[Q] Alcatel OT-980 root and rom development

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Gibla

Senior Member
May 18, 2007
107
2
Louvain
Hello,

just bougth a low-cost and really little android phone: Alcatel OT-980. It's quite cheap as long I bought for 79 gpb from new. And it has quite nice specs:

-CPU 600mhz
-256 Rom / 192 Ram
-Android 2.1
-Slide-out QWERTY keyboard

Anyone is working on it? Is it possibile to have root access? What about a new page on XDA for it?

Let's start talking about it guys ;)
 

davo-cc

New member
Nov 19, 2010
1
0
I just purchased one of these things and it has a strange fault - the "hang-up" button seems to be constantly depressed so it's always trying to shut itself down. If I hold that button down it goes back to normal, it's like the button logic is in reverse or something.

Has anyone heard of this? It's nearly impossible to get Alcatel support in Australia.
 

djtyres

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2010
104
48
Peterborough
I have the OT-981a (Wind version)
It's just another simple android phone.

Alcatel made some changes to the OS.
Took out the update feature (Probably because they will never support updates)
No live wall papers even though the software is installed.

It is running 2.1 update 1

The usual start up to get to programing mode
(Volume down + power) only restores the phone.

Think it would be pretty damn hard to make a rom for this.
Plus not a popular device so don't hold your breath as much as I would love to find a rom to work on this it is not likely.

Note universal androot does work but the NAT Filter is missing so no Wifi tethering ether :(
 
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cmstlist

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2010
3,348
522
Toronto
Google Pixel 4a
I have the OT-981a (Wind version)
It's just another simple android phone.

Alcatel made some changes to the OS.
Took out the update feature (Probably because they will never support updates)
No live wall papers even though the software is installed.

It is running 2.1 update 1

The usual start up to get to programing mode
(Volume down + power) only restores the phone.

Think it would be pretty damn hard to make a rom for this.
Plus not a popular device so don't hold your breath as much as I would love to find a rom to work on this it is not likely.

Note universal androot does work but the NAT Filter is missing so no Wifi tethering ether :(

- Is there a bootloader mode in addition to this "recovery" mode?
- If it's rootable, and the bootloader is not locked, there is still some chance a custom recovery could be installed. The question is how many devs care to make a recovery and ROM specifically for this phone.
 

djtyres

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2010
104
48
Peterborough
That is exactly my point no one would take the time for this device.
I tried to the usual bootloader sequence but just reset my phone.

Unless it needs the usb plugged in
 

MY_TD2

Member
Jul 8, 2009
7
0
Vancouver
Hard Reset

Anyone know if there is a button combination for a hard reset?

Customer downloaded a brightness app on market and the "0" setting forced his screen to go black. Phone still runs in the background but you don't know where/what you're doing.


Help?
 

cmstlist

Senior Member
Jan 11, 2010
3,348
522
Toronto
Google Pixel 4a
Anyone know if there is a button combination for a hard reset?

Customer downloaded a brightness app on market and the "0" setting forced his screen to go black. Phone still runs in the background but you don't know where/what you're doing.


Help?

Upthread it is reported that power + volume up results in some sort of factory reset. I wouldn't know because I don't have the phone.

Here is an alternate idea, but you'll need someone's help to tell you roughly where to tap on the screen or how many up-down strokes it will take.
- Unlock the phone (swipe, you'll feel the vibration)
- Press Home a few times so you're on your main homescreen.
- Is the Power Widget on one of your homescreens? If so, some hunting and pecking can probably get you to tap on the Brightness icon.
- If not, you may be able to long-press and add a widget blindly, and hopefully that widget will be the Power Widget.
 

djtyres

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2010
104
48
Peterborough
Anyone know if there is a button combination for a hard reset?

Customer downloaded a brightness app on market and the "0" setting forced his screen to go black. Phone still runs in the background but you don't know where/what you're doing.


Help?

Volume Down + Power is hard reset to factory defaults.
It's what the usual recovery combo is on most android phones lol
 

squigley

Member
Nov 28, 2010
10
0
backup / fs image

I've done a bit of hacking on my phone, got root, and used the adb shell to install busybox etc.

