Customising Extreme (flash, roms etc)

[Mitre]

sounds like you are not in the shell
did the device show up when you typed adb devices

also you can use the exact same command on terminal emulator on the tablet to get the job done

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su

return

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dd if=dev/block/nanda of=sdcard/nanda.img

sends it to internal sdcard
or

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dd if=dev/block/nanda of=mnt/extsd/nanda.img

sends it to the removable microsd card

[suggsy89]

Thanks suggsy! Just what I needed. Managed fine until the 'dd if=dev...' part. It says 'dd is not recognised as an internal or external command.

What am I doing wrong?

Oh sorry, you need to be running as "adb shell"

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C:\Users\John\Desktop\Scroll Excel Android 4 CWM5>adb shell
* daemon not running. starting it now *
* daemon started successfully *
root@android:/ #


[suggsy89]

sounds like you are not in the shell
did the device show up when you typed adb devices

also you can use the exact same command on terminal emulator on the tablet to get the job done

Code: Select all

su

return

Code: Select all

dd if=dev/block/nanda of=sdcard/nanda.img

sends it to internal sdcard
or

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dd if=dev/block/nanda of=mnt/extsd/nanda.img

sends it to the removable microsd card

Damn Mitre stealing my thunder

[Whistler23]

Cheers Suggys again. Makes more sense! I was reading through the adb website and it started to make my head hurt so sorry for being lazy. I will have another play this evening.

Once I've done this, what can I do? I saw another post about removing bloat (calls/texts etc.) but I am fairly certain there was a warning about not using this method for the Extreme. Is there anywhere that details things I can get rid off? I am also assuming that there is no point putting a custom rom on there as it's an almost stock ICS install? And I would be using Apex Launcher, Simple Text etc to create my own visuals.

[suggsy89]

Once you have the nand blocks backed up to somewhere safe. Install clockworkmod. Then make a backup using that. Put it somewhere safe also.

There really is no limit after that. Delete the phone applications. Modify the build.prop for speed tweaks.

There is a program called Android Commander that you can use to view all the files and folders on an android device providing you have root, which the Extreme does.
You can pull the build.prop to your PC edit it, then push it back. Its really easy once you get into it.

[Whistler23]

Thanks Suggsy and Mitre. So I have to do adb shell in front of anything in adb?

Backed up all the nand's so they are in a safe place

Is it Clockwork mod here http://www.clockworkmod.com/rommanager ? If so what one suits the Extreme?

Thanks again guys.

EDIT: Found Rom Manager on the Play store and trying to install ClockworkMod now

[Whistler23]

So with Android Commander am I right in thinking this. I've done Applications Manager then changed the drop down to system apps, and then I have 60 on there that it updated, looking like this:

Getting info from: PackageInstaller.apk
Failed

Getting info from: PhaseBeam.apk
Complete

Getting info from: Phone.apk
Complete

Phone, is the bog standard phone, and then I wanna get rid of the browser as well as I run ICS browser+ and there was also a messaging one so I just uninstall these, and hopefully it will work?

[suggsy89]

You can just delete them or rename them.

Im sure this is clockworkmod for the Extreme, it was ported by some guys, cant remember who lol

https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=047eeec6282bbf08&resid=47EEEC6282BBF08!562&parid=47EEEC6282BBF08!476&authkey=!AMvDX0sVnwQPK14

Download, extract it, run the .bat file with the Extreme plugged in via usb to your PC.

[Whistler23]

Nice one thanks. I've flashed the two types of CWR 2.xxx and 5.xxx and when I try to boot in to recovery to backup the current image it just loads back in to ICS. I've tried the adb way, the boot in to recovery in Rom Manager with no joy. I then tried the Vol and pwr key and I get an android man laying down with a warning triangle

I'll try doing the clockworkmod you've just linked.

EDIT: Tried the link and the same thing was happening. I was also getting adb server out of date, a few google's later and various things tried nothing actually worked. I did however just 'do' something (I've really no idea what :S) and I'm now backing up in CWM recovery

One other question, are there specific ROMs etc I should be using? I mean are there tablet specific ones, or can I just pick a nice looking one from the HTC One X thread over at XDA?

Also, should I be looking to do something with the kernal?

[suggsy89]

The rom you choose to use must of been built for the device, the Extreme like the Excel and like many other Allwinner tablets use a Cortex A8 CPU with a Mali-400 GPU and obviously a 9.7" IPS display. The kernel is the engine of the rom, the modules must of been built for that specific kernel. The Extreme kernel is 3.0.8+ i think but not 100% because it is just displayed as "scroll@scroll-extreme". You can use any kernel you want but using a HTC One X rom or a Samsung Galaxy 2 rom will not work because the kernel and modules have not been built for the Extreme, porting it over is possible but then you start getting into trouble because of the different hardware, so you must then work from source code.

To do that you need knowledge of linux, java script and many other demons. Its hard work to start but its not impossible.

What i would suggest if your serious about "modding" is this to build your own cwm rom for the Extreme...

Its not easy as 1.2.3 but if you want i will guide you... Set up another thread in the development section maybe?

Set up Cygwin and dsixda's Android Kitchen

See here... http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=5626300&postcount=3

The idea here is to show you what is involved in building a rom...

Set up Cygwin, import the kitchen, drop your images into "original-update" and then in the menu select "set up working folder"

Example...

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============================================================
Android Kitchen 0.188 - by dsixda (xda-developers.com)
============================================================

  1 - Set up working folder from ROM
  2 - Add root permissions
  3 - Add BusyBox
  4 - Disable boot screen sounds
  5 - Add wireless tethering
  6 - Zipalign all *.apk files to optimize RAM usage
  7 - Change wipe status of ROM
  8 - Change name of ROM
  9 - Check update-script for errors
  10 - Show working folder information

  0 - ADVANCED OPTIONS
  99 - Build ROM from working folder

  u - Update/About kitchen
  x - Exit


Enter option:

You can use "nandc.img" as the "boot.img" and "nandd.img" as "system.img" rename them respectively.

Kernel hacking can be done, in all honesty this is something i have avoided as it is too time consuming for myself.

I hope i have answered most of your questions without confusing you.

Another thing you might enjoy doing is building your own livesuit image from the nand blocks you dumped... That is a bit easier. Plus you will then have a "Real" backup of your firmware, just incase you totaly nuke your tablet.
Ill post a link if you wish.