[Galaxy Tab  Android Development] paulobrien:
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If you've been following my Twitter feed, you will have noticed i've finally started playing with (and enjoying) my Tab. :)

I've been playing with ROM updates, ClockworkMod recovery and other bits and bobs, and here is the first fruit of my labour - MoDaCo Custom Kernel r1 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab.

What? Why?

Koush has posted his EXT4 converting ClockworkMod release / kernel at XDA-Developers, however unfortunately it breaks a fair few things on the latest ROMs for international Tabs - keyboard backlights, rotation, camera and a few other bits. So, I set about compiling up my own kernel using Samsung's source, with the aim of including all of Koush's great additions plus the usual TUN and CIFS modules, as well as including things like IKCONFIG to make kernel development easy for others (particularly as I plan to upload the whole lot to github). As well as releasing for EXT4 / ClockworkMod, i've packaged it for standard RFS ROMs. The kernel / ramdisk is 'insecure' (for adb remount etc.).

This turned out to be somewhat traumatic due to the 'update1' Samsung source refusing to work on my device, but I got there in the end. So this is a prelude to the MoDaCo Custom ROM... my MoDaCo Custom Kernel.

Requirements

This kernel has been tested on a number of Tabs running a number of different ROMs with no issues. It comes in two versions - a simple 'RFS' version to use with a regular ROM, or the 'EXT4 ClockworkMod' version if you already have (or wish to) convert to EXT4.

In order to use either kernel you need to be familiar with flashing via Odin or Heimdall, although you could in theory extract the TAR file and flash using 'flash_image' I guess. :)

If you plan to do the EXT4 conversion, you MUST have a microSD inserted with enough space to do a backup of your system / data partitions (so this will depend on how much data is on your device).

YOU SHOULD BACKUP BEFORE INSTALLATION OR BE FAMILIAR USING ODIN / HEIMDALL FOR FULL SYSTEM RECOVERY IN CASE OF A SERIOUS ISSUE. YOU USE THESE DOWNLOADS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

This kernel is ONLY tested on a UK Galaxy Tab. It MAY work on other GSM Tabs, it almost certainly WON'T work on a CDMA Tab. If you have a non UK Tab and want to test (and know how to flash back to a regular version), then go ahead and report your results. At your own risk. ;)

How to

RFS version

To use the RFS version (i.e. you have not converted to EXT4 yet and don't wish to)...

Download the RFS TAR file from below

Flash using ODIN (version 1.7, do not select the 'repartition' option)

Reboot, you're done!

Optionally download the kernel modules zip (for TUN/CIFS) and copy to a location of your choice

Simple huh?

EXT4 version

To use the EXT4 version (i.e. you are already running EXT4 or you wish to convert)...

Download the EXT4 TAR file from below

Flash using ODIN (version 1.7, do not select the 'repartition' option)

IF YOU NEED TO UPGRADE TO EXT4: Your device won't reboot normally - that's OK, just turn it off (hold down power button for 5 seconds)

IF YOU NEED TO UPGRADE TO EXT4: Load recovery - turn the device on with 'volume up' held

IF YOU NEED TO UPGRADE TO EXT4: Your device will now perform the EXT4 conversion - depending on the volume of your data, this can take a while, so be patient

Reboot, you're done!

Optionally download the kernel modules zip (for TUN/CIFS) and copy to a location of your choice

Downloads

DOWNLOAD

And finally

I hope this is usual for everyone - i've found this is a real performance boost (particularly with the newest ROMs) and I look forward to rolling MCR out for the Tab! :) I'll have the kernel in GitHub soon, after which i'll post the URL here.

Enjoy! :)

P