[Android] NAND Boot Method for Polaris: FLASH IT!

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SuperJMN

Senior Member
Mar 4, 2007
1,059
26
Ciudad Real
superjmn.wordpress.com
** PLEASE, READ THE GUIDE BEFORE FLASHING **
Flashing a device is a risky process, and you definitively have to know that your device might not boot correctly, or not boot at all. You must also notice that this method is being tested and some components of your Polaris will not working at the moment. Take into consideration that there are developers that are sharing all their work with us, but although they're really good at their job, they all have their lives. So, if something just doesn't work, please, be patient*

NAND Boot for Polaris! Made possible thanks to DZO!
This method will allow you to start Android without the need of Windows Mobile. It will just boot like if the device had a native Android OS installed onto it.
- You may see this guide really long, but it's because I tried to detail every step and I put lots of URLs to make the process easier for beginners :) It's not than difficult as it seems!

Step by step guide:

Needless to say that you need to have HardSPLed your device first!

1. CHOOSE YOUR ANDROID BUILD

2. -OPTIONAL, BUT RECOMMENDED. ERASE YOUR ROM.

  • To be sure that you won't have problems with the flashing, you should use a tool that executes the called Task 29 to clean the NAND memory in the device. This helps the flashing goes OK and minimizes the chance of a bad flash.*
  • Fortunately, there's such tool: It can be downloaded HERE (big thanks to leppa).
  • It's a hacked flashing tool. To make it work you will have to select a dummy .NBH file. Use the .NBH file you want, preferably a small one. You can use the one that you will download in step 3.
  • You it finishes the operation, your phone will NOT boot. Don't worry. This is normal. We will make it boot soon.
  • More info HERE: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=6227425#post6227425

3. FLASH THE ANDROID OS LOADER TO NAND
  • You will need a .NBH in order to boot from NAND. It's usually named polaimg-panel[x]-[resolution]-[date].nbh.
    • I personally recommend to flash of the .NBH files by DZO dated 07-May-2010. They are listed on his site: http://it029000.massey.ac.nz/vogue/files/?C=M;O=D
    • Choose one according to your paneltype and resolution. Your paneltype depends on its maker. You should try from 1 to 3 to see which one works for you.
  • Flash the .nbh file you downloaded with your prefered tool (I used CustomRUU.exe for Windows).
    • To flash your device you might have to put your Polaris in bootloader mode. To enter this mode you have to do the following:
    • Press and hold the camera button.
    • Press reset while you hold the camera button. Release it (the reset button).
    • Hold the camera button until the colored bars screen appears.
      • If it doesn't work, remove the battery, wait for some seconds, put it back and try again.
    • When the colored screen (Hard SPL) is shown, you are ready to flash it using the flashing application (CustomRUU.exe, for example).

4. INSTALL YOUR BUILD
  • When you're done flashing, your device will boot. You will now attempt to install your build using the file androidinstall.tar.
  • You'll see lots of text lines scrolling while it boots. Now, pay close attention to the next step.
  • The system will prompt you to press and hold the center button of the DPad (in the middle of the jog-wheel) to start the Android Installer. It's a message like "Press x to launch the installer". Don't forget to hold it until the installer is shown!
  • The installer will eventually start.
  • A list of options should appear (in text mode). Use the jog-wheel up and down to navigate. D-pad center to select.
  • Choose your installation options (I selected System on NAND, Data on NAND). Don't choose any other option unless you know what you're doing.
  • Install it! (if it ask you to wipe the data, select yes).
  • Wait for the installer to finish.
  • The menu should appear again.
5. INSTALL THE SPECIFIC UPDATES FOR POLARIS

  • Due to particularities in our devices, some hardware like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth won't work properly if you don't apply some updates first.
  • You will need a file an androidupdate.tar to apply to the just installed system.
  • You can download it HERE (thanks to l1q1d).
  • When applied, the installer will be shown again.
  • You now have to select Fix permissions to avoid problems.
  • Don't exit the installer: soft reset your Polaris instead.
YOU ARE DONE! Your Android system will boot after some minutes.



Things that should WORK:
  • Phone calls: incoming/outcoming
  • Texting (SMS)
  • Data connection (GPRS/3G)
  • Wi-Fi
  • GPS
  • Bluetooth
Things that DON'T WORK:
  • USB Storage Mode
  • USB debugging is unstable.
  • Tethering
  • Camera (in Eclair)
  • Headset :(

Bugs/Issues:
  • Sometimes Wi-Fi hangs while is being disabled and prevents the device from suspending correctly (it won't sleep and the screen will turn of every time you press a button).
  • Data connection goes down from time to time and it won't reconnect until you go to the Modem application, disconnect, connect again and wait it to connect.
  • Audio Input: faulty and unusable with most of applications that use it.

* Enjoy and feel free to donate to our GREAT developers.

