I just wanted my Archos Gen8 to have the latest stock firmware, root access, iptables support (for Droidwall) and a 1GB ext4 data partition. I will show you how to create this setup yourself. This howto describes all steps for a Linux PC with a working adb connection to the Archos Gen8. I am sure all steps can be done from a Windows PC too, but I cannot help you there: I only speak linux. [edit: Harfainx has written a thread on http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=54637 that explains how to do these steps on windows; if you to do this from windows and have iptables and ext4, use my attached kernel and ext4 modifications instead of Harfainx' suggested chulri kernel]
[Archos] = do on tablet
[Linux] = do on PC
[Shell] = do in a terminal on PC
[ADB] = do in a adb shell from PC
[GParted] = do in gparted in PC
[Editor] = do in your favorite text editor on PC
All credits for this procedure go to other people (see end of this post); my only contribution is this write up, and the compilation of the new kernel.
1. Use chulri's root method to obtain root+rw with the latest Archos firmware on your Archos Gen8 (download the proper firmware version, and take care to rename the downloaded firmware file to firmware_archos_android_gen8.aos).
2. Install the matching version of my kernel + initramfs (see links below)
3. Repartition your internal SD card
4. Make your new ext4 partition your /data partition
5. Now your device should start up and use your new ext4 partition as /data. In my case after reboot I had to force another reboot (hold on/off for 10sec) for the system to properly boot and come up with the Archos startup wizard again (the previous startup’s data is lost because we have a new /data partition).
6. Enjoy!
All credits for this procedure go to other people; my only contribution is this write up, and the compilation of the new kernel.
Rooting method: chulri
1GB data partition: chulri and wdl1908
Ext4 format flags: Sibere
Proper compilation of iptables and ext4: $aur0n and woti23
[Archos] = do on tablet
[Linux] = do on PC
[Shell] = do in a terminal on PC
[ADB] = do in a adb shell from PC
[GParted] = do in gparted in PC
[Editor] = do in your favorite text editor on PC
All credits for this procedure go to other people (see end of this post); my only contribution is this write up, and the compilation of the new kernel.
1. Use chulri's root method to obtain root+rw with the latest Archos firmware on your Archos Gen8 (download the proper firmware version, and take care to rename the downloaded firmware file to firmware_archos_android_gen8.aos).
2. Install the matching version of my kernel + initramfs (see links below)
- reboot Archos device and hold down "Vol-" button after screen went black
- Go to "Recovery Menu" and then "Developer Edition Menu"
- choose "Flash Kernel and Initramfs"
- connect your Archos device by USB to your computer
- upload zImage and initramfs.cpio.gz to your device
- safely disconnect the USB connection
- press ok on Archos device
- reboot
3. Repartition your internal SD card
- reboot Archos device and hold down "Vol-" button after screen went black
- Go to "Recovery Menu" and then "Repair system” ->"Start USB MSC"
- Connect tablet to your linux pc
- Resize interal SD card and add an ext4 partition:
- [Shell] sudo gparted
- [GParted] find Archos device. For me it is found on /dev/sdc
- [GParted] select the Archos partition and resize to have 1024MiB at the end left
- [GParted] create a new primary partion using all the space you just created, filesystem ext4 and align to MiB
- [GParted] apply all selected actions, let it finish and quit gparted.
- unplug and reconnect your device so Linux finds it again.
- Format the ext4 partition with some nice settings (if your device was on /dev/sdb replace /dev/sdc2 with /dev/sdb2 below):
- [Shell] sudo mkfs.ext4 -b 4096 -E stride=64,stripe-width=64 -O extent,^huge_file -m 0 -L data /dev/sdc2
- [Shell] sudo tune2fs -c -1 -i 0 -m 1 -O ^huge_file -o journal_data_writeback /dev/sdc2
- [Shell] sudo e2fsck /dev/sdc2
- press ok on Archos device
- reboot
4. Make your new ext4 partition your /data partition
- Boot up your Archos and proceed through the startup wizard; do not put too much effort in this because all information you enter now will be lost after this step.
- Open options->applications and enable debugging support.
- Connect the Archos to your linux PC
- [Shell] adb shell
- [ADB] su; stop; cp /init.rc /sdcard/
- [Shell] adb pull /sdcard/init.rc
- Modify init.rc:
- [Editor] Open the just downloaded init.rc
- [Editor] Replace the "mount ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk0p4 /data noatime nosuid" with "mount ext4 /dev/block/mmcblk1p2 /data rw noatime nosuid nodev barrier=0 data=writeback nobh"
- [Editor] save file and close
- [Shell] adb push init.rc /sdcard/
- [ADB] cp /sdcard/init.rc /init.rc
- [ADB] start
- reboot
5. Now your device should start up and use your new ext4 partition as /data. In my case after reboot I had to force another reboot (hold on/off for 10sec) for the system to properly boot and come up with the Archos startup wizard again (the previous startup’s data is lost because we have a new /data partition).
6. Enjoy!
All credits for this procedure go to other people; my only contribution is this write up, and the compilation of the new kernel.
Rooting method: chulri
1GB data partition: chulri and wdl1908
Ext4 format flags: Sibere
Proper compilation of iptables and ext4: $aur0n and woti23
Attachments
Last edited: