yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Nook Color Android Development] lorddunlow:
Do the zips only work with CWM? I tried the bnalt2pri.zip in TWRP and it gives an error message.
[Nook Color Android Development] bluepen61:
I suspect so. And you need to use CWM version, 3.2.0.1.

My setup, I have B&N/Manualnooter 5.8.20 on the alternate partition and CM 10 on primary partition. When I installed CM, it changed to boot loader but recovery remained as 3.2.0.1. Also, I cannot boot to the 'menu' screen from the bootloader, but from CM 10, I can check the 'boot to recovery' option and it will boot to recovery 3.2.0.1.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Hmm, I no longer have a Nook Color but I used TWRP several times to shuffle around, undo, and redo my dual boot. I don't think I ever used the bn zips in TWRP because I only ever installed stock for testing purposes and that was before I was using TWRP. Double check that you don't have signature verification checked, and/or redownload the zip to make sure the download wasn't corrupt.
[Nook Color Android Development] Kaptinkrunk:
im about to try this but differently

bricked wont turn on lol now looking for how to make a bootable sd
[Nook Color Android Development] IM0001:
Ok well I know this thread is as old as the Nook Color itself now, but I still pull this thing out every once in a while to dink with some old tech.

Where I am at currently I am curious if I have to go all the way back to stock, (From a snazzy clean CWM + CM10.2 + Stock Alt 1.4.3 setup) just so I can get the 1.4.4 update so I can use the stock side of the tablet once again for, well, reading. :/

Is there any chance someone can shoehorn a 1.4.4 update .zip that is CWM flashable to the Alt partition still hanging around these old threads?
[Nook Color Android Development] rabi347:
Ok, I messed up and I need some help. I followed the instructions, CM7 booted fine, but the stock 1.3 would get stuck on "n". I flashed the "remove dual boot", reset the nc, but still the boot won't go past the "n" and seems like I have the partitions stuck. can somebody please guide me to clean everything up, go back to stock so that I can start all over again.
[Nook Color Android Development] TomMelee:
I did almost the same thing. Remove the SD card. Cycle power on, let it get to the N screen, and force off. Repeat 8x. After 8x it will start factory restore cycle. Lifesaver for me, I bricked a 1 hour old nook. heh.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Did you guys repartition before you got started?

Newer NCs will have to be partitioned to 1/5 for this guide to work.
[Nook Color Android Development] rabi347:
I have tried that but it still is not taking off the CM7, it keeps on booting to CM7 and seems that it is not resetting the stock.

Edit : Ok, after numerous power cycles, my NC reset and did a original factory image restore. And everything back to normal. Whew!!!!!
[Nook Color Android Development] TomMelee:
Yes, I did, but I'm using Phiremod 6.3 and not CM7 and can't figure out how to boot into the alt partition. I'm having some issues w/ Phiremod though and may want to go to CM7.1 this weekend.

In other news, I did everything with a class 10 16Gb microsd card (This one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004H8FTCK) And the only issue I had was trying to nooter my 1.2 stock version with a nooter intended for 1.1. It stuck me in N-screen boot freeze.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
I'm glad you got it sorted, to some degree. Do you know whether you started out with the correct partitioning or not? Did your NC originally have a large "hidden" partition for B&N content?

SD make and class is really only relevant to the performance and stability of an OS running from the card. Pretty much any card will do for any other purpose related to the NC.
[Nook Color Android Development] rabi347:
Guess that's where I made the mistake. Did not check the partition. I will start all over again.

Thanks
[Nook Color Android Development] Keezie:
first of all i'd like to thank Taosaur for this guide, it helped me tremendously

I was also stuck at the google gears logo until i realized i blatantly ignored step 17. I didn't think it mattered if i set up the wifi, but it obviously did for some reason

Anyway, i'm having a different problem. I updated to CM 7.1 via ROM Manager and it appeared as if everything was working fine. But i cannot get my nook to boot into the alt partition for the life of me! The volume button press does not do the trick all of a sudden and i'm not sure how to remedy this situation. Is anyone else having this issue?