I'm trying to find a way to get a proper image out of the phone, I'm guessing that I can statically compile dd for it, and create dd images of the different partitions of the nand, on the SD, then loop mount them on a linux machine for development.

If there's an easier way, then I'd like to know about it :)

Based on that I imagine it would be possible to add in some of the changes that the G1 recovery images have for our phone.
 

djtyres

Senior Member
Oct 17, 2010
104
48
Peterborough
Ok I have found busybox as well as installed it,

I also sent an email asking if we could get support for the ot-981 from clockworkmods (Rom Manager) fingers crossed here.

That way we can a back up of the original rom :)
 

squigley

Member
Nov 28, 2010
10
0
I'm trying to get the image off, dd doesn't work because the mtd block devices can't be read (perhaps because they are mounted, but I would still expect dd as root to be able to read them), and tar doesn't help much, because the tar function in busybox doesn't interpret the --exclude or -X parameters to exclude the sdcard dir (to avoid a recursive tar), and to exclude /proc and /dev and /sys.

I'm going to try to cross compile tar for android and hope to get a backup out that way.
 

Maverick4lyes

Member
Dec 4, 2010
5
1
Hi guys new to the scene and planning to get this phone as a low budget andriod device.. I hope you guys will be able to find a way to develop for this phone and more importantly upgrade it. It would be a big help! Thanks for all your hard work so far!!!
 

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  • 5
    Gingerbread Final (Test release / RC)

    Getting the files
    1) Download update.zip from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/GB RC1/update.zip
    2) Place on sdcard root keep name as update.zip
    3) Download google apps from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/Gingerbread Alpha 1/gapps.zip (the update is the same as the cyanogenmod one except it mounts the custpack partition)
    4) Place on sdcard root keep name as gapps.zip

    Only if your upgrading from Eclair follow this step
    Installing recovery (for Eclair only)
    1) Get the update package at: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/Update Package.zip (this is the Foryo one we only use it to install the recovery)
    2) Power off your device (do not plug in to the USB port on your computer)
    3) Hold Q and the Power button (if anything appears on your screen back to step 2)
    4) Run InstallUpdateRecovery.bat in the install package.
    5) Unplug your device (remove the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery)

    Installing Gingerbread
    Note if your already on gingerbread follow steps and make sure you install google apps before the reboot

    1) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    2) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry. Q to go back.
    3) Select Apply update.zip from the menu
    3) Select Install zip from sdcard
    4) Select choose zip from sdcard
    5) Select gapps.zip in the list
    6) Select Yes - Install gapps.zip
    7) Eclair only: format your data partition from mounts and storage menu. This may not be required but after the reboot if you see a boot loop please do this step.
    8) Reboot the device via the menu. If you end up in recovery again unplug your device (remove the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery).


    After Reboot (on new install only)
    1) Wait for touch screen calibration first to calibrate your screen
    2) Touch the Android like normal (press menu to set up your APN if you have data)
    3) Setup your google account
    4) If you need wireless then hit back (or cancel not sure which one :p) when its trying to connect (it will offer an option to connect)
    5) Enjoy Gingerbread and report any bugs!


    AZERTY / European gps.conf
    See: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=25640971&postcount=349 for files
    For each file you want to install:
    1) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    2) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    3) Select Apply update.zip from the menu
    4) Select power off from the menu to shut down. After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.

    Notes
    - What works: Cellular, Data, GPS, Camera, Bluetooth, Tethering
    - Please enter your APN settings for your network to get data
    - Update will not format your user data partition
    - Dalvik heap and compcache are set to 24mb, 10% respectively. Feel free to tweak via cyanogenmod settings
    - Kernel source: https://github.com/Idontknow186/Alcatel-OT980-Kernel

    Whats new
    - Bluetooth
    - Tethering
    - Camera support for locations, effects and zooming
    - GPS related changes
    - Rebased against newer nightly gingerbread branch (for better or worse)

    What needs to be tested
    - Bluetooth headsets
    - GPS reliability (modified drivers again)

