I came from HTC Hero to the Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000
So I had never problems with cooking something up, but in the Galaxy I faced .rfs files and a flashing tool I can't use on linux...
So I searched through some boards to find a way to extract the .rfs files here a working guide for the S I9000.
What you need
Linux (tested with Debian testing)
It's pretty simple, execute this commands as root on your computer
SHORT WAY (thanks to mimocan)
Code:
# mount -o loop factory.rfs /some_dir
LOOOONG WAY
Attatch the rfs file to the loop device
Code:
# losetup /dev/loop0 /somedir/factoryfs.rfs
Create a directory to mount the device
Code:
# mkdir /somedir/mnt
Mount the device
Code:
# mount /dev/loop0 /somedir/mnt
the content of the rfs is NOT saved on the sdcard! you have to copy it!
Now you can copy the content from the /sdcard/tmp directory to the sdcard
Code:
# cp -R /somedir/mnt /somedir/factoryfs
hope this is helpful for someone
Code:
#mount -o loop factory.rfs /some_dir
should do the same
This works because rfs is based on vfat.
But have you ever tried this on cache.rfs or dbdata.rfs?
The mounted folder is empty. The cache.rfs in my case was around 1.2 mb.
Maybe the 1.2 mb are journaling data rfs uses?
I also tried mounting cache.rfs and dbdata.rfs directly on my sgs without any luck.
Since the phone has built in rfs drivers it should be able to mount it.
psternx said:
This works because rfs is based on vfat.
But have you ever tried this on cache.rfs or dbdata.rfs?
The mounted folder is empty. The cache.rfs in my case was around 1.2 mb.
Maybe the 1.2 mb are journaling data rfs uses?
I also tried mounting cache.rfs and dbdata.rfs directly on my sgs without any luck.
Since the phone has built in rfs drivers it should be able to mount it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you open the cache.rfs or dbdata.rfs from a PDA build (tested I900XXJP3) in a hexeditor you will see they are empty, just the headers and a lot of zeros
Have you been able to modify something from a rfs file and save it?
Actually Cache.rfs file in CSC is a renamed update.zip. At least with a few firmwares I have tried. So just open it with, for example, 7-zip and you can browse the files.
deleted............
Tried to mount a cache.rfs and got a "Device or resource busy".
Then tried to open it trough MagicISO, and voilá, I got the CSC files I needed
Now im into modifying factoryfs.rfs and hoping you can give me some tips.
Alt1
mount -o loop factoryfs.rfs directory & Copy files to a new place and edit them but how to create a .rfs from that point?
Alt2
sudo mount -v -o rw,loop,uid=$UID factoryfs.rfs Directory
Edit the files , umount the .rfs . Mount it again but the the changes are gone.
How do you do it?
Thanks.
a-son said:
Now im into modifying factoryfs.rfs and hoping you can give me some tips.
Alt1
mount -o loop factoryfs.rfs directory & Copy files to a new place and edit them but how to create a .rfs from that point?
Alt2
sudo mount -v -o rw,loop,uid=$UID factoryfs.rfs Directory
Edit the files , umount the .rfs . Mount it again but the the changes are gone.
How do you do it?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
for me, i'll definitelty mod it elsewhere
ykk_five said:
for me, i'll definitelty mod it elsewhere
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for answer.
Alt 1 i suppose you mean. But how to create the .rfs ?
a-son said:
Thanks for answer.
Alt 1 i suppose you mean. But how to create the .rfs ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yess!!!!
how to recompile the .rfs ?????
KBJ911 said:
yess!!!!
how to recompile the .rfs ?????
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BUMP!
Actually some cache.rfs aren't simple renamed zipfiles, as they (i.e. multi-csc) also contains more stuff
So I loopmounted rw the vfat cache.rfs, extracted and modified the contained sec_csc.zip (this one IS an update.zip structured file...)
But when I put it inside, sync, unmount and mount again to verify stuff, I got a corrupted filesystem and a corrupted zip file.
Any clue to successfully modify contents of such .rfs ?
mopodo said:
I came from HTC Hero to the Samsung Galaxy S GT-I9000
So I had never problems with cooking something up, but in the Galaxy I faced .rfs files and a flashing tool I can't use on linux...
So I searched through some boards to find a way to extract the .rfs files here a working guide for the S I9000.