I don't mind redoing the whole process from the beginning if I have to, I'm just not sure where to start. Any help is appreciated
[Nook Color Android Development] rajendra82:
If CM 7.1 uses the same bootloader as the latest Phiremod, you need to press the n button when booting and the Cyanogenmod logo shows up. This will take you to a boot menu. Using volume and n buttons, select emmc/sdcard, and primary/recovery/alternate boot options, then go to boot now, and press n to boot into a diffrent boot than emmc primary.
[Nook Color Android Development] rabi347:
Ok cleaned up everything and did the repartitioning and all the stuff. Did all the reflashing. Everything is working fine now.

A big thanks for the guide and the information.
[Nook Color Android Development] Keezie:
is this really the easiest method now? i much preferred the vol + and - method honestly.

I did do what you said and it worked, but i would like it to be a little easier. My wife will not be too keen on having to perform the extra steps as she'll "be afraid she'll mess something up"
[Nook Color Android Development] Keezie:
okay after messing with it, i think i'm just not hitting vol + and - fast enough. i literally have to push them immediately upon booting for it to work. it didn't seem that sensitive before. thanks though!
[Nook Color Android Development] rajendra82:
I didn't even know the vol+ and vol- trick. The old bootloader used hold n button while booting to go into alternate, and when the method went away with the new one, my wife complained about the new menu to no end. Now I can make her happy again.
[Nook Color Android Development] Keezie:
haha now everyone's wife can be happy!
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
This thread was all about distracting you guys while I made your wives happy ;)
[Nook Color Android Development] les02jen17:
Will this not work by using 5GB /data and 1GB /emmc? Reason I ask is I find 1GB storage for apps too small and I hate putting apps in the microSD card. And can you give me a brief explanation on how this will work, like, if I set up a dual boot using stock 1.3 and CM7 Nightly, how will they both have a /data partition? Will they share one /data partition or will they have two separate /data partitions? And does this kind of setup decrease overall system performance? Any pros and cons?

Cheers.
[Nook Color Android Development] wizardks:
CWM starting unattneded

I recently followed the directions posted here for a clean install of the dual boot CM7. The NC had 1.3 no mods. My problem, I shut down the NC and after a short period it will start up and go into CWM. Sometimes it will go into CWM when I power on, it takes a few tries to get CM7 to load. Perhaps I missed a step somewhere?
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
I think, but am not 100% sure, that prep-dualboot creates another full-sized /data partition for the alt-boot OS. Obviously, that wouldn't work if /data were larger than /media, from which the new partitions are formed, and (/data)*2 were larger than the NC's total storage. The best you could do is probably something like 2/2/2, starting with 2/4 partitioning. I don't know what would be the results of running prep-dualboot on a 2/4 NC--probably script failure. Someone smarter than me could most likely edit the script to account for those partitions, though.

The two installs do share /emmc and /sdcard.

As far as performance, idk. I am having some performance problems in CM7 lately, but I haven't spent any time troubleshooting them and couldn't tell you whether they relate to the dualboot. If you mess with a stable setup, there's always a chance of ending up with something less stable.

That is some odd behavior. You can still boot into stock, too, correct? And you can access the boot menu by holding down 'n' at startup? You might try reflashing CWM from ROM Manager in CM7. If that doesn't work, I would say run remove-dualboot and start over.

It almost sounds like ROM Manager is trying to complete a ROM update. If you don't use ROM Manager (and there's no reason to, really), you might try uninstalling it after you reflash CWM, if your problems persist.
[Nook Color Android Development] wizardks:
Bump - I shut the NC down last night and put it on charge. This morning it was on showing the CWM screen. Any ideas, anyone?
[Nook Color Android Development] rajendra82:
I haven't taken a look inside the script of the prep dualboot zip file in the OP, but the original dual boot preparation method for the Nook assumes that mmblk0p5 (/media partition) is 5 GB, resizes it down to make empty space, and then creates two extra partitions in the empty space that hold /system and /data for the secondary boot. If you have a blue dot Nook Color and start out with a 1 GB mmcblo0p5, the repartitioning script will fail. You have to resize the /data to 1 GB and /media to 5 GB like the original Nook Color before you can start.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
So it would probably just be a matter of changing fewer than half a dozen numbers to get the script to look for a 4GB /media and downsize it to 2GB (or 2.08GB, as I think Dean Gibson's 2/4 script is actually a 1.96/remainder script), right? It shouldn't require any structural change to the script.
[Nook Color Android Development] rajendra82:
Technically what you are saying makes sense, although my knowledge of repartitioning commands is pretty weak.