    Known Issues
    - You may need to tell your favorite tethering application to not use wpa_supplicant
    - GPS config is for North America so fix may be slower in other countries (see update above for european config)
    - Stock keyboard is oversized. Install your favorite from the market (should be fine I'm currently using stock).
    - More reliable wireless in some cases with Regulatory domain: 14 (don't quote me on it might be nothing :p)
    - Might break if you use link2sd, may need to format data. Can some one who is using it try updating the su binary in the super user application via the preferences after installation (not a 100% confirmed fix so try at your own risk).
    - Bluetooth not functional for voice calls
    4
    Noticed we are missing code for the GPS in the Camera drivers so going to see if I can get it to work. Got zooming fixed which was easy to enable.
    4
    Gingerbread Alpha 1

    Note: This update has not been tested upgrading from eclar so if your coming from it follow the back up steps (http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=24847104&postcount=264). It probably does work but a back up is recommended no need to update to froyo first. Overall it is more stable then Froyo despite being an Alpha (I'll move it to beta status next week once we have bluetooth)


    Getting the files
    1) Download update.zip from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/Gingerbread Alpha 1/update.zip
    2) Place on sdcard root keep name as update.zip
    3) Download google apps from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/Gingerbread Alpha 1/gapps.zip (these are the same are modified to mount the custpack partition unlike the standard cynogen ones)
    4) Place on sdcard root keep name as gapps.zip

    Only if your upgrading from Eclair follow this step
    Installing recovery (for Eclair only)
    1) Get the update package at: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/Update Package.zip (this is the Foryo one we only use it to install the recovery)
    2) Power off your device (do not plug in to the USB port on your computer)
    3) Hold Q and the Power button (if anything appears on your screen back to step 2)
    4) Run InstallUpdateRecovery.bat in the install package.
    5) Unplug your device (remove the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery)

    Installing Gingerbread
    1) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    2) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    3) Select Apply update.zip from the menu
    4) Select power off from the menu to shut down. After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.

    Installing Google Applications
    1) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    2) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    3) Select Install zip from sdcard
    4) Select choose zip from sdcard
    5) Select gapps.zip in the list
    6) Select Yes - Install gapps.zip
    7) Select power off from the menu to shut down. After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.

    Reboot device
    1) Wait for touch screen calibration first to calibrate your screen
    2) Touch the Android like normal (press menu to set up your APN if you have data)
    3) Setup your google account
    4) If you need wireless then hit back (or cancel not sure which one :p) when its trying to connect (it will offer an option to connect)
    5) Enjoy Gingerbread and report any bugs!


    AZERTY / European gps.conf
    See: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=25640971&postcount=349 for files
    For each file you want to install:
    1) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    2) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    3) Select Apply update.zip from the menu
    4) Select power off from the menu to shut down. After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.

    Important Install Update 1 from: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=25742778&postcount=364

    Notes
    - What works: Cellular, Data, GPS, Camera
    - What doesn't: Bluetooth, Tethering (untested but probably doesn't :/)
    - Tethering is not supported or at least I haven't tested it and doesn't work yet (sorry next update possibly)
    - Update will format your userdata and cache partition
    - Future updates will be large [about the same size] (they won't format data and cache any more)
    - You can tweak settings via cynognemod settings some of the values like dalvik-heap are on default (I'll bump these up in a future update)
    - Some junk is left over for developers will be removed in a future update (forgot it in a rush :D)
    - Kernel source: https://github.com/Idontknow186/Alcatel-OT980-Kernel

    Known Issues
    - Audio recording is broken in most applications (Fixed in update 1)
    -Mute does not work in the phone application during a call please don't use it!! Fixed in update 1
    - To turn screen on in the phone press any key other then hangup or predictably you know what will happen (probably expected, don't know if this happened in stock)
    - Stay away from Clockworkmod it does not work on this ROM
    - GPS config is for North America so fix may be slower in other countries (see update above for european config)
    - Stock keyboard is oversized. Install your favorite from the market (should be fine I'm currently using stock).
    - More reliable wireless in some cases with Regulatory domain: 14 (don't quote me on it might be nothing :p)
    3
    Froyo 2.2.2

    INSTRUCTIONS ARE DEPRECATED [A GINGERBREAD UPDATE WILL BE RELEASED SOON PLEASE AVOID]

    An update package is included (its designed for Windows but if your familiar with fastboot just follow what the bat files do after getting fastboot for your platform.) If your device doesn't boot for some reason restore the back up you made your data should be restored. By flashing the update.zip in this package you are formatting your data partition (so you will have to reinstall applications if the update is successful). You can get the update package at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/71594697/Update Package.zip its about 125 mb. Please use instructions from the forum the instructions in the zip are older. Make sure you also read the notes below before installing.