What you need
Linux (tested with Debian testing)
It's pretty simple, execute this commands as root on your computer
SHORT WAY (thanks to mimocan)
Code:
# mount -o loop factory.rfs /some_dir
LOOOONG WAY
Attatch the rfs file to the loop device
Code:
# losetup /dev/loop0 /somedir/factoryfs.rfs
Create a directory to mount the device
Code:
# mkdir /somedir/mnt
Mount the device
Code:
# mount /dev/loop0 /somedir/mnt
the content of the rfs is NOT saved on the sdcard! you have to copy it!
Now you can copy the content from the /sdcard/tmp directory to the sdcard
Code:
# cp -R /somedir/mnt /somedir/factoryfs
hope this is helpful for someone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a way to convert it back to rfs?
@all
Is there a way to convert it back to rfs?
criskelo said:
@all
Is there a way to convert it back to rfs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you used the shortway # mount -o loop factory.rfs /some_dir
than you can modify the files in some_dir.
when finished simple un mount the some_dir and the files are saved in the factory.rfs
Then tar and md5 the factory.rfs and you can flash it with odin
in windows use "magiciso" to extract .rfs
lownoise said:
Then tar and md5 the factory.rfs and you can flash it with odin
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I lost at there, what does that means?
From linux
fastcx said:
I lost at there, what does that means?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From the linux command line you have to use
tar -cf filename.tar factory.rfs
md5sum filename.tar >filename.tar.md5
If you have extracted it with MagicISO and now just want to create it back to factoryfs.rfs can I do this with Cygwin and what would the command line be?
Multiboot for Sony Xperia Z1
How to install boot menu
- download bootmenu_honami.rar, extract folder "bootmenu" to the your internal storage
- put boot.img or kernel.elf to the mainrom folder, make sure thats the same kernel like your primary rom (aka main rom)
- download bootmenu.img from attachment, flash bootmenu.img using fastboot commnd: fastboot flash boot bootmenu.img
Since your bootmenu folder not contain settings.ini (you runing bootmenu at a first time) that will be created easily. You need to complete main step aka main rom creation:
1. (mainrom creation) reboot into bootmenu, chose "patch...", navigate to bootmenu, navigate to mainrom, select mainrom.zip package (make sure boot.img or kernel.elf is the same like your current main rom kernel, and make sure boot.img is in folder mainrom), select mainrom.zip and click "yes". Main rom will be added into boot menu entry. Now reboot again into boot menu and you will see new menuentry, chose these menu to boot into your primary rom!
2. (other roms creation - you can do only if you completed main rom step) reboot into bootmenu, chose "patch...", principe is diferent (there is 2 steps):
- step 1: chose rom zip you want to patch, patch them
- step 2: reboot again into boot menu (new rom entry will be displayed), select these rom to boot, on led blinking press to boot into cwm, now you are in cwm of these rom, now navigate to the same folder where is your package, you will find zip with appended name "patched.zip", chose these patched zip to install trought these recovery, you are done!
If something fail, make sure look into bootmenu folder into main script aka "multiboot.sh", try to fix-improve something Enjoy!
WARNING:
- NEVER RENAME FOLDERS OR ZIP ARCHIVES TO HAVE SPACE IN NAME SINCE BOOTMENU WILL NOT WORK!!! INSTEAD OF WRITING SPACE " " WRITE "_" SOMETHING_LIKE_THIS" !
- there is possibility for your partitions of the main rom to get overwriten if multiboot.sh fail to patch these rom you going to patch, just to let you know! Two click solution is in testing stage so there is probably a lot of bugs! I am not responsible if you lost your private data! So guys if you willing to help, I am waiting. Things need to be improved in multiboot.sh !
Here is full source code of the my bootmenu project -> https://github.com/munjeni/bootmenu_z1_and_z1c
Public License for BOOTMENU and for my Auxiliary Work
You can Distribute my source without my Permissions. Distribution should include my XDA name 'munjeni' and Link to this 'BOOTMENU' thread in your Credits sections/About sections and Properly Visible to Human Eyes. If you use our source and have them modified, you need to make them public to everyone!!! If you not propertly use my source and you not give proper credit, and you not share your modified source code which is based on my source code, I will find you and I will report your post!
And... If You Like my BOOTMENU... Remember to Press...Thanks button
Credits
- @abbychauhan first one who helped me in testing boot menu, thanks!
