[ATTN] - 3991 and 4349+ VIEWSONIC-RECALLED BOOTLOADER INFO here - UPD 5/8/11

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Updated 05/08/11

ATTENTION - IF YOU ARE ON STOCK 4349+ or any MOD BASED OFF 4349+ USING THE NEW RECALLED BOOTLOADER! READ PLEASE!

Starting with the most recent but recalled update to Tap N Tap Viewsonic has introduced a new Bootloader being called the 1.2 bootloader. This bootloader is not compatible with mods or Roms based off of the Viewsonic Current Bootloader being called the 1.1 bootloader! This bootloader provides absolutely no known advantage other than being able to boot any new STOCK kernels. If you would like to use any of our stable ROM's (i.e. Vegan 5.1.1, Vegan GingerEdition and currently CM7) using Viewsonics currently supported and shipping bootloader (1.1) you must Downgrade your bootloader and TNT Version before you flash a new kernel or a new ROM.

Please download the following downgrade update.zip and place it on your sdcard renaming it to "update.zip".

http://www.gtabdevs.com/releases/4349_Downgrade.zip

Then power down your device. And power back up while holding the power button and vol + till your display says "recovery key detected" in the top left corner.

Using the volume keys to navigate up/down in the menu highlight "Apply Internal update.zip" if you copied the update.zip to the internal memory or "Apply External SDCard update.zip" if you happened to place it on an external SDCard and then inserted it before booting to recovery. Now select the menu choice using the menu key.

This process will take a few minutes. You will see a Box with an arrow and a progress bar while it applies the update.... when it is finished it will reboot to make the changes. Once the changes are complete your tablet will boot into Tap N Tap version 3588.

You are now free to follow all the tutorials about installing CWM and/or Kernels/Roms.

Thank you and good luck.

Be aware. I am not connected with Viewsonic in any way. I make no assertions as to the validity nor the safety of anything in this post. Do anything above at your risk.

That is a handy utility to have. Thanks!

How do we check if the bootloader is locked? I'm curious if the bootloader.bin in 3991 (which is based off the same branch) has this same issue.

Thanks!

Strange. One step forward and two steps back for Viewsonic. But, maybe, this means there is still some interest from Viewsonic for our tablet and chance for further development (maybe even Honeycomb).

Originally Posted by roebeet

How do we check if the bootloader is locked? I'm curious if the bootloader.bin in 3991 (which is based off the same branch) has this same issue.

Thanks!

If it too will not boot any other kernel besides a stock kernel built specifically for their new bootloader. That bootloader.bin also appears to be locked.

Originally Posted by gojimi

If it too will not boot any other kernel besides a stock kernel built specifically for their new bootloader. That bootloader.bin also appears to be locked.

Does that mean it's locked, or does that mean that we just don't have the new source code to build custom kernels? I just want to distiguish because, if it's the latter, we can just ask them to release that like they did the 1.1-based source. EDIT: Already tweeted them. I see "1.1" in the source that's there, and we know that this is "1.2", so maybe there's new source code to be requested? Not sure.

I know that we can check for a locked bootloader with something like fastboot, but I don't think that works here. That's why I was asking.

Thanks again!

Originally Posted by gojimi

If it too will not boot any other kernel besides a stock kernel built specifically for their new bootloader. That bootloader.bin also appears to be locked.

what could the thinking possibly be to locking the bootloader on a product like ours?

I'm seriously asking, besides being dicks, what would the reasoning be?

Originally Posted by roebeet

Does that mean it's locked, or does that mean that we just don't have the new source code to build custom kernels? I just want to distiguish because, if it's the latter, we can just ask them to release that like they did the 1.1-based source.

I know that we can check for a locked bootloader with something like fastboot, but I don't think that works here. That's why I was asking.

Thanks again!

By all means ask for their new source... though I do not believe at this point they are required to give... maybe they are. So for the purposes of everyone else's understanding this is a LOCKED bootloader in the sense that we are LOCKED to their kernel...... nothing ever stays locked forever.... this is not however LOCKED in the terms that a select few who already know what's going on with this bootloader typically use the term LOCKED. Take it as you will.

Originally Posted by snapz54

what could the thinking possibly be to locking the bootloader on a product like ours?

I'm seriously asking, besides being dicks, what would the reasoning be?

To be honest they are probably tired of all the people calling viewsonic support with issues that are not on OFFICIAL viewsonic software... most companies try to do something to deter this activity in some regards.

Does nv flash still works to downgrade everything?