[Q] How to check if the kernel is flashed

Hi,

Since CM is now stable enough to use on a HTC One S I'd like to start using it finally. I'd like to keep things as clean and simple as possible, so it's HTCdev unlock for me. There is, however, one issue not clear to me and I'd like to be prepared on that one first.

The CM HTC One S instructions, as well as other guides, mention that at least pre-2013 One S devices will need the kernel to be flashed manually. My device might just fall into that category as well.

How does one check, either beforehand or after flashing CM, if the kernel still needs to be flashed manually?
The only way I found was to actually boot into CM, which might not even happen when it failed to flash it automatically. Yes I could just flash it manually either way, just to be on the safe side, but it would be interesting to learn if it's really needed in the first place. This would eliminate the step in subsequent CM updates.

My device with all stock updates installed:
HBOOT-2.13.0000
RADIO-1.15.50.05.29

tivofool said:

Unless you s off your phone you will need to fastboot flash boot.img

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Doesn't HTCdev unlock imply s off? Guides like the one on the CM wiki still talk about a manual boot.img flash despite s off.

I went ahead with installing CM on my phone and performed the manual flash just in case. I guess the only way to find out of it's required or not is to not perform the manual flash at the next milestone update and see if it boots and check it in CM if it does.

808phone said:

HTCDev unlock is not S-OFF. You will need to run something like moonshine to get S-OFF. Until then, you need to manually flash boot.img. HTCDev unlock simply unlocks the boot loader.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

You're right, HTCDev unlock is not S-OFF, my bad.

Since the CM wiki does imply you don't need S-OFF to have boot.img flashed automatically in all cases I'll see what happens when I update again. Would be interesting to learn if it works or not. I'll just boot the phone and see what happens, checking the kernel version in CM when it boots at all.

I do think it would still be handy to have a way to determine what the actual kernel is without having to boot into Android but I guess that's not possible then?

Confirmation: Trying to update CM using the build in CM updater will not flash the kernel when still being on S-ON. Couldn't resist trying it for myself

A manual flash and reflashing gapps was required to get a functioning phone again.