Sharp SH7218u

This thread is dedicated to hacking and development of the Sharp SH7218u. This is an Android phone with a somewhat unique clamshell form-factor.

Before proceeding, please note that all of the usual warnings apply. The software and techniques described here have the potential to break your device and make it unusable. By using the software and following these techniques you run the risk of bricking your phone. I take no responsibility if this happens - proceed at your own risk.

First, some credits for the work of others:

Z4root:
Developed by xda member RyanZA.
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=833953

SH7218u Clockworkmod Recovery:
Clockworkmod original developer is Koushik Dutta:
www.clockworkmod.com

Dialer2:
Original developer of now open source dialer is dnaq Productions:
http://dnaq.tumblr.com/

Initial hacking and development work:
Gigi Tse is credited for early and ongoing work for the SH7218u:
http://gigitse.com/
http://www.msharp.cn/forum/t390991/page1/

Now on the instructions....
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Rooting Your Phone, Installing Clockworkmod Recovery, and Installing Google Apps


Gather the Required Files:

1. Go to the z4root xda thread, login in and download z4root.1.3.0.apk:
http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=833953

2. Download SH7218u_recovery.apk:
(attached below)

3. Download the Clockworkmod recovery flashable Google Apps file from the following site:
http://goo-inside.me/gapps
In the table, you want to select the HDPI, CyanogenMod 6 version. The file that you download should be
called 'gapps-hdpi-20101114-signed.zip'

4. Place these three files on your micro-SD card and insert the card into your phone.


Root Your Phone

1. Boot up your phone and skip the system setup wizard. Go to the app drawer and run 'Settings'.
2. Select 'Applications', and enable 'Unknown sources'.
3. Select 'Development', and enable 'USB debugging'.
4. Exit back out to your home screen launcher, then go to the app drawer and run 'ES File Explorer'.
5. The file explorer should show you the contents of your sd card. Tap on the file 'z4root.1.3.0.apk'.
6. Confirm installation of z4root, and when this is complete select 'Open' to run the app.
7. From within z4root, press the 'Permanent Root' button.
8. Wait until this process is complete, and the phone will reboot by itself. It can take 30 seconds or so for this to happen, so be patient. You are now rooted.


Flash Clockworkmod Recovery Image

You must be rooted for this to work. Do this after you have successfully completed the rooting process above. Also please note that this is not the CWM recovery image developed by Gigi Tse. Her image contains CWM version 3.0.2.4. This is my recovery image and contains CWM version 5.0.2.8.

1. Open the app drawer and run 'ES File Explorer'.
2. Tap on the file 'SH7218u_recovery.apk'.
3. Confirm installation and run the application by selecting 'Open' once installation is complete.
4. On startup, the application will request Superuser privleges - press 'Accept' to allow this.
5. Press the 'Flash Clockworkmod Recovery' button.
6. Wait a few seconds until you see the confirmation message 'Recovery Flash Complete'.
7. Exit out of the application. You now have Clockworkmod as your recovery. You can uninstall the SH7218u_recovery app if you wish as you have no further use of it.

Note for users of Link2SD: This version of Clockworkmod recovery will perform backup and restore operations on the secondary SD card partition used by Link2SD. However, that partition must be formatted in the ext3 filesystem for this to work. Formatting the partition in any other filesystem (e.g. ext2, fat32, ext4, etc.), will result in failure to mount and backup the partition. An SD card can be prepared for use with Link2SD from within this version of Clockworkmod recovery by using the 'Partition SD Card' feature within the 'Advanced' menu.


Install Google Apps

1. Boot into Clockworkmod Recovery. This is done by powering down your phone, then turning it back on by pressing and holding down the number 3 and 6 buttons together, then pressing and releasing the power button. Continue to hold the number 3 and 6 buttons until you see the Clockworkmod screen.
2. Select 'install zip from sdcard' from the menu.
3. Select 'choose zip from sdcard' from the next menu.
4. The next menu will be the contents of your sdcard. Select the Google Apps file - 'gapps-hdpi-20101114-signed.zip'.
5. Confirm the installation and wait until it is complete.
6. Press the back button once to get back to the main screen and select 'reboot system now'. You now have Google Apps installed.