- @krabappel2548 for kernel with kexec! I have used his kexec kernel in our boot menu for Z1, thanks!
- @HypoTurtle for sugestions, thanks!
- @DooMLoRD for opening my eyes since I had a wrong kernel on my local hard drive
- @SafiXS , @Chocolatetrain, @ntmohammad ...sory if I forgot someone, thanks to all for testing!
"Post Updated on 22/06/2014"
MultiBoot Totally Simplified (Noob Friendly)
Whole Multiboot Procedure for better understanding..
We will do this in two parts procedure as Follows -
Part 1 -
First we will do the mainrom creation. "Mainrom" - The ROM which is Currently installed on your phone.
1. First Download bootmenu_honami.rar, extract folder "bootmenu" to your Phone's Internal storage
2. Put boot.img or kernel.elf (Of the ROM which is Currently installed on your phone) to the mainrom folder (its in the bootmenu folder) of extracted rar file,
make sure thats the same kernel i.e, boot.img or kernel.elf like your primary rom of yours which is currently installed
boot.img - you can extract it from the ROM zip file or Custom Kernel zip file eg. ROM.zip or Doomloards Kernel zip
Kernel.elf - U ll have to convert kernel.sin from ROM zip file to kernel.elf via Flashtool (It has got option to do that)
3. Download bootmenu.img from attachment, flash bootmenu.img using fastboot commend: fastboot flash boot bootmenu.img
4. Reboot into bootmenu, choose "patch...", navigate to mainrom folder (it has to be in the internal memory, inside the folder bootmenu),
select mainrom.zip package (make sure boot.img or kernel.elf is the same like your current main rom kernel, and make sure boot.img or kernel.elf is in folder "mainrom" ),
select mainrom.zip and click "yes". Main rom will be added into boot menu entry.
Now reboot again into boot menu and you will see new Entry Mainrom and Mainrom - CWM, choose Mainrom from Multiboot Menu to boot into your primary rom or Choose mainrom - CWM to go into mainrom Recovery
Part 2 -
Other ROMs creation - You can do it only if you completed main rom step)
1. Reboot into bootmenu, chose "patch...",
2. Navigate to Second ROM ZIP file
(Keep it anywhere in External Memory Card Because you wont be able to access Internal Memory of your Phone via another ROM Recovery due to change of Partitions, All ROMs will be installed on Internal Memory),
Choose ROM zip you want to patch, patch them
3. Reboot again into boot menu (new ROM entry will be displayed), go into ROM - CWM to go into Recovery of the particular ROM,
Now you are in Recovery of New ROM, Go to install ZIP (Installation of ROM) and
navigate to the same folder where you kept the ROM ZIP file (on External Card Memory),
you will find a new zip with appended name "patched.zip",
chose these patched zip to install trough the Recovery,
4. Flash C6902 fix, if u have C6902 Device (keep it On External Memory too),
5. Boot into ROM then Do a REBOOT and again go to Secondary ROM - CWM
6. Flash Gapps (keep it On External Memory too)
7. Flash Any Mod or anything if you wanted to flash for Your ROM (keep it On External Memory too)
Except Custom Kernels or Something that will wipe bootmenu.img ( Its WIP you can check out the Conversations on Page 48/49/50 )
8. Do Reboot
9. In Bootmenu Select the Newly installed ROM.
You are done!
Enjoy!
Common Questions -
1. How many ROMs I can Install?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53236187&postcount=399
2. How to go from One ROM Partation to Another ROM Partation via File Explorer?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53318812&postcount=476
3. How to get kernel.elf?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53234909&postcount=384
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53234988&postcount=386
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53235075&postcount=387
4. How to take Screenshot of CWM?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53229901&postcount=358
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53230193&postcount=362
5. We get ROM updates now and then how do we do it? If we want to remove The Whole Multiboot Thing or a ROM from Bootmenu and to uninstall it completely from our phone then what is the procedure?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53076327&postcount=277
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53077937&postcount=281
6. Stock Based ROMs ask to flash the Stripped FTF via flashtools in the END, if we keep Stock based ROMs as Secondary ROMs then how will it work then, it will wipe other ROMs Kernal and bootmenu kernal?
