[APP] Flash Image GUI - Flash Kernels and Recoveries from normal Android mode!

HTCLittleMonster · Jan 20, 2013

joeykrim said:
Can you provide a link to the kernel .zip file you're using as well as any error message you received or how you determined it was "not a good kernel"?

having more than one kernel in a .zip file is going to be a bit of a headache because the developer could be using some custom program, aroma script, or the generic updater-script, to code out how to determine which kernel to use. sometimes this coding can be very device specific and or could be more general. essentially, there are many variables involved here that usually require a lot of specific coding thus creating a bit of a headache in how to properly modular support for all devices, while coding up a specific device implementation.

now the command line parameters are very short and generally not a big deal, although depends on what type of edits are being made. since no technical details have been provided, could you provide a link to the kernel .zip? i can research the commands and process to determine what the kernel developer is attempting to accomplish. generally, there are a few ways to accomplish the same end goal, but never know until i see the code!

thanks for all the feedback and support. the more technical the details are that are shared, the more helpful the feedback is!

a few of the links i have in my email and am researching:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1970872
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1873926

Thank you for directing me here from your other thread, first of all.
So, am I right in saying that simply by extracting the one relevant zImage file, it won't be able to flash the kernel?
Sorry, kernel's have never been a strong point for me, especially not with the whole S-ON thing. Haven't really tried kernels since the Wildfire.
Thanks

joeykrim · Jan 20, 2013

Jbb3393 said:
I know it did t say in the OP but I have to ask, does this work for the HTC One V? I have a friend and I am really wanting to help him out, thanks

Unfortunately, HTC blocks write access to the boot partition while in Android mode on the HTC One V. Without write access, Flash Image GUI does not work.

HTCLittleMonster said:
Thank you for directing me here from your other thread, first of all.
So, am I right in saying that simply by extracting the one relevant zImage file, it won't be able to flash the kernel?
Sorry, kernel's have never been a strong point for me, especially not with the whole S-ON thing. Haven't really tried kernels since the Wildfire.
Thanks

Yea, the zImage type of kernel file for the EVO 3D is following the anykernel standard which dumps the boot partition, splits out the ramdisk and kernel, appends the new kernel to the existing ramdisk, and then flashes that image.

EVO 3D handles this process very well and I spent a lot of time coding this out to handle many common exceptions. The issue remains the same with a zip file that contains multiple kernels and in this case, multiple modules.

If you want to modify the zip file to match the standard, remove the other directories for modules and kernels not needed. Also, relocate the modules directory to /system/lib/modules inside the zip file. These changes should match the more common zip file setup and Flash Image GUI should be able to handle.

Appreciate the interest and feedback! Let us know how it works out!

wwjoshdew · Jan 21, 2013

I used your app to flash CM10.1 on my Evo 4G LTE, since a LOT of people are apparently S-ON.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka0Vo8WprGE

HTCLittleMonster · Jan 21, 2013

joeykrim said:
Yea, the zImage type of kernel file for the EVO 3D is following the anykernel standard which dumps the boot partition, splits out the ramdisk and kernel, appends the new kernel to the existing ramdisk, and then flashes that image.

EVO 3D handles this process very well and I spent a lot of time coding this out to handle many common exceptions. The issue remains the same with a zip file that contains multiple kernels and in this case, multiple modules.

If you want to modify the zip file to match the standard, remove the other directories for modules and kernels not needed. Also, relocate the modules directory to /system/lib/modules inside the zip file. These changes should match the more common zip file setup and Flash Image GUI should be able to handle.

Appreciate the interest and feedback! Let us know how it works out!

Okay, I've done that, however I'm slightly confused as to the two files that are in the modules folder. In another example of a kernel I have there is:
.placeholder PLACEHOLDER File
bcm4329.ko KO File

But, in the Anthrax folder there's:
bcm4329.ko KO File
bcmdhd.ko KO File

Which format is correct?
I've attached the modified zip as an attachment and would greatly appreciate any help in getting the right structure etc to avoid any mishaps

Thanks

mrbenji · May 2, 2013

Can't flash any kernels

Hi,

So... I bought Flash Image GUI from the Market after I saw one of the kernels I wanted to try out (MiRaGe for the EVO 3D CDMA) recommended it over standard recovery-based installs. I got the following error at the "Dumping kernel and partition image" step:

"Flash Error
While attempting to flash an error occurred: null"

HTC EVO 3D, rooted and S-OFF, and F.I.G. has superuser access. In the end I successfully installed the kernel using 4EXT. Now I'm having trouble with the same kernel and a newer version of my ROM, so I wanted to retry F.I.G. -- still getting the error, with both the Market version and the version I downloaded from here, hoping it was more up-to-date.