* I donated to our developers, and I'm from Spain. As everybody know, Spain is falling like a fainted Pokémon thanks to Zapatero (Mr. Bean II). If I can donate, how couldn't you do it? :)
 
Last edited:

SuperJMN

Senior Member
Mar 4, 2007
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26
Ciudad Real
superjmn.wordpress.com
They state that it's valid also for HARET:

if you're doing it with haret, extract basefiles to your sd, plop the androidinstall.tar into the same folder, and boot, hold down volume up just like the nand people (but don't pick nand to store the files, it won't work)

I've tried with the specified basefiles and plemen's Android 2.1, but I had no luck.

I noticed that when I press run from HARET and the progress bar fills up, it vibrates two times. Then, it seems that the device is hung, but after 15 seconds (or more), it boots. However, I didn't complete the rootfs-less setup process. It complaints about this:

Unable to open persistent property directory /data/property errno: 2

Anyone?
 
Last edited:

Kiiv

Senior Member
May 21, 2008
323
6
Paris
haven't tried yet ^^

Did you take the last package on sourceforge for the Eclair 2.1 Build? The files on Mediafire was corrupted.

I think there is no speed improvement with this, it's "only" an easier way to install and upgrade the system.
This is NOT "totally an Android ROM".
 

chourmovs

Senior Member
Aug 23, 2009
536
47
lyon
Redmi Note 8 Pro
i can't install with this method
is there a "how to" or forum thread somewhere cause i get
sh: 2: unknown operand
losetup: /dev/block/loop1: No such file or directory
Failed
Failed to reach system.img on SD Card
during setup it complains "cant create folder /system cause file already exist":confused:

i put basefiles at the root of my sd card and the vogue .tar in a folder call /andboot

all taken from here http://sourceforge.net/projects/androidhtc/
 
Last edited:

luzbel_es

Senior Member
Sep 27, 2007
51
0
I think that you must flash a nbh that only works in vogue yet. I try to flash but it stop at 33%. I think that we must wait.
 

SuperJMN

Senior Member
Mar 4, 2007
1,059
26
Ciudad Real
superjmn.wordpress.com
Hi fellas:

I carried out research about the new boot up method, and it seems it will be compatible with our beloved Polaris. But it still needs some fine-tuning, first of all due to the fact that the new installer is started holding down VolUp, but this button isn't correctly recognized with the current bits.

In other words, we should wait before trying out this one. Vilord is aware of this issue.

Stay tuned!
 

niru1978

Senior Member
Oct 15, 2008
57
0
Hi SuperJmn,
Of course I wait for ...
I look every day in the Vogue/Kaiser thread and hope we can to flash our Polaris next time.
Thanks.

Hey

I have pola100 with pcar latest non-3d, Im trying my luck to get android started but with the latest files (img, rootfs, zImage) I am not able to. tried hell lot of combinations.

can you suggest me which one would I use, I downloaded some from sourceforge!

but I read that the new rootfs is for nand....

please friends guide me to right downlaods and versions for a near perfect android installation

Thanks in advance....
Niranjan
 

SuperJMN

Senior Member
Mar 4, 2007
1,059
26
Ciudad Real
superjmn.wordpress.com
Hi! The new method is not only for NAND, but also for SD booting. It has some incompatibilities, so it's working for Vogue for the moment (Vogue owners are a bit more lucky than us in terms of development).

We are waiting for @vilord, @DZO and other authorities to fix the appropriate files.

I will contact them right after I end up writing this :)
 

Kiiv

Senior Member
May 21, 2008
323
6
Paris
Can you give us some feedback? Does it run better, smoothier than before? Or nothing about that?
 

fusione

Member
Jul 24, 2008
14
0
it work but this resolution is not userful for me. No more speed than haret method, wifi and camera not work, system freeze some times. Do you have this problems?
 

M@x1mu5

Member
Mar 4, 2009
5
0
How to put device in bootloader

Hello,

I've installed Android on my POLA100 (NAND method). Until now it's working fine. When I tried to put my device in bootloader mode, after installing Android, surprise... the combination (camera button pressed + stylus reset) isn't working.
 

flaviusio

Senior Member
Apr 11, 2008
51
0
If you used this: Eclair build you should download this update too: update for qvga and put androidupdate.tar from this archive on the andboot folder on your sdcard near androidinstall.tar.
After installing the system like SuperJMN said you'll have to press the power button one more after system reboot and choose update... from the menu,then quit when the menu reappear.
WIFI,Camera,Bluetooth doesn't work on this build(the only one I've tested with this new method)

Thank you SuperJMN for posting this,I hope it will remain for a long time on the front page ;) and many thanks to DZO,VILORD,JAMEZELLE,PLEMEN and all other guys for the hard work.
 

galky

Member
Apr 3, 2008
5
0
Polaris

Hi,

for polaris you push power button, and boot menu works(NAND and SD).
The issue is that Wifi is not working now.
I try several builds.
So it seems not depending on the system?

Regards
 

M@x1mu5

Member
Mar 4, 2009
5
0
How to put device in bootloader

Solved it. I put my device in bootloader by pressing the camera button + stylus reset when Android loads. I don't know if it worked because I removed my SD card and on the screen appeared "Waiting for SD card" but in that moment I've reset the device in bootloader.