Answ - Its Hard but http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53150024&postcount=325
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53150187&postcount=326
7. Power Off Charging?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53144286&postcount=322
8. The partition made by Multi Boot for other ROMs is very small, Why is that? Can it be increased?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53116039&postcount=313
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53118687&postcount=316
and http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53118722&postcount=317
9. I want to change the name of "mainrom" and Secondary ROM names in boot menu?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53107296&postcount=307
10. Gapps on Primary ROM?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53027261&postcount=240
11. Main ROM Update / MainROM Kernal Change?
Answ - http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=53565558&postcount=571
Complicated and not for noobs, but hope some one do it for you if you are confused! Seccond tut will be more complicated since all ramdisks need to be moded specialy for every each android which you going to boot. I will try to explain
munjeni said:
Complicated and not for noobs, but hope some one do it for you if you are confused! Seccond tut will be more complicated since all ramdisks need to be moded specialy for every each android which you going to boot. I will try to explain
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ya this thread really need a helpful Dev. Who will answer all questions.. And Of course not for noobs.. I think i ll scratch my head all night..
Sent from my Micromax A110Q using Tapatalk
@munjeni Is this same as XGo Muilti Boot?That is very harder to install.
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Awesome work :good:
Could you please give me some instructions on how to add your multiboot to a host kernel when building from source?
I'm working on a kernel for the z1, and I have krabappel's kexec patch implemented.
Androguide.fr said:
Awesome work :good:
Could you please give me some instructions on how to add your multiboot to a host kernel when building from source?
I'm working on a kernel for the z1, and I have krabappel's kexec patch implemented.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simple extract ramdisk and make boot.img with your kernel! I will upload new version now, version v1.1 (support for booting from booth internal and external sdcard)! Since booting from extrernal sdcard sause some lags if sd cards is not "best speed", recomended is booting from internal sdcard since performance is the same like booting from regular boot! Wait a moment, going to upload new version in next 10 minutes! When I get more free time I will give you preconfigured menu entry with installed CM11 into file partitions so you can multiboot them without needs for lookig into our tutorials, you will simple extract them and boot
New version of the bootmenu is out, enjoy!
Changelog:
- support for booting from booth internal or external sdcard
- fixed bug with reboot timer when there is no rom in settings ini or when there is no bootmenu folder
I'll try to release the multiboot I was working on. It is a lot easier for users then all this editing probably
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
krabappel2548 said:
I'll try to release the multiboot I was working on. It is a lot easier for users then all this editing probably
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We all will be very thankful to u
Sent from my Xperia Z1 using Tapatalk
krabappel2548 said:
I'll try to release the multiboot I was working on. It is a lot easier for users then all this editing probably
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How you think to make that simple? Since external partitions is needed, allso since standard flashable zips will allso need to be modified in updater-script, allso since ramdisks need to be modified, all fstabs need to be modified, DTB need to be appended propertly to the zImage in order to boot them with kexec... a lot of other things, I think easy method is not possible definitely! Maybe a am wrong?
I have 2 ideas now for my boot menu:
- create 3 partitions (probably will open a new thread for sharing diferent partitions layout, for example cache 50mb, cache 100mb, cache 150mb, cache 200mb, system 500mb, system 1gb, system 1.6gb, data 500mb, data 1gb, data 2gb...) so after compresing them to rar size of the archive will be ~100mb
- or maybe we can implement on the fly partitions creation by the updter-script
Problem will be kernel and ramdisk since it need modification. Maybe we can ask devs to include ramdisk and kernel for multiboot in his posts.
I am out of ideas, but I think we need to make automated tool for these things. If you guys have idea please comment!