    Backing up
    1) Power off your device (do not plug in to the USB port on your computer)
    2) Hold Q and the Power button (if anything appears on your screen back to step 1)
    3) Plug your device into your USB port
    4) Run InstallBackupRecovery.bat in the install package.
    5) Unplug your device (remove the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery)
    6) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    7) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    8) Select Backup and restore
    9) Select backup (allow it to complete)
    10) Select power off from the menu to shut down. After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.


    Restoring (incase something goes wrong)
    1) Power off your device (do not plug in to the USB port on your computer)
    2) Hold Q and the Power button (if anything appears on your screen back to step 1)
    3) Plug your device into your USB port
    4) Run InstallBackupRecovery.bat in the install package.
    5) Unplug your device (and remove the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery)
    6) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    7) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    8) Select Backup and restore
    9) Select restore
    10) Pick the back up you had made earlier based on the date.
    11) Select power off from the menu to shut down.After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.


    Upgrading to Froyo
    1) Make sure you have made a back up (its easy and it only takes a minute or two)
    2) Copy update.zip on to your sdcard (do not extract)
    3) Power off your device (do not plug in to the USB port on your computer)
    4) Hold Q and the Power button (if anything appears on your screen back to step 2)
    5) Run InstallUpdateRecovery.bat in the install package.
    6) Unplug your device (remove the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery)
    7) Hold the volume down and power (it should boot into recovery). If it doesn't
    the power off device and try again.
    8) Once in recovery use left button on keypad to move selections and power to select an entry.
    If you get select the wrong menu remove battery and enter recovery again.
    9) Select Apply update.zip from the menu
    10) Select power off from the menu to shut down. After a couple of seconds remove
    the battery, hold power and re-insert the battery to avoid booting into recovery.
    10a) Install latest update from: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=24984298&postcount=279
    11) Power on and welcome to Froyo :D
    12) Wait for touchscreen calibration to come up. Follow instructions. Once finished menu to exit.
    If your touches do not register at ANY point then see CalibrationPoints.png in package and touch approximately on your screen based on these points.
    If you run into this please tell me (I can tweak the TSCalibration app to be smarter with a bit of work.)
    13) Touch the android icon and skip creating an account (there is a bug in the wizard so your just avoiding it)
    14) Setup everything at this point if necessary re-calibrated your screen via TS Calibration in the menu
    15) Install your favorites launcher (Zeam runs great) and keyboard since no keyboard is installed.


    Notes
    - No keyboard is included so use the hardware keyboard and install your favorite via the market.
    - The kernel has been updated based off nobodyAtall's work to help port froyo / gingerbread specific features. Other things are specific to this device (Kernel source: https://github.com/Idontknow186/Alcatel-OT980-Kernel)
    - Busybox is pre-installed to make things easier if you need to adb on to the device
    - All hardware should work if something is broken please tell me. For tethering install your favourite solution from the market (tunnelling support should be compiled in if it isn't yell at me :p).
    - The default launcher sucks so please replace it for the best experience.
    - The ROM is rooted for your already.
    - Battery life seems to be better then typically what you get on stock.
    - Calibration data can be cleared by deleting /data/data/touchscreen*/files/* [path might be wrong will check later] or formatting the data partition (if you need a update.zip to clear calibration please tell me).
    - Please report any bugs I'll issue delta updates to fix them (preferably with reproduction steps)
    - Whats next? Probably GB or ICS :p
    3
    I just figured out why Alcatel disabled HW acceleration for compositing (the MOVE still has the same stupid bug) it was so their logo appears fine on the boot screen. Other wise the hardware supports it and it works fine. So I'm going just enable it and fix the boot screen it just needs a larger image or else the pitch will screw up (I think, if I can't fix it don't be surprised by a corrupted Alcatel logo for less then a second or two). Only advantage you gain animations use hardware and things which use hardware surfaces actually get them. Oh and the awesome screen off animation works :p. Animations are now silky smooth between windows.

    EDIT: That was easy enough to fix. So logo will look fine :D