[Galaxy Tab 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] garrooo:
The overall goal is to run debian or a linux distribution with LXDE on a Samgsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8", SM-T330NU).

I've been doing some research for a last week but if there are readers who can point out any obvious pitfalls, any constructive feedback will be greatly appreciated.

Please shout out if I'm straying off in a wrong direction or a time wasting dead-end.

Device:

- Samsung Galaxy Tab 4, 8", SM-T330NU.

- Android 4.4.2

- Build number: KOT49H.T330NUUEU1AND4

- SE for Android status: Enforcing

- Knox Enabled device

- Boot loader is locked?

- device has been rooted with CF-AutoRoot, automatic updates disabled.

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The story up to now:

Of all the interesting debian install options out there, I'm interested in Sven-Ola's Debian on Android Kit, which allows Debian and Android to run "side-by-side" without chroot.

http://sven-ola.dyndns.org/repo/debian-kit-en.html

-> various Debian on Android options can't install, installer scripts fail, likely due to SELinux status set to Enforcing by Default.

->

setenforce 0

does not work.

Apparently the stock kernel was compiled with flag

EXTRA_CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_ALWAYS_ENFORCE=true

which prevents changing the SELinux status.

-> Proceeded to build the kernel from source (http://opensource.samsung.com/) according to online documentation and turn off the flag for enforcing SELinux.

http://graemehill.ca/compiling-permissive-android-kernel/

-> Kernel build was successful. Outputs:

zImage

and module drivers as

*.ko

-> I needed to repackage the new kernel into a boot.img to flash to device via ODIN.

Utilities that I found included:

- bootimg_tools_7.8.13.zip from xda forum

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2319018

- abootimg (from linux repository)

https://gitorious.org/ac100/abootimg/source/7e127fee6a3981f6b0a50ce9910267cd501e09d4:

- mkbootimg scripts by xiaolu

https://github.com/xiaolu/mkbootimg_tools

- The tools create a

boot.img

which I've made into a tar and attempted to flash to device.

-> So far, the only BOOT file that successfully downloaded was the one from stock. Any customized ones don't download properly.

-> Customized boot.img attempts results in "

Cannot do normal boot

" or "

Unsupported dev_type

" errors on the tablet screen in download mode.

So far I have not bricked the device. In all cases, I was able to re-flash with the stock boot.img and the device still works.

-> after a week of research and trying out different attempts, could it possible that the bootloader is locked?

I see QUALCOMM SECUREBOOT Enabled.

Is it true that new Samsung devices with Android 4.4.2+ come with locked bootloaders?

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s4/788644-knox-security-locked-bootloader-new-firmwares.html

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For those who've read the long story. Thanks ;)

Is the bootloader indeed locked? Is this a real dead-end?

Any suggestions?

I have returned to square-one and started debugging lines in the Debian for Android Kit Installer scripts.

I am able to make baby-steps, altering lines of code to get incrementally closer to a Debian installation, but it will be pointless if userspace programs on Debian don't work in the end.

Can anyone provide insight if Debian on Android is possible on Samgsung Galaxy Tab 4 ?

Thanks,