Tool needed:
- tool for extracting boot image and making zImage-dtb
- tool for extracting ramdisk, making changes needed for boot from loop device, compresing modified ramdisk
- tool for partitions creation with defined size and defined path for puting them to defined folder
- tool for entry in settings.ini creation
Partition creation is easy. There is few steps to create file based partition:
1. first of all - how to calculate size of the partition:
Simple using calculator. Formula is: (size * 1024 * 1024) / 4096
Foe example: you want 500mb partition, ok, formula is: (500 * 1024 * 1024) / 4096
So command for making them with adb will be:
adb shell
mkdir /data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want
dd if=/dev/zero of=/data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want/system.ext4 bs=4096 count=count_from_your_calculation
dd if=/dev/zero of=/data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want/data.ext4 bs=4096 count=count_from_your_calculation
dd if=/dev/zero of=/data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want/cache.ext4 bs=4096 count=count_from_your_calculation
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2. get UUID of the system partition (need for step 3):
blkid /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
3. format created partiton:
losetup /dev/block/loop1 /data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want/system.ext4
losetup /dev/block/loop2 /data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want/data.ext4
losetup /dev/block/loop3 /data/media/0/bootmenu/folder_you_want/cache.ext4
mke2fs -T ext4 -O has_journal,ext_attr,resize_inode,filetype,extent,sparse_super,large_file,uninit_bg -U paste here your UUID -I 256 /dev/block/loop1
mke2fs -T ext4 -O has_journal,ext_attr,resize_inode,filetype,extent,sparse_super,large_file,uninit_bg -U paste here your UUID -I 256 /dev/block/loop2
mke2fs -T ext4 -O has_journal,ext_attr,resize_inode,filetype,extent,sparse_super,large_file,uninit_bg -U paste here your UUID -I 256 /dev/block/loop3
tune2fs -o journal_data_writeback /dev/block/loop2
tune2fs -o journal_data_writeback /dev/block/loop3
losetup -d /dev/block/loop1
losetup -d /dev/block/loop2
losetup -d /dev/block/loop3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Partitions created easily
Note:
These things must be done while you are in bootmenu since I am not sure if mke2fs, blkid and tune2fs tool is available while you are on android! So you can done that in bootmenu via adb!
CWM ramdisk modifications
all fstabs need to be modified, for example fstab.qcom:
Code:
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/boot /boot emmc defaults recoveryonly
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system /system ext4 ro,barrier=1 wait
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/cache /cache ext4 noatime,nosuid,nodev,barrier=1,data=ordered,nomblk_io_submit,noauto_da_alloc,errors=panic wait,check
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata /data ext4 noatime,nosuid,nodev,barrier=1,data=ordered,nomblk_io_submit,noauto_da_alloc,errors=panic wait,check,encryptable=footer,length=-16384
remove line:
/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/boot /boot emmc defaults recoveryonly
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
changed:
Code:
/dev/block/loop1 /system ext4 ro,barrier=1 wait
/dev/block/loop3 /cache ext4 noatime,nosuid,nodev,barrier=1,data=ordered,nomblk_io_submit,noauto_da_alloc,errors=panic wait,check
/dev/block/loop2 /data ext4 noatime,nosuid,nodev,barrier=1,data=ordered,nomblk_io_submit,noauto_da_alloc,errors=panic wait,check,encryptable=footer,length=-16384
In etc you can see another recovery.fstab, change them like you done for qcom.fstab!
init.rc:
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/enable 0
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/idVendor 18D1
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/idProduct D001
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/functions adb
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iManufacturer ${ro.product.manufacturer}
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iProduct ${ro.product.model}
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iSerial ${ro.serialno}
on boot
ifup lo
hostname localhost
domainname localdomain
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
add:
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/enable 0
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/idVendor 18D1
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/idProduct D001
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/functions adb
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iManufacturer ${ro.product.manufacturer}
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iProduct ${ro.product.model}
write /sys/class/android_usb/android0/iSerial ${ro.serialno}
on fs
wait /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata
mkdir /sde
mount ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata /sde rw wait
exec /sbin/losetup /dev/block/loop1 /sde/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/system.ext4
exec /sbin/losetup /dev/block/loop2 /sde/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/data.ext4
exec /sbin/losetup /dev/block/loop3 /sde/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/cache.ext4
on boot
ifup lo
hostname localhost
domainname localdomain
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
red line "cm11" mean that you have created cm11 folder in boot menu and use these folder for example for booting into cm11! On these "cm11" folder you have created partitons, ramdisks, kernel...etc!
munjeni said:
Problem will be kernel and ramdisk since it need modification. Maybe we can ask devs to include ramdisk and kernel for multiboot in his posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that will do some work for the people.. Atleast Custom Kernal Devs can include it.
Sent from my Xperia Z1 using Tapatalk
ROM ramdisk modifications
For example CM11 ramdisk.
when you unpack cm11 boot.img, when you unpack ramdisk you will notice 2 ramdisks, one is rom ramdisk and one is recovery ramdisk (ramdisk.cpio and ramdisk.recovery.cpio). Look into previous post for CWM ramdisk modification.