The files you need to edit are in /tools inside that zip file. The file that resizes media is called resize.sh and says this:

#!/sbin/sh

## resize /media partition
parted -s /dev/block/mmcblk0 resize 8 3692 7691

The file that creates secondary /data and /system is called create.sh and says this:

#!/sbin/sh

## create /system and /data partition
parted -s /dev/block/mmcblk0 mkpart logical ext2 2311 2681
parted -s /dev/block/mmcblk0 mkpart logical ext2 2681 3692

Editing the numbers in those commands would make the script work at other sizes.

The commands above assume that partition 8 begins at 2311 MB from the start of the disk and ends at 7691 MB (i.e., it is 5380 MB originally). The parted resize command makes it start at 3692 MB from the start of the disk and end at the same 7691 MB as before (i.e., makes it 3999 MB). The parted mkpart commands now take the unused space between 2311 MB and 3692 MB, and make two partitions there, one 370 MB in size (for secondary /system), and the other 1011 MB in size (for secondary /data). In order to work under other circumstances, one would need to know where partition 8 originally starts and ends. There is no checking of this being at any time in the scripts. So you would need a different version of script for each starting partitioning scheme.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Have you tried any of the things I suggested? I haven't encountered your problem before, so I can't say exactly what is going on or what would fix it, but those are the first things I would try.

@rajendra82, that makes sense. I pinged Dean Gibson to see if he has anything to add, but I have a NC overhaul coming up when I get my 32GB card this week, so even if we don't hear from him, I'll go 2/4 and see if I can find the starting point for /media and the exact size of /data, then try to work it out from there.
[Nook Color Android Development] wizardks:
Tried everything except starting over, will have to wait till Thursday to try that. Thanks for the reply.
[Nook Color Android Development] Izord:
Skipped step 9

I set up a Nook for a friend but I didn't have their registration info, so I skipped step 9.

9.Complete B&N registration process¹

I installed the latest CM nightly.

It seems to be working now, but will it be broken after she registers the stock 1.3?

Thanks

:D
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
As I understand it (and as I experienced on my first try at dual booting), you cannot boot into stock on the secondary partition if you didn't set it up while it was still on the primary. Did you manage to boot into stock after moving it to the alt partition?
[Nook Color Android Development] Izord:
Didn't register Stock

I didn't register the Stock 1.3, but I have no trouble booting into it.

I can boot into CM or the Stock 1.3 by holding down the volume buttons.

It wants to play a video, the first setup screen. Didn't go any farther.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Well, let us know how it goes. Worst case scenario, your friend has to do without stock until you can reflash everything. You could ask them to temporarily change their password so you can register the device for them, then let them know to change it back, unless the NC is a surprise.
[Nook Color Android Development] DeanGibson:
Dual boot partitioning

Here are the additional files I have to support internal dual boot/partitioning (do a normal CWM backup first):

WARNING: No support for the following!!!

http://www.mailpen.com/download/repartitionDual2GBdata-v1.zip -- clears and recreates partitions 0p6 thru 0p11. Does not resize 0p5 (/system) -- ready for a CWM restore to 0p5-0p8.

http://www.mailpen.com/download/replicatePri2Alt-v1.zip -- clears 0p9-0p11 and then copies partitions 0p5 (/system), 0p6 (/data), and 0p7 (/cache) to 0p9-0p11. 0p8 (/media) is untouched.

http://www.mailpen.com/download/replicateAlt2Pri-v1.zip -- clears 0p5-0p7 and then copies partitions 0p9 (/system), 0p10 (/data), and 0p11 (/cache) to 0p5-0p7. 0p8 (/media) is untouched.

http://www.mailpen.com/download/menuBoot-v0.5.zip -- installs a menu-based dual boot startup.

