[XPERIA X10 Android Development] DooMLoRD:
How-To for testing custom kernel

How-To for testing custom kernel

---[ UPDATED: June 23, 2011 17:30 GMT ]---

WARNING:

THIS INVOLVES SYSTEM MODIFICATIONS AND MAY RENDER UR CURRENT ROM UNUSABLE/BROKEN

TAKE A FULL NANDROID/RECOVERY BACKUP BEFORE TESTING

MAKE SURE U HAVE STOCK FW WITH U SO THAT CAN USE FLASHTOOL IF U ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS RECOVERY

[IMPORTANT NOTE]

All information provided below is only supported if you use FreeXperia Recovery via Flashtool v0.2.9.1

PLEASE read the COMPLETE post before trying out anything

Also some custom roms have modifications in the chargemon (to introduce some additional features) which differ from the universal version (provided by FreeXperia recovery). So if u follow the procedure given below you might end up loosing those features.

Steps for testing:

*** Ideally I will recommend that everyone uses the latest FLASHTOOL (v0.2.9.1) to do this testing ***

[ STEP 0 ] Requirements

< for kernels requiring baseband 2.0.52 >

FLASHTOOL

Baseband 2.0.52 (you can download it from BaseBand Collection)

there is a newer baseband package provided in CM7 J022 please flash the baseband from that package if u want to use FreeXperiaKernel-k011 and above... also u will need to flash bootloader_bypass_files_v4.zip (links are provided in STEP 2) after u install bootkit to update the miniloader to work properly with FreeXperiaKernel-k011 and above

ROM compatible with baseband 2.0.52

CM7 rom is already compatible with bb 2.0.52 and no need to flash baseband if testing on CM7

for Froyo roms u can use Base Band Patch for 2.2 roms

for Eclair roms (stock SE) (2.1.A.0.435 and above) u can still use Base Band Patch for 2.2 roms (as tested by cobrato)

if u are on a different baseband flash baseband 2.0.52 using flashtool

if ur current rom doesnt have baseband 2.0.52 support... before booting into OS get into recovery and flash the above mentioned Base Band Patch

< for kernels requiring baseband 2.1.xx >

FLASHTOOL

Baseband 2.1.67 (you can download it from BaseBand Collection)

ROM compatible with baseband 2.1.67

CM7 rom, as of now (22 june 2011), is NOT compatible with bb 2.1.x and u need to flash Baseband patch (2.1.xx) for GB from http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1053221 use the file cm7bb54.zip

for Froyo roms u can use Base Band Patch for 2.2 roms

for Eclair roms (stock SE) (2.1.A.0.435 and above) u dont need any baseband patches

[ STEP 1 ] Install FreeXperia Recovery

Even if u have any other recovery installed I highly recommend that u shift to FreeXperia recovery for the purpose of this testing

FreeXperia recovery is compatible with all ROMs (stock & custom) available for X10

FreeXperia recovery already has all necessary modifications in chargemon file which are required for custom kernel testing

to install FreeXperia recovery:

connect ur X10 to PC using USB cable and start FLASHTOOL...

click "Ask Root Perms" button...

if any Superuser prompt appears on ur x10 screen accept it by clicking "Allow"...

now in FLASHTOOL click on the "xRecovery" button...

this will delete/remove any existing recovery and install FreeXperia recovery

[ STEP 2 ] Install BootKit

this will create the /system/kernel/ folder and copy the bootkit files

splboot.ko

miniloader

boot.img (i think this is the first release of the custom kernel)

to install bootkit:

connect ur X10 to PC using USB cable and start FLASHTOOL...

click "Ask Root Perms" button...

if any Superuser prompt appears on ur x10 screen accept it by clicking "Allow"...

now in FLASHTOOL go to menu Advanced -> Kernel -> Install bootkit

There seems to be some issues face by some users, where in using a different version of miniloader helped them sort out the issues. So I will provide all those versions.

Flashable update.zip via recovery, contains miniloader & splboot.ko:

bootloader_bypass_files_v1.zip [slightly older miniloader] {came with older FreeXperiaKernels}

bootloader_bypass_files_v2.zip [older miniloader] (testing only) {came with FreeKernel by zdzihu}

bootloader_bypass_files_v3.zip [older miniloader] (testing only) {came with Flashtool v0.2.9.1}

bootloader_bypass_files_v4.zip [newest miniloader] {comes with newer FreeXperiaKernels (from CM7 J022 K011 onwards)} (recommended)

[IMP]

for v4 miniloader: u need to be on the baseband from the baseband package provided in CM7 J022 for the v4 miniloader to work properly... even if u already have baseband 2.0.52 please reflash using the baseband package provided in CM7 J022... even if u are on a different ROM u will need to use the baseband from the above package to get custom kernel to work properly

[ STEP 3 ] Install custom kernel (boot.img)

the custom kernel is actually in the file boot.img which needs to be place in /system/kernel/

mostly when a custom kernel is released an update.zip will be provided which can be used to install that custom kernel at the specified location

u can either reboot into recovery the normal way OR using the reboot script i had posted before (gscript) OR using FLASHTOOL (go to menu Advanced -> xRecovery -> Reboot into Recovery)

flash the update.zip which has the custom kernel

[ STEP 4 ] Install modified/additional modules (wifi modules/etc)

some modified/updated modules (e.g. wifi.ko) are provided for compatibility with the custom kernel

mostly when a custom kernel is released an update.zip will be provided which will have the modified/additional modules also (it might be in the same update.zip as the custom kernel or might be provided seperately)

u can either reboot into recovery the normal way OR using the reboot script i had posted before (gscript) OR using FLASHTOOL (go to menu Advanced -> xRecovery -> Reboot into Recovery)

flash the update.zip which has the modified/additional module

[FROYO USERS] to get wifi working properly use the [wifi_bt_fix-fxk_froyo_v01.1.zip : patch module] from here: [PATCH] Fix WiFi and BT for FreeXperia Kernel (froyo)

[ STEP 5 ] Boot using the custom kernel

just to make things clear... since we are in testing phase the chargemon file, installed by FLASHTOOL during FreeXperia recovery installation, will keep stock kernel booting as DEFAULT and give u the option to boot using custom kernel for next boot-up

to reboot using custom kernel:

connect ur X10 to PC using USB cable and start FLASHTOOL...

click "Ask Root Perms" button...

if any Superuser prompt appears on ur x10 screen accept it by clicking "Allow"...

now in FLASHTOOL go to menu Advanced -> Kernel -> Reboot custom Kernel

[OPTIONAL] if u want to make CUSTOM kernel as DEFAULT booting option then flash this file: chargemon_FXRec_default_CUSTOM.zip using recovery ONLY after u have installed the BootKit [Step 2]

[OPTIONAL] if u want to make STOCK kernel as DEFAULT booting option then flash this file: chargemon_FXRec_default_STOCK.zip using recovery

Additional Info:

u do not need to go thru steps 1 & 2 again if u already have installed FreeXperia recovery

CM7 rom by jerpelea already comes with FreeXperia recovery... so if u are on CM7 rom u can skip step 1

if there are any changes i will keep updating this post

if there is anything that i might have missed or if i have made any error please point it out... i will happily add/correct it... :)

Extra:

MrHassell & myself have prepared an app for users to reboot into recovery/custom kernel without using flashtool everytime to do the rebooting.

get it here: Xperia Reboot Options