Modification for ROM ramdisk (ramdisk.cpio):
init.rc file:
look for line "mkdir /system", added one line before these line: "mkdir /sde"
fstab.qcom:
the same like you done on CWM ramdisk!
init.qcom.rc:
look for lines:
on fs
mount_all ./fstab.qcom
setprop ro.crypto.fuse_sdcard true
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
add:
on fs
wait /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata
mkdir /sde
mount ext4 /dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata /sde rw wait
exec /sbin/losetup /dev/block/loop1 /sde/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/system.ext4
exec /sbin/losetup /dev/block/loop2 /sde/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/data.ext4
exec /sbin/losetup /dev/block/loop3 /sde/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/cache.ext4
exec /sbin/e2fsck -y /dev/block/loop2
exec /sbin/e2fsck -y /dev/block/loop3
mount_all ./fstab.qcom
setprop ro.crypto.fuse_sdcard true
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
red line "cm11" mean that you have created cm11 folder in boot menu and use these folder for example for booting into cm11! On these "cm11" folder you have created partitons, ramdisks, kernel...etc!
updater script in rom zip modification
For example you want to install cm11 in multiboot, ok, download an rom, for example download CM11 by FXP or one by Cyanogenmod, open zip, find, open and modify updater-script and change all lines:
1. for system:
Code:
.........."/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/system"............
change to:
Code:
.............."/dev/block/loop1"..............
2. for userdata:
Code:
............."/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/userdata"............
change to:
Code:
..........."/dev/block/loop2"................
3. for cache:
Code:
........"/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/cache"..........
change to:
Code:
..........."/dev/block/loop3"...........
4. for boot:
Code:
.........."/dev/block/platform/msm_sdcc.1/by-name/boot".........
change to:
Code:
............"/dev/null"...........
Note:
To understand this step. You doing these modifications since you going to install rom to partitions which you created on your internal sdcard! For example: if you not modify ramdisk, your rom will be installed to your phone partitions instead of one created by you! So to install rom to partitions which you have created, you must modify updater script to point installation to install rom into partitions which you created earlier instead of intalling them to regular partition! If you install rom to regular partitions that mean you will overwrite your main rom and bootmenu, so you will boot into cm11 on reboot instead of buting into multiboot! Hope thing clear?
Creating menuentry for new rom in multiboot (boot menu) settings.ini
Since you created partitions, since you modified ramdsiks, since you created kernel (sorry I removed post entry related to kernel modification... I will instruct you later!), since you modified rom zip which you want to install... you are ready for flashing! Before flashing rom to partitions, you need to add menu entry in settings.ini of the bootmenu!
How to add new rom entry to boot menu:
For example you created all partitons in .../bootmenu/cm11 folder
For example you have system.ext4, data.ext4, cache.ext.4, initrd.gz (modified cm11 ramdisk), and Zimage-dtb (modified CM11 zImage) in cm11 folder
Ok now you can add menuentry to setting.ini:
[rom-1]
menutitle=CM11
kernel=/data/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/zImage-dtb
ramdisk=/data/media/0/bootmenu/cm11/initrd.gz
cmdline=no_need_anymore
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are done! Title you have defined in "menutitle" will be displayed in boot menu!
Now you need to boot into cm11. When you boot into cm11 you will get "timing for recovery boot, led light!", if everything is propertly modified in all of the things you will get lucky to see led light where you need to pres volume button to get into recovery! If you enter into cm11 recovery that mean that you are in sucess , Ok now install your modified rom zip package (in these step cm11 will be installed to partitions which you have created earlier) and you are done! Reboot and enjoy cm11 in multiboot! The same steps is for all roms which you want in multi boot! Max roms is 10!
Not for noobs but hope our things is clear now for experienced users?
How to backup partition images with dd on the command line (root required)
We don't currently have a working custom recovery for the Xperia 10 III, but if you have root there's a simple method to dump partition images.
This is a very good idea and you should do it at least once, especially if you like to mess around the device a lot.
You won't be able to do this before you root, so by the time you do some partitions will not be stock anymore. Use XperiFirm instead to get the clean stock images.
Special partitions:
The userdata partition holds all your personal files and system settings. It's huge (about 105 GB) and obviously you can't dump it into itself. You can dump it on an SD card if it's 128+ GB.