Help?

joeykrim · May 2, 2013

mrbenji said:
Hi,

So... I bought Flash Image GUI from the Market after I saw one of the kernels I wanted to try out (MiRaGe for the EVO 3D CDMA) recommended it over standard recovery-based installs. I got the following error at the "Dumping kernel and partition image" step:

"Flash Error
While attempting to flash an error occurred: null"

HTC EVO 3D, rooted and S-OFF, and F.I.G. has superuser access. In the end I successfully installed the kernel using 4EXT. Now I'm having trouble with the same kernel and a newer version of my ROM, so I wanted to retry F.I.G. -- still getting the error, with both the Market version and the version I downloaded from here, hoping it was more up-to-date.

Help?

Can you provide a link to the exact .zip file you're attempting to flash? Once I can examine the .zip file I'll know more about the type of issue you're experiencing.
The market version and the version listed should be the same. Appreciate the support!

mrbenji · May 4, 2013

joeykrim said:
Can you provide a link to the exact .zip file you're attempting to flash? Once I can examine the .zip file I'll know more about the type of issue you're experiencing.
The market version and the version listed should be the same. Appreciate the support!

Thanks for the quick response. Here's the URL for a kernel I couldn't flash : http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=40970354

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

joeykrim · May 4, 2013

mrbenji said:
Thanks for the quick response. Here's the URL for a kernel I couldn't flash : http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=40970354

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

I downloaded the kernel .zip file, MiRaGe_shooter_kernel_76_05022013.zip, and using Flash Image GUI 1.5.2, from Google Play, I was able to flash and load the kernel w/o any issues in Flash Image GUI. I'm running the stock ROM on my EVO 3D.

I'm not able to find any issues with the kernel .zip file itself. Everything in the file appears to be fairly standard and setup properly.

My only other guess is there might be some type of issue with the ROM you're currently using. What kind of ROM are you running right now?

Thanks for the support!

mrbenji · May 4, 2013

joeykrim said:
What kind of ROM are you running right now?

I've had this problem with the last two versions of Angry Bean, a very solid AOSP 10.1/4.2 ROM.

See, what's weird is that there's no problem installing the kernel using 4ext... but I was under the impression that FIG used a better method for kerninstallation.

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

joeykrim · May 4, 2013

mrbenji said:
I've had this problem with the last two versions of Angry Bean, a very solid AOSP 10.1/4.2 ROM.

See, what's weird is that there's no problem installing the kernel using 4ext... but I was under the impression that FIG used a better method for kerninstallation.

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

I haven't had this issue reported on any of the 20+ Android devices Flash Image GUI supports.

A custom recovery, such as 4ext, doesn't run in the Angry Bean ROM environment while Flash Image GUI does making for an unequal comparison. In some cases, Flash Image GUI will use a better method for kernel installation and has more intelligent logic to analyze the environment than the generic updater-script used by most kernel developers.

Since I was able to flash the kernel using the stock ROM and Flash Image GUI on my Sprint EVO 3D, the issue appears related to the custom ROM. The most likely scenario would be that one of the important system essential tools in the ROM that Flash Image GUI uses has been modified in a non-standard way. Unfortunately, Flash Image GUI only has control over a small and specific environment and has to operate inside the ROM environment.

If there are more reports of this issue on Angry Bean with other kernels from other users, or similar reports from other users on different ROMs, I might be able to gather more information and narrow down the issue. Unfortunately, this is the first report and I'm not able to replicate this issue on my EVO 3D device.

You mentioned purchasing through Google Play, which is a 99 cent USD purchase. If you want a refund, please PM me the account used to make the purchase and I'd be more than happy to return the 99 cents USD.

Thanks for the support and information!

masfocus · May 12, 2013

Saved my wifi

Didn't know what was going on when I got the wifi error.
I just looked around for a stock kernel for ICS, flashed it and my wifi worked.

Thanks!!

joeykrim · May 12, 2013

masfocus said:
Didn't know what was going on when I got the wifi error.
I just looked around for a stock kernel for ICS, flashed it and my wifi worked.

Thanks!!

The most common root cause of the WiFi error is that the kernel modules, including for WiFi, are loaded onto the phone separately from the kernel.

While using fastboot, the kernel to loaded to the boot partition but the modules are not loaded to the system partition.. After flashing from fastboot and rebooting, this will usually break WiFi.
While using the custom recovery (S-ON users), the boot partition is blocked but the system partition is not. Creating the opposite situation from using fastboot. The modules are loaded by the kernel portion is not, also upon reboot breaking WiFi.

Both the kernel and the kernel modules are loaded by Flash Image GUI preventing the common WiFi error.
Appreciate the support!!

ramjet73 · May 13, 2013

joeykrim said:
The most common root cause of the WiFi error is that the kernel modules, including for WiFi, are loaded onto the phone separately from the kernel. While in recovery mode, HTC blocks the modules from loading, but allows the kernel to load. After flashing from recovery and rebooting, this will break WiFi.
Both the kernel and the kernel modules are loaded by Flash Image GUI preventing the common WiFi error.
Appreciate the support!!

Isn't it the opposite and only when S-ON, at least on the Evo 3D?

My understanding is that the modules are in the system partition (/system/lib/modules directory) and it's the boot partition that is blocked in recovery for S-ON users but maybe I'm not clear on what you are saying. For S-OFF users it shouldn't be a problem unless they are using 4EXT recovery, leave SmartFlash enabled and don't have a bootable kernel installed.

ramjet73

joeykrim · May 13, 2013

ramjet73 said:
Isn't it the opposite and only when S-ON, at least on the Evo 3D?

My understanding is that the modules are in the system partition (/system/lib/modules directory) and it's the boot partition that is blocked in recovery for S-ON users but maybe I'm not clear on what you are saying. For S-OFF users it shouldn't be a problem unless they are using 4EXT recovery, leave SmartFlash enabled and don't have a bootable kernel installed.

ramjet73

Yea, thanks and good catch. I meant to refer to fastboot and recovery separately, but appears I accidentally merged the ideas. I've edited the reply to clearly detail the issues from using fastboot and the issues from using recovery on the EVO 3D.

On my mind the last week or two has been the issues with the HTC One and the best way to provide support for it in Flash Image GUI. The main concern being that HTC changed the security policy. Some of those concerns slipped into my EVO 3D post!

Takes a bit of effort to support over 20+ devices in Flash Image GUI and keep all of the varying hardware/software security issues separate! Thanks for the support!

xMExHKSx · May 25, 2013

Hi, can i flash radio using this app? 1.49.0011 hboot. htc evo 3d gsm. if possible, should i choose the recovery image?

joeykrim · May 25, 2013

xMExHKSx said:
Hi, can i flash radio using this app? 1.49.0011 hboot. htc evo 3d gsm. if possible, should i choose the recovery image?

No, application doesn't support flashing the radio. As far as I've seen HTC didn't expose access to the radio while booted in Android mode.
Even flashing the radio from recovery, isn't direct, I think it hands off the process to the bootloader to do the actual radio flashing.
If things have changed or a new method has been discovered, please link me to the thread and I'll research out the new details!
Hope that helps and appreciate the support!

feng7521267 · Jun 15, 2013

it really helps! Thank u!:good:

cobyman7035 · Dec 25, 2013

can it work with newest 4.4.2 nexus 5? or only on 4.3 nexus 5

joeykrim · Dec 25, 2013

cobyman7035 said:
can it work with newest 4.4.2 nexus 5? or only on 4.3 nexus 5

Should work fine with 4.4.2 on the Nexus 5! Let me know if you experience any issues! I work hard to maintain the best support possible for the community!
As this is the Evo 3D thread, I have a dedicated thread for the Nexus 5: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=48753458

[APP] Flash Image GUI - Flash Kernels and Recoveries from normal Android mode!

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