[Samsung Galaxy Tab A series Guides, News, & Discus] ljgjm:
Before you start:

PC Needed

1: Stock Firmware

T500 - https://samfw.com/firmware/SM-T500

T505 - https://samfw.com/firmware/SM-T505

T507 - https://samfw.com/firmware/SM-T507

Download latest firmware here, copy AP to sd card

2: samsung usb drivers (reboot after installing)

Samsung Android USB Driver | Samsung Developers

You need the driver only if you are developing on Windows and want to connect a Samsung Android device to your development environment over USB.

developer.samsung.com

3: download twrp on sd card (made for T500 but works on the other versions)

https://xdaforums.com/t/updated-rec...axy-tab-a7-10-4-sm-t500.4358595/post-87038713

4: Magisk delta canary (on sd card)

Kitsune Magisk

5: download dynapatch onto sd card

https://xdaforums.com/attachments/dynapatch-v1-5-zip.5772529/

6: download any GSI image (must be under 3.3gb after extraction, usually provided as img.xz, when extracted should be .img)

I used the slim varrient of this GSI: https://github.com/ponces/treble_build_pe/releases

7: If your gsi doesn't have gapps or you want to flash a system mod, use a vndklite variant of your gsi, as system is RW in vndklite gsi.

8: Odin (get 3.13.1 patched varient named 3.13.1B)

Patched Odin 3.13.1

For those looking for a modified, modded, or patched odin that is a newer build than all the fake and renamed prince comsy 3.12.3 versions floating around. I patch recent Odin versions to offer similar functionality to the princecomsy; in that...

xdaforums.com

9: Download SmartPack kernel manager apk and copy it to the sd card

Releases · SmartPack/SmartPack-Kernel-Manager

Source code of SmartPack-Kernel Manager, the Ultimate Tool to Manage your Kernel - SmartPack/SmartPack-Kernel-Manager

github.com

10: download VBmeta disabler

vbmeta_disabled_R.tar | by agreenbhm for Galaxy Tab A7 10.4 (2020)

Download GApps, Roms, Kernels, Themes, Firmware, and more. Free file hosting for all Android developers.

www.androidfilehost.com

11: Download the brightness and watchdog fix module to sd card

https://xdaforums.com/attachments/sm-t505-brightness-watchdog-fix-zip.5772935/

(Optional) 12: If you don't want your internal storage encrypted, download the following two zips and move them to SD card

[Pie/10/11] [System-as-root] Multidisabler: disables encryption, Vaultkeeper, auto-flash of stock recovery, proca, wsm, cass, etc.

The multi-disabler started life on the Exynos S10 range, the first Samsung devices to launch with Android 9 (Pie). Since then, it has grown to support a great many Samsung devices running either Android 9, 10 or 11, and with either an Exynos or a...

xdaforums.com

https://zackptg5.com/downloads/archive/Disable_Dm-Verity_ForceEncrypt_11.02.2020.zip

Process to flash GSI

1: unlock bootloader

https://xdaforums.com/t/guide-sm-t5...4-unlock-bootloader-root-with-magisk.4185993/

2: patch the stock AP image we copied to the SD card then copy the patched ap to the sd card and then to the pc (moved it with a flash drive as my pc doesnt have a micro sd slot)

Steps: https://xdaforums.com/t/...4-unlock-bootloader-root-with-magisk.4185993/

3: After that turn your tablet, After its fully powered off, hold both volume up and volume down buttons at the same time and connect it to your pc, then click volume up button once during the prompt to enter download mode

4: After entering download mode, select the BL, CP (wasnt in my firmware download, but it worked without it), CSC (NOT HOME_CSC!) and in the userdata section, put the vbmeta_disabled_r.tar files from the extracted firmware, after doing that, for AP, select the patched AP file we copied earlier and then click start on Odin.

5: After the flash is successfully finished, reboot your device and set it up, after setup install the magisk Canary apk from the micro SD card, if it failed, flash stock rom and try again

6: After installing the apk, open it, and click ok on additional setup prompt and the device will reboot after a few seconds

7: After the reboot completes, install the smart pack kernel manager apk we put in the SD card earlier, then open it, then, navigate to

Tools>Backup>(swipe to the right where it says "boot partition")> it changes to recovery partition> click on the plus symbol> two options show up, select the flash recovery option> select the twrp image from SD card (file manager opens automatically)> click on "select" and then flash it...

8: Then open magisk delta app, and reboot to recovery, After rebooting to recovery, flash dynapatch and reboot to recovery

9: (optional) Flash multidisabler we downloaded earlier, along with disable dm Verity to disable FBE on integral storage. Also, if you intend to disable encryption, do flash both the zips not one.

10: Then select install>Micro SD Card>install image> select GSI image you downloaded> select System Image > swipe to flash, then factory reset and wipe data from within twrp

11: (hard part, you need to be really fast) Boot to your GSI, and set it up as fast as possible as a watchdog crash is triggered every 30-50 seconds which causes a reboot Install, then magisk delta canary apk from sd card and reboot.

12: (still hard part) go to magisk delta and patch directly into system partition, be really fast and then click reboot.