The super partition is a physical partition that contains several logical partitions (including system and vendor) That's why you won't find those in the partition list. This is done on Android 10+ devices to allow those logical partitions to be resized or rearranged as needed. You don't need to split out the internal logical partitions, you can flash back the entire super partition. The stock firmware also comes with a super image, not individual logical partitions.
Using a helper script:There's a Magisk module called Backup (by Draco) which gives you a command line shell script you can use if you prefer. It mostly does the same things I described above. The script is here if anybody wants to just grab it directly.
On the plus side, the script knows to dump only the active A/B image (which is the one that interests you most). On the flip side, it doesn't have a feature to skip userdata.
So here is a shell command that will use the backup script to dump all partitions, but only those matching your device's active A/B slot, and skips userdata:
Code:
backup $(ls /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/ | grep -v userdata | sed 's/_[ab]$//')
And here's one that also skips super:
Code:
backup $(ls /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/ | grep -v userdata | grep -v super | sed 's/_[ab]$//')
How to dump partitions manually:If you can't/won't use the helper script you can do it by hand. All the following commands need root:
Find the names of all the partitions:
Code:
ls /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/
Dump one specific partition identified by NAME:
Code:
dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/NAME of=NAME.img
Dump all partitions except userdata:
Code:
ls /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/ | grep -v userdata | while read NAME; do echo dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/${NAME} of=${NAME}.img; done
Find the active slot:
Code:
getprop ro.boot.slot_suffix
Get checksums for all the images after the dump:
Code:
md5sum *.img
Confused about _a and _b partitions?You should read about A/B Seamless Updates.
Long story short, some partitions have two copies eg. boot_a and boot_b. When you boot up the device you use the partitions in one slot (eg. the _a partitions). When an OTA update is being downloaded, it writes into the partitions for the other slot (eg. the _b partitions). Your phone can stay in use while this happens. If the OTA fails nothing is broken, you just keep using the good slot partitions. After the OTA is successful you switch to the other slot and also have the previous version in the other slot in case you need to switch back.
This means that some of the _a and _b images for the same partition can be different for you! So it's strongly recommended to do the checksums, and also to find out which is your active slot, so you know which partitions you're using right now.
I used a 128 GB card to take a backup of userdata. The backup script had some trouble with the backup location being on the storage card for some reason and I didn't have time to figure it out, but the dd command I gave above worked fine.
Code:
# time dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/userdata of=userdata.img
112111374336 bytes (104 G) copied, 2342.274225 s, 46 M/s
39m02.31s real 1m11.78s user 14m44.72s system
Code:
# adb pull /storage/1234-ABCD/backup/userdata.img ./
/storage/1234-ABCD/backup/userdata.img: 1 file pulled, 0 skipped.
87.2 MB/s (112111374336 bytes in 1225.663s)
So that's 104 GB that took 39 minutes to be written to a new Samsung Evo U3/V30 microSDXC (46 MB/sec real write speed) and 20 minutes to be read to the PC (Samsung Evo M.2) with adb pull over USB (87 MB/sec read speed). Just so you know what you're in for.
I was looking into whether I could speed up the process of taking userdata snapshots by dumping the partition directly to the PC, but you need to be root to access the device block. The stock ROM doesn't allow the command adb root, but I found this blog post which made me realize you can run a su -c command that asks dd to write to stdout and just pipe the output to a file. The post author has also made this helpful Python script which lets you do pulls and pushes with root-only files.
If you want to run the command directly (I've only tested on Linux, no idea if it works on PowerShell but it might):
Code:
# adb shell "su -c" "dd if=/dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/userdata" > userdata.img
If you want to use the Python script:
Code:
# adb-root.py pull /dev/block/bootdevice/by-name/userdata userdata.img
Using the same fast SSD on the PC side as above, I now get:
Code:
218967528+0 records in
218967528+0 records out
112111374336 bytes (104 G) copied, 1077.681097 s, 99 M/s
real 17m57.910s
So that's roughly 15 minutes compared to 1 hour total with the previous method and you don't need to have a 128 GB SD card anymore.
Are you able to switch to a different backup location? Say a USB OTG if possible.
mikeshutte said:
Are you able to switch to a different backup location? Say a USB OTG if possible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With dd yes, simply move to the directory you want before you call dd.
