so simple it hasn't been documented here anywhere.
My question is: How do I build the source provided by Google for my Desire HD?
Yes, there are tutorials, don't point me to them. They either provide you with the AOKP way or the CM way.
I want to build my stuff from scratch.
Is there a generator that will create the necessary file structures for me (in the devices folder)?
Is there a complete list that my rom needs to include in order to make it run on my device (preferably a list of folders I need)?
I know about the vendor files, these are created by a third party. How do I know what vendor files I need to create? How do I know how to name them?
Don't get me wrong, I've used C, C++ and C# for YEARS (I think about 8 now) and I know how to code. I just don't know how to compile android!
It doesn't seem that hard though, I've seen threads where people provide ROMs for the Desire HD without even having the device!
Also, how would I test this and debug it? I don't think it's safe to just flash my rom once I get it compiled to my actual device and possibly brick it.. Can I use an emulator?
I hope you will read this post before answering something alike "Plenty tutorials" or "This can be found everywhere", because it can not. I can only find AOKP or CM ways, I want neither.
Greetings Ultimate-Tester
The only time I know of that this has been achieved for this device is aospX, an ICS ROM on the Inspire 4G forums. It is much harder than you would think. Google does not support this hardware, HTC does. So there was never AOSP source for this device.
Yes, I can imagine how hard it is. As I said I have programming experience, it's just that I don't have it with Android ROMS.
I have built mainly for Windows, also on Ring0 level (which is the lowest level you can get) so I think making drivers is a task I can handle. I am definitely not underestimating it.
Could anyone give me an answer to this line:
Code:
Is there a generator that will create the necessary file structures for me (in the devices folder)?
Is there a complete list that my rom needs to include in order to make it run on my device (preferably a list of folders I need)?
I am very interested in how other people knew what folders to create and what files to put in them. How would the Google Source (envsetup) know which device files to use and what not? Again, can I generate the file structure somehow?
Greetings,,
My suggestion is to use device trees from AOSP-based ROMs that already exist for this device. For example, look in the cfX manifest.xml for Ace-specific stuff (kernel, device, etc.). I personally haven't seriously tried this before, so that's all I can offer.
Okidoki, will do. Then for the last item: Testing.
What will be a safe way to test out my brew?
What will actually happen if I flash a ROM with missing files? I hope there's an underlying catcher that will send something I can see in logcat and fix it that way.. Is this the case, or will I immediately brick my phone once I do something wrong? Do I need to make sure something is 100% there in order to reach my recovery again?
Greetz,,
I'm nor aware of any safety nets. If you're developing, you probably have to be willing to take the risks.
What specifics per device are needed to "match" roms to attempt a port or create cust
I'm pretty new at all this buy the basics of installing already made roms I get my question is when attempting to create new custom roms what information about the device say (cpu, gpu, modem, kernal, etc) need to match up to attempt using or moding those said parts of the dev process in order to build a working tree. Continued below Sidenote........
Sidenote : idk if the terms I used were correct in there placement or meaning but I feel that any who will reply to this thread probably grasp what I'm getting at.
So essentially what I'm attempting to do is figure out what things to change and how to change them in order to figure out what goes into building a rom or the favorable option that I'm shooting for is what to look for to attempt to match up a already built custom rom from another device I need little to no changes in order to use on my device's, reason being, both devices I am currently woking on, which are a Samsung Galaxy Core Prime sm-g360t and a HTC Desire 626s, do not have a official or even, to my knowledge, have an official CM and honestly besides one,the HTC which I have TWRP and it's running now off the AdvancedStock rom I found on this site and it keeps wanting to break or just doesn't work the way I want .
ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED