Difference between ROM and Kernel?

The kernal is contained by and is the core of the ROM. The ROM accesses hardware services via the kernal.

The kernal wraps (abstracts) the hardware so that all the other aspects of the ROM can make simplified calls to the kernal when they want to access the hardware in some way.

So the kernal is an interface to the hardware. It's value is in wrapping the hardware into a nice set of API calls for the ROM that abstract away the messy details of interacting with the hardware.

Otherwise every part of the ROM would have to know the ins and outs of the hardware. This leads to bloated, fragile components.

So yes you can alter the kernal independently of the ROM. But you must ensure that when replacing your kernal your ROM can still understand how to make calls into it. i.e. Not all kernals are compatible with all ROMs. When you do a ROM update however you are typically replacing both the ROM and the kernal. i.e. the kernal is bundled with in your ROM update.

But when you do something like rooting. You are replacing your "bundled" kernal with one that allow you superuser access to core of the OS/ROM. So in this instance the outer shell (i.e. the ROM) is being left as is and you are just replacing the inner core. i.e. kernal.

hth
Richard

intermension said:

But when you do something like rooting. You are replacing your "bundled" kernal with one that allow you superuser access to core of the OS/ROM. So in this instance the outer shell (i.e. the ROM) is being left as is and you are just replacing the inner core. i.e. kernal.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Rooting actually does not require replacing the kernel... you are just adding the required binaries to the system that allows root access. Replacing the kernel is done through recovery. This is why you can flash the superuser zip file to any ROM. It just adds the necessary files that allow you to obtain root access.

Galaxy S Plus GT- i9001

My phone isnt very popular so I was excited when I found a cm9 port somewhere, but it turned out to be very buggy, just like my stock rom was before flashing a kernel, so i thougt that this was because of the kernel and tried to flash some(feaxore and cranium), but with every one I just got a bootloop. Can somebody tell me why? Id ask this in the rom's or kernel's thread but Im still a noob on xda... thank you for reading this!

@penguindroid. those kernels you flashed might be not be compatible wid your rom. search for the correct kernel before flashing

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

Thanks, but i dont think there is any... oh, can i ask you why do roms require a certain recovery? I also get bootloop unless i have cwm instead of feamod...

can u provide more detail. what phone,rom,kernel n recovery are u using?

Sent from my Nexus One using Tapatalk

Galaxy S Plus i9001 with an unofficial port of Cyanogenmod 9, and I get bootloop with:
Stock cm9 kernel & feamod recovery (based on cwm 5.5.0.4)
Feacore Phoenix kernel & feamod recovery
Cranium v6 kernel & ClockWorkMod recovery (port by, i think, arco68)

I also think that flashing cranium v6 switched my recovery back (from cwm) to feamod, but Im not sure (just ignore that part, I preffer feacore)

You are in the Nexus One subforum----------

I know, but my phone only has a android decelopment section in which I cannot post... I found out what the problem was, thanks anyway...

changing kernel

Hello,

I am newbie here and have got not too much experience with android mobiles. I would like to replace my Samsung Galaxy Y's kernel with a better one. Could you please tell will i have my original language settings after that or not? I use hungarian language and do not want to loose it.
I think the rom includes the language settings and kernel not cares about it.

Istvan

istvan_06 said:

Hello,

I am newbie here and have got not too much experience with android mobiles. I would like to replace my Samsung Galaxy Y's kernel with a better one. Could you please tell will i have my original language settings after that or not? I use hungarian language and do not want to loose it.
I think the rom includes the language settings and kernel not cares about it.

Istvan

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

I wana build a 3.x.x kernel for my m110s model but it seem cant. I dont understand your question about your language, if the custom rom has no support you language u can translate it. It's really easy to translate a rom but need any times. About kernel, i think no one can help u for the old model, xda forums and samsung never mind abt old model. I're pm to so muck guys to ask the help, but no one reply me. Let try by yourself guy, i will help u if i am not a bussiness administrator, i wil help u if i were knowge android any more.

Gửi từ SHW-M110S của tôi bằng cách sử dụng Tapatalk 2

bbanana said:

I wana build a 3.x.x kernel for my m110s model but it seem cant. I dont understand your question about your language, if the custom rom has no support you language u can translate it. It's really easy to translate a rom but need any times. About kernel, i think no one can help u for the old model, xda forums and samsung never mind abt old model. I're pm to so muck guys to ask the help, but no one reply me. Let try by yourself guy, i will help u if i am not a bussiness administrator, i wil help u if i were knowge android any more.

Gửi từ SHW-M110S của tôi bằng cách sử dụng Tapatalk 2

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Thanks to Doky73 the issue is fixed. My mobile's menu language hungarian and did not know will it be still hungarian after a kernel "upgrade". He said the original lanuage will be available after the upgrade.He was right, the menu language did not changed at all. Thanks