Note that I do NOT have a script to clear 0p6-0p11 and repartition for "single-boot" -- that's not difficult to do, but I just haven't done it, since I can do what's required manually (remove partitions 0p9 thru 0p11) and then use one of the resizing scripts to repartition as desired.

Note that the CWM backup/restore deals with 0p5-0p8. Thus, in order to backup the alternate set (0p9-0p11):

Backup the primary partition set (0p5-0p8).

Copy the alternate partition set (0p9-0p11) to the primary partition set (0p5-0p8).

Backup the "primary" (alternate) partition set (0p5-0p8).

Restore the real primary partition set (0p5-0p8).

Use a similar list to restore to the alternate partition set.
[Nook Color Android Development] KnowledgeBroker:
Okay, I tried doing this before with two non-stock roms, but I never could get it to work.

What I would like to do is get a stable rom(like cm7) onto the partitions that you can't easily update without a script(I guess this would be the alternate boot?), and that flash something I want to try(like the latest honeycomb, etc) as the primary, so I can update easily if needed, but always have a stable rom as an alternative(I am not a nightly junky).

I think the problem was that CM7 changes the boot setup, puts its own boot script in, and then I don't have access to switching between roms. Also, I remember I couldn't access the main partition on both roms(/media or whatever).. one didn't have access to it at all.

Could you provide the methods I would need to do this successfully, or tell me what steps to switch in the original instructions? And is there a way to use the same /data partition for both roms(I know that may be asking too much), or at least mount the same main partition?
[Nook Color Android Development] rajendra82:
If there are things you want to just try. You are better off putting them on a bootable SD card instead of installing them as a primary boot. The best use of primary partitions is for a ROM that is rooted and updated frequently (like CM7). This is because primary partition is easiest to update without worrying about partitioning schemes, do a nanroid backup of, and restore from said backup. The secondary is best used for a ROM that ts not changed very often, and one that has an initramfs that can be modified to boot on secondary (e.g., B&N Stock). The primary and secondary boots share everything have their own /system (where the ROM is installed) and /data (where user apps are installed). You can't share /data between ROMs.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Thank you! I was not expecting a toolbox this extensive. Hopefully I can use it without putting an eye out.

It took me at least three reads to make sense of the above, so I'll try to clarify, and please correct me if I'm wrong.

The first file deletes the original /data, /cache and /media partitions, and divides the resulting space into six partitions: a second /system, two /cache, two /data (~2GB each), and a new 2GB /media.

The second file moves whatever's on the primary partition set to the secondary partition set

The third file moves whatever's on the secondary partition set to the primary partition set.

Correct? Are #2 and #3 also renaming the boot files, and if so, using which convention: uF, uAlt, or other?

Is that j4mm3r's menu, fattire's revision, or other?

I don't know the inner workings of the script, but could rookie1's remove-dualboot possibly delete the extra partitions and fold them into /media? If it's as picky as prep-dualboot about where it expects to find /media, I suppose not, but the code may still be in there, ready-made, for nuking the extra partitions, and then we could run one of your re-sizing scripts.
[Nook Color Android Development] thunderwagn:
Ok. I am pretty tired of putting in my seperate cwr sd to perform nands. Can I install cwr now that I have my partitions set up and running? I am not concerned really about the stock B&N 1.3 partition, as I don't typically even use it. I do however really want to be able to boot into recovery to perform cache/dalvik wipes periodically and perform back ups. Is this possible at this point? I just want to be able to back up my Phiremod/primary partition without changing sd cards...

REALLY wish I would have done this from the beginning...
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
I haven't tried that order of operations, but I see no reason you shouldn't be able to flash CWM from ROM Manager.
[Nook Color Android Development] thunderwagn:
Yes, it worked just fine installing from RM. I should've known better to not install it from the beginning in the first place.
[Nook Color Android Development] thunderwagn:
So, If I want to update to the latest Stable version of Phiremod, do I just need to start at step 14 after a make a nand?
[Nook Color Android Development] MaraDonAlex:
The usb mass storage and debugging doesnt work in the CM 7.1 version. Any fixes for that?
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Sounds about right. It'll be just like loading a new ROM on a non-dualboot setup.

That doesn't sound like a dualboot issue, but we'd need more information than "doesn't work." Neither your PC nor the NC recognize that there's a USB connection? Did you have a previous CM7 install where they did recognize it? One thing that trips up many first-time CM7 users is that you have to tap through the "USB connected" notification on the NC and "Turn on USB storage."
[Nook Color Android Development] MaraDonAlex:
There is no notification when I connect it through USB. The charging does work. And when using stock it does recognize it and I can use the usb mass storage. Yes it worked with older versions of CM7-22 which was also dualboot.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
CM7-22? That...is not a thing. Anyway, I can't tell you why you lost USB with the upgrade. You might try reinstalling CM7 on the NC, or you might try going into Device Manager on your PC (assuming Windows), find the entry for the NC and uninstall it, then Action>Scan for Hardware Changes. Other than that, search Q&A and General for USB connection issues.
[Nook Color Android Development] KitF:
Does anyone have a mirror of 1.3-to-alt-partition?

edit: I found the supposed file from the other thread. But reading that thread makes it seem like that zip will only upgrade an existing 1.2 in the Alt partition. I want to wipe everything and put a fresh 1.3 in the Alt partition with CM7 in the main partition.
[Nook Color Android Development] jasoraso:
If you are starting with 1.3 on the main partition, the steps to create the dual boot partition, and move 1.2 to the dual boot will work just fine with 1.3 too.
[Nook Color Android Development] traumadog:
Just curious - did you plug it in after you shut down or before?
[Nook Color Android Development] mrapollinax:
Can you point out the thread where you found the file? I've been searching around with no luck.

edit: searching for "1.3-to-alternate" does not take you to the thread. Here is the thread in question:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1253525

"[ROM] B&N 1.3.0 Upgrade for Dual Boot eMMC secondary setup"
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
I updated the link in the OP.
[Nook Color Android Development] hawkwolf223:
Well,

I followed the guide, and the rifst attempt resulted in functional CM7, but stuck in n for alt boot. Figured it was because I had not run the boot before installing other pieces. No worries, do-over, I figure, no problem.

Then I got "E:Error in /sdcard/prep-dualboot-0.1.zip" and the install stops. Nada. partitions were resized, secondary boot created and formated, but the move apparently has a problem.

Reset to factory, update to 1.3, retry... Same result.

Rinse, repeat. Fourth repeat now, after downloading the prep-dualboot and froyo-to-dual-boot files again. Same result. Reset, repartitioned and retry, same result.

Some help please...
[Nook Color Android Development] dkoenig:
I also am getting FCs on Facebook. Any resolution to this?

Love the work!
[Nook Color Android Development] mrapollinax:
The new Facebook app requires a GPS location to function. The FC is due to the fact that the Nook doesn't have a GPS. You can either use a GPS location spoofing application or use another FB client that doesn't require a GPS location like FriendCaster.
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
Sorry, assuming you had the correct starting partitions, I don't know what's going wrong for you. If you have a newer NC, you do need to repartition it to the old-style 1GB/5GB partitions before you start this guide--it's under Prerequisites in the OP.
[Nook Color Android Development] chilehead:
Just switched over from a samsung vibrant to the Nook Color (took advantage of walmart's sale), just wanted to say thanks for this. Followed the directions and it works like a charm.

Thanks
[Nook Color Android Development] IM0001:
Question. When 1.4 arrives for the Stock Nook Color partition, would updating through the over the air update work fine (Considering it is 100% stock but on the 2nd partition) or would I need to redo the process for both all over again?

Also has anyone gotten a way to block the update for the android market? I have an old version that works fine, but it autoupdates itself shortly after first launch conditions, and everything is incompatible with this device after. :/ (IN the CM7 Partition)
[Nook Color Android Development] Taosaur:
If someone with the know-how has sufficient interest come December when the 1.4 update becomes available, there may be a 1.4-to-alt-partition update zip available. Otherwise, you would have to get back to stock on the primary partition and follow the upgrade path from there.
[Nook Color Android Development] ffgf:
Thanks for this post it worked fine!!