When you reboot the device, you will be taken through the Google account setup. Please note that in order for contacts applications to work with Google synchronization, you will need to install a modified contact editor. The stock firmware on this phone is not intended to sync with the Google servers as it was intended for Chinese users. The modified contact editor fixes this issue. It is free and available from the Market. Look for 'Contact Editor Free' by a developer named 'dmfs'.

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TabletGuru said:

Thank you! Very good job!

No ideas how to get the phone to answer a call when you open?

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Click to collapse

Hey someone read my thread!!
Sorry, no posts on this thread yet and it has been up for a while. I think most people who have this phone stick to Howard forums or other such sites that cater to the phone type and its region of origin.

As for your question, no...but I have tried. That would require a modification of the phone app or a change to the OS itself as the phone app is the active app when the phone is ringing and the device is opened. If I had the source code for the stock phone app, this would be a fairly easy thing to do. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find the source for the stock device firmware anywhere. I tried compiling a generic Froyo phone app from the Google source, but of course this did not work. This is a somewhat special app that needs to interface with several parts of the device's hardware, so a generic version just doesn't work. Unless Sharp releases the full source code for the stock firmware, I don't think this is going to be possible....at least not from someone with my somewhat limited development abilities.

johnny8384 said:

Thanks for your guide! Do you have got new version Rom? 2.3 or 2.3.5?

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Click to collapse

Not likely to come. This would mean building something like CM7 for a new device from scratch. This kind of task takes dozens of man-hours for an expert developer, and that assumes that they have access to the original source for the release build. We do not have the original source, and there is no such developer working on this device. We will be stuck with Froyo.

sirjoe1 said:

EDIT: Ok succesfully installed the Custom rom It looks great I might say awesome work xdajunkman
Ok the question is now.. how to I get back all my previous apps and stuff?
I followed the guide and made a backup already

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Click to collapse

It is usually just easier if you wait until you have the new ROM installed before you try and install your apps. There is no reliable way from within CWM to restore your installed apps.
However, because the new ROM is just a modified version of the stock ROM, it should be possible to flash the new ROM without wiping the existing user data and keeping your installed apps. Restore your backup that has all of your apps installed. Then, flash the modified ROM but skip the step in the instructions that tells you to wipe existing user data. Instead of wiping the user data, do the following:
1. In the 'mounts and storage' menu of CWM recovery, select to format both '/system' and '/cache'
2. In the 'advanced' menu of CWM, select 'Wipe Dalvik cache'
Now proceed with installing the ROM as per the instructions. This should result in the modified ROM being installed, but all of your installed apps should be protected.

If this does not work, then you will just have to re-installed the modified ROM according to the instructions (including wiping the existing user data), then re-install all of your apps. For future reference, a great app called Titanium Backup will allow you to backup your apps and restore them after changing the ROM.

sirjoe1 said:

-->My 7218u stuck at Sharp logo when boot because i've uninstalled a system apps
-->( don't remember exactly) what i've to do now? plz help me

Boot into clockwork mod by pressing 3and 6 and the power on button, (assuming you have that installed)

Reinstall the rom.. http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=22106340#post22106340

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Click to collapse

Agree with sirjoe1. Hopefully you flashed CWM as your recovery before you did this. However, if not then booting into recovery mode as described above should trigger a factory reset from the stock recovery partition. I have not attempted this myself with the stock recovery, but usually what this will do is simply return your device to it's stock state. You can then start over using the instructions in the OP....but without deleting critical system apps this time.

Overclocking not possible without either a custom kernel or a kernel module of some sort. As the source for the stock kernel was never released, such a thing would be a HUGE undertaking. Very unlikely to ever happen.