13: (final hard part) After reboot, open magisk and install the brightness and watchdog fix module then reboot

14: Now you can enjoy your GSI

Working:

Boot

Touchscreen

Sound

WiFi

Bluetooth

Mobile data

Camera

Microphone

Doze

OTG

Power buttons

Volume buttons

Charging

Rotation

Gyroscope

Calling(works with VoIP)

Not working:

VoLTE

In call audio (in case of Sims)

Auto brightness (i hate it so yay)

Offline charging

Untested:

Cast

USB tethering

MTP

1. Pixel experience ( magisk works and it's stable after running the watchdog module)

2. Google GSI (vanilla and Gapps, not recommended, due to it being extremely barebones and not having fixes for DT2W, and headsets)

Important notes:

1. If your GSI has phh settings, do the following...

1.1 Enable double tap to wake

Settings>Phh Treble settings>Samsung features >Tick "Enable difficult tap to wake"

1.2 For making headphones work,

Settings>Phh Treble settings>Misc features>Tick "Use alternate way to detect headsets"

Also, Enable developer options>Enable "Disable Bluetooth A2DP hardware offload" and restart when prompted

2. If the gsi ROM you're trying to flash doesn't fit on current system partition, then,

*This process will wipe your system partition and will reset your recovery, so, keep the dynapatch zip and gsi image on hand, you will need it!*

Download latest platform tools from AOSP site, link below

SDK Platform Tools release notes | Android Studio | Android Developers

Android SDK Platform-Tools is a component for the Android SDK.

developer.android.com

https://xdaforums.com/t/...xy-tab-a7-10-4-sm-t500.4371123/#post-86050459

a) download the product.img from above link

b)Reboot to recovery from magisk app, then, in twrp, click on 'Reboot' button

c) click 'fastboot'

d) the device will now reboot and then after a few seconds, a twrp ui will appear with the text 'fastboot'

e) connect your device to a pc with the latest version of platform tools and drivers installed

f) run these commands in order

fastboot flash product product.img

fastboot erase system

fastboot resize-logical-partition system 3940000000

fastboot reboot recovery

g) after doing so, again reboot to recovery, flash dynapatch zip first

h) again reboot to recovery and flash your gsi image

i) this time images up to 3.9GB will be flashable

j) no need to format data if you're flashing same rom

And that's it you'll be able to enjoy bigger ROMs on your Galaxy Tab A7!

5. If zygisk is enabled after module is installed, some users reported that it breaks brightness fix, to remedy that, try flashing permissiver_v5 from below in twrp

Permissiver_v5.zip | by erfanoabdi for Generic Device/Other

Download GApps, Roms, Kernels, Themes, Firmware, and more. Free file hosting for all Android developers.

androidfilehost.com

6: Also, please do not rely on extra dim

7. Please refrain from using any modules that spoof the device identity as it causes the phh Treble app to not display "Samsung features" at which point you can't use DT2W.

8. Recommended settings in magisk delta

a)magisk delta>settings>hide magisk app, you will be prompted to allow magisk delta to install apps, allow it and start the hiding> now, the magisk app will be under an alias you chose

b)magisk delta>settings>Zygisk(enable)

c)magisk delta>settings>Bootloop Protection (enable)

d)magisk delta>settings>Magisk Hide

9. Passing safetynet on Gapps GSIs

a)magisk delta>settings>Configure MagiskHide> now, tap on three dots, elect show system apps>then tick the boxes next to the following apps

Google Play Store, Google Play Services, Google Services Framework

b) Install the magisk module "shamiko" version 0.5.2, as later version causes Google services to crash... Download link below(warning, shamiko 0.6 causes all Google services to crash, also, is no longer working with magisk delta, so, use magiskhide present in the delta version)

Release Shamiko v0.5.2 · LSPosed/LSPosed.github.io

Enhancement

github.com

(Optional) You can also install this module below after installing shamiko for a higher chance to not fair safetynet randomly

Releases · kdrag0n/safetynet-fix

Google SafetyNet attestation workarounds for Magisk - kdrag0n/safetynet-fix

github.com

c) After installing the module, reboot

d) clear data and cache for Google Play Store, Google Play Services, Google Services Framework

e) at this point you should pass safetynet successfully

10. Just a heads up, be sure to only download GSIs from the list in @phhusson GitHub, i.e, link below,

Generic System Image (GSI) list

Notes about tinkering with Android Project Treble. Contribute to phhusson/treble_experimentations development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

And, do not spend money on people that claim to give the "best GSIs" or whatever gibberish they use, only spend money as a donation to a developer, if you really enjoy their work, and would like to support them to keep up thier interest!

I had to mention this to put you on the cautious side of things!

11. Taskbar height is incorrect on some roms, and the magisk module from below link fixes it, credits to @wEER1234 for mentioning this, and to @Coxxs for delaying developing it!

github.com

Releases · Coxxs/hide-tablet-taskbar

A Magisk module to hide tablet gesture bar and more [Android 12.1+] - Coxxs/hide-tablet-taskbar

github.com

12. This is for improving the longevity of your device

12.1 To prolong the lifespan of your battery, install the "acc" magisk module, reboof, open a root terminal and run the following commands

acc -s mcc=200

acc -s mcc=3900

The first command limits the charging current to 200 mA and charges the battery at a power of 1.8W which greatly reduces the strain and heat evolved by the battery, and the second command only allows your battery to charge up to 3.9v (52%), as according to battery University, maximum cycles can be achieved by maintaining the voltage battery 3.9 and 3.7

12.2 This is to reduce the Power and heat evolved by the processor

Install smart pack kernel manager, grant root access, go to cpu section, and do the following

Big cpu cores:

Maximum frequency:1056Hz

Minimum frequency:902Hz

Little cpu cores:

Maximum frequency: 1017Hz

Minimum frequency:864Hz

This is an updated method, android 13 gsis with magisk delta only worked with these steps as magisk delta canary didnt patch vbmeta.

GL all