[Galaxy Tab S2 Android Development] MSe1969:
This thread is deprecated - please have e.g. a look here for a successing ROM

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 LTE (aka SM-T815, gts210ltexx) is not maintained officially any longer by LineageOS (see e.g. here). Meanwhile, LineageOS has also discontinued to deliver official 14.1 builds in the course of providing LineageOS 16.0 builds. The LineageOS 14.1 tree however will continue to be maintained for security patches by the community (I am one of these contibutors, btw).

This thread aims at continuing to provide regular updates with Security patches.

The provided build provides in addition to the device-independent security patches taken from LineageOS the following:

Kernel security patches, when applicable

microG-patch (no impact on flashing Gapps - simply allows to install microG for those willing to do so)

OTA Support

Download with May 2024 Custom build release:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/lin14-mgoms/files/gts210ltexx/lineage-14.1-20240515-UNOFFICIAL-gts210ltexx.zip/download

Source code links:

LineageOS: https://github.com/LineageOS

Kernel: https://github.com/lin14-mGoms/android_kernel_samsung_gts2/tree/mse_v4

microG patches:

(1) https://github.com/microg/android_p...aster/patches/android_frameworks_base-N.patch

(2) https://github.com/microg/android_p...aster/patches/android_frameworks_base-N.patch

local manifest: https://github.com/lin14-mGoms/local_manifests

Installation instructions

First things first:

YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE YOURSELF FOR ANY ACTIONS YOU DO WITH YOUR DEVICE. WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!

The official instructions on how to install LineageOS on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7 LTE can be found here. When I had installed LineageOS' predecessor CyanogenMod more than two years ago on my device, I went through some pain, so I think it makes sense to add some important additional information here, to avoid any frustration:

The only way out of the 'Download mode' is the same way, you got in: [Home]+[Vol.Down]+[Power]

The download link to the Heimdall software leads to an outdated version: Version 1.4.1 does not work for this device. Either use 'Odin' or try to get version 1.4.2 somewhere - I have built Heimdall 1.4.2 for Linux from the publicly available source code on GitLab, you can download it here.

UPDATE: The LineageOS instructions now also provide a link to a modernized version of heimdall.

If you have still have Android 5.x as Samsung Stock firmware, you must fist upgrade the Android version to 6.x or 7.0 Stock firmware - otherwise, you will end-up in a boot loop after flashing the ROM! Best is to let the 5.x Stock ROM offer you to upgrade. If you don't get an upgrade offered or if you

are

already at the boot loop stage, the solution is the same: Find an Android 6.x or 7.0 Stock firmware image in the net, go to Download mode and flash the image using Odin or Heimdall 1.4.2 - you don't need the specific carrier version, just use a fitting 'non-branded' image.

The way to boot into TWRP after flashing it in 'Download mode' is [Home]+[Vol.Down+]Power] until the screen turns black and then immediately [Home]+[Vol.Up+]Power] - some finger coordination required ;)

GApps or microG?

You have the choice:

a. Use microG - 'microG' is installed simply by installing the respective apps, no flashing necessary.

b. Flash GApps - If you wish to have GApps, they need to be flashed together with the ROM (see LineageOS build instructions).

c. Neither of those (obviously, you cannot combine those options!)

The 'microG patch' in this ROM has no impact on installing Gapps.

Why still Android 7.1 (LineageOS 14.1) ?​

My aim is to provide stable, daily-driver capable builds. There are XDA threads offering up to Android 11 (LineageOS 18.1) for this device. I truly admire and appreciate the effort of the devs bringing up the device, which is something, I definitely would not have been able to achieve myself.

Nevertheless, those builds come

without SELinux

! (It is not only switched off or set to permissive, it is entirely carved out of the kernel.)

This is a KO criterion for me: Without enforcing SELinux, one could even argue whether it would make sense at all to apply security patches - normally, when bringing up a device, you start with permissive SELInux and then there is some "slave-work" to fulfill to manage the 'last mile' to an enforcing SELinux. I admit, that I myself am not really willing to invest this huge amount of work to get SELinux properly set up, by taking the work of those devs as a base (Further, the used kernel of the mentioned builds is quite outdated, it mostly contains "feature commits" to make this device work and not really sec. patches - it also contains many "squash" commits, which makes analyzing cherry-pick conflicts extremely difficult, when trying to apply sec. patches - again something I am not willing/able to comprehend).

Well, there we go - that is why I continue with LineageOS 14.1 -

with enforcing SELinux and a frequently patched kernel with security/CVE patching

(the 3.10 kernel is quite aged, but there is still room to apply CVE patches).

XDA:DevDB Information

[ROM][T-815]LineageOS 14.1 Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, ROM for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2

Contributors

MSe1969

Source Code: https://github.com/lin14-mGoms/local_manifests

ROM OS Version: 7.x Nougat

ROM Kernel: Linux 3.10.x

Based On: LineageOS

Version Information

Status: Stable

Stable Release Date: 2024-05-15

Created 2018-12-08

Last Updated 2024-05-15