The backup script is bugged and seems to ignore the -d parameter for the backup location so it always uses /sdcard/backup. (I think it might be expecting a different version of getopts...) Normally I would say to try creating a symlink from /sdcard/backup to the OTG storage but the ln utility is also behaving strangely and I can't make any symlinks (even with root).
wirespot said:
With dd yes, simply move to the directory you want before you call dd.
The backup script is bugged and seems to ignore the -d parameter for the backup location so it always uses /sdcard/backup. (I think it might be expecting a different version of getopts...) Normally I would say to try creating a symlink from /sdcard/backup to the OTG storage but the ln utility is also behaving strangely and I can't make any symlinks (even with root).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok I'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks for your help.
Hi, I'm used to TWRP backups, so I don't really understand this tool. I've backedup everything except the massive userdata partition. If needed, how would I restore this? Is the userdata partition required when I have all the others?
Thanks!
jakito said:
Hi, I'm used to TWRP backups, so I don't really understand this tool. I've backedup everything except the massive userdata partition. If needed, how would I restore this? Is the userdata partition required when I have all the others?
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is basically the same thing that TWRP does, dd is a command line Linux tool that makes a "raw" copy of a partition.
Restoration is a bit more tricky. In theory you can simply dump the raw backup copy over the partition. The problem is that it's not ok to do it while the system is running. Typically it's done by booting into recovery (TWRP) and overwriting the partition from there.
Another method for restore is to use fastboot, which is an alternative tool you can boot into that only does one thing, write partitions. But fastboot is typically locked by the vendor to only write signed images, so it can only be used to write official release ROMs.
There are some limited uses for fastboot, such as overwriting the boot partition, which is not checked for signature anymore once you've unlocked the bootloader. So if you want to experiment with unofficial kernels and mess something up you can always restore a good boot partition with fastboot.
TLDR: for the time being until we get a working TWRP recovery the most you can do is take backups, but not restore them.
wirespot said:
This is basically the same thing that TWRP does, dd is a command line Linux tool that makes a "raw" copy of a partition.
Restoration is a bit more tricky. In theory you can simply dump the raw backup copy over the partition. The problem is that it's not ok to do it while the system is running. Typically it's done by booting into recovery (TWRP) and overwriting the partition from there.
Another method for restore is to use fastboot, which is an alternative tool you can boot into that only does one thing, write partitions. But fastboot is typically locked by the vendor to only write signed images, so it can only be used to write official release ROMs.
There are some limited uses for fastboot, such as overwriting the boot partition, which is not checked for signature anymore once you've unlocked the bootloader. So if you want to experiment with unofficial kernels and mess something up you can always restore a good boot partition with fastboot.
TLDR: for the time being until we get a working TWRP recovery the most you can do is take backups, but not restore them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Thank you nonetheless!
wirespot said:
This is basically the same thing that TWRP does, dd is a command line Linux tool that makes a "raw" copy of a partition.
Restoration is a bit more tricky. In theory you can simply dump the raw backup copy over the partition. The problem is that it's not ok to do it while the system is running. Typically it's done by booting into recovery (TWRP) and overwriting the partition from there.
Another method for restore is to use fastboot, which is an alternative tool you can boot into that only does one thing, write partitions. But fastboot is typically locked by the vendor to only write signed images, so it can only be used to write official release ROMs.
There are some limited uses for fastboot, such as overwriting the boot partition, which is not checked for signature anymore once you've unlocked the bootloader. So if you want to experiment with unofficial kernels and mess something up you can always restore a good boot partition with fastboot.
TLDR: for the time being until we get a working TWRP recovery the most you can do is take backups, but not restore them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know how I ended up but making a backup you can't restore is completely pointless.
Techguy777 said:
I don't know how I ended up but making a backup you can't restore is completely pointless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it's not. All your data is in there. You can mount your backup on a linux computer and pull out apks as well as app data. You can then restore these folder by folder with adb and a root shell on your phone.
That beeing said, does anyone know a proper backup software like Titanium Backup for Android 11 and above? Sometimes I read recommendations, but looking at the ratings it seems that no software manages to achieve the same level of comfort and control. Also they all seem to suffer from the same limitations.
Let's be honest: Google wants to make your life hard, so they can lock you in.
@xperinaut
I'm using Titanium on Android 11. Is it not working for you?